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For the past 17 years, The Filipino Express has provided the Filipino American community the best news, arts and entertainment coverage from around the United States and the Philippines.
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This website includes selected articles from this week's edition of the Filipino Express. Not all the stories published in the printed version appear on this site.
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NEW YORK --- On Oct. 5, 2004, over 150 Filipinos and Americans witnessed and heard, some for the first time, the illustrious works of Philippine national artist, Nick Joaquin.
Presented by the Philippine Economic and Cultural Endowment (PEACE), in cooperation with the Ma-Yi Theater Company and the Philippine Consulate General in New York, the special tribute centered on readings of Joaquin’s poems, essays, and plays.
The presentation, dubbed “Portrait of the Artist as Nick Joaquin: Celebrating the Life and Works of a Beloved National Artist,” was directed by Andrew Eisenman and featured the talents of Cora Custodio, Carlos Palanca awardee Luis Francia, Lydia Gaston, Mariana Newhard, Isolda Oca, Joseph Pe and Randy Reyes.
“We are very happy that this happened in New York and that many came this evening. To my knowledge, this was the first tribute being given for him in the United States or even perhaps outside the Philippines. Indeed, Mr. Nick Joaquin has a lot of fans and following here in New York,” said Consul General Cecilia B. Rebong.
Making the event even more special was the presence of Nick Joaquin’s family members --- his grandnieces Margarita Joaquin Marasigan, Jennifer Joaquin, Melissa Chia and her husband Christopher Chia.
“I was walking by the consulate one morning when I saw the poster for the tribute to my grand-uncle! I had to call our relatives right away,” exclaimed Margarita Joaquin Marasigan, who works three blocks from the Philippine Center on Fifth Avenue.
“This tribute gave me a deeper appreciation of my granduncle’s works. I had wanted to attend the national funeral and tributes in Manila, but couldn’t. Tito Onching’s relatives are very grateful to the organizers for bringing this tribute to the community here,” said Melissa Chia, granddaughter of Enrique Joaquin, Nick’s brother.
The evening started with a flash presentation of Joaquin’s personal/family photos and work titles. There were Welcome Remarks by Dr. Lestrino Baquiran, PEACE Past President, and Messages from Consul General Rebong, PEACE-USA President Nelson Bocar who flew in from Oklahoma with his family, and Ma-Yi’s Executive Director, Jorge Ortoll. The director, Andrew Eisenman, chose the following Joaquin works: excerpts from The Woman Who Had Two Navels, Manila, My Manila and Summer Solstice, the poems The Years, Song Between Wars and three acts from Joaquin’s most popular play, A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino.
The performance attracted a distinguished audience composed of old-timer New Yorkers like Loida Nicolas Lewis, and newcomers to New York like Bernardo Bernardo.
There were also second generation Filipino-Americans who were hearing Nick Joaquin’s works for the first time.
Nick Joaquin’s effect crossed borders and generations that evening. “For the young generations of Filipino-Americans, who have never met or read Nick Joaquin, we hope tonight kindled their interest to read the works of the man who has written so much about the Filipino way of life,” said Lestrino Baquiran, MD, whose original idea it was to hold the tribute.
He believed it was the perfect endeavor for PEACE in pursuing its cultural mission. He also extolled Joaquin who for many, was the most distinguished Filipino writer in English.
“I grew up reading his children’s books. I actually brought the collection with me, among those are my most treasured collections tonight,” said Gennevieve Javellana, a young professional guest. “I am so honored to have met his family tonight.”
An official artwork was created for the Tribute to Nick Joaquin in New York. Deb Flores, the Manila-based artist tapped to create this shared the concept behind her design.
“It had to be colorful because I believe Nick Joaquin has been a very vibrant, thought- provoking, and passionate person – what kind of poet/writer/beer drinker wouldn’t? Apart from his face, there are 3 other elements: the “battlefield,” the hills that are actually a woman’s torso, and the initials,” Flores said.
“The battlefield signifies Nick’s eloquence surrounding war and post-war awareness, The woman’s torso is a key image representing his best and most popular work, “The Woman Who Had Two Navels.” The orange color is for energy, a playful take at his fondness of San Miguel beer. The initials stand for his first name, NICK; the choice of the font is eleborate and baroque – pretty much like the flavor of his work, a melting pot of Spanish-English articulation,” she said.
“One great impression I have of Mr. Nick Joaquin is his deep love for his country. You can sense itl in his works,” said Jorge Ortoll.
Prior to reading a chapter for the guests, Andrew Eisenman, said “This is not the easiest novel to read, but once you get through it, “The Woman Who Had Two Navels” is an experience that will forever change your life.”
