Issue 69, November 2023
Arman David RN is new PIDCI president
Satrick & Cathy Uy
Bringing Filipino culture to Beantown
~ Marissa Banez
'Second act' births second book
Letter from the Editor
The American spirit: Undefeated
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n a way, the world seems to be spinning out of control in spasms of violence, one wave sickeningly worse than the next. Two hundred hostages in the attack by Hamas on Israel, 18 killed in the idyllic state of Maine. There appears no end in sight to the senseless murders that has blanketed the world in an ugly miasma of hate. There are moments when the only way to shut out the mayhem hitting our consciousness is to turn the TV off. On weekends, it is all you can do but go into a coma because the depressing news, sights and sounds are flowing non-stop like the river thundering over the Niagara. You would think that with 60 million people slaughtered during World War II, the world would have had enough of killing. Apparently not. Our country is still wracked by hatred based solely on the color of one’s skin, brought on by the original sin of racism. We still have not figured out how to eradicate racism. The only way to go forward is to keep struggling to achieve the dream of a race-free world. There is no denying that Americans who fantasize that the world is ever so A race-free world remains a dream. Photo: gradually getting closer to being free of Unsplash.
Founding Editor Cristina DC Pastor
Contributing Writers Tricia J. Capistrano
Managing Editor Rene Pastor Address P.O. Box 8071 New York, NY 10116
racism are foolish in their naivete. There is also no end to the stupidity shown by so many, blinded by their devotion to a man whose amorality and treasonous behavior is breathtaking. Can we, as a nation, ever pull ourselves back from the depressing state of our public life? The horrible answer is if we say “too late”. As Americans, we are normally optimistic that there are better days ahead. It is hard though to feel good under these circumstances when the ‘dogs of war’ are howling so loud it drowns out the better judgment in our nature. Believing that good times are on the horizon should inject a mood that we should not give up on optimism even if it feels so far away. In the last century, one of the greatest presidents in our history said the only thing we “should fear is fear itself.” Despite the great depression, Roosevelt’s indomitable will and cheerful spirit led the United States to some of its greatest moments and ultimate victory over Nazism and the brutality of that war. We in The FilAm believe fervently that the United States will see a renaissance in its greatness. That is what Americans are made of.
Contact Thefilamny@gmail.com 646-717-7460
Joel David
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The FilAm is a publication of A&V Editorial THE FILAM
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Maricar CP Hampton
Young raver throws all-night parties in empty warehouses
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By Cristina DC Pastor
lex Fox, at 23, throws mammoth dance parties in repurposed warehouses. To be accurate, he is CEO of a company that organizes rave parties lasting midnight to morning with DJs mixing music to keep thousands of partygoers glued to the dancefloor. The first rave he organized in July this year had almost 900 partygoers. It took only two weeks of preparations but the attendance exceeded the expectations of Alex and his investor partners. “Yeah, we made money, but not a lot,” he recalled with a slight chuckle in his voice. “We’re not in it for the money.” His second rave on October 27 and 28 was moderately bigger. Alex and his company, Fox Collective, hosted a crowd of at least 1,000 people on each night. It was a Halloween party with a carnival theme, “Nights of Mystique.” The carefully selected venue was the 1896 Studios in Bushwick, a Brooklyn neighborhood with not a lot of apartments and residential areas in the immediate surrounding. Raves, which blare loud electric dance music from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. “can get super loud” but should not be a bother to neighbors. The crowd was “young” people in the age range of 21 to 30s, 40s; no teens allowed. There’s a bar where people could buy drinks, and there were concerns about serving alcohol to minors. “Under 21 can get messy because they cannot get alcohol. It can be a liability.” Tickets were priced from $50 to $95. Alex was conscious about security and was looking to hire more than a dozen bouncers. “You want to make sure everyone is safe,” he said.
||History of raves
Rave parties have been around since the 1950s and believed to have originated in London with the popularity of garage rock bands, hippies and what was known as the club culture. They are usually large parties held in abandoned warehouses, clubs, private houses, and can go on for several hours usually lasting in early morning. A good DJ is the best barometer of what makes a rave intoxicating and hard to forget. Cynthia Malaran, known as “DJCherishTheLuv,” the first Filipina DJ on Broadway, recalled how she was initiated into the rave culture in the 1990s as a high school student sporting a brand-new tattoo. “My besties and I rebelled and went to raves in Manhattan and Long Island to cleanse ourselves of being too clean. We would go in at late Friday night and emerge on Saturday when the sun came out, almost deaf, totally dumb and nearly blind from hours of intense strobe lights and beats. We would go to raves by
the literal busloads,” she shared with The FilAm part of her recollection. One night stood out in her memory. “I remember (going to an) abandoned warehouse, with cold concrete floors that I sat on all night long, getting high on the music, people watching and absorbing the bass from at least three DJs. Hundreds of people in baggy neon clothes, baby doll dresses, glow sticks and necklaces. Everyone was in the moment, being creative and expressive in their own way magnetized to their favorite DJ, their hands stained with the hue of their current Manic Panic hair dye. I remember my friends and I not really identifying as straight or gay. We were simply ravers, and it was a way of life. Some came for the music, I came for the visuals, fashion, and the graphics, and of course to meet cute boys who were never interested in me. We felt so mature, but we were so young. “We didn’t do drugs or drink at these raves, but the massive crowds got tiring. I remember telling myself I don’t want to wear neon anything ever again and thinking I could never do what those techno DJs do.” The sheer irony, she was quick to add, was that today, over 30 years later, she finds herself DJ-ing for the biggest crowds at rave parties and “achieving milestones like spinning for the MTV VMAs, being the afterparty DJ/co-producer on Broadway's ‘Here Lies Love,’ and performing live techno herself with the numerous modular synth societies nationwide that became popular as a response to the pandemic lockdown.”
