1. Actually, basically, honestly, as a matter of fact. Favorite opening lines, no matter what follows.
Millions working abroad help their nation get by, but not prosper. It’s a life of lonely, risky sacrifice.
Filipinos are certainly getting into mainstream America and into the world. We ‘made it’ to the David Letterman Show!
This is for every Filipino who embrace who they are and strive to maintain their Filipino identity…
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Everything Philippine related. Various news. Showbiz talks. Entertainment. Politics. Philippines. Around the world. Filipinos. Filipinas.
Events, happenings, promotions going on at Tatay Pepe’s Restobar in particular and General Santos City in general. Check out the buzz!
By Jelly F. Musico
President Rodrigo Duterte delivers a message during his visit at the 10th Infantry Division in Compostela Valley on September 20. (MNS photo)
MANILA, Sept. 22 (PNA) – President Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday he will visit China within the year to ask them to return to the Philippines its fishing rights in the disputed West Philippine Sea (WPS).
”One of the things that I would demand if I go to mainland China is give us back our fishing rights,” Duterte said in his speech during the inauguration of the Filinvest Development Corp. Misamis Power Plant in Misamis Oriental.
President Duterte said he has no plan to ignore the UN international arbitral tribunal’s ruling in favor of the Philippines’ arbitration case filed against China’s nine-dash line claim that almost covers the entire South China Sea.
”This piece of paper that we have our award, we do not go out of the four corners of this paper. We cannot go to war. Let’s talk first,” he said.
The President said he believes that China will talk to him in good faith.
”It’s not territorial. If territorial, we could have killed each other a long time ago. It’s the sovereign entitlement,” he explained.
He said China got angry with the Philippines when former President Benigno Aquino III brought the WPS issue to the international arbitral tribunal in The Hague.
President Duterte is scheduled to visit China as well as Japan this year but before going to these countries, he will visit Vietnam next week.
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Martin Andanar said in a press briefing that President Duterte will tackle the WPS issue during his working visit to Vietnam.
”It will be discussed,” Andanar said during the briefing in Malacañang Palace.
This month-long celebration showcases amazing talents and performing artists in music, creative arts, and other varied forms of entertainment from the Filipino-American community. The festivities will start on Saturday, October 1 at the Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald Community Center East Parking Lot at 9:00 a.m. located at 801 E. Carson Street in Carson. This event is open to the public and admission is free.
The program line-up includes performances from jazz vocalist Mon Valdez, along with Jo Awayan, Christine Love, Louise Marie Cornillez, and Sara Mislang.Co-author of the book, Filipinos in Carson and the South Bay, Florante Iba?ez, will also be there to highlight the historic contributions of Filipinos to the U.S.
A program featuring awards for labor and community leadership, youth achievement, and medals of honor for advocacy work on behalf of Filipino American World War II veterans will also take place on October 1. The awardees are Ralph Quinte (posthumous Community Leadership), Dr. Jenny Batongmalaque (Community Leadership), Ildefonso Quibin (Heroism), Michelle Thorlund (Youth Achievement), Kristian Tan and Kurt Delicana (Youth Leadership).
“Carson is proud to recognize the contributions of Filipino-Americans nationwide especially to the Carson community. We are proud to have this annual event and proud to have been instrumental in the movement to getting legislation like AB 7 passed in Sacramento to have October 25 recognized as Larry Itliong Day throughout California,” said Carson Mayor Albert Robles. “Thank you to Councilmember Elito M. Santarina for his leadership in helping make this celebration a reality,” added Robles.
The program presents a talented line-up of performers, including CecileandMighty Show, Sampaguita Youth Dance Troupe, Lorian Fausto, Ciamara Morales, Jamie Bacani, Gee G Starr, Jane Provido, Michelle Delos Reyes, Michael Walker, Zack Pogz Villegas Aquino, Michael Pronda, Maaikee Kiyoe Pronda, Sid Bautista Castañeda, Anna Alano, and Binibining Pilipinas USA Pageant Best in Talent winners Caitlin San Diego and Sheri-Lynne Ducusin. Additionally, Binibining Pilipinas USA Christelle Abello, BPUSA Miss Tourism Czarina Hermoso, and their BPUSA Royal Court will also be appearing for meet and greet and photo ops.
