Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Phil "Swaggerboy" Tayag and the Jabbawockeez dance crew's "I'ma Get It" World Premiere Music Video
Phil "Swaggerboy" Tayag and the Jabbawockeez dance crew's "I'ma Get It" World Premiere Music Video
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Kids From Fame Media: Nia Peeples Mingle Media TV Interview
Kids From Fame Media: Nia Peeples Mingle Media TV Interview: Nia Peeples Mingle TV Interview at GBK and Tic Tac's 2011 Emmys Gift Lounge at the W Hotel in Hollywood.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Check out Filipino-American Kimee Balmilero after Discovery Kids' HI-5
About Kimee Balmilero
Originally from Hawaii, Filipino-American actor Kimee Balmilero is best known as one of the 5 hosts on Discovery Kids' TV Series Hi-5.
Check out "When I Grow Up" a new show for kids Kimee created where kids get hands on with super cool, totally hip and always fun jobs! wigutv.com
www.kimeeb.com
Originally from Hawaii, Filipino-American actor Kimee Balmilero is best known as one of the 5 hosts on Discovery Kids' TV Series Hi-5.
Check out "When I Grow Up" a new show for kids Kimee created where kids get hands on with super cool, totally hip and always fun jobs! wigutv.com
www.kimeeb.com
Benefits for Filipino veterans pressed
By ELLSON A. QUISMORIO
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Manila, citing reports from the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C., said Cuisia met with officials of the United States Army, Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), and US Congress to argue on behalf of Filipino veterans recently.
In his meeting with Army Deputy Undersecretary Thomas Hawley, Cuisia made strong representation for assistance to ensure that no veteran is unjustly denied the benefit due him.
Army officials vowed to look into particular compelling cases that the Embassy may wish to bring to their attention, as well as work closely with the DVA to ensure that no one is denied due benefits because of administrative error.
The 2009 FVEC law grants a one-time lump sum to Filipino veterans in the amount of $15,000 for US citizens and $9,000 to non-US citizens. Out of the 42,553 who have applied for the benefit, 18,499 were approved and 24,125 were denied. Of those, 3,630 filed notices of disagreement—the appeals process provided by DVA.
Read full story here at Manila Bulletin........
Filipino-American Lou Diamond-Phillips will be a contestant on Rachael Vs. Guy Celebrity Cook-Off on the Food Network
Ray and Fieri previewed the new show on "The View," (weekdays, syndicated) and described it as a mix between "Dancing With the Stars" and "The Celebrity Apprentice." The hosts will serve as coaches, as their teams compete against each other in cooking challenges. The roster of celebrity contestants will include Coolio, Cheech Marin, Lou Diamond-Phillips, Joey Fatone and Summer Sanders. "It's the only reality show the Kardashians are not on," Barbara Walters joked.
Read more on the Huffington Post.......
Councilmember Ray Buenaventura elected Vice-Mayor of Daly City, CA
Daly City, California - Filipino-Americans filled the Daly City Hall chamber on Monday night and cheered 2 kababayans for their achievements.
Councilmember Ray Buenaventura was elected vice-mayor of Daly City.
Buenaventura, a lawyer by profession, was president of the Filipino American Democratic Club of San Mateo County.
"I am so thrilled. I am so grateful that I am even in this position and I know it's because of the Filipino community that they've been strong advocate," Buenaventura said.
Meanwhile, Daly City Planning Commissioner Ray Satorre was also awarded the Mayor's Citizen of the Year for 2011.
"I feel great. This symbolizes dignity and honor and joy to the Filipino community at the same time our family because not everybody can get an award," Satorre said.
Daly City has one of the highest concentrations of Filipinos in the United States.
Read more here at ABS-CBN........
UFC Undisputed 3 video game will feature Filipino-American Mark Munoz
Dennis 'D Source' Guillermo, Filipino Sports Examiner
"The Filipino Wrecking Machine" Mark Munoz had a banner year in 2011 with sensational victories over some of the best middleweights in the UFC in the likes of CD Dollaway, and former title contenders Demian Maia and Chris Leben.
For his outstanding showing, Munoz will be co-featured on UFC on Fox 2 as he tangles with fellow wrestler Chael Sonnen for the right to face Anderson Silva for his middleweight belt on January 28 at the United Center in Chicago.
But before all of that, fans can check out Munoz in the new UFC Undisputed 3 game for PS 3 and XBOX 360 which releases on January 3.
Read the full story here at Examiner.....
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Filipina-American WWII Veterana Lourdes Castro is honored as being a pioneer and more
Lourdes M. Evangelista-Castro
July 23, 1926 – December 3, 2011
Lourdes Castro, a rare and great hero, lived an extraordinary life. She was a pioneering “veterana” of World War II, and a quiet warrior as well as a civil rights activist. She was a successful entrepreneur, devoted wife, and matriarch of the Castro clan.
Servant leader and military service
During WWII, Lourdes Castro was a member of the recognized guerrilla forces, a member of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and served in the Medical Corps. She volunteered as medical staff to help wounded American soldiers and also worked as a courier for the US soldiers.
Two valiant acts attributed to this young 18 year old soldier were: (1) her role in the liberation of the POWs in the Los Baños, Laguna concentration camp and (2) going “beyond the call of duty” by risking “limb and life” as she went into the battlefield, pulling wounded soldiers to safety and treating the wounded as a first responder.