||Filipino ravers
Alex, a part-time actor and a graduate of Dramatic Arts (Theater) from the University of Southern California, said raves are quite common in L.A. He has seen
A packed dance floor. THE FILAM
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‘I’m trying to create a piece of art.’ Courtesy of Alex Fox Filipino youngsters attend such parties their elders would scoff at as “wild.” He was introduced to raves as a student of USC. In between marching the picket line with protesting actors and looking for a full-time job, he and some friends would throw smaller “Barbenheimer” parties just to test the waters. They loved the experience. They threw their “first big one” in July in Bushwick, New York with 875 people in attendance. “I rented a big venue…that was my first big one, July 22. It was a success we made all decors. We put a lot of time and money in it. I didn’t DJ but I did everything else. We advertised through TikTok,” said Alex enthused. He said drugs, while a no-no, cannot be helped. Organizers emphasize a ‘no drugs’ policy but if some partygoers arrived already high, security will make sure they are “not belligerent or disturbing others.” Alex seemed to have everything figured out, despite initial reservations from his parents who are senior editors at The New York Times. They were not too thrilled at first but are now on board, seeing the drive and passion in their son. “They know my biggest goal is I’m trying to create a piece of art, an experience…that’s my big thing. I’m trying to throw parties people would genuinely enjoy in their own space.”
Family of Percy Lapid honors his memory, legacy By Mark Mabasa, Valerie Sy and members of the Mabasa family
On October 1, a community event “Percy Lapid Memorial” was held in Manhattan to remember the assassination of radio journalist Percy Lapid Mabasa. It also marked his one-year death anniversary on October 3, 2022.
T
he family provided this case update: In the hearing on August 13, 2023, alleged gunman Jose Escorial filed a plea bargain before Las Pinas Judge Harold Huliganga seeking the court’s downgrade of the murder case against him to homicide in exchange for his admission of guilt. If granted, Escorial faces the charge of “Reclusion Temporal” which carries a prison term of 12 to 20 years. He also requested that he be placed under the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) in Samar for security reasons. During the memorial, Mark Mabasa read the following speech written by him, elder sister Valerie Sy and all members of the family. May mga pagkakataon bilang naiwang pamilya ng pinaslang na mamamahayag na si Percy Lapid, napapatanong kami sa aming sarili. Dapat bang ipinagdamot at binawalan na lang namin ang aming ama sa pagsisiwalat ng katotohanan? Ngunit sa iniwang aral ng aming ama, ang pagsasabi ng katotohanan ay hindi itinuturing na katapangan, kung hindi obligasyon ng bawat isa sa atin. At sa aming puso, alam namin na nagawa niya ang tungkulin niya sa bayan. Narito po tayo hindi lamang upang alalahanin si Ka Percy Lapid sa isang taong pagpaslang sa kanya bilang isang mamamahayag. Narito din tayo upang talakayin ang press freedom, democracy, human rights lalo na sa bansang Pilipinas. Aminin man natin o hindi. Kumibo man tayo o hindi. Hindi natin maitatanggi ang kaliwa’t kanan at walang habag na pagpaslang na tila wala ng halaga ang buhay ng tao, lalo na sa mga mamamahayag na ang ginagawa lamang ay maipaabot sa ating mga mamamayan
at mamulat sa katotohanan buhat pa ng nakaraang administrasyon. Sa katunayan, sa kahahalal lamang na bagong administrasyon ay ilang mamamahayag na agad ang walang habag na pinaslang gamit ang mga bayarang mamamatay tao. At isa nga dito ay si Ka Percy. Humigit kumulang 35 taon ay nagsilbi siyang broadcaster sa iba’t ibang radio station at manunulat sa mga pahayagan. Kung napapakinggan niyo si Ka Percy, siya ay walang takot na nagsisiwalat ng lahat ng mga anomalya na nangyayari sa bansang Pilipinas lalo na pagdating sa mga taong dapat sana ay nagsisilbi sa taong bayan. Isa sa kanyang mga paniniwala at laging sinasabi ni Ka Percy, “Kapag nakikita mong mali dapat sitahin mo hindi para pulaan kung hindi para magkaroon pa ng pagkakaton na maitama ito.” Napakasakit isipin na sa propesyong halos inukol niya ang kaniyang buhay at bayang kaniyang minahal ay iyon ang magiging dahilan ng pagkitil sa kaniyang buhay. At ngayon, tila nanganganib pang hindi makamit ang hustisyang nararapat para kay Ka Percy. Nang mapaslang si Ka Percy, maraming tao ang nanghinayang, marami din ang tumuligsa at pinalalabas pang isa siyang komunista. Gusto naming ibahagi sa inyo o ipakilala sa inyo kung sino si Ka Percy sa likod ng kanyang maaanghang na batikos. Umpisahan natin sa pagiging isang pangkaraniwang mamamayan. Bilang isang mamamayan, maraming natulungan si Ka Percy. Sapagkat palagi niyang sinasabi na “mas mabuti na ang tumutulong kaysa sa ikaw ang nanghihingi ng tulong.” Kung minsan ay kapos siya ngunit THE FILAM
Percy’s family with widow Marilou Mabasa (to his left) and children Valerie Sy, Mark Mabasa, Anna Muhlach, Mariah Jimenez, James Mabasa, and Alyssa Mabasa pipiliin niya pang hatiin para ibigay sa ibang nangangailangan. May mga pagkakataon na si Ka Percy ang naging daan upang mabigyan ng hanap-buhay ang iba. May mga bata rin na kaniyang lihim na tinutulungan upang makapagtapos ng kani-kanilang mga pag aaral. Lalo na nang dumating ang pandemya. Laging nakatatak sa kanya ang pagtulong sa kapwa. Hanggang kaya niyang ibigay, ibibigay niya. Bilang isang mamamahayag, sinisigurado niyang TAMA at TOTOO ang kaniyang ibinabalita. Ayaw niya ng Fake News at Troll. Ano mang batikos ang kaniyang ipukol ay sinisigurado niyang tama at lagi siyang may hawak na mga katibayan o basehan na magpapatunay ng kaniyang mga sinasabi. Kailanman ay hindi yumaman ang aming ama sa propesyon na ito ngunit nag aalab ang puso niya sa tuwing pag uusapan ang kanyang bayang sinilangan. Bilang isang asawa. Hindi man mabulaklak ang mga salita ng aming ama siya ay naging isang mabuti, mapahamak at responsableng asawa. Sinigurado niya na sa loob ng 42 taon nilang pagsasama na ang tahanang ipinangako niya sa aming ina ay mananatiling kumpleto, buo at masaya. Bilang isang ama hindi siya papayag na mali ang ginagawa ko. Sisitahin niya | 4
