Filipinos are tired of the rampant corruption, but is snap election the answer?
By Ricky Rillera
In a political landscape riddled with scandal, cynicism , and eroding public trust, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano has thrown a grenade into the national conversation: a call for a snap election that would require all top national officials—President, Vice President, Senators, and House Representatives—to resign and bar themselves from running again.
His proposal, radical in scope and unprecedented in modern Philippine democracy, has ignited fierce debate. But beneath the surface lies a deeper question: Is this a moment of civic reckoning, or a dangerous flirtation with constitutional chaos?
Cayetano’s rationale is blunt. “Politicians today are suspects in the eyes of the public,” he said, referencing the multibillion-peso flood control corruption scandal that has implicated lawmakers and contractors alike. His solution? A nationwide reset. No incumbents. No recycling. Just a fresh start.
It’s a seductive idea—especially in a country where political dynasties, impunity, and transactional governance have long undermined democratic ideals. But it’s also legally impossible under the current Constitution. And historically, it evokes one of the most consequential moments in Philippine history: the 1986 snap election that triggered the EDSA People Power Revolution.
| The ghost of 1986
To understand the gravity of Cayetano’s proposal, we must revisit the original snap election. In November 1985, President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. stunned the nation by announcing a snap presidential election during a televised interview with U.S. audiences. Facing mounting pressure over human rights abuses, economic collapse, and the assassination of opposition leader Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., Marcos sought to reassert his mandate.
The election was held on February 7, 1986, with Corazon Aquino—Ninoy’s widow—emerging as the opposition candidate. Despite widespread fraud and intimidation, the people rallied behind Aquino. The National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) showed her leading in the unofficial count, while the official tally declared Marcos the winner.
The result? A mass walkout by COMELEC employees, a call to action from Cardinal Sin, and the birth of the EDSA People Power Revolution. From February 22 to 25, millions of Filipinos took to the streets. Marcos fled to Hawaii. Aquino became president. Democracy was restored.
Batas Pambansa Blg 883 enabled that snap election, a special law passed by the Marcos-controlled legislature. It was a political maneuver, not a constitutional
provision. Today, under the 1987 Constitution, no such mechanism exists.
| Constitutional reality
Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal and Senate President Tito Sotto have both dismissed Cayetano’s proposal as unconstitutional. The Constitution does not allow for voluntary mass resignation followed by a national election. There is no legal pathway for barring incumbents from running, nor for triggering a snap election, except in the event of a presidential vacancy.
To enact Cayetano’s vision would require a revolutionary government—a suspension of the current constitutional order. That’s not reform. That’s rupture.
And yet, the frustration fueling Cayetano’s proposal is real. Filipinos are tired. Tired of corruption scandals that go unpunished. Tired of dynastic politics that recycle the same names. Tired of institutions that feel distant, opaque, and unaccountable. In that context, the call for a clean slate resonates—not as a legal solution, but as a symbolic cry for civic renewal.
Cayetano’s proposal may be legally untenable, but it’s politically potent. It forces a national conversation about accountability, representation, and the limits of reform within a broken system. But it also risks becoming political theater—a dramatic gesture that distracts from the hard work of systemic change.
Real reform requires strengthening anti-corruption mechanisms, enforcing campaign finance transparency, breaking dynastic monopolies through electoral reform, and empowering civil society and grassroots movements to drive meaningful change.
A snap election, without these guardrails, could reshuffle the same power structures under new names.
For civil society and advocacy groups, this moment is a teachable one. It’s a chance to educate voters on constitutional processes and electoral rights, spotlight the legacy of People Power and its lessons for today, mobilize communities around anti-corruption reforms and transparency, and encourage youth engagement in policy debates and civic literacy. It’s also an opportunity to remind Filipinos that democracy is not just about elections—it’s about participation, vigilance, and collective action.
| The role of the diaspora
Filipino Americans, especially those engaged in civic advocacy, have a unique role to play. From New York to California, diaspora communities can amplify calls for reform, support independent media, and build transnational solidarity around democratic values.
The 1986 revolution was fueled in part by overseas Filipinos who organized, protested, and pressured foreign governments to withdraw support from Marcos. That legacy lives on. And in moments like this, it must be reactivated.
