Issue 24, February 2020
Nicole Ponseca’s
Maharlika closes after 8 years p3
Bautista Helen Vilma Castillo
cheat, devoted Shaking thingsTax up as PAFCOM president p9 friend p7
Dr. Dely Po Go
Portrait of a Filipina as an American nurse p10
Letter from the Editor
Taal and the fatalism of Filipinos
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early 30 years ago when Mount Pinatubo blew up and partially cooled the planet, many Filipinos did not heed government appeals to evacuate. They would go into evacuation centers and then leave during the daytime to look after properties ravaged by mudflow (lahar) and ash. How about when the U.S. invaded Iraq about 15 years later? The Philippine government ordered all Filipinos to leave that country. Most did, but a small number opted to stay put and made a living driving into war-torn southern Iraq. One driver got caught and the Philippines had to find a way to extricate him. The government of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was forced to fend off public criticism that the driver had no other option but to stay because no decent jobs were available in the Philippines. Fast forward nearly two decades later and you have a somewhat similar situation around Taal Taal Volcano: Just warming up. Photo: GMA News volcano in Batangas province. Thousands were evacuated, but TV networks soon carried reports would they take such huge risks given the near that several dozen Filipinos re-entered the danger certain death they faced if the volcano -- or even zone to continue their livelihood of fishing. The war – erupted? Philippine Coast Guard had warned and urged While a lot of FilAms would scratch and shake them to leave, but a very few headstrong Pinoys their heads at the seeming stubbornness of counchose to shrug and ignore. trymen in Taal or in the Middle East, the palpable In those instances and likely countless others, sense of the Filipino phrase “kapit sa patalim” Filipinos have shown an almost casual nonchashould be understood. The phrase means “hang on lance in dealing with the odds they faced. Why to the knife” which in essence means that out of
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
a sense of desperation, people hold tight to a dagger even if doing so cuts their fingers. There is a maddening, almost stoic acceptance of dangers that many others would never accept as normal. For those of us who are born into the culture and have long swum in its waters, the risks taken are almost normal and understandable. Opportunity to do well in life depends to a large degree on inherited wealth, political influence, or to be fabulously talented like a Manny Pacquiao. For everyone else, the choices often boil down to working outside the country and clinging tenaciously to whatever job you can get. The ones who stay also hang on to whatever they have because that is the only thing they think have in this lifetime. Is it any wonder that an attitude of bucking the odds beyond reason is deeply ingrained among Filipinos? This is not to justify the risk-taking but it helps explain why those very risks are taken. It could be a reason why Filipinos would refuse to go home from war-torn Middle East, or leave their livelihood in Taal despite the possibility they could lose their lives if they stayed. The attitude speaks to the notion that they have ‘nothing to lose.’ Indeed, desperation creates its own reason for the attitude of accepting a life-threatening risk because there is simply no coherent rationale.
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Nicole Ponseca on the end of Maharlika: ‘I’m not sentimental about it’
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By Cristina DC Pastor
aharlika, the restaurant that blew into the New York dining scene and planted the Filipino flag, has closed down after eight years. Jeepney, will remain open, said CEO Nicole Ponseca who owns and co-founded both restaurants. “It was time to move on,” she said in emailed comments to The FilAm. “I’m not sentimental about it.” Ponseca said, “I’m very proud of what I accomplished as a woman and person of color in this very brutal and unrelenting city and industry. I’m even more proud of the team of people who made my dream possible and to help Filipino food break through.” She said she would keep Jeepney open and focus on making it the best restaurant it can be. “I’m merging menus and streamlining operations. So the favorite Maharlika dishes, like Kare Kare, Sisig, and Chicken and Ube Waffles, will be at Jeepney.” She said she is looking to “explore and experience” other opportunities creatively and entrepreneurially. “It was time to move on. I’m very excited about the next chapter in my life.” In 2011 when this reporter first interviewed Ponseca, Maharlika was a ‘pop-up’ taking over a traditional Filipino restaurant whose owners were contemplating exiting the business. “We didn’t have enough money,” she said. “We rode on the wave.” At the time, pop-up stores were turning up all over the city, allowing entrepreneurs with limited resources to explore and experiment with new ideas without fear of large losses in case the business fails. In Ponseca’s case, the budding idea was modern Filipino food targeting the millennial market. “Not fusion,” she stressed. “It is 100 percent Filipino ingredients.” “I wasn’t happy with the Filipino restaurants around New York. I didn’t think there was anything targeted toward my age group, 20-something Filipino New Yorker,” she said then. Thus, was born Maharlika Filipino Moderno on First Avenue across from where the old Elvie’s Turo-Turo once held sway. The restaurant quickly moved from being a mere pop-up to a popular destination for Filipino food in Manhattan. Within days, she said, Maharlika took off, that is, if half an hour’s wait for a table was a gauge. One of the first things she introduced had nothing to do with the menu. It was a blackboard that featured a Tagalog Word for the Day. The next came Balut and Kamayan dining. Balut was served with the waitstaff whistling ‘Baluuuut’ to announce the arrival of the embryo egg at the customer’s table. Kamayan, or eating without utensils, was an array of grilled meats, seafood, vegetables, and salted eggs all spread out on banana
Ponseca started Maharlika with business partners Enzo Lim (left) and Miguel Trinidad.