This is how Lourdes Castro got inducted as a member of the US Army during the Japanese occupation in the Philippines, World War II. She was one of only two female Filipino WWII US veterans.
Mrs. Castro was a member of the American Legion Northside Post 858 based in San Jose, CA. She was one of the charter members who started the veterans’ organization, where most of the members are WWII Filipino veterans who had fought with the United States Armed Forces of the Far East.
Her volunteer work included being an advocate who pushed US Congress to pass laws that would recognize the services of Filipino soldiers and guerrilla fighters during WWII. Mrs. Castro also advocated for Congress to pass laws that would provide equitable services and compensation for their military services. These laws were to be part of the “Equity for Filipino Veterans of WWII.”
Lourdes’ dream came true, together with thousands of Filipino WWII veterans in the US and the Philippines, when the United States Congress passed the bill that gave these “Forgotten Heroes” their due recognition: “Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Act” (FVEC) into law (PL 111-5 Title X Sec. 1002) in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, February 2009.
Honoring Lourdes Castro
Lourdes Castro is a true unsung hero who risked not only her life but her family’s lives as well when, as a guerrilla fighter, she aided in fulfilling crucial needs of the US military forces and later, as a member of the Medical Corps, was eventually given official US military status during WWII in the Philippines.
Not only was Mrs. Castro a hero in the largest conflict in American history, she also served the United States as an advocate for veterans’ civil rights, especially Filipino WWII’s “Forgotten Heroes” or “veteranos.” She was unique, selfless, caring and courageous as a “Modern Day Hero” at the age of 85.
Read the full story here at Inquirer.....
Filipino-American children celebrate Jose Rizal’s 150th birthday!
To celebrate Dr. Jose Rizal’s 150th birthday, Paaralang Pinoy of Northern Virginia organized a free workshop for young Filipino-American children at St. Bernadette’s Catholic School in Springfield, Virginia on Sunday, November 20, 2011. During the workshop, Ms. Realista Realica Rodriguez, Paaralang Pinoy’s Culture Coordinator, read Rizal’s story of the greedy monkey and the clever turtle (The Monkey and the Turtle). Ms. Diane Sebastian-Auclair, Paaralang Pinoy’s Language Coordinator, led the children in an acting workshop simulating the characters of Matsing (monkey) and Pagong (turtle). The children likewise learned the Cariñosa, a folkdance believed to be popular during Rizal’s time.
Read the full story here at My Rizal 150.......
Filipino-American Beastie Boys' DJ Mix Master Mike's iTunes App Wheelz of Steel
Key features:
-two large turntables with accurate physics and scratching sounds
-four exclusive Mix Master Mike tracks
-six exclusive Mix Master Mike sound effects
-import tracks from your iPod library on iOS 4 (and via Wi-fi on iOS 3)
-pitch/speed faders for beat matching with live waveform display
-five assignable cue points per track
-four buttons to drop signature MMM scratches into your mix
-assignable loop points per track
-beat-based "glitch" looping
-crates (playlists) to organize your tracks
-customizable with nine color schemes
-elegant and functional design
Buy it here at the Apple App Store.......
Justin Bieber's rumored girlfriend Filipino-American Jasmine Villegas celebrates her 18th birthday
MANILA, Philippines - Filipino-American teen singer Jasmine Villegas, also known as Jasmine V., celebrated her 18th birthday last December 7.
Villegas said she will now be making decisions for herself now that she is a year older.
"Well, I'm gonna be making decisions for myself now that I'm a young adult, but besides that, everything is going to be the same,” she said.
Villegas’ mother, Bernadette, extended her birthday wish for her 18-year-old daughter, saying that she hopes Villegas will be able to finish her studies.
“You have to stay educated because something might happen, God forbid, but you always have a background that you can continue to be in school and do other things aside from being a singer,” the singer’s mother said.
Villegas’ first claim to fame was her role as American pop star Justin Bieber’s leading lady in the music video “Baby.”
She is also known for singing the American national anthem in 3 fights of Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao, most recent of which was in his fight with Briton Ricky Hatton in 2009. – Report from Yvee Tadeo-Guevara, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau
Makati City, Philippines is slowly getting to know NFL Denver Bronco's Tim Teebow
There isn't any Tebowing going on in Makati City, the sprawling municipality in the Philippines that was the unlikely birthplace for the most talked-about athlete in the United States. Not yet, anyway.
Tim Tebow's season, from the series of extraordinary fourth-quarter comebacks to his cult-figure status as a true believer, has been remarkable in every way.
Yet, back where the journey began 24 years ago, the spread of the Tebow phenomenon is still to happen. Basketball and boxing are the sports of choice in Makati, and news of the Denver Broncos' 7-1 ride on the shoulders of a talismanic Tebow hasn't generated any buzz.
"Tee-bone?" said Makati government official Mila Gonzalez in a telephone conversation with ThePostGame.com. "How do you spell that?"
Tebow's parents, Bob and Pamela, were working as Baptist missionaries in the Philippines when their son was born in the Makati Medical Center on Aug. 14, 1987. Pamela Tebow was advised to have an abortion after suffering from a pathogenic amoeba but decided to go through with the birth despite the risks of her son being stillborn.
Tebow spent the first three years of his life in the Philippines and has returned on charitable and religious missions every year since he was 15 years old.
"I will always have a special place in my heart for the country where I was born," he said recently.
