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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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WOODSIDE-- A brand new and much-anticipated Filipino community center will be opening on Sunday, Feb 10th, 2pm right in the heart of the Filipino commercial district of Woodside, Queens.
The BAYANIHAN Filipino Community Center is a project of the Philippine Forum, a 10-year old community service organization that has enjoyed various office locations
throughout New York City before settling for establishing the community center.
The BAYANIHAN Filipino Community Center is located on 40-21 69th Street, around the corner of the well-known Krystal's Cafe.
According to Co-Executive Directors Robert Roy and Julia Camagong, the center will be new home for Filipinos in New York City housing standard.
Philippine Forum activities such as weekend line-dancing classes and computer classes, as well as a banquet room open for rentals for parties and group
functions. The center will also be the hub of activity for a number of other Filipino organizations and projects, including the domestic workers support group known as Kabalikat (another project of Philippine Forum), and the Filipino-American youth alliance Sandiwa.
The Philippine Forum project known as YEHEY (Young Educators for the Health and Empowerment of the Youth) also meets every Friday at the center to conduct health education for the younger Filipino community.
"We expect the BAYANIHAN Center will bring in a lot more foot traffic than our previous locations, simply because now we are in the heart of the community, when before we were in the periphery," Roy states.
Roy and Camagong have since turned the nonprofit organization to a fullfledged protector of the rights and welfare of the Filipino immigrant community, beginning with the case of escaped Filipina domestic worker Elma Manliguez in Queens,who had been locked up and enslaved for two years by her employers, to the successful fight for repatriation fees for alleged suicide victim Fely Garcia of the Bronx, to the campaign for justice for the Sentosa 27++ nurses who were victimized by illegal recruitment from Manila to New York City.
The halls of the Philippine Forum offices throughout the years have seen the stories of pain andsuffering of abused and exploited Filipino immigrant workers from all walks of life. It seems appropriate that the
new center in Woodside will continue as a safe refuge for those who have stumbled across problems and demons."
The BAYANIHAN Center will live up to its name and be open for all," Camagong added.
The Filipino word "Bayanihan" comes from the Tagalog word "bayan", which means nation or people. The exact spirit or traditions of bayanihan speaks about the
community practice of working together for the common
good. It is the spirit of togetherness that bonds parents,teachers, researchers, technicians,dancers and musicians,working as one in a common effort to achieve its objectives.
Roy and Camagong named the new center with the mission of having it fulfill this greater purpose.
"It belongs to the community, so all are welcome to walk through its doors."
The BAYANIHAN Filipino Community Center will officially open its doors on February 10th. Space rental is available by contacting the Philippine Forum at philforum96@hotmail.com.
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THE Pinoy Musik Festival Songwriting Competition was recently launched in the Philippine’s last December to nurture the outstanding musical talent that Filipinos are widely known for. This competition is an opportunity for undiscovered Filipino talents yearning for international exposure that can help put their songwriting career on fast forward.
This competition is open to all songwriters residing in the Philippines. Eighteen highly exceptional entries will be chosen to compete in the finals. These songs will be interpreted and performed by some of the promising stars in the Filipino-American industry in Pinoy Musik Festival at the Meadowlands Exposition Center (MEC) in Secaucus, New Jersey on May 17 & 18, 2008. This grand event is set to promote brilliant musical talents of Filipinos in the United States. And if that’s not enough, winning entries also vie for the major cash prizes amounting to over Php 100,000 pesos.
Music has always been an integral element of Filipino culture and Pinoys have gained global recognition in the field of music and the arts. Participants are encouraged to join the exalted ranks of world famous and highly acclaimed Filipino composers such as Aaron A. Kaplan, Levi Celerio, Ryan Cayabyab, late George Conseco and Ely Buendia.
From traditional kundiman to alternative rock to reggae, join us as we celebrate all musical genres and listen to the resonating beat of life that is uniquely Pinoy. For aspiring individuals who have the passion and talent for songwriting, this just might be the once in a lifetime opportunity you have been looking for.
All performances and event highlights will be simulcast via the Internet, where all artists can enjoy global exposure and a wider variety of audience from all corners of the globe/ Furthermore, the 13 exceptional contestants are in for a real treat! The selected songs and performances will be captured forever in an exclusive CD/DVD to be distributed in the United States. This will potentially pave the way and jumpstart a rewarding career in the international music industry.
