Known for his record to work effectively with Democrats and Republicans, Rep. Andrew Kim says he is the fair choice to unite America, stabilize the economy, and reach a durable peace.

Renowned Filipino international pianists Raul Sunico and Rowena Arrieta performed at a benefit concert on Nov. 10, 2023 for the Handang Tumulong Foundation, a nonprofit assisting victims of natural calamities worldwide.

The stellar performance at the Merkin Hall in NYC was described by Philippine Consul General Senen Mangalile as ‘spectacular’ and Edwin Josue as ‘exceeding all expectations.’  

Today, November 7, is national local elections day.

FilAm civic organizations are encouraging Filipinos to vote and make Filipino representation a reality in NYC. According to the New York Civic Engagement Table, only 10.47% of eligible FilAm voters are registered to vote.

Asian Persuasion is directed and produced by Tony- and Grammy-winning producer and director Jhett Tolentino and written by Mike Ang. It boasts of a full Pan-Asian cast and crew under the Jhett Tolentino Productions. Its birthing pangs included logistical challenges and the pandemic. Thus, its autumnal premiere in the Big Apple was a triumph by itself.

Starring Dante Basco (“The Fabulous Filipino Brothers,” “Avatar: The Last Airbender”), Philippine actress KC Concepcion, Kevin Kreider (“Bling Empire”), and Paolo Montalban (“The Girl Who Left Home,” “Mortal Kombat: Conquest”), Asian Persuasion is themed on life after divorce with a hilarious plot. Thankfully, it’s not dragging. It has an exciting twist that knotted the story’s conflict convincingly as the characters redeemed themselves in the end.

Distinctively unique in its use of words that combine location and brand, 87 Ludlow Filipino Spanish Tapas Bar and Restaurant is a go-to place after work for unwinding and a meet-up with friends. 

Palestinian-American journalist Jamal Dajani told the media: “You have to distinguish this is not a religious conflict or an ethnic conflict as it has been described by media. This is a territorial conflict. It’s a colonial conflict. When you are driven out of your home in 1948 and live in a refugee camp, Israelis are seen as invaders. This has nothing to do with religion. There are extremists who take advantage and say this is about religion. It is not. Historically, Jews, Muslims, and Christians co-existed in the Holy Land for many years.”

The long colonial relationship of the Philippines with America explains why there is a continued migration of Filipinos to the US. From galleon trade to modern-day slavery, and well-respected top-notch nurses, doctors, teachers, workers, and entertainers in the past and present - this is the diversity of Filipinos in the diaspora.

Filipino immigration to America dates to as early as the 14th century. Today, Filipinos in the US stand at 4.4 million (2020 US census estimates), majority of whom are living in California, Hawaii, New York, and New Jersey.

The first recorded Filipino immigrants were sailors on the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade. These seafarers deserted the bitter life at sea and the abuses of their Spanish colonialists when they landed in Louisiana and California in 1565.

At the Percy Lapid memorial on October 1, 2023, journalism stalwarts Noel Pangilinan, Sheila Coronel, and Maria Ressa presented bleak statistics of media repression but highlighted hope floats when people take upon themselves the leadership and community of support to protect themselves and democracy.

The Filipino American communities in New York are busy as usual for the socio-cultural events in the fall. A townhall on sustainable development, a Philippine Ballet Theatre presentation for a 35th year milestone, and a serenade of Philippine romantic songs - to name a few.

The social media is the highest source of catphishing scams, with a total loss of $4.4B of the 1.1 million reported cases from January to June this year, the FTC Consumer Sentinel Report said.

Benjamin Davidson, an attorney at the Division of Marketing Practices, of the FTC, said that fraud cases have been going down in the past years, but the value of the losses have gone up. As such, public education about scammers needed to be relentless.

“The advancements of digital technology must be people-centric,” said Merly Barlaan, the International Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer, and Director of the WFWPI Office for UN Relations in New York.

