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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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Foreign Workers appeal to Kuwait ruler for condemned Filipina
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MANILA -- A leftwing group of migrant workers said Thursday it has begun circulating in Filipino communities overseas a letter to the Emir of Kuwait imploring him to spare the life of May Vecina, a domestic worker whose death sentence was recently upheld by the Kuwaiti Supreme Court.
Migrante International’s Middle East chapter said it came out with the letter to appeal to the compassion Emir Sheik Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to commute Vecina’s sentence. The group recalled the Emir’s kindness in commuting the death sentence on Marilou Ranario, another domestic convicted of murdering her employer.
“Vecina is married with two young children living in the Philippines. She was forced to leave her family and children to help support them financially. We fervently hope that this (commutation of Ranario’s sentence) could be duplicated in the case of May Vecina and we would be most grateful for this," said the letter, a copy of which was e-mailed to the Philippine Daily Inquirer from Riyadh.
The group also came out with a second letter to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to ask the Philippine government to “exhaust all possible means” to save Vecina.
About a dozen Filipino community organizations and workers groups in the Middle East and Hong Kong have signed the petition, according to John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Mideast regional coordinator based in Riyadh.
On April 1, the Supreme Court of Kuwait upheld the death sentence on Vecina, who was convicted of killing her employer's seven year old son and attempting to murder the victim’s two other children last year. Vecina has two young children of her own aged 2 and 6 respectively.
Local newspaper reports in Kuwait indicated that she was mistreated by her employer and on the day of the killing reacted violently to insults from members of her employer’s family.
Monterona said in an e-mail message that domestic helpers in Kuwait are subjected to a lot of work-related stress and this may make them commit crimes at the spur of the moment.
He cited a study made by the Social Work Society of Kuwait, a non government organizations, on an unspecified number of foreign domestic workers in the emirate during the last quarter of 2005. The study showed that 47.1 percent of the maids faced problems which included abusive and vile words, overworking, less time for sleep, beating, accusations of stealing, and accusations of revealing employer family secrets.
Migrante-Mideast said overseas Filipino workers and other migrant groups may obtain copies of the petition through e-mail at migranteme@yahoo.com Among the signatories to the two petitions were members of Migrante chapters in Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and the Saudi Arabian cities of Jeddah and Riyadh; the Kapatiran sa Gitnang Silangan, Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants, Abra Tingguian Ilocano Society, Asosiasi Tenaga Kerja Indonesia di Hong Kong, Bethune House Migrants Women's Refuge and Mission for Migrant Workers.
Meanwhile, Migrante and other migrant workers groups deplored Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez’s proposal that OFWs in Kuwait contribute for the blood money to pay for the Vecina’s release.
Monterona said that while Migrante and fellow OFWs were “ever willing” to extend help to raise money for Vecina, despite being cash strapped themselves, Gonzalez’s statement “implies to evade and to pass upon us and fellow OFWs the burden of state responsibility for protecting and providing assistance to OFWs in death row, jailed, stranded and distressed alike.”
“The Arroyo administration is obviously feeling the pressure now from the almost 10 million OFWs and their families who will resolutely campaign to compel this administration to do its job conscientiously and earnestly to save the life of Vecina and other 25 OFWs who are on a death row,” Monterona added. (MNS/INQ)
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NEW YORK– Paolo calmly places the half-consumed cigarette between his dry lips and sips into it, making the lit part of the cigarette glow like molten earth. He slowly exhales–through his nose, filling his surroundings with bluish-white smoke. He just finished watching one of his favorite FilAm bands, The Kuwagos play to a sold out club here in Manhattan.
“I am glad that this Fil-Am music season is now on,” he says. “The music and performances of my favorite FilAm artists is a big part of my spring and summer.”
Paolo is not alone in his approval of what is going on in the Filipino-American music scene. His sentiments echo the general opinion of FilAms, who find their identities in the music and personas of their favorite artists.