The Pinoy Musik Festival is made possible through the tireless efforts of Nanding and Mila Mendez of Special Edition Press, Inc. to provide a venue for talented Filipino musicians and artists to share their music to the mainstream recording industry of the United States. This festival is a public service event primarily organized to recognize the world-class talent of Pinoys and provide gifted musicians the opportunity to live their dreams and share their music.
Filipino businesses, organizations and private individuals are invited to be part of this event through sponsorships, advertising and participation.
The event is sponsored by Northwest Airlines, MYX, Western Union, and Aryty. For information about the event, the songwriting contest and to join as performer, interested parties may forward their inquiries by calling 212- 682-6610 or email at sepmgzn@ aol.com or write to Pinoy Musik Festival, 124 East 40th Street, Suite 1004, New York, NY 10016 or log on to www.pinoymusikfestival.com; For sponsorship and advertisement at the event, please contact Mila Mendez at milamendez@ aol.com or call 917-612-8861 or 917-443-3634.
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NEW YORK – As soon as what are described as celebratory committees of the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. (PIDCI) were empanelled, the “Diwa ng Kalayaan” Committee started getting to work in its primary task: to find contestants for what the Filipino community regards as its top beauty and talent contest in the northeast, if not the United States.
The title, “Diwa ng Kalayaan” (Spirit of Independence), after all, has led all other beauty contests in the New York region since it was introduced in 1991 as a celebratory component of the area’s annual commemoration of the anniversary of the declaration of Philippine Independence. Winners of the title reign during the months-long Philippine Independence anniversary celebration after being selected and crowned during the “Diwa ng Kalayaan”
Pageant and Gala, this year scheduled on Saturday evening, April 26 at the Grand Ballroom of the Newark Airport Sheraton Hotel in Newark New Jersey.
Last year, emerging from a bevy of eight candidates, one of whom came from Philadelphia, another from Connecticut and the rest from New Jersey and New York, Maricelle Talatala Rodriguez walked away with the most coveted title in the U.S. Filipino and Filipino- American community of “Diwa ng Kalayaan” (Spirit of Independence) and the top prize of the contest – a round trip airline ticket to the Philippines.
One of the crowning glories of her reign is when she graces her own float at the annual Philippine Independence Day Parade, this year being mounted on Sunday, June 1. The other is when she is presented at the Philippine Independence
Ball, scheduled Saturday evening, June 7 at the Grand Ballroom of the La Guardia Airport Marriott Hotel.
As in past years, this year’s “Diwa ng Kalayaan” will receive a round trip airline ticket to the Philippines, possibly as part of the 2008 “Ambassador’s and Consuls Generals’ Tour.
Young ladies (ages 16 to 25) of Filipino descent are invited to enter the contest. Candidates must be single (never have been married) of good moral character, at least5’1” tall, charming, witty, talented and personable.
For inquiries, or to enter the contest, please call the PIDCI “Diwa ng Kalayaan” Committee’s Fe Martinez at (973) 222-0085, Joji Jalandoni at (201) 401-7559 or Dr. Bernie dela
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OFFICERS and members of the Mabalacat Residents of Southern California are gearing up for its 34th Annual Reunion after successfully completing its year end projects. MRSC President Joe David once again extends the invitation to all members to grace the reunion on February 9, 2008 at the Arcadia Community Center on 365 Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA 91066.
The event starts with a potluck lunch at noon and is scheduled to go on through about 9:00 P.M. Games and presentations will highlight the event. The reunion brings together several hundred members form all over the southland for a day of bonding.
This comes on the heels of four successful projects completed by the organization in Mabalacat.
"We successfully added a concrete and steel classroom for the Cacutud Elementary School. We had to address this issue because the sixth graders hold classes at the barrio chapel," remarked Vice President Gel Lacson.
School principal Benilda Tuazon brought in the teachers and school children to meet us," added Lacson as a contingent of MRSC members visited the school on a Sunday.
MRSC also forged a partnership with Aguman of the University of the Philippines Diliman and held a gift-giving at Barrio Sapang Biyabas near Dau, Mabalacat. About 70 children received Jollibee lunches and gift packs consisting of food and school supplies. Three lucky children brought home brand new bicycles. For more info call: 949 275-5289
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