Maharlika staples Chori Burger and Chicken with Ube Waffles. Chori Burger: Pinterest photo leaves for families or groups of friends to savor. Kamayan was such a hit that reservations had to be made months in advance for those who wanted to experience this homegrown Filipino tradition. Jeepney, conceptualized as a gastropub, would be born the following year. While Maharlika was where sit-down dining happened, Jeepney, also located on the same street, is hip and trendier. It’s where people go to unwind over drinks and small plates of Pulutan, like Sisig Tacos and Lumpiang Shanghai. Many restaurants run by younger Filipinos would open, promoting their own creative spin on traditional Filipino dishes. Some would credit this trend to Ponseca’s success with Maharlika and Jeepney that made her an authority and innovator on Filipino cuisine. The Filipino Food Movement was a concept some associated THE FILAM |
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with her. Ponseca and Executive Chef Miguel Trinidad would appear on television shows to demonstrate what Filipino food is about. Together they published “I am a Filipino: And This Is How We Cook” which, some say, reads more like a history book than a cook book. Jim Diego, who works for a nonprofit organization on urban development, remembers his first time at Maharlika. “I remember fondly in September 2011 when my cousin texted me about doing brunch with him and our cousins at a new Filipino restaurant in the East Village that his friend Nicole had just opened called Maharlika, Filipino for ‘royalty.’ It had started as a pop-up earlier that year, when pop-ups were just beginning to be a thing,” he said. In June the following year, Diego would host at Maharlika a release party for his a cappella album, The Whitney Project, “introducing many more friends to the amazing wonders of Filipino food.” It came as a shock to Diego, and to many other regulars, when it was announced that Maharlika was coming to an end on December 8. “They did some amazing things over the last eight years, changing the conversation on Filipino food and basically jumpstarting the renaissance of Filipino restaurants opening, not only in New York, but all around the country,” he said. He will miss the place but is glad to have come to taste its delicious food. “Nagpapasalamat ako sa napakasarap na pagkain mo…I am grateful for your bomb-ass food!”
Mat Caparas: The only Filipino Rotary International president is honored in tribute dinner On December 28, 2019, past Rotary International President Mat Caparas -the only Filipino to become president in RI’s 115-year history -- was honored with a tribute dinner in conjunction with his 96th birthday and his 60 years of Rotary service.
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otary International started as the Rotary Club founded by a Chicago lawyer named Paul Harris in 1905 to develop friendships among businessmen, professionals, and entrepreneurs. Its primary motto is “Service Above Self,” the secondary motto being “One Profits Most Who Serves Best.” Rotary groups spread rapidly to San Francisco, Oakland, Seattle, and Los Angeles. Before long, a Rotary Club was organized in Manitoba, Canada, followed by a Rotary Club in Dublin, Ireland and London. In 1915, a Rotary Club began in Cuba, in 1919 in the Philippines. By 1922, the name was changed to Rotary International. Mateo Armando Tengco Caparas was born on December 28, 1923 at Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija. His father, a lawyer, settled the family in its farm in Moncada Tarlac. Mat’s schooling at Bulacan High School was interrupted by World War II. He graduated from the UP College of Law in 1949 and received his Masters of Law degree from Harvard Law School in 1950. He practiced in Caloocan specializing in labor law and tax cases. In 1960, he transferred his law practice to Manila when he was invited to join the Rotary Club. He rose from being District Governor in 1964-65 to being elected to the Board of Directors in 1979-80. That was the time Pope John Paul II publicly received Rotarians at the Vatican. Mother Teresa was a
Mat and his wife Nita met with Pope John Paul II in late ‘70s, the first time the Pope publicly received Rotarians at the Vatican. speaker at the Sao Paulo Rotary International Convention in 1981 when Mat and his wife Nita met her. By 1985, Mat was elected RI president, the first Filipino to assume the post. He introduced the Community Corps program which was adopted by the Rotary Board of Directors in 1988. During his presidency, Rotary started the campaign to raise $120 million to eradicate polio by 2005. The campaign was able to generate more than $240 million in two years. The national immunization was started not only in the Philippines but also in Turkey, Peru, and India during his term. With the additional funding of $200 million from the Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation, the polio virus is practically eradicated worldwide, except in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria, according to the World Health Organization announcement on World Polio Day, October 24, 2019. Another important change Mat had introduced during his term as president was the admission of women in Rotary clubs in the United States and in all countries. The 1986
Mat will be remembered for two initiatives: launching a global campaign to eradicate polio, and opening Rotary International to women members. decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in the Duarte case ruled that it was against California’s Civil Rights Act for Rotary International to terminate the membership of the Duarte Club in Los Angeles because it admitted three women as members, contrary to Rotary policy. The Supreme Court in its unanimous decision also stated that “women members would not
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prevent the club from carrying out its purpose.” Although the decision pertained to the reinstatement of the Duarte Rotary Club, Mat and the Board of Directors enthusiastically adopted the resolution that all Rotary clubs in the U.S. and in all countries could invite and accept women members. He announced the amendment to the rules in the annual convention in Munich, Germany. “It was met with great enthusiasm and applause,” recalled Mat. In the Philippines, Mat was appointed by President Cory Aquino chairman of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) in 1988. He became the agency’s fourth chairman tasked with recovering the stolen wealth of the Marcoses and returning them to the national treasury. On January 27, 2013, Mat, a graduate of the UP College of Law 1949 was honored with a Humanitarian Award from the University of the Philippines Alumni Association of San Francisco. The award was given “in recognition of his dedicated years of service to his fellow men, distinguishing himself as a compassionate lawyer, his chairmanship of the Presidential Commission on Good Government, and being the only Filipino to be elected president of Rotary International, where he was instrumental in galvanizing the worldwide campaign to totally eradicate the crippling and fatally infectious polio virus from the face of the earth.” Now a widower, Mat has reached the blessed age of 96 years but his mind remains ever lucid and clear. He and his late wife Nita have three surviving children: Jorge, Matt, and Pilar; eight grandchildren; and two great granddaughters. His is a purpose-driven life of service. God bless him!
Why I got married on Valentine’s Day By Ludy Astraquillo Ongkeko, Ph.D.
Once in every 12 months, there is a day that tugs at a great many hearts.
