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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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They are truly a sight to behold. Beautiful reynas, charming escorts, pretty flower girls and adorable Constantinos provide the sparkle of Philippine Fiesta’s Santacruzan. Introduced by the Spaniards centuries ago, Santacruzan is the dazzling culmination of the colorful Flower Festival of the Philippines. It depicts the finding of the Holy Cross by Queen Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, and the joyful celebration that followed.
This year’s Hermano Mayor is Dr. Bernie de la Merced Jr., and his beautiful wife Sally Galang de la Merced, RN, is the Hermana Mayor. Some of this year’s participants in Santacruzan are Diedre Levy as Reyna Elena, Alexandra Veljkovic as Reyna de las Flores, Catherine Mariano as Reyna de las Estrellas, Melissa Sumallo as Reyna de las Angeles, Angeli April Lavilla as Reyna del Sol, and Mrs. Edith R. Consul as Emperatriz.
A mass will be celebrated on Sunday, August 19 at 10 am, before the Santacruzan, officiated by Rev. Fr. Edgardo D. Abano. Choral music will be provided bt The Filipino Choir of Essex.
The Philippine Fiesta in America has become an annual summer destination for Filipino-Americans in the East Coast, and each year is bigger and better than the last. This year, Philippine Fiesta in America will open its doors on Aug. 18 at 12 noon & Aug.19 at 10pm at the Meadowlands Expo Center in Secaucus, New Jersey, USA. The event is the largest indoor gathering of Filipino-Americans in the Northeast, with an average attendance for the two-day event of over 23,000 – and growing. This year’s sponsors are Special Edition Press, Citibank, Western Union, Mama Sita's, Belle Corporation Tagaytay Highlands, DMCI Homes, Megaworld, Brittany Corp., TFC the Filipino Channel, Aryty, Imaginasiantv, South Forbes, Costco, Asian Journal Publications Inc., Tancinco Law Offices, and Philippine News.
Rose Javier is in charge of the Santacruzan while M. Rhodora Lyness and Virgie Wilcox head the mass celebration and the Fiesta Gala.
For more information, or to exhibit or attend, please call (212) 682-6610, email: sepmgzn@aol.com or visit www.philippinefiesta.com.
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MURFREESBORO, TN - MTSU junior Heather Moulder and her band The Screamin’ Jacks stole the show for many Filipino-Americans last Saturday, July 29.
Moulder’s rendition of “Bonggahan,” a rock-n-roll anthem made famous in the ‘70s by Filipino music legend Sampaguita, seemed to impress audience members, many of whom were born in the South Pacific island nation and familiar with the Filipino words the 20-year-old was singing.
For Chester and Leti Pun Cheuen, a husband and wife who traveled to Murfreesboro from Knoxville for the Pinoy Musical Concert, Moulder’s song seemed to bridge the older generation Filipinos to the youth, who over time have started to lose their parents’ spoken language, Tagalog.
“It was really amazing,” Leti said. “It reflects back to my time.”
Chester says keeping their native language alive in the youth is a testament to strong families, a trait common among Filipinos. The musical talents on display were also a credit to the familial bond, he added.
Young Filipinos sang beautifully, played instruments masterfully and danced gracefully at the show put together by members of Project Balikatan, a group dedicated to uniting Tennessee’s Filipino community to propagate their culture and help one another in emergencies. Music and art come naturally to many Filipinos, so a concert celebrating the talents of their community seemed an excellent way to raise funds for countrymen, who’ve fallen on hard times, said Merchie Fider, a member of Project Balikatan.
Fider said the community’s response to the Pinoy concert made her nostalgic for home.
“Celebrations like this are some of the only times we get to see each other,” said Fider, who had three children perform in the show. “I’m proud that they’re are Filipinos growing up with a chance to get a feel for where their parents came from.”
Singer and pianist Moulder, who recently arrived back to her Woodbury home from a vacation in the Philippines, said she wanted to sing the classic Philippine rock song — not only to appeal older Filipinos, but to further bridge her two cultures that both share a common affinity for rock.
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NEW YORK----The year 2007 will be the 25th year of the Filipino Mass in St. Patrick’s Cathedral that Father Erno Diaz has been organizing beginning in 1982, the year after Blessed Lorenzo Ruiz was beatified in Manila on February 18, 1981. Coincidentally, 2007 will also mark the 20th year of the canonization of San Lorenzo Ruiz who was formally declared saint by the late Pope John Paul II on October 18, 1987.
On September 23, 2007, a solemn high Mass will be held in St. Patrick’s Cathedral at two in the afternoon to celebrate again the feast of San Lorenzo Ruiz. A layman who was married with three children, Lorenzo was martyred along with 15 other companions for their faith in 1637 in Japan. His brilliant, gold-plated statue would be displayed on the altar during the mass.
The Most Rev. Gabriel Reyes, Bishop of Antipolo, Manila, and former secretary to the late Cardinal Sin and a native of Aklan and Capiz will be the principal celebrant and homilist. Father Diaz chose Bishop Reyes as main celebrant for this double anniversary Mass because the bishop was instrumental in the establishment of the Filipino Apostolate in the Archdiocese of New York, thereby giving the Filipinos an official voice and identity. Father Diaz has served as archdiocesan coordinator since 1995, the year the Filipino Apostolate was established by the late Cardinal John O’Connor. Cardinal Edward Egan, incumbent Archbishop of New York, has reappointed him to the position.
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