Issue 72, February 2024
Jo Koy’s ho-hum humor
Dancer Elizabeth RoxasDobrish Her tribe is Ailey
Photo by Dominika Fitzgerald
Hollywood, FilAms divided
Margarita Bruce
The moment America became home
Letter from the Editor
Public service in a time of mendacity and gaslighting
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or public life, we probably live in a dream world where the politicians are honorable, truthful and act out of conscientious principles. They do not lie, cheat or are corrupt. They are not found liable for sexual abuse (a polite term for rape), keep gold bars, or cook the books on their taxes, insurance and bank loans. “What are we in power for?” a former Philippine senator quipped all those years ago after World War II when that country was still grappling with the scars of the Japanese occupation. It was a rhetorical question hinting of corruption that shocked Philippine politics back in the day. Today, the question is no longer asked; it is normalized. In many, many, many ways, DonPhilippine Congress; former President Donald Trump ald J. Trump is recognizable in his venality and public ugliness. Filipinos see in him Politicians from both countries will push the the same level of shamelessness in politicians envelope on how far they can get away on stealing from the old country. and lying, abusing the public trust and claiming The only difference, of course, is that Trump privileges that stretch the definition of honesty would top the Filipino politicians by a country past its breaking point. Remember the Maguindmile by the sheer effrontery and volume of his anao massacre of 2009 where a political clan and lying and gaslighting, not to mention his racism. their supporters were ambushed and massacred Put another way, we seem to have accepted the on their way to filing a certificate of candidacy for absence of any sense of outrage over the coarsethe 2010 national elections? Reports state that ness of public corruption as the cost of doing 58 people were killed including 32 journalists. business. In the U.S., there is the January 6 insurrection
Founding Editor Cristina DC Pastor Managing Editor Rene Pastor Address P.O. Box 8071 New York, NY 10116
Contact Thefilamny@gmail.com 646-717-7460
allegedly egged on by the former President. Not all politicians are so mendaciously bad. But there are enough to give public service a reputation so odorous that an honest man or woman would have much hesitation in thinking of the sector as a decent career. Our country honors the great, sublime presidents of our nation in February with the celebration of Presidents’ Day giving homage to leaders such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. These are men who conducted the affairs of state with sagacity and statesmanship. They are men who have their own foibles, Jefferson and Washington from the state of Virginia having owned slaves. But they and their cohorts served with such distinction that a grateful nation remembers and honors the memory of their service and rectitude during their time in office. Maybe we should accept the reality that public service attracts all kinds of people: saints and swindlers, the corrupt and the virtuous, the honest and the criminally inclined, the altruistic and the sociopath. The times of evil in our public life will pass though and we should hang onto the belief in public service that we hold dear.
Contributing Writers Angelito Cabigao Tricia J. Capistrano Ludy AstraquilloJoel David Ongkeko Wendell Gaa Lindy Rosales Allen Gaborro Maricar CP Hampton Vicky Potenciano-Vitug
The FilAm is a publication of A&V Editorial THE FILAM
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He will always be our Jo Koy By Cristina DC Pastor
He hosted the Golden Globe Awards and delivered one flop after another. The mainstream media began to crank out brutal putdowns of his monologue even as the award ceremony was still airing. “Jo Koy bombs at the Golden Globes” – New York Post “Jo Koy’s Jokes Draw Stony Silence at the Golden Globes 2024” – Vanity Fair “2024 Golden Globes: Jo Koy labeled 'the worst host ever' as social media blasts comedian after dreadful monologue that left audience resorting to pity laughs” – Daily Mail UK As a Filipina who is a Jo Koy fan, it hurt, it felt like the comments were hurled at our entire community accusing us of not being a funny people. Now, some are blaming Jo Koy, our beloved jokester, our FilAm funnyman, our cultural icon, for bringing shame upon all of us. I was prepared to watch the full Globes and plopped on the sofa expecting a hearty laugh. None came. I looked at my husband beside me and asked, “Anything funny?” He shrugged. He began by saying his mom predicted Meryl Streep to win because “she always wins,” I thought it was a good start. But no punchline followed. When he said the big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL is because “we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift” in the Golden Globes, her face was a blank. I felt embarrassed that this one made no impact. He lobbed another bomb this time on “Saltburn” and Barry Keoghan’s penis, I thought, “Oh no, not another penis joke.” As an up-and-coming comic in Las Vegas in early 2000, Jo Koy’s jokes about his son’s “ting ting” were laughable because they’re a novelty until they maxed out their welcome. Lately he’s been known to poke fun of his mom’s peeing style in a “tabo,” and that may have been ok for a while until it became in poor taste. Generally speaking, he can be funny and it hurt to see his Hollywood audience not seeing the humor in him. His standups were at their most hilarious especially when he talked about his Filipino family. How his parents met in the Philippines and how he became the Purple Heart of his military service dad. How his mom asked him to “hide her purse” when his sister’s African American boyfriend came to visit for the first time and how she castigated him for being racist. How his mom cried and implored him to be a nurse instead of being a comedian because “do you see a clown in our family?” At the Golden Globes, there was no riff on his Filipino family. Instead, he commented on nominated films with jokes that quickly fell flat.