Given the amount of focus trained upon Tebow since his latest Sunday miracle, spearheading the apparently buried Broncos to a 13-10 overtime triumph over the Chicago Bears, you might have thought Makati, one of the 17 cities that make up the Filipino capital of Manila, would have latched onto the cultural bandwagon.
But Gonzalez, one of six government officials contacted for this story, noted that not one person at Makati City Hall so much as recognized Tebow's name.
Read the full story here at Yahoo Sports........
Filipino-American scientist Dr. Ben de Lumen debuting anti-cancer soy portein Lunasin soon.
Lunasin Video for SoyLabs from frederick talactac on Vimeo.
A Filipino scientist and academician in the United States has begun this year the process of commercializing "lunasin," an anti-cancer soy protein that he and a team of scientists discovered in 1999.
According to a report of the Asian Journal, Dr. Ben de Lumen, who headed the team that discovered the soy protein, was a professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology at University of California (UC)-Berkeley for more than 30 years.
He retired this year to focus on FilGen, a biotech company that he founded to commercialize lunasin.
De Lumen, a native of Taytay, Rizal, was named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science last year for his “contributions to natural-products biochemistry,” especially lunasin.
The name “lunasin” was coined from the Tagalog word “lunas” or cure.
Read the full story here at GMA News........
Black Eyed Peas Star Filipino-American apl.de.ap celebrates his birthday by giving back to charity & Madonna. Performs Bebot.
Tuesday night was a night of celebration for Black Eyed Peas star apl.de.ap, and not just because it was his birthday party!
Read full story here at Celebuzz!.......
Filipino-American nurse Michael Tagadaya receives "New York Times 2011 Tribute to Nurses Award"
NEW YORK CITY - Filipino-American nurse received the "New York Times 2011 Tribute to Nurses Award" for innovation and leadership at the New York Times headquarters in Manhattan.
Michael Tagadaya, a nurse manager at the New York University (NYU) Hospital, was nominated in three different categories.
With his unique contributions to the nursing field, the awards
organizers said they created a new award category for the Filipino nurse
– the Innovation and Leadership Award.
“For me, to come from the Philippines and out of the almost a
million of Filipino nurses here sa buong America, it’s a huge honor,
napakalaking karangalan,” Tagadaya said.
As a nurse manager at the Ambulatory Surgery unit of the NYU
Hospital for Joint Diseases, Tagadaya created paddle pagers to ease the
family members’ concerns about their loved ones’ surgeries.
He also created new staff positions to bridge the gap between operating room and recovery room.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Enrique Iglesias's Filipina mother Isabel Preysler added to him being stronger, tougher and age better.
Filipino-American NFL football player Eugene Amano has 1st career reception
“It was great,” Hasselbeck said. “When a ball gets tipped, it’s anybody’s ball. Usually you get unlucky and a defender catches it. When it got tipped, my stomach kind of sank, and when Eugene caught it, I was cheering him on. I was his biggest fan.”
Tackle Mike Otto might have been even more excited about the grab.
“It was unbelievable,” Otto said. “I look up and I see Eugene catch it in stride and go downfield … That’s unbelievable. Eugene even looked semi-athletic and that’s impressive.”
Full story here at Titans Insider......
Assassinated Filipino-Americans Silme Domingo and Gene Viernes honored in the Philippines for their fight against Marcos
SAN FRANCISCO—Two Filipino Americans murdered in Seattle in 1981 by operatives of the Marcos dictatorship are among the first three Filipino Americans to be included in the Philippines’ roll of heroes of democracy.
Silme Domingo, Viernes Viernes, and Arturo Taca were added to the roster of heroes and martyrs of the Bantayog ng Mga Bayani (Wall of Remembrance) on Nov. 30, honoring those who died fighting the regime of Ferdinand Marcos. Domingo and Viernes were leading activists of the radical Katipunan ng mga Demokratikong Pilipino (Union of Democratic Filipinos); Taca was a leader of the moderate Movement for a Free Philippines.
Outraged by the rise of a dictatorial regime in the Philippines, the three joined thousands of U.S.-based Filipinos in the long fight against Marcos. Like Domingo and Viernes, many of these young Filipinos were children of immigrants who grew up in the United States, but who found themselves drawn to what was going on in their parents’ homeland.
It was a risky struggle. Marcos was known to have allies in the United States who spied on and bullied the regime’s opponents. In the case of Domingo and Viernes, the harassment turned to violence.
On June 1, 1981, three assassins walked into the Cannery Workers Local 37 in Seattle, and shot Domingo and Viernes. The murderers, led a by a known associate of the dictator, were arrested and convicted to life without parole. Taca died of natural causes.
Read more here at New America Media......
The world's strongest family is Filipino-American - Maricelle Garcia Mendelson
-By Steve Angeles, ABS-CBN North America Bureau
Chatsworth, Calif.–With several international and American bench press records and championships, the powerlifting community considers them the world’s strongest family.
Its matriarch is Filipina Maricelle Garcia Mendelson.
The 38-year-old Mendelson started her sports career as a fighter. She started lifting weights and by benching over 400 pounds she has won three world championships.
“I did it for stress release and I wanted it to help me focus and through it, I decided, I didn’t realize how strong I was I always knew I was strong. I always knew I was strong as a kid but as I did it I realized I’m really close to taking all the records,” recalled the mother of three.
Read the full story here at Balitang America........
