Issuu

Issue 10, December 2018

Christine Sienicki as a high-kicking Rockette p3

More stories on the web @ TheFilAm.net

Artist mom Ann Constantino Beck drives an Uber p7

Bima Baje on how stem cells heal the body p10 Photo by Kendrick Robles

Letter from the Publisher

The shame of being Lea Salonga

t is not easy being Lea Salonga these days. She is being slammed for singing at the state dinner of President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping where Duterte – it is presumed -- joked about making the Philippines a province of China. Some of the comments from netizens were downright venomous – calling her “unprincipled.” Salonga, as noted by some, exhibits a dangerous naiveté about the Marcoses and the atrocities committed during Martial Law. Her reasoning sounds convoluted and at best self-serving. At worst, it rationalizes not confronting evil. “They have always been kind to me and my family,” she said in a social media exchange with one netizen. Just because the Marcoses treated you well does not mean you turn a blind eye to what they did.

Founding Editor Cristina DC Pastor Business & Advertising Manager Rene Pastor

“There were many that Mrs. Marcos patronized,” she said, singling out classical pianist Cecile Licad who also enjoys international fame. “No one does that anymore.” She hid behind the fact she was 10 years old when the Marcoses held steadfast to power, and as a young singer she didn’t know any better. “When you’re 10 and sheltered, you know what you know…I only learned the older I got,” she said. She added “I do not doubt the truth about the martial law experience for many of our countrymen. That would be spitting on history.” Salonga was 12 the year Ninoy Aquino was assassinated by the Marcos regime. She was 15 when the revolt on EDSA happened. Her reasoning feels a little hollow, given the turmoil the country went through at that time. Artists have a special responsibility to their country to speak

truth to power and to fight in their own way for the powerless in their community. Think Vaclav Havel, whose anti-Establishment writings helped bring down communism in Czechoslovakia. Closer to home, there’s Kundiman Queen Atang de la Rama who risked her life during the Japanese occupation of World War II ferrying messages hidden in her hairdo to the guerrillas fighting the invaders. We are not advocating for Salonga to do heroic deeds beyond what she is capable. Being able to say ‘No’ when a murderous government invites you to sing at a state dinner invites comparison to a time when she was “a Marcos apologist (who is) now a Duterte minion,” says one netizen. In her privileged existence where she knows fully well she will never be touched by the powers-that-be, her reasoning comes across as lacking in that essential quality

Contributing Writers

Address P.O. Box 8071 New York, NY 10116 Contact Editorial: 848-219-0069 Advertising: 732-428-6318 Thefilamny@gmail.com

Tricia J. Capistrano

Elton Lugay

Joel David

Ludy AstraquilloOngkeko

Wendell Gaa Maricar CP Hampton

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

that all artists who love their people must possess – courage. There is no such thing as being neutral about singing for a government that engages in mass murder, or entertaining the leader of a power, such as China, occupying by force the lands and waters of our homeland. She can no longer hide behind being 10 years old. She is in her 40s and should know better, much better. Salonga is well aware of the tens of thousands of suspected drug users murdered without trial in her homeland by an administration that shows little respect for the rights of ordinary Filipinos. The term we used during World War II is “collaborator.” Instead of using her international stature, talent and platform to defend the least of our people from dictators, murderers and foreign invaders, Lea Salonga did nothing. Rene Pastor

Mariel Padilla Lindy Rosales

Rockette Christine Sienicki: 200 high kicks per show By Cristina DC Pastor

When Christine Sienicki was a little girl, she watched a friend perform as a young boy at the Rockettes’ Easter Show at Radio City Music Hall. A dance student at the time, she was mesmerized by the Rockettes’ synchronized high kicks, the energy, and the glittery costumes. “I was amazed and instantly fell in love with their dancing,” she said. She studied ballet, tap and jazz with gusto, focused on one day becoming a Rockette. It’s been 18 years since she joined New York’s legendary dance company known for its “eye high kicks,” and nothing is slowing down the talented Rutgers graduate and only child of Elizabeth Ramos and Peter Sienicki, Jr. of Clifton, New Jersey. Christine’s Filipina mother is a chemical engineer and her father with Slovak, Czech and Polish roots is a retired social worker who has served in Vietnam. Christine is also a commercial model whose photographs have appeared in various fashion magazines, such as Vanity Fair and Esquire. In the following interview, Christine shared the secret to what makes a Rockette a special kind of New York woman.

‘They’re like sisters to me.’

The Rockettes are synonymous with breathtaking leg kicks. Photos by MSG Entertainment

TF: How did you master those leg kicks? CS: It takes a lot of hard work and practice! We do around 200 kicks per show. We rehearse six days a week for six hours a week so that we can be as precise as possible. TF: How did you get in? CS: This is my 18th year as a Rockette and every year is better than the last! I auditioned when I was 18 and the rest is history. The audition process is very rigorous and can last multiple days. It is very important to be proficient in all genres of dance especially ballet, tap and jazz. TF: What was your audition like? CS: I’ll never forget my audition. It was at Radio City. There were hundreds of girls lined around the Music Hall eagerly waiting to go inside. We were brought in in groups and learned a jazz combo and then cuts were made. Then the next combo we learned was tap. Whoever was chosen from that came back for another round the next day and did both a jazz and tap combo as well as a kick combination.

TF: Your mom must be very proud of you. CS: My mother is extremely proud of my success, as is my father. Being from New Jersey, I am lucky to have so many of my family and friends be able to watch me perform at Radio City since they are so close. TF: How big is the group? CS: There are 36 Rockettes on stage at one time and we also have four understudies called swings, just in case someone gets sick or injured. I feel so lucky to be a part of this legendary group and make so many lifelong friends. They’re like sisters to me. TF: Are you the only Filipino? CS: There aren’t any other Filipinos on the line but we do have two other Japanese women in the other cast. TF: What is the racial mix? CS: The Rockettes represent a diverse group of women who come from all over the U.S. as well as different cultural backgrounds. The Rockettes have always been seen as strong female role models through our inspirational attributes, unparalleled style and classic glamour.

