FILAM Dec2025

Issue 93, December 2025

Xyza Cruz Bacani

Phil-Am Kusina

Artist meditates on meaning of ‘home’

Staten Island’s only Filipino restaurant closes

RN Express at 15 A lifeline for nurses

Letter from the Editor

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Imee , then and now

o understand Senator Imee Marcos’s recent actions, one must look back on her history and what may be driving her today.

During a rally organized by the Iglesia ni Cristo at Luneta, Imee revived the trite allegation: that her brother, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., is—not was—a drug addict. Her wording suggested that he continues to use illegal substances while leading the Philippine government.

“Ever since Bongbong and I were kids, the family already knew about him… Back then, because our father was still around, he wasn’t my responsibility yet. As he grew older, it became more concerning. I knew that he was using drugs.”

She went further, implicating First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos and their son, Ilocos Norte 1st District Representative Sandro Marcos, as alleged drug dependents as well. She later publicly urged her brother to step down and seek treatment.

“Hinihingi ko na tayo ay umuwi na. Mamahinga. Alang-alang sa iyong kalusugan. Kaya kong mabigo at mawala sa ’yo ang posisyon pero hindi ko kayang mawala ka sa amin. Ayusin mo ang sarili mo. Magpagamot. Alisin ang droga sa iyong sistema.”

Many Filipinos who heard Imee’s remarks were appalled. Some described them as “very un-Filipino,” citing cultural norms against

She urges her brother, the Philippine president, to step down and seek help for drug addiction. publicly shaming a family member. Others questioned why she made no such claims when Bongbong was campaigning for the presidency; in fact, she defended him then against similar accusations from President Rodrigo Duterte.

Imee has been a public figure since her father assumed the presidency in 1965, remaining in the public eye until the family fled the Philippines following the 1986 People Power Revolution. Her political life has long been marked by controversies. In her twenties, she led the youth arm—Kabataang Barangay—of her father’s Kilusang Bagong Lipunan and was initiated into politics early.

Founding Editor Cristina DC Pastor

Contributing Writers

Managing Editor Rene Pastor Address P.O. Box 8071 New York, NY 10116

Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, estimate that during Marcos Sr.’s martial law period there were 3,257 known extrajudicial killings, 35,000 documented torture cases, 737 disappearances, and 70,000 incarcerations.

The death of student activist Archimedes Trajano, allegedly at the hands of Imee’s bodyguards after he questioned her KB appointment, continues to shadow her public image. A U.S. court in Hawaii later found her liable.

Her personal life also sparked controversy.

She married golfer Tommy Manotoc, who had just secured a quick divorce from his beauty queen wife—an act that angered her parents, staunch opponents of divorce in a Catholic country.

After the Marcoses were exiled to Hawaii, Imee would move with her own family to Singapore and then Morocco, where she raised her three sons.

Now back in the Philippines, she is seeking political relevance in a landscape where she has often found herself marginalized. She has aligned herself with the Dutertes—a family that reportedly views her with caution.

Though she repeatedly asserts a close friendship with Vice President Sara Duterte, Sara has offered only lukewarm acknowledgment, often responding with polite indifference.

That is Imee, and she is not done yet.

Contact Thefilamny@gmail.com 646-717-7460

Marissa Bañez

Allen Gaborro

Tricia J. Capistrano

Maricar CP Hampton

Joel David

Ludy AstraquilloOngkeko

Wendell Gaa

Lindy Rosales

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

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John Paul Fernandez's body is home; family thanks NJ detectives

By Cristina DC Pastor

“After 3,258 days of searching and praying, our beloved son John Paul Fernandez, who had been missing since December 13, 2015, was found on November 14, 2024 — after nearly nine long years. His identity was confirmed through DNA testing on October 14, 2025.”

and Heavy Hearts…After 3,258 days…our beloved son John Paul Fernandez…was found on November 14, 2024. His identity was confirmed through DNA testing on October 14, 2025.”

She continued: “There are no words to describe the pain and the countless tears we have cried for him — every single day, for every year he was gone. While this brings heartbreaking closure, it also brings peace to finally bring our son home.”

Ninia’s post did not say how JP passed and if it was indeed suicide, where the body was found, and in what condition after nine years. Maybe the family had been informed but deemed it too sensitive for a public disclosure.

“JP had a gentle and giving heart. He always stepped up when needed. He was quirky, funny, and full of life — the kind of person who could make anyone laugh with his animated stories and contagious energy. That was who he was: dependable, kind, and never afraid to be himself.

“We are forever grateful to everyone who helped us look for JP, prayed with us, and never stopped hoping alongside our family.

“Our deepest thanks to the Middletown Police Department detectives, the Monmouth County detectives, and the New Jersey State forensic team for their compassion, dedication, and persistence in helping us bring JP home.”

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ith these tearful words from mother Ninia Fernandez, the family’s harrowing search for JP had come to a sad ending.

JP was the Seton Hall student who went missing in December 13, 2015, a victim of bullying from high school all the way to college, according to his mother. The third of four children, he was described as a “socially awkward” individual who was “very bright,” and loved to read manga comic books. He was a Seton Hall scholar, majoring in Accounting, and was due to graduate in May of 2016.

The day he went missing, the family found a six‘Quirky, funny, and full of life.’ Courtesy of Fernandez family page suicide letter hidden inside a stuffed eagle toy.

In it he wrote about wanting to end his life because he felt “inadequate with amazing people.” It was not clear to the Fernandez family who John was referring to but they could only go by what they have observed in him: How he was bullied at Middletown High School North and came home with his shirt torn and spat on; how he appeared to have become disconnected with his elder brother since the latter got married; and how he had remained mostly by himself while his siblings have their own social lives.

“Mabait na bata, weirdo lang ng konti,” Ninia, who works at St. Joseph’s Health, told The FilAm. “He has an identity crisis.”

The investigation had remained focused on the suicide angle. Ninia said she and her husband Kelly, an auto mechanic, did not know what else to think.

“Walang araw na hindi ako lumuluha,” she said.

“Isang galong luha na yata ang iniyak ko.”

The family remained hopeful that JP would be found. “As a mother, what are you supposed to think?”

Finally on October 2025, there was news from the Fernandez family.

Ninia writes on Facebook: “With Deepest Gratitude The Fernandez family (from left): Parents Kelly and Ninia with their children Jonah, Kelly, JP, and Cindy

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After nearly 40 years as an OFW, Delia Juarez is ready to retire

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elia Juarez, my executive chef since 2001, is one of those we call Bayani ng Bayan, the same title the Philippine government bestows on our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

Last year, OFWs sent a record-high of $38.34 billion in remittances to the Philippines. The United States was the largest source, accounting for over 40% of the total, helping the country’s finances withstand the ebb and flow of the global economy.

Around 1986, Delia started household employment with Ambassador Philip Mabilangan and his wife Ada during their diplomatic assignment in China.

