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For the past 20 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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“All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.”-- Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)
ONE cold October afternoon, while I was undergoing one of the most trying episodes in my personal life, I stepped out of my apartment for coffee, cigarette and a bit of a nervous breakdown. It was a moment when I felt alone in the vast universe, in tears, and barely making it out the door. My self worth had died and I have no clue who the hell I was. I wanted to just will myself to explode leaving only traces of pink mist in the frigid air. I had nowhere to go.
Then my cellphone rang. I haven’t used my phone since I found myself in that deep dark hole. Nobody knows that I am about to call it quits on life. But for some reason, someone dialed my number. I picked up my cellphone. It was my mother, Esperanza.
“Son, I couldn’t sleep last night. How are you? Are you ok?” It took me about 30 seconds to respond to her sweet and warm voice for I was crying. I was crying like a baby who just got out of the dark womb at childbirth. I couldn’t utter a word. All I could say was, I love you.
Call it mother’s intuition, I call it a miracle. It is an occurence that is beyond conventional wisdom. Somehow, mothers in general are tied to their children spritually forever. I know my motherand I are, because have experienced that first hand.
I often look for God and angels to look after me during dark times. Sometimes I get frustrated in waiting for the answer. Perhaps, I have been waiting for Manna from heaven, or the Hudson River to part, or for a storm of frogs that’s why I was always end up dissapointed.
But on that October afternoon, I realized that my mother was the miracle that I was waiting for. She is God’s miracle. She is the parting of the Red Sea, the turning of water into wine, the healing of the blind man of Jericho, and the raising of Lazarus. How could I have overlooked that? I suppose my pre-occupatioon with mundane matters made me take for granted the miracle that has been there for 30 years.
Like the great Abe Lincoln, I owe everything that I am and ever will be to my mother.
I woudn’t have been a guitarist if my mom didn’t buy me my first electric acoustic guitar back in the Philippines. Nor would I be a keyboard player if she said no to me when I asked her to get me a Yamaha PSR in High School. If not for her, I would be nothing.
One my fondest memories of being a musician waswhen my old band back in Manila played a major gig in Kampo West Avenue in Quezon City. My mom braved the rowdy crowd to see her son play his own music in front of an eager audience. It is a memory that I will take until the end of my days.
My mother is overflowing with love. She has enough love to shower all her nine children equally. She is the symbol of perseverance and courage. She raised all of us while working as a public school teacher in Makati. During her stint in education, she woke up even before roosters could even say good morning, and she made sure that all of us were set for our day, with baons and pressed school uniforms, before she takes the DM bus to Buendia Ave. She taught for more than 30 years and in those years, some of my brothers and sisters even got the chance to have her as their actual teacher in school. I envy them.
As I ended my conversation with my mother on thecellphone, I felt renewed. I felt that there are so many things in my life that are so worth living for. I felt pure, living love.
My mother has been our source of faith and love, but on that particular gloomy October day, she was true to her name. She was my hope.
Ted Reyes is a musician,composer, producer and journalist based in NYC. You can email him at tedreyes@mac.com
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MANILA -- Actress Claudine Barretto is finally pregnant with her and actor Raymart Santiago’s first child. Santiago learned about his wife’s pregnancy Tuesday morning through her obstetrician, who stood as one of the principal sponsors in their wedding.
Barretto’s manager, Lulu Romero, said the actress nearly fainted with joy when told that she is a few weeks on the family way.
Reports said Santiago was rushing Barretto to get pregnant last September. The 27-year-old actress has been getting medical help for her fertility. Barretto confirmed her pregnancy and said that she would be happy to have either a son or a daughter.
“Dati, no, gusto ko girl talaga sabi ko. Tapos ngayon sabi ko talagang anything na lang (Before I really wanted a girl. Now I said the gender doesn’t matter) ,” she said.
She also did not rule out the possibility of having twins, saying that the Santiagos have a history of multiple births.
“Nagpapasalamat talaga kami sa lahat lahat ng prayers ninyo para sa amin and siyempre talaga ang gandang pamasko, ang agang pamasko (We really thank everyone for the prayers. Of course, this is a wonderful early Christmas gift),” Barretto added. Barretto is expected to give birth in July 2007.
The couple, who come from a family of actors, wed on March 27, 2006. Barretto stars in ABS-CBN’s new drama series “Walang Kapalit” with screen heartthrob Piolo Pascual. Santiago is a mainstay in a sitcom on a rival station. (MNS)
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NEW YORK - Soulworks Records, the independent Filipino-American record label based in New York will treat Fil Am music fans with two free original yuletide records recorded by some of the best Fil Am artists in the scene.
First to be given away is the label’s first yuletide record , ‘Rocky Yuletide EP 2005’- a four-track EP released last year that garnered great reviews from fans both here and in the Philippines. Rocky Yuletide EP 2005 will be re-released in anticipation of the release of the new Rocky Yuletide album - Rocky Yuletide 2006 on December 4, 2006.
Rocky Yuletide EP 2005 features songs by Gatchie Ignacio of The Kuwagos, Sugarplum Fairy, The Happy Analogues, and Ted Reyes. The new album is made up of more artists, who wrote and recorded original Christmas material for the project.
Fans can download the 2005 EP starting November 25 at the label’s website - www.soulworksrecords.com. It will only be available as digital downloads, in MP3 format, along with a digital album cover and booklet. On December 4, the brand new Yuletide album will be made available, also on the same site and on the same format.
These free music is the label’s way to thank Fil Am music fans, who made 2006 a great year for the scene.