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TF: What do you do off season? CS: We are fortunate enough to do many other events, TV shows, movies and print in our off season. I also do many other dancing, acting and modeling gigs as well. Many girls go to school or have different careers in the off season as well. TF: Is there a retirement age? What age would be considered “old”? CS: There actually is not a retirement age. As long as you are healthy and can still do those “eye high kicks” then you can still be a Rockette. TF: How do you see yourself postRockettes? CS: I am not sure where my career will take me after the Rockettes. Luckily, I already do so many things aside from the Rockettes during my off season. I do some acting and enjoy that and I also choreograph routines so those are natural progressions. TF: Any advice to young girls who may have aspirations to be a Rockette? CS: The best advice I could give to young people is to always work really hard, never give up and keep smiling.

Filipina wins the Salmagundi Club’s

Artists’ Choice Award D. Eleinne Basa is the first Filipino American to win the Artists’ Choice Award at the American Masters Show at the Salmagundi Club recently.

ounded in 1871, the Salmagundi Club (the word ‘Salmagundi,’ which means a meat salad dish, is believed to be of French origin) has a membership of about 850 artists and art lovers. It is located at 47 Fifth Avenue in Greenwich Village and registered in the National Registry of Historic Places. The American Masters Show was started 10 years ago, and is an annual exhibition of the works of nationally recognized artists who are invited to exhibit their work in New York City for fundraising and exposure to local artists and patron members. During the October 13 Gala and exhibit opening, D. Eleinne Basa was totally caught by surprise when Tim Newton, chair of Salmagundi Club and founder of the show, announced her work “Luce Di Firenze” (Light in Florence) was the winner of Artists’ Choice, voted by the 68 artists who participated in the show. It has been a long way to that success. Her love of painting started at 7 years old when her aunt gave her Color by Number sets and sketch books. Her mother, seeing the love of drawing in her daughter, enrolled her every summer until high school with artist Fernando Sena at the Children’s Museum and Library Inc. (CMLI) to further develop her artistic talent. Eleinne remembers Sena taught his young students college-level classical painting by starting them with painting objects, the contrast of light and shadows, using charcoal. Only when he felt that the students had some mastery of the technique of rendering objects

Artist D. Eleinne Basa: A love of painting that started when she was 7 years old. did he start to teach them painting with colors. Eleinne went to high school in Maryknoll, and graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University with a degree in AB Psychology, minor in Art. Oddly enough, she also was active in sports. In 1989, she became a member of the Philippine National team in soccer. Also in 1987 and 1991, she became a member of the Philippine team at the Southeast Asian Games for Rifle/Pistol sharpshooter category. Her love of painting brought her to work at the Genesis Art Gallery in Megamall in Manila after college. There, she met other painters, among them the celebrated artist Onib Olmedo who encouraged her to continue painting and learning. By 1993, she married Ateneo basketball star Mel Basa. In 1994, they moved to the U.S. because Mel worked THE FILAM |

for an IT company which sponsored their immigration. The children came soon after: Justine in 1995 and Tyler in 2000. Eleinne was busy raising the children, but she always found the time to paint as a hobby. When their children grew old enough to go to school by themselves, Eleinne started to go to workshops to learn landscape painting and learned to paint outdoors, a method called Plein Air. Her style started to change. She continued to submit to galleries and art competitions only to be rejected again and again. She was getting disheartened that she contemplated pursuing other interests and putting painting on hold. It was Mel, her husband, who told her not to worry about the rejections and lack of sales. “You are good. Just keep on painting,” he said. Mel gave her confidence and she continued to paint and to join art competitions. 4

Eventually she started to get into group shows and win some awards. One of her first awards was two Honorable Mentions in Plein Air Easton in Maryland. It was in these arts events that she started to meet very good artists who became her friends and mentors. She loves to learn more, know more, and experience more. She continued to paint to become better, to have satisfaction because she saw that she was getting better. Her big break came when her painting "Afternoon Light" was adjudged winner of the $15,000 Grand Prize award for the Online Plein Air Salon hosted by Plein Air Magazine, making it the cover story in June 2012. With this success, galleries in Wyoming, Montana, North Carolina, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania started to invite her to exhibit, as the Plein Air movement was becoming more and more popular among art collectors. She continued to receive awards and invitations to shows like the Gold Medal Show by the California Art Club in Los Angeles, where she won an Award of Excellence. Last October, she was invited by Tim Newton of the Salmagundi Club to be part of the American Masters Show and Sale. She already had three paintings submitted and was reluctant to submit the “Luce di Firenze” because she was still working on it. Her husband encouraged her once more because he saw that her style had evolved, that the reflection of the setting Italian sun was exceptional on her canvas. Eleinne worked until 4 in the morning to finish the painting and voila, it was the painting that garnered the most votes from her fellow artists in the show. A great honor for an emerging FilAm artist and for the Filipino American community. Watch Eleinne because it is only the beginning.