Taylor Swift cheering for ‘Barbie.’ Jo Koy’s joke about her was met with an icy stare. At one point, he appeared to be blaming his writers. “Yo, I got the gig 10 days ago. You want a perfect monologue? Shut up! You’re Jo Koy at the 81st Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly kidding me, right? I wrote some of these, Hilton Hotel in California on January 7, 2024. and they’re the ones you’re laughing at.” To Photos: www.GoldenGlobes.com which the Daily Beast detected, “A general rule of comedy: If you’re scolding the audience for It was obvious he was nervous which may partly failing to laugh at your jokes, you’ve already lost. explain why the jokes came out flat. I trust Jo Apparently, however, no one told Golden Globes Koy will recover. Someone who was once upon a host Jo Koy that.” time hungry for acceptance -- not so much fame I wondered why Jo Koy never mentioned he was – knows what it felt like to be booed in a bar. He Filipino? Not sure how that would have affected rose above the taunts and jeers just as I believe he his performance but the way it looked, he felt can rise above his botched Golden Globe act and like that boy in school that wisecracked his way lift himself up and back in the comedy game. around his classmates to fit in. He may not be Years down the road he will look back at this gig white – Jo Koy is half white -- but he mimicked and make fun of it and we, his Filipino tribe, will the accent, brought the same American food and laugh along with him. made sure he made everyone laugh. Next year Golden Globes, get Ricky Gervais! THE FILAM
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A Philippine classroom at the University of Pittsburgh Very few Filipinos are aware that at the University of Pittsburgh is a tourist spot, an imposing building called the Cathedral of Learning.
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t is the only edifice in an educational institution within the United States and maybe throughout the world where there are “nationality classrooms” constructed in the likeness of the countries they represent. Thirty-one classrooms in all were created and built by each countries’ communities within Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For example, the classroom of France looks like King Louis XVI’s Palace of Versailles, ornate and baroque. Great Britain’s looks like the Parliament of London. Japan’s classroom evokes the simple lines of a Shinto temple in Kyoto, and Saudi Arabia’s The Philippine Nationality Room with capiz-shelled windows, solihiya chairs and a brass is like a page from Arabian chandelier. Nights. Thus, I was fascinated when I met Cynthia and Jin Calejesan, and Evelyn and Jaime Abola, of the Task Force responsible for the construction of the Philippine Nationality Room (PNR) and was invited to see it. I was in Pittsburgh to promote my memoir, “Why Should Guys Have All the Fun? An Asian American Story of Love, Marriage, Motherhood and Running a Billion Dollar Empire.” A short background: In 2000, the PNR project was approved by the university administration. However, during the next 10 years, disagreement and conflict arose within the FilAm community and the University of Pittsburgh suspended the The PNR Task Force: Standing from left Jun Calejesan, Jaime Abola, Ronnie de la Vega, project in 2012. Antoinette Angeles, Deedee Portugal, Rose Wooten, Tina Purpora, and Maryann Sivak. Seated: Three years later, an Fr. Manny Gelido and Maxine Bruhns. Photos courtesy of PNR agreement signed by the THE FILAM
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new PNR Task Force, made the project viable once more. But from the initial cost of $250,000, the project cost has ballooned to $500,000. The PNR Task Force had to fundraise but also to handle the Room Design, based on historical and cultural aspects of the Philippines. In the end, the Philippine classroom is copied from the Quema House in Vigan, with its capiz-shelled windows, wide plank hardwood floors, solihiya-backed chairs, Venetian-style mirror, brass chandelier with paintings on the walls and ceilings to evoke precolonial imagery of flora and fauna, plus the ancient script. The four paintings were duplicate images of a Filipino woman in panuelo and saya and a male student in Barong Tagalog. The other two paintings show scenes from Old Manila. To acknowledge the 330 years of Spanish colonial period, on the front wall are the seals of the four oldest universities in the country: University of San Carlos (1595), University of Santo Tomas (1611), Colegio de San Juan de Letran (1620), Colegio de Santa Isabel (1632). The PNR was finally dedicated on June 9, 2019. As the program booklet says eloquently, “… we transport visitors to our homeland… This room embodies the best of the Filipino soul -- God-fearing, welcoming, and happy. A visitor might enter as a stranger but, as he wanders through it, we hope to hear him say, “This feels like home.”
‘Maestro:’ From acting to directing, a fine film all around By Wendell Gaa
With this year’s awards season in full swing, one of the highest critically acclaimed films, and considered to be an Oscar frontrunner, is “Maestro” which is currently available for streamlining on Netflix.
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his movie is a biopic on the life of the legendary American composer Leonard Bernstein, who is renowned in history for being the first U.S.-born musical conductor to receive international acclaim. The Broadway world is indebted to him as his work has been the soundtrack to such iconic theatrical productions as “West Side Story,” “On the Waterfront” and “On the Town.” Outside his long professional career, he has been heralded for his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement, protests against the Vietnam War, and had even conducted a performance of Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 9” in Berlin, Germany to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall in the late 1980s. Yet surprisingly not much may be known about his personal and family life, which is given in-depth depiction in “Maestro,” starring Bradley Cooper as Bernstein himself and English actress Carey Mulligan as his Costa Rican-born wife Felicia Montealegre. The primary focus of the film is truly the relationship between Bernstein and his wife, and is therefore the heart and soul of the plot as the movie opens with an aged Bernstein recalling the history of his life and career in an interview at his home while playing a piano piece from his opera “A Quiet Place.” A good majority of the film is then played out in flashback, with the events of Bernstein’s early life in the early 1940s as an assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic unfolding in black-and-white cinematography. We then see how events pan out where his conducting debut is heaped with audience and public praises.
Cooper directs and acts in the film which is co-produced with Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg.