WFWP initiated the forum titled “Integration and impact of digital technology in developing countries in the context of the Right to Development” at the 4W 43rd in NYC on July 19, 2023.

The side forum couldn’t have been more relevant as writers in the US, for one, have sustained a strike for over three months to resist further economic dislocation brought about by streaming and artificial intelligence in the entertainment industry.

The Writers Guild of America have pushed for the stability of their jobs as regular writers for studios as they face the threat of using AI instead of their creative talents.

During a nationwide media forum of the Ethnic Media Services, Jorge Rivera, the Vice-Chair of the Latinx Writers Committee at the Writers Guild of America (WGA) said that digital technology has displaced thousands of workers and writers in Hollywood as production companies have turned to streaming and artificial intelligence.

The once sustainable career of writing and acting have become the vulnerable gig industry, Rivera said.

Hollywood, he said, is predominantly a blue collar economy of craftspeople and small actors who needed to flex its bargaining power before the studios.

The redemption of Here Lies Love is its line “freedom is fragile.” And indeed, it is now that Marcos Jr. is president. The timeless message this show could warn us, in all its disco fever, is that absolute power corrupts absolutely. We need to know the facts first, before learning the lessons of history. HLL doesn’t clearly provide that, it is so nuanced. It is up to the audience to seek the truth.

An interview with the descendants of Paciano Rizal, brother of Philippine hero Dr. Jose Rizal by Cristina DC Pastor of The FilAm.net

Paciano Rizal, who was a general in the Katipunan founded by Andres Bonifacio, had a common-law wife Severina Decena from Calamba. They only had one daughter, Emiliana Rizal Lopez, the mother of Azurin’s grandfather, Edmundo Rizal Lopez.

“These stories get passed around among family, they don’t come out in history books,” said Azurin.

Barbie was hilarious, unexpectedly deep and in touch with today’s uneasy social reality - the subliminal power structure of gender that makes women invisible but overwhelmed with expectations to make other people better. The message ‘just love yourself’ slayed it.

There is a language-based inequity in the health care system of the US which is fast becoming a multi-lingual country. A study made by Stanford Medicine in California noted that “language barriers often occur when healthcare providers and patients do not share a native language and that patients and families with limited English proficiency (LEP) face exacerbated health disparities.”

Romeo ‘Ronald’ Cortez Jr., an employee at the Philippine Consulate in New York, has been an artist for several years now, garnering admiration and awards from various art groups and professionals. He is most comfortable in realism as an artistic expression.

“I found myself doing realism kasi self-taught ako. Yung nakikita ko sa surroundings ang nag influence sa akin, kung paano ko sila ipinta and I paint what I see. I believe that this is a God-given talent, kasi hindi naman ako nag-aral ng Fine Arts,” he said in an interview.

(I found myself doing realism because I am self-taught. What I see in my surroundings influences me on how I paint them. I paint what I see. I believe that this is a God-given talent because I have not even studied Fine Arts.)

Despite the robust growth of ethnic and community media in New Jersey before and during the pandemic, money is still the main problem of the majority of ethnic media organizations. A report of the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University found that “majority of ethnic media in New Jersey work on a shoestring budget and have small staffs.”

Ismael (Mike) and Josephine (Josie) Jampayas are known for their straight-up generosity and kindness as a couple. Now in their prime, nothing is ever enjoyable for them than to give back to the community in New York and in the Philippines their blessings after years of hard work.

The Philippine vodka (lambanog) is distinct from the English rum or Russian vodka, something which the world must taste.

Papo Js Philippine Lambanog vodka was created in 2018 by three friends - Filipino-Americans David Osmena and Mike Borja, and Hong Kong-based Jota Shohtoku, their American Japanese friend. It has taken an easy breezy glide in liquor stores and Asian food markets in California.

Eighty-proof and bottled in Quezon province in the Philippines, Papo Js has now reached the states of Virginia, Massachusetts, and soon, Arizona. Clear and crisp, Papo Js goes well with coconut water or with calamansi (Philippine lemon) and ice.