The program presents a talented line-up of performers, including Cecile and Mighty Show, Sampaguita Youth Dance Troupe, Lorian Fausto, Ciamara Morales, Jamie Bacani, Gee G Starr, Jane Provido, Michelle Delos Reyes, Michael Walker, Zack Pogz Villegas Aquino, Michael Pronda, Maaikee Kiyoe Pronda, Sid Bautista Castañeda, Anna Alano, and Binibining Pilipinas USA Pageant Best in Talent winners Caitlin San Diego and Sheri-Lynne Ducusin. Additionally, Binibining Pilipinas USA Christelle Abello, BPUSA Miss Tourism Czarina Hermoso, and their BPUSA Royal Court will also be appearing for meet and greet and photo ops.
The program presents a talented line-up of performers, including CecileandMighty Show, Sampaguita Youth Dance Troupe, Lorian Fausto, Ciamara Morales, Jamie Bacani, Gee G Starr, Jane Provido, Michelle Delos Reyes, Michael Walker, Zack Pogz Villegas Aquino, Michael Pronda, Maaikee Kiyoe Pronda, Sid Bautista Castañeda, Anna Alano, and Binibining Pilipinas USA Pageant Best in Talent winners Caitlin San Diego and Sheri-Lynne Ducusin. Additionally, Binibining Pilipinas USA Christelle Abello, BPUSA Miss Tourism Czarina Hermoso, and their BPUSA Royal Court will also be appearing for meet and greet and photo ops.
beyond!The program presents a talented line-up of performers, including CecileandMighty Show, Sampaguita Youth Dance Troupe, Lorian Fausto, Ciamara Morales, Jamie Bacani, Gee G Starr, Jane Provido, Michelle Delos Reyes, Michael Walker, Zack Pogz Villegas Aquino, Michael Pronda, Maaikee Kiyoe Pronda, Sid Bautista Castañeda, Anna Alano, and Binibining Pilipinas USA Pageant Best in Talent winners Caitlin San Diego and Sheri-Lynne Ducusin. Additionally, Binibining Pilipinas USA Christelle Abello, BPUSA Miss Tourism Czarina Hermoso, and their BPUSA Royal Court will also be appearing for meet and greet and photo ops.Filipino American History Month Celebration is an annual event during the month of October in the City of Carson. The events are done in collaboration with Mutch Cariño of Maxx Promos, Confederation of Filipino American Association, Philippine Independence Day Foundation, Filipino Community of Carson, Filipino American Chamber of Commerce-South Bay Los Angeles Area, Kayumanggi Lions Club, Dreamers & Visionaries of Southbay, and Carson Lion’s Club.
For more information about Filipino American History Month Celebration, please call (310) 952-1743.
By Jigger J. Jerusalem
President Rodrigo Duterte delivers a message during his visit at the 10th Infantry Division in Compostela Valley on September 20. (MNS photo)
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Sept. 22 (PNA) – Firebrand Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday called the European Union (EU) and the United States (US) “hypocrites.”
Duterte made the statement after the ceremonial switch-on of the 405 coal-fired power plant in Misamis Oriental in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental.
In his speech, Duterte said that the EU and the US, both highly industrialized countries, were trying to regulate the use of non-renewable energy sources in developing nations like the Philippines.
“While the EU is hell bent on imposing the lowering of the carbon emissions, they also forget that they were the first to maximize the use of fossil fuels and the first to pollute the planet,” Duterte said.
The President said that the EU was playing “double standards” when it wanted to control the carbon footprint when they themselves created the problem in the first place.
He said the EU wanted the third-world nations to lower the emission of carbon in such a way that these countries could not move forward with their development agenda due to the energy protocols being set by the international environment-regulating bodies.
“Kataw-ana ning mga puti (these Caucasians are ridiculous),” he said, referring to the EU and the US who had released statements condemning Duterte over the rising cases of extrajudicial killings in the country as a result of the government’s war on illegal drugs.
Duterte, however, said that, at present, the use of coal in producing energy was the most viable option for the Philippines.
“If we want to industrialize our country, because we are left behind by so many generations, we have to keep up with developments. [Coal plant] is the main option right now because is cheap, it’s available, although it may have an impact on the planet,” Duterte said.
Duterte made the statement to a limited audience of 350 invited guests, during the inauguration of the 405-megawatt coal-fired power plant of the FDC Misamis Power Corp. (FDC Misamis) in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental, Thursday afternoon.
The FDC Misamis facility is seen to augment the energy needs of Mindanao which industry players consider as very timely considering the power deficiency being experienced in the island in the past few months.
Duterte said the operation of the FDC Misamis power plant would help stabilize the Mindanao grid, especially in the Zamboanga peninsula where residents and businesses had suffered from 12-hour blackouts.