ako on the spot. Para itama niya ako. Napakalapit po sa kanyang trabaho hindi ba? Naalala ko yung lagi niyang sinasabi, “Ang TAPAT, baliktarin mo man TAPAT pa rin.” Sa mga gumawa nito sa aming ama, hindi naging sapat ang kapangyarihan. Nagkita, ninakawan kami ng pagkakataon, kanyang mga anak na makasama siya, ang mga apo na makapiling ang kanilang lolo. Ang aming ina na katuwang niya sa buhay, at higit sa lahat pinagkaitan ang aming buong sambahayan ng pagkakataon na magkaroon muli ng ngiti sa aming mga labi na galing sa aming puso na walang tinatagong bigat at sakit. Sapagkat ang nangibabaw sa kanila ay ang takot na maihayag ni Ka Percy ang katotohanan at pagkakataon ng sambayanan ng kaalaman gamit ang boses at katotohanan na kanyang tanging sandata. Kung meron man kaming hihilingin sa inyo iyon ay ang samahan kami sa laban na ito. Dahil alam natin na hindi magpapatuloy ang aksyon ng gobyerno kung walang sigaw ng Hustiya para kay Percy Lapid at sa lahat ng mamamahayag na walang awang pinaslang. Tulungan niyo po kami na makamit ang hustisya. Sapagkat ang hustisya ay hindi dapat maging pribilehiyo ng kahit sino, kundi karapatan ito ng bawat isa.
Cebu Tribu dazzles and delights. Photos by Jun Valencia and Cathy Uy
Boston couple brings Filipino culture to Beantown
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By Cristina DC Pastor
a “home away from home feeling (FAHM) which falls in October. Boston couple thought it of belonging and comfort that one “It is a designated month to would be great to introexperiences in a place other than commemorate and appreciate the duce Filipino American one’s own.” Its Board of Director significant events and contributions culture to Beantown. include Joji Jalandoni, Lidy Chan, of Filipinos in the U.S.” And so in 2022, Cameron Uy, Charade Puno, Tom For this year, the second annual Harvard Square Philippine American Jamir, and Gretheline Bolandrina. Filipino American Festival, HSPAA Alliance (HSPAA) was one of the Satrick said HSPA A celebrates will have an Hermana and Hermano organizations that saw action and Filipino American History Month Mayor to lead the Philippine livened up the 44th annual Honk Oktoberfest down Massachusetts Avenue, made possible by Satrick Uy, Director of Banquets at Harvard University, and his wife Catherine Carandang-Uy, a global technology sales leader and entrepreneur. For the first time, the much-touted “irreverent, family-friendly tradition” saw hundreds of Filipinos marching in their colorful national costumes, bringing good ol’ Filipino vibes and sharing the street with Bostonians and the rest of New England. “There are 25,000 Filipinos in Boston,” said Cathy in an interview with The FilAm. More if you count FilAm residents across the New England area. She said HSPAA has created a space where Filipino Americans can HSPAA founders Satrick and Catherine Uy (couple at right) with Hermana and Hermano connect with their roots and have Mayor Dr. Dely Go and businessman Harry Go Sr. THE FILAM
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segment of the parade. They are represented by nurse educator Dely Go, who is the founder of Nursing Network LLC, and by businessman Harry Go Sr., respectively. Hermano and Hermana are Spanish words to mean “brother” and “sister,” and by tradition they usually refer to the exemplary leaders in a community. Explained Cathy: “Hermana Dr Dely and Hermano Harry Go have made history as the first Hermana and Hermano Mayor of Harvard Square’s Filipino American Festival. They have also contributed to the advancement of nursing education, health care, and philanthropy in the United States and abroad. They embody compassion, leadership, diversity, and selflessness, an inspiration to all who know them and a source of pride for the FilipinoAmerican community.” Also frontlining this year’s parade are Consul General Senen Mangalile and wife Ma. Fe Mangalile, Harvard Preceptor in Filipino Language Lady Aileen Orsal with dance troupes from Cebu Tribu and Hoy Pinoy providing the rhythmic spectacle of the AtiAtihan. “Their blended styles and instruments create a unique and harmonious sound that filled the streets with joy and solidarity,” said Cathy. Stressing the categorial distinction between HSPAA and the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc., she said PIDCI organizes and celebrates the annual Independence Day Parade in New York City in June, while HSPAA promotes FAHM in October in Boston. Cathy is no stranger to Filipino organizations seeking to promote Philippine culture and history. She has served in various leadership roles with PIDCI, PAFCOM (Philippine American Friendship Community), as well as the Filipino Culture Club in Harvard University. Satrick, who has made a name in the hospitality industry from way back his time in New York, continues to engage in community-building and cultural awareness. He has founded several FilAm groups, including the Cambridge Fil-Am Group, the Boston Fil-Am Group, TGIF or Thank God I'm Filipino, and now HSPAA, all of them aiming to foster a sense of belonging within the Filipino-American community.
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Got questions? Reach us at PNB New York Branch. Eric B. Bustamante General Manager Tel# 212-790-9616 Emai: bustamanteeb@pnb.com.ph Bernard B. Paliguin Officer for Business Development Tel# 212-790-9646 Email: paliguinbb@pnb.com.ph or visit our PNB New York branches at:
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Guests grabbing a cup of Philippine coffee from Frank and Dean Coffee, and bon bons from NYC-based chocolatier, Daniel Corpuz.
