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For the past 21 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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A blend of rock, hip-hop, pop and blues live bands brilliantly came alive at the 3rd Philippine American Hispanic Expo in Edison last Sunday and Monday, bursting with entertainment and festivity.
The festival was a showcase of treasured Filipino American talents and redefinition of Filipino-Hispanic culture amid trade and exposition.
“We feel alive, energetic, enthusiastic. I love this festival because I meet new faces. Members of our band came from different parts of the globe but banded together to make the same kind of rock music,” said Tony Cortez, guitarist-vocalist of the band Receptor. The group sang “Wanderlust,” Apathy and other funky sound.
Regardless of backgrounds, Receptor advocates music for all races, colors and creed. They are the embodiment of being American, yet their diversity and odes of self-empowerment can speak to hearts and minds worldwide.
“I love performing on a big stage. Audiences feel the music and they dance,” said Shon Mohsin, drummer.
Pop, disco and blues music of Ultrasonic Band elicited famous Manila songs in the ‘70’s ,bringing back nostalgia among the crowds. People sang and danced with bubbly and rhythmic song “Manila.”
Brigada singers rapped and did hip-hop music to the delight of younger crowds.
“The music is so lively, my friends and I are having fun. We like attending festivals,” said Myrna Gomez, a student.
Filipino singers and dancers Rachel Anne Wolfe, Ara Mina , Dennis Trillo and comedienne Gladys Guevarra entertained the crowds with their celebrity-star appeal and ballad music.
A movie called “Paraiso” aiming to build communities and homes for homeless Filipinos in the Philippines was shown at the festival to generate funds for its worthy cause.
Diversities from the worlds of real estate, electronics, communications, health, home improvements, crafts, indigenous items, finance , entertainment and other businesses were showcased at the Expo.
“We got a lot of applicants. We have great products and we advise clients of wealth management,” said Benjamin Pangilinan, a financial consultant who had a booth at the festival.
Food stalls which sell native Filipino food like Adobo chicken, fried noodles, spring rolls, steamed beef, pork barbecue, and steamed fish and sweet desserts like fruit ice-creams and rice cakes enjoyed brisk sales.
“People enjoyed the taste of our barbecues. Our sales are OK,” said Nette Nethley, owner of Nethley Cafe.
Over 7,000 people attended the two-day exposition. This is lower than the over 10,000 people expected to grace the event. The reduced crowds were due to the Memorial Weekend, when many Filipinos went out of town. Over 90 exhibitors and vendors sold their products and services to the crowds.
“We have a large Filipino community in Edison, New Jersey. It also shows that anybody can make it here and fulfill the American dream,” said Edison, New Jersey Mayor Jun Choi who also handed out awards to community achievers in a ceremony.
“Diversity is our strength...This festival promotes our goal of prosperity and creating business to entrepreneurs,” said Topnotch President Isagani Morales, the main sponsor of the event. Other sponsors were GMA-7 television, Direct TV and Western Union remittance company.
“Philippines and Hispanic history are intertwined. This is a celebration of our culture and history. We have to keep the Filipino spirit alive,” said Philippine Consul General Cecille Rebong.
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SERENDIPITY Hype Production will present with Live Artists’ Production Inc., the last show of the US-Canada 2007 Tour of the well-raved “Two Divas at the Movies” concert by the legendary Asia’s Pop Diva – Ms. Kuh Ledesma and renowned Philippine’s Concert Queen – Ms. Pops Fernandez. With these two fine artists’ distinct diva style and magnificent musical collaboration, it is guaranteed to deliver an evening of extraordinary entertainment in Atlantic City’s Historic Boardwalk Hall, on Friday, June 8 at 8 pm.
Serendipity Hype Production’s first project in collaboration with Live Artists Production Inc. is proud to announce the sponsorship rendered by Topnotch Electronics, Jade’s Restaurant and Groceries, Wuzz Up Café & Restaurant, Bistro Filipino, Prince Services, and Marisse Panlilio Entertainment. These affiliations were all brought together by the endorsement of a newly organized minority business alliance of State of New Jersey “Alliance for Transforming Entrepreneurship and Advocacy for Minorities” (A-TeaMinority.org). Board Chair Efren Dato is working closely with New Jersey 17th District Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula to empower and promote minority businesses. Thus, their endorsement of SHP’s project as a minority business leveraged the involvement of other minority entrepreneurs in cross markets to support each business thru networking.
Endorsement from the Philippine Consulate Office and engagement of acclaimed Filipino local artist has highlighted the initiatives of SHP’s core business values – to develop a company from the ground up to deliver variety of entertainment and offer new experience for every diverse audience. The company’s mission statement is to become the liaison between harmonious business partnerships in the production and entertainment industry and to be the portal of innovative concepts in promotion, advertising, and deliverance of diverse talents from international paths to every audience in the United States.
See the “first” venture of Serendipity Hype Production and be proud to support the Filipino talents and business entrepreneurs. Tickets are priced at $40, $60, $80 and VIP – and can be purchased at the Boardwalk Hall Box Office, www.ticketmaster.com, www.ticketanonline.com, or by calling SHP info central 201.918.9433 or www.serendipityhype.8m.com.
For a newly developed New Jersey based company’s “first production” venture, the partners of Serendipity Hype Production (SHP) took upon the “oxymoron notion” in conceptualizing their very first endeavor – star with an end.
The excitement and anticipation to bring the concert tour to its “Wrap-Up” stage as a starting project placed SHP to a non-traditional way of production. SHP has projected well-organized pre/post concert events to leverage their break-in existence in the entertainment and production industry. All of the collaboration made in this project was established to deliver new experience and valuable opportunity to same business entrepreneurs in cross-markets. Thus, the “accidental chance” of producing marketable artists’ and doing what is each partner’s “passion for entertainment” brought the name to its company – “Serendipity Hype”.
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