Delia honed her craft as executive chef in the five years she has lived in Beijing, under the supervision of Mrs. Ada Ledesma Mabilangan.

Ada taught Delia special dishes to be served during sit-down dinners with high government officials and foreign diplomats.

During Philippine Independence Day, the Philippine Embassy would have an open house invitations. Delia and all the staff members of the embassy would have a 24 hours no-sleep marathon to serve more than 150 guests attending the Philippine national holiday.

When the ambassador with his family were assigned to New York in 1995 as the Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations, he brought along his household staff. Thus, Delia and her co-worker in Beijing, Alice Balbuana, came to New York.

By 2001, Ambassador Mabilangan had scheduled his retirement. It was at that time when Ada asked me whether I needed a chef. My own chef Gloria Joshua was resigning to care for her daughter Addie. And without much ado, I said yes!

That was when executive chef Delia joined my household. Thus, my sit-down dinner parties are always a hit with my guests. She prepares like nobody else can: cheese soufflé, Chilean sea bass, sea food crepes, beef Wellington, Cornish hens, and more.

For buffet style service, she prepares Chicken relleno, Pancit palabok or can-

I will miss her and I do not intend to replace her: Loida Lewis

Executive chef par excellence. Photos by Elliott Wiley, Jr. ton, Baked salmon, Paella de marisco, Skirt steak with onions, Lechon kawali and the ever tasty Adobo chicken.

For dessert, her peach cobbler and baked pears in red wine are always exceptional.

During the summer in East Hampton, she served Broiled lobster, BBQ ribs, BBQ chicken, Pork chops, Sword fish, Pork and beans, Steak, Hamburger, Potato salad, and Ceasar salad.

During her nearly 40 years of being an OFW in China and in the United States, Delia never married. But she has supported several nieces and nephews in their education. Rodel graduated with a Hotel and Restaurant Management THE FILAM

(HRM) degree and is now working in Shopee Express as an assistant supervisor. Crystal also finished her HRM and now works in Iqor Company as a call center agent. Melque finished multimedia studies and now works in G-Faith Merchandise in Information Technology (IT). Honey Grace finished psychology and works in Human Relations with a Japanese company. Rinante has a degree in IT. Three more grandnieces are still in college: Tiffany, Sairah, and Kristine Joy. In the Filipino tradition, the elder sibling pays for the education of the younger sibling or niece or nephews.

Thus, Delia’s frugal approach to her | 4

salary brings those working dollars to her family, lifting them out of poverty.

She also purchased land in Occidental Mindoro where she built a concrete house where her mother, Celerina, and her “adopted” nieces live. Her father Bienvenido died 10 years ago. Delia supports their college tuition and other expenses. It is the only house in the barangay which has solar panels to save substantially on electric bills.

She also bought several hectares of rice land. Each of her four brothers (except one who removed himself from their family) and her only sister were made in charge of planting rice and managing in her rice fields. Their rent payment to Delia is in sacks of palay after each harvest. To facilitate harvest, she bought a Black + Decker thresher machine which she also rents out to neighboring rice lands.

Two of her brothers studied tailoring so they now make school and office uniforms and have customers in town. She bought two tricycles which her family use as “car service” for her extended family.

In addition, she enlarged the small sari-sari store patronized by the entire neighborhood as the town grocery store.

She decided to enlarge it so it becomes the local “Seven Eleven” which sells everything from the common staples like rice, flour, sugar, soft drinks, snacks, chocolates, water as well as fresh meats, chicken, and fish.

Last November 14th, Delia celebrated her 70th birthday. That is the signal for her to retire and go back to the Philippines. I will miss her and I do not intend to replace her because nobody can equal her ability and talent in cooking, planning a party and executing the planned strategy of running my household.

Delia Juarez embodies the values of hard work, integrity, talent, values that pave the way for a life well lived and a rewarding retirement in the Philippines.

Mamdani transition team reviewing more than 50K job applications Former First Deputy Mayor Maria TorresSpringer, who served from October 8, 2024, to March 14, 2025, before resigning from Mayor Eric Adams’s administration amid alleged corruption scandals, is returning to City Hall under Mayorelect Zohran Mamdani.

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he now becomes the rare public servant appointed by three different mayors, once again stepping into the role of trusted adviser.

Torres-Springer is one of four women tapped to lead Mamdani’s transition team, joining former Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, nonprofit executive Grace Bonilla, and budget specialist Melanie Hartzog. The all-woman group is currently reviewing more than 50,000 applications for jobs in the incoming administration, she said in an interview with CBS’s Marcia Kramer.

Torres-Springer, a Filipino American, said Mamdani’s victory has given her a “renewed sense of hope” about New York’s future. She was born in California to father, Manuel, who is from Pampanga and mother, Elsa, who comes from Batangas. She is one of six siblings.

“I’m truly honored to join this transition team and help deliver Mayor-elect Mamdani’s vision for a city where every New Yorker can both find a home and a future,” she said in a joint statement with Mamdani.

In the CBS interview, she added, “I think what we have in the mayorelect is someone who is inviting that type of energy, inviting new ideas

Maria Torres-Springer (center) with Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and members of the transition team. CBS photo and is focused on the very hard work of translating all of that to the types of programs that deliver for New Yorkers who may have been disillusioned by the state of politics in our city.”

A seasoned City Hall veteran, Torres-Springer has held prominent roles across three mayoral administrations. Under Bill de Blasio, she led the Department of Small Business Services before becoming president and CEO of the Economic Development Corporation in 2015 and later commissioner of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

She joined the Adams administration in 2022 as deputy mayor for economic and workforce development and, in 2024, rose to First Deputy Mayor. She resigned THE FILAM

after reports suggesting Adams had developed a “relationship” with the Trump administration tied to immigration issues.

Torres-Springer’s expertise spans affordable housing; economic recovery, particularly during the COVID-19 crisis; job creation; and support for small businesses. These are also central pillars of Mamdani’s reform agenda.

The Ford Foundation, where she served as vice president for U.S. programs from 2019 to 2021, provided additional background.

“Torres-Springer received her bachelor’s degree in ethics, politics, and economics from Yale University and her master’s in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.

She has served on numerous boards and commissions, including the | 5

New York Public Library, WTC Performing Arts Center, New York City Public Housing Authority, and the New York City Economic Development Corporation. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Association for a Better New York’s Spirit of ABNY Award, City & State/Responsible 100’s Lifetime Achievement Award, New Yorkers for Parks’ City Leadership Award, LiveOn NY’s Human Spirit Award, Asian Americans for Equality’s Pioneer Spirit Award, Citizens Housing Planning Council’s Impact Award, New York Housing Conference’s Leadership Award, and women’s leadership awards from The Metropolitan Museum of New York, Crain’s, Bisnow, and Women’s Builders Council.”

Staten Island’s only Filipino restaurant slated to close Nov. 30th

By Cristina DC Pastor

Staten Island will lose its only Filipino sit-down restaurant on November 30, when Phil-Am Kusina closes its doors after a decade of feeding the borough’s Filipino American community.