Philippine Consulate New York and Philippine Trade and Investment Center host a coffee and chocolate popup featuring Frank and Dean Coffee and Filipino American businesses Daniel Corpuz Chocolatier and Kulture Ko. Photos by Gino Cabigao
A flavorful journey of culture, community, and coffee
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By Gino Cabigao
et's begin with a delightful buzz – coffee numbers that are as invigorating as the aroma of your morning brew. About “66% of Americans now drink coffee each day, more than any other beverage including tap water and up by nearly 14% since January 2021, the largest increase since NCA began tracking data,” according to the National Coffee Association USA. About 80% of Filipinos drink coffee, according to blog Coffee Affection. While visitor stories of the Philippines often revolve around breathtaking beaches and vibrant malls, there's a hidden gem that deserves its spotlight – local cafes. After residing in the Philippines for six years, these local coffee shops became my haven. Among my favorites were Frank and Dean Coffee in Bonifacio Global City, where I'd head after a morning run around High Street, and El Union in La Union, my post-surfing spot for a cup of coffee or “dirty horchata.” These coffee havens offered more than just beverages. They introduced me to dynamic cafe team members and the hardworking coffee bean farmers who brought those magical brews to life. Experiencing the unique workplace cultures of these coffee shops was so inspiring that it led me to start my own Human Resources (HR) Consultancy company, Kulture Ko. Before returning back to New Jersey, I told Miguel, Frank and Dean Coffee, and Kiddo, El Union, that I hope to see them in the New York City area. During the 2023 Filipino American History month in 2023, it happened. The stories of Kiddo
and Amy of El Union were featured in Brooklyn. Miguel traveled to New York City bringing Frank and Dean’s Vintage Coffee Blend, which is a 100% Philippine Arabica sourced from the Cordilleras. First on the list, "Hey Barista," hosted a fantastic launch party in Bushwick, Brooklyn for their second issue. Among the standout stories from around the world, El Union Coffee took the spotlight. Their tale revolved around family – Kiddo, Amy, and their children – and the bold venture to open a coffee shop by the La Union beach. It highlighted their unwavering support for the El Union team during and after the pandemic. I was able to share a few stories too of how I went to El Union during the weekends to grab some horchatas with Kiddo and team before grabbing a surfboard to practice surfing. Second, Frank and Dean Coffee attended the New York Coffee Festival, which had a variety of coffee shops from around the country, to showcase their Philippine-based coffee business. A few days later, a delightful collaboration unfolded in Hell's Kitchen, featuring Frank and Dean Coffee, Daniel Corpuz Chocolatier, Kulture Ko, and the New York-based restaurant, Tradisyon. Cups of coffee and chocolates were shared with Tradisyon's patrons, enhancing their dining experience with a flavorful twist. The local residents and New York visitors had the chance to take home Frank and Dean Coffee beans from the Philippines and some stylish attire. Frank and Dean Coffee wrapped up their 2023 visit with a grand finale – a pop-up collaboration THE FILAM
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with the Philippine Consulate General in New York and the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in New York. Guests were treated to delightful cups of Frank and Dean Coffee, and Daniel Corpuz's delectable chocolates sweetened the event even more. These experiences with El Union Coffee and Frank and Dean Coffee add to the diverse and wonderful experiences as a Filipino- American. We celebrated the fusion of culture, coffee, and community. It was a testament to the unifying power of traditions and flavors, bridging people from the Philippines to New York, while inspiring new friendships and culinary adventures. Let's raise our cups to the beautiful stories that keep us connected and celebrate the rich tapestry of our heritage.
Philippine Coffee now in NYC
Anti-fascist Malaya Movement elects new leadership Just before the September 21 anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law, over 100 Filipino Americans from California to Florida gathered in a large hall of the Barnard College campus in Manhattan to vote on their “program of action” against the government of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice-President Sara Duterte for the next two years.
“W
e don’t take this lightly,” said Tabitha Ponciano from Portland, newly elected chair of the Malaya Movement USA, the organization founded in 2018 in response to the mounting killings under the “war on drugs” of former president Rodrigo Duterte. “This organization is at the forefront of the Filipino anti-fascist movement right here in the United States, and the task of uniting Filipinos in the U.S. to move into action to turn the tide of rising fascism in the Philippines is crucial.” In a rousing and emotional election, throughout which participants reminded each other of the grim political landscape under the Marcos-Duterte administration, Ponciano was elected alongside Audine Tayag of Los Angeles as vice chair, Julie Jamora of New York City as secretary general, and Prof. Joy Sales of Los Angeles as treasurer. “This room ranges in politics, but we’re all united in the belief that we need to fight for genuine democracy in the Philippines and stamp out fascism completely,” said Jamora, pointing to a room that also ranged in age, from college-aged to Martial Law survivors. “We can’t fight fascism without a plan to frustrate the Marcos-Duterte regime, or without bringing in more people to wage campaigns to stop anti-democratic ploys like Marcos’ National Expenditure Program, which allocates ‘confidential funds’ to god knows where or to a travesty of democracy like the NTFELCAC.” Jamora was referring to the recent development in the case of environmental activists Jonila Castro and Jhed Tamano, both of whom revealed in a press conference by the NTF-ELCAC, or National Taskforce to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, that they were abducted and threatened into “surrendering” by the military.
