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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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JERSEY CITY– It wasn't just the weather that was unusual here in Jersey City Wednesday afternoon. The stretch of John F. Kennedy Boulevard was teeming with police cars, news vans and commuter vehicles – a sign that a very important event was taking place.
Indeed, there was. It was a political rally by Democratic Party presidential contender Senator Barack Obama inside St. Peter's College. And just like the 60 degree weather that day, a crowd of nearly 3,000 warmed up to Obama. Obama visited the City a day after a setback in the New Hampshire Primaries, where fellow Democrat Senator Hillary Clinton won.
"My voice is a little hoarse, my eyes are a little bleary, my back is a little sore, but my spirit is strong," he told the crowd. "And I am ready to bring about change in America, how about you?"
Obama was a little surprised with the big turnout due to the fact that most of Jersey City is known to be Clinton country.
Jersey City mayor Jerramaiah Healy welcomed Obama. "We’re thrilled, honored and proud to welcome the most intriguing, the most exciting, the most inspiring, dynamic candidate on the national front," Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy told the crowd in the gym on JFK Boulevard.
Healy, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, and Rep. Steve Rothman are Obama’s key supporters in New Jersey.
However, despite the strong show of force, a number of Filipino-American registered Democrats weren't impressed.
“He is too inexperienced to be in the White House", said Agnes Lopez, a paralegal in New York City, but lives in Grove Street in downtown Jersey City. "Hillary is the most capable among the Democrats."
Anthony Martinez of Jersey City Heights echoed most of the pro-Clinton Fil Ams' insights. "Obama has a great
appeal. But his capacity to be president is very shady. We have not heard of him 3 years ago. He is not fit to lead."
But as expected, Fil- Ams supporting Obama disagree. "Barack is the symbol of change. And that is what America needs right now– drastic change. He is the only one with a fresh outlook. He will deliver the change", said Ignacio Garcia of Bayonne.
To bolster Obama's campaign in the State, Campaign Director Mark Alexander has set up offices around the state and visited a number of places to spread Obama's gospel.
In his Jersey City speech, Obama did not waste time and quickly attacked Clinton on many fronts, including her use of PAC funds and the her support for the war in Iraq: "The only way to look tough is to walk and talk and vote like George W. Bush".
"My Republican opponent won’t be able to say I voted for the war in Iraq because I didn’t," said Obama. "I want to go to the United Nations across the river and say, ‘America is back.’"
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CHICAGO– A Filipino Canadian and his Filipino American mother pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the Department of Homeland Security, the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Department of State
by failing to tell the agencies that approximately 140 Filipino teachers they brought into the United States did not have confirmed employment.
Noel Cedric Tolentino, 46, a Canadian citizen and a permanent U.S. resident, and his mother, Florita Tolentino, 72, a naturalized American citizen, both of Houston, Texas, face sentencing on March 19, 2008 before Judge Kathleen Cardone of the United States District of Western District in El Paso. Daryl Fields, spokesman of the U.S. Attorneys Office at Western District of Texas in San Antonio, said the two are going to face three years probation plus the forfeiture of their home in Houston and approximately $100,000 cash.
The mother and son were both consultants of OMNI Consortium, Multicultural Professionals, Multicultural Education when they, together with five others, including his wife Angelica Tolentino, 46, a U.S. Permanent Resident, were originally indicted by a grand jury with about 40 counts of violations of laws, including conspiracy to smuggle aliens, visa fraud and money laundering.
CO-ACCUSED HAS NO PLEA
Their co-accused Angelica Tolentino, a Filipino citizen and U.S. Permanent Resident, also of Houston, has not filed a plea.
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