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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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To tell us what you think about Filipino Express Online or to comment on the stories published here, E-mail us at Filexpress@aol.com
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Bergenfield, NEW JERSEY --- Wilson and Jocelyn Verzosa, who were earlier crowned as “Mr. and Mrs. Philippines USA 2005”, received another prestigious award. They were named “Outstanding Parents of the Year” in Bergenfield, NJ.
Wilson, who is currently the senior financial administrator of Mellon Investor and Financial Corp. in New Jersey, has been active with Filipino American associations, most notably the Philippine Independence Day Council Inc. (PIDCI) and the Association of Armed Forces of the Philippines Personnel Inc, east Coast, USA.
He served in the Philippine military for nine years.
Jocelyn, currently an Emergency Room nurse at Passaic Beth Israel Regional Medical Center in Passaic. NJ, has served as a member of the parade marshal committee of the PIDCI since 2001.
Wilson hails from Lipa City in Batangas in Southern Tagalog, while Jocelyn came from Bacolod City in Negros Occidental, Western Visayas.
The Verzosas have three children. Their daughter, Vina Joy, 20, a nursing student, a consistent dean’s lister, a member of the Alpha Epsilon Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and a consistent winner of Filipino American beauty pageants.
This year, she was the Philippine Day Organizing Council’ “Miss Philippine Day 2005” in Jersey City. Last year, she won the “Miss Philippine Independence 2004”, organized by PIDCI and the Philippine Consulate General in New York.
They have two sons: Patrick Jason, 13, is an orchestra member at the Roy W. Brown Middle School in Bergenfield and is a member of the of Bergenfield traveling basketball team. Wilson Jeffrey, 7, a second grader, is also an aspiring basketball player.
Wilson is on his second term as president of the AFP Personnel in the East Coast Inc., a non-profit organization of retired or resigned officers and men of the Philippine military.
He is currently on the board of directors of PIDCI; he has served as chairman of the parade marshal and security committee for the Independence Day parade in New York since 2001.
This year, he was parade chairman tasked to organize the 2005 Independence Day Grand Parade Celebrations that were held in New York and New Jersey; by the PIDCI in Manhattan; the Philippine American Friendship Committee (PAFCOM) in Jersey City; and by the Philippine Day Organizing Committee (PDOC) in Passaic, NJ.
He is the overall chairman of the 2005 Filipino Heritage Foundation Inc. and a member of the board of directors of the Garden State Filipino American Association Inc.
Jocelyn, a registered nurse in the states of New Jersey, California and Florida, has served in thePIDCI’s parade marshal committee since 2001. She is on her second term as executive secretary of the AFP Personnel Inc. East Coast, USA.
She is the president of the Philippine American Humanitarian Society Inc. in New Jersey and a member of the board of directors of the Negrosanon USA in New York.
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Jersey City, NEW JERSEY --- For their leadership and involvement in the Filipino American community, the husband and wife team of Francis and Evelyn Sison have been selected as Jersey City’s “Outstanding Parents of the Year”.
Both Francis and Evelyn hailed from Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur in Northern Luzon.
Francis runs his own import-export business FDS Enterprise and his employment agency. He is an active member of the Kansas City, Missouri-based People to People International, and an active leader of various Filipino American organizations in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Philadelphia area.
Evelyn, a registered nurse currently with the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, NJ, is also active with People to People International.
People to People, an international organization founded by President Dwight Eisenhower, aims to encourage international understanding through educational, cultural and humanitarian exchange among peoples from different countries.
The Sisons have two sons, Michael Vincent, 25, and Carl Francis, 16.
Michael Vincent holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Bio-Medicine from Rutgers University and is currently taking up Nursing at the Bayonne Medical Center School of Nursing.
Carl Francis, a consistent honor student at McNair Academy in Jersey City, aspires to become an Army surgeon.
Francis Sison is presently the president of the Santa Maria Ilocos Sur Association in the Eastern Seaboard Inc., of which he was one of the founders.
In 2003 and 2004, he served as the Executive Ball chairman of Performing Arts Philippines Inc. and the Philippine Community Center, spearheading the fundraising drive to benefit gifted Filipino American youth artists.