The Malaya Movement was founded in 2018 in response to then-President Rodrigo Duterte’s ‘war on drugs.’ “Fascism, simply put, is the use of state power to stop workers and poor people from organizing and challenging injustice. The Marcos-Duterte government protects bad actors like Caktiong by targeting activists and labor organizers,” said Ponciano. She was referring to Tony Caktiong, whose Honeybee Food Co. illegally terminated employees at a Jersey City branch of Jollibee for circulating a petition for higher wages. Marcos is set to visit San Francisco for the final Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation ministerial meeting in November. According to Ponciano, members of the Malaya Movement USA will be organizing a hundreds-strong protest against Marcos’ participation in APEC, which she said would produce trade deals that will “further hurt wages, employment, From left: Chairperson Tabitha Ponciano, Vice chair Audine Tayag, and workers’ rights, and empower the Secretary General Julie Jamora, and Treasurer Prof. Joy Sales. Marcos-Duterte administration to Photo by Jill Janairo violently crack down on any consequent Following the two-day long gathering, complete unionizing and workers organizing.” with workshops like “How to wage a propaganda Malaya Movement USA is a broad organization of war,” participants organized a protest march beginindividuals, organizations, and various formations ning in front of the Jollibee branch in Times Square united in the objective of defending human rights, and ending at the Philippine Consulate General on democracy, and sovereignty in the Philippines. Visit Fifth Avenue. www.Malayamovement.com THE FILAM
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RN Arman David is elected PIDCI president; wins by 1 vote By Cristina DC Pastor
It was a thin margin of victory of one point for registered nurse Arman David who was elected president of the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. on October 7. PIDCI is the organization that mounts the elaborate Philippine Independence Day parade on Madison Avenue, complete with marching bands, a street fair and beauty queens on floats, said to be the biggest celebration outside of Manila.
H
e was voted by 39 member organizations, with closest rival Margie Wisotsky garnering 38 votes. Third candidate Rely Manacay won 1 vote. David, 50, the current vice president of PIDCI, bested Wisotsky, mother of three, and Manacay, a construction company owner, who were president in 2021 and 2020, respectively. The three competed to succeed two-time president Nora Galleros. A certified public accountant, Galleros was president during the widely-hailed celebration of the 125th Philippine Independence this year. David, who is known to be a reserved community leader not prone to a show of emotions, is a registered nurse working in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) at Christ Hospital in Jersey City. He has over 25 years of experience as an RN. He has served PIDCI in various capacities from volunteer to director leading to his current role as vice president. Outside of his professional career, he is also a photographer and an avid traveler. As PIDCI vice president, he was entrusted with important responsibilities: chairman of the Diwa at Ginoo ng Kalayaan Ball and Fundraiser; chairman of the Cultural Festival for the 125th Philippine Independence Day Parade and Celebration; and chairman of the Commemorative Journal Committee. He is a member of several organizations including JCI North Jersey and JCI New Jersey, Pan-American Concerned Citizens Action League, and Team United Maharlika Foundation, Inc. He said being a ranking member of PIDCI has given him the “insight into all the hard work that the board has done these past few years in regaining the community’s trust.” He said he would like to see PIDCI fulfill its mission to deliver the annual Independence Day celebration “with complete transparency.”
David with the final tally. Photos by Joros Razon.
With his new board of directors, from left: Paul Versoza, Maria Villasin Nucum, Aida Tagle, Arman David, his wife Joyce Andes David, and Rico Viray. The theme of his campaign: "Keep Progress Moving Forward.” A total of 80 organizations cast their votes on October 7. Thirty of of them were proxy votes and two votes were voided due to errors, according to a report from David’s team. In one erroneous vote, David’s name had a wrong first name. In another nullified vote, the name of one candidate was written in the director slots. As stated by David in his victory speech, “When THE FILAM
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the community comes together for a common purpose, we can achieve great things.” Running for director under David’s ticket are his wife Joycelyn Andes, Maria Villasin Nucum, Czarmel Lopez, Sol Kapunan, Aida Tagle, and Teodora Koltsidis. All of them were elected except for Sol Kapunan of Albany. Some candidates for director such as Teodora Koltsidis, Sol Kapunan, Paul Versoza, and Linda Limcaco ran under two parties.
COVER STORY
Marissa Bañez’s 2nd children’s book is out By Cristina DC Pastor
Filipina immigrant, Marissa Bañez is a Princeton University graduate and an attorney licensed in New York, New Jersey, and California, and an award-winning author of two children’s books, “Hope and Fortune” and “Hues and Harmony (How the Rainbow Butterfly Got Her Colors).” She was featured in The FilAm in 2022 after “Hope and Fortune” was published and she wrote a two-part essay of her interesting interaction with Senator Imee Marcos when they were both students at Princeton.
Marissa’s advice: ‘Write but keep expectations realistic and keep your ‘day job.’”
The following is an excerpt of our conversation about how her life has changed in the last year. The FilAm (TF): In August 2022, I wrote about your “second act” as an author. How has this past year been for you? Marissa Banez (MB): Mind-blowing! TF: How has the Filipino community reacted? MB: I’ve met many fantastic, interesting, and wonderful people. To name everyone would fill this whole magazine. Here are just some examples: Philippine Consul General Senen T. Mangalile of the Consulate in New York formally accepted my books to be a permanent part of the works of Filipinos/Filipinas at the Philippine Center’s Sentro Rizal. I was privileged to be a guest teacher for the Paaralan Sa Konsulado held by AFTA and the Philippine Consulate in NYC. The Filipino School of NY and NJ’s Kuwentuhang Pilipino program for the Bergenfield library sponsored my virtual reading, which has been viewed over 1.3K times. San Diego’s The Filipino Press and The Hawaii Filipino Chronicle published articles about me and my books. The Filipino Press also sponsored a mini-book tour, including a reading at the House
‘Hope and Fortune’ finds its way to Australia Book Week.
of the Philippines in Balboa Park, where they will display my book. In the Philippines, a Bible studies leader throughout Luzon is using “Hope and Fortune” in her curriculum.