“After a wonderful decade serving you, we have decided to close our restaurant doors on November 30th,” the restaurant announced on its website.

Owner and chef Emanuel “Manny” Imperial confirmed to The FilAm, “I believe we are the only Filipino restaurant in Staten Island.”

He said the decision came as the restaurant’s lease approached its end. Rather than renew, the family chose to launch a new venture in Brooklyn called Aloha Alley.

“I was inspired to open a Hawaiian restaurant after spending some time in Oahu,” he said, while noting he has not finalized whether the menu will be strictly Hawaiian. “We noticed many Hawaiian restaurants, eateries, and food trucks served Filipino dishes alongside Hawaiian food.”

Phil-Am Kusina, located at 556 Tompkins

Avenue, will shut down, but the family’s grocery store Phil-Am Food Mart at 527 Tompkins Avenue will remain open. A Staten Island staple for 40 years, the grocery is known for its wide selection of Filipino canned goods, sauces, fresh produce, seafood, and fruits. Both businesses are owned by the Imperial family from Baao, Bicol.

“Our grocery store across the street will continue to serve popular Phil-Am Kusina dishes available for takeout and delivery,” he said.

“Salamat for the memories,” wrote the Staten Island Advance, calling the closure the end of a “flavorful 10-year chapter” in the borough’s food history.

In 2016, Manny launched the Sisig City food truck to bring Phil-Am Kusina favorites — including Sisig, Grilled Liempo, and Lechon Kawali — to Filipinos in Manhattan and Woodside, Queens. The family intends to continue exploring new food concepts and locations as it grows its presence across New York City.

Looking back, Manny described the three years of COVID as a “major challenge,” one that the grocery helped them survive by providing a channel for their cooked dishes.

“It’s always been a labor of love for the community,” he said, reflecting on how Phil-Am Kusina offered Filipinos “a space to be proud of, sharing food and culture with non-Filipino friends and with one another.”

Chef and owner Emanuel Imperial

Ten years at Tompkins Avenue. Photos: Phil-Am Kusina

Phil-Am Kamayan…and Halo Halo THE FILAM

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Mark Mabasa steps onto the New York stage after making his mark in L.A. After a series of concerts in Los Angeles, singer and performer Mark Mabasa is bringing his artistry to New York City.

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resh from a series of performances on the West Coast, Mabasa’s next chapter extends his journey from Hollywood to the Big Apple. His NYC debut on December 6 and 7 promises a refined showcase of his range and unmistakable stage presence as he steps onto a larger, highly visible platform.

He said, “Los Angeles gave me wings. New York will see me soar.

“This isn’t just a debut — it’s a statement. Filipino artistry belongs on the world’s biggest stages, and I’m grateful for the chance to represent it.”

Recognized for his soulful voice, polished style, and expressive delivery, Mabasa blends classic musical with a modern edge. He performs tender ballads and high-energy pop, earning praise from audiences and industry voices such as pianist and record producer David Foster. He performed in Singapore with the renowned Foster in “David Foster and Friends.”

The son of prominent radio commentator Percy Lapid, who was brazenly shot fatally in the Philippines in 2022, Mark’s journey began long before the spotlight.

“I grew up with music not just around me, but within me,” he said in reflection. “My parents were the first to show me what joy through music looked like. It wasn’t something they formally taught me — it was something I absorbed, something that settled quietly in my heart.”

There’s a home video of Mabasa at 3 years old, singing into a toy microphone while other kids played around him. He wasn’t playing; it just felt natural to him.

“To me, singing meant happiness and connection. It still does,” he said.

Today, every time he steps onto a stage, Mabasa carries with him the presence of the parents who sparked his love for music. “This dream didn’t start with me. It started with them.”

He said his father was a fan of James Ingram and he would try to include the Grammy winner’s songs in his performances.

“To this day, whenever I find a chance to sing, it’s my way of honoring the gift my parents gave me. Every time I lift my voice, I feel a piece of them with me that and it reminds me that this dream didn’t just start with me. It started with them,” he shared.

Mabasa now turns to New York — a city known for shaping and showcasing remarkable talent. He said his performance will bring a mix of his artistry, personal storytelling, and the pride he carries as an artist.

He is ready for his next audience.

He performs with music producer David Foster at the Star Performing Arts Center, Singapore.

With his late dad radio journalist Percy Lapid.

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HLL’s Jasmine Forsberg stars in Princeton musical This fall, Princeton’s McCarter Theatre debuted “I & You: The Musical,” adapted from Lauren Gunderson’s award-winning play of the same title.

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he cast featured rising Broadway star Jasmine Forsberg (“Here Lies Love;” “Six;” “Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends”).

She played 17-year-old Caroline in this youthful energy romantic story.

For Filipina American Forsberg, landing this role is another milestone in a career already rich with accomplishments. She made her Broadway debut as Maria Luisa, one of Imelda Marcos’s Blue Ladies socialites in “Here Lies Love,” the groundbreaking musical celebrated for its all-Filipino

cast. She went on to star as Jane Seymour in the hit “Six” and most recently appeared in “Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends.”

Beyond the stage, Forsberg has performed on NPR’s Tiny Desk series, Good Morning America, and The Late Late Show with James Corden.

Born in Arlington Heights, IlliForsberg’s earliest memories of performing trace back to family Karaoke nights on her Lolo’s Magic Sing. Her go-to song was Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On,” and relatives often told her she was like “a little Lea Salonga.” Years lat-

er, life came full circle when she shared the Broadway stage with her idol in “Here Lies Love.”

She continued: “As a little girl, I remember singing karaoke on my Lolo’s Magic Sing. My go-to song was ‘My Heart Will Go On’ by Celine Dion. I loved the Magic Sing, and my Titas and Titos would say to me, ‘You’re like a little Lea Salonga!’ She was a huge inspiration for me growing up. If only 5-year old Jasmine knew that she would make her Broadway debut in ‘Here Lies Love’ alongside Ate Lea herself!”

Her journey into the performing arts began almost as soon as she could walk and talk — dance lessons at 2 years old, piano at 3, and voice lessons by 6. She recalls her first musical, “101 Dalmatians,” with fondness: “I’m certain I had zero solo lines, but I loved it regardless.”

That early spark became a lifelong passion, supported by her parents, Jocelyn and Paul from Naperville, Illinois, who juggled the schedules of three children with different interests.

Forsberg’s professional debut came as Roo in “The House at Pooh Corner” at Orlando Repertory Theatre (now Orlando Family Stage). To balance her education with theater commitments, she spent five years in virtual school, allowing her to pursue stage opportunities without sacrificing academics.

In addition to theater, Forsberg has begun exploring screen work. In 2021, she appeared in the Hallmark film “One December Night,” playing Addison, a singer-songwriter who mirrors much of her own artistry. She is eager to expand into more film and television projects.

