clopez

Anti-Filipino graffiti slams Fil-Ams; police probing it as hate crime

 News
Apr 302013
 
Anti-Filipino graffiti slams Fil-Ams; police probing it as hate crime

INQUIRER.net U.S. Bureau 4:19 am | Wednesday, May 1st, 2013 UNION CITY, California–A vandal or vandals defaced Filipino-American establishments over the weekend by spraying graffiti anti-Filipino messages, and police are investigating the case as a hate crime. UnionCityPatch.com http://unioncity.patch.com/, a hyperlocal news site reported that those targeted were the Toppings Too restaurant, the Filipino Advocates for Justice office and the Filipino Community of Alvarado and Vicinity building, which houses various offices including the Union City Chamber of Commerce. The pieces of graffiti appear to be written in the same handwriting. Though the identity of the perpetrator is unknown, the graffiti appears to name two ethnic groups. On the Filipino Community building, located at 3939 Smith St., the vandal crossed out “Filipino” and wrote “Mex” above the word “community,” with “f— Filipinos” underneath. Similarly, the graffiti scrawled on Toppings read “Mex” and “f—- Filipinos” on one side of the restaurant’s entrance door with “AMS” on the other, suggesting possible tensions after the renaming of Alvarado Middle School after Filipino-American labor leaders Larry Itliong and Philip Veracruz. Members of the Filipino-American community were saddened to see such divisive messages in the community. Tracie Noriega, a member of the New Haven Pilipino American Society for Education, said in a statement that the acts of vandalism are “extremely disheartening.” “It is also disheartening that the vandalism is claimed by and against two ethnic groups that have roots in very similar experiences,” Noriega added. “The formation of the United Farm Workers Union was grounded in Read More …

Fil-Am scientist, who helped find a cure for HIV baby, among TIME’s most influential people

 News
Apr 252013
 
Fil-Am scientist, who helped find a cure for HIV baby, among TIME’s most influential people

By ELTON LUGAY (TheFilAm.net) INQUIRER.net U.S. Bureau 6:00 am | Friday, April 26th, 2013 Dr. Katherine Luzuriaga NEW YORK CITY—One of two Filipinos who made this year’s TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World is Dr. Katherine Luzuriaga, a pediatric allergist and immunologist from the University of Massachusetts, who was part of the team that developed a cure for an HIV-positive infant. The other awardee is Philippine President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino. They were among the prominent and distinguished personalities who were honored at an April 23 awards ceremony at the Time Warner Center on Columbus Circle. Aquino was not present. “We consider this a great achievement,” Luzuriaga, speaking for her team, said. “We’re very honored and actually very humbled to be among the ranks of these individuals that have been chosen.” Luzuriaga, a Filipino American, has been at the forefront of pediatric HIV/AIDS research. Her bio says she has over 20 years experience in “patient-oriented research focused on mother-to-child transmission of HIV.” Later, she asked me, “Pilipino ka ba? Darating ba si presidente?” Luzuriaga, who is also a professor of pediatrics and medicine, said her team is honored “to have our work considered to Barbara Walters be of greatinfluence. To a scientist, that means a lot.” The work does not end with the TIME honor, she said. “One of the things about the finding is that it points the way to new studies that we can do and we’d like to go on and continue to make progress Read More …

Filipino consul says sorry, claims he was tired, provoked

 News
Apr 252013
 
Filipino consul says sorry, claims he was tired, provoked

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 5:16 am | Friday, April 26th, 2013 Jose Ampeso, the Philippine consul general to Vancouver, as shown in the video posted on YouTube: So sorry. Screen grab from www.youtube.com MANILA, Philippines—He is sorry for behaving the way he did, but said he was unjustly provoked during a very tiring day at work. Jose Ampeso, the Philippine consul general to Vancouver, apologized Thursday for any offense his videotaped rant may have caused but gave the excuse that he was provoked by a Filipino-Canadian offering “to give a measly dollar” to his mission’s fund drive for typhoon victims in the Philippines. “The video alone is not sufficient to draw any reasonable conclusions from, one way or the other. Hence, it is unfair and unjust to use it to malign my character,” said Ampeso, a career diplomat for the past three decades, serving in various overseas posts. In a statement on Thursday, Ampeso claimed the 28-second video “does not tell the whole story” about his run-in with a Filipino who was applying to renew his passport during the Vancouver mission’s passport renewal outreach program in Alberta, Canada, on April 19. Insults and ridicule Ampeso said the passport applicant “insulted me and poked fun at being requested to make a donation to the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC).” “That’s why I became so agitated while explaining to him that if he had to give anything at all, it has to come from the heart for the typhoon victims. It Read More …

