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Beauty queen Maria Victoria Ginter’s quiet, low-key campaign for breast cancer awareness
By Cristina DC Pastor Maria Victoria Ginter was in her teens when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her mother discovered a lump in her breast and underwent surgery, but the disease had already progressed. After years of treatment, including chemotherapy, the cancer reached Stage 4. “She was only 45 years old when she […]
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A sense of nervousness as Steven Raga faces Mamdani-backed opponent in State Senate race
The entry of Palestinian American community organizer Aber Kawas into the race for New York State Senate District 12 has prompted discussion among some Filipino American voters, particularly because she has the endorsement of Zohran Mamdani. Mayor Mamdani is a prominent — and popular — progressive figure whose policies have drawn both supporters and critics […]
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Author Cinelle Barnes finds her way back after losing memory from aneurysm
By Allen Gaborro Today’s volatile, information-laden, post-truth paradigm makes it difficult to turn our focus away from the external world and toward our inward life. However, even at the risk of confronting doubt, anxiety, and the fear of inadequacy—and with the outside world ceaselessly closing in—we are compelled to observe and comprehend our delicate, complicated […]
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Jenn Cuneta’s ‘Jenniverse’ echoes Filipino pride, empowerment through dance music
By Elton Lugay Filipino American recording artist Jenn Cuneta is set to release her full-length album “Jenniverse,” a project that blends global dance music with messages of Filipino pride, empowerment and cultural identity. Set for release on June 7, the same day she will perform at the Philippine Independence Day Parade in New York — […]
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Setback at the UN: Philippines misses Security Council seat
By Cristina DC Pastor The Philippines lost its bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2027–2028 term. The slot went to the Central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan after four rounds of voting at the United Nations General Assembly on June 4, 2026. In the final round of voting, Kyrgyzstan garnered […]
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Filmmaker Desireena Almoradie on queer parenting and the joy of letting a child become himself
By Cristina DC Pastor “He has very deep emotions,” says mom Desireena Almoradie. “Today he was upset because his best friend was getting close to another friend. There were some tears. He handles complex emotions very well; he just doesn’t always have the words for them yet. It’s very interesting to see.” Desireena was describing […]
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Comedian Rex Navarrete is coming to N.J. for the Independence Day weekend
The Studio Ligaya, a Filipino American cultural venue and community hub in Metuchen, New Jersey, will present Laugh with Ligaya, a three-show stand-up comedy event headlined by Rex Navarrete on June 12 and 13, 2026. This show series is created to celebrate Philippine Independence Day and bring together the East Coast FilAm community. The event […]
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KILIG.NYC brings Filipino comfort food to Independence Day parade
Kilig.NYC will make its public debut at the Philippine Independence Day Parade in New York City on Sunday, June 7. Co-founded by marketing and communications executive Bong Arquiza and certified public accountant Janina Gesmundo, Kilig.NYC is on a mission to do exactly what its tagline says: bring back the joy of eating…the Filipino way. […]
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A Times Square prelude for the Philippine Independence Day celebration
By Cristina DC Pastor For the first time in the history of New York’s Philippine Independence Day event, the iconic Times Square will serve as the opening venue on the June 6 eve of the Madison Avenue parade. The famous Red Steps, one of Times Square’s most recognizable landmarks, will be the centerpiece of the […]