A huge fan of ‘Ate’ Lea Salonga with whom she shared the stage in ‘Here Lies Love’. Courtesy of ‘I & You’ production

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Sa panahon ng Taglamig, magpabakuna laban sa RSV, COVID-19 at trangkaso Ni Dr. Michelle Morse Gumaganap na Komisyoner ng Kagawaran ng Kalusugan ng Lungsod ng New York

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aaaring maging hamon ang manatiling malusog sa taglagas at taglamig.

Dahil sa magkakaibang impormasyon mula sa pederal na pamahalaan ngayong taon, maraming magulang ang nalilito: “Dapat ba na mabakunahan ako o ang aking anak para sa trangkaso, COVID-19, at Syncytial na Virus sa Paghinga (Respiratory Syncytial Virus, RSV)?”

“Anong mga sintomas ang dapat kong bantayan, at paano ito ginagamot?”

Huwag magdalawang isip, ang COVID-19, trangkaso, at RSV ay maaaring humantong sa malubhang sakit at maging sa kamatayan.

Halimbawa, ang panahon ng trangkaso noong nakaraang taon ay nagkaroon ng pinakamataas na bilang ng mga pagkamatay sa mga bata na iniulat (280) sa U.S. sa loob ng 15 taon. Sa mga iyon, 89 porsiyento ang

hindi nakatanggap ng bakuna laban sa trangkaso.

||Ano ang aasahan sa panahong ito?

Ang tatlo sa mga pinakakaraniwang virus sa taglagas at taglamig ay: • COVID-19, • Trangkaso, • RSV Ang mga virus na ito ay pangunahin nang kumakalat sa pamamagitan ng mga patak na pumapasok sa hangin kapag umuubo, humihiyaw, o nakikipag-usap ang isang tao na may sakit. Ang mga tao ay nagkakasakit kung ang mga nahawahang patak, mucus, o laway ay pumapasok sa mga mata, ilong, o bibig.

||Protektahan ang iyong sarili at ang iyong pamilya Ang pangunahing hakbang na maaari mong gawin para maprotektahan ang iyong kalusugan sa panahong ito ay ang pagbabakuna.

Binabawasan ng mga bakuna ang

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iyong tsansang magkasakit nang malubha, maospital, at mamatay dahil sa COVID-19, trangkaso, at RSV. Ang mga bakuna para sa mga virus na ito ay ligtas para sa iyo at sa iyong mga pamilya. Ang magandang balita ay pwede kang mabakunahan para sa trangkaso at COVID-19 nang sabay.

Hindi mo kailangan ng reseta. Kung ikaw ay kwalipikado para sa bakuna sa RSV, maaari kang makakuha ng tatlong bakuna nang sabay-sabay.

Ang mga nasa pinakamataas na panganib na magkasakit nang malubha dahil sa mga virus na ito ay mga matatanda, maliliit na bata, at mga taong may partikular na pangunahing medikal na kondisyon, tulad ng malalang sakit sa puso o baga, o diabetes.

Ang lahat ng may edad na 6 buwan at higit pa ay dapat makakuha ng na-update na 2025-2026 COVID-19 na bakuna at na-update na 2025-2026 na bakuna sa trangkaso, kahit na natanggap na nila ang mga bakuna na ito o nagkaroon na ng ganitong mga sakit dati.

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Ang mga matatanda at mga maliit na bata ay madaling kapitan ng mga naturang virus. Photo: Unsplash

||Panganib ng RSV sa mga sanggol at matatanda

RSV. Ang mga matatanda na edad 60 hanggang 74 ay dapat mabakunahan ng RSV kung mayroon silang mga partikular na medikal na kondisyon na naglalagay sa kanila sa mas mataas na panganib para sa malubhang sakit o nakatira sa isang pasilidad ng pangmatagalang pangangalaga tulad ng nursing home.

COVER STORY

Saleaflor Foundation Medical Mission 2025

15 years of RN Express: A lifeline for nurses

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By Cristina DC Pastor

hey were three nurses whose paths crossed at Amsterdam Nursing Home on the Upper West Side in the late 1990s.

Maria Lea Batomalaque began as a staff nurse and, in a matter of months, rose to the position of head nurse. Sally Nuñez worked alongside Lea in the Reimbursement Department.

Florida Lucas moved fluidly through various roles at the facility before eventually becoming an Assistant Director of Nursing.

In 2009, united by shared experiences in caring for their families, and struggling as new hires in the U.S., the three women took a bold leap of faith. Drawing on their decades of experience, they founded RN Express Staffing Registry, a venture they hoped would not only serve their profession but also provide jobs to others and offer stability they could count on in retirement.

Today, RNE, with offices in Lower Manhattan and the Philippines has grown into a trusted staffing partner, a sponsoring agency for international nurses, while developing a technology aiming to support nurses caring for loved ones in the Philippines.

Sally recalled their early years as entrepreneurs with excitement. During those days, she said RNE was experimenting with technology long before it became the norm. The team developed their first app in 2017 called ‘BackAPP,’ a back-end application intended to ease staffing issues with one click of a button. Nursing homes such as Mary Manning Walsh on the Upper East Side were the early adopters, as the system functioned almost like an Uber-style platform for healthcare

The RN Express Dream Team staffing, she said. But then COVID-19 hit. Overnight, everything stopped.

The pause highlighted a hard truth: technology must constantly evolve and upgrade. The company realized how difficult it was to maintain and scale a system THE FILAM

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without full control, so they decided they would build their own independent web-based app. Today, that platform is still under development in-house, with a relaunch targeting populations that seem manageable, such as Metro Manila and Naga City.

RN Express’s Paskong Pinoy 2024 Sally also held multiple roles: RN floater, bedside nurse, adult day care nurse, Quality Assurance coordinator, MDS coordinator, eventually departing Amsterdam with the title of director of Admissions and Case Management.

Florida joined Amsterdam starting out high enough as a nursing supervisor moving along the ranks across disciplines: Rehab Nursing Coordinator, Infection Control Coordinator and Employee Health Services Coordinator until she was promoted to Assistant Director of Nursing for Clinical Services.

“We know the difficulties (of being a nurse),” the team said. “Nadaanan namin lahat.”

Saleaflor’s Leading Ladies, from left Maria Lea Batomalaque, Florida Lucas, and Sally Nunez The goal? To help Filipinos find care for their parents and aging family members, something many families struggle with.

“They don’t know where to go to find reliable help for their parents. We want to give them a place to start,” Lea explained.

In 15 years, RNE has grown beyond expectations: • More than 100 nurses petitioned for U.S. green cards • 74 nursing homes served • 17 hospitals supported • Hundreds of nurses assisted, many of whom now hold leadership positions in hospitals and facilities across New York.

Lea shared that like any company, “We had bumps, but we were able to manage them.”

The first five years were the hardest, they said.

Sponsorships for permanent residency was a challenge because of retrogression, on and off.