Int’l arbitration panel ready to hear PH case against China

 News
Apr 252013
 
Int’l arbitration panel ready to hear PH case against China

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 4:26 am | Friday, April 26th, 2013 Judge Shunji Yanai, president of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, has appointed the last three members of the panel of five international arbitrators that would hear the Philippines’ case against China’s claims in the West Philippine Sea, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday, April 25, 2013. PHOTO FROM ITLOS.ORG MANILA, Philippines—The panel of five international arbitrators that would hear the Philippines’ case against China’s claims in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) has been completed, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Thursday. DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said that Judge Shunji Yanai, president of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (Itlos), had appointed the last three members of the panel. “That means the case is moving and, as expected, we are hoping that this case that we filed in the tribunal will proceed as soon as possible,” said Hernandez in a press briefing. In a letter dated April 24, Yanai informed Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza, head of the Philippine legal team pursuing the case, that the panel had been completed. The newly appointed arbitrators are Judge Chris Pinto (Sri Lanka), who will serve as panel president, and Itlos judges Jean-Pierre Cot (France) and Alfred Soons (The Netherlands). In March, Yanai appointed Polish Itlos Judge Stanislaw Pawlak to join his fellow Judge Rudiger Wolfrum (Germany) in the panel. The Philippines nominated Wolfrum to the panel upon filing its Read More …

Fil-Am papers fighting for life in a digital world

 News
Apr 252013
 
Fil-Am papers fighting for life in a digital world

By Rose PaquetteINQUIRER.net U.S. Bureau 4:20 am | Friday, April 26th, 2013 SAN FRANCISCO–Publishers and operators of Filipino American newspapers in the Bay Area are struggling to cope with the technological revolution. Like their mainstream counterparts, they are barely surviving cutthroat competition from digital news media for advertising revenue. A representative of a Fil-Am paper who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “Unlike before, with digital advertising today, advertisers can choose from various options.“ Filipino-owned or controlled papers currently circulating in Northern California include the Asian Journal (LA-based), Philippine News, Philippines Today, The Filam Star, Manila Mail, Balita, Pinas, The San Francisco Post, Tribune. Most are weeklies. A previous player, the Manila Bulletin USA has discontinued its circulation in the region. One paper is rumored to be bowing out of the competition soon as it continues to  “bleed” as it tries to remain afloat despite minimal advertisements. “We are not re-loading our racks anymore, “ an editor recently told Inquirer.net. Reduced circulation   An independent newspaper contractor in charge of the delivery of various papers said another publication has apparently reduced its circulation and is dropping off papers only in selected markets in the South Bay. Some publishers are ready to give up and are said to be on the lookout for buyers. Some publishers put up a brave front.  One who declined to be identified said, “We are not affected by ‘competition’–we’ve been operating for years, and as far as we’re concerned, we have loyal advertisers and our circulation Read More …

Lifting of PH air ban in Europe seen

 News
Apr 182013
 
Lifting of PH air ban in Europe seen

By Tarra Quismundo Philippine Daily Inquirer 5:10 am | Friday, April 19th, 2013 EU Ambassador Guy Ledoux: We are on a very positive curve. FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—Negotiations for the lifting of Europe’s blanket air ban against Philippine carriers are “on a very positive curve” as the European Union wants the issue resolved soon in hopes of bolstering trade and tourism with the Philippines, according to the EU ambassador here. The resumption of the European flights of Philippine carriers is of mutual interest as it would facilitate greater business and people-to-people exchanges between the EU and the Philippines, EU Ambassador Guy Ledoux said Thursday. “I think really we are on a very positive curve. I mean the first major achievement was the lifting of the safety concern by Icao (International Civil Aviation Organization) earlier this year,” Ledoux told reporters. “I think what is important is that a very important dialogue has been reestablished,” he said. Two days previously, transport officials from the European Commission met in Brussels with representatives from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific to discuss the remedies that the Philippine side has implemented to bring airline safety measures at par with EU standards. The Philippines passed the Icao’s safety audit in February, ending three years of being listed among the countries deemed of “significant safety concern” by the international aviation regulator. The negative Icao assessment prompted the EU to ban Philippine carriers from flying to Europe in 2010.

