Fil Am-owned small businesses thrive...

They pivoted and began joining street fairs and popups. Today, they’re also at Smorgasburg, Uptown Night Market, and Brooklyn Night Market, among others.

“When we started, we told ourselves that all we want to do is to showcase Filipino food and put Filipino food out there,” Abada said. “Other Asian cuisines like Japanese, Chinese, Thai, they’re all over New York. But Filipino food. they’re isolated in one spot. So it was one of our goals to have Filipino food put on the map for New York City.”

Fattened Caf, a small FilAmowned business from St. Louis City in Missouri helmed by the husband-and-wife team of Darren and Charlene LopezYoung sell Filipino barbecue in a brewery in St. Louis and their sausages are now in 80 grocery stores throughout Missouri and Southern Illinois.

Lopez-Young and Isabel Bakunawa were at the Philippines Fest a few weeks ago, joining a host of other small FilAm-owned businesses.

“We make it easy for people to make Filipino barbecue at home so that we normalize Filipino food culture and every household throughout the United States,” Lopez said. “Our Filipino barbecue sauce kind of mimics the banana ketchup, but we make it with real bananas. So we make it easy for people to want to base their meats with it, dip their meats in it and not just stick to the nostalgic dishes that we know.”

They also wanted their refrigerated delivery van to look like a Filipino jeepney so they had it painted and branded like a jeep and it has ‘Cubao Philippines’ emblazoned in honor of their families being from Cubao, Quezon City.

“We drove 16 hours from St. Louis to be here. We just really love the Filipino community and want to be around more Filipinos,” she shared.

The Young couple started Fattened Caf back in 2018 selling 60 plates in various farmers’ markets.

“And then right before the pandemic we were able to sell

300 plates in two hours so we knew there was something that people in St. Louis were looking for and Filipino barbecue was leaving its mark in a town that was all about barbecue, right?

Like when you think about St. Louis or the Midwest, you think of barbecue, so people have embraced Filipino barbecue over there and enjoy it and love it.” Lopez added.

They were able to weather the pandemic by creating and selling their line of Filipino sausages through a small window outside a local brewery. The sausages were fully cooked, making them incredibly convenient for customers who could simply fry them up in a matter of minutes without having to boil them.

Word of their delicious sausages spread and soon enough, a grocery store approached them about carrying their product. They are now stocked in several grocery stores throughout Missouri and Southern Illinois.

“These are good and everyone can identify with longganisa like we all grew up with longganisa,” she shared proudly. “It’s so good and more people need to know about it so our goal is to be in more mainstream grocery stores.”

They also released their own “Sawsawan” line of sauces, marinades, and dips, complementing the distinct flavors of the sausages they sell.

Among the other vendors who participated were Washington DC-based Sari Kusina by chefpartner Paolo Dungca, Ooohlam; Gabi’s Goods, Logan and Co.’s Kalamansi Stand; Mansi, Hatzumomo’s Natibo ATBP, among others.

NYC’s cultural calendar Street fairs are a vital part of the city’s cultural calendar, providing a platform for emerging artists and entrepreneurs to showcase their work, and attracting tourists from around the world.

On a regular day, these street fairs generate about 10,000 to 12,000 visitors and tourists. From the Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy to the Smorgasburg’s multiple locations, each neighborhood has its signature event, reflecting the diverse cultural tapestry of New York City.

This early, Augee and her team have planned a calendar for the next few months – Park Slope on May 24, Ube Festival at Smorgasburg on June 10, and Times Square/Eighth Avenue on July 9. There are also plans to bring Philippines Fest to Virginia, Atlanta and Los Angeles.

These street fairs remain an important part of New York City’s cultural heritage, offering a unique opportunity for residents and visitors alike to experience the rich diversity and creativity that makes the city so special and it is something that Philippines Fest organizers are more than happy to take part of. n

ALTERNATIVE rock band

“Eraserheads,” one of the most successful and sought-after groups in the history of Filipino music, performs live in Pechanga Resort Casino on Sunday, May 28 at 6 p.m., in a series of world concert tours for the entire year.

Pechanga Resort Casino, conveniently located off Highway I-15 in Temecula Valley, referred to as Southern California wine county, is wellknown for hosting only the best and the brightest Filipino entertainers and performers aimed to provide the ultimate experience especially to its Filipino-American patrons.

Led by Ely Buendia, Rayms Marasigan, Buddy Zabala, and Marcus Adoro, the Eraserheads is best known for its 1995 hit song “Ang Huling El Bimbo,” that landed an International Viewer’s Choice Award for MTV Asia in 1997 and Awit (Song) Award for most downloaded song while also being nominated for best musical arrangement.

Ely is the lead vocals and rhythm guitarist, Rayms beats the drums, Buddy plays the bass, and Marcus is lead guitarist. Rayms, Buddy and Marcus also do backup vocals.

“Ang Huling El Bimbo (The Last Attractive Unintelligent Woman),” depicts an unreciprocated love story between childhood friends who grew up and grew apart, and only headed to a tragic end.

Often dubbed as “The Beatles” of the Philippines, the decadesold rock band formed in 1989 are credited for spearheading a second wave of Manila band invasions.

Four other soundtracks became successive hits – “Kailan (When),” “Magasin (Magazine),” Alapaap (High Clouds),” and “With Smile” – turned gold in a span of 30 days with 20,000 copies sold then later earned quintuple platinum with 220,000 copies sold.