The Filipina Women’s Network select Selenna Franco-Cefre as one of the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the U.S.
The Filipina Women’s Network (FWN) has selected Selenna Franco-Cefre, a Bay Area practicing Certified Public Accountant, as one of the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the United States. Selenna was honored under the “Builders and Emerging Leaders” category for her exceptional work as a young and emerging CPA and for her inspiring leadership and achievements as President of the University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Northern California (Berkeley) Chapter and Past President of PICPA-USA, an organization of Fil-Am CPAs in the Bay Area.
The 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the United States Award is a celebration of leadership, inspiration and achievement. It honors Filipina women who are changing the face of power in American communities, organizations and the workplace.
“These influential Filipina American women are dynamic entrepreneurs, rising stars under 40, emerging builders and executives who have moved through the ranks in large organizations, nonprofits and government agencies. They are powerful examples of women doing extraordinary work who will motivate our youth and future leaders,” said Gloria T. Caoile, political director of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) and co-chair of the FWN 100 Nationwide Search and Selection Committee. “They were selected from nominations submitted from 19 states.”
Read the full story here at Asian Journal......
CNN Hero of the Year - Filipino-American midwife Robin Lim
MANILA, Philippines - Robin Lim, a Filipino-American midwife who helps poor women have healthy pregnancies and births in Indonesia, has been named 2011 CNN Hero of the Year.
In Sunday's star-studded ceremony at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Lim received the CNN Hero of the Year 2011 award from Anderson Cooper.
"Today on our Earth, 981 mothers in the prime of their life will die -- and tomorrow again and yesterday. And I'm asking you to help change that. We don't even know how many babies are lost, but all of us can help change that," a tearful Lim said, as she accepted the honor.
Read full story here at ABS-CBN......
Filipino-American Actor and Comedian Alec Mapa Laurie Beechman Theatre in NY, February 9-11, 2012
Alec Mapa will perform his latest stand-up comedy show, Baby Daddy, at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, February 9-11, 2012. All performances are at 7:30pm.
The piece chronicles Mapa's latest adventures as he marches into the unchartered territory of gay fatherhood as he and his husband, producer Jamison Hebert, recently adopted a five-year-old boy.
Mapa starred on Broadway in M. Butterfly and additional New York theater credits include Dogeaters and A Language of Their Own. His solo show, I Remember Mapa won the LA Weekly Award for Best Solo Performance and has toured nationally.
Read more here at Theater Mania....
The National Federation of Filipino-American Associations NaFFAA urges Fil-Ams to be more involved in the political process
To highlight their importance in the United States, Filipino-Americans are urged to be more involved in the political process in their local communities, an immigration lawyer had said.
Legal expert Rolando Rex Velasquez urged members of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) to help fellow Filipinos be involved in political issues, particularly the voting process.
“It’s time to get organized. It’s time to let the politicians know that we too have a vote,” he said during the leadership and motivation summit of the NaFFAA Region XI last November 19.
Read the full story here at Asian Journal.....
Interview with Filipino-American Jo Koy at SanDiego.com
Jo Koy started his career as an entertainer at an early age when his mother would make him perform for large groups of friends and family during Filipino events in his hometown of Tacoma, Washington. Once he graduated from high school, Koy moved to Las Vegas where he attended UNLV (to appease his mother) while simultaneously plotting to become professional stand-up comedian. After honing his chops on the Vegas strip for a few years, Koy realized he need to move to Los Angeles in order to take his comedy to the next level. Koy has since appeared on The Tonight Show and has become one of the favorite panelists on E’s late night talk show, Chelsea Lately. Currently in the midst of his Lights Out tour, SanDiego.com had a chance to catch up with Koy from his home in Los Angeles and talked about his early years in comedy, advice on how to get representation as a young comic and why Filipino’s love Dr. Pepper so much.
From what I could gather your mom played a pivotal role in starting you out as a performer at a young age.
Jo Koy: She was in charge of this thing called the American Filipino Association. It was just a group of Filipinos that got together and hung out a lot and they would always through these events. She always seemed to be the one to take care of the talent, and that talent just happened to be my sister and myself.
Do you remember the first time you did stand-up?
JK: The first one was at a place called the Ventura Comedy Club and I don’t even know if that thing exists anymore. I didn’t tell anyone about it and I went up and I bombed so bad, I went right back to Vegas and it took me about a year and a half to get back onstage again. It was bad man, I didn’t tell anybody about that.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Denver Bronco's quarterback Tim Tebow was born in Makati City, Philippines and opening hospital in Davao City 2013
You would be hard pressed not to hear the name Tim Tebow in the world of sports today. The Denver Broncos quarterback and his unconventional style of play, along with his resiliency his and ability to win are among the hottest topics in America today. In addition to the notable fad of “Tebowing”, a well known characteristic of Tebow is his immense faith that he visibly carries with him both on and off the field.
A little known fact that most casual fans don't know about him is that he was actually born in Makati City in the Philippines. Combining his faith and following in his Missionary parents' footsteps, the Tim Tebow Foundation plans to break ground to open a children's hospital in Davao City, Philippines.
According to Tim, “The Philippines have always had a special place in my heart. I'm excited to be a part of this hospital that will being healing to thousands of children who would not otherwise have access to care”.
Read the full story here at BakitWhy......
Tim Tebow Announces the Tebow CURE Hospital from CURE Video on Vimeo.
