FILAM Apr 2021

Issue 38, April 2021

NYPD’s Cicero Coloma A ‘kababayan’ reaches out to attack survivor

PHL Studies Program Now open at NYU

Steven Raga

Eyeing council seat in NYC’s District 26

Letter from the Editor

Secret agents to protect A sian s ?

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ew York City has started to There is no other way to describe the paroxdeploy “secret agents” to ysm of anger that has struck our communities catch the thugs, the Karens, but the deranged outpouring of the sickness and the dime-a-dozen bullies plaguing our society. Those who wield the who attack Asian Americans. violence care not for who they harm. It could be The undercover cops – all of them of Asian the elderly coming out of the grocery store or the ethnicity – will be roaming public places, such family man on his way to work. In the fevered as subways, grocery stores, and streets to recesses of their minds, lashing out is justified. make sure they catch perpetrators of violence It does not help that some law enforcement against Asians, especially the elderly, quickly. officials sought to downplay the attacks, one “The next person you target whether it’s calling a gunman who fired at massage parlors through speech, menacing activity — or in Atlanta as “having a bad day.” anything else. Walking along a sidewalk or on Beyond Atlanta, it remains troubling why a train platform may be a plainclothes NYC no charges (as of this writing) have yet been Police officer. So think twice,” New York City brought up against the suspect who slashed the Police Commissioner Dermot Shea is quoted as face of Noel Quintana in an NYC subway. Is it saying in the news reports. still being debated whether the violence comThis is the first experiment possibly of its kind mitted meets the so-called “criteria” for a hate as the city and the rest of the country struggle to crime? Nitpicking over motives is stupefyingly contain anti-Asian bias crimes which surged 150 vacuous. Racism is racism. percent in 2020, even though hate crimes overall Violence against Asian Americans has no place in the It is time for Asian Americans to state plainly have declined. An NBC report says New York what these attacks are: They are crimes against America of the 21st century. and Los Angeles had it worse. humanity which has no place in the America of While we welcome the cloak-and-dagger down in hairsplitting definitions of what hate the 21st century. experiment, we believe it will not be enough President Joe Biden has urged Congress to crime is. to keep bias crimes down. Why? Because 1) “swiftly pass” legislation to address the crisis If only there is a magic wand that will make There won’t be enough secret agents to do hate disappear. In that perfect world, people are of “anti-Asian violence that has long plagued our the job; 2) There appears to be this long-held nation.” Congress, you say? Surely, something can color blind. We treat each other simply as people. resentment against Asian Americans because Same two eyes, two ears, a mouth, hair. In that be done at the local level without having to wait for of the stereotype that they are a “model world, hating each other for the color of our skins GOP lawmakers to come around and acknowledge minority” and economically successful which or the curve of our eyes is just remarkably irratio- that America has an anti-Asian problem. has gone beyond Donald Trump’s racist nal. And now here we are, punching and maiming In the meantime, sure, let’s have those secret agents. rhetoric; 3) Law enforcement remains bogged Asian Americans because of pure hate.

Contributing Writers Tricia J. Capistrano Ludy AstraquilloOngkeko Joel David Mariel Padilla Wendell Gaa Maricar CP Lindy Rosales Hampton Danielle Vania Angelito Cabigao Bonus

Founding Editor Cristina DC Pastor Address P.O. Box 8071 New York, NY 10116

Contact Thefilamny@gmail.com

The FilAm is a publication of A&V Editorial THE FILAM |

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PHL Studies Program opens at NYU, coincides with 500th year of Magellan landing

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By Cristina DC Pastor

ew York University is offering a Philippine Studies Program beginning April, to study the impact of the Philippine diaspora in the areas of health care, the sciences and the arts, and other disciplines. It also coincides with the quincentennial of 1521, the year of Ferdinand Magellan’s landfall in the Visayas.

The program – to be called Sulo: The Philippine Studies Initiative -- will be a series of explorations of the country’s postcolonial history, including studies in ethnicity and racialization, public policy, among other subjects, according to members of the Steering Committee interviewed by The FilAm. Due to the pandemic, Sulo’s offerings, whether webinars, public events, or courses will be conducted remotely or through a hybrid of online and in-person sessions.

“Our interdisciplinary and global orientation makes NYU a perfect home for a Philippine Studies Program that is cosmopolitan and global,” said Carolyn Dinshaw, dean for the Humanities at NYU and head of the Steering Committee. “NYU has a very strong context in which to situate and develop Philippine Studies.”

Dinshaw sought to clarify the program is not an academic program.

“The program at the present time is not an undergraduate major or minor, so an undergraduate student can’t enroll in the PSP itself,” she said. “But there are courses to take and many co-curricular opportunities.”

She said funding for the program is being provided through the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs and House Representative Loren Legarda. It was Filipino Prof. Michael Purugganan, who was at the time dean for Science, who brought the possibility to Dinshaw, his counterpart in the Humanities department.

The program will be hosted by the King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center, a center within NYU that promotes research and teaching about Spain.

“The role of the center is to offer a virtual and physical space within the university, from which to incubate its programs,” explained Jordana Mendelson, director of the KJCC and Associate Professor at the NYU’s Department of Spanish and Portuguese. “When I heard that NYU had received funding to start an initiative around Philippine studies I asked if we might host it, since I felt that our center could offer a framework through which Sulo could initiate its non-curricular programs.”

She spoke of courses that are being developed and may involve students on campus, faculty, and the community beyond NYU. “The new courses that will be developed and offered that relate to Philippine Studies will be articulated through already existing NYU degree-granting programs, at least for the near future.

Those programs are directly linked to members of Sulo's steering committee, who are taking the lead in offering and developing curriculum…We have also had on campus since 1985 an active student group, the International Filipino Association at NYU, which we hope to partner with so that we might have undergraduate as well as graduate student involvement in the development of our courses and programs,” she cited one example.

“We also have an opportunity to bring together scholars whose work draws upon the connections of the Philippines with the United States and Spain,” she added.

“Our steering committee reflects this, through the participation of such diverse scholars as Edward Sullivan (IFA, NYU), who has written about Philippine modernism and the artist Juan Luna, Dean Itsuji Saranillio, who has researched on Filipino ‘American’ Settlers in Hawai'I; John Gershman, who is a co-founding member of the New York Southeast Asian Network; as well as artist-scholar Elaine Gan, who directs the Multispecies Worldbuilding Lab at NYU.” Playwright and poet Luis H. Francia, adjunct professor at NYU’s Department of Social and Cultural Analysis, and co-chair of the steering committee with THE FILAM |

Dean for the Humanities Carolyn Dinshaw (left); Jordana Mendelson, director of the King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center.

Mendelson, provided additional details on programs to be presented.

He said, “The year 2021 is indeed the quincentennial of 1521, and the public-facing programs scheduled this year through Sulo, are meant to commemorate Magellan's landfall in the Visayas. One such event is the virtual staging of my play Black Henry, centering on Magellan, his Malay slave Enrique, Rajah Humabon, and Sri Lapu-Lapu.”

The virtual presentation will premiere on the last Sunday of April and will be directed by Claro de los Reyes of Atlantic Pacific Theatre Group. It will feature a talkback with Francia, De los Reyes, and a moderator.