The marriage of Leonard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper) and Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan) is the heart and soul of the plot. Netflix photos THE FILAM
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He meets and falls for Felicia Montealegre and soon forms a romantic relationship with her, which eventually leads to marriage and the birth of their three children. Well through to the 1950s, life seems to be progressing joyfully and prosperously for the family as Bernstein goes on to compose several popular operas and Broadway musicals such as “Candide.” At one point, Bernstein and Felicia are even given a live TV interview at their luxurious home by the legendary American news broadcaster Edward R. Murrow, further cementing their celebrity status. However, the movie soon reveals aspects of Bernstein’s life which would definitely have been considered taboo in his time and thereby placing him under intense media scrutiny had such information gone public, notably his extramarital relationships and bisexuality. His increasing alcoholism and substance abuse in later years also threatens to end his happy marriage and split their family. Incredibly, despite the emotional hardships which Bernstein and Felicia experience, their commitment to stay married to one another even to the point where Felicia is diagnosed with terminal cancer, is the one powerful crux which by itself is strong enough to hold the film together and keep you as a viewer heavily invested in the couple and their family. “Maestro” is worth seeing alone for the onscreen chemistry between Cooper and Mulligan, and their respective performances of Bernstein and Felicia are just so convincing and the film excellently soars on the weight of their portrayal of the couple. I give much respect and salute to Cooper for his dedication in directing this fine film which deserves to be called among 2023’s best, and for him to co-produce this cinematic project with the likes of Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg speaks a lot!
Steven Raga, Whang-Od and their body art connection
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By Cristina DC Pastor
t was the week of the Thanksgiving break and Assemblymember Steven Raga took the time to go home to Manila to visit family. A cousin suggested a trip to the Cordilleras while he was in town, and possibly a tattoo session with Whang-Od. “Luckily, the schedule worked out!” said Steve as he shared his endearing story with The FilAm. Whang-Od Oggay is a 107-year-old tattoo artist from the village of Buscalan in Kalinga Province in Luzon. A world-famous “mambabatok” (Kalinga tattoo artist), she graced the April 2023 cover of Vogue Philippines at age 106. The glossy cover showed her wrinkled limbs and clavicle inked in tribal designs in the magazine’s “The Beauty Issue,” her lips painted in a shade of crimson. The van carrying Steve, his cousin and others, arrived at the edge of the Buscalan 10 hours after leaving Manila at around 2 a.m. On arrival, they trekked 45 more minutes, hiking up and down valleys, rivers and mountains until they reached the stone steps leading to the center of the village. They were led to a residence where Steve came face to face with the woman revered throughout her village surrounded by the cool Cordillera mountains and rice terraces. They joined mostly tourists in a living room awaiting their turn to get inked. Steve remembered being taken to three different locations -- Whang Od's living room, behind Whang Od's house, and another residence next door -- and being asked to choose a design. Conscious they may be running out of time, Steve opted for something simple, like Whang-Od’s signature three-dot tattoo. But she had another design in mind. “Scorpion,” she declared. Steve agreed. He wanted the tattoo on his left calf but Whang-Od shook her head and pointed on his right forearm. Once decided, the entire room erupted in cheers. “It confirmed they were about to witness something incredibly rare these days: Whang-Od tattooing a full intricate design, not just the 3-dot signature,” he explained. According to Kalinga legend, the Scorpion symbolized Strength and Protection. It is engraved only on the bodies of brave Ifugao warriors of ancient times.
||Whang-Od’s process
She began by taking a dried piece of grass/plant. She then mixed soot and water, the main ingredients of her tattoo ink.
The world-famous tattoo artist Whang-Od Oggay, 107.
‘Once in a lifetime’ experience. Photos courtesy of Steven Raga/Facebook She dipped the dried plant into her ink bowl, and began to outline the tattoo design on the skin, giving her guidance to trace. Finally, she took a pine needle (‘tinik’) and began to painfully “hammer” the outline of the soot on the skin. She tattooed the design three times to ensure the quality and color. It was an elaborate illustration showing The process took 13 hours over two days. the Buscalan Sun, Day and Night Hourglass, Snake Tongues and Ferns symbolizing good health and safe passage into the Land of the Dead. She ended, her family and close friends gathered in her was assisted by two apprentices. living room to eat, tell jokes, and watch traditional Was it painful? Kalinga dances on the television.” Replied Steve: “The left forearm and outside part Whang-Od beamed with positive energy, he said, of my right arm, it was fine and felt like intense sharp “always joking around and smiling, even with the pinches. non-stop tourists waiting patiently to see her.” “The back part of my right arm was another story. “She asked many questions on why I trekked all the It was an extreme fiery pain throughout the entire way from New York, asked about my work, and how tattooing process, which continued hours after the Filipino Americans in NYC are doing. It’s a once in a tattoo was already completed.” lifetime experience.” It was over in 13 hours. Steve was grateful to be Before leaving, he gave the artist some chocolates offered a room to rest overnight. from New York, and she began reminiscing and “I had the blessing to stay at her residence,” he said. describing her favorite chocolates. The lady loves “At night, when her tattooing behind her house had chocolates. THE FILAM
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was born and raised in Cebu City, Philippines. She came to the U.S. in 1993 and earned her accounting degree from Marquette University where she also took creative writing courses. She has published her works both in the Philippines and in the U.S. Her book, The Fiancee, recently received a Bookfest award in the romance, multicultural category. She is an active member of the FilipinoAmerican community and being proud of her culture and heritage, she incorporates them into her books of romantic fiction and poetry. She also serves as VP-Operations and Education Director of the nonprofit, Global 1nspiration. She calls Waukesha, Wisconsin her home and lives with her husband and their three sons.