Filipino-American Lynda Provido Johnson wins seat in the ABC Unified School District Board of Education
CERRITOS – Fil-Am Lynda Provido Johnson placed her purse quietly on the empty seat where a bronze placard read “member.” She walked across the room while people congratulated her and every so often, the 47-year-old Johnson would look back at the seat knowing that her purse and her place as a member of the ABC Unified School District Board of Education was safe.
“That’s when it hit me,” said Johnson. “When I placed my purse up there that’s when I knew I officially won.”
For the past several months, Johnson was in a heated race for the vacant seat in the ABC Board, left by Fil-Am Mark Pulido before he was elected a City Councilman. There were only two years remaining on the seat but for her, a long-time Cerritos resident and product of the ABC school system, it was a chance of a lifetime to serve the students she knew well.
A political newbie and urged to run by long-time friend Pulido, Johnson campaigned for the seat. She was one of four all vying for a place on the prestigious school board – one of the bests in the country.
Read the full story here at Asian Journal.....
Sunday, December 11, 2011
San Leandro's Filipino-American Glenn “Filipino Bomber” Donaire TKO's Sanchez for Interim Belt
San Leandro’s Glenn “Filipino Bomber” Donaire triumphantly returned to the ring Friday night with an eighth-round technical knockout of former strawweight world champion Alex “Nene” Sanchez of Puerto Rico in Kissimmee, Fla., for the WBC Latino interim flyweight title.
On the heels of a three-year hiatus from boxing, Donaire (18-4-1, 10 KOs) had some initial trouble with the shorter Sanchez (31-8-1, 21 KOs), but true to his nickname, the Filipino-American called on his power in the second round to floor his foe twice.
The first knockdown came via a right hand that dazed Sanchez and caused his gloves to touch the canvas. However, the referee hesitated before giving Sanchez an eight-count, which prompted Donaire to land two more short right hands to ensure the knockdown ruling.
Filipino-American Anna Maria Perez de Tagle performs a medley with the cast of Godspell on ABC's The View
Filipino-American Anna Maria Perez de Tagle and the cast of the 2011 Broadway revival of Godspell perform a medley including Prepare Ye (Wallace Smith), Day by Day (Anna Maria Perez de Tagle) and Light of the World on ABC's THE VIEW
Filipino-American boxer Brian Viloria keeps his WBO belt in the 8th versus Giovani Segura
MANILA, Philippines – Brian Viloria
delivered his punches in torrents to defuse Giovani Segura’s power shots
and the Filipino-American went on to retain his World Boxing Organization flyweight crown with an eighth-round stoppage at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City Sunday.
Wary of the Mexican’s lethal body shots,
Viloria brought the fight to the middle of the ring where he exploited
his superior technical skills and faster hands to expose chinks on
Segura’s defensive armor.
Segura’s right temple started to swell
from a series of hooks and straights as early as the second round even
as Viloria, also known as the Hawaiian Punch, sustained a cut in the
left eyebrow from a right straight by the fighter nicknamed Aztec Warrior.
It was all Viloria from there as he
repeatedly jarred the former world light flyweight titlist with
combinations, particularly early in the fourth round when he sneaked in a
right straight and a left hook to the delight of the crowd of about
5,000.
By the seventh round, the swelling had
grown in size and reduced Segura’s right eye into a slit, although the
Mexican bravely stayed on his feet and fought Viloria mainly with upper
cuts.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
FilipinoTown in LA is designated 'A Preserve America Community' by First Lady Michelle Obama
Los Angeles’s Historic Filipinotown was honored on October 31, 2011 when First Lady Michelle Obama, Honorary Chair of the Preserve America Initiative, designated it as one of the nation’s newest Preserve America Communities.
“Preserve America Communities demonstrate that they are committed to preserving America’s heritage while ensuring a future filled with opportunities for learning and enjoyment,” Mrs. Obama said. “This community designation program, combined with the Preserve America Grant Program, Preserve America Presidential Awards, and other federal support, provides strong incentives for continued preservation of our cultural and natural heritage resources. I commend you for your commitment to preserving an important part of our nation’s historic past for visitors, neighbors, and, most importantly, for children.” said the First Lady.
The National Preserve America Community application process for Historic Filipinotown (HiFi) was facilitated by Pilipino American Network and Advocacy (PANA), co-chaired by Dr. Ben Marte and Dr. Leo Pandac. As a Preserve America Community, HiFi will be featured in the National Register Travel Itineraries and in “Teaching with Historic Places” curricular materials created by the National Park Service. “PANA is grateful to First Lady Michelle Obama for bestowing HiFi with this honor.” said Marte, “We are also very proud to have facilitated the involvement of the many partners that made this designation possible, including Search To Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA), My HiFi, the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC), the HiFi Neighborhood Council, Inc., Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, City Council President Eric Garcetti, , the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and numerous other organizations and individuals.”
Historic Filipinotown was designated by the City of Los Angeles in 2002, culminating almost 30 years of advocacy by community leaders and activists seeking recognition of the area’s significance to the Filipino American Community. Downtown redevelopment after WWII displaced Los Angeles’ original Filipino enclave, causing many families to move west and settle along the Temple Street and Beverly Boulevard corridors. Today, the neighborhood is very diverse, with Filipinos living alongside numerous other ethnic and immigrant groups. However, it continues to serve as a historic and cultural center for the community, as evidenced by the numerous Filipino churches, community-based organizations, small businesses and other institutions still in existence. Additionally, the neighborhood is home to the Filipino WWII Veterans’ Memorial and Gintong Kasaysayan, Gintong Pamana (A Glorious History, A Glorious Legacy), the largest Filipino American-themed mural in the country.
