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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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ENGINEER Danny Pagsambugan, founder and executive producer of Maharlikang Pilipino USA, announced that the grand finals and coronation of this year’s Maharlikang Piilipino USA will be held on April 21 at Puccini’s Restaurant, on Broadway and West Side Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey.
The winner will compete in the Grand National Finals in the Philippines to be held on June 12 at the Metro Bar in Quezon City.
Winners of Maharlikang Pilipino USA will receive, among others, free round-trip ticket to the Philippines.
Free accommodation for the duration of the winners’ stay in the Philippines is courtesy of Dr. Eugene Marcos.
While in the Philippines, the winners will: pay a courtesy call to Mayor Abalos; appear on the TV Show The Buzz hosted by Boy Abunda; donate money to the project’s beneficiaries; be featured in Madaluyong City’s Club Mwah.
Mabuhay Tax Service, a perennial supporter of Maharlikang Pilipino USA, is this year’s corporate sponsor.
The Maharlikang Pilipino USA finalists from five states will be presented at the Coronation Ball on April 21, and from among them, the winner will be announced.
The finalists are Jerald Mutia, California; Victor Ecarma, Virginia; Charles DeBeaux, Florida; Brady Justice, Massachusetts; and Orvee Pruna, Nevada.
The new members of Maharlikang Pilipino USA Executive Committees are Dr. Tony Mendoza, Dr. Eugene Marcos, Dr. Leo dela Cruz, Engr. Zaldy Bayan, Engr. Nick Tabajonda, Engr. Jaime Aquino, Engr. Ernie Lindain, Joel Adriano- well known Make Up Artist and Fashion Designer, Erno Hormillosa- well known Choreographer and Stage Designer, Ronn Reganitt- Publicist, Marietta Tala-Tala, Cyndee Bondoc, Alex Angeles, Rose Lontoc, Kim Ponio, Pilar Rodriguez, Fely Lintao. Engr. Pet Cruz- State Coordinators- Chicago, Elton Lugay-San Francisco, Rhoda Gotico- Florida, Maan Herrera-Virginia & Maryland. These Executive Committees are also contact persons for the Dinner & Fashion Show Reservations until April 14, 2006.
A mini-fashion show is also lined up during the coronation. Miss Anjia Jalac is the featured fashion designer for the mini-fashion show. She was the Mutya ng Pilipinas Miss Talent 2005 and Miss Petite International in Toronto Canada.
The new Maharlikang Pilipino USA basketball team will also be presented durimh the coronation night.
Maharlikang Pilipino USA will soon launch its own magazine, to be published quarterly.
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THE day of her election to a second term as President of the Philippine American Communities Executive Council (PACEC) was an auspicious day or Monina Tan Latuja.
That same night, Latuja was asked to be the Grand Marshal of the 19th Philippine Day Parade and Festival in Passaic, New Jersey on June 11, 2006, organized annually by the Philippine Day Organizing Council (PDOC), a committee of the Filipino American Association of Northern New Jersey, Inc.
And to honor PDOC’s 2006 Grand Marshal Monina Tan Latuja, the association has issued invitations to community leaders and the general community of the tri-state area to a Grand Marshal Night at the Double Tree Hotel at 1000 Spring St, Elizabeth, New Jersey 07201 on Saturday April 8, from 6:30 in the evening to 12:00 midnight.
Latuja is considered a natural choice for Grand Marshal of the parade. PDOC and its parent organization is one of only three umbrella organizations in the area that mount a community-wide celebratory parade and festival every year.
Since migrating to the United States in 1958, Latuja has blazed a trail of community volunteerism concertrating her involvement with Filipino-American civic, cultural and social organization.
Latuja has devoted much of her volunteer activities with PACEC, the first umbrella organization that was founded in the Greater New York area, in 1951.
For 20 years, Latuja served as chairman of PACEC’s Annual Miss Philippines-USA Beauty Pageant, now on its 41st year.
Latuja was first elected vice president of PACEC in 1998, and president in 2004. She received a Gift of Life Foundation Award for sponsoring the surgery of two Blue Babies last year.
Last year , Latuja was a recipient of an award from the National Association of Filipino-American (NAFFAA) in New Jersey for outstanding Community Service and Leadership.
She has received similar awards and citations from the Philippine independence Day Council, Inc. (PIDCI), PACEC, Fil-Am Faces, the Federation of Philippine Societies in New Jersey, Inc. San Pablo Association, Philippine-American Friendship Committee, Inc. (PAFCOM).