The financial requirements were overwhelming. The regulations were strict, especially on H1-B visas. But the team never gave up.

“We learned a lot,” said Sally.

By the sixth year, RNE finally achieved some level of financial security and audit structure needed to petition successfully. From then on, approvals began flowing steadily. The long wait remained their Achilles Heel.

It would take over a year for petitions to be approved.

Today, under the current administration, the processing times for green card approvals are much longer but by this time, RNE knows the ins and outs. The company continues to support each applicant through the snailpaced journey.

||Not a profession

A perfect day on the course: Saleaflor Foundation Golf Cup 2025 “Talagang desire lang namin makatulong,” said Sally.

While there were frustrations along the way, there are also inspiring outcomes. Some of the nurses they helped are now nursing supervisors, reimbursement specialists, assistant directors of nursing, and nursing administrative positions in major NYC hospitals. The three are pleased to note that the nurses are able to provide for their families back home and bring them over to the U.S. “Looking back,” Lea said, “many of our nurses started with no exaggerated experience—but they proved themselves. That’s what we’re proud of.”

||The founders’ stories

Lea’s journey mirrors that of the nurses RNE supports. She arrived in the U.S. on an H1-B visa, started as a staff nurse, and quickly rose to head nurse or nurse manager, and finally special project coordinator in MDS or Minimum Data Set, an assessment tool for patients in long-term nursing facilities. She helped pioneer MDS implementation at Amsterdam.

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From visa denials to financial pitfalls, RNE survived by adjusting, learning, and, as they put it, staying grounded in its mission.

A new challenge recently surfaced with the U.S. Department of Education declaring that nursing is “not a professional degree.”

Lea responded candidly: “It’s not fair. We are the backbone of healthcare.”

Florida thought it was “degrading” to nurses for their profession to be downscaled.

Sally added that with the birth of EMR (Electronic medical records), patient care will be improved with more time with patients, reduced documentation errors, easy data access, and security patients’ information – or HIPPA, safely.

According to Florida, “Feedback we received from most nursing managers in long-term care, a lot of the new nurses now have less clinical skills, confidence and less critical thinking. Our goal is to assist new nurses boost their confidence and clinical skills with pre-employment training.”

With the company’s 15th anniversary and upcoming December 12 Christmas celebration, the founders look back with gratitude and a sense of fulfillment.

“That’s our feeling then, because when we were starting out, there was no one to help us,” said Sally.

“We just wanted to help others. That’s what’s in our hearts and that’s what brought us together and got us through.”

Calendar

of Events

||December 13

||December 1 to 9

||December 6

||December 7

||December 4 to 12

||December 6

||December 13

Franciscan Spirit Tours Contact Fr. Julian Jagudilla 917-880-7053

37th Simbang Gabi sa Konsulado Kalayaan Hall, Philippine Center 556 5th Avenue NYC

||December 5

Karafund for Cares Island Central Restaurant 329 Central Avenue Jersey City NJ

Simbang Gabi sa Katedral and Parol Procession St. Patrick's Cathedral Fifth Avenue, NYC Christmas Dinner Dance Phil-Am Club of Schenectady Hilton Garden Inn Clifton Park 30 Clifton Country Road Clifton Park, NY

||December 6

Season of Love: Mark Mabasa holiday concert in New York Kusina Pinoy Bistro 69-16 Roosevelt Avenue Queens, NYC UP Alumni Association Christmas Party Hilton Hasbrouck Heights 650 Terrace Avenue Hasbrouck Heights NJ

||December 13

Pasko in America American Dream Mall 1 American Dream Way East Rutherford, N.J.

Pasko sa Hudson Mall by PAFCOM 701 Route 440 Jersey City, NJ

THE FILAM

Pinoys of New York Christmas Party 58 Manor 58-02 37th Avenue Woodside, NYC

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||December 13

Filharmonix Choir concert Our Lady of Mercy Church 40 Sullivan Drive Jersey City, NJ

||December 14

The Splendor of Christmas by the Cebuanos Engaging in Building Unity, Inc. Terrace on the Park 52-11 111th Street Corona, NYC

||December 14 to 23

Simbang Gabi Filipino Catholic Community in the Diocese of Allentown St. Jane Frances de Chantal Church 4049 Hartley Avenue Easton, PA

||December 15 to 23

6th Annual Simbang Gabi Church of the Assumption 8 Riverside Avenue Westport, CT

||December 28

Let’s Jingle & Mingle (hosted by Aida Bartolome) Leonard’s Palazzo 555 Northern Boulevard Great Neck NY

||2026 ||February 12 to 14

New York Fashion Week Contact Buboi Asuncion of MGI Entertainment mgientertainment2022@gmail.com

THE FILAM

Search for Ginang Filipinas 2026 New York, New Jersey, Connecticut Contact Pia Pascual 551-347-8418

||2027 ||July 7 to 24

48th Annual Philippine Nurses Association of America, Inc. National Convention Inter-island cruise in Hawaii

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Food, fiction, and Filipino folklore in E.R. Escober’s debut novel Author E.R. Escober introduces a reimagined edition of his debut novel — a telenovela-style fusion of family drama, art, and Filipino cuisine.

I

n “Not My Bowl of Rice: A Telenovela-Style Semi-Graphic Novel and Cookbook,” Escober transforms the Filipino family kitchen into a stage where love, rivalry, and identity simmer together, framed by recipes that double as emotional storytelling.

Escober’s writing blends imagination with genuine emotion. Each recipe becomes part of the narrative itself, woven through the dialogue, action, and tension between characters. When Ligaya De Guzman faces her mother across the kitchen counter, the cooking isn’t background. It’s the battlefield.

Dishes like Adobo, Pancit Guisado, and Bibingka mirror the conflict between modern independence and inherited tradition. Each meal carries memory, pride, and the quiet hope of reconciliation.

“Every recipe is a story, and every story leaves a flavor,” says Escober. “Food is where our histories live. I wanted to show how a single bowl of rice can hold the weight of a family’s love, loss, and legacy.”

‘Not My Bowl of Rice: A Telenovela-Style SemiGraphic Novel and Cookbook’ Erebrown Publishing October 3, 2025 734 pages

||A cinematic reading experience

“Not My Bowl of Rice” borrows the pacing and passion of a classic telenovela, complete The author: In his book, every recipe is a story. with visual elements that echo the drama’s larger-than-life emotion. Black-and-white illus||A celebration of heritage and trations of food, family, and folklore guide readers creativity through a story that’s equal parts spectacle and intimacy. The narrative blends laughter, heartWhile “Not My Bowl of Rice” entertains with the break, and humor in a style Escober calls “literary energy of a soap opera, it also reflects something melodrama”—a celebration of the extremes of love universal: the struggle to preserve culture in a rapidly and family that define Filipino storytelling. changing world. Escober captures the dual identity Folklore threads through the book as well, with nods of being Filipino American with humor, empathy, to the Aswang and Manananggal, mythical creatures and unfiltered honesty. The book’s hybrid form—part from Philippine legend. These supernatural touches novel, part cookbook, part graphic experience— heighten the book’s theatrical flair while grounding mirrors that very duality: the fusion of old and new, it in the cultural imagination that shaped Escober’s roots and reinvention. storytelling voice.