Mad hatter s bold ’ and quirky designs By Tracy Dizon

In 2010, I became a milliner. I designed hats for fashion and not so much to protect people from the sun.

love designing hats because I can go all bold and full on creative. With hats, I can have the creative freedom to go quirky, opulent and dramatic. Hats are the first thing that will be noticed in a look, and they’re meant to catch attention, subtle or not. In February 2010, right after my Japan Fashion Design Contest stint, I was able to put together the right team that could bring Tiara by Tracy Dizon come to life. What is interesting is that the demand for me to make hats came even before I even started designing. After Project Runway Philippines Season 2 in 2009, there were several clients asking me to make their prom dresses, graduation ball gowns and all those made-to-order cocktail wear, and they started to ask me if I could also match their dresses with a bag and a hat. At the time, Avant Garde Lady Gaga and the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton were the interest of the market, and I was lucky to be a fashion bystander. Together with my Miriam College high school best friend Jasmine Antonio, we were able to launch some interesting Wedding Collections, Cocktail Collections and some quirky unique stuff like Valentine’s Day and Pop Art pieces. Unfortunately, after the launch, Jasmine had to defer from Tiara since she had to focus on her career as an architect. We initially aimed Tiara by Tracy Dizon as an online store, but opportunities created another pathway. After a major newspaper feature, Tiara was invited to consign in a very posh space in a mall in Makati City. Having the niche to design for headpieces gave me an edge among fashion designers. I was able to complement their works, blend in ensembles, and come up with a complete look altogether. That’s when I started to notice a big following in the local wedding industry. After the “Royal Wedding” trend, there came a decline in the hat business. However, many manufacturers sprang out and started producing cheaper Made in China products I couldn’t compete with in terms of price. It is saddening when some clients haggle for PHP50 (around

Milliner, businesswoman, and single mom Tracy Dizon. Photo by Redford Mancio $1.00) per piece thinking that it is so cheap to make such hats. I couldn’t lower my price because in principle, I want to compensate the craftsmanship and artistry of my skilled workers to also make them feel the pride and sense of accomplishment in every piece that we make. There’s no way I could move backwards in my THE FILAM |

designs. I decided to move forward and take the big step to go global. It was the top fashion editor, fashion stylist Misha Janette Fleming, an American fashion pioneer in Tokyo High Street Fashion that gave me that opportunity. It was such a great experience and indeed was a “fashion orgasm” working with her! I got to do things beyond my wildest ideas. What is truly motivating and inspiring is she wore my pieces in Tokyo’s poshest events. Imagine, I saw my pieces at Chanel, Emporio Armani events in Tokyo! OMG, it was an honor and a happy thought. Every time I see her wearing my designs, I can only think: I want to do this for the rest of my life. After few years in Tokyo, I decided to expand different styles. It’s tricky to be boxed as just a Harajuku Kawaii Designer. Henceforth I explored my bohemian and worldly aesthetics that started my whole journey from Hanoi to Manila to New York… and New York again for the second time! I can’t believe my Tiara by Tracy baby is almost 10 years old! Few of my most recent bragging rights clienteles are of course Tessa Prieto Valdes who would buy in bulk because as she said, “Mas baliw ka pa sa akin!” She is such a darling and a lovely muse! Another one of my regulars is Maxene Magalona who has trusted me to regularly make her Kitty Ears! I swear, Maxene is so phenomenal. I also got the amazing privilege to meet and have my funky fascinator pieces worn by Patricia Field, “Sex and the City” costume design stylist. Fashion designer Tracy Dizon took up B.S. in Clothing Technology at UP Diliman where “I first formally learned to design clothes.” Despite lack of support from family and occasional failing grades, she persisted and found jobs designing costumes for television shows, such as “Lastikman” and “Corazon: Ang Unang Aswang.” Deep inside, she knew television “kept bread and butter” for her son.” She yearned to create something of her own, her own brand. Just less than a year ago, her son, Atreyu, underwent craniotomy for Brain Tumor. Torn between being a hands-on mom to her son and her other baby, her fashion design business, this is where Tracy is at the moment.

Lying, passing, hiding:

An undocumented immigrant’s life By Cristina DC Pastor

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas remembers writing his first book –“not a memoir” – as he was kicked out of his ‘Frazier-style’ loft in downtown L.A. shortly after Donald Trump was elected president in 2016. The building manager warned him that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) might show up in the building, and that it’s best for him to find a new place.

“I

packed everything I owned, which is a lot, then I put everything in storage and I started writing this book,” he told the audience at Rutgers Law School’s Inaugural Distinguished Immigration and Citizenship Lecture. At the time he was writing it, he was moving from place to place looking for an apartment and traveling, and certain chapters in the book seemed like they were written in a hurry. His original plan was to write about global migration and how some 250 million migrants around the world are resettling in countries that previously colonized them. Not too thrilled, his publisher asked him to write instead about the 20 “most painful” experiences in his life. And so, “Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen” was published by HarperCollins and is among Amazon’s national bestsellers. He chose the sunflower yellow color for the cover because “yellow is the color of Asians.” He has been on the road since September 18. Rutgers in New Jersey is his 45th book event. His list of painful experiences he neatly filed in three sections: Lying, Passing, and Hiding. On learning he had a fake green card, Vargas’s life has unfurled one lie after another. He lied about his citizenship so he could get a job in major American newspapers, including the Washington Post where he earned a Pulitzer Award as part of the team that investigated the Virginia Tech mass shooting. He lied about his family, his not having a car, his reason he didn’t want to go to Baghdad to become a foreign correspondent for the Post.

‘Yellow is the color of Asians.’

Photo op with students after book signing. At far left is Rutgers Law Prof. Rose Villazor. Photo courtesy of R. Villazor “I lied about being a U.S. citizen because that’s the only way I could get a job,” he said. “Lawyers said to me the fact that I lied about being a citizen when I’m not may be the reason why I might never be a citizen.” Perjury is a major criminal offense. Passing became another way to perpetuate his lies. The first thing he did to pass as an American is to get rid of his Tagalog accent. He began to talk the way Americans talked eliciting comments like, You sound so Californian! “Yeah, I totally passed,” he said.