Another program is Visions/Panawin, a Philippine film series put together by film historian and curator Gil Quito that will feature classic as well as contemporary works, dramatic features and documentaries. Most of the series is slated for the fall of this year and the spring of 2022, with a few films being streamed this Spring to jumpstart the series, he said.

In May, there is a plan to host an online roundtable on "Filipino/a Healthcare Workers on the Frontlines." This event is being organized by Prof. John Gershman of NYU’s Wagner College; with the participation of Emerson Ea, assistant dean of NYU's Rory Meyers College of Nursing; and several Filipino healthcare providers from New York and the Philippines.

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Playwright, poet, and NYU adjunct professor Luis H. Francia.

Francia emphasized the significance of NYU’s Sulo: Philippine Studies Initiative, and how he believes it reflects not only the university’s broader commitment to the New York- and U.S.-based Filipino community but also to the global diaspora as well. He points out that similar programs already exist in London’s School of Oriental and African Studies, Madrid’s Universidad Complutense, and Berlin’s Humboldt University.

“It’s about time the complex history, reach and impact of the Philippine diaspora be acknowledged and studied,” he said.

COVER STORY

Community organizing: The path taken by Steven Raga Ever since Steven Raga was a young boy, he was always a people person.

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e was born in Queens, New York where his father Andres Raga and his mother, Adela Cabildo Raga, were staying with her sister Dr. Mila Cabildo Liwanag, who immigrated to New York amid major reforms in the immigration laws in 1965.

But when he was 1 year old, his parents decided that his mother would remain in New York working as an administrator at St. Vincent’s Hospital.

His father had gone back to the Philippines and stayed there until it was time to return as a lawful permanent resident, in which Steve followed.

Steve grew up in San Pablo, Laguna under the care of his father, as well as his Lolo and Lola on both sides of his parents. He was content and accepted the situation as the ordinary way of living.

His mom’s father Lolo Miguel was a businessman dealing with agriculture. There was always a large number of people working for him. Steve would come along meetings with the farmers and cargadores when his Lolo brought him to his farm.

His dad’s father Lolo Félix was also a businessman owning street carts in different sections of the town selling groceries, soda, cigarettes, candies, a small portable Sari-Sari store. Steve remembers a photo of him as a 4-yearold beside one of these traveling carts.

His father was working in the local government office in Manila so Steve would visit him and feel comfortable with his father’s fellow employees. He was used to talking and mingling with employees, laborers, farmers, adults, especially since his caregivers were his Lola Melitona or Lola Pricilia.

When he was 7 years old, his father and he came back to Queens, New York. Although Steve already finished kindergarten in a Laguna public school, he had to repeat kindergarten. He was also placed in the English as a Second Language Course.

However, when Steve was in Grade 2, his father died of a rare disease. His mother had to earn double income to raise her only son. They moved several times around Queens, from Woodside to Bellrose, to New Hyde Park.

In high school, he was point guard in the school basketball team and was also a member of the Math Olympiad Club and school year book. He

Steve wants to see an end to unlawful evictions and better access to transportation for NYC residents.

Steve with parents Andres and Adela Raga and maternal grandparents in San Pablo, Laguna.

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was selected out of 500 applicants into the Special BioMedical Engineering Program in his junior and senior years.

Although he was accepted to Ivy League schools, for financial reasons, he and his mom decided to enroll him at Stony Brook University because of the lower tuition and that many of his high school classmates were also there.

At school, he was a student leader, being the National Chairman of the Filipino Intercollegiate Network Dialogue (FIND). He was also elected

president of Philippine United Students Organization (PUSO) and was elected into the Judiciary Council at Stony Brook to hear and recommend disciplinary actions on erring students.

While in college, he worked as an intern in Filipino American Historical Society Inc. (FAHSI) Later he became an intern with the Philippine Consulate under Consul General Cecile Rebong.

At the same time, he was an intern with Philippine Forum, led by Robert Roy and Julia Camagong, a progressive leaning organization. In that way, he understood the views from the Left and from the Right of the political spectrum.

After graduating with a BA Political Science, he proceeded to study for an MA in Public Policy at Stony Brook University.

In June 2009, Steve founded UniPro (Pilipino American Unity for Progress) for young professionals in the New York Metropolitan Area.

It still thrives among the young Filipino Americans across the country.

He was offered a scholarship to Cornell Law School.

But after one year of study, he discontinued because he was disappointed at the dichotomy of what he was learning and the practice in real life. While at Cornell, Steve was the President of the Cornell Society for Asian American Graduate Affairs, and a member of both the Asian Pacific Americans for Action and the Cornell Filipino Association.

Then Steve received a fellowship from the National Urban Fellows for people of color.

It trained him to listen and to work for the underserved communities of color.

He enrolled at Baruch College for a degree in Masters in Public Administration. At the same time, he received a Full Time Fellowship at AARP in Washington D.C. For several years, he commuted every week between Washington D.C. for work at AARP and New York for his MPA studies, keeping both his apartments in Woodside and in D.C. In 2012, then Ambassador Jose Cuisia and then Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario, created the FYLPRO – or the Filipino Young Leaders Program -- to acculturate Filipino Americans into the Philippines culture, art, history and people. Out of 500 applicants, Steve was selected one of 10 young FilAm leaders all over the USA, its first graduates to visit the Philippines for two weeks all expenses paid by the Philippine Embassy.

Eventually, he joined AARP in charge of projects for multi-cultural communities and events among Black, Latino, and Asian Americans. He continued to commute between NYC and D.C. In Woodside, where many Filipino restaurants are located, he helped organize a multi-sectoral group called the Defend Little Manila Coalition, which strongly opposed a planned construction of a 15-story commercial building that would have impacted the character and the small businesses of the neighborhood.

Steve and his group succeeded in opposing it and the planned construction was voted against by the Community Board, and later abandoned.

In 2016, he campaigned for Democrat Brian Barnwell as NY State Assemblyman for District 30 in Queens, who won. He was appointed the Chief of Staff. And in 2018 elections, Barnwell won again with better margins from the nearest opponent.

This year’s election presented him with an open seat for District 26 which covers Woodside, Sunnyside, Astoria, Long Island City where his extended family has lived since the 1960s. The incumbent City Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer has served the maximum three terms.

Steve feels that it is time for him to serve the community which last year was hardest hit by the coronavirus. He recalls how at the height of the pandemic, for many nights, the neighborhood would be filled with ambulance’ sirens and helicopters hovering overhead.

Elmhurst Hospital which was the epicenter of COVID-19 infection is just around the corner from his apartment.

In addition, Asian Americans have been targeted with violence in the subways, marketplace and public places.

Therefore, after all his work to empower and assist his community and its working-class residents, Steve Raga says he is ready and now is the time to run for Councilor for District 26 in the New York City Council.

USCIS returns to 2008 citizenship test

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he U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced it is reverting to the 2008 version of the naturalization civics test effective March 1, 2021.

On Dec. 1, 2020, USCIS implemented a revised naturalization civics test (2020 civics test) as part of a decennial test review and update process. USCIS determined the 2020 civics test development process, content, testing procedures, and implementation schedule may inadvertently create potential barriers to the naturalization process.

This action is consistent with the framework of the Executive Order on Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems, which directs a comprehensive review of the naturalization process to eliminate barriers and make the process more accessible to all eligible individuals.