Readers are invited to move through the story as they would through a meal—savoring each chapter as THE FILAM

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an experience of sight, taste, and emotion. It’s a novel that can make you laugh, cry, and crave home cooking, often all on the same page.

E.R. Escober worked as a copywriter before dedicating himself to freelance writing. He has authored several works including “The Givenchy Code,” “The Facebook Nostradamus,” and “Adobo in the Land of Milk and Honey.” As a Filipino American, he has spent years exploring the intersection of culture, identity, and storytelling in contemporary America.

A passionate foodie and storyteller, Escober draws inspiration from authentic Filipino and Asian cuisine, weaving sensory and cultural detail into his work.

His time living abroad and his eventual return to the Philippines deepened his connection to his roots and shaped his distinctive literary voice. Escober continues to experiment with form and genre, blending visual art, food, and narrative in ways that celebrate creativity and cultural connection.

Artist Xyza Cruz Bacani meditates on the meaning of ‘home’

By Elaine Joy Edaya Degale

||Are you ready to welcome a stranger?

Xyza Cruz Bacani’s “The Diaspora is Home” exhibition which ran from October 4 – November 2, 2025, at Flux Factory IV culminated in a Kamayan: Storytelling Lunch that felt like an excavation of the soul. For immigrants like me, the feelings of displacement often feels like a performance of composure— an endless effort to appear whole while quietly piecing together the fragments of culture sifted by migration.

You don’t have to cross oceans to understand displacement; sometimes the distance is internal — between who we were and who the world asks us to be. In a city that embodies the restless pulse of a modern golden age, Xyza Cruz Bacani’s work dares us to pause. Through images and artifacts steeped in migration, memory, and care, “The Diaspora is Home” reimagines belonging—not as a destination, but as a reclamation.

“Some stories couldn’t be told without tears,” wrote Ninotchka Rosca, the award-winning Filipina novelist and human rights activist. “But that was in consonance with Xyza’s powerful photographs of strangers in a strange land working toward a society of empathy and compassion, of the commonality of pains and joys.”

||From exile to arrival to homecoming

Through a Hegelian lens, the thesis of home converses with its antithesis, the diaspora. What Xyza does so brilliantly is synthesize these contradictions into a higher resolution—both literally and metaphorically. “I began to meditate on that word: home,” says Bacani. “Is it a physical space? A cherished object? A fleeting scent or memory that lingers long after we’ve left? Then it came to me: the diaspora itself is home.”

Bacani stitches together the fractured narratives of East and West into a living tapestry—one that dissolves the boundaries drawn to divide us,

Bacani setting the table for the concluding event Kamayan: Storytelling Lunch. Photo

by Nick Papananias transforming them into patterns of connection. Her work challenges the old hierarchies of who gets to be seen, reminding us that the true story of civilization is not conquest, but convergence.

||Visibility is courage, tenderness is power

In Xyza Cruz Bacani’s hands, the camera becomes both mirror and bridge — capturing not just where we come from, but where we continue to arrive. From a Freirean perspective, the exhibition becomes a site of conscientização—an awakening of our human capacity to recognize power, liberate through dialogue, and use our freedom to free others. In her own freedom, Xyza offered visibility and care: a Kamayan lunch shared with luminaries like Ninotchka Rosca, and small, sacred gestures that felt like rituals of homecoming.

“Supporting ‘The Diaspora is Home’ is a reaffirmation of what Filipino Americans for Racial Action has always stood for — that we are invincible, not THE FILAM

invisible,” said Atty. Lara Gregory who founded an organization that addresses anti-Asian hate and empowers the Filipino American community. “Through the loving, tender, and generous act of hosting a meal to close the exhibit, we not only celebrate the talent and excellence of immigrants like Xyza Bacani, but also resist the cold-heartedness of an administration that deprives millions of Americans of food assistance by not funding SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).”

Bacani was born in the Philippines, then spent over a decade in Hong Kong before finally settling and starting a family in Queens, New Yo rk. “For many immigrants, home transcends geography. Home is wherever the heart finds recognition.”

||Your body is a vessel During the Kamayan: Storytelling Lunch, arranged in traditional Filipino feast eaten with hands, Xyza’s humanist touch shone through: each of the 20 guests received a handwritten brown card bearing their name, serving as a | 15

seat placard. Bacani gave us two questions to contemplate: “When was the last time you felt like a stranger?” and “When was the last time you invited a stranger?”

Tucked inside my brown linen envelope was a Himalayan paper card bearing my name, its surface designed with a chowrie—a peacock-feather fan in a bejeweled ritual vessel used

by Hindus, Buddhists, and Sikhs to honor royalty, deities, and spiritual leaders—and a gem-encrusted shehnai, an instrument typically played in spiritual ceremonies, processions, and weddings. These symbols were a bridge between faith, art, and arrival, mirroring Xyza’s photograph The Body Is a Vessel, where Chef Tab Hu stands with his back to the camera to reveal his tattoos as his family surrounds him, reminding us—as Xyza says— that “our bodies are living archives, carrying our memories, scars, laughter lines, and everything in between.”

In a world obsessed with maiming the body in service of vanity, Xyza’s work invites us to see our bodies as maps.

Xyza’s lens is, in its own way, a living mandala: she gathers the fragments of diaspora and arranges them into balance, showing us that home is not the center we left behind, but the pattern we continue to create together. “Every person I met mirrored some part of myself,” says Bacani, “our longing, our resilience, our humor. In that reflection, I found home.”

Elaine Joy Edaya Degale is an award-winning Afro-Pinay writer who drifts between New York City and “SubSaharan Mindanao” as she finishes her novel ‘Sunflower: The Black Baby.’

Her writings on diaspora, identity, and class appear in Kinsman Quarterly, Positively Filipino, and the Philippine Daily Mirror, where she writes The Dreamweaver. Over the years, she has lectured in community colleges and holds an Ed.M. and M.A. from Teachers College, Columbia University, as well as an International Relations B.A. from Mount Holyoke College.

Pork Bun Heist Series Chapter 3 The FilAm continues to publish excerpts from “The Pork Bun Heist and Other Stories,” released in 2014.

T

By Gene P. del Carmen

he two detectives kept a close watch on the four. They noticed a big sized backpack on the floor near the female.

All three males were not wearing dresses, they were wearing shorts, t-shirts, and sneakers. The more they looked at them, the more they were convinced these four young people were their suspect snatchers. They kept their voices low as they speculated.

Capulong: “Those three Caucasian males could be the snatchers.”

Robbins: “I bet that backpack kept all their dresses and wigs!”

Capulong: “Right, it all makes perfect sense.”