Hiding. After 911, it became even more difficult for him to enter government offices because all he had was a bogus driver’s license issued in Oregon. When government sources would invite him to their offices, he would suggest meeting instead at a coffee shop nearby. Vargas said a pardon from the President, which is highly unlikely, is one of the ways he could have his status adjusted. Another possibility that could “save” him is a private bill from his lawmaker. He dismissed that idea, saying, “What will

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that say to the 11 million undocumented in this country, that I am more worthy than they are? Why, because I was with the Washington Post?” Immigration reform legislation is another solution, but he is not confident a law would pass under the current political climate. Self-deportation with the option to return after a 10-year ban is the fourth option. The return to the U.S. is not guaranteed, he said. He urged the Americans in the audience to value their citizenship and not take it for granted. Rutgers Professor of Law Rose Cuizon Villazor said Vargas became the first speaker at the Inaugural Distinguished Immigration and Citizenship lecture because of “his indefatigable work towards advancing immigrants’ rights.” “When we were looking for someone who has advocated passionately for immigrants’ rights on a national level and has helped to change the conversation about immigration law, we easily thought of Jose Antonio Vargas,” she said.

Forest Hills mom is an Uber driver By Cristina DC Pastor

Two years ago when her husband was laid off, aspiring artist Ann Constantino Beck was thrust – literally — into the driver’s seat. She became an Uber driver, and for several months, was the family’s breadwinner.

nn is among the 14 percent of women across the country who drive for the popular ride-sharing service, according to a Forbes article. Safety may be the biggest concern for women, but for Ann, 40, a mother of two young children, it is abusive passengers that get her thinking how much longer to continue being an on-demand driver. She is talking about passengers who are not only critical about driving style – either too fast or too slow – but also use profanities on drivers. She picked up one complicated passenger on 72nd Street one morning, and Ann did not anticipate what was to come. She was blamed for the traffic, cursed and yelled at for being a slow driver. For getting her 20 minutes late to her destination, the passenger gave Ann a low rating, bringing down her 5-star record for “excellent service.” One common comment about her was she is “very friendly “and “a quick ride.” “There are inconsiderate people, people who are not happy with life,” said Ann with a shrug. “As a driver you are not supposed to show you are emotional. That was my first traumatic experience.” With Uber, ratings and tips make the driving experience a thrill of a ride. You get the good and the bad — boorish passengers but also kind riders who sometimes give tips more than the actual fare, or give them in cash. “Every passenger is a new learning experience for me, but overall I like meeting people,” she told The FilAm. She particularly likes passengers coming from bars, passed-out drunk. “Usually they just sit there and sleep.” But there was one incident that gave her the creeps: A foreign passenger coming from a bar who refused

Passengers feedback: ‘Very friendly’ and ‘a quick ride.’ to get out of her car. She tried gentle persuasion and driving around the block, but it was the threat of calling 911 that got the guy to leave in haste. “He said I’m the only one who listens to him.” Listening is a skill Ann has in reservoir. She listens to riders talk about frustrations on the job, at home, and wherever they find them. Usually, she engages the passenger in short conversations, without revealing too much about herself or offering profound advice that touches on religion or politics. She gets an earful of politics, as in the time immediately after the 2016 elections where her pool of passengers included two Republicans and two Democrats. “There was a debate all in good fun,” she said. “Maingay sila, but we were all engaged. I dropped them off one after the other and they all came out going to the same neighborhood. I like Uber Pool.” Chatting up passengers is also a way to get high ratings because the driver comes across as “friendly,” and makes riders “comfortable.” Ann’s 5-star ratings hinge on making passengers happy. There is music, bottled water, and candies in her car. There is also a puke bag for those who need one.

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With children Tristan and Lauren at the Queens Zoo.

||Is the money good?

Here’s Ann’s rule of thumb: “If you do it for 16 hours a day, you may be able to make $5K to $6K a month, but only if your body can take it. What you make depends on how much hours you put into it.” Some drivers do it to supplement income, or to finance hobbies like travel or expensive clothes. Ann said many of the drivers who trained with her appeared to be immigrants and people of color. Her husband, a risk manager for a financial service company, has long been back in the workforce. Ann is still driving, but is also finding more time for her art and her children Tristan, 7, and Lauren, 4. “They are getting bigger every day.”

246 passengers join

PAL’s historic direct flight to Manila By Cristina DC Pastor

Consul General Claro Cristobal is not a layover kind of guy. A diplomat who has lived out of suitcases, he knows what he wants in his airport and airline.

“I

don’t like stopovers,” he declared before an audience of travel executives, community leaders, and journalists who attended the recent launch of Philippine Airlines’ nonstop flights New York-Manila, which debuted on October 30 (October 29 in the Philippines). He never enjoyed the half hour layover in Vancouver, he said, because the vendo machines were often out of order. Missing a connecting flight can be a traveler’s biggest nightmare, and this happened to him on his return to New York from Manila after visiting relatives last Christmas. “I made the tremendous mistake of not flying PAL.” His thoughts on layovers was shared by many. Hours wasted, lousy airports, the hassle of clearing customs, are just some of the reasons straight-through flights can be appealing to some travelers.

||Inaugural flight

A total of 246 passengers joined PAL’s historic inaugural flight between New York City and Manila. “It is a good number,” said Josh Vasquez, PAL area manager for New York. The Airbus A350 has a seating capacity of 295. In command of the aircraft were Captain Ruel Isaac and Captain Randolf Kier. Joining them at the flight deck were First Officer Philimerif Vinarao and First Officer Leo Parcon. Flight Purser Roberto Casuela leads the Cabin Crew roster, according to the PAL corporate communications office. For now, passengers from New York City will be flying direct to Manila for a little more than 16 hours. The jet stream shortens by about two hours the return flight to New York, PAL’s flagship route. This is the first direct flight for PAL after it resumed operations in NYC in 2015. The Asian financial crisis of 1998 and union activities forced the flag carrier to “pull out of most routes and drastically reduce its fleet.” It will also be PAL’s longest flight. Always, its long-haul flights from JFK International Airport made stopovers in Vancouver. The New York-Manila route will operate four times a week, and will run five times in December. “(This is) the longest route ever to be served by a Philippine carrier. What’s in store for travelers is a

PAL’s New York team, led by area manager Josh Vasquez (foreground, wearing company jacket), with cabin crew before the inaugural flight. With Vasquez are Charisse Arboleda, Gina Arguelles, and Erwin del Rosario.