The 2008 civics test was thoroughly developed over a multi-year period with the input of more than 150 organizations, which included English as a second language experts, educators, and historians, and was piloted before its implementation. USCIS aspires to make the process as accessible as possible as directed by President Biden’s request to review the process thoroughly.

The civics test is administered to applicants who apply for U.S. citizenship through naturalization and is one of the statutory requirements for naturalizing.

Applicants must demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of the history, principles, and form of government of the United States.

The decision to naturalize demonstrates an investment in and commitment to this country.

USCIS is committed to administering a test that is an instrument of civic learning and fosters civic integration as part of the test preparation process.

The civics test during the Trump administration had increased the number of questions from 100 to 128. It also required that to pass citizenship, applicants are required to answer correctly 12 out of 20 questions. The 2008 naturalization test only required six correct answers out of 10 questions.

Individuals who filed their application for naturalization on or after Dec. 1, 2020, and before March 1, 2021, likely have been studying for the 2020 test; therefore, USCIS will give these applicants the option to take either the 2020 civics test or the 2008 civics test. There will be a transition period where both tests are being offered. The 2020 test will be phased out on April 19, 2021, for initial test takers.

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The 2008 civics test was developed with the input of more than 150 organizations, which included ESL experts, educators, and historians. Photo: Unsplash Applicants filing on or after March 1, 2021, will take the 2008 civics test.

The test items and study guides can be found on the Citizenship Resource Center on the USCIS website. For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov.

One year later: My COVID diary

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t was the afternoon of March 11, 2020. I was doing food shopping at our neighborhood grocery store after we attended an event at the Philippine Consulate in Midtown. My phone rang, and it’s my wife Lindy.

She sounded frantic and told me to go back home ASAP. I left the grocery cart half full in the middle of the aisle and rushed home.

When I got home she was on the phone talking to someone. I was all ears because I was puzzled on what’s really happening. For the first time, I heard the word “Coronavirus” in her conversation.

After she hung up, she told me we have to isolate ourselves without explaining why. I waited. Later, she finally she told me: Someone in the Philippine Consulate tested positive for the Coronavirus. We were just there a few hours ago.

The next day, the consulate published an Urgent Advisory confirming that one individual from the building tested positive for the virus. That was the first time I felt the pandemic close to home. I began to worry.

In the first few days of the pandemic, my wife did not know the hospital where she works would be the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak. I would take her to the hospital and pick her up. She avoided driving because parking in the city is expensive and also a nightmare. Also, she avoided taking mass transit.

Coincidentally on March 20, with 5,683 confirmed cases in NYC, the Governor’s Office issued the Pause order that would go into effect on March 22 at 8 p.m. Voila! Traffic gridlock in NYC was gone. The drive from our home in the Bronx to the hospital in Queens took only 30 minutes from the usual hour’s drive. It’s funny because with few cars on the road you will see all the potholes in your route, and take note of the synchronized traffic lights.

We looked forward to the daily briefings from NYS Gov. Cuomo and NYC Mayor de Blasio for updates. It’s like our daily Angelus prayer. It’s still scary even though things appeared to be improving. Every time I felt some physical abnormality, my mind seemed to be telling me that I may have the

By Boyet Loverita

He gets his first shot. ‘I called on God every day that I would get an appointment.’

The author shoveling snow days before before he was vaccinated. virus. How many nights has it happened to me that I couldn’t sleep because I had a sore throat, some coughing or sneezing. The fact that my wife is in and out of the hospital crawling with COVID patients added to my worry that I may be a hypochondriac.

For several months, my wife and I slept in separate bedrooms as we practiced “cross contamination precaution.”

We continued to wash hands often, wear masks even inside our home, wash all the clothes immediately on arriving home, sanitize our grocery bags, packages, and mails. We were doing all this not only to protect ourselves but also other people around us.

||Shopping for PPE

It would take half a day to do food shopping because of the long lines and a limit to the number of customers allowed in stores. I was jumping from store to store -- big and small -- to fill up our fridge and freezer with food and to find the essentials to protect ourselves.

Hand sanitizers were really hard to THE FILAM |

find. I had to make sure they had the right mix of over 60% alcohol and aloe vera lotion, per my wife’s mandate. The search for gloves, anti-bacterial/viral wipes, bleach, paper towel, toilet paper became my daily chore. It’s like winning the lottery when I found them.

Luckily my brother Evan from Alberta, Canada sent me a gallon of hand sanitizer with 99% alcohol. I was like shouting and grateful to my "brother in arms" for sending me a LIFE. That’s what’s important for us during the pandemic. I had best friends, friends, acquaintances, and people I know who were always willing to help, even if some of them had lost relatives from COVID. I’m always calling on God every day to be free from the virus, knowing that I belong to the vulnerable population.

I have an asthma condition, and I am a little on the heavy side. OK, maybe not a little. Being seriously sick was not an option because no ambulance would pick you up to take you to the emergency room. You’re not a priority.

Now that the situation in NYC is much better, essential goods are pouring into the city. There are test hubs everywhere, and there are available vaccines. Finally, vaccine has arrived in New York. I am 6

always praying to get it. It’s not easy to find one, or to get an appointment to get a shot. Fortunately, after a few more days of looking, I received an email from the Office of NYS Governor regarding the opening of a vaccine hub in the Yankee Stadium for qualified Bronx residents. When I checked out the website, I found a spot for the next Saturday. Three weeks after my first jab, I got my second dose.

After more than a year of COVID-19, some questions are playing in my mind: How safe am I right now from the virus?

When will I be free from wearing face masks/covering that aggravate my asthma condition? Is America close to what experts call “herd immunity”?

When will we go back to taking mass transit? How about social gatherings?

Can the vaccine bring back our normal life?

Right now, I’m dealing with a sore arm, feeling tired and having chills.

My wife said it is a possible reaction of my second Pfizer vaccine. It is said the second dose usually causes some adverse reaction. I am a bit confused.

During my vaccination, that’s the time we had a snowstorm in NYC. I was shoveling snow for three straight days.

I can’t figure out now if the pain on my arm came from the shoveling or from the vaccine.

From one ‘kababayan’ to another: NYPD Det. Cicero Coloma reaches out to Noel Quintana

By Cristina DC Pastor

A couple of weeks after Queens resident Noel Quintana was slashed across the face while riding a train, Detective Cicero Coloma of the NYPD Asian Hate Crime Task Force reached out to him. Theirs was a touching story of ‘kababayan’ extending a hand of sympathy and concern to another ‘kababayan.’

Subway attack survivor Noel Quintana

“I

think at first he was shocked when I introduced myself to him because I was a Filipino NYPD detective and also because I spoke to him in Tagalog,” recalled Cicero who was born in Lucena City, the capital of Quezon province. “I felt that it was comforting for him to know that a fellow ‘kababayan’ was on his side and there to help him.”

Meeting Noel for the first time, Cicero’s first impression was that he was soft spoken, well mannered, and very polite. “He seemed like a nice, hardworking person who I can almost relate to as one of my own family members,” he said when interviewed by The FilAm. The two met in court right before he was about to testify in the grand jury.

