|
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.
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LIKE so many other Filipino nurses before her, “Beth” came to the United States with her husband and two young children, hoping to achieve the American Dream. She was able to work in a local hospital, but two years later, her work permit was revoked when USCIS denied her green card application. Suddenly, Beth and her family’s future was gone!
Desperate to salvage her future in the U.S., she decided to “shop around” and went to seven different attorneys to help her with her problem. Most of them advised her to “go back” to the Philippines to wait for processing of her employer’s petition, and then try her luck at the U.S. Embassy. But going back to the Philippines might have resulted in her being out of the U.S. for many months or even years, and could she ever come back again?
Confused after seeing so many attorneys, who all seemed to agree that she would not be able to get her “papers” in the U.S., Beth went back to her first attorney to file a motion to re-open/re-consider, but that was also denied.
Finally, after losing almost all hope, she went to Attorney Gurfinkel, who is known as “the Attorney of Last Hope”. Attorney Gurfinkel accepted her case, and made such a strong presentation of her case, that four months later, Beth, her husband, and two children got their green cards.
Beth only wished that she had gone to Attorney Gurfinkel sooner. (She went to other attorneys because they offered lower fees, and she heard from friends that although Attorney Gurfinkel was “very good”, he was “expensive”).
Her biggest regret: if she had only gone to Attorney Gurfinkel sooner, maybe she could have seen her father for the last time in the Philippines before he passed away. (While her case was pending, she could not risk leaving the U.S., as she might not be able to return).
At least, she was still able to tell her father over the phone that she had finally decided to go to Attorney Gurfinkel in the end. “I’m sure he is smiling from Heaven now. And now that I have my green card and can visit the Philippines, my first stop will be his grave”, said Beth.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NEW YORK --- Surprisingly, Vilma Nafarette Braga spends some of her time lately on the telephone talking to Filipino women from Canada, California and Georgia, among others.
As program director of the New York City-based Filipino American Human Services, Incorporated (FAHSI), Braga, who takes care of nurturing the newly established senior citizens program, has to set aside extra time to respond to these calls and counsel them on problems they were bringing to her.
“One complained of her husband who’s way of talking was hurting her, not knowing culturally it’s just the way Americans are, frank and straight to the point,” Braga told The Filipino Express.
She saids she could empathize with the Filipina for being ill-prepared for a life away from her homeland and lacking a support system, like relatives or simply Filipino friends.
A social worker at heart, Braga would have wanted to add on more people so they can respond to these calls and provide appropriate services. But the key challenge remains to be the fund that will be needed for this to spin off into a full-blown program.
Although receiving some grants and fund support from individuals, the growing needs for more services to the Filipino community in New York compel them to institute fund-raising activities throughout the year.
One such fund raiser is the holding of a fashion show featuring Filipino dresses through the ages. At the helm of this project is FAHSI administrative coordinator Ryan Natividad, who has enlisted the youth and senior women to do the designing part in time for the fashion show slated on May this year. They have also institutionalized the holding of the “Light a Parol” contest every December and the “Tiangge sa FAHSI.”
Similar to most Filipino organizations in the U.S., FAHSI is also coming up with activities celebrating the centennial of the Filipinos’ arrival in America.
“Programs and activities will revolve around this year’s theme of celebrating the 100 years of Filipino immigration to the United States,” said FAHSI Executive Director Venessa Manzano.
She, however, noted regular programs will go on, among them updates on immigration issues and concerns, youth activities and senior citizens.
On February 25, FAHSI will be the venue for the ongoing registration of the absentee voters program of the Philippine government. This will be in cooperation with the office of the consul general of the Philippine Consulate, Manzano said. They will also participate in the city government-sponsored immigrant history week this coming April 17-23.
But it was the senior citizen’s program that had a breakthrough last year, said Braga, who explained it was able to address a pressing need among the elder Filipino community in New York.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NEW YORK --- The Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. (PIDCI) announced the start of its search for the 2006 Diwa ng Kalayaan, Celebrating the Filipino Spirit Sa Puso, Sa Diwa at sa Gawa.
