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For the past 17 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, NEW JERSEY, July 1, 2004 --- The Philippine-American Friendship celebration at Exchange Place on Sunday was marred by a commotion after a 16-year-old Filipino-American boy reportedly jumped off Grundy Pier and into the Hudson River, and was rescued by a certified lifeguard who was on hand to monitor the nearby festival.
Van Allen Flores, of Jersey City, was seen horsing around with friends at about 3 p.m. before he made the plunge into the water, according to witnesses.
“I saw him laughing and teasing around. It seems like he was daring his peers that he could dive into the water,” said a woman, who declined to be identified. “Then in a few minutes, I saw him already in the water. He was still laughing, though.”
Jan Carlo Dumenden, 13, of Jersey City, said that his friend (Flores) had no intention to jump off the pier.
“I think Van was just kidding our friends, but fell accidentally into the water,” he said.
Sean Khoblall, 15, of Jersey City, told The Jersey Journal that Flores “was sitting on the rail, theorizing about what would happen if he were to jump in, when he suddenly slipped from the rail.”
Because of the strong current, Flores was quickly swept away from the pier. His friends tried to save him by throwing a belt-rope to him, but the rope broke. Soon, Flores was an estimated 100 feet from the pier.
Though the weather that day was mostly sunny and in the high 70s, the water was still cold.
Firefighter Mike Rizzoli, a lead fire inspector who was monitoring the Filipino-American Friendship festival, quickly responded to the scene, with more firefighters and police in tow.
Police threw a rope to the boy to pull him closer to land but the rope snapped on three different tries.
Then it was the time that Michael Siegel, 17, a friend of Flores and a certified lifeguard, jumped in to rescue his friend, bringing him to land safely.
Rizzoli was taken to the Jersey City Medical Center after cutting his feet on the rocks when he jumped into the water to assist the boy.
Contending that Flores jumped in the water, police handcuffed and arrested him on charges of disorderly conduct.
But according to Dumenden, his friend was released on the same day.
Some members of the Filipino community, meanwhile, had reacted to the incident.
“There’s no way that he could fall into the water. He’s 16 years old. He’s old enough to know what’s right and what’s wrong,” said R. Baldueza, of Toms River, NJ. “He could have killed someone during the rescue operation. I think he deserved a disciplinary punishment for his actions.”
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CEBU CITY, June 30, 2004 --- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has taken her oath as the country’s 14th President amid full military honors, an ecstatic Visayan crowd, guests that included more than a hundred foreign dignitaries, and a grand set-up at the provincial capitol here.
The scene at the provincial capitol was completely different from the first time she was sworn into office after taking the helm from deposed President Joseph Estrada in 2001, which was followed by three tumultuous years of discordant politics and more economic woes.
Clad in an aquamarine terno, which popular designer Inno Sotto “recycled” from a previous gown she wore at a state visit, a brimming Arroyo stood on stage and waved to the Cebuano crowd.
Early in the morning, she delivered her pre-inaugural address at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.
The President chose to take her oath in Cebu, saying it was the province that made her President.
Cebu province and Cebu City gave her about a million-vote lead over closest rival Fernando Poe Jr. in the May 10 election.
Arroyo arrived at the Capitol at 11:45 a.m., 10 minutes after the arrival of Vice President Noli de Castro.
The President was given arrival honors including a 21-gun salute by soldiers in green uniforms adorned with yellow stripes, and white pants.
Actress Nora Aunor, who supported Arroyo, sang the National Anthem. An ecumenical prayer followed.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. swore in De Castro at 11:45 a.m. and Arroyo at 12 noon.
A 21-gun salute honored Arroyo as she signed her oath of office.
The weather was sunny during the entire ceremony in contrast to the drizzle earlier.
Security was tight along the Osmeña Blvd. and Escario St., which were blocked by rows of police and military forces.
Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) cadets in white shirts and jeans were also asked to help secure the way leading to the Capitol.
Supporters of Arroyo from the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), veterans groups, urban poor organizations, and those brought by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña were allowed to stay at the side streets.
Arroyo was accompanied by First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, her three children, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren.
Among the guests who were seated on the stage were foreign dignitaries, local officials, Cabinet members, senators, congressmen, Speaker Jose De Venecia Jr., Senate President Franklin Drilon, and former President Corazon Aquino, who wore an orange gown.
Among the foreign visitors were the minister in charge of international affairs of Morocco, the Korean minister of gender equality, a Myanmar minister, the health minister of Brunei, the First Lady of the Czech Republic, Vice President and Minister of Health of Palau, the Deputy Prime Minister from Swaziland, the Deputy Prime Minister from Thailand, the Senate President of Spain, the Foreign Minister of China, and the US Secretary of Veterans Affairs. (MNS)
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MANILA — The highest ranking Filipino-American in the White House joined the United States and foreign dignitaries who graced President Arroyo’s inaugural on Wednesday at Quirino Grandstand in Cebu City.
Susan Ralston, executive assistant to senior presidential adviser Karl Rove, was US President George W. Bush’s representative to the occasion along with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi and Adm. Thomas Fargo, commander of US forces in the Pacific.
Ralston, 36, was last in Manila during the state visit of President Bush in October last year.
Born in York, Pennsylvania, Ralston’s parents are Filipino; her father, Tom Bonzon, is from Rizal and her mother, Tita Lagman, from Quezon City.