Photos by Dominika Fitzgerald
Anti-Asian hate crime numbers fell for 1st time since COVID but still above pre-pandemic levels By Louise Liu
Anti-Asian hate crime numbers fell by 33% from 2021 to 2022, indicating the first decrease in anti-Asian hate since the start of the pandemic, according to recently released FBI crime statistics.
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owever, anti-Asian hate crime figures remain firmly above pre-pandemic numbers, with 2022 recording more than 200% the amount of anti-Asian hate crimes that occurred in 2019. As the global pandemic recedes, diminished attention on COVID-19, along with less opportunity to scapegoat Asian Americans for pandemic woes, fewer instances of inflammatory rhetoric from politicians, and reporting fatigue may have contributed to the decrease in recorded anti-Asian hate crimes. During the peak of the pandemic, almost one in five anti-Asian hate incidents involved language that blamed Asians and Asian Americans for COVID-19, while many others might have been fueled by misplaced concerns of COVID-19. This rhetoric was reinforced and often encouraged by politicians, who, between March 2021 and 2022, used racist and inflammatory language in 10 percent of their tweets. In many instances, politicians’ tweets had a direct impact on anti-Asian sentiment: For every tweet from former President Trump that mentioned both “COVID” and “China,” there was an 8 percent increase in anti-Asian hate incidents and tweets using the racial slur “c — k.” Although the national state of emergency for COVID-19 has ended, antiAsian hate persists. Community reporting sites such as Stand Against Hatred and Stop AAPI Hate are still receiving
Chinatown, New York. Inflammatory language from politicians has caused a rise in anti-Asian incidents. Photo: Unsplash
While COVID is on the decline, anti-Asian hate persists. Photo: Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC submissions detailing incidents of antiAsian hate and harassment, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC is concerned about the potential effects of politicians vilifying China in the 2024 THE FILAM
election cycle on the Asian American community as a whole. Already we have seen politicians across party lines using anti-China rhetoric, and with the U.S.’s relationship with China being a | 9
central topic for debate, it can have dire consequences for the Asian American community who have long battled the “perpetual foreigner” stereotype, regardless of language ability, national origin, or citizenship status. In fact, the U.S. has a long history of scapegoating Asians and Asian Americans as national security and economic threats. During World War II, misplaced suspicions of Japanese espionage led to the imprisonment of more than 120,000 Japanese Americans in incarceration camps, many of whom were U.S. citizens. Similar sentiment vilifying Japan for the troubled state of the U.S. economy led to the brutal murder of Vincent Chin in 1982, who was mistaken as Japanese American despite being of Chinese descent. Additionally, hate crimes are notoriously underreported, with Asian Americans being the racial group least likely to report hate crimes to law enforcement. Hesitance to report can be attributed to a variety of factors, including but not limited to language barriers, discomfort with law enforcement, or resignation to the status quo. Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC strongly denounces the use of inflammatory language that marginalizes, targets, or oppresses any population. For those who are uncomfortable reporting to law enforcement, we encourage you to continue reporting any anti-Asian incidents you experience or witness to our hate tracker Stand Against Hatred. You can report anonymously, and we will keep your information confidential. Your reports provide more accurate information about the landscape of antiAsian hate crimes and gives Advancing Justice | AAJC the information we need to advocate for policies that address anti-Asian hate crimes and incidents. Louise Liu is the Anti-Hate Communications Coordinator at Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC. This article originally appeared in Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC. It is being reprinted here with permission.
COVER STORY
Writer Margarita Bruce: Finding joy in life’s many possibilities
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By Maricar CP Hampton
argarita Tayone Bruce came “The learning pace was faster, and the casual to the U.S. in 1993 and was friendliness between professors and students was fascinated by the tech-operated more than I was used to. I noticed most of the studoors she had never seen in Cebu dents are single and prefer to study on their own, City where she grew up. As a not in groups like I was used to in the Philippines.” new immigrant, she would go to a bank, grocery Soon she was able to assimilate into the culture stores, any building and watched as the sliding and credits it to “resiliency and adaptability” as glass doors opened without her touching them. Filipino traits. Her initiation into American life may have started with automatic doors but now 30 years ||Independent author later, portals of opportunities have opened for her. Margie has published six books -- five fiction and Margie, 50, is now an accountant, a non-profit one poetry. She released her first book in 2002, an officer, a mother of three boys, and the author of six experimental women’s fiction, “A String of Pearls.” self-published books. Her collection of poetry, “Cascading Sonnets”, is She married Tom Bruce, then a TV engineer her sixth and latest book. It was published in 2022. in Milwaukee. They met as pen pals in an Asian “The Fiancée,” her fifth book, almost autobimagazine. She was 19; he was 35. ographical in tone and intent, is closest to her “I was a freshman in college and this was before heart. computers. Initially it was all for fun,” she said “The Fiancée” is a story about the “common when interviewed by The FilAm. experiences of Filipinas who come to this country “I thought to myself, this seems farfetched. as fiancées, or as wives – adjusting to an unfamiliar What are the chances that somebody would see environment, not knowing anyone except permy picture and profile in the magazine and write haps, the person who brought them here; craving me.” Several months after her profile went live, Filipino food, longing to meet and be with other she received a warm and friendly letter from Tom. Filipinos, and dealing with homesickness. The “We wrote each a other a lot for a year with two book also touches on the sense of financial duty phone calls and one video tape message from each and responsibility that Filipino children have other. At that time we did not have a phone in our toward their families back in the Philippines, and house so I had to go to a relative’s house to receive the tendency of Filipinos here to find a match for the call,” she said. “We were serious. Six months someone they know back home. It is the untold love into our writing we were exclusive. We really got stories between Filipino women and American to know each other through these letters. I was men, and the basic struggles of these Filipina upfront about what I want and don’t want.” immigrants that inspired me to write this book,” The courtship lasted for a year and on her 19th she said. birthday, Tom went to the Philippines and they got In the works is another fiction book coming out engaged. by summer. It is a young adult-new adult romantic “I just had faith in him and he came across as an honorable person and of course handsome,” she burst into giggles. When her parents found out, their only condition was that Margie finish her education. She earned an accounting degree from Marquette University which accredited her Philippine courses. As a scholar, she also took creative writing courses. She said, “The hardest part of being a new immigrant probably was adjusting to school and being a new bride at 19 at the same time. I also missed Filipino food, the weather and my family.” Life in the university was a “shock.” Six books and counting. Photo by Dominika Fitzgerald. THE FILAM
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A new immigrant, a young bride, and an accounting student at age 19.