The pop band went global performing concerts from Sentosa Pop Festival in Singapore to the United States at the Palace in Hollywood. At the Radio City Music Hall in New York, the group received the coveted “Moon Man” trophy for bagging the 1997 MTV Asia Viewer’s Choice Award, making Eraserheads the first-ever Filipino artists to win the award.

Eraserheads also performed live in Tokyo, Japan and from Oakland to Los Angeles, California, and as far as Dubai, HongKong, Sydney, Chicago, United Arab Emirates and London.

The band has also performed alongside the country’s topnotch rap singer the late Francis Magalona and famed singer Gary Valenciano. The Eraserheads concert may only strike once! Buy your tickets now from the Pechanga Box Office, or by calling 888-810-8871, or visit www. pechnga.com.

Pechanga Summit features a 40,000-square foot area for entertainers, concerts, live sporting events, trade shows, weddings, or any large groups to book. In total, Pechanga now offers 274,500 square feet of indoor/outdoor contemporary meeting and event space, which significantly enhanced the amenities, space and visibility of Pechanga’s event offerings.

Pechanga Resort Casino offers one of the largest and most expansive resort/casino experiences anywhere in the United States. Voted the number one casino in the country by USA Today and rated a Four Diamond property by AAA since 2002, Pechanga Resort Casino provides an unparalleled getaway, whether for the day or for an extended luxury stay. Offering 5,400 of hottest slots, 152 table games, a 1,100 room and suite hotel, dining, luxury spa, and golf at Journey at Pechanga, Pechanga Resort Casino features a destination that meets and exceeds the needs of its guests and the community. Pechanga Resort Casino is owned and operated by the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians. For more information, call toll free (877) 711-2946 or visit www.pechanga.com. Follow Pechanga Resort Casino on Facebook and on Twitter @ PechangaCasino.

(Advertising Supplement)

Mayor Gloria announces tentative agreements with San Diego Municipal Employees Association, AFSCME Local 127

Deal negotiated with city employees continues investment in workforce to enhance city services

SAN DIEGO – Furthering his commitment to invest in the city’s workforce, fill vacancies, and enhance services to residents, Mayor Todd Gloria on April 28 announced that the city has reached a three-year tentative agreement with the labor unions representing 62 percent of its workforce: the San Diego Municipal Employees Association (MEA), which represents the City’s whitecollar workers, and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 127 (Local 127), representing bluecollar workers.

“Much like decades of deferred maintenance left our streets in terrible shape, years of no pay increases, low wages and benefit cuts took their toll on the City of San Diego’s workforce,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “This agreement is another step to reverse years of underinvestment in our employees that resulted in unfilled positions and delayed or diminished services for our residents. Fair and competitive pay will ensure we have the workers to provide the level of service San Diegans expect and deserve.”

Under the tentative agreements, all members of both unions will receive a series of pay increases over the next three years, starting with a 5 percent increase on July 1, 2023, and another 5 percent increase on Jan. 1, 2024. The employees will receive subsequent pay increases of 4 percent starting July 1, 2024; 2 percent on Jan. 1, 2025; and finally, an additional 5 percent starting July 1, 2025. In addition, the agreements provide equity adjustments, special assignment pays and certification pays for specialized skills and training.

“Our city workers are the city’s most important resource,” said Council President Sean Elo-Rivera. “After years

PAGE 9 of being overburdened, underappreciated, and scapegoated for many city leaders’ failures, San Diego’s city employees are finally being provided the dignity and respect of a contract consistent with their contributions. I am proud of the work the Council has done in partnership with the mayor to make San Diego a city that provides the world-class careers that will result in world-class services for our residents.”

The agreements further bolster Mayor Gloria’s efforts to address the high vacancy rate at the city, which has led to delays or reductions in city services.

More than 18 percent of the positions represented by both MEA and Local 127 are currently vacant.

A 2020 report by the City Auditor showed a major factor behind employee turnover was significant pay gaps compared with other California jurisdictions. Most city employees only received modest salary increases in the 2019 and 2020 fiscal years after more than a decade of stagnant wages.

The high vacancy rates and difficulty in hiring have had noticeable impacts for residents, delaying or diminishing the level of service across city functions.

MEA represents dispatchers, pool guards, recreation center workers, code compliance officers and customer services representatives in the city’s Public Utilities Department – all functions that have suffered from unfilled positions. A major push to fill vacant Library Assistant roles is enabling the Library Department to begin re-opening libraries on Sundays after three years of Sunday closures due to lack of staff.

Local 127 represents employees who repair streets and streetlights, collect trash and remove litter, maintain city vehicles to keep them in service, keep city parks, libraries and beaches clean, and additional essential services the public relies on.

“As we move towards a structurally balanced budget, it is also essential we fill our vacancies while investing in competitive salaries to attract and maintain workers,” said Council President pro Tem Monica Montgomery Steppe, who chairs the Budget and Government Efficiency Committee. “This tentative agreement demonstrates our value for city workers and is a step toward living up to ‘America’s Finest City’ by providing quality services to our residents after years of divestment.”

The tentative agreements are a major step toward resolving the city’s longstanding underinvestment in the workforce and is an intentional effort to make San Diego a more attractive employer through competitive compensation and benefits. They will become final once the unions’ employee membership ratifies them and the City Council gives its final approval..

(City of San Diego Release) n