“There is definitely a movement among the young generation of FilAms– A movement never before seen here in the FilAm community. The last time such movement happened was in the home country, the Philippines, during the youth culture explosion brought about by bands like the Eraserheads, Yano, Color it Red and other seminal groups in the early 1990’s,” opines Jacob Flores, a social scientist originally from the University of the Philippines, but now a graduate student of Columbia University.
Flores further stresses that the preeminence of FilAm bands playing distinctly Fil-Am music is a strong sign of a wide spread sub-cultural current sweeping the FilAm youth of today.
FilAm music is a unique concoction. It can be categorized as a hybrid of very FilAm sentimentalities and Asian– Afro- Latin– Euro-American musicality. The type of music is not typical of Pinoy rock or pop that is just to simplistic– perhaps intentionally done so to touch base with the ‘masa.’ Fil-Am music is musically intricate, yet lyrically simple and direct.
Consider the music of Chicago-based band, ‘Bagwis’. Their music is very hard to categorize. They mix Filipino indigenous instruments with African-American rap, R&B, and jazz, as well as tinges of funk and pop. It is definitely complicated music, however, their lyrics are straight to the point. They talk about the issues facing Filipinos and Fil- Ams. Their songs tell familiar stories but to a different beat, which is unique.
It is the same with most active Fil Am bands today like The Kuwagos of New Jersey, for instance. The Kuwagos sound like a mix of English punk bands and American southern rock with very particular FilAm lyrics. They talk about particular Fil-Am experiences, the realities of serving foreign bosses, double jobs and remittances. Their music mirrors the experience of any Filipino living and working here in America.
Songs by bands like Bleud, Qwadra, Blue Mellon Pop, ACI9, The Happy Analogues, Rayzed, Carpools, PI, Circled Sin, The Moonbugs, and The Mary’s, all resonate with the same original thumbprint.
“I relate to their songs,” says Dianne, a FilAm student of St. Peter’s College. “It makes me and my friends feel that we belong. My Latina friends can all dance to their music, now I can too to my own music”
The Fil Am scene gained new momentum in 2006, with the foundation of an online-New York-based Filipino-American music magazine called Poptimes Magazine. The magazine is home to as many as 600 members– a mix of fans and artists themselves. It has grown to be the premiere source for anything FilAm Music with exclusive articles about local bands and well-known Filipino artists like Sandwich, Lea Salonga, Rivermaya and Barbie Almalbis.
The success of Poptimes triggered a new wave of pro activity in the passive scene. In late 2007, two new FilAm music websites, this time based in San Francisco and Chicago, launched their own website – FilAmMusic.com and Chicago Pinoy Music Site. Both these sites empower the FilAm artists in their respective regions just like Poptimes Magazine here in New York and New Jersey.
This summer, there is talk that Poptimes Magazine will expand out of the web and become a real printed magazine. If so, the whole FilAm music landscape will surely move up a notch.
“The printing of Poptimes Magazine will be a key moment in FilAm music history,” says Anna Bee, one of the magazine’s editors. “For the first time, there will be an industry magazine that could jump start the scene and bring it to the mainstream.”
The magazine’s launch is reported to go with the release of Rock in the Box 2, the second volume of the Filipino-American compilation album.
“We intentionally planned to launch Rock in the Box 2 with the maiden issue of Poptimes with, “ adds Ronnie Lao, Soulworks Records’ A&R Executive.
“We are gearing for maximum impact for Rock in the Box 2, and partnership with Poptimes Magazine is the only way to do it.”
Television has also showed interest in covering Fil Am music events. TFC has been very helpful in bringing the FilAm artists into every FilAm household’s TV set. The recently cancelled show ‘Speak Out’ featured as many Fil Am artists as it could during its heyday on air. The new TFC channel ‘MYX’ has also expressed willingness to give airtime to FilAm music. Even the news program, ‘Balitang America’ is jumping into the bandwagon, with news coverage of FilAm music activities all over the country.