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here are virtual reminders weeks before it becomes part of the prevailing picture. Media and commercial interests zero in on Valentine’s Day. The meaning? To purchase expensive presents? To play up to romantic notions? No, as this modest writer remembers. Romance was not part of what Valentine’s Day meant to her as a 7-year-old, decades and decades ago. My mother was the principal of a school where, although some of her faculty colleagues were chronologically older, they had that ‘connection’ with Mama. Her office became theirs. I would drop by now and then to go for my snacks and maybe, when I had a test paper that showed “V.G.,” it would mean a small reward, Nestle kisses? But Valentine’s Day at the end of a school day was either one of joy or sadness. Some of my mother’s colleagues would be so happy (they received floral arrangements from husbands or boyfriends) but more than not, some would be in tears. I queried from Mama; she had a simple answer, if you see them ‘happy,’ they received Valentine greetings; the ones who cry, you don’t have to ask. Owing to the fact that it was a ritual to see cheers and tears combined each year (even when I was off to high school), I remarked to Mama, why shouldn’t everyone choose Valentine’s Day when they get married so there would be no reminders needed? That’s why I promised myself that were I to get married, it would be on Valentine’s Day. I did. When the marriage proposal came, my hubby-to-be knew what date I had in mind, so, since he immediately did what he had to do as a member of the military. He sent his ‘permission
The author. ‘The choice of February 14 had nothing to do with any romantic notion.’ Photo: Inquirer.net
to marry,’ through the Commanding Officer, Second Military Area, on to General Headquarters, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Quezon City. The ‘approval,’ to marry this author, mentioning her hometown, and whatever would carry the communication through, bearing: “By Command of Major General Duque,” was granted on February 5, 1952. I don’t know whether such permissions are still being observed today. Love never changes. In the mind of a seventh grader then, I did not equate it with the romantic emotion of human attraction. I merely thought it should have been a custom that spouses had to remember even just by a single, solitary flower, a rosebud, if you will, because the city I call home, Baguio, was never short of flowers. Therefore, although Valentine’s Day celebrations came regularly, socials and similar functions were remembered; and I still told myself
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that if I were to get married, it would be on a February 14th, regardless of the day, even if it fell on a working day, as long as the date was what I had, duly ensconced in my mind and heart. When that date came, I was a reporter on beat at the Manila Daily Bulletin, (now Manila Bulletin). When my wedding date came, I prayed that it wasn’t just romantic love, but genuine friendship that was to last forever and ever. I thought of how it would be: how married love was going to spring from being a bride; how my husband-to-be and I would face love of family and children; how we would get along with one another, in sickness or in health; to look at one another, review how each time a February 14th would descend on us through the years would be better. Above all, what lay ahead was our commitment to one another. My husband and I would get saddened when we would hear from our dear friends who would discuss
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unhappiness, abandoned relationships, betrayal and how they gave priority to their egotistical life. I wasn’t prone to preaching; each one leads her/his own life. But having dedicated myself to teaching and reaching out to others, who sought me, I considered it one of the greatest challenges to let them know that striving towards the greatest love of all is how Valentine’s Day requires that significance. To place the care and needs of one’s spouse before ourselves was my goal. And when our family grew, a son and two daughters, that commitment springing from their father and mother was strengthened. We told ourselves, it is not easy. But we found it worth trying. Our children went through college and graduate school in a land away from our ancestral home. They became their own children’s role models. I do realize as each single day beckons that my husband’s ideal of love was commitment. I know he lived a heroic life even if he didn’t articulate it at all. His was not impossible for ordinary people to emulate. He did it up to the date when he passed on in the midst of all of us, his family. We had six decades, four months and nine days from the time we said our marriage vows on February 14, 1952. For those who join me in remembering the date, they have my gratitude because Valentine’s Day, they say, isn’t just one of love, but of an undying commitment.
Dr. Dely
Po Go Pre s i d e n t Nursing Network, LLC
Congratulations to our President of 20 years for the three 2019 prestigious awards she was honored with.
• The New Jersey Nurse Diva Award given by the Institute for Nursing/New Jersey State Nurses Association for advancing healthcare in New Jersey; • The NJLN Recognition Award for Outstanding Nurse Leader and Role Model for her sustained achievements and contribution to nursing education; • One of the Nine Top Professionals in the Whole World selected from among 1.5 million Professional Biographies announced in the Wall Street Journal by Marquis Who’s Who International.
From the Nursing Network nurse workforce.
Who is Vilma Bautista
and what exactly did she do? By Cristina DC Pastor
Her name is spoken of as if in a confidential whisper by some FilAms who know her — Filipinos with means, leaders of the community. There is nothing nouveau riche about knowing Vilma Hernandez Bautista.
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eah, kilala ko siya,” shared a Manhattan woman who said their friendship goes way back in the ‘70s. It was a time when the Marcoses ruled as dictators, and Vilma held the title of first secretary at the Philippine Mission to the United Nations. In truth and in fact, she was in New York fronting for Imelda Marcos – paying her bills, buying buildings and jewelry, a “personal shopper,” according to court documents. “Mabait siya,” the friend who works in health care quickly added. “Soft-spoken, always smiling.” That was the consensus of people who spoke to The FilAm anonymously after the New York Post reported in its January 15 issue that “New York’s No. 2 tax cheat is former aide to ex-first lady of Philippines.” Vilma stayed behind in New York when the Marcoses were chased into exile in Hawaii in the aftermath of the 1986 People Power revolt. She lived in a lush apartment surrounded by all the nice things her wealth could buy. Hers or someone else’s? Vilma maintained that the Marcoses were generous friends who gave her so much, including art works. In 2011, when N.Y. Assistant District Attorney Edward Starishevsky interviewed Vilma in connection with a “multimillion-dollar financial transaction” he was welcomed into her residence at 188 East 64th Street,
An enduring friendship with Imelda Marcos. had selfies taken with her. We actually requested an interview, a request that didn’t go very far. These encounters happened in the years between her indictment in 2012 and her incarceration in 2017. I didn’t see her with a cane and she didn’t appear to be slowed down by age. She looked very well, dressed sharply, and wore her scalloped hair down to her shoulders.