The Diwa ng Kalayaan will reign during the commemoration of the 108th anniversary of the declaration of Philippine Independence and the 100th year of Filipino Immigrants here in the United States. The announcement was made by this year’s PIDCI Diwa ng Kalayaan search, selection and coronation committee chaired by PIDCI board member Francis D. Sison and his counterpart chair from the community, Nanette Sering Wright.
Diwa ng Kalayaan, Celebrating the Filipino Spirit Sa Puso, Sa Diwa at sa Gawa is the most coveted beauty title in the Northeastern United States because the winner reigns during the month-long celebration of the anniversary of Philippine Independence culminating in the Independence Ball.
As the title’s English translation suggests, the winning beauty embodies, not only talent, intelligence and beauty, but also the ideals of the Filipino revolutionaries that brought to fruition with the declaration of Philippine Independence from Spain on June 12,1898.
The Diwa ng Kalayaan is an age-old tradition that has lived almost as long as the Philippine Independence commemoration in New York, which is now on it’s 17th year.
Over the years, the celebration has grown so much that it is now regarded and recognized as the largest celebration of Philippine Independence outside of the Philippines.
Candidates for Diwa ng Kalayaan must be of Filipino ancestry, 16 to 23 years of age, at least of five feet five inches (5’5”) or taller. Candidates must also send a biographical sketch along with a 4’x 6’ half body photograph. Winner will receive a round- trip ticket to the Philippines.
Application forms, rules, other literatures or additional information may be requested by calling the Diwa ng Kalayaan Committee chair Francis Sison at telephone (201) 332-7896, or fax number (201) 324-0418, or Nanette Sering Wright at (212) 787-8795, or fax number (212) 441-7729, or PIDCI President Gani Puertollano at (908) 230-6468.
The deadline for accepting applications is March 4,2006.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A VERY successful and well attended leadership seminar was held at the Woodbridge Hilton on January 22.
The topics presented in the seminar included: Servant Leadership by Ben Menor, national director of programs and development, NaFFAA; and Volunteerism: Effective Community Leadership in Action by Efren Dato, deputy director, economic development, Franklin Township, New Jersey.
The audience was challenged by the presentations of two ongoing projects in the Philippines: “Project Gilas” by Leo Legaspi, managing director of Legaspi & Carlson Associates, LLC and “Tulong sa Pinoy” by Ludy P. Corrales, president & CEO, CLO Funding Corporation.
Project Gilas aims to provide internet access to public high schools in the Philippines. Legaspi made an appeal to the alumni to volunteer their time as well as resources.
Tulong sa Pinoy project aims to involve Filipinos abroad in helping their kababayans “sustain their livelihood or become small entrepreneurs”. Corrales encouraged the alumni to deposit their money in a time deposit with Bank of the Philippine Islands, which then matches the amount in pesos and lends it to accredited, reputable microfinancing companies in the Philippines. These institutions re-lends the money to enterprising kababayans such as market vendors, rice retailers, newspaper peddlers, fishball ambulants, tricycle drivers.
Also during the meeting, Consul General Cecile Rebong inducted the new officers of the UPAA-NJ 2006-2008. She exhorted the UP alumni to actively participate in the Filipino-American community undertakings.
The 2006-2008 UPAA-NJ Officers and Board of Trustees were:
President: Nora Quesada-Caatiis; Vice-President: Efren Dato; Secretary: Nardz Santos: Assistant Secretary:Leonila Mariazeta; Teasurer: Luz Javate; PRO: Luz Cabotaje; Auditor: Romulo Magnaye:
Board of Trustees: Lydia Boyle, Alfredo Gozum, Zaida Hertan, Luisa Ponce, Jorshinelle Sonza, Flor Yalong and Madelyn Yu.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