Cayetano’s snap election proposal may never materialize. It may be dismissed as unconstitutional, impractical, or politically self-serving. But it has cracked open a conversation that needs to be had: what does accountability look like in a democracy that feels broken? How do we rebuild trust in institutions that have failed us? The answer won’t come from a single election. It will come from sustained civic engagement, bold reform, and a recommitment to the values that EDSA stood for: truth, justice, and the power of the people.
Because in the end, democracy isn’t something we inherit. It’s something we build—again and again, together.
Ricky Rillera is past president of the Filipino American Press Club New York, Executive Editor of the Philippine Daily Mirror, president of PinoyLife Media Corp, and Managing Director, Lead Consulting Resource Group LLC.
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano speaking at the 20th Congress on October 1, 2025 | Screenshot Senate Video
Cory Aquino in her trademark yellow dress campaigning during the 1986 snap presidential election. Photo: Bantayog.org
Rosalinda Medina Rupel: The accidental actress
By Cristina DC Pastor
For Rosalinda “Linda” Rupel, life has never followed a straight path. It has always been one that meanders through complicated twists and turns but always driven by purpose and sometimes pain.
From her early years in the Philippines to her professional journey in librarianship and international multilateral organizations, Linda’s story is one of quiet strength and creative spirit. Her ‘second act’ following the demise of her second husband was a total revelation: performing on stage as Tina Turner and reading passages from Eve Ensler’s “Vagina Monologues.”
That’s how I came to know Linda, 79, as a PAFCOM (Philippine-American Friendship Community) leader. I attended an organization gathering and in a musical intermission, she burst on stage showing a leggy Tina Turner look complete with the spiky wig. The crowd was all praise but was also somewhat surprised. The Linda they knew as a conservative, strait-laced community leader had something else up her sleeves. From that moment on, I decided I needed to meet this woman who dares to live her life boldly and unapologetically.
Linda first came to the United States in 1985, assigned to work with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on a special project involving three international agencies.
“In the Philippines I was the chief project librarian of the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank and NEDA for a regional planning project. These three agencies worked together to make the Philippines a regional planning center that it is now.” She worked on the project from 1978 to early 1985.
Her posting was supposed to last only two years, but it opened doors that would reshape her life. “I was proud to represent the Philippines.”
After her assignment, Linda spent six months in the Netherlands on a scholarship on the subject of Map Curatorship. She was also hoping to explore a life in Europe. It was the 1980s, a time of political
and global transformation marked by the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Returning to the U.S. was not easy.
“It took me five years to adjust,” she said. Her academic credits from the University of the Philippines were not recognized in American institutions, so she started anew, studying in Queens and earning an MS Library Science degree in C.W. Post, Long Island University.
In the U.S., she met second husband Arthur Rupel, a scientist at the U.S. Army Research at Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey. Linda has three children and seven grandchildren from her first marriage.
| Finding her voice amid a disability
Linda’s vivacity has roots in childhood. Growing up in a well-to-do family that later faced hardship, she learned the value of education and hard work.
But she also carried with her a painful personal story—one that framed her identity and outlook.
“When I was young, I was very outspoken,” she recalled with a faint smile. “My father, a guerrilla lawyer and a disciplinarian, would get angry when I answered back. One day, he hit me so hard that I became half-deaf. I was about 8 or 10 years old.”
Her hearing impairment brought both isolation and insight.
“People called me engot (slow),” she said in a matter-of-fact narration. “But I found comfort in reading. Books became my friends.”
Despite her partial deafness, Linda developed a keen sense of empathy and a love for the arts, a passion that would later usher her to the stage.
| The accidental actress
Acting came later in life, but it was always in her heart.
“When I was young, I loved watching movies from Lea Productions,” shared Linda, one of 11 children in her family that hailed from Malabon. “But my parents were
Linda and Arthur celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary. Courtesy of Linda Rupel
Linda in her 20s: ‘Books became my friends.’ Courtesy of Linda Rupel
strict. Seven girls, four boys—no acting dreams allowed!” She was invited by a talent scout to appear in a Lea Production movie, but it was refused by her father. An ABS CBN radio drama acting after a school play in Malabon town plaza was another opportunity brushed aside.
That changed in America. Encouraged by friends in the Filipino community, Linda began performing in Filipino stage plays across New York and New Jersey. Her performances have ranged from comedy to drama, from domestic satire to stories of love and loss.
She has appeared in film productions such as “Thanksgiving” (2018) and “Chocolate Hills of Bohol” (2023).