The Philippine Economic and Cultural Endowment (PEACE), founded in 1986, has pursued projects that enhance growth, encourage self-help and lead to a spirit of community or national cooperation.
As of August 2004, PEACE, through individual donors and organizations has built an estimated 350 water projects, such as artesian wells and water systems in areas without potable water supply (about 50% of rural areas in the Philippines, based on statistics), in provinces stretching from Cagayan in the north to Basilan in the south. PEACE also raised and donated emergency funds for Mt. Pinatubo’s victims, the resettlement of displaced Aetas in Tarlac and aid for deported Filipinos from Malaysia.
In recognition of its achievements, PEACE received the LINKAPIL Award, the highest Presidential Award for humanitarian service in 1996 from then Philippine President Fidel Valdez Ramos.
Membership in PEACE is obtained by invitation with sponsorship by two charter members. For further information, contact: Nelson Bocar, M.D. President, PEACE, USA at (405)722-2163 or Daniel Santos, M.D., Executive Director, PEACE, USA at (219)426-5431.
Ma-Yi Theater Company, since its founding in 1989, has endeavored to develop, produce, and present plays and performance pieces that explore the Asian-American experience. It has established a venue for artists willing to tackle relevant issues in their changing world. Through its work, the company bridges the gaps that exist between people created by distance and cultural misconceptions.
From Oct. 9 to Nov. 21, Ma-Yi Theater Company is hosting the Performing Ethnicity International Conference and Arts Festival, in association with the City College of New York - Harlem campus, University of the Philippines and the Queens-based Philippine Forum.
Productions include the world premiere of Savage Acts at Ohio Theater by Kia Corthron, Jorge Ignacio Cortinas, Han Ong and Sung Rno, directed by Ma-Yi’s Artistic Director Ralph Peña; and the New York premiere of International WOW Company’s Death of Nations, by the much acclaimed director Josh Fox, at the Teatro Heckscher of El Museo del Barrio. Other events include the Hip Hop festival, slam poetry, stand up comics and much more! For a complete listing of events, please visit our website at www.ma-yitheatre.org
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NEW YORK --- A number of community leaders have come out openly endorsing Nimia Lacebal and her group of Filipino and Filipino-American community leaders, who refer to themselves as “The Team” candidates for the president and 13 board of directors of the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. (PIDCI) to fill its entire leadership slate for 2004-2005.
Lacebal leads the group as the candidate for president. Th team’s candidates for the 13 seats of the PIDCI board are: Sofia Abad, Ronnie Atinaja, Baby Bleza, Tony Bordamonte, Philip Carreon, Lolita Compas, Raul Estrellado, Emmanuel “Boy” Pangan, Nelsie Parrado, Ave Pimo, Gani Puertollano, Rexie Tagle, and Tambi Wycoco.
The team is capitalizing on the composition of its lineup who are not only mostly professionals but also collectively claim to have 129 years of experience in the annual Philippine Independence anniversary celebration, now on its 15th year.
The initial endorsements have come from a cross section of community organization leaders in the tri-state area.
An honorary deputy mayor of Jersey City and overall chairperson of one of New Jersey’s largest and oldest organizations that holds a similar celebration annually in Jersey City, the Philippine American Friendship Committee, Inc. (PAFCOM) cited Lacebal.
In her endorsement, Ludy Payumo Corrales, PAFCOM overall chairperson, said Lacebal’s “expertise in conceptualizing the theme and supervising the parade” coupled with the efforts of their large pool of volunteers contributed greatly to the “tremendous success” of the June 27 parade.
Corrales added that Lacebal’s “managerial skills, coupled with vision and long years of leadership and experience organizing parades and festivals are hard to find in our community these days.”
Corrales “strongly believes” that Lacebal’s performance was the reason she (Corrales) was appointed honorary deputy mayor after city officials were impressed by the spectacle and success of the Filipino parade they had witnessed.
The other endorsements came from Monina Latuja, president of the Philippine American Communities Executive Council (PACEC) -- New York’s oldest and largest umbrella organization -- and Fe Caliolio, 2003 Philippine Independence Day Parade Grand Marshal, and currently president of Phil Am Faces of New Jersey.
Latuja said “there’s no one more experienced” than Lacebal for the twin task of presiding over PIDCI and planning, organizing and executing the Philippine Independence Anniversary celebration in New York. The PACEC president added that Lacebal’s lineup of directors are “superbly equipped” to get things done “the right way the first time” for the PIDCI presidential candidate.