Consul General Senen Mangalile formally accepts Marissa’s books as part of Sentro Rizal collection. THE FILAM
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TF: What are some of the positive reactions to “Hope and Fortune?” MB: I recently met the marketing manager of Barnes & Noble in New York City. After reviewing “Hope and Fortune” and my new book, “Hues and Harmony,” he immediately introduced me to someone else in the book industry with these words: [T]oday I had the great fortune of meeting children's book author Marissa Banez, her one-of-akind creativity and illustrations to say the least are magical — a rare combination of artful characters, brilliant hues, multiculturalism, and a unifying message of caring, harmony, hope and love to ever so gently embrace the world. Because he’s been in the book business for decades, his praises mean so much to me as a firsttime author. The kids have also been amazing. A Chinese boy and an Indian boy told me at different times that my book inspired them to write their own books. For Book Week in Australia, a little girl chose my book. A Muslim boy in the Bronx thanked me for the book. A young girl reading about the fairies was heard saying, “I could be any of them.” When I read for Paaralan sa Konsulado, both girls and boys listened attentively and enthusiastically participated in the discussion. Adults too. Several said they “teared up” after reading it and wished they had this book when they were young. It was chosen to be featured in the “book nook” of the upcoming legal convention of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association in Indianapolis. And, it’s been recognized for “Excellence in Children’s Literature” by two book award organizations. I participated in the Multicultural Book Festival recently. Not to take anything away from the other authors but I was honored my books sold more than the other kids’ books combined. TF: Any negative reactions? MB: The worst was a Facebook message from a stranger who asked, “Why isn’t there a Caucasian fairy?” When I said there were three White fairies, and pointed out the Fortune Fairy of Love and Friendship, her response was, “that doesn’t look like a white fairy.” Some say the ideas in the book are “too deep” for kids. But the 4- and 5-year-olds in my audiences have been just as attentive as older kids. As E.B. White said, “you have to write up, not down” to kids. TF: You have a new book? MB: “Hues and Harmony” deals with mixed race kids, self-acceptance, belonging, and parental love, using primary colors, basic chemistry, and common shapes. TF: Any reactions to “Hues and Harmony” so far? MB: Yes! It’s very exciting. It’s gotten all 5-star online reviews. An independent blogger/reviewer raved: “This is
Reading at Paaralan sa Konsulado.
A review of The Faerie in ‘Hues and Harmony’ a book that should be in every elementary school classroom and on every library shelf, as it does such an amazing job of teaching diversity and the importance of being inclusive, no matter the colors you are. Cannot recommend this enough!" The Barnes & Noble marketing manager said “Hues and Harmony” is “wonderful” and “phenomenal.” I’m doing readings at three Barnes & Noble stores in the upcoming months and I’m in negotiations with a couple more stores. TF: If being an author is your “second act”, do you have any more “acts”? MB: Absolutely! After all, I’m only 65-yearsyoung. I made up a motto I live by: “When others say ‘no’ to you, say ‘YES’ to yourself!” So, I’m registered with ASCAP as a songwriter because I co-wrote the songs that go with the books with my musician friend, Alan Shapiro. THE FILAM
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I’m also working with a live theater NYC owner/ producer to develop a “Hope and Fortune” children’s musical. Playwrighting is in my future. TF: Any advice for aspiring Filipino authors? MB: The biggest misconception among authors – of any nationality – is if you write something, it’ll be read, and then you’ll be rich and famous. Not so much. I wrote blogs on several websites about becoming an author. Aspiring Filipino authors may want to read them. Just Google my name. Distilled Boomer advice: Write but keep expectations realistic and keep your “day job.” While being an author is a labor of love, it’s also a second full-time, undercompensated job without insurance benefits. Marissa is available for book readings. Her website is https://www.marissabanez.com/ .
||October 30 to November 10
Calendar
Society of Philippine American Artists presents Best of the Year Philippine Center 556 Fifth Avenue NYC
||November 4
Piano Duets featuring Raul Sunico and Rowena Arrieta Kaufman Music Center’s Merkin Hall 129 W 67th Street NYC (between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue)
Christmas Spectacular with the Radio City Rockettes Radio City Music Hall 1260 Avenue Of The Americas NYC
||December 4
Darren Criss: A Very Darren Crissmas Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre Basie Center Campus 99 Monmouth Street Red Bank, N.J.
2nd Annual Scouts Royale Brotherhood Basketball Tournament 45 Cherry Valley Avenue #1 West Hempstead, N.Y.
||November 10
||November 1 to January 1, 2024
of Events BOOKS “Filipinos: Forgotten Asian Americans” By Fred Cordova
||December 16
Christmas Masquerade Ball by the Philippine Nurses Association of New York, Inc. Terrace on the Park 52-11 111th Street Queens NYC
A pictorial-essay which gives readers a sweeping vista of the presence and life of Filipinos in America from 1763 to 1963 through collection of 250 photographs, documents and 22 essays.
||November 11
Homecoming sa Konsulado Philippine Center, Kalayaan Hall 556 Fifth Avenue NYC
||December 16
Pasko in America: The Philippine Christmas Experience American Dream Mall East Rutherford, N.J.
2024
||March 8 ||November 11 to January 13, 2024
Women’s Liberation is a Revolution by Af3irm School of Women’s Activism Contact www.af3irm.org for details
THE FILAM
Jo Koy World Tour TD Garden 100 Legends Way Boston, MA
||March 22
Jo Koy World Tour Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia, PA
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“I Was Their American Dream: A Graphic Memoir” By Malaka Gharib Author navigates her childhood chasing her parents’ ideals, learning to codeswitch between her family’s Filipino and Egyptian customs, while adapting to white culture.
Journalists decry unsolved murder of radioman Percy Lapid By Marivir Montebon
Amid dreary economic and political times, Filipino journalists say the recipe for justice remains the same: sticking to facts and accuracy and strengthening communities of support and collaboration in holding power to account.