By Leilani S. Junio
Students participate in a noise barrage along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City, on the eve of the 44th anniversary of the late President Ferdinand Marcos’ martial law declaration, Tuesday. Students, led by representatives from Ateneo de Manila University, paid tribute to and sought justice for victims of martial law. (MNS photo)
MANILA (PNA) – The militant Partido Manggagawa (PM) called on Wednesday for a stop to the killings due to the war on drugs and justice for one of its leaders who was ambushed and killed in Cebu last Saturday.
The call was made by PM as they joined the big mobilization of the coalition iDefend (In Defense of Human Rights and Dignity) Wednesday afternoon to commemorate the anniversary of the declaration of martial law in September 1972.
“On the 44th anniversary of martial law, the struggle for human rights and democracy for all remains as relevant and critical as ever. With the war on drugs claiming thousands of lives and a state of lawlessness imposed on the whole country, civil liberties and democratic freedoms are under clear and present danger,” Wilson Fortaleza, PM spokesperson, said.
Fortaleza added, “The prevailing climate of impunity that has resulted in wanton killings of alleged drug pushers and addicts has also provided fertile ground for politically motivated slayings.”
He said that the ambush-killing of PM-Cebu leader and organizer Orlando Abangan a few days ago is testament to this.
He noted that Abangan’s murder came after the killing of Gloria Capitan, an environmental activist in Bataan, last July 1, on the first official day in office of the Duterte administration.
He warned that extrajudicial killings done in the name of the war on drugs are spilling onto slayings of human rights defenders.
The iDefend members started assembling at 2 p.m. in Bustillos Church in Sampaloc, Manila, before marching to Plaza Miranda in Quiapo for a mass and program.
At 6 p.m., the group iDefend marchers lighted candles to commemorate the victims of martial law, the war on drugs and political killings of human rights defenders like Abangan and Capitan.
Meanwhile, Fortaleza said that in Cebu, PM and other militant and human rights groups also held a rally on Wednesday to call for justice for Abangan and Capitan.
The group also marched around downtown Colon in Cebu City to call for a stop to the killings and to never forget the terrors of martial law.
“We call on the authorities for a swift but thorough investigation of the killing of ‘Ka Lando’ Abangan. We know that they are already pursuing leads that point to certain suspects. Still we urge them not to stop at the arresting suspected gunman but to probe who the mastermind is,” said Dennis Derige, PM-Cebu spokesperson.
Derige insisted that ‘Ka Lando’ was not involved in drugs and was respected in his community as an activist.
His group further stated they believed that the killing was politically motivated and related to his work as a human rights defender of urban poor and workers.
He also revealed that five days before Abangan was shot to death, the latter escaped a first attempt on his life.
Senator Leila de Lima ,President Benigno Aquino III , New Bilid Prison,
Justice Secretary, Vitaliano Aguirre II , Liberal Party
MANILA, Sept 22 (Mabuhay) — Senator Leila de Lima has cleared former President Benigno Aquino III of insinuations that he benefitted from drug payoffs at the New Bilid Prison.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II reportedly said that another official of the previous administration, who is a “yellow member,” was a beneficiary of the illegal drug trade in the national penitentiary. Yellow is the color of the Liberal Party, the party of Aquino and De Lima.
“I ask you, sino pa ba ang official na yellow na mas mataas sa akin noon (who else was higher than me) when I was Secretary of Justice? I was an alter ego of the President and therefore, the only one higher than me is President PNoy (Aquino’s moniker) himself,” De Lima said at a press conference in the Senate on Thursday.
“Are they saying, is my President also a beneficiary of all of these things? Of course not! You know PNoy,” she said.
De Lima said such insinuation was “very outlandish” and “very outrageous.”
“Hindi ko na alam ang nangyayari. Masyado na silang confident sa sarili nila. They are becoming so reckless. They’re resorting sa mga kwentong kutsero na ngayon (I have no idea what they are up to. They are becoming too confident about themselves. They are becoming so reckless. They are resorting to hearsays),” the senator said, adding such stories were “laughable.”
Asked if the end goal was also to pin down the former President, De Lima said, “I would not know. Why don’t you ask Secretary Aguirre?”(MNS)
The Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. is pleased to announce the names of the 2016 Filipino American Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO) delegates. (photo screenshot courtesy of http://fylpro.org/)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two engineers, two lawyers, two marketing and communications professionals, a Broadway producer, an educator, a transportation infrastructure specialist, and a culinary enthusiast, form the fifth batch of young Filipino- American leaders who will embark on an immersion trip to the Philippines to meet with influential Filipino personalities and deepen their understanding of issues affecting their country of heritage.