“We are in a special time in FilAm music history,” says Gatchie Ignacio of The Kuwagos and Poptimes Magazine. “The scene is growing up right before our eyes. It is just to good to pass up.”
Due to the unprecedented attention of the media to FilAm bands, there is talk that some Philippine-based major recording companies expressed their interests in signing FilAm artists. This is not surprising, given the fact that most FilAm today are ‘fed-up’ with the music that they get from mainstream Philippine acts. When over-saturation happens, record labels turn to other sources– and FilAm music is the most logical source.
According to Steve Roces, a FilAm music aficionado from Manhattan, Pinoy music fans want value for their money. “Mahal masyado ang mga concert ng mga artista at mga sikat na banda sa Pilipinas. Dito for $10 makakapanood ka na ng magagaling na local bands who play great original Fil-Am music. San ka pa?”
While all eyes are on Fil-Am music, it’s time to grab the moment and make history.
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Palau president barred from commercial flight
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MANILA– The president of the Pacific island nation of Palau, who was on a two-day state visit here, was barred Wednesday night from boarding a commercial flight at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), authorities said Thursday.
Adding a bizarre twist to the incident, the Continental Micronesia Airlines flight that President Tommy Remengasau would have boarded was targeted by a bomb threat called in to police and was forced to turn back.
No bomb was found.
Police would not say whether the two incidents might be linked.
Palau Ambassador Ramon Rechebei said the Philippines has apologized for Wednesday night's incident and paid for a private aircraft to take Remengasau, his wife and ministers to Palau's capital, Koror, later Thursday.
Continental Micronesia Airlines crew did not allow Palau President Tommy Remengesau Jr. and his group to board after he refused to be frisked, a security procedure at airports that Malacañang and Department of Foreign Affairs protocol officers requested waived as due courtesy to the visiting dignitary. Remengasau returned to his hotel instead, Rechebei told The Associated Press.
Rechebei said it was embarrassing for the Palau leader to undergo inspection at the airport, where Philippine officials, led by Vice President Noli de Castro, were on hand to see him off.
De Castro and Filipino diplomats tried to intervene and asked that Remengasau be exempted from the search in accordance with protocol for visiting heads of state, but the airline refused to budge, airport officials said.
International Airport general manager Alfonso Cusi Thursday morning said the airline would be investigated for refusing to grant courtesy to Remengesau, who is still in Manila with his wife Debbie and an entourage of 11 officials.
Officials at Continental could not immediately be reached for comment.
Remengesau and his entourage were to be given foyer honors at the NAIA before boarding flight CO892, which was scheduled to depart at 9:45 p.m. Wednesday for Guam with a stopover in Palau.
Negotiations went on until midnight but the Continental Micronesia Airlines staff would not budge, citing strict US carrier regulations, said a source who requested anonymity since he was not authorized to discuss the matter.
At least three Palau ministers and the head of the country's senate boarded the flight after being frisked, Rechebei said. But about an hour after take off, authorities received the bomb threat and the flight had to return to the airport, said
Senior Superintendent Efren Labiang, director of the police Aviation Security Group. Inspection of the aircraft and passengers showed no bomb, he added.
The airport control tower said it received a call from the Air Force, saying it had an intelligence report that a bomb might be on board the plane. The flight, with 129 passengers on board, finally left at 4:35 a.m. Thursday, Labiang said.
Rechebei said the Palau officials on board the plane decided to stay behind when it returned to Manila and would take the private plane with Remengasau.
Earlier Wednesday, Remengasau and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo witnessed the signing of four agreements between their countries on air services, medical tourism, education and telecommunications.
The two leaders also sought each other's cooperation on facing challenges like terrorism, climate change and rising oil and food prices. Palau, an island chain of about 200 islands, only eight of which are permanently inhabited with a total of about 20,000 people, is about 800 miles (1,287 kilometers) southwest of Guam and 500 miles (805 kilometers) east of the Philippines. (MNS)
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