For more info, email the label at soulworksrecords@mac.com
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FOR Gina Alajar, one of the directors of Dahil Sa Iyong Paglisan (Pamilyang OFW) of QTV-11, comes a classic line: ‘If I can only bring back the hands of time, I’d like to go back to my youth .’ At 14, Gina got married and became a mother.
Gina has not enjoyed the life of a teen-ager. Michael de Mesa married her and sired three sons, Ryan, Geoffrey and AJ. She recalled that when she was about to celebrate her debut, she was already pregnant. Now that Gina and Michael have been separated, she has realized, at age 47, she’s is just starting to enjoy what she missed during her teen life.
She admits going out with friends now and she tells her children where is she going and who she is with. ‘My children are broadminded and they understand me.’
Meanwhile, the new show tells us the lives, adventures, and frustrations of OFWs if only to give their family a good life.
These are true-to-life stories of our so-called modern-day heroes which will be hosted by former Miss Universe second runner-up Miriam Quiambao, with Soxy Topacio alternating as director. The show will have 13 episodes and for the six, the line-up of the story and cast is simply impressive ‘Barakong Maybahay ‘Alfred Vargas, to name a few. (MNS)
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“KUBRADOR” has been a good luck charm for Gina Pareño. The character actress is on a winning streak, as she bagged her third best actress award at the 26th Amiens International Film Festival in France.
This is her third acting award from a foreign panel—after winning at the 8th Osian Cinefan Festival of Asian Cinema in New Delhi, India in July, and at the 33rd International Festival of Independent Film in Brussels, Belgium last week.
“This latest honor only confirms that Gina’s previous triumphs were not flukes and that our artists can compete with the world’s best,” said Jeffrey Jeturian, the film director.
Pareño called her director onstage, to share the award with him. In “Kubrador,” she plays a jueteng (numbers game) bet collector, who cheerfully and willfully goes about her business, in spite of the trials and tribulations of life in the slums of Manila.
Pareño’s victories in Brussels and Amiens are fitting birthday gifts for the seasoned performer who celebrated her 55th birthday on Oct. 20. She has been in show business for four decades, having started as a teen star in Sampaguita Pictures in 1966.
The other winners at the Amiens Film Festival were for best film, “10 Canoes” (Australia); special jury prize, “Dreams of Dust” (Burkina Faso/Canada/France); best actor, Damian Alcazar, “A Wonderful World” (Mexico); Amiens City Award, “A Wonderful World.”
Jeturian said competition in Amiens was tough. “We competed with films that had won in other prestigious festivals. ‘Daratt’ from Chad won the jury prize in Venice, while ‘10 Canoes’ won the jury prize in Cannes.”
Pareño and Jeturian are now Thessaloniki, Greece for a screening of “Kubrador.” Next stops are the Asiaticafilmmediale event in Rome, Italy, as well as festivals in Bratislava, Tallin, Dubai, Chennai/Bangalore and Cairo. “Kubrador” has been invited to 31 film fests so far.
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SANDARA Park admits she’s the jealous type and her boyfriend, Joseph Bitangcol, says he has accepted this. ‘I just try to understand ang pagiging selosa niya,’ he tells us at the pictorial of ‘Shake, Rattle & Roll 8’ where he appears in the ‘13th Floor’ episode. ‘In fairness to her, she listens naman when you explain things to her. I always stress to her she need not be jealous as I love her at hindi ko siya ipagpapalit. Bale two years na kami and I’m glad going strong pa rin kami.’
One of the reasons Sandy got jealous was when she found out Joseph will have a kissing scene in the movie with Roxanne Guinoo. ‘She read the script kasi and it’s indicated there na lips to lips talaga kami,’ says Joseph. ‘But later on, sa actual take, hindi naman pinatuloy ni Direk Rah-yan Carlos kasi ginawang comedy ang eksena. Naintindihan naman ni Sandy.’
How about him? Is it true he also got jealous when Sandy was seen friendly to Mark Herras on the set of ‘Super Noypi’? ‘No, dati ko nang kilala si Mark as we play basketball. Isa pa, I trust Sandy. But I pretended na jealous nga ako just to make her feel kung anong nararamdaman ko kapag nagseselos siya sa akin.’
How come they were not paired in ‘Shake, Rattle’? ‘Kasi nga, busy na si Sandy with ‘Super Nopyi’ and Mother Lily said ma-buting paghiwalayin muna kami. Early next year daw, Regal will be doing a trilogy love story at kami na ni Sandy ang magkapareha.’
What can he say now that finds of Pinoy Big Brother like Matt Evans, Gerald Anderson and Kim Chiu are now busier than him and Sandy who are from Star Circle Quest? ‘It’s their time kasi gan’on naman talaga kapag may bago, di ba? A lot of older stars told me gan’on talaga ang kalakaran. But the important thing is patuloy kaming lumalaban.
I believe na as long as may talent ka, hindi ka naman pababayaan ng ABS, like Sandy and I na kasama pa rin sa ‘Crazy for You’. Tapos heto nga, I’m doing ‘Shake’ na first movie ko outside Star Cinema.’
In ‘13th Floor,’ Bearwin Meily and Keanna Reeves play party organizers who arrange a birthday party for the daughter of Robert Sena and Isay Alvarez, along with Joseph, Roxanne and Janus del Prado. Little did they know that the site of the building was once an orphanage that was razed by a fire, killing several children who then come back to haunt the party goers on ‘13th Floor.’ (MNS)
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