Margie reading from her poetry book, ‘Cascading Sonnets,’ during Poetry at the Vista, March 2023.
sub-genre loosely based on Margie’s high school life. “I have been watching Korean and Chinese TV drama series to blame for this, especially the ones about first love and high school,” she said by way of a joke. What inspires her? Story ideas are always “dancing in my head,” she said, “waiting to be fleshed out into a book.”
||Eldest child
Margie is the eldest and only girl in a family of seven siblings. They are a large close-knit family of 21 here in the U.S. “In the Philippines, we had this saying of ‘Watch out when you invite the Tayone family to a party. They’re an entire village!’ That is now the case here in America.” As if being a full time accountant and a writer is not enough she is also a YouTuber, the vice president of operations and educational director of Global 1nspiration, a non-profit that provides assistance to human trafficking and domestic abuse victims both in the U.S. and in the Philippines. She is also active with Filipino-American community organizations in Wisconsin, such as the Free Medical Clinic offered by the Philippine Cultural and Civic Center Foundation, as a volunteer. If time was on her side, she would like to spend some time in the Philippines and write for several weeks “without work distractions.”
The Bruce family. From left: Connor, Colin, Tom, Margie, and Tommy. Married for 30 years, Margie is a self-confessed homebody who is happy being a doting mom to Connor, 23, Collin, 20, and Tommy, 15. Her reading fare are classical novels by Jane Austen, Leo Tolstoy and Alexander Dumas. She used to be big on crafts when she was younger; volunteering now gives her a sense
of accomplishment. She and Tom, now retired, find their “us” time no matter how busy they are. Her advice to aspiring writers? “Believing in one’s self is the most important. You should believe in yourself even if no one believes in you,” she said.
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Calendar
of Events
||February 10 Little Miss Valentine Coronation and Miss PhilippineAmerica Pageant Russo's On The Bay 162-45 Cross Bay Boulevard Howard Beach N.Y.
||February 11 VIP Runway (by Filipino American Cancer Care) Maryland State Theater 21 S Potomac Street Hagerstown, MD
||February 24 ||February 3 Red and Black Pre-Valentine’s Dinner Dance and Show Little Manila Park Woodside Queens St. Jean Baptiste Auditorium 173 East 75th Street NYC For details contact Lili at 347-844-8332
10th Filipino American Community General Assembly Kalayaan Hall Philippine Center 556 Fifth Avenue NYC
||March 3
||March 9
Performance for Pets (to benefit local animal shelter) With special guest performer Ferlie Almonte, Ms. New Jersey Senior America 2023 Encore at Leisure Village West Manchester, N.J.
Unique Salonga, The Juans, Adie and Kean Cipriano La Boom New York 56-15 Northern Blvd Woodside NYC Contact Amor Yu: 818-818-4301
||March 22 Jo Koy World Tour Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia, PA
||February 9 New York Fashion Week Edison Ballroom New York Times Square
||March 8 Jo Koy World Tour TD Garden 100 Legends Way Boston, MA
||February 24 Damayan’s We Rise Nanny Training -Preventing Sexual Harassment -Home as a Workplace The People’s Forum 320 W. 37th St. NY, NY
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||March 9 JCI Philippine-New York Induction of Board of Directors and Officers For further questions, email induction@philnyjaycees.org
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||March 23
Damayan’s We Rise Nanny Training -CPR + First Aid training The People’s Forum 320 W. 37th St. NY, NY
||April 27
Damayan’s We Rise Nanny Training -Community Organizing The People’s Forum 320 W. 37th St. NY, NY
||May 11
Sounds of Manila 15th Anniversary with The Dreamboats and Johnny Pandora Breslin PAC Felician University 262 S. Main Street Lodi, New Jersey Contact Amor Yu: 818-818-4301
||June 8
||August 17
Philippine Independence Celebration on Staten Island Sacred Heart School 350 Castleton Avenue Staten Island NYC Email: info@Picosi.org
8th Kids Philippines Annual Charity Golf Tournament Pequot Golf Club 127 Wheeler Road Stonington, CT Contact Cherry at 860-234-4607
||June 3 to August 2 Summer 2024 IMPACT! Filipino-American National Internship Program Participants come to Washington, D.C. to gain a firsthand look at the American government and political system, engage civically, and reflect on the role they, as future leaders, might play in strengthening Philippine-U.S. relations Visit: www.usasiainstitute.org
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A teenage girl's relentless search for her Filipina nurse mother who abandons her at birth!