Historic flight deserves a send-off cake. journey unparalleled — an ultra-comfortable flight on one of the world’s most advanced commercial airplanes,” said PAL President and COO Jaime J. Bautista in a statement. The nonstop journey is “marked by comfort, convenience and efficiency,” he added. PAL flights will leave JFK airport at 1:45 a.m. and arrive in Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 6:25 a.m. the following day. The THE FILAM |

schedule will give passengers enough sleep time through the flight and allow them to arrive feeling refreshed and ready for their morning meetings. Also, they get to skip traffic which is common during rush hours. PAL also announced it is partnering with Wolfgang’s Steakhouse as it prepares “elegant steakhouse-style” inflight dining. The New York to Manila menu offers Beverly Hills chopped salad, mushroom soup, Wolfgang’s striploin steak, grilled Chilean Seabass, and key lime pie. “This nonstop flight by PAL is going to be lovely,” said ConGen Cristobal. “You will be in the new terminal in Manila when you land. I’m excited about the four-star service.” PAL has been certified a four-star airline by the international air transport rating organization Skytrax.

It’s OK to say ‘Merry Christmas’

s greetings go, why is there a big hoopla over “Merry Christmas”? Based on the very recent observations that some stores reportedly removed the word ‘Christmas,’ from their displays and ads, indeed, there is a visible ingredient missing. Many felt offended when they found out that ‘Merry Christmas’ was replaced by ‘Happy Holidays.’ One expat, a longtime U.S. resident remarked: “All aspects of the wonderful season seemed to evaporate in what I noted was a compromise of anti-confrontation.” Cota D. Yabut, an art educator from the Golden State’s Bay Area remarked: “The Merry ‘CHRIST’mas will always be there, legislated or not. To all Christians around the world no one can change greetings based on one manmade regulation.” This writer remembers when,

By Ludy Astraquillo Ongkeko, Ph.D.

decades ago, just before December 20th rolled around each year, most telephone operators would add: “Have a nice Christmas.” Theirs were live voices. Their greetings were not canned. A few would say, “Happy Holidays.” But what was dominant was, “Merry Christmas!” Many a time, a few years back, most retail establishments exhibited vibrant and colorful Merry Christmas signs. Proprietors and their staff bade their patrons home with the same good wishes. As motorists prepared to drive away from parking lots after their shopping chores, it seemed as though people knew one another, thanks to exchanging “Merry Christmas” greetings, accompanied by smiling countenances. Some would take the time to shake hands, with smiles accompanying their greetings. When occurrences like those happened, it really seemed like Christmas. Rummaging through the Britannica Book of the Year, I read a fact that said:

“82 percent of the U.S. is Christian.” Some religious historians refer to the significance of Christmas, laced with their comment: it is “Jesus Christ’s birthday.” And that is how mankind traces the origins of Christmas. Despite the drastic decisions that some stores arrived at in terms of substituting “Happy Holidays” for the age-old “Merry Christmas,” I still believe the spirit of Christmas, zeroing in on the arrival of the Christ Child will remain. Without Christ, there would be no Christmas. Christmas, as the ages show, is not a holiday/celebration for all of mankind because several religious beliefs exist. To Christians, Christ is the messiah. That is why Christians have a special day to honor him. There are other religious sects that believe otherwise. In this country, the fact remains that freedom of religion is alive and well. For those who say they are offended by

Christmas, may I suggest something? There is no need to celebrate; you don’t have to give gifts; don’t sell merchandise; don’t send greeting cards; don’t do anything to remind you of Christmas. If you look into what’s going on during the season, you don’t have to be reminded that such acts are traditions spurred by those who wish to acknowledge Christ. I now wonder if those utterances about taking Christ out of Christmas to make it a generic holiday, are aware that they have offended Christians. There are more than enough voices all over who will not hesitate to assert that they have already been offended by “Happy Holidays” in place of “Merry Christmas.” They will not deny their claim: ‘It’s always been Christmas.’ Nor are they ready to make that change in greetings. No further argument is needed. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ, period!

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COVER STORY

Bima Baje: Stem cells help the body heal itself By Cristina DC Pastor

Of about 70 sales people, Mike was the first to make a sale. He would later be propositioned by a rival company who offered to make him vice president. With Bima’s support making him look like an ace speaker with PowerPoint presentations, Mike was able to bag various big doctor clients. Everything else was up and up from that point on. “We studied it (stem cell technology) and learned together,” said Bima when interviewed by The FilAm. Today the couple is on the cusp of opening their own medical spa in Red Bank, New Jersey, that offers Stem Cell Treatments, Vitamin Therapy, and Laser Treatments. They currently own NYC Regenerative Medicine, a concierge service where they connect patients to stem cell therapy doctors.

||A divorce and an abduction

‘An exciting field.’ Photo by Kendrick Robles.

“How’s your snake oil, honey? Is it really working?”

ccountant Bima Baje can afford a joke now as she looks back at a time she was very new in the cell therapy industry. Today, she is one of few Filipino Americans who know their stuff about stem cell therapy. She and her husband, Michael Stavitski, travel around the country educating the public on how discarded umbilical cords can save lives. It was around 2015 when Bima and Mike saw a job opportunity in stem cell marketing. A top-of-the line cold caller, Mike applied and found a sales spot in one of the leading distributors of stem cell products.