||Vilma and the Masters
Vilma at a theater production opening. The FilAm Photo Apt 703, according to The Smoking Gun website. There, she answered questions, looked for missing checks, and generally cooperated with the investigation. She was indicted for tax fraud in 2012 and recently released after serving only two years at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in Westchester. Her health was the reason for a shortened term. Her lawyer said Vilma may be small and frail, but “she is a fighter.” THE FILAM |
||Spotted at parties I have seen her in a couple of parties, one at a wedding and another time at a Philippine Independence Day Gala at Cipriani. She was with a companion, did not mingle much, and remained seated speaking only to her companion. She would acknowledge friends who stopped to say ‘hello’ and, from what I’ve observed no one lingered unnecessarily. She was gracious enough to agree to selfie requests. I and a couple of reporters 7
The sale of Claude Monet’s “WaterLily Pond” painting was at the center of the case against Vilma. The New York District Attorney’s Office’s said she conspired with two nephews to sell the famous oil masterpiece for $32 million and did not pay taxes in the amount of $14.2 million. The ownership of the Monet remains ambiguous. Vilma maintains she is the owner of the painting, and that it was a gift from the Marcoses. The Philippine government disputes that saying the Monet and other expensive art pieces were acquired by the despotic family using ill-gotten wealth and therefore subject to confiscation by the state. Human rights victims of the Marcoses are staking their claim over the proceeds. Is Vilma the devoted friend willing to go down out of a sense of loyalty? Or was she hoping to pull off one of the most audacious scams in New York history?
Photos by Alex Ramos
Journalism loses a home Photos by Alex Ramos
By Cristina DC Pastor
With thousands of newspapers around the country closing, merging, or downsizing, it is just a matter of time before Newseum writes 30.
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n December 31, 2019, a museum in Washington D.C. that held space for journalism and the important protections of the First Amendment, closed its doors after 11 years. Photographs and memorabilia of all the news reported, photographed, aired, and delivered to the American
public would be kept in storage or returned to their owners. The political scandals, the Pulitzer Awards, the stories that made history – all of them were archived, cared for, and exhibited to the public for a very reasonable fee of $20 to get in. Until finally, Freedom Forum, the creator and founder of Newseum, could no longer sustain the costs of operating THE FILAM |
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this treasured institution that housed a theater, conference rooms, and a terrace overlooking the U.S. Capitol. It is hard to pinpoint if the declining receipts had to do with rise of digital publications, the advent of Fake News, or whether some people have stopped believing in journalists and the honorable, invaluable work they do bringing news across the country, in small barn towns and in ethnic-based communities. Let me share my own little story: In 2014, Newseum — in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution — mounted an exhibit called “One Nation with News for
All” dedicated to the work of the ethnic media. The FilAm was featured in the interactive exhibit as among “100 of the most influential ethnic media outlets in the U.S. from Colonial times to today.” To this day I am still thrilled. The sprawling Newseum has recently been sold to Johns Hopkins University for $372.5 million, according to reports. Jersey City native Alex Ramos, the son of a Filipino journalist, snapped more than a hundred photos of Newseum on its last week and archived them on Flickr. “It’s a shame,” he writes. “There’s such a need for a museum like this.”
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COVER STORY
Dr. Dely Po Go: Portrait of a Filipina as an American nurse By Cristina DC Pastor
There was a time Filipino nurses in the U.S. were seen as hospital workers in their starch whites scurrying at the beck and call of doctors and providing their patients an affectionate kind of care.
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‘Nursing has evolved and continues to evolve.’ hey still are -- in their dainty scrubs -- but they’re no longer the one-dimensional caregivers we knew from the 1960s and the 1970s. Today’s Filipino nurses in the U.S. – estimated at more than 200,000 RNs -- are also educators, entrepreneurs, advocates, and business owners. They remain valued pillars of the American medical system, but their contributions to health care are not confined around a hospital bed. Dr. Dely Po Go is one such multi-layered heath care provider. She is the president and owner of Nursing Network, LLC, in Clifton, New Jersey, that trains nurses and provides them jobs. She is an adjunct faculty at two universities -- William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J. and Fairleigh Dickinson University -teaching graduate courses. As a member
of the Board of Trustees of the Institute for Nursing -- the charity affiliate of the New Jersey State Nurses Association -- she is involved with managing grants to support research, education, and clinical practice. In addition, she volunteers in medical missions and fundraises for Filipino children in need. Being a nurse became Dely’s gateway to the U.S. “I took Nursing for not only will it give me the opportunity to work in the U.S., but also will make me an effective health care provider to my own family,” she said in an interview with The FilAm. She came to the U.S. in 1986 following a series of tragedies in her family involving kidnap syndicates. “In 1986, four members of my husband’s family -- his dad, mom, sister and younger brother -- were murdered brutally,” she shared. “We came here for our safety.” In the U.S., Dely -- with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Silliman University – worked as a geriatric nurse and an open-heart surgery nurse. While employed, she pursued higher education and completed her Master’s degree in Nursing and Public Health Administration as well as her degree in Doctor of Nursing Practice in Nursing Education Administration and System Administration. A licensed nursing home administrator, she founded Nursing Network in 2000 and grew the company into what it is today -- a network serving about 35 facilities for New Jersey’s elderly population. More than 500 nurses are employed through Nursing Network, and it is Dely’s responsibility to make sure they “consistently provide quality and safe nursing care” to patients. THE FILAM |
Lifetime Achievement Award. “Nursing has evolved and continues to evolve,” declared Dely. “Thanks to our unstoppable nurses who made nursing a distinct profession, they have proven that nurses can function above and beyond just assisting doctors and caring for patients.”
||Filipino nurses are ‘most trusted’
The demand for Filipino nurses is real! Filipino nurses, according to Dely, are the “most trusted” members of the U.S. nursing community. “Majority of us are in the junior and senior management positions impacting and advancing the U.S. health care delivery system.” Sharing research from the Journal 10
of the American Medical Association, she said the country could face a huge shortage of about 500,000 nurses by 2020, more than 1 million by the year 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Digitalization contributing to the “exodus” of older nurses is one reason; the other is the evolution of the nursing practice. “Unlike before, today there are many places that nurses can work other than hospitals. Nurses are needed in medical offices, schools, insurance companies, nursing homes facilities, rehab centers, home health care, and correctional facilities. Nurses have evolved to be the true backbone of the healthcare system,” she said.