Read more here at Asian Journal......
Filipino-American Lou Diamond Phillips is casted in 'Filly Brown'
Filipino-American Lou Diamond Phillips appears in a Hip Hop-driven drama about a Mexican girl who rises to fame and consciousness as she copes with the incarceration of her mother through music. This movie will be appearing in Sundance 2012.
Filipino-American Thia Megia from American Idol has a new single out
After being voted off of American Idol, Thia Megia hasn't stopped. Check out her new single 'ONE DAY' from the motion picture Quest For Zhu......as in the popular toys Zhu Zhu Pets. This Pinay has a beautiful voice and she makes us all so proud. Support her in all that she does.
Filipino American Human Services, Inc. FAHSI celebrate 18 years of serving the community
The Filipino American Human Services, Inc. FAHSI has been serving the New York community for 18 years now. Their programs and events have reached hundreds of people and families in the Filipino-American community.
Check them out here at FAHSI......
Filipino-American Cassie is coming back and in a badder fashion - King of Hearts (Trailer)
Filipina-American Cassie hasn't been in the music scene for some time now, but that's changing soon. She recently was on BET 106 & Park with her rumored to be boyfriend Diddy debuting the trailer for her new single, "King Of Hearts." The video depicts a badder version of Cassie that even shows her breast in a risque fashion. It's a must see.
Filipino American Teen Singer Jasmine Villagas - Official Angel Music Video
Here's Filipina-American Jasmine Villagas's official Angel Music video. She's humble and is proud of her Filipino heritage. She even has a cameo with Manny Pacquiao who has given her a lot of inspiration. This is a must see and something to be proud of as a Filipino-American. Support her in all that she does.
The Asian Journal gets to the heart of Filipino-American fashion designer Josie Natori
When fashion and design icon Josie Natori launched her Spring/Summer 2012 collection at the Asia Society in New York last September, she proudly showcased her Filipino roots.
For this new collection, Natori highlighted her signature East-West look by seamlessly combining style and sophistication with form and function with a sprinkling of elegance and glamor. For the fashion mogul, it is all about the Asian aesthetics and sensibilities and the Western contemporary lifestyle, and this has made Natori a distinct global brand which has survived these tough economic times.
The Natori accessories the models wore during the presentation were all custom-made in the Philippines, using local fabrics and materials.
“These are the kinds of things that I love doing. I’m very proud that they’re all made in the Philippines, alam mo hand-woven ito by an amazing artisan sa Bulacan. She actually just does placemats and we challenged her to make it into a bag,” Natori told the Asian Journal while showing us her purse for the evening.
That is how Natori thinks—the much-used ‘out-of-the-box’ perspective. How else could one envision that an abaca placemat can be made into a chic and fashionable evening purse? Or a small dish made out of capiz shells can be transformed into a belt buckle?
Read the full article here at Asian Journal......
Fil-Am Event - Singgalot (The Ties That Bind): Filipinos in America, from Colonial Subjects to Citizens @ Sonoma County Museum
November 19, 2011 – January 22, 2012
After tracing the first trans-oceanic trade missions between Manila and Acapulco in the 1500s, Singgalot explores the tenuous political relationship between the United States and the Philippines, when Spain ceded the Pacific-island following the Spanish-American War. Rarely seen historical images detail Filipino migration between 1906 and 1935 as Hawai'i sugar plantations, West Coast farms, and Alaskan canneries recruited Asians to join the labor force. When the U.S. government sounded the call to arms in the 1940s, Filipino immigrants answered, serving as infantrymen and earning respect from a grateful nation. Nearly 20 years later, the 1965 Immigration Act hastened a third major wave of Filipinos who would champion major changes in gender equality and class in the Filipino American community and make significant contributions to the fight for civil rights.
More event details here at Sonoma County Museum.....
Here's a video on the exhibit appearing in Los Angeles
Friday, December 9, 2011
Remember when Filipino-American Musicians Ruled the Airwaves in the 90's?
THERE WAS ONCE A TIME when the soul and R&B music scene wasn't dominated by precocious, hair-whipping preteens, leggy Caribbean beauties and fedora-topped, sneaker-wearing crooners with sharp suits and even sharper moves.
In the mid '90s, before Bruno Mars threw his "Grenade" and before the Black Eyed Peas phunked with our hearts, a generous swell of Filipino American soul and R&B music acts filled radio airwaves and concert stages in some major cities, in particular the San Francisco Bay Area, where many of these groups were based.
Among them was the boy band Kai, whose smooth-crooning slow jam "Say You'll Stay" reached No. 59 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1998 and was the second Filipino American act to release an album on a major label, after Jocelyn Enriquez's 1997 album Jocelyn was released on Tommy Boy Records. Fueled by the infectious freestyle club hits "Do You Miss Me?" and "A Little Bit of Ecstasy," Jocelyn hit No. 12 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Other popular Filipino American R&B/pop acts of that era include: Pinay (hit song: "Is It Real?"), Devotion ("When I"), OneVoice ("When You Think About Me"), M:G ("Sweet Honesty") and Buffy ("Give Me a Reason").
