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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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MIDDLETOWN - When guitarist Ernie Sta Maria strummed the last chord of his band's last song at Bistro San Miguel, here in Middletown, New Jersey, very few thought that it would be his last performance.
Minutes after the show, shortly after midnight on Friday September 14 the 54-year old guitarist pulled his van out of the venue's parking lot along route 35 and got hit by a speeding Ford Mustang driven by an off-duty State Trooper.
Sta Maria's van turned turtle and he was allegedly ejected out of the vehicle. He died hours later at the Jersey Shore University Medical Center in nearby Neptune.
It was a sudden and tragic end to the life of a well-loved artist.
In a statement issued by First Assistant Monmouth County Prosecutor Peter E. Warshaw Jr, he said that the investigation is pending and no charges were filled as of yet.
He also confirmed the identity of the State Trooper involved in the crash as that of Christopher Brozyna.
A great loss.
Ernie Sta Maria was born in Tondo, Manila. He was a seaman for Merchant Marines and became Chief mate Second in Rank to the Captain of a German Cargo Ship.
He then migrated to America to follow his passion for music. He worked various jobs, started his own courier business - The Sta. Maria Brothers after his sons.
However, his calling was music.
When Bistro San Miguel open back in the summer of 2003, he immediately grabbed his guitar and started his musical journey. He was also part of the Music ministry of various Filipino and non Filipino catholic organizations. He served in local music ministry of St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Old Bridge, NJ for many years.
Ernie Sta Maria will always be remembered as a fun-loving man "He's very accommodating person, he will go extra mile to please everybody," says Rodel Maglaque a friend of the late musician.
To others, he was a generous man, who always looked at the needs of his fellows. His brother Manolo remembers, "He would give everything he has even his shirt on his back if that's the last thing he owns to someone who needs it most."
And to many, he was the consummate musician.
"We were the originals at BSM. We played crazy music that didn't even made any sense. We made our own versions of music",recalls Pepot Alcaraz , a former band mate.
Sta Maria's son Michael fondly recalls how his father always urged him to feel the music. "He always told me to dance along to music when I'm in trouble."
There are various speculations surrounding the tragedy that Friday morning.
According to some witnesses, the State Trooper, who crashed into Sta Maria's green GMC Jimmy edition 1997 SUV, was allegedly under the influence of alcohol.
In addition, it was also speculated that the State Trooper was in an intense argument with his lady passenger before and after the car crash.
However, with the formal investigation still pending since charges are yet to be filed, there is still no official report on how the tragedy happened.
Ernie Sta Maria is survived by his wife Lualhati, Sons Michael (29), Oliver (27), Charles (26).
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NEW YORK-- The Filipina women's organization known as Filipinas for Rights and Empowerment or FiRE, has pledged to greet Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during her 3-day visit to New York City from September 28-30 with protest.
FiRE will be joined by allies in the Filipino community and beyond, including BAYAN USA, a national alliance of Filipino organizations in the United States.
On Friday, September 28th, Arroyo, upon the invitation of US Secretary of State Condeleeza Rice will speak at women's forum at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Manhattan. Later in the afternoon she will attend a regional security meeting at the United Nations.
The women of FiRE feel strongly about Arroyo's ineligibility to serve as a positive role model for women worldwide. FiRE, an organization that works with Gabriela Philippines, a militant federation of women’s organizations in the Philippines, states Arroyo is the number 1 violator of human rights in the country.
"By virtue of her command responsibility, Arroyo leads a Philippine military that unabashingly sows terror through extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and crackdown on broad opposition forces. Though we have a woman head of state, the political and economic state of the Philippines is far from women-friendly," states FiRE Chair Valerie Francisco.
2007 marked a year of hot water for President Arroyo, the target of worldwide public scrutiny and accusation that her administration was not seriously addressing the worst human rights crisis in Philippine history since that of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Arroyo's visit to New York falls one week after the 35 anniversary of Martial Law as declared by Marcos in 1972.
"The Philippines is still in a state of martial law, only undeclared," Francisco ended.
FiRE is a member organization of BAYAN USA, and will also hold an open house later on Friday, September 28th, 7pm at Bluestockings Bookstore.
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NEW YORK - "Faced with difficulties of getting greencards, thousands of high-skilled foreign workers, including Filipinos rallied Tuesday in Washington D.C. to redress their grievances on backlog on getting permanent residencies in the U.S.
Organized by the grassroots advocacy group, Immigration Voice, foreign doctors, engineers, scientists, MBA's and other professionals awaiting green cards in the U.S. Had drawn attention to backlogs that are forcing them into negative immigration status.
"These high-skilled professionals cannot wait forever for permanent residency. Without green cards, many will have to leave the U.S. because temporary work visas have limits. Unfortunately, the loss will be ours, as we face a reverse brain drain," said Immigration Voice.