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eteran journalists senior editor at the Asian American Writers Workshop Noel Pangilinan, Columbia University Journalism school professor Sheila Coronel, and 2021 Nobel Peace Prize awardee Maria Ressa, who is the CEO and co-founder of Rappler, spoke during a memorial service for slain Filipino journalist Percy Lapid in the Philippines at the Towers on the Park on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The community event on October 1 was moderated by Marivir Montebon and initiated by philanthropist and community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis. Pangilinan presented the Philippine media situation. He said the Philippines is ranked as the seventh worst country in the world, in terms of number of journalists murdered in the line of work and where most of their killers go unpunished. He said that from September 1, 2012, to August 31, 2022, the murder of 14 Philippine journalists in retaliation for their work has remained unsolved. He cited the Committee to Protect Journalists' Global Impunity Index which recorded 85 journalists who have been killed in the Philippines from 1992 to 2021. “The Philippines is still among the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists,” he said. Lapid, a radio journalist, 64, was killed on October 3, 2022, by gunmen while he was on his way to his son’s house in Las Pinas. He died instantly. He was a staunch critic of the Duterte and Marcos governments, particularly exposing graft and corruption in his program called “Lapid Fire.” Lapid’s son Mark and widow Marilou attended the memorial service, organized by the US Filipinos for Good Governance, the Global Youth Leaders for Democracy, the National Federation of Fil American Associations, and the Filipino American Press Club of New York. Reading a tribute for his father, a tearful Mark Mabasa remembered ‘Ka Percy’ as having often said that his exposes are not an act of bravery, they are just an act of responsibility. “Papa stood for truth. He said ‘ang tapat (honesty in Pilipino) would still remain tapat even if you reverse the spelling of the word,’” he mused. The Mabasa family is still actively pursuing justice for Percy Lapid’s demise one year ago. His brother Roy
is currently taking over his “Lapid Fire program.” Will justice ever see light in the Philippines was the desperate question during the event. Veteran journalist Sheila Coronel mentioned small community-based successes of justice being delivered as activists pushed for reforms or questioned policies. Maria Ressa resonated Coronel’s encouraging insight. “I speak for experience in Rappler. I didn’t do it alone holding power to account. We were a team. We need media collaboration and build safe spaces within our circles, our community. Block upon block to protect and practice democracy,” she said. Ressa added that the current times may be more difficult because of digital technology where fact and fiction are difficult to distinguish, but you have to do what you have to do, recalling the principle of responsibility stood for by Percy Lapid. Ressa warned about the increased threats of democracies globally because of artificial intelligence. “I have always been a staunch critic of digital technology. With it, democracies need more protection. It takes more effort to pursue the truth or find justice, but if the village takes faster to unite and build community, things could get better faster,” she said.
Broadcast journalist Percy Lapid. He was assassinated October 3, 2022. Facebook photo Coronel recalled, there was Martial Law in the Philippines, and then there was People Power that ended the Marcos dictatorship. “So, there is hope. Impunity need not be the norm. Justice is attainable if we fight for it, if the stars align. But the stars won’t align alone. We need to prop them to align toward justice and accountability.” This article was originally published in the news site www.MarivirMontebon.com.
At the Percy Lapid Memorial, from left: journalists Noel Pangilinan and Sheila Coronel, the Mabasa son Mark and widow Marilou, Maria Ressa, and Loida Nicolas Lewis. Photo by Marivir Montebon THE FILAM
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Security guard arrested for alleged multiple sexual assaults
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nvestigators with the Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) Operations-West Bureau’s Special Assault Section (SAS) are seeking additional victims and witnesses in a series of sexual assaults in the Koreatown area. On September 29, 2023, a 20-year-old woman reported that she was abducted and sexually assaulted by a suspect, later identified as 38-yearold Matthew Scott Reyes, in the area of 3rd Street and Western Avenue. Reyes, a male Filipino with brown eyes and black hair, was subdued by a passerby and had to be hospitalized due to the injuries he sustained. When the officers arrived at scene, Reyes was taken into custody by LAPD Olympic Area patrol officers. Detective follow-up investigations linked Reyes to two other sexual assaults in the area, in the previous month. On October 4, 2023, SAS detectives arrested Reyes and on October 6, 2023, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office filed six felony counts against Reyes, including two counts each of rape, forced oral copulation, and robbery. Reyes remains in custody with a bail of $1.5 million. Investigators identified three women whom Reyes assaulted, but believe there are others who
have yet to come forward. A photograph of Reyes is being released in hopes to identify and speak with additional persons who may have been victimized. Reyes’s hair is shaved on the sides and worn in a ponytail with the tip dyed red. Reyes stands five feet nine inches tall and weighs approximately 160 pounds. He was employed as a security guard and may have worn a dark clothing resembling a security uniform during the assaults. At the time of his arrest, he was driving a white Toyota Corolla. “He preyed upon young women by luring them into a false sense of security before he shockingly attacked them,” said Detective Asia Hodge, Officer-in-Charge of SAS. “Tragically, victims like that are often too shaken up to come forward and report what happened because they’re afraid of retaliation. Now that he’s off the streets, we hope they’ll feel comfortable speaking up and putting a stop to this.” Detectives are requesting that anyone with information that could lead to the identification of additional victims or witnesses to contact LAPD’s Operations-West Bureau, Special Assault Section, at 213-473-0447. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS 800-222-8477. – LA Police Department THE FILAM
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Matthew Scott Reyes stands 5’9” tall and weighs approximately 160 pounds. Photo: LAPDonline.org
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FACINE founder Mauro Tumbocon receives Jefferson Award for Public Service Bay Area-based KPIX Channel 5 has selected FACINE founder and artistic director, Mauro Feria Tumbocon, Jr., as one of this year's recipients of the Jefferson Award for Public Service for his dedication and commitment to promote Filipino cinema in the United States.
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ACINE -- or the Filipino Arts & Cinema International -- is a community-based media arts organization which holds the annual Filipino international cine festival and competition in San Francisco for the past 30 years. The Jefferson Award for Public Service is given by a national organization, Multiplying Good, to an individual who is making a positive impact in the community. KPIX Channel 5, a CBS affiliate, has been its media partner since 2005. Each new year, the awards committee invites all recipients to a ceremony to be presented with the Bronze medal. Five winners will be chosen as Silver medalists to be considered for the national award by Multiplying Good: the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award for Outstanding Service Benefitting Local Communities. "This is totally unexpected, this honor belongs to many volunteers, as we are all volunteers, who form the core of FACINE to make the annual festival of Filipino films, both from the Philippines and the Filipino diaspora, possible in the U.S. in all these 30 years, as well as the numerous filmmakers, producers, distributors who are generous enough to share with us their films,” Tumbocon said in a statement. Tumbocon, according to the FACINE website, is a cultural worker and writer/journalist, who has written extensively on Filipino cinema and popular culture for more than two decades, both here in the United States and in the Philippines. His critical essays have been published in film journals and book anthologies in Europe and Asia. He is the founder and current director of FACINE that aims to promote and develop transnational Filipino cinemas. He is also a member of Asian Writers Institute, a California-based
With fellow film critic Joel David at a FACINE event in 2016.