Now on its fifth year, Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO) continues to give high-performing, next-generation Filipino-Americans the opportunity to reconnect with their roots and engage with government leaders, business executives, cultural experts, social entrepreneurs, and innovators in different fields in the Philippines.
The following are the 2016 FYLPRO delegates:
1. Noel Aglubat (New York, NY)
2. Tiffany Batac (Washington, DC)
3. Joanne Boston (Daly City, CA)
4. Mark Calaguas (Chicago, IL)
5. Brandon Dela Cruz (Honolulu, HI)
6. Elizabeth Frilles (Honolulu, HI)
7. Christopher Lapinig (Los Angeles, CA)
8. Maria Teresa Quintans (Tamuning, Guam)
9. Donny Rojo (Seattle, WA)
10. Jhett Tolentino (New York, NY)
Minister Patrick Chuasoto, the Embassy’s Chargé d’Affairés ad interim and Chair of the FYLPRO Selection Committee, noted the high caliber crop of applicants to the 2016 edition of FYLPRO.
“The application process has been highly competitive this year and we are proud of the ten delegates who made the final cut. They have enormous leadership potential, and all have exhibited the will to be involved not only in shaping the future of the Filipino-American community but also in contributing to Philippine development,” said Minister Chuasoto.
The 2016 FYLPRO immersion trip, which will be held on 23 November – 02 December 2016, is a joint undertaking by the Philippine Foreign Service Posts in the United States, the Ayala Foundation, Inc. and the Filipino Young Leaders Program Organization.
Learn more about the 2016 FYLPRO delegates via this link: FYLPRO 2016.
What was intended to be an intimate gathering to welcome LA’s top public official from the Philippines turned out to be not so with Pinoys from various parts of Southern California coming in force for the event.
Newly installed Consul General Adelio Angelito Cruz, turned out to be a “crowd drawer” with some attendees coming from as far as San Diego to meet him at the Original Lapid Filipino Cuisine in Bellflower known for its delicious Filipino food fares.
OC Fil-Am Chamber and Congen Cruz: The Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Orange County extended a warm welcome to the newly installed Consul General Adelio Angelito Cruz at the Meet and Greet event at the Original Lapid Filipino Cuisine in Bellflower led by (from L-R): Current President Edwin Baloloy, former presidents Elena Salonga Lapid and Edith Andres (flanking Congen Cruz) and Faccoc Board member Andy Edralin.
Two city mayors were also at the event to “meet and greet” him – Cerritos Mayor Pro Tempore Mark E. Pulido and former Carson City Mayor Jim Dear.
It was not actually the first time that the members of the Filipino community had the honor of meeting the Consul General Cruz as many in the crowd already met him at the Consulate-sponsored introduction event held at the Consulate very recently.
Only this time, the meet and greet event attended by members of the business, professional and political sectors within the jurisdiction of the Consular Office had a less formal atmosphere and was an occasion for the Consul General to enjoy Filipino cuisine and the warm welcome of an expanded crowd.
A Milestone for Susan C. Paguio: Susan Paguio (4th from left, seated) basks in the company of her fellow Torres High School batch-mates and friends at the celebration of her 60th year held over the weekend at her Corona residence. Susan and her husband, Realtor, Fred Paguio (4th from L, standing) are active supporters of Torres High School Alumni Association in humanitarian activities in supporting her alma mater.
The trio of Elena Salonga Lapid, Mutch Carino and Andy Edralin, Jr. of Fil Am Press Club of California responsible for putting up the event in place which showed how hospitable and accepting the Filipinos are in this part of California.
Consul General Cruz is the “face” of President Rody Duterte’s much vaunted image of change outside of the Philippines. Already those familiar with the Consular Office are beginning to notice the changes that had taken place courtesy of the existing personnel in the interim period before Consul General Cruz formally assumed his post from his assignment in Tripoli. And more changes are forthcoming according to the Consul General.
Buena Park Tennis Circle: Buena Park Tennis Circle scored another ace as it concluded the summer season with a doubles tennis tournament, the fourth in the club’s history. Winners of the tournament held at Boisseranc Park tennis courts are doubles partners Buddy and Ebiong with Mario and Monching settling for the 1st runner up trophy. BTC is one of the most active sports club in the Buena Park area with its members playing regular leisurely rounds for camaraderie and physical fitness. Cesar Reamico, Rico Taruc, Bing Dalde and Rudy Malilim are the club’s coordinators.
In his brief remarks Congen Cruz reiterated his commitment to improve consular services and optimize his effort at touching base with the Filipino community is his jurisdiction which includes Southern California, Southern Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.
| We might say yes!