Available at amazon.com or contact the author at 732-996-5966; gpdelcarmen@gmail.com
127 years ago, what was Rizal thinking? By Juan Mariano Magdaraog Knights of Rizal, New York Chapter
One hundred twenty-seven years ago, the man whose life and legacy we celebrate and emulate paid the ultimate price for his convictions. 127 years.
bring a dream so grand into the fullness of reality, and with any and every effort we make, great or small, we can do our part to kindle the spark of greatness Rizal believed lies at the core of the Filipino. Now is not a time for closed eyes. We must remember to see with the same keen vision of Rizal. an you imagine how far we’ve Reflective of the past, perceptive come? Close your eyes for a few of the present, and determined to seconds, briefly paint the picture build a better future. in your mind of life for our people Juan Mariano ‘Jiano’ Magdaraog back then. Feel the salt in the is a newly admitted member of the eyes of the indios, unable to set their gaze to Knights of Rizal New York Chapter. A higher aspirations with their backs bent low lifelong lover of stories, he developed by heavy burdens, the labors and laments of an appreciation for history as a child, life under exclusion and exploitation. and a passion for performance arts Imagine, if you will, Dr. Jose Rizal in his as a young man. Jiano has taken the last days and moments, contemplating the stage in musicals, straight plays, dreams, of his own dreaming and of others, and improvised theatre shows on dreams that he would die for. Imagine several occasions in three different him doing what we just did a minute ago, countries. He spent nine years as The author is presented before the Knights of Rizal membership by KOR imagining a distant day but in the opposite commanders (from left) Sir Ferdinand ‘Dean’ Suba, Esq.; Sir Emmanuel Malasig, MD; an analyst for leading financial direction. Imagine that, in Rizal’s mind’s eye and Sir Emilio Quines, Jr. MD. Photos courtesy Jiano Magdaraog institution S&P Global. he happened to see us, see you. And here and now you stand, eyes open, Filipinos. Capable, confident, courageous in each one’s manner. Rizal sees us. Sees you. Would he feel pride? Hope? Relief that he will not have lived in vain? Perhaps in this glimpse of the future, would he see a reflection of his past? The few, the favored, the fortunate modern-day ilustrados to be sure. But if Rizal sees the ilustrados in you, then that would beg the question: What about the folks back home? Have they been uplifted? Are they able to take time and lift their gaze from the mud to the stars? Or are they still weighed down by the whims of uncaring lords? Rizal stood for the rights of our people. He believed in our potential, believed that we could stand among the giants of the world and look them in the eye with confidence. Rizal strived to live a life that stood as proof of this belief, and each and all present here reinforce this idea. But for all his accolades and accomplishments Rizal did not see his hopes realized in his lifetime. It takes more than one person, even the most exceptional, to awaken and inspire a nation. It takes the combined and sustained belief of many to Reenacting Rizal’s execution at Bagumbayan field.
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Philippine theater’s Red Concepcion makes Broadway debut in ‘Chicago’ Red Concepcion joins the cast of the Tony Award-winning “Chicago the Musical” on Broadway, currently running at The Ambassador Theater.
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still can’t believe it! Never in a million years did I think I’d ever get here,” said Red when reached by The FilAm. “I’m here for the ride and loving every second of it.” He will be playing Amos Hart, the cuckolded husband of Roxie Hart who is convicted of killing her lover. He is the first Filipino to play the role on Broadway. Red is best known for playing The Engineer in “Miss Saigon” U.S. National and UK and Ireland Tours. Prior to launching his international theatre career, his body of work in Philippine theatre spans over 15 years, which includes the Manila restaging of Peter Shaffer’s hit psychological drama, “Equus,” where he played the lead role of disturbed teenager, Alan Strang. In 2014, he won the Aliw Award
for Best Actor in a Musical and the Gawad Buhay Award for Outstanding Male Actor in a Musical for his star turn as Adam/Felicia in the Manila production of “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.”
||About Chicago
With a legendary book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, “Chicago,” on stage for 27 years, is now the longest-running musical on Broadway, according to BroadwayWorld.com. “Chicago” is the winner of six 1997 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Cast Recording. According to its website, “Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, Chicago is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out THE FILAM
on her.” She tries to frame her faithful husband for the murder. In previous iterations of the show, Amos Hart is portrayed as a “much put-upon, sad and mopey character,” said Red reflecting on the role made famous in 2002 by actor John C. Reilly. “But the creatives told me they wanted me to think of him as the only real light in a show filled with actually dark people. So he gets pushed around, duped and manipulated, but he’s found a way to push all that deep down and put on a cheerful face.” In his solo number, “Mr. Cellophane,” all his frustrations “come tumbling out and for a brief moment, he allows his real voice to be heard.” Red puts across how the experience resonated with him as a minority actor. He said, “As Filipinos, and Southeast Asians, I think we’re taught | 16
Concepion plays Amos Hart, devoted husband of a murder suspect. to be amiable and to smile through everything. To make ourselves small and to never rock the boat. So that moment when Amos finally lets himself scream and sing out was really important to me.”