She performed in Filipino stage plays across the Tri-State Area under director Tino Capili, including "Walk in the Park" (NJ and NY), "Ang Asawa kong Sabungera", "Looking for William", and in “How to Cook Adobo” playing a grandmother who reigned in the kitchen. Her performance was heartfelt and humorous, reflecting her natural warmth and emotional depth. “I’m not shy on stage,” she said proudly. “I can be Tina Turner or a sabungera (cockfighting wife) —whatever the role demands!”
Linda also joined the Filipina Women’s Network’s 2007 interpretation of Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues,” voicing the lament about domestic violence and comfort women. “It was emotional,” she said. “It was about a woman who still loved her abuser. I felt her pain.”
| A PAFCOM advocate
Linda’s introduction to the Philippine-American Friendship Community (PAFCOM) came through friendship and curiosity.
“In 1985, when I lived in Jersey City, my office mate said, ‘Let’s be roommates,’” she recalled.
“That’s how I became an observer at PAFCOM events. Later, I met Lita Peña in Journal Square—she was my neighbor and friend—and I got more involved.”
By the late 1990s, Linda had become an active participant in PAFCOM’s programs, drawn by its mission to uplift Filipino Americans through cultural, civic, and social initiatives.
“I liked the people,” she said simply. “PAFCOM feels like home.”
She expressed her hope for the organization: “I hope PAFCOM will continue on. I want the younger generation to do more—to carry on what we started. The parade and festival are expensive, yes, but they bring pride to our community. My heart belongs to PAFCOM. Whoever sits in leadership, I will support— truly and wholeheartedly.” She was Overall Chair in 2008, President in 2019, and Chairman of the Board, 2024-2025.
Linda embodies the spirit of the Filipino diaspora—resilient, resourceful and full of heart. From overcoming personal adversity to building a meaningful life of service and art, she shows that fulfillment has no age, and that one’s true calling may bloom even into her seventies.
“I’m grateful,” she said softly. “For my family, my friends, and for the chance to still be here. Life gave me many challenges—but also, many blessings.”
One of the models at PAFCOM’s Fashion in Motion held at the Marriott Hotel. Photo: PAFCOM
She was Overall Chair in 2008, president in 2019, and chairman of the board, 2024-2025. Photo by Ness Bantog
‘Tina Turner’ in boots and cowboy hat. Photo by Velzon Velez
| November 3
NBC hit comedy ‘St. Denis Medical’ returns for Season 2. Mockumentary-style comedy follows dedicated doctors and nurses doing their best to treat patients while keeping themselves sane.
| November 9
Consular outreach in Attleboro, Massachusetts
Our Lady of La Salette 947 Park Street Attleboro, MA
| November 18
Diplomacy and Human Rights Gala Black tie event
1700 Army Navy Drive Army Navy Country Club Arlington, VA
| November 19
Maya’s Hope Lotus Ball Edison Ballroom 240 W 47th Street NYC
| December 6
Simbang Gabi sa Katedral and Parol Procession
St. Patrick's Cathedral Fifth Avenue, NYC
Calendar of Events
| December 6
Christmas Dinner Dance Phil-Am Club of Schenectady
Hilton Garden Inn Clifton Park 30 Clifton Country Road Clifton Park, NY
| December 6
Pasko in America American Dream Mall 1 American Dream Way East Rutherford, N.J.
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 | 2026
| February 12 to 14
New York Fashion Week Contact Buboi Asuncion of MGI Entertainment mgientertainment2022@gmail.com
‘Diwata:’ A Filipino American folktale “D
By Shea Formanes
iwata” is a 20-minute short, live-action fantasy drama that centers the coming-of-age story of an 80-year-old Filipina grandmother and the spirit of her 15-year-old granddaughter, who drowned years earlier.
A modern retelling of Filipino mythology, “Diwata” captures the pain of being forgotten and the joy of being found. From generational divides, to the lack of Filipino representation in film, “Diwata” centers how the love felt by an unconventional Filipino family can break and put them back together.
In Philippine mythology, a diwata is a nature spirit, often associated with forests, mountains, and bodies of water. Due to Spanish colonization, depictions of diwatas have evolved into kind, benevolent guardians and protectors.
Lola lost her heart to the sea
A retired neurologist and Filipina immigrant grandmother, Lola has spent her entire life living for others, only to be tossed aside. Her jaded reality makes her believe that there is no magic in the world, even though she’s long suppressed her ability to see it.