After the attack on Noel, he said, the chief investigator had a good lead on the suspect within a couple of days. Cicero’s role was “focused mainly on emotional support for Noel and making sure he was aware of the progress in the investigation and with the court proceedings.” He also made him aware of victim compensation services provided by New York City and the District Attorney’s Office.

When Noel learned from the lead investigator the suspect was in custody, he seemed “relieved and grateful.”

“It was like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders and that somehow there was a closure to this awful incident,” said Cicero.

||Task force

The Asian Hate Crime Task Force was formed

by NYPD Deputy Inspector Stewart Loo in August 2020 – about five months after the coronavirus was detected in the U.S. and attacks on Asian Americans were on the rise.

“The main focus of the task force is to provide support to the investigative unit handling the case

NYPD Asian Hate Crime Task Force Det. Cicero Coloma and to provide assistance to the victim. The task force helps to bridge the gap due to language and cultural differences,” said Cicero. “Each task force investigator is assigned to various units in the NYPD and are notified by the investigating unit of the incident for their assistance.”

Of an estimated 150 Filipino Americans in the NYPD, three -- including Cicero -- are members of the task force, all of them qualified Tagalog interpreters for the NYPD. “We expect to have more Filipinos in the future,” he said.

Becoming acquainted with Noel, Cicero reflected on the viciousness of the attack against the Filipino accountant. He said, “I am heartbroken and outraged. In my 13 years as a cop and from what I can remember growing up, I’ve never seen anything of this magnitude towards Asians. No person regardless of race should have to deal with this.

People like Noel and the other victims remind me of my own family members and knowing that this could have been them angers me.”

Cicero joined the NYPD in July 2008. He received his Associate in Applied Science in Criminal Justice from Bergen Community College, completing a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice shortly after. He is currently a detective assigned to THE FILAM |

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Quintana, Coloma meeting for the first time.

Manhattan South Narcotics Major Case Squad, on top of being a detective on the task force.

In July 2020, Cicero and his wife welcomed a baby girl. He thought the country may be going through a difficult time right now, but voiced optimism “things will get better.”

A letter to my grandson Lucas

By Ludy Astraquillo Ongkeko, Ph.D.

Hello Sweetie, Myriad thanks to a story from the “Dog Trainer.” A description of the New York-based band of “singer/ songwriter/producer Nick Broman (25) and guitarist/songwriter/ producer Lucas del Calvo (26) who had originally titled their new album “Every Word Is True.”

School for Jazz,” your choice of university education after you were accepted with scholarships by all the Ivy League schools and how you made the major decision to go to New York instead, and to take up music as a teen-ager, just straight from having graduated with honors at a private secondary high school in Santa Monica, California. Your having earned and graduated with honors at The New School continue to attest to your hard work and consistency. Indeed, all these constants have been present in your adult life that so much pride has engulfed your Lola.

It has been a great pleasure for me to read how “Dog Trainer” did describe your work: how you and Nick both drew lyrics entirely away from your “lived Your Lola would never have known the heights you’ve The author with young musician Lucas del Calvo, experiences — the good and the bad, the interesting undertaken in the world of music without reading the the youngest of her six grandchildren. and the mundane.” How “Dog Trainer” evolved as a story you passed on to me. As the written piece has “work of sincerity that explores the everyday realities indicated “Every Word Is True,” I firmly believe that I recall how you did join as a jazz guitarist with same piece would not have ventured into emerging in the of millennials and Gen Z-ers,” has been so aptly Grammy-winning bassist and singer, Esperanza described. As Nick has elucidated: “I think the one manner it has been described, weren’t it the truth. My thing we really strived for on this album was to be Spalding, on the same stage as Esperanza who at that fond congratulatory wishes to Nick and you. more honest about ourselves and the way we feel about time, was already at the height of her career. That It is most interesting to note how you and Nick particular performance was at the auditorium of your our lives and music careers.” commenced work on the aforesaid record to “create Lola’s alma mater: The University of Southern CaliforAgain, I just love your forthrightness: “We’re not on a together in an unprecedented way,” just as the COVIDnia which drew a very large and responsive group that label yet but have been in contact with many, including 19 pandemic started to reach this country’s shores. admission was strongly based on ticket holders who Atlantic Records, and Artist Partner Group, both pretty The same story tells about how both of you “created had to appear on time. together” despite the fact that you were physically sep- big names in the industry. Honestly, I’d guess if we end Yes, you as my youngest grandchild, have always up signing with someone though, it will be a smaller arated by hundreds of miles: Broman “working from been one of thoughtfulness and concern for your Lola. label than those, as those seem to be a bit too big to be his NYC apartment,” and you, “from the basement I have loved how caring you have always been a part interested in a band of our size (we have something like hundreds of miles of an Airbnb rental in Vermont.” of your demeanor. When I’d inquire from you about twenty-two thousand listeners per month, whereas big I was greatly interested in how you met Nick: How how you were faring in your musical career, you would artists can have listeners in the millions).” you first met as “rival jazz guitarists at The New humbly state: “Always feel free to mention I’m your grandson. Would be an honor.”

Indeed, since you started as a youngster in school, you have always been the soul of heedful thoughts. So exemplary of you to state: “Glad to hear you’ve recovered from the second shot! I’ve definitely heard it can be quite intense, and that seems to have proven true.

It must be a relief though! Finally, not having to live in fear! Can’t wait till I’m vaccinated and come out West and see you, the cousins, and the kids!”

As a grandmother, of course, it does go without saying that we do follow members of our younger generations whenever we can. I am overjoyed to be on the receiving end of many an act of generous thoughtfulness from you, and each grandchild is engraved in my heart and well-remembered to cheer me as the years come by.

Passing on my views to you as usual each time an opportunity is around. As long as I can recall, you might be the youngest among my grandchildren, but you’ve likewise, since you could talk, been full of commonsense reflections that are truly yours and yours alone. Needless to state, I’ll continue to be proud of you.

Loving you, prayers always, Guitarist, songwriter, and producer Lucas del Calvo (right) with singer, songwriter, producer Nick Broman. Their album ‘Dog Lola Trainer’ has just been released.

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6th-grader’s essay comparing 9/11 and COVID wins 1st place

By Grethel Bolandrina

“Sadly, COVID-19 and 9/11 have also provoked discrimination within people of different races. 9/11 turned a few people against Muslims and the Coronavirus against the Chinese. If there’s one good thing that came out of these disastrous events, it would be that the world and people came together for each other.

Citizens all over the world conveyed sympathies and prayers for those who have lost their lives during 9/11 & COVID. Countries have united to hopefully put an end to this virus. More value and appreciation were put on healthcare workers and other professions that were tagged as frontliners. Now that the Coronavirus is still rampant all over the world, people are complying and adjusting to the measures that the government has implemented with the goal to reduce the number of people that are getting infected. These two events have and will be a part of history. They will be remembered as times of sorrow and misery and will remind all people that there are things beyond our control. Let me end this piece with this quote by Earl Campbell. ‘If it weren’t for the dark days, we wouldn’t know what it is to walk in the light.’ We got through 9/11, we can get through COVID.” Twelve-year-old Danielle Ramos wrote this piece, and read it with muted emotion before a reception for this year’s Andrew Stern Memorial Essay Contest. Danielle’s essay won first place in the elementary school category.