Latuja, who hails from Tacloban, Leyte, is married to Esteban Latuja, Jr. a retired U.S Postal Manager. The couple has five children and nine grandchildren. Curently, the Latujas reside in Matwan, New Jersey.
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Colonia, NEW JERSEY --- Victor Reyes, ChFC, CLU, of AXA Advisors in Edison, has earned a certificate in retirement planning from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania for attending the At Retirement Program.
Reyes was one of only 50 financial professionals who participated in the inaugural session of this elite program.
He was selected from more than 3,300 AXA Advisors financial professionals nationwide. The announcement was made by Bill Degnan, senior vice president and head of AXA Equitable’s At Retirement unit.
The Wharton School is recognized around the world for its academic strengths at every level of business education. The retirement education program is a customized program developed for AXA Advisors to provide its financial professionals with intensive training in retirement planning.
“There are currently over 77 million baby boomers in the United States looking at 20 to 30 years in retirement,” said Christopher M. “Kip” Condron, president and CEO of AXA Financial, Inc. “Without proper planning, they are likely facing the risk of not having enough retirement income.”
Mr. Condron continued, “We created this program to give our financial professionals a higher level of training and knowledge to best serve the planning needs of this huge market.”
“AXA and The Wharton School have developed an extraordinary program focused on concepts and issues for the At Retirement marketplace,” said Dr. Mitchell, the Academic Director for the program.
“The Wharton School is extraordinarily engaged with the AXA leadership in linking top-notch financial sector producers and academics, communicating “outside the box” thought on financial strategy and decision-making for the At Retirement marketplace,” Mitchell said.
Reyes holds the Chartered Financial Consultant and Chartered Life Underwriter designations. He is a member of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors and is President of the Central New Jersey Chapter of the Society of Financial Services Professionals.
Reyes resides in Colonia, NJ, with his wife Dr. Crisanta Reyes and their two children, Victor and Michelle.
AXA Advisors, LLC is a leading provider of financial services for consumers and businesses, working with clients to help them define and meet their financial goals. AXA Equitable provides life insurance, annuities and other needs-based products and services for the financial services market.
AXA Financial is a member of the global AXA Group, which was listed as the 13th largest company on Fortune’s Global 500 list in 2004.
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THE 6th Filipino Heritage Fair will be held on Sunday, May 21, at the Veterans Memorial Park, New Bridge Road, Bergenfield in New Jersey.
Noted community leader Wilson C. Verzosa is the overall chairman.
With the month of May designated as the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, the fair will be held in conjunction with other celebrations nationwide.
It aims to honor Asian Pacific Americans for their various accomplishments and contributions to their respective nations and to the US.
The Fair, which will be from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm, will showcase Philippine culture and heritage through indigenous music, dances, exhibits and a cultural talent show. It will also feature food fair, health fair, voter registration, children’s fair, and education drive, as well as business exhibits.
The Heritage Fair, which promises to be the biggest and best by far, will be ushered in by the 6th Annual Filipino Heritage “Gabi Ng Parangal and Coronation Ball” to be held on Sunday, May 7.
The coronation ball is from 2:30 to - 8:00 pm at the Sheraton Newark Airport Hotel Grand Ballroom, 128 Frontage Road, Newark, New Jersey.
The affair will feature the awarding of Outstanding Filipino-Americans in their various fields of achievement, as well as the coronation of the Filipino Heritage Beauties 2006.
The Fair organizers also announced that they are now accepting advertisers for the Souvenir Journal of the 6th Annual Heritage Ball.
Proceeds from the project will be used to fundvarious projects of the Filipino Heritage Foundation, Inc.
For further information and participation, please contact: Overall Chairman - Wilson C. Verzosa, 201-387-6046 / 201-647-6195; Overall Vice Chair - Buddy Deauna, 201-501-8388 / 201-647-3078; Overall Vice Chair - Romy Abenoja 201-913-1624 / 201-569-5331; Heritage Ball & Search for Heritage Beauties - Jocelyn B. Verzosa, 201-387-6046; Cultural Show - Joey / Connie Arcilla, 201-446-2056; Booths & Exhibits - Alan Ordonez, 201-887-1156; Heritage Journal - Lito Pernia 212-965-2217; Santacruzan Festival - Lydia Barrientos, 201-281-9384; Health Fair - Joe Lozada 201-384-0287.
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