The only person Lola lives for is her headstrong granddaughter, Sabine, with whom she spends time exploring the beach by their house, their only safe place away from everything. Together, it’s the two of them against the world.
Then Sabine drowns at the beach she loved. And Lola’s life turns upside down. For the next five years, Lola blames herself for failing to save Sabine. Now living without a purpose, Lola resigns herself to being emotionally and financially-abused by her extended family.
Things come to a head at her 80th birthday party, when a fight pushes Lola to finally break free from her toxic family and run away, seeking out the counsel of her best friend, Alma, a local librarian with a secret affinity for magic. Urging Lola to take her life back, Alma tells her of a way to summon Sabine for a day. When it comes to Asian and Pacific Islander (API) representation in Hollywood films, Filipino and Filipino Amer-
icans are one of the least represented communities in an already-underrepresented demographic. According to the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, Filipino and Filipino Americans consisted of approximately 6.1% of all actors represented in mainstream Hollywood films released in 2021. By 2023, Filipinos made up about 19% (4.6 million people) of the total Asian population in the United States. Out of those 4.6 million people, over 47% were Filipino immigrants (Pew Research Center).
As the eldest child of a Filipina immigrant and first-generation Filipino American, I never saw my culture or community represented on- or offscreen. In the rare times that I did, Filipino and Filipino Americans were usually portrayed in a stereotypical manner: they were the nurse; the supportive, nerdy best friend; the caregiver, etc. Likewise, in mainstream Hollywood films, Filipino and Filipino Americans filmmakers, writers and directors are rarely given an opportunity to share their stories or artistic visions.
“Diwata” is about an unconventional, multigenerational Filipino family not related by blood: Corazon, an elderly Filipina grandmother (or "Lola"); Sabine, Lola's Filipino American, teenage granddaughter who was raised by her grandmother after her biological parents abandoned her; and Alma, Sabine's ninang and honorary family member who holds the unit together. Over the course of the film, we show the complexities within Filipino familial dynamics, and the power that Filipino communities have in supporting each other through love, laughter and genuine empathy.
The eldest child of a Filipina immigrant and a first-generation Filipino-American, Shea Formanes, 24, is a Seattle-based writer/filmmaker from New York City.
“Diwata” was a finalist for the 2025 Julia S. Gouw Short Film Challenge through CAPE and Janet Yang Productions, and won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Short Film Screenplay at the Nevada City Film Festival and Imagine This Women's International Film Festival, which is set to release Summer 2026.
The writer and director: ‘I never saw my culture represented on or off-screen.’
Author LESTERINO C. BASUIRAN. M.D.
The book of poems and essays by Lestrino C. Baquiran, M.D. was launched on July 30, 2025 at the Philippine Center.
The author emigrated to the USA in 1967 for post-graduate training and practiced in Internal Medicine continuously for 55 years in New York City.
The book highlights the inevitable question immigrants worldwide and the not so easy, more often complicated answer to the question.
The book is available for sale at $25 with free shipping. You can email your orders to: lcbaquiranmd@gmail.com Also available at Amazon.com
‘Pork Bun Heist’ Series Chapter 2
Do the pork buns hold the clues?
The FilAm continues to publish excerpts from “The Pork Bun Heist and Other Stories,” released in 2014.
It was a challenging case for the two detectives, but they were determined to out-clever those perpetrators. Both were diligent, hardworking veteran detectives. Capulong is a Filipino-American, born and raised in San Francisco with his Filipino father and Chinese mother and two other siblings. He quickly outgrew the slow California pace when he married his wife from New York, also a Filipino-American. He has been a police officer for seven years, the last three as a detective.
Capulong’s partner, Robbins, is a New Yorker. He was born and raised in Brooklyn of Irish parents, both from families of decorated police officers. It was a legacy he was most proud to continue. Both he and Capulong graduated the same year from the police academy. Arguing over a crime case has become their passion. And, sooner or later, they do solve them.
Eight days later, another case of bank pouch snatching was called in about five blocks from where the first one happened. Again, three restaurant managers were victims, and again, the same perpetrators. Three quick-running, female, Caucasian snatchers who seemed to have faded into the streets as they weaved skillfully through the crowd of pedestrians. Their loot this time, $21,000.00, a very costly loss. But this time, the detectives got more information from the victims.