The annual competition honors East Rockaway graduate Andrew Stern, who was killed during the terror attacks on September 11, 2001. It is run by members of the Stern family, who read through more than 700 student submissions. This year’s essay topic asked students to reflect on the ways in which 9/11 and the COVID-19 pandemic are similar, different, or both.

A 6th grader at East Rockaway Elementary School, Danielle — or Ella as she is fondly called – is the elder daughter of Teodolo Ramos, Jr., a certified private duty companion, and Geraldine Ramos, a registered nurse.

The family is from Quezon City.

Her hobbies are drawing and creating “mini stories/books.” She is talented in the arts, according to the proud mother.

Her artwork had been chosen as an entry to her school’s art exhibit in the past. She enjoys being the big sister to her baby

brother, Teddy James, who is almost one year old.

“Ella did an excellent job addressing the essay contest topic,” said Geraldine. “We didn’t know that it was an essay contest, we thought it’s just a regular homework. So, when we received the call from the Principal that Ella won, we were very surprised and so was she! She still doesn’t realize she has a gift for writing, considering this is the second time she’s won an award for such.”

In 2017, Ella won district-wide among second-graders for her essay submitted in honor of Flag Day Celebration.

Estrella Ramos, Ella’s grandmother, happily congratulated her on winning first place and thanked Ella’s parents for their love and guidance. Dad Teodolo was equally ecstatic and proud.

Ella was awarded a certificate and a $100 check. The Stern family invited each student winner — which included Nicholas Pannullo (high school category), Sophia Pappas (middle school category) and Danielle — to share their winning essays with those in attendance.

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Danielle Ramos of East Rockaway Elementary School.

Ella with her family: Dad Teodolo, mom Geraldine, and baby brother Teddy James.

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COVER STORY

Rocky Gathercole, 54: ‘He was a good soul’

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By Cristina DC Pastor

At New York Fashion Week in 2018.

Facebook photo.

ictor Palmos was awakened by a call at 5:30 a.m. A photographer asked if it was true his friend Rocky Gathercole has died. Victor was in total shock. He and Rocky were just on Messenger eight hours before!

Frantic calls to the Philippines confirmed the news: His long-time friend, “a good soul,” has died following what is being reported as a heart attack.

“According to his housekeeper he was supposed to have an appointment with his doctor that day,” he shared. “He slipped in the bathroom.”

Victor met ‘designer to the stars’ Rocky Gathercole in 2015 in New York. They became fast friends because of shared acquaintances in the modeling industry. Victor became Rocky’s go-to hair and make-up artist whenever he’s in New York, and that meant many years of Fashion Week events. The cushy business partnership turned into a deep and durable friendship.

Jennifer Lopez’s Christmas gown by Gathercole.

Instagram photo.

Hair and make-up artist Victor Palmos on the floor with Gathercole and his models. Facebook photo.

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“I talk to him every single day,” said Victor, a prominent fashion stylist in New York.

Rocky was raised by his British father Ike Gathercole after his mother left the family.

Suffering verbal and physical abuse whenever his father came home drunk, Rocky left home at age 14 and took on whatever jobs he could find on or off the streets. He worked as a waiter, a bus boy, a jeepney barker. “At a young age he worked as a waiter in a Japanese restaurant in Makati,” said Victor.

The abuse as well as Rocky’s burgeoning ambition propelled his decision to leave home, he said.

Rocky knew he had talent with pencil sketching and illustrations but he wasn’t sure what to do with it. A family friend who knew what gifted hands he possessed put him in touch with employers in the Middle East looking for designers. From Dubai, Rocky’s reputation as an unorthodox designer spread in the region.

Soon he was earning acclaim as an “avant Cardi B and Nicki Minaj turn to Gathercole for dazzle and drama. garde” creative associated with adjectives like “edgy” and “experimental.” His clients grew to Facebook photo.

include Middle Eastern royalty and Hollywood celebrities, such as Jennifer Lopez, Cardi B, and Paris Hilton.

“He was hired by the team of Lady Gaga to do her outfit for an upcoming concert,” said Victor.

Sometimes, Rocky would talk to him about Katy Perry, Britney Spears, and Nicki Minaj.

“He loves doing beautiful creations,” he said.

“He has natural-born talent. He is the only designer I know who is busy during COVID. He did J Lo’s red gown for Christmas 2020.”

Victor confirmed that Rocky has a son from a woman he had a relationship with decades ago.

“Rocky was good-looking when he was younger.

He looked like (actor) Albert Martinez,” he said.

As far as he knows, Rocky was not in any serious relationship. “He has no partner, pa date date lang, like me.”

“Walang bisyo, he never smoked, and only drank socially.”

Victor, who is not done crying, said Rocky has so many unfinished projects. “This wonderful creature is unstoppable when it comes to work. He will always remain in my heart.”

Rob Bonta nominated as California’s 1st FilAm Attorney General

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pon confirmation by the Legislature, Rob Bonta, 48, will be the first Filipino American to occupy this position.

His predecessor, Xavier Becerra was confirmed last week as secretary of Health and Human Services for the Biden administration.

In 2012, when Bonta was elected to the California Assembly, he became the first FilAm state legislator in California’s 170-year history.

He serves in the 18th District of the California State Assembly representing Alameda, Oakland and San Leandro. He was in the 2020 general election ballot uncontested.

Prior to serving in the Assembly, Bonta was Vice Mayor of the City of Alameda, where he strongly supported public safety, fostered economic development, and exercised fiscal responsibility. Throughout his career in public service, Assembly member Bonta distinguished himself as a strong advocate for California’s public schools and job creation. Early on as Assemblyman, he authored AB 123, a first of its kind bill, which requires the state curriculum to include the contributions of Filipino Americans to the farm labor movement in California. He also

Assembly Member Bonta became the first FilAm state legislator in California’s 170-year history. Photos: Robbonta.com introduced the Fair Accreditation for Community Colleges Act, AB 1942, which will restore transparency, accountability, fairness and due process to the state community college accreditation system.

Bonta has authored major bills affecting California's health care and housing law, immigration and the penal code, among others.

The Philippine-born Bonta came to California with his parents when he was THE FILAM |

With wife Mialisa, a native New Yorker, and their children only two months old. His parents were missionaries in the Philippines. They were also activists against the regime of Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

“My parents – they are my heroes,” Bonta says in his website.

“They were activists who marched for civil rights in Selma and advocated for democracy in the Philippines. When I was a few months old, they joined Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta to organize 11

exploited farmworkers in the Central Valley for better pay and working conditions.

“They instilled in my siblings and me a commitment to making the world a better place. They taught me to call out – and root out – injustice whenever I saw it. That’s why I decided to become a lawyer for the people, because I understood that a crime against any one of us is a crime against all of us.” -- Esther Chavez

Calendar

of Events

||Ongoing until April 10

The Answer is the Waves of the Sea Solo show by artist Maia Cruz Palileo Monique Meloche Gallery 451 North Paulina Street Chicago, IL 60622 info@moniquemeloche.com Viewing by appointment only

garbage, or “refuse” in its varied meanings: images that are “ugly,” “disgusting,” and “repellent.” But abjection too is “the maternal, the female, or the savage.” Filipina abjection offers a reading of the continuing horrors of Philippine life after colonialism and at a time of fascism.

||April 30 to May 2nd ||Ongoing till May 21

Photo exhibit by Carlos Esguerra Lobby of the Master Building in Upper Westside of Manhattan: 310 Riverside Drive, corner West 103rd Street Take the No. 1 subway to 103rd Street and walk west for 5 minutes on 103rd Street towards the Hudson River.