Dely is the recipient of numerous awards for nursing leadership, entrepreneurship, and being a woman of distinction. One honor that is memorable is the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award where her life story was selected from among 1.5 million professional biographies in and around the world. It was published in the Wall Street Journal.
||A family blessed
Family means a lot to Dely, a native of Cadiz City in Negros Occidental. She was raised the third of nine siblings by Filipino-Chinese parents engaged in multiple businesses who value honesty and dedication in their workers and expect the same of their children. Dely’s husband remains connected to the Philippines through his food businesses. Harry Go Sr., a graduate of the San Carlos University in Cebu,
Dely when she was awarded The New Jersey Nurse Diva 2019 by the New Jersey Institute of Nursing/ New Jersey State Nurses Association ‘for leadership and for making a notable difference in the lives of people.’ With her (from left) is former Bergenfield Mayor Atty. Robert Rivas and wife Marjorie Rivas, daughter in-law Atty. Renee Rivas, son Harry Jr. husband Harry Sr., and daughter Hadel.
is the distributor of Birch Tree milk powder in the Philippines. He is also the owner of Crown Candy factory which makes snacks and sweets. They are blessed with two children: daughter Hadel who is taking her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine at Rowan University; and Harry Jr., a business graduate at Fordham University who now works as Lead Producer at Marvel Entertainment. He was the producer for two documentaries for ABC primetime: “Marvel 75 Years: From Pulp to Pop!” and “Marvel's Captain America: 75 Heroic Years.” Mused Dely, “What my family is today is mission and vision met. Sadness, self-pity, difficulties turned to complete success and happiness through hard work, determination, and utilization, and application of knowledge learned. Could not ask more from God. We are blessed as a family.”
East Coast Bedans form alumni association
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he San Beda University Alumni Association East Coast Inc. has been formed following a meeting in November The group elected its officers and announced the board of directors after which they adopted a mission statement as well as a set of bylaws. The SBUAAEC declared it would be a not-forprofit community organization. Elected to serve from 2020 to 2021 are the following:
||President: Carmel Lopez
Lopez became the president of the Association of Filipino American Accountants in New Jersey from 2017 through 2019. A student athlete, he graduated from San Beda High School Batch 1997 and the earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy in 2002. He believes in the power of prayer and hard work. “Ora et Labora” is a Benedictine philosophy. Executive Vice President: Mary Sun Marcelino Marcelino is currently an auditor in the financial services industry in the New York area. She is graduated in 2011. She loves calligraphy and spending time with her family. With her life’s success, she believes that “in all things, God may be glorified.”
||Secretary: Alexander Querol
Querol currently works as an auditor in New York. A full-fledged Bedan, he started his journey with his beloved Alma Mater since pre-school all the way until he earned a bachelor’s degree in Accountancy. He has been described as motivated, goal-oriented, and a team player who strives to make the so-called “Bedan difference” in every aspect of his life.
||Treasurer: Jake Zalzos
Zalzos, 23, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Accountancy. After passing the Philippine CPA Board examinations, he migrated to the United States to pursue the American Dream. He now works as an Audit Associate at Galleros Robinson, CPAs, LLP in its New York and New Jersey offices. Additionally, he currently serves as the Public Relations Officer of the Association of Filipino American Accountants-New Jersey Chapter. He believes that no matter where you’re from, your dreams are valid.
||Auditor: Kirk Michael Chu
Chu belonged to the pioneer class of SBU-Rizal and stayed in San Beda until he graduated with a degree in accounting. In all things, he said he aims to “bring glory to the university, the Philippines, and to God.”
||PRO: Janina Mariel Teoxon
Teoxon is a Certified Public Accountant and currently works as an Audit Senior Manager at EisnerAmper LLP in New York. She was one of the pioneers when the boys school opened its doors to female students in 2003. She graduated in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in Accountancy. What she loves most about being a Bedan is the “Bedan brotherhood and camaraderie that is like no other!” The association also announced its new board members. Community leader and patron of the arts Edwin Josue was named chairman. The following were elected members: Jorge Ortoll, Marcel Carreon, Jasper Baluyut, and Eric Zaldivar. THE FILAM |
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Top to bottom: Czarmel Lopez, Mary Sun Marcelino Alexander Querol, Jake Zalzos Kirk Michael Chu, Janina Mariel Teoxon Josue said the SBUAAEC hopes to become active participants in the following community events: the Feast of Sto. Nino Mass, the Philippine Independence Day Parade, Homecoming sa Konsulado, Bandastiks, and the Simbang Gabi. There are plans to host a Red and White Ball. He is inviting all Bedans in the Northeast who would like to join the SBUAAEC to contact the president, Czar Lopez at: czar09@yahoo.com.
Calendar
of Events
||Until February 29
||March 31
Deadline to apply for the position of Executive Director, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism Contact: search.pcij@gmail.com
Under the Bells: Exhibition featuring the works of Cian Dayrit, Kawayan de Guia, and Nona Garcia Pinto International 431 East 12th Street, Suite 5b NYC
||April 1
||February 2 to April 26
||February 22
Ang Mundong Pilipino Children’s Filipino Language and Cultural Program Sukha Arts Center 20 Elm Street Harrington Park, N.J. Contact Venessa Manzano at 774-257-4669 or info@filschool-nynj.org
||February 8
Raised Pinay Decolonization School/ Sisterhood Building Retreat Contact Jana Lynne Umipig at Raisedpinay@gmail.com
||February 13 to March 12
Adult Conversational Filipino, Beginner 1 Contact Venessa Manzano at 774-257-4669 or info@filschool-nynj.org
||February 14
||February 15
Valentine’s Day Spread the Love: Dinner and Karaoke night with Diego Montealegre & Roy Labang Kusina ni Inang 104 Flock Road, Hamilton N.J.