By Gene P. del Carmen
“The snatcher had a day-old stubble on his chin,” said the observant victim. “He also had an Adam’s apple on his throat, I think he’s a man,” she added. That was enough to keep the detectives on edge, theorizing, speculating. Capulong: “They could all be male, wearing dresses and wigs and dark glasses. That’s how they run so well!”
Robbins: “Could they be marathon runners?”
Capulong: “They could well be! I bet they run in these streets early morning that’s why they know them very well!”
Robbins: “Tell you what, instead of going to the gym later, let’s come here early tomorrow and join the runners in these streets. We might pick up some clues.” Capulong agreed.
The next day, both detectives woke up at four in the morning, changed into their running clothes and sneakers, stopped for coffee, and went to the snatchers’ crime area. The street runners came in packs. They each chose to run with a smaller pack of two or three runners so they can talk to them. After running until about six A.M., the sun started to rise and lit the shadowy corners of the city, and runners started heading home to start their workday. Despite their early efforts, the frustrated detectives got no additional clues.
Six days later, another snatching robbery. Their stories were starkly similar. At the three o’clock bank time, three female (maybe male)
snatchers each grabbed one bank pouch and ran so fast they disappeared in the streets. Their loot this time, $26,000.00. As frustrating as this case may be for the detectives, they asked questions based on what they already knew. They got another clue.
“One of them was missing a tooth in his front teeth,” one victim recalled. I held on to my bank pouch so hard and we both struggled for it. That’s when the snatcher opened his mouth and revealed the missing front tooth,” the victim added. It was a crucial clue.
The detectives talked to all the business owners in the area. They warned them against taking their bank money to the bank at three in the afternoon. They also suggested that two employees must take the pouch to the bank to guard against the snatchers. Conscious of valuable business fund losses, the managers followed the detective’s advice. It was a long day for the detectives, they decided they missed their pork bun and soup combo, so they went to their favorite Chinese restaurant for their steaming favorites.
They walked into the restaurant and looked around, just like detectives do. As they picked a vacant table, they knew they were on to something. They could smell it, but unable to figure it out yet. Something was up. They sat and looked at each other trying to see if the other sensed something too.
The occupants of the table near the cashier looked familiar, they thought. They were three white young guys and one African-American young female. They were all in their late teens, early twenties. What was familiar was they saw this four young people before at the Chinese restaurant on the first snatching robbery day. The four sat quietly talking with low voices, munching on their pork buns and sipping and sifting through their noodle soups with their chopsticks.
(To be continued)
Crime and Chinese food: A curious link
YAMAN: Celebrating Philippine treasures and the art of weaving in the heart of New York
By Marivir Montebon
Jerry Sibal and Edwin Josue of the Friends of the Philippines Society USA opened YAMAN (‘treasures’ in Tagalog) in the heart of New York City on October 31, which is the last day of Filipino American History Month. It is also a nationwide celebration of Halloween.
Set in the Marriott Marquis in Times Square, YAMAN was true to its word, an interactive showcase of the abundance of Philippine arts and crafts and inspirational stories of Filipino men and women. At the formal opening, Josue said, "We are not only celebrating Filipino American History Month this October. We are also making history."
YAMAN, a brainchild of Sibal, is set to become a yearly undertaking in the Big Apple.
"This is a team effort. I'm doing this for the love of our weavers. Please support them to sustain our indigenous arts. I've been around for a while, and this may be my last (legacy) project," he said, quite emotionally.
Elena Balbas, one of the weavers from Abra,
demonstrated how ‘paghahabi’ (weaving) is done using cotton threads which her family creates. She has learned the art from her mother and has taught her children as well. Her income from weaving has sent all her three children to school.
"We need a steady demand for our ‘habi,’" she said. It is her family’s constant challenge.
From October 31 to November 2, Yaman featured topline culinary artists, entrepreneurs, couturiers, and performers.
Bibak NY performs indigenous dance from the Mountain Province.
Elena Balbas, a weaver from Abra.
Photos by Marivir Montebon
Organizers Jerry Sibal (right) and Edwin Josue with Consul General Senen Mangalile at center. All three gentlemen are wearing woven fabric necklace-scarves.
FilAms go fishing: A brotherhood by the sea
By Cristina DC Pastor
For 35 years Andres “Ding” Amado ran an auto shop in Jersey City. Today at 73 and newly retired, he spends his days chasing tuna and tilefish instead of fixing engines.