Dancer Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish: ‘Filipinos are my people, but my tribe is Ailey’ A dreamlike duet “Me, Myself and You” is part of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s 65th anniversary celebration.
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horeographed by former Alvin Ailey dancer Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish to music by Duke Ellington and arrangement by Damien Sneed, “Me, Myself and You” will travel all across the United States and perform in 22 cities. “It is a dance about reminiscence. It conjures the memories of love and passion for a woman asking herself if she should let go or forge ahead,” describes the company in a press statement. Elizabeth was born in Manila and was the youngest member of Ballet Philippines before she joined Ailey in the 1970s. She shares growing up in a family where she is the only girl and the youngest of three siblings, and how dance became part of her life as she was coming of age. “Though my parents were supportive of my taking dance classes, it was my grandmother on my mother’s side who was instrumental in my beginnings of dance,” she said in an interview with The FilAm. A diagnosis of scoliosis made dance and its assorted movements essential to her health. “The doctor suggested in order to help my posture that I take some dance lessons,” she said. ‘Lola’ was so dedicated in making sure she didn’t miss any classes, she would “bribe” her with a mocha shake from Dairy Queen. She joined Ballet Philippines at the age of 11, and at 15, its youngest dancer. Ailey was one of the companies that came to the Philippines to perform at the Cultural Center. “Seeing Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater was my lightbulb moment. This is the company I would like to dance with,” she recalled telling herself. She came to New York City in 1979, receiving scholarships to The Joffrey Ballet School, The Graham School, and The Ailey School. Elizabeth also danced with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Ohad Naharin, and Joyce Trisler Danscompany. She then joined Alvin Ailey as its first Filipina dancer, and was a principal from 1984-1997. The New York Times described her as “a cool, still, lyrical center of the Ailey storm.” During her career, Elizabeth worked with some of the most prominent choreographers, including Alvin Ailey, Katherine Dunham, Jerome Robbins, Talley Beatty, Lar Lubovitch, John Butler, Ulysses Dove, and Judith Jamison.
AAADT’s Caroline Dartey and James Gilmer. Photo by Paul Kolnik
Roxas-Dobrish is Alvin Ailey’s first Filipina dancer. Photo by Ernest Mandap
“I was very flexible and really didn’t know how to control my body until I came to NY and studied at the Ailey School,” she said. “I had so many influences in dance but most of all I love Ailey. I totally fit the mold. As I’ve said, Filipinos are my people, but my tribe is Ailey.” Elizabeth has not forgotten unfair comments that she would never make it in New York as a dancer much less join the Alvin Ailey Company. “I can proudly say that not only did I make it to the company but that I am the only Filipina thus far,” she said. In 1997, she was featured in Dance Magazine’s cover article and named by Avenue Magazine as one of the 500 most influential Asian-Americans. The Ma-Yi Theater Award was given to her in 2017, honoring her contributions to the arts. After THE FILAM
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leaving Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, she was asked to perform on Broadway in “The King and I” as Eliza. After her Broadway debut, she returned to concert dance, making several guest appearances in the United States and abroad. She has taught at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts through the Cap21 program and the Graduate School. She was invited and commissioned to choreograph in China, Cuba, and France as well as companies in the United States. She was asked to create a Zoom choreography for the 2020 SOHO International Film Festival, as well as for the Philippine Dance Festival 2021 during the pandemic. She is married to Robert Dobrish, a prominent matrimonial attorney in Manhattan. Reflecting on her journey, her transition to choreography, as well as some “hurdles and disappointments,” she remains “so appreciative” in so many ways. “I never thought I would be creating and want to after I retired from dancing,” she said. “I always felt deep inside that the dancer in me was only a beginning of a bigger mission which was to create.” – Cristina DC Pastor
COVER STORY
‘I didn’t care starting a hot gossip; I wanted to dance with her’
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By Cristina DC Pastor
t was an old-fashioned romance but one that blossomed in this millennial era of TikTok and COVID. Not that they were consciously looking for love, but when it became clear to octogenarians retired Dr. Emilio Quines and Dr. Angie Cruz that they were becoming fond of each other, they didn’t fight their feelings. They have known each other for many years. They have crossed paths, may have attended the same fundraisers or danced in the same hotel ballroom. As a matter of fact Angie had known and admired Emilio’s wife, Felicisima, who passed away in 2019 due to pancreatic cancer. Numerous months of running into each other at community events had not immediately sparked any talk about them. Emilio was paired with a few other women, showing how Filipinos love to play matchmaker. When Emilio chose Angie to be his first dance at a party in his waterfront home, she feared it would start tongues wagging. “When I danced with Angie at that party she warned me that I was starting a hot gossip. But I didn’t care because I wanted to dance with her,” revealed the smiling Emilio when the couple guested on Makilala TV. "She is beautiful, she is talented." Emilio is aware that “in our Filipino culture if you go out with more than one girl you are considered a playboy.” He may have done a bit of that, as attested to by Angie, but he maintained the word “playboy” did not apply to him. “When my wife passed away I was devastated. I was living a bachelor’s life for about two years until a close friend told me to stop living in the past and live life. I started dating different women but to me going out with them is just having a good time, having someone to dine with,” shared Emilio on the show. “I was going out with friends. I had to start from the beginning. They say if you go out with more than one woman, you are considered some kind of Don Juan.” When Emilio thought he was getting serious, he wondered whom Angie was dating. “I asked around and they said she wasn't dating anybody.” One of the first people who detected a budding romance was former Consul General Elmer Cato.