Jaya: My Valentine D’Haven Queens 58-02 37th Ave., Woodside, Queens
JCI Queens Induction Gala for a Cause: Australia bushfire fundraiser D’Haven 58-02 37th Avenue, Woodside, Queens
||April 20 to 25
||February 23 through April 26 (Sundays only)
||April 30 to May 1
Ang Mundong Pilipino Sa Rockland County Children's Filipino Language and Cultural Program Surge Studio 285 NY-303, Congers, N.Y. Contact Venessa Manzano at 774-257-4669 or info@filschool-nynj.org
||February 28 to April 14 (Tuesdays only)
Creation Ritual Circle Contact Jana Lynne Umipig at Raisedpinay@gmail.com
||March 6
Braver concert featuring Moira de la Torre and Ice Seguerra Loew’s Jersey Theatre Journal Square, Jersey City For tickets, contact 551-998-6020
||February 15
Angel Ram and Gail Banawis concert Apollo Theater 253 W 125th Street, NYC
Deadline to apply to Davis-Putter Scholarship for people active in movements for social and economic justice Details available at www.davisputter.org Offering and Sharing of Stories with the Community Contact Jana Lynne Umipig at Raisedpinay@gmail.com Rob Schneider at Carolines on Broadway 1626 Broadway, NYC
||Starting May 3
PAL flies non-stop between Manila and Seattle
||May 8
International Nurses Day at the United Nations United Nations Headquarters
||May 22 to 24
UNIFFIED: Empowering Educators for the Challenges of the 21st Century Astoria World Manor 25-22 Astoria Blvd., Astoria Queens Contact: uniffiednewyork@gmail.com
||July 15 to 18
FANHS National 18th Biennial Conference Waikiki Marriott Beach Resort & Spa, Hawaii
||July 19 to 26
VIP Tour: Very Important Pinoy (Ambassadors’) Tour Manila, Iloilo, and Boracay
||February 15
1st Annual St. Valentine’s Day dinner dance 1912 Morris Avenue, Union, N.J.
||February 15
In a heartbeat: For Philippine Mission 2020 D’Haven 58-02 37th Ave., Woodside, Queens
THE FILAM |
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FilAm neighborhood in Jersey City facing threat of gentrification By Cristina DC Pastor
Philippine Plaza Park is listed as one of the historic parks of Jersey City, Taino told The FilAm. The park has served as venue for Filipino cultural activities, such as the Santacruzan festivals in May. Its major events, however, revolve around veterans holidays such as Memorial Day in May, Veterans Day in November, and the Philippines’ Bataan Day usually held in April. She raised the issue of possible displacement at the meeting. “These units will not be built for ordinary working-class workers like me to afford and many had no choice but to be pushed and move away from downtown due to taxes and high rents due to all the luxury buildings being brought up,” she said.
A proposed 800-unit luxury condominium to be built on the Philippine Plaza Park in Jersey City is making some FilAm families very anxious about the prospect of gentrification.
T
he planned development has stoked fears it would encroach on the park’s memorial dedicated to Filipino vetThe monument dedicated to Filipino veterans. erans and drive residents out of their homes. The developer gave its assurance it would “preserve the rich history” of Filipino Americans. The park is located in the area of Second Street and Manila Avenue in downtown Jersey City. Most of the homeowners around the area are Filipino Americans. Developer Lerner Management Company (LMC) is looking to build a school and a public park with water sprinklers and playgrounds adjacent to the condo. LMC Vice President Charles Epstein suggested the school could be named after a Filipino hero or the woman behind the foundation that built the park, Flor Alcantara Reyes, who passed away in 2019. In a recent meeting attended by officers of the Philippine Plaza Foundation, LMC executives, Jersey City Councilman-at-Large Rolando Lavarro, and Ward E Councilman James Solomon, Epstein announced that “99 percent of the 38 homeowners have expressed acceptance to the buying agreement.” There is one remaining holdout, a developer who has never lived in the property but bought A meeting attended by (from left) Philippine Plaza Foundation board member Linda Abello, Chairman Pastor a home hoping to sell it in the future, he said. He Will Tangunan, Jersey City Councilman-at-Large Rolando Lavarro, board members Maricar Taino and Romel stressed the company acknowledges the “rich Ramos, Ward E Councilman James Solomon, and LMC Vice President Charles Epstein. history of the Filipino Americans on Manila Avenue,” and gave his assurance the Philippine Plaza rectional Facility. She moved to Arizona in 2014 She and Lavarro questioned if LMC could assign Memorial would remain intact. Representing the when she accepted the position of commissioner of more than 5 percent of units toward affordable foundation in the meeting were chairman Pastor Economic Development and Marketing in the city housing to accommodate the elderly and lowWill Tangunan and board members Linda Abello, of Kingman. income residents. Lavarro said he would like to Romel Ramos, and Maricar Taino. A resolution paved the way for the creation of see a financial analysis from LMC and whether Taino told The FilAm, “The company said they the park in 1992. The agreement — signed by the it would address his concerns about affordable will put more landscape grass and benches and hire then-Democrat Mayor of Jersey City Joseph Rakowski housing. a professional to shine the statue like new. The park and Councilman James Vasquez – was for the park “to There will be a series of public hearings to will keep its name, Philippine Plaza.” honor both the living and the fallen Filipino American discuss the future of the park, to be conducted by The foundation was led by its CEO Alcantara veterans of all wars.” Epstein said, according to a press Councilman Solomon of Ward E where the park Reyes when the monument was constructed. She statement, LMC would “honor the sovereignty” of the is located. The foundation said it will attend all was very active in the community while she worked agreement. The foundation was given the authority to meetings to make sure that the monument and as a training coordinator at Hudson County Cormaintain the park. plaza “will not be destroyed.” THE FILAM |
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The day Kobe died, tears flow in hoops-crazy Philippines By Cristina DC Pastor
For basketball fans in the Philippines, the news is an absolute nightmare. The world seems a little darker because of his passing. The man they called the Black Mamba, Kobe Bryant, perished in a helicopter crash January 26 near Los Angeles with his 13-year old daughter Gianna.