While they benefited from the stratospheric insurgence of R&B acts like Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, TLC and Janet Jackson during this period and gained some fame among urban Asian American youth, most of these groups were left unrecognized by the American mainstream. Musicians of that era say that, because of their race, they were unable to vault over the marketability hurdle in the music industry, which was practically insurmountable only 15 years ago — and is still only slowly being overcome today.
In 1993, University of California, Berkeley, students Irma Laxamana, Maylene Briones, Angelica Abiog McMurtry and Jocelyn Enriquez (yes, that Jocelyn Enriquez) formed Pinay. A Filipino American version of En Vogue, the group got its start performing at a Filipino student group event on campus. "We got such an amazing response from the crowd, that we did another event and then another and another," Laxamana said. "It just kept on going."
Enriquez left the band shortly after to sign as a solo artist with local Filipino American-run independent music label Classified Records, and her 1994 debut album featured the hit singles "I've Been Thinking About You" and "Make It Last Forever." Pinay eventually signed to the label as well.
Read the full story here at Hyphen......
What are your fond memories during the 90's when you heard Filipino-American's singing on the radio? Write you comments below.
Cast your vote for Filipino-American Bruno Mars vs. Beyonce
Interview with Filipino-American Mark Munoz - He wants be the Pacquiao of UFC
Watch this awesome interview of Filipino-American UFC fighter Mark Munoz by FightNewsFightCam. Check out what he says about him wanting to be the Pacquiao of the UFC.
Macy's Ideology Collection by Filipino-American Cheryl Burke
As Rob Kardashian played DJ last night at New York City's Dream hotel with techno renditions of hits by the likes of Rihanna and Lady Gaga, his "Dancing With The Stars" partner, Cheryl Burke, sat down with us to discuss her forthcoming collection of active-wear for Macy's, Ideology. The show's perennial favorite confesses her body isn't always the easiest to dress: "I feel like I am definitely curvy. I'm petite with hips. I've got boobs! I have an ass!" Even though she has a body that many admire, Burke admitted: "I'm insecure about fat bulging up. With exercise pants, the elastic is often too tight and you start seeing fat pop out. With these [Ideology exercise pants] everything is flat and nothing is coming over the waistband."
Full story here at Stylelist......
The NBA is back and so is our Filipino-American coach Erik Spoelstra
Check out this quick video bio on the first NBA Filipino-American coach Erik Spoelstra done by TFC.
Did Filipino-American Nicole Scherzinger make a crucial mistake with voting Rachel Crow off X-Factor?
If you didn't watch last night's X-Factor competition, then you missed out on why our Pinay sister Nicole Scherzinger is receiving so much drama and heat for her voting decision. The last vote came upon Nicole. She voted for the young and soulful Rachel Crow. Nicole's attitude was torn and unsure about her decision. By doing so she put the competition in a deadlock. As a result the final votes came down to the viewers. The viewers chose Marcus Canty and Rachel had the lowest votes. She was now voted off the show.
While Rachel was voted off the show, she cried drastically and wailed like someone was shot on stage. Beforehand, Rachel displayed pure confidence on stage. That's what made her so appealing at times.
As a result, Nicole is getting lots of media and fan hate for what most people feel is that she ruined Rachel's future. Now did Nicole really intend that or was it planned all along? Conspiracy theorists say it might of been planned out.
But here's my personal debate.....if Rachel can't handle being voted off how can she handle getting rejected by business people and the general public. She may be a great singer, but her confidence will soon be ruined when reality hits here. In my opinion, it was good she got voted off. That way this experience will give her strength. She needs to achieve failure before really achieving. We all fall so that we can learn to get right back up, right?
So while many people "hate" on Nicole for her voting decision she should be commended. Why? She gave Rachel what true Pinays struggle with everyday; the ups and downs of life. Nicole gave her a dose of what a music career entails.
Now remember Nicole is a hard worker......she's an inspiration to most and a strong Pinay. Her Filipino-American blood and heritage has helped her overcome many career obstacles. She never gives up. Personally, I think it was her way of giving Rachel an experience that Nicole probably experienced way too many times.
All in all, viewers are forgetting it wasn't Nicole that sent her home, but America didn't give her enough votes to stay on the show.
So....what do you think? I'm curious! Post your comments...thanks!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Filipino-American Musician AJ Rafael Discusses His Roots and New Album
OA: You wrote your first song when you were 15 and
you’ve been pursuing music full on the past six years. How has your
style evolved from the beginning?
AJR: I’m happy to say
this; it’s stayed true to its roots. I first wrote a song and the band
Mae inspired it, and it wasn’t typical of an Asian to be singing that
type of music. I saw My American Heart and there were two Filipinos in
the band and they used to play the Warped Tour all the time. I didn’t
know them personally but they influenced my music. All of these Asian
guys can do rock, these Filipino guys can do rock. I’m glad it’s stayed
there, but that era was really important. I could have easily gone to do
R&B, Asian Americans are known for doing that. With the band, I’ve
been turning down a lot of shows that just want to book me solo because I
want to create that image of, “This is me and this is my music.” It’s
not just acoustic anymore, but I still do love acoustic, I want to put
out an acoustic album. I still love that stuff but I want to show them
that, “Hey, this is powerful music.” I’ve gotten better at singing. I’m
not the type to just put up a video of me singing; I’m more comfortable
having an instrument behind me. I feel like I’ve gotten better at
singing because I went to Berkelee and being around singers made me
better. I don’t know about the evolution of my music, but the evolution
of my skills.