“I worked at that shop for 35 years,” he said with quiet pride. “Now, I can finally fish whenever I want.”
Ding’s love for fishing began back in the 1980s. “At first, shore fishing lang,” he recalled when interviewed by The FilAm. “Then I learned to join party boats — the all-day trips. You pay for a spot, ride out, and fish all day.” His friends in Jersey City introduced him to the routine. “They were fishermen too. We all came from the Philippines where there were fish ponds. We started young.”
Ding is in this brotherhood of Filipino fishing aficionados who find peace and camaraderie at sea. Another one is Jay San Agustin, 54, a Medicare specialist from Edison, and a fellow Kapampangan.
“I started deep-sea fishing in 2001,” Jay recalled. “That was the first time I caught a fish in a boat.”
At first, Jay fished from the ponds of BF Resorts in the Philippines. Later, he tried going out on boats— with his dad.
“Every Father’s Day, I’d take my dad fishing. He loves it. He doesn’t get seasick,” Jay said, laughing. “I did, though. I threw up twice. Once on a Father’s Day trip—but once you throw up, you’re fine after.” | Companionship
and community
Over the years, Ding and Jay found companionship and community on the water.
“When you’re a fisherman, you meet others like you,” said Ding. “I met some through the shop. That’s how our group was formed — just six or eight of us. Some have grown old, some have passed away.” Today, younger people and women sometimes join the trips, keeping the camaraderie alive.
Their usual spot is Leonardo State Marina, next to the Earle Naval Base in Monmouth County, near Sandy Hook, New Jersey. Sometimes, they head to Brielle or Point Pleasant, about five minutes apart.
“If we want to go deeper—like a thousand feet—we go tile fishing on the Voyager in Point Pleasant and tuna fishing on the Big Jamaica in Brielle,” said Jay. “Those trips can take 18 to 30 hours. Twenty-six to thirty anglers on board.”
The fishing season peaks from May to August, slowing down by September to December. Jay
usually fishes once or twice a month.
He explained why fishing in New Jersey is special.
“People come to New Jersey from Maryland and Massachusetts. The quality of fish here is really good—black sea bass, fluke, blackfish—those are the best-tasting ones.”
| There are strict rules, too.
“For striped bass, they have to be between 28 and 31 inches. If it’s too big, we throw it back—it’s the law. Sometimes, there are wardens waiting at the dock to check.”
Jay said Ding even prepares sinigang and other Filipino dishes with their catch. “We bring the fish to his shop—he’s Kapampangan, a great cook.”
Like Jay, what keeps Ding hooked after all these years, isn’t just the catch — it’s the calm.
“Fishing relaxes your mind,” he said. “When I get a lot of fish, I give some away — to my customers, to friends. But on the boat, sometimes I don’t catch
anything, while the person next to me gets plenty. It’s experience, it’s skill. Every trip teaches you something.”
Fishing, for Jay, is both therapy and tradition. “It gives me a break,” he said. “When I’m out there, the salt air clears my mind.”
| Expensive hobby
Both gentlemen admit the hobby isn’t cheap.
“A good reel can cost $1,000 to $1,200. Rods run $200 to $600 each—and you need at least four or five for different depths,” said Jay. Some equipment lasts for years, but they’re pricey.
Ding sees it differently. “Yes, it’s expensive— but if it’s your passion, it’s worth it.” He said a party boat costs about $85–$90 per person for eight hours. “It’s not just about catching fish — it’s about joy.”
Still, there’s joy in the challenge—and the reward. “We even have a $5 pool—whoever catches the biggest fish wins. I’ve won four times,” Jay said.
Andres Amado with an albie -- nickname for albacore -which comes from the tuna family.
Jay San Agustin catches a fluke, known to be a delicious fish.
There are now women joining lately. “Two Filipinas from the Bronx just started,” Jay shared. “One of them is really good—she ties knots perfectly, has a GoPro, and she’s very humble. A good angler knows how to tie knots so the line doesn’t break.”
As for Jay’s best catch? “Tuna, from the canyons off New Jersey—Hudson or Baltimore Canyon. It’s about a 30-hour trip. No cell signal out there, just the ocean. The waters are pristine and beautiful.”
“I once caught a 120-pound bluefin tuna,” Ding recalled with pride. “That’s the biggest one. You can’t keep bluefin during off-season. Tuna season is around September to November. There are strict regulations now.” Maritime rules state that large fish caught during off-season have to be released back to the water based on the principle of “responsible fishing.”