HK rejects massacre widow’s plea for protection

 News
Apr 182013
 
HK rejects massacre widow’s plea for protection

By Leila B. Salaverria Philippine Daily Inquirer 5:08 am | Friday, April 19th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines—Hong Kong’s Immigration Department has rejected a bid for protection made by Myrna Reblando, widow of one of the journalists slain in the Maguindanao massacre, saying it did not believe she would be tortured should she return to the Philippines. Reblando fled to Hong Kong in 2011 with her daughter, claiming inadequate security to protect her back home. She also criticized the slow grind of justice in the Philippines. Mother and daughter had asked the Hong Kong Immigration Department to allow them to stay in the Special Administrative Region while awaiting the result of their pending application for asylum with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. They said they faced torture if they returned to the Philippines. The Hong Kong government is prohibited from returning to their country of origin persons claiming risk of torture and other threats to their lives, according to Danilo Reyes, acting deputy director of the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC). Facing deportation But with the Hong Kong Immigration Department’s rejection of Reblando’s torture claim, she and her daughter faced deportation to the Philippines, Reyes said. He said Reblando would appeal the ruling. In her torture claim, Reblando detailed several incidents she said highlighted the dangers she and her daughter faced should they return to the Philippines, including certain death after the Ampatuans reportedly offered her P3 million to stop talking about the case or, should she refuse the money, Read More …

Doomed Filipino in Saudi Arabia gets reprieve

 News
Apr 182013
 
Doomed Filipino in Saudi Arabia gets reprieve

Philippine Daily Inquirer 5:06 am | Friday, April 19th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines—A Filipino construction worker in death row in Saudi Arabia for murder has been given a few more months to pay the 4 million riyals (about P44 million) blood money to the family of his landlord whom he killed in 2009, Malacañang said Thursday. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said Joselito Zapanta was given until Nov. 3 this year to pay the blood money to the family of his victim, quoting the Department of Foreign Affairs. “This extension [of the deadline from March 12 to Nov. 3] allows the Zapanta family more time to raise the funds required by the victim’s heirs,” Lacierda said. Malacañang thanked Saudi King Abdullah and the Saudi government for interceding on Zapanta’s behalf following requests from President Aquino and Vice President Jejomar Binay. In March, Abdullah ordered the deferment of the execution of prisoners with death sentences in the Arab country, including Zapanta. TJ A. Burgonio

Skyline College Students to stage “Pilipino Cultural Night”

 News
Apr 182013
 
Skyline College Students to stage “Pilipino Cultural Night”

INQUIRER.net U.S. Bureau 5:04 am | Friday, April 19th, 2013 SAN BRUNO, California–Filipino-American students will celebrate Filipino heritage and the Fil-Am experience by staging Skyline College Kababayan Program’s 8th annual Pilipino Cultural Night. This year’s production, “Layunin,” will be performed on Thursday, May 2 and Saturday, May 4, at 7 p.m. in Skyline College’s Main Theatre on 3300 College Drive, San Bruno. Doors will be open one hour before show time. Pilipino Cultural Night (PCN), a student­run event open to the community, celebrates the Filipino­American experience, showcasing traditional dances and music from the Philippines as well as elements of the Filipino American culture. Students of English 104: “Applied English Skills for Cultural Production” wrote, directed, produced and advertised the show. Acted. They sing, dance and serve as stage/technical crew. They were also responsible for prop/set design and the overall stage construction. This year’s action­packed story of love, war and family, “Layunin,” takes place in ancient times, when Palau’an is the land of life. It’s the home of many grand tribes who live in unity and harmony. But peace is then disrupted by a possessed datu from the Palawano tribe and his desire to rule all of Palau’an. When all hope seems lost after many bloody battles and merciless conquest, Agbayani, a young Palawano warrior, testifies and does all he can to bring back the long lost peace to Palau’an, even if he has to clash with his father, the datu. Students in the Kababayan Program and the Filipino Student Union, Read More …

Filipino movies make waves in SF Bay Area theaters

 News
Apr 182013
 
Filipino movies make waves in SF Bay Area theaters

By Alex Drechsler INQUIRER.net U.S. Bureau 3:49 am | Friday, April 19th, 2013 MILPITAS, California—Filipinos thronged the April 12 opening-day of Star Cinema and Viva Film’s newest movie, “It Takes a Man and a Woman,” starring Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd Cruz. On opening day, the romantic film was shown in largest theater, which holds more than 400 seats. By the time previews started, the room was filled to capacity. Huge crowds surrounded the Century 20 Great Mall Theaters in Milpitas, the high demand to see the film resulting in nine showings scheduled per day during its screening course. While it takes a man like John Lloyd (playing Miggy), and a woman like Sarah, to fill up the theaters and create a major buzz in the Fil-Am community, Filipino films have generally gained popularity these past several years. In fact, mainstream theaters have been contacting Filipino companies to screen Tagalog films in their theaters. Currently, some 30 theaters in the San Francisco Bay Area show Filipino movies. To be sure, the massive crowd and line that extended out of the theater in Milpitas consisted mostly of loyal fans of Geronimo and Cruz. But something deeper is also at work. You can take the immigrant out of the Philippines, but not the Filipino from the immigrant. “Through the films brought to America, viewers are able to keep in touch with the actors and actresses, both newly rising and already established,” says Melissa Sokukawa. “We might not all stay updated with the Read More …

 Older Entries  Newer Entries