Last year, he was the New Jersey chairman of the of the Philippine Independence Day Council Inc., and presently a committee chairman of the Garden State Filipino American Association.
This year, Francis is a chairman for three of the largest Filipino American umbrella organizations in the US. He is executive chairman of the Philippine Day Organizing Council, executive vice overall chairman for special events of the Philippine American Friendship Committee (PAFCOM), and chair of the parade and general services and operations committee of the Philippine Independence Day Council Inc.
Evelyn Sison is a co-founder and currently corresponding secretary of the Santa Maria Ilocos Sur Association in the Eastern Seaboard.
She is the director of the Educational and Cultural Center of New Jersey and assistant business manager for the Performing Arts Philippines Inc.
She was crowned Mrs. Independence Day on June 4 during this year’s celebration of the Philippine Independence Day in Jersey City.
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HALLELUJA. The prophets of rock, from left to right: Ira Cruz, Vic Mercado, Bamboo Manalac, and Nathan Azarcon
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In the early 2000’s, Pinoy-rock fans saw the demise of the Eraserheads, which resulted in the changing of the guard in the Philippine music scene. Pinoy Rock was left for dead as novelty music swept the musical landscape, and held the Filipino ear hostage without the possibility of ransom. There were occasional hits by big groups like Rivermaya, and Parokya ni Edgar, but that was it. The mainstream barred new bands from getting in.
Then came BAMBOO. An alternative-rock band composed of musicians from various superbands in the heyday of the Pinoy rock explosion in the early 90’s; namely, former Rivermaya members Bamboo Mañalac, on vocals, and Nathan Azarcon on bass. Ira Cruz former guitarist of Introvoys, Passage, and Kapatid, still mans the guitar department for Bamboo. On the drums is NU Rock Awards, drummer of the year, Vic Mercado.
Bamboo’s 2003 hit single “Noypi” became the song that redeemed the music scene from the sins of “Otso-Otso”, and “Spaghettiing Pababa”.
“Noypi’s” nationalistic sentiments reached out to all the Pinoys in the world, who were either too insecure to admit their nationality due to the county’s unflattering reputation, brought about by a broken social and political system, or those who were already nauseous of the relentless assault of novelty songs.
Thus began the “Lazarus-like” rise of Pinoy Rock from the dead with BAMBOO as its proclaimed messiah.
Now, new bands like Hale, Queshé, Sugarfree, Spongecola, and hundreds more from all over the archipelago churn out hits after hits and thereby tipping the balance of the mainstream, which resulted in the end of the reign of the filthy sonic empire established by the music of Lito Camo, the Viva Hot babes, the Hot men, and Bayani Agbayani.
This August, Bamboo embarks on their first American tour with shows in LA, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Chicago, Baltimore, and New York City.
The tour is more of like harvesting the fruits of their success, having become the hottest band in the Philippine Islands.
The band’s followers are also hoping that the group could continue their messianic mission, and ‘turn on’ the other Fil-Ams, who are yet to be liberated by their music.
Bamboo recently released their sophomore effort entitled “Light Peace Love”, with their carrier single, “Hallelujah”, which is already a certified gold single in the Philippines.
Haro & Levan of Happybox, who has been bringing life to the Fil-Am rock scene with hot shows like this, is producing the US tour. The tour will also feature the best local bands in the cities hosting the shows.
Here’s information on tickets for the NYC show
Saturday, Aug. 27th
New York City, NY - TICKETS ON SALE NOW ONLINE!
Knitting Factory-NY :
72 Leonard St., New York, NY 10013
7pm (doors @ 6pm) / All Ages / $35
For tickets, call:
Barnard 718.981.6088 / email: gagestreet@yahoo.com
Gino / email: revolver1974@aol.com
Renrick email: bamboosanewyork@yahoo.com
Venue info/directions: 212.219.3132 /
www.knittingfactory.com/kfny/index.cfm
In cooperation with Goma Soul Productions & Gage
Street
TICKETS ON SALE NOW ONLINE @ TicketWeb.com
For info about the westcoast and Chicago shows, email Happybox at happybox200@aol.com
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