Caliolio, who is the Philippine Independence celebration’s most prolific fundraising Grand Marshal in recent years, said Lacebal’s experience in the annual celebration “alone is enough to blow away any challenger for the presidency” of PIDCI. Caliolio further said the individual and collective “experience and performance records” of Lacebal’s team of Board candidates can only enhance her election chances.
Others who endorsed Lacebal and her team were Lett Llagas-Dayao, 2001 overall chairperson of the Philippine Independence Day Committee (PIDCI), the ad-hoc organization that originally started the annual celebration in 1990.
Carmen Flores, 2002-2003 president of the Federation of Philippine Societies in New Jersey and 2001 PAFCOM overallchairperson, and Loreto Elgo, president of the Federation of Filipino Associations of Connecticut.
Llagas-Dayao expressed her “unequivocal endorsement” of Lacebal for the presidency of PIDCI for looking like the only one who can provide an enlightened dynamic of “an evolved leadership perspective, a new leadership ethics.”
Flores cited the team of 13 candidates for the PIDCI Board as “collectively, of the same caliber and performance track record” as Lacebal, who “has no equal when it comes to leading PIDCI.”
Elgo, the lone Connecticut leader to endorse Lacebal so far, said Lacebal is the only choice for president of PIDCI now that the celebration’s overall chairperson position of has been absorbed into the presidency.
More endorsements were received from the overall chairperson who started it all, Honesto “Ness” Quijano, of the Philippine Independence Day Committee (PIDCI) of 1990. Quijano says “now that the overall chairperson is gone...it is imperative” to elect Lacebal as president of PIDCI, who will take the place of the erstwhile overakk chairperson.
Aleli Alvarez, a community leader in her own right, asked to be quoted as an individual in her endorsement of Lacebal for 2004-2005 president of PIDCI, writing: “She will bring a different kind of leadership as chairperson of PIDCI. She welcomes disparates views and then works towards a consensus. Always the goal is one team, one community.”
The entire lineup of officers of PIDCI for the fiscal year 2004-2005 will be elected at large in this year’s delayed elections, a result of PIDCI bylaws being amended twice in the last few months, first by the current Board last July 19, then by the member organizations August 2, before finally being ratified by the membership September 16.
The elections for president and the entire membership of the board of directors (13) are scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 30, at the Philippine Center at 556 Fifth Avenue, New York City, starting at 12:00 noon through 5:00 p.m.
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NEW YORK --- Are you ready to spend your summer in the Philippines?
The Ayala Foundation USA is announcing the 2005 Filipino-American Youth Leaders Fellowship Program, which will take place from June 24 to August 19, 2005
The Fellowship is an 8-week summer work program for Filipino-Americans who want to contribute to social development in the Philippines through firsthand exposure, experience, and action.
Fifteen to twenty fellows will be chosen to participate in the program in the Philippines, including:
- A series of workshops on Filipino culture and history, with visits to selected sites of historical and cultural interest;
- A meaningful, relevant work program with a host educational institution, a non-government organization, or a government agency. Fellows;
will be housed with a Filipino host family in their areas of assignment;
- Documentation by the fellow to enable him/her to impart the experience to other Filipino Americans in the U.S.; and
- Fellows, upon their return to the U.S., are expected to extend their fellowship by engaging in activities benefiting the program and the host organizations.
The total cost for the program is $1,200, excluding airfare and related expenses. Full and partial scholarships will be available for a selected number of deserving applicants.
The deadline of application is set for Jan. 14, 2005.
Selection Interviews will be from Feb. 7 to March 7, 2005. Notification of Fellows is on March 31, 2005
The fellowship program seeks bright, self-motivated individuals of Filipino heritage, who are proven and emerging leaders committed to ethical and effective leadership.
The applicants should be: Preferably 18 to 25 years of age; strong academic performance; good communication and interpersonal skills; strong personal initiative and motivation; desire to make an active contribution to the social development of the Philippines; evidence of leadership experience or potential, and meaningful involvement in their community; ability to work well independently and within a diverse group; willingness to do fellow work anywhere in the Philippines for an 8-week term; willingness to participate in all of the program activities for the specified 8-week term; and commitment to post fellow program activities.
The application form may be downloaded from the AF-USA website at www.ayalafoundation.org or requested from tricia@teamlbc.com.
Applications must be mailed to the secretariat office by Jan. 14, 2005.
For more information please contact the secretariat office: Tricia Garcia c/o LBC Foundation 362 East Grand Avenue, South San Francisco, CA 94080 1-800-338-5424 extension 3024. Or visit the program website at www.ayalafdnusa.org
The Fellowship is sponsored by LBC Foundation, Ayala Foundation USA, with support from Chevron Texaco.
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