The Zamboanga-born Bima came to the U.S. already an accomplished accountant in the Philippines. She took an accounting job in New Jersey even if it meant commuting from Queens to the Garden State and taking a local bus or cab to transport her to her office in Fairfield. The distance, coupled with Bima’s surging immigrant drive, became an irritant in her marriage. After two years in divorce court, she and her U.S.-born Filipino husband finalized the dissolution of their marriage. They have a son, Kendrick, who is now 14 years old and became a pawn in the court battle when he was abducted. He lives with Bima and Mike in Old Bridge. “He calls Mike dad,” she said. Bima worked in Fairfield for six years and was able to supplement her finances from caregiving elderly people and taking on private clients, some in crusty Harlem neighborhoods. “Lubog ako sa utang,” she shared. “I was paying the divorce lawyer $400 per hour starting from the time he left his office. I paid $60K in lawyer’s fees. They wanted to give me a hard time, but I never gave up my son.” She met Mike through the social media, Taggged. com. The two found a shared experience in their separate divorce and the common outcome of being down to their last penny after it was finalized. The two had a beautiful wedding in Freehold in 2011. “Matalino siya, I’m attracted to smart, intelligent THE FILAM |

Bima and husband Michael Stavitski on their way to make a presentation on stem cell technology. people. And he is funny,” she said. When they met, Mike owned a party supply store. Bima felt he could do more because he seemed like a natural born salesman who could easily turn a ‘no’ into a ‘buy.’ That’s when they both discovered stem cell technology. Mike is now VP of Sales for BioGenix, a supplier of umbilical cord stem cell products that promotes “giving hope to patients who suffer from chronic conditions and degenerative diseases.” The company is headquartered in Houston, Texas, and its laboratory is located in San Diego. It has a relationship with local hospitals in California where umbilical cord blood/tissue donations from newborn babies are extracted by highly specialized technologists.

“We all have stem cells but as we age, our number of stem cells goes down. Babies’ umbilical cords are the best source because they have more vibrant and potent quality unlike an individual who is, say, 50 years old. Patients heal faster when treated with stem cells from newborns,” she said. The procedure is not generally covered by insurance, but, according to Bima, they are now in 105 hospitals where stem cells are used for wound care and where insurance coverage may apply. BioGenix stem cells are also used by veterans hospital across the country for wound care and joint pains. “The Department of Defense and active military currently use BioGenix Stem Cells exclusively,” she added.

||Not a cure-all

Bima explained that stem cells are “not a cure-all but offer significant clinical advantages.” “They give our body the ability to heal itself,” she said. “Example, someone who is in pain due to rheumatoid arthritis that is an autoimmune disease. What stem cells do is reset your immune system so your own anti-

body will not fight your own cells, and fix the damaged tissues that cause the pain. In osteoarthritis that is categorized as degenerative disease, stem cells fight the inflammation and repair the damaged cartilage that causes the pain. Usually, the pain is only a symptom and signals that you have a degeneration.” Treatment can be quick and a little expensive. “An injection can be done in five minutes in the doctor’s office. Usually a patient goes through a series of three monthly injections at the cost of up to $10K per session for autoimmune diseases and only one injection for joints and neuropathy,” she said. She shared the story of a FilAm doctor who travels to an Asian country for stem cell treatment. “Her stem cells are derived from fetal sheep,” she exclaimed in shock. “A sheep is a different specie and could be dangerous. But not many people know about stem cell technology and that it is regulated by the FDA.” Stem cells is an “exciting field,” she said. There is so much to explore about this latest advancement in medical technology. Bima is thrilled that her learning never stops. “I love it.”

THE FILAM |

14-year-old son Kendrick Robles describes his mom as “determined” and “strict.” The FilAm photo

Concert to pave the way for classical musicians Glorious and enchanting classical music will resound when soprano Margarita Gomez Giannelli, bass-baritone Enrico Lagasca, and classical pianist Victor Asuncion perform at the “Arias, Lieder, and Kundiman” concert on January 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the Philippine Center on Fifth Avenue.

argarita is a graduate of The Curtis Institute of Music in Pennsylvania, which counts among its notable alumnae coloratura soprano Fides Cuyugan Asencio and classical pianist Cecile Licad. She met her husband, who is the tuba player for the U.S. Army Band, at Curtis. They live in northern Virginia with their 10-year-old daughter who is learning to play the ukulele. She has performed the soprano solo in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Manila Symphony Orchestra led by Maestro Arturo Molina. She debuted as Mimì in a production of Puccini’s La Bohème and performed excerpts from Verdi’s Aïda in a celebration of Verdi’s Bicentennial at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. She has trained with luminaries, such as composer Ryan Cayabyab, classical tenor Nolyn Cabahug, and Cuyugan Asencio in the Philippines. In the U.S., one of her teachers was the renowned conductor, Maestro Giovanni Reggioli. She has received praise for her “expressive singing, riveting portrayals and powerful voice.” “There is not a lot of visibility for classical music, not a lot of representation for us. We have a lot of people doing Broadway, and God bless all of them. In the opera world, Filipinos playing classical music are not as visible. This concert will hopefully create opportunities for classical musicians in America,” she said. Enrico Lagasca, known as a soloist and chorister, regularly sings with the Choir of St. Ignatius Loyola and the Bach Choir of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church both in New York. He travels around the country singing for choirs in Texas, New Mexico, and Florida.

Soprano Margarita Gomez Giannelli comes from a musical family. The late rapper Francis Magalona is an uncle.

Classical pianist Victor Asuncion (left) and bassbaritone Enrico Lagasca: ‘Philippine classical music needs a boost.’ Photo by Leo Paolo Leal.

