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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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PERFORMING Arts Philippines, Inc. (P.A.P.I.) will present its 2006 muses on Saturday, April 1, 2006 at the St. Aedan’s School Auditorium in Jersey City.
Mrs. Beth Sinnung is the keynote speaker.
The muses to be presented are: Reena Ashley Esquioja Aquino as “Miss Debutante P.A.P.I 2006”; Vina Joy Buenaflor Verzosa as “Miss Performing Arts 2006”; and Editha Ronquillo-Consul as “Mrs. Performing Arts 2006”.
Two other muses will be crowned on August 26, 2006. They are unable to join the presentation as they are presently away on vacation.
Sixteen-year old Reena Ashley is the daughter of Abraham (Abe) and Rowena Aquino, and the granddaughter of Lettrice (Letty) Aquino -- who are all active community leaders in Passaic.
A consistent honor student, Reena Ashley is currently a junior at the Paramus Catholic High School where she had been nominated twice for the Students Achievers Program in Washington DC for academic excellence. In grade school, she graduated with honors from the Ascension Elementary School -- a recipient of the Presidential Academic Award.
Vina Joy or “Joy” as she is fondly called, is the personification of “Beauty and Brains”. An honor student since grade school, she is now a senior nursing student and the recipient of Academic Excellence Award and a Certificate of Honor for being consistently in the Dean’s List since freshman. She is a member of the International Honor Society -- Alpha Epsilon bi Theta Kappa.
Her loving and proud parents are popular community leaders, Wilson and Jocelyn Verzosa. She has two brothers, Patrick Jason and Wilson Jeffrey.
Editha or “Edith” is a registered nurse who suits the title of “Florence Nightingale” to a T. She is lovely, personable, compassionate, and has been blithely practicing her nursing profession for 32 years now. She graduated from the Chinese General Hospital School of Nursing in 1974 and obtained her BSN from the Philippine Women’s University (Manila) in 1976.
Edith is married to equally personable Alfonso (“Al”) Consul, a U.P. Civil Engineering graduate, who manages his own home improvement business here. They have two daughters, Stephanie -- a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, and Elizabeth Rose -- a freshman at The Academy of The Holy Angels in Demarest, New Jersey.
Rev. Fr. Donato Cabardo, Jr. will lead the invocation, P.A.P.I. Vice President Norma C. Rabara will deliver the welcome address while Becky Binaoro and Merilyn Narciso will choreograph the presentation. Linda Arellano, a well-known community leader, will emcee the occasion.
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Washington, D.C. -- Aiming to attract investors and tourists to visit the Philippines, Philippine Ambassador Albert del Rosario and U.S. Consul Generals have put together a project that would boost the domestic economy.
On July 13, some 1,000 Filipinos and Americans are expected to join the Ambassador’s Tour to the Philippines.
The Philippine Embassy in Washington. D.C., has announced the itinerary for the tour.
On July 15, participants may join a tour of the Makati business district and the Fort with brunch hosted by Ayala Land. They will also visit Cavite, a shop which showcases the best of Cavite’s products. Lunch will be hosted by the Cavite Governor. Dinner will be hosted by Rockwell Company or at the opulent residence of famous beauty stylist Ricky Reyes.
At the hotel, a tiangge will be set up so that the visiting delegation can buy handicraft, native clothing, and jewelry.
On The 16th, tourists will visit the historic Fort Santiago, Bahay Tsinoy, the National Museum , the gold exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum, among others.
On July 17, participants will visit Rizal Park to lay wreaths on the foot of Rizal’s monument. The visitors will then proceed to Malacanang Palace for a luncehon meetingwith President Gloria Arroyo. They will also vist the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Mall of Asia.
On the last day, participants will visit Gawad Kalinga Village, a project taht aims to build houses for poor families.
The Ambassador and Consul General’s tour is especially designed for those who have not been to the country for sometime. The project is being undertaken in collaboration with the Philippine Department of Tourism.
Consul Generals in the U.S. and the Ambassador would serve as “tour guides” for the visitors. Visitors will also have a chance to visit beaches, mountains and other scenic spots in the Philippines on their own.
RTA Travel of Jersey City is the official travel agency for the Ambassador’s Tour. The tour cost is $1,595.
The second Ambassador Tour reflects the efforts of the government to promote the Philippines as a safe and interesting global travel destination.
“What is interesting about the tour is that it will be led by Ambassador himself and all the Philippine Consuls General to the U.S,” Consul General in New York Cecile Rebong said. “We will practically serve as unofficial ‘tour guides’ of those who will be participating as they visit the country’s top tourist destinations.”
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DANNY Pagsambugan, founder and executive producer of Maharlikang Pilipino USA announced that the Mharlikang Pilipino USA coronation ball will have three beneficiaries.
Pagsambugan identified these as the Third World Movement against Battered Women, the Children affected with HIV that were abandoned by their parents, and School Rehabilitation Program of Cabanatuan City School District.
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.
This year’s corporate sponsors include perennial supporter Mabuhay Tax Service, Gartech Electrical Contractor, D & E Electrical Contractors, TLH General Contracting and 8 Waves Water Park Resort Hotel in San Rafael, Bulacan.
The finalists are Jerald Mutia, California; Victor Ecarma, Virginia; Charles DeBeaux, Florida; Brady Justice, Massachusetts; and Orvee Pruna, Nevada.
Mutia will travel to the Philippines on March 27, 2006, courtesy of The Filipino Channel ( TFC)> Mutia will be doing a documentary filmon third generation Filipino Americans.
Meanwhile, Justice will launch his first movie on May 6, 2006 in Stanford, Connecticut.
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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