Robbins: “But where do they find the place to take those dresses and wigs off?”

Capulong: “I don’t know. I don’t even know if we have enough evidence to arrest them!”

Robbins: “I think that backpack holds all the clues to everything.” He paused. “I see it now, they meet at a certain place where they take off their dresses and wigs and stuff them in that backpack, even the loot!”

Capulong: “I thought of that too, but how do we arrest them? They will run as soon as we go confront them. Remember, they are fast runners.”

Robbins: “Do you want to call for back-up?”

Capulong: “I will text the Captain for back-up to close both ends of the streets, both front and back streets.” Nervously, he started texting.

Their order of pork buns and noodle soups were brought in by the waitress. The orders were steamy hot, the right time to eat them. But the detectives’ minds were focused on their suspects at the far table. They barely touched their food.

Capulong: “Concentrate on the girl and the backpack. If we get both, we got them all.” He told Robbins who was discreetly taking pictures of the group with his cell phone.

The four kids sensed some tension in the air as well. They noticed the two men in their suits, lacking the fashion flair, they smelled like cops.

They saw the waitress bring their food to their table, but they were not eating. One of the men was sending a long text message as the other looked at his cellphone. They looked anxious. Could they really be cops?

The four suspects drank the last sips of their tea and started getting ready to leave. One of the males stood up to reach for money in his shorts pocket. He looked at the check and counted money

The backpack carries a trail of clues to the crime.

that he left on the table. The others, including the black female, got up too.

From their table, the two cops were feeling anxious. They have not heard the back-up police car sirens to know they were in place. Robbins was quick to act. He walked fast towards the main door to block the four going out. Capulong got up too to lock the back door.

Robbins: “Wait a minute guys, please sit down for a minute. I want to talk to you, I think I know your family.” It was a desperate act to stall.

Male: “Sorry, we’re not from here!”

Capulong emerged from the back showing his badge and holding his gun in his holster. He loudly identified himself as a police officer and his intent to arrest.

“Police officers, you four are under arrest!”

Capulong yelled at the group.

One of the male suspects pushed Robbins who fell on the floor trying to get his gun. Another male suspect opened the door quickly and all four of them came out of the restaurant running. The other customers were in a panic, they dropped to the floor when they saw the guns. The two cops kept their attention on the female, but she turned out to be the fastest runner of the four. As THE FILAM

| 16

physically fit as the detectives were, they could not catch up with their running suspects. They all got away. Frustrated, they went back to the restaurant and found the backpack. It held a lot of clues.

Just as they suspected, the contents held the answers to the group’s crime plan. In it were three beige colored dresses, three light brown women’s wigs, and most important, three bank pouches filled with business money. And the biggest clue of all, it also had the black female suspect’s purse.

They found her driver’s license, credit cards, and a university student ID. Excited at their newfound leads, the cops lost their hungry appetite. After advising their police captain of the evidence, they rushed to the Long Island university campus. Mr. John Reed, the Dean of students was very cooperative. He knew the female student named Olivia, all her friends called her Liv. “She is on the track team, a very fast runner,” the Dean revealed.

Capulong and Robbins gave the descriptions of the other three Caucasian males who were with Olivia. Dean Reed knew them too, “They must be the Bunfield brothers, Kenneth, Peter, and Richard, they’re on the track team too. And yes, Peter is missing his front tooth.” It all came together for the detectives. Indeed, it was a wellplanned heist. Four college athletes pooling their skills together for a clever bank pouch snatching plan they found so easy to undertake.

(To be continued)

Bessie Besana: ‘Filipino designers are getting seats at the table in Milan, Paris, New York’

B

essie Besana did not enter the world of fashion straightaway.

For nine years, he practiced civil engineering before finally taking a leap of faith and changing careers. “You can say that fashion is a calling for me,” Besana shared.

Today, Besana is recognized not only as the designer behind Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach’s wedding gown but also as co-founder of Filipinxt, a fashion platform he established with lawyer-entrepreneur Rob Mallari-D’Auria and others.

“In four seasons, Filipinxt has grown into a brand that bridges New York Fashion Week (NYFW) and the Philippines,” he said. “Our mission has always been to bring Filipino talent to the global stage—and that goal remains unchanged.”

This ambition, Besana noted, is shared by many Filipino designers.

“Most designers dream of showcasing at NYFW. Doing so solidifies your position in the industry. It’s a career milestone.”

||The designer’s journey

“It’s my fifth New York Fashion Week, and it never gets easier,” Besana admitted in an interview with Makilala TV. “Every time I present in New York, there’s this rush—a mix of nerves and excitement. It’s always an opportunity to show what I can do.”

Specializing in formal and bridal wear, Besana noted that requests for Filipiniana-inspired pieces are common, though incorporating traditional textiles can be challenging.

“I work mostly with formal wear, so it’s harder to use Filipino fabrics,” he said. “But when requested, I can do it—I’ve worked with textiles from the Philippines before. My last show even featured Filipiniana elements within a modern collection.”

For Besana, Filipino design is not defined solely by the use of native materials. “The designer is Filipino— that already makes it Filipino-made,” he explained. “My parents are Filipino, I

By Ferlie Andong

Bridal is his brand.

‘Presenting at NYFW…is a mix of nerves and excitement.

was born and raised Filipino, and everything I create comes from that identity.

Whether or not I use traditional fabric, it’s still Filipino design.”

The name Filipinxt blends “Filipino” and “next,” symbolizing a mission to highlight the next wave of Filipino designers on the global stage. “We want to give opportunities to designers from the Philippines to showcase in New York,” he said. “When you return home after showing at NYFW, your market value rises. We provide that platform.”

He points out that while renowned Filipino designers such as Monique Lhuillier, Rafé Totengco, and Josie Natori have made their mark internationally, Filipinxt aims to nurture the next generation. “They’re established names,” he said. “We’re here to find the next blood of Filipino designers.”

From engineering to fashion “My background is in Math and Geometry—that was my strength,” he recalled. “I thought I was meant to be an engineer. In the Philippines, pursuing the arts isn’t always seen as stable, so I wasn’t encouraged to follow that path.”

After nearly a decade in engineering, Besana decided to chase his passion. “I told myself, if I don’t try fashion now, THE FILAM

I’ll regret it. I didn’t want to wait until 40—I wanted to try at 30.” He enrolled in a fashion school in the Philippines, later continuing his studies at Parsons in New York.

His advice to aspiring designers: “Just try. If you fail, you learn. But if you never try, you gain nothing. Don’t wait for validation—validate yourself.”

||The bridal experience

He said Bessie Besana Brides caters to women who want to feel romantic and radiant on their wedding day.

“Most women will only wear couture once in their lives—on their wedding day,” he said. “These are women who enjoy the process: fittings, champagne, the experience of creating something special.”

Understanding his clientele is key: “Not everyone is my client,” he said.

“Some brides have smaller budgets; others want Swarovski crystals on everything—which I don’t do. You have to know your niche, and if you understand it well, you’ll succeed.”