He said a concert is always an “opportunity to share cultural roots.” This is especially “exciting and significant to artists who did not grow up here in the United States.” “There is a wonderful treasury of Filipino art songs that need to be performed for audiences both Filipinos and not. A gentle reminder that while Western classical music thrives, ours from the Philippines needs a boost,” he said further. Classical pianist Victor Asuncion, who founded the FilAm Music Foundation early this year, will provide musical accompaniment to Margarita and Enrico. He was one of the young scholars of the Philippine High School for the Arts created by Imelda Marcos in the 1970s. He came to the U.S. as part of the Madrigal Singers, completed his

Master’s Degree (Piano Performance) at the Manhattan School of Music, and later his doctorate in Musical Arts (Collaborative Piano) at the University of Maryland at College Park. He founded the foundation in hopes of promoting Filipino classical musicians through scholarship assistance, and performance opportunities. “This concert is special not only because of the world-class artists performing in it but because it also features our very own art form, the Kundiman which deserves its own place on the world stage, along with the more recognizable Arias and Lieder,” said Victor. “It is a wonderful juxtaposition of an East-meets-West tradition, and our community will surely enjoy hearing all these familiar tunes.” – Cristina DC Pastor

THE FILAM |

Night of poetry honors Jose Garcia Villa “First, a poem must be magical, Then musical as a seagull. It must be a brightness moving And hold secret a bird’s flowering It must be slender as a bell, And it must hold fire as well.”

First, A Poem Must Be Magical

nd so it was that Consul General Claro Cristobal recited one of the most beautiful lines of poetry by Philippine National Artist for Literature, Jose Garcia Villa, during a night of poetry held on October 24 in celebration of Filipino American History Month. “And it is thanks to literary geniuses, such as Jose Garcia Villa – who has revolutionized poetry through his ‘comma poems’ and ‘reverse consonance’ rhyme scheme – that we continue to be invigorated in both mind and soul,” stated Cristobal in his welcome remarks. Luis Francia, professor at Hunter College and New York University, who learned poetry in workshops with Villa at Greenwich Village, gave a brief lecture about the “Pope of Greenwich

He was called the ‘Pope of Greenwich Village.’ Photo: Colorado State University Village.” He narrated how Villa disliked the use of the word “soul” at all costs. Francia also remembers Villa discouraging the reading of fiction, as it confuses the poet, and rather urged his students to be single-minded and faithful to their own views. Francia further learned from Villa that in poetry, meaning was in a sense an enemy, and that it is not the purpose

THE FILAM |

of poetry, stressing that in poetry, was a Filipino poet who thrived in various language shapes the meaning. He also literary circles more than 75 years ago, stated that lyric poetry was what Villa as represented by Jose Garcia Villa, who favored, as his poems were written not was also considered twice for the Pulitzer with ideas but with words. Another Prize. She applauded Filipino and Asian important principle that he mentioned American scholars and writers who have was Villa’s pleasure principle, citing that worked to keep Jose Garcia Villa’s works a good poem entices the reader to be relevant. She urged the support of Filireceptive to the inner poem. pino writers to preserve the rich artistic Elda Rotor, vice president and publiterary history of the Philippines. lisher at Penguin Classics introduced Stefano Ortiz, a new graduate of The Jose Garcia Villa’s book, “Doveglion: New School where Jose Garcia Villa Collected Poems,” which was published taught from 1964 to 1973, and Jack by Penguin Random House in 2008 for Lynch, Professor Emeritus of the City the Centennial of Jose Garcia Villa’s University of New York and a student birth. She recalled how a postcard, of Jose Garcia Villa, read excerpts from showing a photograph of a group of liter- “Doveglion: Collected Poems.” ary artists in the 1940s, which included Lance Villa, son of Jose Garcia Villa, Jose Garcia Villa, has fascinated her was invited to the event. Instead, he entire career. sent his three cousins to represent the Rotor shared that until 2017 only 8 family: Mila Villanueva, Mary Villanpercent of the children’s books reviewed ueva, and Maria Cohen. were authored by Asian-American The night ended with the audience authors, and added that the children and being serenaded with Kudiman songs young adult books are more progressive by soprano Joy Abalon Tamayo accomthan the adult book industry, making it panied by guitarist Chaitanya Sangco very rare to have Asian American literary Tamayo. Both are graduates of the UP authors, much less poets, published. She College of Music. – Philippine Consulate stressed that it is remarkable that there General

Calendar

of Events

||December 6 to 14, 6 p.m. (3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday)

Simbang Gabi sa Konsulado Philippine Center 556 Fifth Avenue NYC

||December 14, 6 p.m.

Christmas Spectacular - a Fundraising Event Fiesta Grill Restaurant and Banquet Hall 819 W Side Ave, Jersey City

||December 14 & 21, January 4 Free MoMA Fridays The Museum of Modern Art 11 W 53rd St, NYC

||December 15, 3 p.m.

||2019

||December 30,

||January 19,

7 p.m.

11 a.m.

Art & Fashion Masquerade Gala The Tides Estate 1245 Belmont Ave, North Haledon, New Jersey

Free Christmas Party 2018 Parish of Saint Joan of Arc 82-00 35th Avenue, NYC

Women's March on NYC 10 Columbus Circle

||January 19, February 16, March 16, April 20, May 18 & June 15 VIP Tour of the Woolworth Building 233 Broadway, NYC

||December 16, 3 p.m.

||February 15,

Brooklyn Nets v. Atlanta Hawks Barclays Center 620 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn

7:30 p.m.

Kevin Obate: Jazz for Love Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel 135-20 39th Ave, Flushing, NYC

||December 31, 7 p.m.

Queens County Young Democrats Holiday Party DinerBar NYC 97-45 Queens Boulevard, Rego Park

New Year’s Eve Celebration by the Armenian Church of the Holy Martyrs Couples Club Armenian Church of the Holy Martyrs 209-15 Horace Harding Expy, New York

THE FILAM |

7 p.m.

Manhattan Fashion Week VHV Fashion Pages 4 W 43rd Street NYC

||February 16, 7 p.m.

Geo Live at 54: The Encore Feinstein's/54 Below 254 W 54th St, NYC

||May 5,

8 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Rooftop Penthouse Spring Fling Party 230 5th Ave. Penthouse, 20th fl.

||May 13, 7:30 p.m.

