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Dance troupe dazzles on Madison Avenue
By Cristina DC Pastor When St. Adalbert Church in Queens was looking for a Filipino dance group to perform at a religious event, word got around fast. Helen Kwong-LaBarbera of Long Island responded quickly and gathered Filipino families who shared her excitement. Thus, was born Island Gems Philippine Cultural Group which became known for their […]
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The mark of longevity: Fiesta In America celebrates 25th year
By Len Manansala In the fraught world of festival organizing, no other indoor Filipino event on the U.S. East Coast has demonstrated similar constancy more than Fiesta In America. Founded in 1996 in New York City and mounted every year except during the 2020-2021 pandemic, Fiesta In America lays claim to being the most enduring […]
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‘I like to serve, and sometimes give a little bit more’
By Marivir R. Montebon After a grueling day at school, Dr. Laura Garcia, a nurse educator, recharged herself through a short nap and had the energy to answer my interview questions in the wee hours of the night. She is a woman of accomplishments and of many titles in community organizations in the Big Apple. […]
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Judge Benes Z. Aldana: 1st FilAm CEO of the National Judicial College
By Loida Nicolas Lewis During the Asian American Pacific Islander Victory Fund in Washington, D.C. last spring, I was delighted to meet the president and CEO of The National Judicial College, Hon. Benes Zapanta Aldana (Ret.). Benes is the first Asian Pacific American (Filipino), and second person of color, to lead the College, and before […]
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Bongbong reappoints 2nd cousin Philippine ambassador to the U.S.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has reappointed his second cousin, Jose Manuel ‘Babe’ Romualdez as Philippine Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States. He has concurrent jurisdiction over the Commonwealth of Jamaica, Republic of Haiti, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and […]
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Arlin Fidellaga, RN on Roe v Wade: Not a political or religious issue but a health care issue
By Cristina DC Pastor Nurse educator Arlin Fidellaga was on her way to work on June 24 when the news popped up on her phone: “Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, ending 50 years of federal abortion rights.” It was a jarring piece of news, something Arlin did not expect to hear that morning. With […]
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Bergenfield residents report health improvements after wellness campaign
The Mayor’s Wellness Campaign 2022, a New Jersey state-wide, initiative that encourages active lifestyles and healthy living through education, fun activities, and community engagement, recently concluded with participating residents reporting healthy lifestyle improvements in their sleeping, eating, and physical activity habits. In a survey conducted of residents participating in the activities, 100 percent saw improvements […]
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‘A Texan can look like me’
By Gus Mercado Filipino Americans in our state, especially in the Dallas Forth Worth Metroplex, brimmed with pride when our very own Averie Danielle Bishop won the Miss Texas crown on June 25th. From North Texas to the Miss America stage in December, she made history as the first Asian American ever to win the […]
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Political satire on dictatorship to be staged during Ice Factory Festival Aug 10-13
The Atlantic Pacific Theatre is staging Luis Francia’s play “The Strange Case of Citizen de la Cruz” from August 10-13, as part of the Ice Factory Festival sponsored by New Ohio Theatre. Claro de los Reyes and Robert Thaxton-Stevenson are directing. Set in an unspecified time in the Philippines, this political satire explores the phenomena of […]