“W
oke up to this devastating news. Not ashamed to say that I literally cried. Both were so young. Can’t believe this is all true,” my brother-in-law, John Pastor, who grew up cheering for the Lakers, said in a post on Facebook. Bryant has literally millions of fans in the Philippines. He visited the country at least four times, the last in 2016 two months after retiring from the NBA. He packed Araneta Coliseum with fans celebrating a career that was likely second only to Michael Jordan for its impact on the game of basketball in modern times. “I just want to say thank you so much for inspiring me on this journey,” Bryant told adoring Filipino fans. Basketball is the only sport that matters in the Philippines, played on dirt backyards up and down the archipelago. In a partnership with Shaquille O’Neal, the Lakers won three NBA championships. Bryant then won two more titles on his own. Armed with a wide, charming smile and a fierce competitive nature, Bryant played for
With daughter Gianna who also played basketball.
‘I’m Catholic, I grew up Catholic, my kids are Catholic,’ says Bryant on how his Faith has helped him in dark times. Facebook photo the Lakers his entire 20-year career. Aside from the NBA titles, he is also a two-time Olympic champion, 18-time All-Star and the third leading scorer in NBA history. Bryant was born and raised a Catholic in Philadelphia. He was drafted at the age of 17 and rapidly became a star. The darkest time came in 2003, when he was accused of rape. The charges were eventually dropped. His wife filed for divorce in 2011. He turned to his faith and told GQ magazine in 2015:
THE FILAM |
“The one thing that really helped me during that process – I’m Catholic, I grew up Catholic, my kids are Catholic – was talking to a priest. It was actually kind of funny: He looks at me and says, ‘Did you do it?’ And I say, ‘Of course not.’ Then he asks, ‘Do you have a good lawyer?’ And I’m like, ‘Uh, yeah, he’s phenomenal.’ So then he just said, ‘Let it go. Move on. God’s not going to give you anything you can’t handle, and it’s in his hands now. This is something you can’t control.
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So let it go.’ And that was the turning point.” He eventually reconciled with Vanessa. The death of Bryant recalled all the young icons who died unexpectedly, such as John Lennon who was murdered at age 40 and Buddy Holly who died in a plane crash at 23. With his wife, Bryant founded the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation dedicated to helping the homeless and young people in need, encouraging the development of their physical and social skills through sports. A person is the sum of his life. Bryant faltered, but like all good Catholics, he redeemed himself. He did not only become a superstar basketball player, but his legacy is that he was an all-around good guy. They are crying in the Philippines and around the world. He left too soon.
Philippine films directed by women screen at MoMA Two Philippine films will be screening at the MoMA in February. They will be part of Doc Fortnight 2020, the 19th edition of the Museum of Modern Art's highly regarded annual festival of documentaries from around the world.
“A
swang,” directed by Alyx Ayn Arumpac, will have its U.S. premiere on Friday, February 7, at 4 p.m. when Arumpac will introduce her film and hold a Q&A. It will screen again on Saturday, February 15, at 1 p.m. The film won the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) Prize at the latest International Documentary Festival in Amsterdam. Synopsis: Since President Rodrigo Duterte took office in 2016 and announced his campaign to rid the Philippines of drug addicts and dealers, as many as 20,000 Filipinos have been murdered— usually at night, often in their own homes, and always at the hands of vigilantes, hired assassins, and cops. In her unflinching documentary “Aswang” (whose title is drawn from a popular mythical term for evil spirits), Alyx Ayn Arumpac confronts these executions and their aftermath through the eyes of a coroner, a journalist, and several families that have been left without a father, a brother, or a son. “Aswang” is Arumpac’s third film after “Garage Inventory” (2015) and “Beast” (2016). A director and producer, she has a Master of Arts (MA) degree through DocNomads Erasmus Mundus, a two-year
Alyx Ayn Arumpac’s ‘Aswang’ is a documentary on Duterte’s war on drugs. international master’s programme in Documentary Film Directing implemented by the Universidade Lusófona in Lisbon, SZFE University of Theatre and Film Arts in Budapest, and LUCA School of Arts in Brussels. She has a bachelor’s degree in Film and Audiovisual Communication from the University of the Philippines. “Overseas,” set in a Philippine training center for overseas workers and directed by Korean-French filmmaker Sung-a Yoon, will screen on Sunday, February 9 at 7:30 p.m. Yoon will introduce her film and do a Q&A. MoMA will present the film again Feb 13 at 4:30 p.m. The film recently won the Best Documentary Feature at the Hamptons International Film Festival and the Warsaw International Film Festival. Synopsis: “Overseas” is a disturbing look at a training center for Filipina women who are leaving their own young children and elderly parents to become domestic maids and nannies
THE FILAM |
‘Overseas’ directed by Korean filmmaker Sung-a Yoon. abroad, principally in Asia and the Middle East. Through role-playing exercises, the woman must confront the prospect of sexual assault, verbal abuse, and virtual enslavement in the homes where they will work.
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Korean director Sung-a Yoon looks for the human stories as she explores themes of women who serve as domestic workers and nannies abroad, often at the cost of leaving their families behind.
COVER STORY
Paulo K Tiról musical is a ‘vibrant mosaic’ of the Balikbayan experience Composer and lyricist Paulo K. Tiról’s “On This Side of the World” had a concert staging on February 3rd and 4th at the Greenwich House Theater in the West Village.
