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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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10-yr old Filipino kid wins National Award for
Physical Education and Science
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A 10-year old Filipino from Bergen County was named winner of the United States National Award in Physical Education and Science.
Michael Agatep, of New Milford, was also selected to participate in the People to People World Leadership Forum in Washington D.C. next year.
The US Achievement Academy, which sponsored the National Award, selects the winners based on recommendations of teachers, coaches and counselors. Winners are seclected based on their academic performance, interest and aptitude, leadership qualities, responsibility, motivation to learn, citizenship and cooperative spirit.
Agatep, who will be in 6th Grade in September, will join a select group of students in the World leadership Forum who will earn high school credit while studying leadership and exploring some of the US’ prominent monuments and institutions.
He was selected by the People to People Student Ambassador Program because of his outstanding scholastic merit, civic involvement and leadership potential. The program is coordinated .
Agatep attends the Catholic Academy of Northern Valley in Demarest, Bergen County.
Agatep is the son of Benjamin and Maria Agatep of New Milford. Benjamin, a realtor, hails from Vigan, Ilocos Sur, while Maria, who has her own promotion products company, is from Manila.
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NEW YORK --- As the July temperatures climb up to sunstroke levels, the hot demand for Fil-Am rock music got another boost towards the same when 2 new venues opened its doors to Fil-Am rock artists to showcase their undeniable talents.
Now, all Fil-Am music fans will get a chance to see their favorite local acts regularly in these familiar Filipino establishments.
Subic Bar and Restaurant
This bar and grill venue located at 38 Kellog St., along highway 440 in Jersey city , has been the hub of karaoke enthusiasts and food lovers whose cravings for authentic Filipino dishes and ‘pulutans’ like ‘Crispy Pata’ and ‘Chicharon Bulaklak’ can only be equaled by their drive to rip their and lungs into Mr. Sinatra’s ‘My Way” and Marco Sison’s “My Love Will See You Through”.
Enter Jason Purino. Jason is the lead vocalist of Fil-Am rock group Grim Bottle and also the CEO of Nosaj Entertainment, a production outfit which made its bones producing quality rock shows by local acts, and Philippine-based supebands like Rivermaya and Parokya ni Edgar.
Mr. Purino met with the management team of Subic and suggested a Pinoy rock night every Friday at the venue. The owners agreed. So, on June 24, 2005, the Ear Play Band took the stage and opened the Friday night Pinoy Rock Bands at Subic.
Ear Play was followed by NJ rock band Bleud on July 1, The Happy Analogues on July 8, and will be follwed by Warholsoup on the 15th.
The complete August performers will be: The Grudge on August 5, Grim Bottle on August 12, Daisychain on August 19 and a return performance for Ear Play on August 26.
Now, Friday nights will never be the same for Jersey City-based Fil-Am rock fans who has endured years of crossing the Hudson River just to see their favorite local bands in New York City.
No more path trains and ferries for now because the show has moved right into their doorsteps.
Kayumanggi Lounge
Not to be outdone are the pinoy rock fans in Woodside, NY who trooped to this cozy, new age designed hangout at 62nd street and Broadway last July 9 to savor yet another Pinoy rock show organized by Fil-Am pinoy rock fathers Jun Fabella and Ted Cacanindin of Daisychain.
Kayumanggi Lounge - the newly annointed rock joint was established in 2003 by the extra cool husband and wife team of Manny and Loida Ang.
After years of existing as a KTV bar, the pair asked Jun and Ted to start something for Saturdays which could tap the youth market. Hence, the concept of a pinoy rock saturday was conceived.
And last Saturday, July 9, was the opening of the first Pinoy rock Saturday at the Kayumanggi Lounge.
The show was graced by some of the premiere rock groups in the scene like The Grudge, which played their trademark hard rock music augmented by their new vocalist Jing, who was as hot as the sizzling “sisig’ being served.
The second act was Bleud, which performed all their album-bound songs, including their hit song ‘Bye Bye Na’.
Daisychain came next and performed a legendary set of their greatest original material, which was also compiled in an album called Sta. Mesa Sessions. The cd is now out in the market.
The last band to rock the joint was Warholsoup, whose funky sound quickly established the groove that could make them a prime player in this healthy music scene .
It may seem too early to tell, but so far, 2005 has been very kind to the Fil-Am music scene here in the East coast; with more venues willing to host the pinoy rock bands , independent pinoy record labels sprouting out from everywhere, mainstream radios playing airtime worthy Fil-Am music, mainstream writers covering the scene; indie Fil-am film directors using indie fil-am music for their soundtracks, and a surge in the number of talented bands and record producers.
If this growth continues in the years to come, we might see the scene blossom out to be a whole living Fil-Am music industry - and that’s a good thing.
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SAN FRANCISCO --- Filipino-Americans in San Francisco, California, on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) staged a protest rally against President Arroyo.
The online newssite Balita.org reported that around 30 activists belonging to the US chapter of Bayan Muna protested outside the Philippine consulate at about the same time that a similar demonstration was being held in Makati Wednesday afternoon.
“This is not just about the tape,” a Bayan Muna statement said, referring to wiretapped phone conversation Mrs. Arroyo had with a election official that her critics say was evidence of cheating. “This is really about her not serving the majority of the people, but just serving herself.”
The group added: “Democracy is not how this president was put in office. What we’re seeing today throughout the Philippines is a democratic voice that will not be denied. We feel that her downfall is imminent.”
Mrs. Arroyo, however, also has her share of supporters in San Francisco, among them Gloria Navarette, who claimed she voted for the President in last year’s absentee balloting in the Bay Area.
Navarette said she campaigned for Mrs. Arroyo in last year’s polls. She also said that she has always been in touch with what is happening in the Philippines.
Navarette said that ever since the “Gloriagate” tape controversy broke out last month, she and her Filipino-American friends have been following developments in the Philippines more closely.
Despite the rising clamor for Mrs. Arroyo’s resignation, Navarette said the President should not step down from office. Her resignation would disrupt “the process of democracy and that’s not right.”
Navarette said Mrs. Arroyo has “asked forgiveness. And who else will take over?”
Other Filipino-Americans thought differently.
Immigration lawyer and newspaper columnist Rodel Rodis said: “I would suggest that [Mrs. Arroyo] seriously consider letting go, take the easy way out. I’ll go for resignation.”
Ted Laguatan, another Filipino-American lawyer, said he did not vote for Mrs. Arroyo although he sees the crisis as an opportunity for a bigger change.
“Her best direction is to do what is right,” he said. “Subukan n’ya mag-charter change tapos mag-resign siya (She should try Charter change then resign),” he said. (Balita.org)
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