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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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ENGINEER Danny Pagsambugan, founder and executive producer of Maharlikang Pilipino USA, announced that the grand finals and coronation of this year’s Maharlikang Piilipino USA will be held on April 21 at Puccini’s Restaurant, on Broadway and West Side Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey.
The winner will compete in the Grand National Finals in the Philippines to be held on June 12 at the Metro Bar in Quezon City.
Winners of Maharlikang Pilipino USA will receive, among others, free round-trip ticket to the Philippines.
Free accommodation for the duration of the winners’ stay in the Philippines is courtesy of Dr. Eugene Marcos.
While in the Philippines, the winners will: pay a courtesy call to Mayor Abalos; appear on the TV Show The Buzz hosted by Boy Abunda; donate money to the project’s beneficiaries; be featured in Madaluyong City’s Club Mwah.
Mabuhay Tax Service, a perennial supporter of Maharlikang Pilipino USA, is this year’s corporate sponsor.
The Maharlikang Pilipino USA finalists from five states will be presented at the Coronation Ball on April 21, and from among them, the winner will be announced.
The finalists are Jerald Mutia, California; Victor Ecarma, Virginia; Charles DeBeaux, Florida; Brady Justice, Massachusetts; and Orvee Pruna, Nevada.
The new members of Maharlikang Pilipino USA Executive Committees are Dr. Tony Mendoza, Dr. Eugene Marcos, Dr. Leo dela Cruz, Engr. Zaldy Bayan, Engr. Nick Tabajonda, Engr. Jaime Aquino, Engr. Ernie Lindain, Joel Adriano- well known Make Up Artist and Fashion Designer, Erno Hormillosa- well known Choreographer and Stage Designer, Ronn Reganitt- Publicist, Marietta Tala-Tala, Cyndee Bondoc, Alex Angeles, Rose Lontoc, Kim Ponio, Pilar Rodriguez, Fely Lintao. Engr. Pet Cruz- State Coordinators- Chicago, Elton Lugay-San Francisco, Rhoda Gotico- Florida, Maan Herrera-Virginia & Maryland. These Executive Committees are also contact persons for the Dinner & Fashion Show Reservations until April 14, 2006.
A mini-fashion show is also lined up during the coronation. Miss Anjia Jalac is the featured fashion designer for the mini-fashion show. She was the Mutya ng Pilipinas Miss Talent 2005 and Miss Petite International in Toronto Canada.
The new Maharlikang Pilipino USA basketball team will also be presented durimh the coronation night.
Maharlikang Pilipino USA will soon launch its own magazine, to be published quarterly.
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DETROIT --- Nico Fuentes fills his tiny Waterford apartment with his big voice.
The 47-year-old singer’s sound, which he describes as romantic, reverberates.
For Fuentes, music is more than a sound. It is what has allowed him to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a professional singer and performing at New York’s Carnegie Hall in 1991. And it has helped him transcend parental expectations that he work in an office.
“When I was a student,” the Filipino native said, “I really loved music, but my father wanted me to pursue my studies.”
Now Fuentes will use his love of music to help others. He will perform a benefit concert for the “We chose him because he performed last October for us, and he’s a really good singer and entertainer,” said Willie Dechavez, state chair of the federation.
The National Federation of Filipino American Associations is a nonpartisan, nonprofit national affiliation of more than 500 institutions and umbrella organizations. Proceeds from next week’s concert will benefit the organization’s community projects, including Gawad Kalinga, a program established to build homes for needy families in the Philippines, Dechavez said.
Fuentes immigrated to Washington, D.C., during the mid-1980s and worked at various embassies as a waiter, cook and driver. He also began to pursue music as a profession -- despite his family’s objections.
Along the way, Fuentes said, he overcame many obstacles, chief among them, were his Asian accent, which made it hard to get hired; and that some audience members couldn’t get past their expectations of what someone singing Frank Sinatra songs should look like.
“They would see my face, and turn around and walk out,” Fuentes said. Fuentes performs in clubs and concert halls through out the world, singing mostly pop tunes from the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s.
He moved to Waterford about a year ago, after performing here and meeting his wife, Sue Javierto, who lived in metro Detroit.
He hopes to become a naturalized U.S. citizen in a few months.
Fuentes is performing for the National Federation of Filipino American Associations from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on March 18 at the American Polish Cultural Center, 1975 E. Maple Road in Troy. Tickets are $25.
For more information, call Willie Dechavez at 586-268-4284 Contact FRANK WITSIL at 248-351-3690 or witsil@freepress.com.
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MOHEGAN Sun will be offering a special promotion drawing to concert goers at the Pops Fernandez/Regine Velasquez Concert on Sunday, April 2,2006.
Patrons, 21 years and older and with proper ID, will be invited to apply for a “Player’s Club” card. Inside the arena, they will be directed to sweep their cards at the Arena Concourse Promotional Kiosks, thus generating an entry form that is to be deposited in the drums located at the Arena Concourse.- One first place winner will receive $1,000 in cash, check, chips or any combination thereof.
- One second place winner will receive 500 Player’s Club points on their Player’s Club account
- One third place winner will receive 400 Player’s Club points on their Player’s Club account
- One fourth place winner will receive 300 Player’s Club points on their Player’s Club account
- One fifth place winner will receive 200 Player’s Club points on their Player’s Club account
- One sixth place winner wil receive 100 Player’s Club points on their Player’s Club account
Winners will be drawn from the drums shortly after the concert.
Details, rules and regulations of the drawing may be obtained by calling Mohegan Sun Asian Marketing Office at 860-862-8812 or the Producers, Group Ole, Inc. at 914-659-9670.
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