Ralston said in several reports that she grew up in Jacksonville, Florida and in Chicago in a “very close-knit community with a lot of Filipinos.”
She said that she grew up with “the culture, heritage, and food” though she didn’t speak Tagalog.
As Rove’s executive assistant, she described her typical 13- to 15-hour work day as tough. Her job, she said, include “assisting her boss in strategic planning, political affairs, public liaison and inter-governmental affairs efforts at the White House.”
Ralston has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Literature from the Loyola University in Chicago and a master’s in business administration from the Keller Graduate School in Arlington, Virginia.
Meanwhile, while there was no royal dignitary who came to attend the President’s inaugural, there was an American royalty by name who flew in for the occasion.
Former foreign affairs secretary Domingo Siazon Jr., who is now ambassador to Japan, wisecracked yesterday that the “American prince” among the international dignitaries who arrived for the occasion was Principi, who led the American delegation sent by Bush to Mrs. Arroyo’s inaugural.
“President Bush sends his congratulations to the President,” Principi told reporters in Cebu City.
Principi was accompanied by an 18-member delegation to the inaugural party, including Ralston, Fargo and Ambassador Francis Ricciardone, who reported back to his old post at the US Embassy in Manila after a brief stint in Iraq.
In an interview with reporters, Ricciardone expressed the US government’s optimism in Mrs. Arroyo’s leadership.
“Whatever choice the Filipinos made by definition, it’s the right choice and we’re certainly delighted,” Ricciardone said.
“Congratulations. We’re here with you before, we’re with you now and we’re gonna continue to support this country,” he added.
Ricciardone flew into the country two days after the US-led coalition forces turned over the transition government to the Iraqis.
“I’m delighted to be back in the Philippines in its exciting moments. The time when the President is then elected, to the new energy in the government, to the new energy in the country. We’re here to support, to help out,” Ricciardone said.
He described yesterday’s inaugural rites as “very steering.”
Other dignitaries who attended Mrs. Arroyo’s inaugural included the First Lady of the Czech Republic Livia Klausova, Palau’s Vice President and Minister of Health Sandra Pierantozzi, Swaziland’s Deputy Prime Minister Albert Shabangu, Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Joarinshdha Suchart, Spain’s Senate President Javier Rojo, China’s Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, Morocco’s Minister In Charge of International Affairs Fassi Fihri Taelb, South Korea’s Minister for Gender Equality Chi Eun Hoe, Myanmar’s Minister of Labor and Economic Cooperation U Tin Winn, Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjorojakti, Singapore’s Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Lee Yock Suan, Japanese Member of Congress Taro Nakayama, Cambodia’s Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Sun Saphoen, Hungary’s Political State Secretary Andras Barsony, France’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Renadu Muselier, and ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General Wilfredo Villacorta. — with reports from Philstar news service.
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NEW YORK — The Filipino-Americans in New York City generally earn more money and have more education than New York residents as a whole, according to a census conducted by the Asian American Federation of New York (AAFNY).
But while working-age Filipino-Americans in NY tend to speak English better than their city-wide counterparts, the census said that the elderly Filipino New Yorkers have less command of English than the city’s overall elderly population.
The Filipino-American population, which grew by almost one-half in the last decade, is the fourth largest Asian American group in the City. The NY metropolitan area also has the the fourth-largest number of Filipino-Americans in a U.S. metropolitan region.
The AAFNY census was based on an examination of 2000 and 1990 U.S. census data, and was conducted to expand awareness of Asian American populations in the NY area.
In an effort to review profile findings and field questions of the census to the Filipino community, the Federation will hold a briefing on July 15 in the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Consulate General in NY.
“Our census profile offers important new information about the Filipino-American community-- a group often overlloked despite its size, growth, and contributions to the local economy,” said Cao K. O., executive director of AAFNY. “The July 15th briefing will provide a forum for community members to learn, exchange information, discuss issues, and find new ways to work together.”
The briefing will be co-sponsored by the Philippine Consulate General and the Filipino American Human Services, Inc. (FAHSI).
“The Consulate General commends the Asian American Federation for the great service being rendered to Asian American communities through its series of census profiles of Asian American populations,” said Philippine Consul General Cecilia B. Rebong. “The release of the Federation’s marker profile of Filipino-Americans in New York City is significant because there are very few research studies and analyses of the Filipino population in the United States.”
Rebong also said that the Federation’s demographic portrait will be an invaluable tool for the Consulate General in the developing programs and activities responsive to the needs of Filipino-Americans in New York.
“FAHSI is proud to support the Asian American Federation in sharing information that offers crucial insight on New York’s Filipino-American community and underscores the substantial and growing presence of this population,” said Sherry Lynn Peralta, FAHSI executive director. “The Federation helped establish FAHSI remains a staunch ally. The Federation’s profile of Filipino-Americans will guide us in enhancing our efforts to increase the social well-being, self-reliance and civic participation of vulnerable community segments.”
The Filipino-American profile is available at www.aafny.org.
The AAFNY is a non-profit leadership organization that works collaboratively to meet the critical needs of Asian Americans in the New York area. Operating since 1990, the Federation strengthens community-based health and social services capacity by supporting its 35-member agencies and other grassroots organizations.
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