Besana observed a visible shift in the global fashion scene.

“Before, you wouldn’t see Filipinos in the front row of Fashion Week.

| 17

Now, they’re there—in Milan, Paris, and New York. They’re getting seats at the table,” he said. “As the Filipino economy grows, so does our representation in fashion. Designers like myself, Darren (Apolonio), and Veejay (Floresca) are paving the way and showing that Filipino fashion is world-class.”

For Besana, fashion is both art and self-expression. “Fashion is interpretation—it’s what people see before they even ask who you are,” he said. Among his career highlights: designing Pia Wurtzbach’s wedding gown. “No one knew except Pia, her friend, and me,” he revealed. “I would fit her in her room, and we kept it a secret for six months until she announced her marriage.”

Besana’s inspirations often come from his clients, but at times, his emotions shape his work.

“My last collection was born out of a difficult year,” he shared. “It had a darker tone, and people told me they could feel my story through the clothes.

I’m not always vocal about my emotions, but hearing that—they felt my heart— that was everything.” -- With Cristina DC Pastor

COVER STORY

49.1% of Asian Americans voted for Mamdani: exit poll

More than 70 volunteers spoke to 1,268 voters after they exited poll sites across Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, according to the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund and Asian American Federation (AAF) that organized the survey.

There were similarities and differences in the top five factors influencing Asian Americans who voted for different candidates. Regardless of vote choice, the economy/jobs and healthcare mattered.

However, those who cast their ballot for Cuomo were significantly more likely to cite public safety, while democracy and housing played a larger role for voters for Mandani.

“The results of the exit poll show that Asian American voters in New York City are not a monolith — they are discerning, issue-driven, and deeply engaged in shaping the city’s future,” said Catherine Chen, Chief Executive Officer of the AAF. “When half of our community names the economy as their top concern, and at a time when SNAP benefits are being taken away, it’s a reminder that elected leaders must engage with us not only during election season but in shaping policies that secure opportunity and fairness year-round.”

While 10% of Asian Americans polled were firsttime voters in this election, this figure rises to 20% among respondents ages 18 to 29.

||Asian American voters favored Mamdani for mayor, including 20% of 2024 Trump voters

||Asian American youth vote surged in this election

||Asian American voters reject President Trump’s approach to immigration policy

More than half of Asian Americans who participated in the exit poll strongly disapprove (40.4%) or disapprove (18.1%) of President Trump’s approach to immigration policy while roughly one quarter strongly approve (11.5%) or approve (14.1%).

About half (49.1%) of Asian American voters who participated in the exit poll voted for Mamdani and roughly one-third (33.8%) voted for Cuomo.

Notably, an overwhelming 87.2% of South Asian voters cast their ballots for Mamdani, while 9.6% voted for Cuomo.

Who respondents voted for in the 2024 presidential election made a difference in their choices for mayor.

Nearly three-quarters of those who voted for Harris in 2024 cast their ballot on Election Day 2025 for Mamdani, while 65% of those who voted for Trump in 2024 voted for Cuomo.

However, significantly, 20% of those who voted for Trump in 2024 voted for Mamdani.

||Economy was the most important issue for Asian American voters in this election

The economy, including jobs, was by far the top factor influencing the votes of Asian Americans in our exit poll, identified by 50.2% of Asian American voters who participated in the poll as a top issue informing their vote in this election.

The second most important factor was public safety (selected by 31.9% of voters), followed by democracy (28%), housing (25.2%), and healthcare (25.2%).

Importantly, respondents in our exit poll could select multiple factors that influenced their vote, up to a maximum of 17, as well as a write-in option.

1,268 voters participated in the exit poll.

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Democracy and housing played a big role for Mamdani voters.

The mayor of many firsts Zohran Mamdani has made history on multiple fronts — New York City’s youngest mayor, its first Muslim leader, its first democratic socialist, and the list goes on.

His candidacy ignited a political reckoning unlike anything the city has seen in recent memory. Voter turnout surged, political lines deepened, and his magnetic charisma has drawn comparisons to Barack Obama in his early rise to prominence.

Among those watching closely are Filipino New Yorkers, who have their own thoughts about this trailblazing figure seeking to transform city politics.

Their voices are featured below.

that Nuyok should be a city for all people, not just billionaires and millionaires. We love Nuyok and we love Zohran! Now let's all work together to make sure he delivers!

||Maria Rivera

Model, Digital creator

||Jessy Daing

Director Asite Product Development Metropolitan Transportation Authority – MTA

something else. My wife was a big Cuomo fan during the pandemic but to us, Cuomo represented the old way of doing things. Mamdani may not have all the authority or funds to do everything he’s promised, but at least, I assume, he’s going to give it a try. I keep thinking of the Tony Robbins quote. "If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten.” Can’t believe I just quoted Tony Robbins.

||Desireena Almoradie

Filmmaker, LGBTQ activist It's a great victory for immigrant, LGBTQ, and everyone who believes

||Ramon Gil

Communications Director The Workshop in Business Opportunities (Opinions are his own) The wife and I were in Stuy town a few months ago when this South Asian woman handed us a flyer and said, “My son is running for Mayor.”

It was filmmaker Mira Nair! Later that summer, my college-age nephew interned for us and made a strong case for Mamdani as he was also volunteering for the campaign.

So last night we thought we’d try

THE FILAM

When I first arrived in New York 25 years ago, I was in awe of this city.

I fell in love right away, that’s why I decided to stay. I remember saying out loud this is where I belong. Its rhythm, its energy, it’s diversity and how it embraced people from every corner of the world. It truly is a melting pot of dreams, resilience and endless possibilities.

And now, for the first time, New York is led by a mayor who truly embodies that spirit. A proud immigrant who understands what it means to build a life, work hard, and rise against all odds.

Mayor Zohran said it best: “New York will remain a city of immigrants. A city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and as of tonight, led by an immigrant.”

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As a minority person of color and LGBTQI community member who immigrated to the United States, I envision a promising future for New York City, where freedom, safety, and inclusivity f lourish.

His campaign's pledge to tax the wealthy, provide affordable living, and ensure quality healthcare for working-class individuals resonates with my aspirations, instilling hope that he will transform these promises into tangible outcomes.

Given the current administration's reinforcement of fears, hate and the struggle to afford the cost of living, which causes widespread anxiety in daily life, his victory has brought a fresh perspective, heralding a new generation of leaders in our city.

As he said in his victory speech, “HOPE IS ALIVE!”

||Anonymous Manhattan socialite

Sorry, I can't give any comment. I did not vote for him. Hope and pray he’ll be a good mayor of NYC. I have been a resident of NY for 50-plus years. I'm worried of this one.

Issue 93, December 2025

John Paul Fernandez Detectives recover body of Seton Hall student

Mark Mabasa

NYC concerts for son of slain radioman

Zohran Mamdani

What FilAms think of new NYC mayor