Filipino-American Capt. Monessa Catuncan Beats the Odds and Becomes a USAF F-16 Fighter Pilot
In the tough world of fighter pilots where male chauvinism rules supreme, an intrepid 29-year-old Filipino woman beat the odds to become the first Filipina to fly the supersonic F-16 fighter jet that ferried combat missions in Iraq as a member of the United States Air Force (USAF).
Capt. Monessa Catuncan, whose parents were originally from Pasay City and Olongapo City, was featured by the Asian Journal for her remarkable achievements as an F-16 fighter pilot that brought pride and honor to both the U.S. and the Philippines.
Filipino-American Gregory Galgana Villar III is NASA's Youngest Engineers at 24
If all goes according to plan, the rover will be abseiling down from a hovering “sky crane” to set off across the surface of Mars equipped with equipment to analyze Martian soil and rocks for evidence that Earth’s neighbor might once have been supported life.
Among the inspiring people at NASA, who worked on the Mars Curiosity project, is Filipino-American Gregory Galgana Villar III. He is one of the youngest verification and validation engineers for the Mars Science Laboratory mission.
Full story here at InterAksyon......
Filipino-American Chad Hugo of the Neptunes Named One of Top 10 Most Stylish Hip-Hop Producers Right Now by Complex
Chad Hugo shies away from the limelight, and the way he dresses himself reflects this perfectly. The other half of the Neptunes doesn't get enough credit when it comes to style. Chad stays laid-back in Vans, tees, and beanies, but still manages to look fresh.
Read more here at Complex.....
Filipino-American Kent Avenido 'Howard Bamboo' on Glee
Filipino fans of the worldwide TV phenomenon “Glee” know that it has showcased stars with Pinoy roots like Charice, Darren Criss, and Tamlyn Tomita. But they were not the first Filipino “Glee” cast member.
As early as the first season, Kent Avenido has been showing his singing and comedic chops as Howard Bamboo, a recurring character on the show.
Full story here at ABS-CBN......
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Filipino teachers happy with Caddo jobs, lives after recruiting fiasco
With two suitcases in hand, they left their homes, families and the lives they knew in hopes of living the American Dream.
The opportunity seemed almost too good to be true and in some ways was.
The 43 highly qualified and experienced Filipino teachers had spent years working in public and private schools in their native country. They hoped to help themselves and their families by applying for hard-to-fill positions in math, science, English and special education in Caddo public schools.
They saw it not only as an opportunity to use their talents in the United States, but also as a prospect for a better life for their families.
"I prayed for this," said Ireen Rivera, one of the nearly four dozen Filipino teachers Caddo hired in 2008. "It was the opportunity to come to America and live the dream I had always imagined."
Full story here at Shreve Port Times......
Filipino-American Actor Jon Jon Briones lead star of 'The Romance of Magno Rubio'
Jon Jon Briones is the lead star of "The Romance of Magno Rubio," the Los Angeles production of Lonnie Carter's play, which tells the story of early Filipino immigrants in America.
From a simple life in Manila, Briones got his big break in playing the Engineer on "Miss Saigon" international productions.
"I owe a lot to 'Miss Saigon.' It changed my life in so many ways. I met my wife because of it," he said.
Full story here at GuamPDN.....
Call Centers in the Philippines are Becoming a Better Choice for U.S. Companies
Over the past several years, a quiet revolution has been reshaping the call center business: the rise of the Philippines, a former U.S. colony that has a large population of young people who speak lightly accented English and, unlike many Indians, are steeped in U.S. culture.
More Filipinos — about 400,000 — than Indians now spend their nights talking to mostly U.S. consumers, according to industry officials, as companies like AT&T, JPMorgan Chase and Expedia have hired call centers here, or even built their own. The jobs have come from the U.S., Europe and, to some extent, India as outsourcers followed their clients to the Philippines.
Full story here at Bend Bulletin......
Monday, December 5, 2011
Filipino-American Ice Skaters Travel Back to the Philippines to Compete
It’s A decision Filipino-American Melissa Bulanhagui certainly doesn’t regret.
A former Team USA skater, Bulanhagui showcased her talent for the first time in the Philippines to capture the senior ladies crown in the National Figure Skating Championship Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia ice skating rink.
“My parents have been begging me to do it,” said Bulanhagui, a 21-year-old Delaware native whose Filipino parents, Alfredo and Lourdes, trace their roots in Bauan, Batangas.
“I’m proud of what I’ve done for Team USA and I’m now ready to do my work for the Philippines.”
35 Filipino-American Students receive Dr. Jose Rizal Youth Awards
A project
of the Philippine American Foundation for Charities, Inc. (PAFC) and
supported by the Embassy, the youth awards aims to give recognition to
outstanding Filipino-American students for achieving excellent grades
while being active in extracurricular undertakings.
Through the Dr. Jose Rizal Youth Awards, young Filipino-Americans are encouraged to learn more about the Philippine national hero.
This year's youth awards also commemorates the 150th birth anniversary of the national hero.
This
year's awardees received a medal and certificate signed by Ambassador
Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., PAFC President Rebecca Pagsibigan, and PAFC Vice
President and Chairman of the Dr. Jose Rizal Youth Awards Roberto
Tamayo.
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