Researchers from Harvard, Duke and New York universities recently reported that over one million highly-skilled workers are stuck in the green card backlog, with waits of 6-8 years. Majority of these are professionals–heart surgeons, neurologists, physicists, computer engineers. Participants met at the Washington Monument at 9 a.m. to register, and then walked to a rally to the Capitol Building. Protesters handed out flyers to inform people on the importance of immigration reform.
Protesters urged Congress to pass immigration reform bill.
Several of the provisions that are currently listed in Immigration Voice's goals were part of the Senate bill, the Budget bill passed by the U.S. Senate in Dec 2005. However, these provisions were removed in the House-Senate Conference and the Budget bill was passed without them.
Meantime, more than 23,000 men and women across the country became United States citizens this week during naturalization hosted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to commemorate Citizenship Day and Constitution Week.
"Citizenship Day honors the brave act of 39 patriots who, on September 17, 1787, signed the Constitution of the U.S. and charted the course of our nation that has continued for 220 years," said USCIS director Emilio Gonzales.
As a nation of immigrants, the U.S. welcomes about 750,000 new citizens during naturalization ceremonies each year. They pledge to support and defend the constitution and protect freedoms Americans enjoy for future generations.
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MANILA -- Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza has admitted before the Senate to meeting First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and Jose De Venecia III in Wack-Wack Golf and Country Club in Mandaluyong City.
Mendoza reversed a statement he made in which he said that no such meeting occurred. De Venecia, son of Speaker Jose De Venecia Jr., claimed that the First Gentleman had tried to dissuade him from pursuing his own venture for the national broadband network project.
Transportation Assistant Secretary Lorenzo Formoso also admitted to meeting De Venecia at the office of Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos.
These confirmed portions of De Venecia's testimony at the Senate last Tuesday.
During the hearing, Mendoza admitted that there was no public bidding in the national broadband network project.
Mendoza, along with other Cabinet officials, attended the Senate inquiry on the allegedly anomalous $329-million contract between the government and the ZTE Corp. of China.
Mendoza echoed Finance Secretary Margarito Teves who explained to senators that the supplier's contract was conditional upon the signing of a loan agreement -- with the supplier being ZTE Corp.
Expounding for Mendoza, Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. said that until the loan agreement was signed, the supplier's contract could not be enforced.
But Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, chairman of the committee on accountability of public officers and investigations (the blue-ribbon committee), pointed out that the document signed April 21 contained a provision, which said that an executive agreement was entered into between the Philippines and China.
Others present at the hearing were Francis Escudero, Gregorio Honasan, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Juan Ponce-Enrile, Jose "Jinggoy"ť Estrada, Joker Arroyo, Manuel Roxas II, Aquilino Pimentel Jr., Panfilo Lacson, Ana Consuelo Madrigal, Miguel Zubiri, Francis Pangilinan, Benigno Aquino III, Loren Legarda, and Rodolfo Biazon.
Those who were absent were Senators Manuel Lapid, Ramon Revilla Jr., Pia Cayetano, jailed Antonio Trillanes IV, and Senate President Manuel Villar. (MNS)
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MALAYSIAN police arrested 84 illegal immigrants from the Philippines upon their arrival in northern Sabah, Malaysia on board two boats that were also filled with smuggled goods.
Malaysia's Star reported Wednesday that the arresting officers seized 5, 500 sea turtle eggs and 335 cartons of cigarettes in one of the boats found at a remote landing site at the Sungai Kanibungan river mouth in Sabah's northern Pitas district.
The police detained the illegal immigrants, including 17 children and a 58-year-old skipper of one of the boats.
The Star quoted Kota Marudu police chief Deputy Supt Mohd Isa Yusoff as saying that the marine police team led by Insp Safardi Abdul Samad discovered the new landing point for illegal immigrants during a three-day special operation in northern Sabah, which is close to the Mindanao provinces in Southern Philippines.
"They have come into a very remote area to avoid detection," Isa said. The two boats loaded with human cargo and contraband cigarettes and turtle eggs were caught before they landed along Sungai Kanibungan.
The turtle eggs were believed smuggled to be sold in Sabah where they can fetch a higher price. The marine police turned those over to the Wildlife Department while the cigarettes were handed over to the Customs Department.
The Filipinos were turned over to the Immigration Department.
Following the discovery of the new landing point, the Malaysian police officer said they would intensify surveillance and patrols along Malaysia's northern coast. Personnel from the General Operation Force would also be sent in to check on the entry of illegal immigrants into the state.
Malaysia has launched nationwide crackdowns on illegal immigrants over the years, resulting in hundreds of thousands of workers being caught and deported home.
Hundreds of thousands more illegal workers remain in the country, which was also home to some 1.84 million registered foreign workers as of June 2006. - GMANews.TV
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