20th Regional Western Conference of the Philippine Nurses Association of America (A virtual conference) Conference Theme: Creating SPARK for PRIDE

||April 30

Deadline for nominations to the 2020 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas To get an endorsement from the Philippine Consulate General in New York, contact them before April 30: Attn: Cultural Section Philippine Consulate General 556 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10036

||April 1

Transnational Asia Speaker Series: With Nerissa S. Balce: Filipina Abjection: Empire and Fascism in Duterte's Republic Free lecture organized by Rice University's Chao Center for Asian Studies.

Filipina abjection is a method for reading colonial and contemporary media about the Philippines.

We begin with the notion of abjection as filth, defilement,

||May 10 to June 4

2021 Southeast Asia x Seattle Film Festival online Theme: “Interruptions & Continuities”

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Presented by the University of Washington Southeast Asia Center The Southeast Asia x Seattle Film Festival aims to feature films that explore Southeast Asia and its diasporas in their diversity, emphasizing underrepresented communities and youthproduced visions of the past, present, and future.

||May 28 & 29

2021 Bulosan Center for Filipinx Studies Research Conference Deadline for submission of papers April 15 Conference theme is “Healing, Care, and Resistance.”

Welcomes submissions focused on topics including: -Immigration and migration -Resistance against patriarchal norms and forces within the Filipino community -Anti-fascism and Anti-racism Work -Transnationalism -The politics and cultures of Filipino communities -Queer and LGBT issues within the Filipino community -Issues of education and activism in regards to the Filipino communities -Health and health policy -Filipino and Filipino-American histories, narratives, and movements -Other issues and topics within the realms of Filipino studies or the Filipino community at large Additional information is available here: tinyurl.com/ BuloConference2021

A Filipino family calls Britain home

By Cristina DC Pastor

Generoso ‘Gene’ Alcantara came to the UK in 1980 to visit his mother, Nelia Bartolome who was then working in hospital catering. At the time, he was employed in the Saudi Arabian office of Bechtel, an American company with engineering and construction projects worldwide. Shortly after visiting his mother, he left Bechtel, and returned to the UK to pursue Russian Studies in London.

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hile pursuing his degree, he got a position at the British Council where he worked for 20 years.

After another four years working in Poland as assistant director, he vowed to devote his time serving the Filipino community. He opened his immigration consultancy practice and immersed himself in various activities of the community. He became the founding Chair of the Philippine Centre, which ran the largest Barrio Fiesta in the UK since 1985 until the pandemic put a stop to it. In 2012, he took on the role of founding Chair of the European Network of Filipino Diaspora (ENFiD).

“It was a major challenge to organize ENFiD and I like to think we succeeded over the 4 to 5 years I led the organization,” he said. “Unfortunately, with President Duterte’s rise to power, it became increasingly difficult for me to remain silent. My role as a critic of the current government was incompatible with ENFiD’s non-political stance. I remain a member and attend their functions whenever I can to show them my continuing support.”

His involvement with the Filipino community currently revolves around the online news/documentary magazine called “Juan EU Konek”. Not exactly an alien venture for one who has spent 13 years as a news correspondent for ABS-CBN’s The Filipino Channel.

Gene Alcantara, with children Melissa, Terence and Giselle, when he received the British Community Honours award at the House of Lords in 2017.

||Empty nesters

Gene and his wife Carmen, a Human Resources specialist, are all alone in their London home while their three children are living their best lives elsewhere.

“My family is just fine, and I hope and pray it remains that way,” he said.

His eldest daughter Giselle Mickel is married and lives with her husband in Edinburgh, Scotland, where they run a fishmonger or a shop for fish and seafood.

Middle son, Terence, is a fashion model and has appeared in BMW ads across Europe. He works as a private chauffeur and lives with his Italian partner and their son not too far from his parents. Youngest daughter Melissa runs a brand consultancy with her friend from university.

The family enjoying the Eden Project rainforest in Cornwall.

Alcantara with wife Carmen, daughter Melissa, Terence’s partner Nicla, son Terence, and grandson Gabriel.

“We are all British citizens and consider Britain our home. I myself did not vote to leave the European Union, but here we are now at the beginning of Brexit proper and we just have to deal with it and make it work for everyone,” he said.

The Alcantaras have invested in a little house in Valencia, Spain, where they hope to retire eventually, possibly splitting the year between Spain and THE FILAM |

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the UK weather permitting. He said, “I love the Philippines but for me it is not the best place to live for now.”

The Covid protocols introduced by the British government are not popular, particularly among businesses that had to shut down and individuals who lost their jobs, said Gene.

“Travel is banned, visits even to relatives are banned. But everyone knows they are necessary to stop the virus,” he said.

The British government puts supportive measures in place, such as grants to businesses, allowing employees to go on furlough and enable them to survive. Just like in some parts of the United States, “there is resistance” from people who think the virus is one big hoax and from people who do not believe in vaccines.

“There are demonstrations or individual boycotts,” he said, adding the police have taken a stricter approach to enforcement, through raids and fines imposed on illegal gatherings.

He said: “My only wish is for the government to plan these things, rather than announcing confusing bombshells without notice. You cannot really one day push for schools to remain open, only to close them the following day. We know the rules, and we are all willing to sacrifice our freedoms for now, to help to stop the virus, not just in the UK but everywhere else around the world.”

The romance between Gen. MacArthur and actress Isabel Rosario Cooper “Empire’s Mistress, Starring Isabel Rosario Cooper” tells the life of a Filipina actress and her five-year romance with a venerated war hero. The author, Vernadette Vicuña Gonzalez, follows the mestiza beauty from the Philippines to Washington, D.C. to Hollywood, where she died penniless. Cooper is depicted not as a tragic heroine, but as someone caught within the violent histories of U.S. imperialism. Below is an interview with author Vernadette Vicuña Gonzalez, who is professor of American Studies at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. The book was published by Duke University Press.

What made you want to tell the story of Isabel Rosario Cooper?

When I started to dig into the footnotes of MacArthur biographies, I discovered a kind of recursive pattern that boiled down to a reliance on repeated citations of sources that had somehow become authoritative evidence for her story. What became clear was that these sources that were more hearsay or even outright inaccurate had circulated enough times that they had hardened into truth—in particular the version that revolved around the General as her object of yearning and heartbreak had become the standard.

There’s also a way in which stories like hers are dismissed as unworthy in the sense that her biggest known “accomplishment” is sleeping with MacArthur— often read as betrayal at worst, or venal at most—another way to marginalize women’s stories. I wanted to tell her story more fully because it deserved to be told with the same kind of effort in terms of research and writing as stories of men like MacArthur.

Cooper goes by many different names in her life, from Dimples as a child performer, to Chabing Cooper, Elizabeth Cooper, and Belle Cooper, to a married name of Isabel Kennamer.

Why does Cooper constantly rename herself and shift her identity?

To me, this was a strategy that was tied to moments in her life where she was reinventing herself, or starting over. She was someone who had, at a very young age, entered the world of the stage and screen, so taking on roles was a habit she never dropped. It was something she also learned from her mother, to some extent.