Angie with best friend and matron of honor Loida Nicolas Lewis. Photo courtesy of Loida Nicolas Lewis
Dr. Emilio Quines and Dr. Angie Cruz. They believe their story can inspire people to hope for love at any age. Photo by Boyet Loverita Emilio quipped: “He offered to marry us right then and there after seeing us at the first social event we attended as a couple. It made me think that this thing about Angie could become serious.” For her part, Angie’s best friend CEO and philanthropist Loida Nicolas Lewis was among the first to notice sparks flying between the couple. THE FILAM
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Guesting at Makilala TV in the episode called ‘Love is lovelier…’ Photo: Makilala TV
Recalled Loida of that moment, “I said Angie, I think Doctor Quines may have a crush on you.” Angie brushed it aside, knowing the other women he dated, but she started to pay the doctor a closer look. Angie told the show, "I do not play around, I am a serious person. To me a kiss is a very important thing. Unless I really like a man, I always turn away. My grandmother always told me that if I kiss a man I have to marry him! That was her generation." Angie doesn’t deny that at her age, she may have kissed a number of men. But they turned out to be frogs. “When I kissed Emilio, he turned out to be a prince!” She said this while taking a smiling glance at the doctor. The couple married on September 7, 2023, their romance meriting a lovely writeup in The New York Times. “It’s Never Too Late to Find Love. Just Ask These Octogenarians” is the title of the article published on September 22, 2023 when Emilio was 83. Angie turned 80 on the date of the wedding. The couple had to decide if they wanted their romance covered in the NYT. But Loida convinced them that their story can inspire people to hope for love, that it is possible regardless of age. Indeed some friends have confided to them ‘For richer and for poorer till death do us part.’ The vows are the best part that the article has given them hope to find love! of the wedding for Emilio. Photo courtesy of Dr. Emilio Quines
In that piece Angie confessed surprise that she was getting married! She said she was content being an unmarried woman. “The nuns at St. Theresa’s College, Manila, my Alma Mater, called that state single blessedness.” “To wait 80 years, I can’t believe it,” she told the Times. Asked how they are navigating domestic life as a couple, Emilio said, “There is always the question of differences but after we compromise then back to lovemaking." The couple were at their most candid during the show. Asked if any of their friends had advised against marriage, Angie said in jest, “If there were, they never said anything to us.” Emilio said his favorite part of the wedding was the marriage vows, “In sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer till death do us part." That’s what marriage is about: the commitment. Asked if Angie is inclined to use Emilio’s surname, she said she has not made any decision, but that “Angie Cruz Quines sounds nice.” Makilala TV is the longest running talk show (10 years) for Filipinos on the East Coast. It is hosted by Rachelle Ocampo, Jen Furer and Cristina Pastor, and aired through Manhattan Neighborhood Network.
Flight attendant publishes children’s book on travel
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new children’s book on the joy of flying is now out in the market! Filipino American inspirational author Lia Ocampo has released “We Love Flying: How to Inspire Kids to Follow Their Dreams to Fly.” A flight attendant by profession, Ocampo takes young readers and their parents on a journey through the world of airplanes and global landmarks in her latest book. Young readers will follow the journey of siblings Drake and Shanel. Drake loves flying and dreams of becoming a pilot, while Shanel aspires to travel the world. Aiming to motivate with its colorful and interactive pages, Ocampo notes, “’We Love Flying’ is informative and conversational, filled with excitement that will enhance their love for flying. It is an engaging and encouraging read that inspires children to dream big.” The book guides children to follow their dreams and fly high, with its illustrations and icons of places around the world to stimulate their imagination to become future aviators and achievers. Children will also enjoy the coloring activity and a short guessing game on world destinations. The author believes “We Love Flying” would be a great addition to youngsters’ book collection and a starting
‘We Love Flying: How to Inspire Kids to Follow Their Dreams to Fly’ December 8, 2023 Barnes & Noble Press 46 pages tool for parents to usher their kids to have life goals. “What legacy can you leave the world, your kids and grandkids? Mine are my books,” she wrote on Facebook. She dedicates her third book to her grandkids and future generations in the aviation industry. Ocampo balances her role as a passionate flight attendant and inspirational author. THE FILAM
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Born and raised in Batangas City, Philippines, she spent 22 years working for the U.S. Government in different capacities. She came to New York City in July 2012 as an immigrant. In 2014, she achieved her lifelong goal of becoming a flight attendant. Her debut book, “What We Know for Sure: Inspirational Stories of Special Immigrants in America,” was published in May 2020. It is a collection of stories of Filipino employees who worked in the U.S. Embassy in Manila. Ocampo’s second book, “I Love Flying: An Inspirational Journal for Your Flying and Travel Adventures” was inspired by the pandemic, and provided information for people facing the difficulty of travel. She has visited all 50 states and 70 countries and territories. She enjoys reading and writing as much as helping others. Through her experiences, she mentors immigrants and aspiring flight attendants. She believes life is best lived with grace, gratitude, happiness, and strength. “My goal is to write more books that serve to inspire,” she said. She splits her time between New York and Florida. “We Love Flying” is available on Barnes & Noble or on the author’s official website: www.authorlia. com. Follow Lia Ocampo on Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube @authorlia.
Issue 72, February 2024
Steven Raga
Photo by Boyet Loverita
A once-in-a-lifetime encounter with Whang-Od
Anti-Asian hate Incidents ebbing but still high
Dr. Emilio Quines & Dr. Angie Cruz
Love found them when they were ready