Cultural worker and film festival organizer. Courtesy of Mauro Feria Tumbocon, Jr.
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organization that advocates for the interests of Asian writers and journalists, a cause that includes professionalism of the Asian American ethnic press, in the U.S. He was a member of the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (Filipino Film Critics Group), 1986-1989; and founded the interdisciplinary critics groups, the Young Critics Circle, 1990; and Kritika, 1992 in Manila. Film critic and professor of cultural studies Joel David said FACINE holds the distinction of “recognizing the overlooked accomplishments of…filmmakers Raymond Red and Elwood Perez, regional actress-producer Gloria Sevilla, historian Nick Deocampo, and the late crossover performer Bernardo Bernardo.” The interview with the awardees will be aired over KPIX 5 News. FACINE 30, the 30th annual Filipino international cine festival and competition for feature length films runs October 18-22 in multiple venues in San Francisco; the short films competition will be streamed on FACINE YouTube channel within the same period. For information on schedule and tickets purchase, please check: www.facine.org.
COVER STORY
Noel Quintana: ‘I was made a vehicle to speak up vs hate’ By Cristina DC Pastor
“When I Googled myself and looked at the old pictures, magang-maga pala siya (My face looked so swollen). Ngayon it doesn’t look too bad. Some people said I should get plastic surgery,” Noel Quintana, 63, gave a slight chuckle recalling in levity how he was brutally slashed across the face by a subway rider on February 3, 2021, and how, as a result, he became the poster boy for anti-Asian racism.
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ore than two years later, he now remembers that incident that rippled across the Asian American community in New York with a bit of dark humor. The scar, across his face, comes and goes depending on his weight, he said. “If I gain weight the skin stretches (so it’s not so visible), but if I lose weight…” he said stopping mid-sentence. He insisted he needs to lose weight. When he sees other incidents of slashings in NYC, he says to himself, “Ay, mine is bigger, across the face pa. The others just sustained small cuts.” Not that he takes pride, but he now calls that infamous scar “my trademark.” His memory wandered back to that morning rush hour of February 3, 2021 when a straphanger kept playing with Noel’s tote bag. Noel politely asked him to stop. The man kept doing
it, and Noel asked him with more volume in his voice to stop. Just before the train opened for the next stop, the man pulled a boxcutter, reached for Noel’s face and scampered. People on the subway were shocked and just stared at him. No one bothered to help while Noel nursed his bleeding face with his palms. No one even bothered to push the alarm button. The first thing he thought was his three siblings. “Naiisip ko mga kapatid ko,” he said. “Kasi every night my brother and sisters and I would chat online kasi pandemic. Naisip ko, how will they know if I died?” Noel, grateful to His Creator, did not die. A friend saw him sitting on the subway steps waiting for medical help. He rushed to offer his sympathies but the NYPD would not let him get close. It was that friend who made the effort to contact Noel’s family.
Noel with sisters Elsa and Dina.
The infamous scar: ‘It is now my trademark.’ He has since stopped taking the subway. To go around the city, he books an Access-A-Ride van, courtesy of New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which takes him from his
Marietta Quintana with children Noel, Elsa and Dina in the 1980s. Noel is 2nd from the eldest.
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apartment in Queens to his office in Brooklyn and back. “Hatid sundo ako Monday to Friday,” he said. “Forty minutes each way.” He now works as an administrative assistant for a nonprofit organization called Camba, Inc. which provides housing assistance to homeless folks. Before the subway incident, he worked in Harlem and would ride the subway every day.
||Normal life in Queens
Noel was born in Project 6 in Quezon City to a middle class family. His father, an accountant, is from Laguna; his mother who hails from Antique worked as a clerk at Manila City Hall. Noel came to the U.S. in 2007, the second in the Quintana family to migrate. His youngest sister Elsa came to the U.S. years before and now lives with her family in Florida. Two siblings -- a brother and a sister -- stayed in the Philippines. He works as an administrative assistant, and prepares taxes on the side during tax season. He rents an apartment at the border of Queens and Brooklyn. Noel lives a fairly normal life
surrounded by friends with whom he would go out for the occasional lunch or dinner. He would travel to Florida to join his sister’s family during long holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas. He describes himself as a quiet person who does not fancy speaking up unless spoken to. Until after the incident of February 3 when community organizations began inviting him to speak about Hate and his subway story. He spoke at rallies, community meetings, in schools, anywhere in the city almost every week. He was interviewed by international news organizations from Japan, Korea and Germany and other countries. He found a voice and an audience inspired by his courage. He believed the assault happened for a reason: That he was meant to speak up for a community cowering in fear of anti-Asian violence. “The hate is rampant and yet walang nagsasalita,” he said. “Feeling ko I was made a vehicle. I was chosen and given this advocacy.” His attacker, a young man in his 20s, is now behind bars, booked over a burglary he committed days after the incident. The man
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was given five years for that crime and another eight years for his assault on Noel for a total of 13 years. Noel thought he was going to view a lineup but “there was no lineup.” He was just shown footages from a street camera and photos of the man in custody. He wanted to speak to him but the District Attorney advised against it. Noel said he feels no anger toward anyone. What he feels is a sense of despair that no one offered to help a person in distress. “Walang tumulong sa akin,” he said. He believes people should help even if indirectly like calling 9-11. He didn’t know until much later when the DA told him that many people called 9-11 on his incident. “Marami palang tumawag 9-11,” said Noel with a slightly embarrassed laugh. “I didn’t know.” This article, originally published in Positively Filipino, is supported by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program.
Issue 69, November 2023
Percy Lapid Family aches for justice
Philippine coffee The jolt you need in New York
Noel Quintana
'I was made a vehicle vs hate'