But she also had really distinct periods

in her life: she crossed the Pacific several times, experienced very diverse living conditions, married twice, had affairs, and made big choices about her career.

I think renaming herself gave her some modicum of control over conditions that were far beyond her power to manage, and later on, allowed for her to have a clean slate when so much of her past tended to creep up on her unexpectedly due to the lingering effects of U.S. imperialism.

You say that “sex, and lots of it, defined the colonial encounter.” How does focusing on intimate relationships like that of Cooper and MacArthur change the way we view colonial history?

What I try to shed a bit of light on is how the contradictions of American claims to benevolence and discourses of superiority break down when you look at how empire played out through relationships between people. So many of the colonial encounters turned on sex—the archives are filled with both overt confessions, allusions, or outright mentions of sexually transmitted diseases or decisions about the management of sex work. It’s dirty reading at times. I was interested in the messiness of transactions that revolved around sex or were defined through sexual exchange, as well as how the racial carnal desires at the heart of empire shaped relations well after the actual arrangement or encounter occurred.

Who had the upper hand in these kinds of arrangements or coercions was THE FILAM |

War hero General Douglas MacArthur

not always clear, and that made for a fascinating dynamic to explore.

How have artists and people of Filipino descent remembered and reimagined Isabel Rosario Cooper?

What does her legacy mean to people today?

For most Filipinos, Isabel Cooper first registers as MacArthur’s mistress, with all the titillation and scandal that entails.

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This is why interest around her endures.

In so many ways, this bit of her story feeds into the melodramatic habits that characterizes some of Hollywood/Manila cinema of her time, as well the theater of everyday politics in the Filipino diaspora.

She is also known to some extent as a performer on stage and screen. Filipino cinema is just a bit over a century old, so there has been renewed interest in its pioneers—and as a crossover vaudeville star who made a big early impression in the first “modern” Filipino silent films, Isabel Cooper (she went by Elizabeth Cooper in film) is noteworthy. I think she continues to attract this kind of interest because when you dig deep enough, there’s a lot more to her story beyond the superficiality of MacArthur’s mistress that is typically the first draw. I look to these interpretations as retellings that reveal the inadequacy of the “mistress” framework. My purpose in the book is not to supplant or supersede any of these creative encounters with her, but rather to shake up the assumptions that produce a particular narrative account that is a habit of imperial culture, and one that clearly is not enough to contain her.

Celebrating 500 Years of Christianity in the PHL

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By Marilyn Abalos

great number of Filipinos worldwide commemorated a Thanksgiving Prayer Service on Monday, March 15th (March 16th Manila time). The special service was organized by Dr. Angie Cruz, founder of the Institute for Spirituality in the Workplace, with co-hosts: Friends of the Philippines Society USA, Inc. and NaFFAA-NY. Hosted by Loida Nicolas Lewis, participants included Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the UN in NY; Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Papal Nuncio to Spain; Rev. Baltazar Obico OFM, Vicar of Santuario de San Antonio, Makati; Fr. Joseph Marabe, director of the Filipino Apostolate of NY; Rabbi Joshua Stanton; Mohammed Nu’man Pimbayabaya; Deputy Consul General Kerwin Tate, Philippine Consulate General; Ryan Cayabyab, National Artist of the Philippines; Raul Sunico, dean of the Music Department, St. Paul College of Manila; Laura Garcia, National Federation of Filipino American Associations, NY Chair. Nina Pineda of ABC TV served as Mistress of Ceremonies.

“I think it was God who put that strong desire in me to celebrate the 500 years,” said Dr. Angie Cruz. “I asked around if there will be a celebration. Looked like nothing was being planned. So I told Loida (Nicolas Lewis) I wanted to do something. She got as excited as I was.”

Cruz received the support and encouragement from long-time friends Edwin Josue, Jerry Sibal, and Laura Garcia who formed the Host Committee who “helped create the program.” Through the support of the Host Committee, she was able to garner the participation of significant religious clergy as well as performing artists.

“They did such a fantastic job,” she said. “I could almost feel God smiling during our celebration.”

The Thanksgiving Prayer Service opened with excerpts from Pope Francis celebrating Holy Mass on Sunday March 14th at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome to mark 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines along with Philippine Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle.

“500 years have passed since the Christian message first arrived in the Philippines. You received the joy of the gospel,” said Pope Francis. “This joy is evident in your people. We see it in your eyes, on your faces. In your songs and in your prayers. I want to thank you for the joy you bring to the whole world and to our Christian communities.”

“The coming of the Christian faith to our land is God’s gift,” said Cardinal Tagle at the Mass. “The fact that the Christian faith was received by the majority of our people who gave it a Filipino character is also a gift of God. The Philippines has the 3rd largest number of Catholics in the world. It is truly God’s gift.

National Artist Ryan Cayabyab performed an original

composition commemorating the 500 year-milestone.

Raul Sunico played a classical piece for the programs, while tenor Joseph Legaspi and soprano Mheco Manlangit performed solo numbers as well.

NaFFAA NY President Laura Garcia recited Psalm 138 during the Thanksgiving Prayer Service. It opens with “I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods. I bow before your holy Temple as I worship, I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness…”

“A program that speaks to the heart of many through prayer, meditation and music. An enlightening discussion of what the Spanish friars brought to our country despite the atrocities and abuses,” said co-host Edwin Josue. “A clever idea of our good friend Dr. Angie Cruz.”

Jerry Sibal of Friends of the Philippines Society remarked that “It’s a perfect time to educate and inform the public about the influence of the Spanish in the Philippines.” It is his hope, he said, that Friends will provide the platform in bringing about a better understanding of culture and religion. “I would want Friends to create a community of love, peace and joy.”

Community leader Steven Raga said, “This month marks a historical time for Filipinos across the world. It is an honor to be celebrating 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. This is a time for solidarity, remembering our faith, and to appreciate our loved ones.”

Loida Nicolas Lewis said centuries after the Spanish brought Christianity to the shores of the Philippines, “Filipinos all over the world are known for their deep faith, kindness, adaptability, compassion, and joy.”

While she acknowledged the abuse and injustice that the Spanish did wroth in the Philippines, the Spanish also brought the Napoleonic Code and establishment of law, art, music, literature and national communication with the Spanish language. She highlighted the influence of religious orders from the Jesuits to the Augustinians THE FILAM |

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Dr. Angie Cruz: ‘I could almost feel God smiling.’ to the Franciscans, influencing the practice of faith and character of the Filipino people.

She recognized the frontliners specifically Filipino nurses, doctors, medical technicians and other healthcare workers who sacrificed their safety and lives during the pandemic because “they remained true to their professions.”

Mrs. Lewis also stressed that Filipinos are “undergoing a trial of faith” – decrying the abuses, shameless corruption and lack of compassion of those in power in the Philippines – comparing high offices as “den of thieves.” She closed with an appeal and prayer for more “servant-leaders” who would be more dedicated to serving the people rather than personally benefiting from positions of power.

You can view the Thanksgiving Prayer Service on YouTube entitled “Celebrating 500 Years of Christianity in the Philippines.”

