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Arvin Amatorio is running for a council seat in Bergenfield
By Cristina DC Pastor Fifteen years after Robert Rivas stepped down as mayor of Bergenfield, a young lawyer is making a bid for a council seat, counting on the support of the residents of “Little Manila” of Bergen County. Immigration lawyer Arvin Amatorio will be running in tandem with politician Chris Tully as the Democratic […]
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‘I am only now starting to understand my own identity’
By Tiara Camille Teruel As a Filipina-American, I often question my own identity as much as I am questioned about my race. It starts with a stare, then a question-filled head tilt, until finally they ask: “What Asian are you?” “What is your first guess?” I reply. This is usually followed by a long inquiring […]
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Bohol Earthquake, a year on: a presentation on Oct. 21
On October 15, 2013 at 8:12 a.m., a 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit the island of Bohol, Philippines. About 350,000 people were displaced and several of the Philippines’ historic coral stone churches, dating from the 18th through the 20th centuries, were damaged or destroyed. This sudden and devastating event is a reminder that the country lies […]
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The layered life of Chelle Lhuillier
By Cristina DC Pastor “I am a special girl.” “I am the best of both worlds.” These statements may seem friendly and non-threatening, but hard to articulate especially for a transgender woman looking to get to know a male stranger. LGBTQ advocate Chelle Lhuillier made this observation as she called on fellow transgender women to […]
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Fr. Patrick Longalong talks about predator priests, the Simbang Gabi, and the Church’s 8-minute rule
By Cristina DC Pastor I know very few Filipino priests in America. Three to be exact. One of them is this elderly priest, a favorite in the community, whose touchy-feely ways give me the heebie-jeebies. Another is the priest in my parish whose homilies I find a little gimmicky. In one homily, he brought a […]
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Oct. 21 memorial mass for George Daco, 53: Jaycee, Knight, builder and friend
Long-time New Yorker George B. Daco passed away on September 30 at Westlake Medical Center in San Pedro, Laguna due to multiple organ failure. He was surrounded by his family. George had been in declining health over the past few years. During his last six months in New York, he had been shuttling between various […]
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Where to find the 7.1% FilAms living in poverty? Not at a ballroom gala!
By Bella Santos Owens Recently, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders released key facts and figures on Filipinos living within the U.S. With a total U.S. Filipino population of 2.66 million, the amount of Filipinos living in poverty comes to 7.1 percent. According to the United States Census Bureau, poverty in […]
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Ben Venturina’s ‘Premonition’ debuts at Chelsea Film Festival
By Cristina DC Pastor “A Premonition’s Dream,” a short film produced, written, and directed by Ben Venturina, has been accepted into the October 16 to 19 Chelsea Film Festival. It’s almost like a one-person production because he also played the narrative’s main character. “To officially be a part of the independent film community in […]
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Thou shalt be called Benjamin
By Joseph Jerome Francia The flight from San Diego to New York was delayed by eight hours due to bad weather. Hungry and tired, I arrived 4 a.m. at the hotel the office had booked for me. I approached the receptionist to check in. I was told, “Sorry, we gave your room away since you […]