Lea Salonga in The Human Heart Tour Sony Hall 235 West 46th Street

||August 30 – September 2

8 p.m.

||December 20,

||February 16,

20thGrand Reunion and Convention, University of the Philippines Alumni Association in America, Inc. Crowne Plaza Hotel at San Francisco Airport, Burlingame, California

‘Incredible Christmas House’ draws holiday crowds to Queens By Elton Lugay

I saw four Santas, Three Kings, an army of soldiers and snowmen and a choir of children. Rudolph and his reindeer were winding their way around the garden, while a white angel was suspended from the trunk of an ancient tree.

othing was miniature in this scene, everything was life-size. One would think the Nativity would feel crowded having all these characters around it. Think again. The menagerie was not complete without the twinkling lights, braids of ribbons and glass balls dangling from the trees. And while a showtime marquee proclaimed “Peace on Earth,” Christmas songs blared in the background. Cynthia Paragas-Gurino was not quite done yet. She offered to dress up her “two little girls” so visitors could photograph them as well. She actually meant her two dogs. This lavishly decorated house in Jamaica Estates in Queens has been attracting a stream of visitors and onlookers since the beginning of the holidays. It is a feast to the eyes of young children, a bewilderment to adults who wonder about the electric bills. Visitors were snapping photos and shooting videos when I arrived. Parked vehicles wound their way around the block, traffic about to form. Driving by recently, I was drawn to the gaudy way this house was dressed and accessorized. Curious, I stopped by, not expecting the owner to be Filipino American. The gracious Cynthia who hails from Quezon City, welcomed me and entertained my questions. She works as a clerk at a nearby company. She and her American husband, who works in construction, set up their annual holiday garden show with the help of two workers. They begin around October. By the time Thanksgiving comes around, lights, music and action are up, and a sparkling house in red and green livens up the historic Jamaica Estates neighborhood about 45 minutes from Manhattan by train. The extravagant decor had been a tradition

The lavishly lighted house on Jamaica Estates. Photos by Elton Lugay

of her husband and his first wife, said Cynthia. “They have been doing this for 40 years.” When Cynthia married him in 2003, she continued the tradition. “Ever since, I’ve been helping him,” she told The FilAm. The couple enjoys meeting the strangers who drop by to enjoy and marvel at their Christmas décorations. They answer all questions but prefer to keep the cost a secret. “We spent quite a lot,” she said. They bought their decorations from all kinds of stores, including online, but mostly from her husband’s cousin’s store in Ozone Park. “I never knew there are quite a few kababayans in this neighborhood,” said Cynthia. “If not for this house, I wouldn’t have met them.” The “Incredible Christmas House” has become a holiday destination in Jamaica Estates. It has its own Facebook page. THE FILAM |

Cynthia Paragas-Gurino owns the house together with her husband.

Elaine Ficarra discovers

the land of her mother By Cristina DC Pastor

In July this year, Pennsylvania-born Elaine Ficarra joined three other youngsters on a trip to the Philippines. She traveled with Bronx teen Feih Hidalgo, IT student Calvin Santiago from New Hampshire, and Alexandra Brown, a Filipina who lives in Australia. There is a common thread tying Elaine, a 17-year-old singer and local beauty titlist, and Alex, who works in human resources in Sydney: Both are biracial with Philippine-born mothers.

“S As Miss MidState's Outstanding Teen 2017, Elaine takes the lead in a local spaghetti dinner fundraiser.

he was my roommate,” said Elaine on what bound them even closer. For 11 days, the group toured the Mountain Province, a chilly region in the north known for its hanging coffins, and visited traffic-choked Metro Manila and its sprawling urban malls. The Ifugao children of Batad Elementary School in Banaue, who welcomed them, took her

The Ficarra family of Glenmoore, PA. From left: Paul, Jeanilyn, Elaine and Victor THE FILAM |

breath away. She was full of admiration for the children who hiked for miles to go to school, navigating a slippery path that is narrow and muddy. “I was in my Teva hiking sandals, and it was difficult,” she noted. They visited the elementary school and learned the kids walk 30-40 minutes just to get to school even in horrible weather. “Imagine young kids at ages 5 to 10 walking on these paths. They have to walk to school while people like myself are able to take the bus to school,” she said. The school children prepared a program with dances and local chants. They showed their visitors some of the games they like to play, one of them looked like “wrist to wrist wrestling.” The four joined in the dancing and spoke to the children mostly in English. Although they live in the remotest region, the children understood most of the language and responded with the few words they knew. English is spoken in the country and is used in schools and offices. “Diskubre Tour” is the name of the immersion program

where the young travelers participated in historical and educational tours, food trips, cultural exchanges, and nature excursions. It was organized by the Philippine Consulate in New York in partnership with the Department of Tourism. It is Elaine’s first foreign travel without her family. Her mother, Jeanilyn Olarte Ficarra, told her to always stay with the group and to always remain alert. Born in La Union, Jeanilyn has lived most of her life in Glenmoore, Pennsylvania since her marriage to Paul Ficarra, a businessman who owns a local company, BartcoTech, that sells coolant pumps. Glenmoore, a historic town with an abundance of pretty parks and wineries, has a population estimated at 9K. Jeanilyn and Paul have raised two children here: Victor, 20, who goes to school at Penn State University; and Elaine, three years younger, a high school senior at the Downingtown STEM Academy. Both are deeply involved in the Filipino American community through volunteer programs; Elaine is a sought-after singer and beauty queen. “I recently have applied to some colleges around the area,” she said when interviewed by The FilAm. She chose biochemistry and pharmacy as possible areas of study, inspired by a Biology class she had taken and a pleasant pharmacy internship she took part in. She would like to return to the Philippines to stay much longer, maybe a year. “It was an inspiring and eye-opening 11 days tour of

The ‘four strangers that became family’ play ‘sungka’ while on Diskubre Tour.