The cast of ‘On This Side of the World’ from left: Joanne Javien, Michael Protacio, Albert Guerzon, Jaygee Macapugay, Kevin Schuering and Diane Phelan. Photo by Lia Chang
“O
The Manila-born Tiról. Photo by Kenneth Camara
Tiról with his collaborators Noam Shapiro, director, and Ian Miller, music director. Photo by Lia Chang
n This Side of the World” – presented by Prospect Theater Company — is a collection of songs capturing voices from the Filipino immigrant experience. Stories of overseas workers,
The musical was developed and originally presented by Three Hares in association with Access Theater in downtown Manhattan, where it had a sold-out two weeks in May 2019. Of this production, Theatre is Easy said: “It’s rare to see a production entirely focused on the balikbayan experience
young lovers, and gossipy church ladies. Snapshots of undocumented immigrants, millennial princesses, and first-generation Americans. Tiról’s wistful, joyous song cycle is a vibrant mosaic of love and loss, humor and heartache, yearning and faith eight thousand miles from home. THE FILAM |
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in the United States. But considering that there are nearly a quarter million Filipino Americans in and around New York City, ‘On This Side of the World’ is a musical revue that feels not just welcome, but long overdue…’On This Side of the World’ may play best with immigrant audiences,
but the themes of separation, love, and perseverance are relatable even to those who have never set foot outside of their home country. Audiences won’t be able to stop cheering (when they’re not weeping) for this ambitious underdog of a show.” The concert was part of Prospect Theater Company’s IGNITE Series, which showcases compelling new musical theater works in concert settings. It reunited the original cast from the May 2019 premiere: Albert Guerzon (“Escape to Margaritaville,” “Honeymoon in Vegas”); Joanne Javien (“The Secret Garden,” “Miss Saigon”); Jaygee Macapugay (“Soft Power,” “School of Rock”); Diane Phelan (“Here Lies Love,” LCT’s “The King & I,” Prospect’s “Honor”); Michael Protacio, (“Out of The Eclipse,” “Cry Love”); and Kevin Schuering Jaygee Macapugay and Michael Protacio as lola and apo, conjuring up memories of days gone (LCT’s “The King & I” National Tour, by as they cook dinner in a kitchen in Queens. Michael Kushner Photography. Disney’s “Aladdin”), as well as director Noam Shapiro, music director Ian Miller, and line producer Rachel Nortz. fan of western musical theatre for over ate Musical Theatre Writing Program Tiról is originally from Manila, a decade before moving to Boston to as a composer, on a full tuition scholwhere he was a corporate professional, study at Berklee College of Music. He arship; then to be a lyricist in the BMI choral-liturgical composer, and super- went on to attend NYU Tisch’s GraduMusical Theatre Workshop, and an
artist-in-residence at Access Theater with director Noam Shapiro. He is currently a Musical Theatre Fellow at the Dramatist Guild Foundation. Other projects include orchestrations for Ma-Yi Theatre Co.’s off-Broadway musical “Felix Starro;” and book, music and lyrics for the original full-length musical “Called.” His work has been presented at Joe’s Pub, the NAMT Festival of New Musicals, Prospect’s Musical Theater Lab, Barrington Theatre Co., Musical Theatre Factory, and more. Prospect Theater Company, founded in 1998, is dedicated to fostering and showcasing new voices shaping tomorrow’s musicals. Over two decades, the company has fully produced 35 new musicals in New York City, in addition to new plays and numerous re-inventions of classic works. The company received an OBIE Award grant, and its role as a community anchor for emerging artists was honored with a grant from the American Theatre Wing.
NYC company acquires Sheila Marcelo’s Care.com
I
AC and Care.com, the world’s largest online marketplace for finding and managing family care, announced on December 20 that the two companies have entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which IAC will acquire Care. com for $15.00 per share in an all-cash transaction representing approximately $500 million of enterprise value. With more than 1.5 million successful matches made since its inception and 374,000 paying families as of Q3 2019, Care.com – headquartered in Waltham, Mass. — is the leading global platform for matching families with caregivers in the rapidly growing but highly fragmented market for family care, sized in excess of $300 billion in the U.S. alone. With this acquisition, IAC will gain a foothold in a market new to the company. IAC will invest to accelerate Care.com’s growth across its core categories (child and senior care) with the opportunity to further extend its platform into adjacent areas, such as pet and home care. “Family care is exciting new territory for us—and an accelerating market as demand for both child and senior care
intensifies worldwide,” said Joey Levin, CEO, IAC. “The Care.com team has built a trusted brand and marketplace for families all over the world. We like marketplace businesses and this is one in a category we think has incredible potential.” As part of the agreement, IAC and Care.com also announced plans to appoint long-time IAC executive Tim Allen to Chief Executive Officer of Care.com, effective upon closing. Allen succeeds founder, Chairwoman and CEO, Sheila Lirio Marcelo, who announced plans to transition from the CEO position earlier this year. “I’m both thrilled and honored at the opportunity to lead Care.com at this very pivotal moment for the company,” said Allen. “Care.com is the go-to brand making it easier for millions of families to connect with affordable, accessible care – I’m excited to start its next chapter as an IAC company.” Marcelo said, “Since our founding 13 years ago, we’ve delivered on our mission to help millions of people find affordable, high-quality care and caregivers find meaningful work. Now, we’re bringing THE FILAM |
together the world’s largest marketplace for care with the leader in scaling and growing marketplace businesses. We are excited to work with Tim and IAC’s leadership and believe this transaction will deliver value to all our stakeholders.” Marcelo founded Care.com in 2006 after her personal challenges as a young working mother finding care for two small children and ailing parents shed a spotlight on the massive care needs of families everywhere. Prior to founding Care.com, she was an Entrepreneur in Residence at Matrix Partners and held executive positions at Upromise, helping families save for college and at executive search engine TheLadders.com. She sits on the boards of Northwestern Mutual, Boston Children’s Hospital Board of Trustees, the U.S. Library of Congress Trust Fund, and the Philippine Development Foundation. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership and advises numerous start-up companies. Marcelo graduated from Mount Holyoke College and received her J.D. and M.B.A. degrees from Harvard University. 19
Sheila Marcelo founded Care.com in 2006 as a company that would provide home care for families and jobs for caregivers. IAC operates Vimeo and Dotdash, among many other companies, and also has majority ownership of both Match Group, which includes Tinder, Match, PlentyOfFish, OkCupid and Hinge, and ANGI Homeservices, which includes HomeAdvisor, Angie’s List and Handy. The company is headquartered in New York City and has business operations and satellite offices worldwide. Learn more at www.iac.com.
Issue 24, February 2020
Filipinos in Jersey City
Photo by Joseph Legaspi
Face threat of gentrification p14
The day Kobe Bryant Helen Castillo Died, tears flow in
Shaking things uphoops-crazy as PHL p16 PAFCOM president p9
Paulo K Tirรณl:
Songs from the Balikbayan experience p18