When the weather’s bad, the boys don’t go ashore. “Safety is always the priority.”
Jay laughed remembering one superstition: “Never turn over a fish—it’s bad luck!”
He paused, then added, “Fishing taught me patience. And every time I fry fillet at home, my wife says—it doesn’t even smell. That’s when I know the fish is fresh.”
Ding laughed when asked about disagreements among anglers.
“Oh yes, there are some who get angry — they don’t like to share or they get jealous when others catch more fish than them. But me, I just enjoy it. I eat the fish the same day,” he said. “I love fish. Always have.”
The anglers of New Jersey. It’s not the catch, it’s the calm. Courtesy of Jay San Agustin
Filipiniana Night honors the spirit of Rizal
By Aimee Sansuat-Termulo
The Ladies for Rizal New York Inc., in collaboration with Eagle Eye Charities, Inc., hosted an elegant and inspiring Filipiniana Night at The Players in Manhattan, New York — a celebration of Filipino heritage, leadership, and service to community.
The evening’s highlights included the “Diwa ni Rizal” Awards, the induction of new members, and a powerful keynote address by Filipino-American philanthropist and civic leader Ms. Loida Nicolas Lewis.
The “Diwa ni Rizal” awarding ceremony recognized outstanding Filipino men and women who embody Dr. José Rizal’s enduring values of integrity, excellence, leadership, and service to humanity.
This year’s honorees were:
• Dr. Dely Go – For outstanding contributions in healthcare and community outreach.
• Dr. Ismael Jampayas – For dedication to education and humanitarian service.
• Dr. Emilio Quinez – For leadership in philanthropy and global advocacy for the Filipino community.
Each awardee was celebrated for exemplifying Rizal’s ideals in their professional and personal lives.
Awardee Dr. Dely Go shared, “To be called a reflection of Rizal’s spirit is an honor beyond any title. May we continue to serve our people with compassion wherever we are in the world.”
Atty. Elizabeth Cueva, Esq., president of Ladies for Rizal New York Inc., remarked, “Tonight, we celebrate not just career success—but character. Our honorees remind us that Rizal’s ideals are timeless, living on in every Filipino who chooses to uplift others.”
| Welcoming new members
The evening also marked the induction of new members into Ladies for Rizal New York, symbolizing the continuing growth of Filipino leadership within the diaspora.
“As new members take their oath, they join a sisterhood devoted to culture, charity, and nationhood—guided by Rizal’s legacy,” Cueva said.
Delivering the keynote address, Ms. Loida Nicolas Lewis reflected on Rizal’s influence on Filipinos across the globe. Quoting the national hero, she reminded guests, “Ang hindi marunong lumingon
Guests in their finest Filipiniana attire
Awardees Dr. Dely Go, Dr. Ismael Jampayas, and Dr. Emilio Quines proudly receive their “Diwa ni Rizal” honors.
and Dr.
sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makararating sa paroroonan.”
“Rizal once wrote, ‘The youth is the hope of the motherland,’” she added. “Tonight, we broaden that vision—every Filipino who serves with courage and kindness is the hope of the nation.”
Featured were a monologue from an adaptation of missing chapter of "El Filibusterismo " by award-winning theater actress Toni Go, nostalgic love songs from Kat Capili from the traveling play of Sister Act, saxophone music by Ronald Sumague, and a fashion show from The El Fili collection of Carmelo Andrada. Project Runway winner Veejay Floresca was also given the Matanglawin Award. The event was hosted by Atty. Elizabeth Cueva and Dr. Romulo Aromin.
The ballroom shimmered with elegant Filipiniana gowns and Barong Tagalog, cultural performances, and heartfelt fellowship—all for a cause. Proceeds from the event will support the ongoing community initiatives of Ladies for Rizal New York Inc.
Ladies for Rizal is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the ideals of Dr. José Rizal through educational, cultural, and civic initiatives that strengthen Filipino identity and service to community.
Theater actress Toni Go delivers a monologue from the missing chapter of ‘El Filibusterismo.’
The evening’s emcees Atty. Elizabeth Cueva
Romulo Aromin. Photos by Arys Castillo
Officers of the Ladies for Rizal New York, Inc.
Special Guest Speaker Ms. Loida Nicolas Lewis delivers an inspiring keynote on leadership and legacy. Project Runway winner Veejay Floresca