BAGONG FORMS NG VIRUS, PAREHO ANG LABAN! Isang napakahabang taon ng pagbabago ang lumipas lamang. At ngayon, pati na ang COVID ay nagbabago—sa mga bagong uri ng virus na tinatawag na variants na mas madaling kumalat. Ngunit isang bagay ang hindi nagbago: ang ating determinasyon na tumulong para pabagalin ang pagkalat ng COVID. Kung mananatili tayong maingat at ipagpapatuloy ang dati nating ginagawa—pagsuot ng masks, pagpapanatili ng 6 feet na distansya sa isa't isa, pagpabakuna kapag panahon na natin—sama-sama nating kakayaning talunin ang virus na ito.

Alamin ang hlgit pa sa cdc.gov/coronavlrus Inihahandog sa inyo ng U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Social media has turned us into spontaneous storytellers. Our new feature called “Remembering: Pinoy. Powerful. Personal” is a collection of short essays of memories pushed aside by time and making themselves apparent in the writer’s present. Some of the essays are contributed; others culled from social media posts. To send your essays, email thefilamny@gmail.com.

Lolo Eddie died 2 kidneys? in a place he adored: I’ll take them!

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A casino

By Menchu De Luna

hew! What a journey!

When my transplant did not push through in the Philippines in August of 2019, I thought that I was done! When the doctors told me that they cannot do my transplant anymore, I felt that the world fell on me, and I lost all hope. Thank God for my husband’s quick thinking to come back to the States and continue on this journey.

I had been on dialysis for five months, getting up at 4:30 a.m. three times a week, sitting on that dreaded chair for four hours with a rosary in my hand reciting it over and over until the nurse unhooked me from all those dialysis cables. I would be all worn out after dialysis, and the following morning I would still have to work. I never stopped praying.

Then one afternoon, I got a call from the transplant coordinator, that I might have compatible kidneys available. All I could remember was that the four of us were all jumping for joy and I could not stop crying, thanking God that hopefully this is it.

“We are giving you two kidneys! Do you like that?” That’s what my transplant coordinator said! I exclaimed, “Oh yes!”

My husband was all alone in the waiting room the following day, January 26, 2020. He waited by himself for 10 hours praying and informing my family and friends near and far about my condition.

My daughter Michelle had been sharing the news and keeping our Facebook friends and family updated, doing all our errands, taking care of our house and daily necessities, as well as driving us everywhere. My son Jude has been so strict with people wearing masks around me. Our dog Moana has been my forever companion, always staying by my side and checking in on me even when I went to the bathroom. My plan is not God’s Plan. God has the best plan ever!

By Julian Santos

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y grandfather, Eduardo Alonso, has been laid to rest alongside my grandmother.

He was an extraordinary man, having made it to the age of 98 years old. Having raised five wonderful sons and daughters, including my mother, he left behind a huge family with many grandchildren and even great grandchildren.

There’s always the assumption that all old people grow weary and tired towards the end of their lives; not Lolo Eddie who was energetic right up to the end. He loved going on long walks, socializing at family parties, and visiting nearby casinos. Even calling him this last Christmas, I never got the sense that he was any less animated than usual. An

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eternal optimist, he always had a loving, composed attitude: one which I’ll always seek to emulate.

A year ago, he was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal for his service in WWII. He was one of the few Filipino soldiers still living at the time who served us in the Pacific. He didn’t often talk about the war, but he did his duty.

He passed away peacefully — not in a hospital or medical facility— but with his family at Cache Creek casino, a place I must reiterate he really did adore with all his heart.

One of the worse things you encounter as you get older is losing people. Lolo Eddie was the last of my grandparents and I will miss him. But 98 years is a long time, and I’m thankful for the 23 of those that I got to spend with him.

Owner Aida Kimmons

Salon Agnesia 469 West Side Ave Jersey City, NJ 07304 (201) 360 - 2118 info@salonagnesia.com salonagnesia.org

Google business page: https://g.page/salon-agnesia?gm instagram.com/salonagnesia

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Wonderful ‘WandaVision’

By Wendell Gaa

The year 2021 appears to be yet another pandemic year despite the increase of vaccination rollouts and continuing lockdown. The main form of cinematic entertainment remains online TV streaming at home.

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hankfully one addictive mini-series which is now available for streaming on Disney+ is “WandaVision,” which follows the story of two popular superhero characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) -- Wanda Maximoff/ Scarlet Witch portrayed by Elizabeth Olsen, and Vision played by Paul Bettany. The series further explores their respective fates and romantic relationship in the aftermath of the events of the 2019 epic blockbuster “Avengers: Endgame,” the highest grossing film ever.

In contrast to other films and series produced

by Marvel Studios, “WandaVision” is not a straight-out action-packed show. Its plot rather consists of weekly episodes which depict this “magical” virtual/alternate reality in a town called Westview in New Jersey created by the Scarlet Witch herself. In this reality, Maximoff plays out the role of an ideal suburban wife married to her magically resurrected husband, none other than her deceased lover Vision (last seen in 2018’s “Avengers: Infinity War” where he had met his untimely death at the hands of the galactic supervillain Thanos). Their idyllic and happy life together is manifested in the form of actual television series “episodes” in which they superficially play out their part of the perfect American suburbia family. These “episodes” are homage to landmark classic TV series which were pioneering for the respective decades when they were released (ex: “Leave It to Beaver” in the 1950s, “Bewitched” in the 1960s, “Partridge Family” in the 1970s, “Family Ties” in the 1980s, etc.).

On the surface, “WandaVision” may seem like a light-hearted take on the relationship and misadventures of the MCU’s two star-crossed lovers. But as each episode progresses, one will definitely sense that not all is what it seems and that there is something dark and sinister afoot. It is this kind of nuanced narrative for which I am appreciating “WandaVision” so much. I find this kind of genre storytelling to be a breath of fresh air from other typical and more generic superhero films and series. Not that I find anything wrong with the latter, but such unique superhero

Superhero couple Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany). An homage to TV sitcom classics like ‘Leave It to Beaver’ and ‘Family Ties.’ plotting is yet another fine example of the talent of Marvel Studios for cinematic diversity, in spite of some Hollywood pundits accusing the MCU of being comparable to “theme parks” where the same story and themes redundantly and repetitively happen all over again.

As expected, the visuals in this mini-series are astounding, yet even more so are the performances from the actors themselves.

Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany prove again how they easily fit into their respective characters of the Scarlet Witch and Vision perfectly like an arm glove, and to see their interaction of intimacy and conflict grow in each episode is nothing short of enthralling. The supporting cast is additionally fun to watch, THE FILAM |

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particularly actress-comedian Kathryn Hahn, who may be best remembered from the 2000s crime drama “Crossing Jordan,” and Teyonah Parris whose character has links to another Marvel hit film “Captain Marvel.” Returning MCU actors Randall Park and Kat Dennings are an additional welcome entry to the mini-series as well.

The FilAm community can take pleasure in the fact that one of its own, double EGOT winner Robert Lopez and his wife Kristen AndersenLopez are the composers for the theme music of “WandaVision.” His musical talent is so masterfully applied to this show which reflects the assortment of its different “decade era” TV musical themes from the 1950s to the present time.

Issue 38, April 2021

A Filipino family

RJEnsalada Photography

Calls Britain home

500 years of Christianity

Celebrated in thanksgiving service

Rocky Gathercole

The fashion designer as a ‘good soul’