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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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To tell us what you think about Filipino Express Online or to comment on the stories published here, E-mail us at Filexpress@aol.com
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HERCULES– City of Hercules Council Member Ed Balico is seeking re-election this November 4 to “continue the City’s Progressive Path.” Balico is running for the council seat for the third time to continue the work he has started for the betterment of Hercules and its future.
Ed Balico’s campaign kick-off party will be held on Saturday, September 27, 2008 from 3 PM to 9 PM at 292 Violet Rd, Hercules, CA 94547, hosted by Bill Prather. Balico is inviting all Hercules residents and friends to attend this event.
Ed Balico was first elected to the Hercules City Council for a four-year term in November 2000, was appointed Vice-Mayor in December 2001, and became Mayor in December 2002 and Chairperson of the Hercules Redevelopment Agency. He was re-elected in November 2004 and garnered the highest votes ever by an elected official in the history of the City of Hercules.
Balico was again reappointed as a Vice-Mayor in December 2005 and became Mayor of the City of Hercules in December 2006 and Chairperson of the Hercules Redevelopment Agency. He currently serves as a member of the Hercules City Council. Ed Balico serves on several national, state, regional and local agencies, such as the National League of Cities, League of California Cities, San Francisco Bay Conservation Development Commission, Contra Costa Transportation Authority, Contra Costa County Mayors Conference, Contra Costa College Foundation, West Contra Costa Transportation Authority.
Ed Balico has also been a resident of the City of Hercules since 1985 with his wife, Evelyn, a registered nurse and their children John, Jill and Jennifer.
In the Asian American community, Balico has been active as an officer and is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Fil- Ams of Hercules, and he has encouraged several Filipino- Americans to volunteer in the various city commissions.
For more information about his September 27 Kick-Off Campaign Party, please call (510)-245-9901. To learn more about Ed Balico’s goals and accomplishments, visit his website www.edbalico.com.
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to help the Victims of Typhoon Frank - in Collaboration
with the Home-Reach Foundation, Inc. and the
Consulate General of the Philippines, New York
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Charity Golf Event
Sunday/October 5, 2008 starts at 11:00 a.m.
Come and join us for a Charity Golf Event For The Benefit of Project Tulong to help the Victims of Typhoon Frank in Collaboration with the Home-Reach Foundation, Inc. and the Consulate General of the Philippines, New York. The event will be held at the Pine Ridge Golf Club located at 2 Golf Course Drive, Coram, N.Y. 11727 Tel. (631) 331-7930. Shotgun starts at 1:00 pm. Reservations are on a FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE basis, and limited number of available slots.
Registration, lunch and program begin at 11 am. Shotgun starts at 1 pm. Golfer includes check in & bag service, lunch, and 18 holes of golf with cart, free sleeve of balls, practice range, dinner awards, trophies and prizes. The net proceeds of the event will be donated to the families and victims of Tropical Cyclone “Frank”.
For more information, please call Robert Zarate (631) 816-4372; Dr. Edgar Lerias (631)697-2830; Ramon Villongco (631) 742-3479; Dr. Pepe Recitas (516)603-8751; Nimia Lacebal (973) 338-1204; Nena Lozada Kaufman (917) 582-1212; Dan De Guzman (973)
768-5677; Bill Rebong (917) 902-2408; Linda Pelayo (212) 967-5784; Nelson Perez (646) 387-8522; Andy Zapata (551) 404-2552 or Philippine Consulate General at 212-764-1330 Ext 306 or 310.
You can also email Robert Zarate at zaraterobert@hotmail.com or visit our website at www.projecttulong.com
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ALBANY– Filipino-American chess master Vitaliano V. Rafael won the 130th New York State Chess Championship (Expert division) held at the Marriott Albany from August 30th to September 1.
He is the first Filipino to capture this prestigious annual Labor Day Weekend classic in which the great Bobby Fischer and the legendary Jose Capablanca were former champions.
Rafael bested players coming from various regions of the State and went undefeated from a 6-Round Swiss System en route to winning first place and taking home $900 cash.
Almost 200 players participated in the 3-day competition sanctioned by the U.S. Chess Federation.
“It was really an energy draining tournament. Particularly, my nerve-cracking 4th and 5th rounds lasting for almost 6 hours each game,” said the chess champion. “Luckily, I still had the strength and deep tactical ability to swindle my opponents.”
Rafael claimed that this was actually a comeback win for him. He has been out of competitive chess for more than a decade. His last major win was in the late 80’s when he captured both the World Open in Philadelphia and the NY Open. He has also been directing tournaments and conducting simultaneous exhibitions amongst numerous Fil-Am events.
“Kalabaw lang ang tumatanda,” he ecstatically states. “Yet I knew that I have more brilliant moves.”
Vital or “Nonoy,” his nickname, has a B.S. Degree in Industrial Management Engineering, minor in Mechanical Engineering at De La Salle University and a graduate of Information Technology program at Columbia University. He works as a Program Manager for an aerospace company.
His chess career started at age 10 and gradually emerged into a sharp tactician and master of openings through keenly reading and memorizing chess books. He then became high school champion and a Philippine Junior finalist. His passion to the game continued and became La Salle’s 5-time chess champion and remarkably won NCAA Board 1 Gold Medal.
Nonoy is not only into chess but also very active with Fil-Am organizations. He is currently the Vice-President of the Filipino American Association of Engineers (FAAE) and the Vice-President of La-Salle Alumni-East coast. You can get a chance to play with him when he plays 20-board simultaneous exhibitions at the annual Philippine Fiesta in NJ.
He is from Manila and the youngest son of the late Justice Vicente and Dr. Felicita Rafael. He lives on Long Island with his wife Josephine and 3 children, Justin, Jermyn and Jacqueline.
“My long term goal is to teach younger kids the essence of the game and expose them early to its strategic concepts. Experts now believe that chess enhances the quantitative and analytical abilities of school-age kids,” he genuinely explains.
“And I will be back next year to defend my championship!”
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