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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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NEW YORK --- The Asia Pacific Islander Coalition on HIV/AIDS (APICHA) honored four indiviuals and one organization as Champions in the fights against HIV/AIDS.
They are Cindy Hsu, co-anchor of “CBS 2 News at Noon”; Dr. Benjamin Ileto, renown Filipino leader and humanitarian; Dr. James Mason, former Assistant Secretary of Health of the United States Public Health Service, Surgeon General and head of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention; Dr. Gary Noble who spent 29 years at the CDC working in the areas of infectious disease and health policy and former Vice President for Medical and Public Health Affairs for Johnson & Johnson; and Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS.
The awarding were held dueign APICHA’s annual benefit gala, A Thousand and One Champions, on September 26 at Bridgewaters in New York City.
Broadway star Jose Llana, known for his roles in “The King and I,” “Rent,” and “Flower Drum Song,” and Soraya Elcock, public health activist and Director of Prevention, Education and Policy for Harlem United Community AIDS Center co-hosted the evening.
Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies, Verizon, WCBS, Henry van Ameringen and Abbott Pharmaceuticals were major sponsors of the event.
“We are proud to recognize the efforts of local and national leaders in support of our cause,” said Therese Rodriguez, executive director of APICHA. “It takes money, resources, dedication and the involvement of many people to keep APICHA going. We are very grateful for the participation of such distinguished leaders and for the contributions from so many individual, community and business partners.”
Cindy Hsu has been a supporter of APICHA throughout its fifteen-year history. She has hosted many of the organization’s prior fundraising events. She was honored with the Champion of Service Award for her generous support that helped APICHA build its network of donors and enhance its programs and services.
Dr. Benjamin Ileto, a past board member and visionary leader of APICHA, who was a key planner of APICHA’s bold move to establish an HIV primary care clinic, has been a vocal health advocate and political leader in New York’s Filipino community. APICHA recognize him with the Champion of Courage Award for his contributions to the public discourse of critical health issues, including HIV/AIDS and for his involvement in APICHA and other humanitarian causes. Dr. Ileto is presently co-chairman of the Philippine Forum.
Dr. Mason and Dr. Noble have dedicated their careers to issues concerning public health and HIV/AIDS. APICHA recognized the work of these two national and visionary public health leaders with its Champion of Vision Award, particularly for their contributions to establish a separate category for Asian and Pacific Islanders, Native Americans and Alaska Natives in CDC reports.
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA) was presented with the Champion of Generosity Award for its consistent support of APICHA since its early years. BC/EFA is the nation’s leading industry-based HIV/AIDS fundraising and grant-making organization, having raised over $100 million dollars for critically needed services for people with AIDS and other serious illnesses.
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NEW YORK --- Fresh from her successful chairing of the U.N. Security the day before, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was enthusiastically welcomed by a throng of wide-eyed, camera-wielding Filipino-Americans on September 15 as she graced two community events organized by the Philippine Consulate General in New York.
Mrs. Arroyo attended the enshrinement of the first Filipino chapel dedicated to the first Filipino saint, San Lorenzo Ruiz and Holy Mass in Lower Manhattan in the morning, and the opening of a photo exhibit entitled, “The Working President,” at the lobby of the Philippine Center in Midtown Manhattan later in the evening.
The photo exhibit was followed by picture-taking sessions with the president posing with members of the Filipino-American community and members of Mrs. Arroyo’s official entourage which included Ambassador Albert Del Rosario, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, and First Gentleman Mike Arroyo.
Both events were literally filled to the “rafters” with Filipino-Americans wanting to see the President. Some of them came all the way from Connecticut and Pennsylvania and other neighboring states which were a considerable drive to and from New York City.
At the San Lorenzo Ruiz chapel, President Arroyo extolled the Filipino-American community anew for continuing to support their less fortunate brothers and sisters back home.
Noting that a third of total OFW remittances worldwide originate from the U.S., the President said these dollar receipts contribute immensely to funding critical infrastructure and social development projects.
Discussing the current political situation in the country. the President mentioned the existence of “two” Philippines: One was the Philippines of “economy” which is “moving forward” and the other, a Philippines of “politics” which does not seem to be working for the good of the country.
She sought the support of everybody for needed reforms. She encouraged the Fil-Ams to be unrelenting with their remittances and also requested them to continue to pray for the country.
Later in the evening, after speaking before the U.N. Plenary Session, the President proceeded to the Philippine Center in mid-town Manhattan to grace the opening of a photo-exhibit and to meet with members of the Filipino-American community.
She was again greeted enthusiastically by a Filipino American crowd,
From the Philippine Center lobby, the President proceeded to the Kalayaan Hall for the much-anticipated group-photo session.
Arroyo left at around 7:30 p.m. She is the first sitting President to have ever visited the Philippine Center since its establishment in 1973.
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San Francisco, CALIFORNIA --- Among Bay Area Filipino Americans, September marks the beginning of the parolan season, a time when the community gears up for the parol-making workshops and the Annual Parol Lantern Festival.
In the South of Market, San Francisco, September is usually the month to jumpstart the preparation for the much-awaited Third Annual Parol Lantern Festival.
The Filipino American Development Foundation (FADF), the principal organizer of this annual festival, is inviting interested groups, individuals, families and neighborhood formations to participate in parol lantern making and lantern designing workshops.
The highlight of the Parol Lantern Festival is the Parol Lantern Parade, a community stroll on the 10th of December. The annual lantern parade is usually held on a Saturday to give way to parol contingents and participants from neighboring cities.
The parade of colorful lanterns will start at Bayanihan House on Mission & 6th Streets and will culminate at the Yerba Buena Gardens with giant parol exhibition by parol master artist Robert David and live music by the FilAm Vet Rondalla, Ating Tao Drum Circle, and the Francis Wong Brass Band.
“If last year’s lantern parade was astonishing -- it was better, bigger and brighter and more colorful visual spectacle -- the third edition promises to be more spectacular and festive,” said MC Canlas, the festival’s founding director.
The San Francisco Parol Lantern Parade celebration combines the long held traditions of the lantern parade of the University of the Philippines in Diliman and the world-renowned ligligan parul (Giant Lantern Show) of the City of San Fernando in the Philippine province of Pampanga.
According to Jamie Mancini, the festival outreach and volunteer coordinator, “This year we expect participating units to produce their collective lanterns, procession lanterns and walking contingents, the parol stroller-carolers.”
The Parol Lantern Festival is supported by the Community Arts and Education Program of the San Francisco’s Arts Commission, the PG&E, the MJM Management, and the Festival Committee of Yerba Buena Gardens.
“The parol making workshops bring people to work together for a common project,” said Bernadette Sy, the executive director of FADF. “It really represents the creative vitality, talent, and potential of Filipinos who contribute to the city’s cultural and economic life.”
The festival welcomes volunteers, corporate and media sponsors, and participants in Parol making activities. To join and for more information about the Third Annual Parol Lantern Festival of San Francisco please call Bayanihan Community Center at 415-348-8042, email jamiem@bayanihancc.org or visit our website www.bayanihancc.org.
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