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Thoughts on September 11:

E-MAIL ON EDGE
As news of the terrorist attack on September 11 flashed on television screens around the world, and as telephone lines in Manhattan suddenly went dead, the Internet proved, once more, how indispensable an invention to humankind it is. More than the news from traditional media sources, the e-mail that went round and round, even to those who didn't know where they were coming from, captured the uncertainty, the fear, the horror of that day and days to come. 09/01

911: MY FORTY-FIRST BIRTHDAY by Eileen Tabios
How to celebrate a birthday on a day of mass destruction and panic. This poet managed to gather all the birthday messages that came her way, weaving the messages into a free-flowing verse of eyewitness accounts, profound thoughts, frantic pleas, best wishes and hopes for miracles. 09/01

A SYMBOLIC ATTACK by Eric Miller
The terrorists who attacked on September 11 perhaps symbolically targeted a skyscraper, focusing on its upright stature as a symbol of power and oppression -- and one that embraces the sometimes unnerving concept of human interaction as foreign trade. 09/01

CRUCIAL ISSUES IN AMERICA
The people who attacked this nation were no doubt vicious. But perhaps we need to ask why there are those who harbor so much anger against America. 09/01

PROFILES:

• RICHARD GORDON : For Every Filipino, a Tourist
  Anchored on the strength of millions of Filipinos residing or working all over the world, Philippine Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon has launched the Volunteer 12 Program that enjoins them to promote the country and invite their friends to Philippine tourist destinations. 09/02
  
• Topnotch Realtor. Hard work, persistence, and a unique marketing style have enabled Fil-Am Reeza Gervacio to break through the mainstream market, making her a stand-out in the highly competitive world of real estate 03/02
  
• EDWIN BAEL: Lost Expectations.. On the heels of a recall order dated October 31, 2001, Consul-General Edwin Bael could very well leave his Los Angeles post as one of the most misunderstood men in the Filipino-American community. But he has no parting shots for his detractors, only regrets that he had not been given enough time to reach out to what he calls the "silent majority." 11/01
  
• EDDIE SOTIANGCO: Man and Myth. From 1970 to the 1990s, Filipino-Americans equated his name to success. The flamboyant entrepreneur was considered the brightest star among scores of Filipino achievers in the U.S. Then he abruptly dropped out of the limelight, prompting community members to wonder if he had simply burned out. Not so, he says. In fact, he says he's baaaack. 10/01
  
• EDDIE FERRER: Attaining the American Dream
  Tapping into his creative self and harnessing his entrepreneurial spirit, this Filipino immigrant attained every American's dream of going into business for himself, taking on the competition in mainstream corporate America, and succeeding in building one of the biggest freight forwarding and customs brokerage firms in the country. 09/01
• ANNIE CUEVAS: Keeping the Islands' Magic Alive Saddled by budgetary constraints and hounded by negative publicity related to peace and order, Annie Cuevas, officer-in-charge of the Philippine Department of TourismÕs Los Angeles office, uses creative marketing tactics to entice Fil-Ams to visit
  the homeland. 07/01
• George Regner, Mystic: He moves in a “world” where time zones-- past, present and future -- overlap, where places are not constricted by physical boundaries and human events are constantly influenced by the spiritual. George Regner is a mystic who has defined his life through the practice of feng shui. 04/01
• Fate brings back a lawyer: A newborn daughter’s life-threatening condition forces Atty. Conrado ‘Joe’ Sayas Jr. to abandon a promising career in international law and go back to insurance defense work. Since then, he has become one of California’s most successful insurance litigation attorneys. 03/01
  
• Reeza Gervacio, Woman at Work: A former convent schoolgirl who says she was never “overly ambitious” as a child, realtor Reeza Gervacio has metamorphosed in the cut throat world of real estate where she has been acknowledged as a “superstar” by the masters of the business. 2/01
  
• Patent for Success: Maria Erlinda Co Sarno's job is to protect the fruits of a creative human mind. Working as a patent attorney for the past several years, she believes that every invented product should be successfully patented in favor of the hardworking inventor. 01/01
  
• Elito Santarina: New Man for Carson: He has helped the city of Carson and its people in so many ways, but now he feels it is time to elevate his community service, one that will transcend ethnic and political boundaries. Elito Santarina has decided to run for mayor. 12/00
  
• Rey "Sonny" Landero: Continuing a FamilyTradition of Service: The Landero family's businesses have been situated in Carson for almost 30 years, and the family first lived in Carson when they came to California in 1968. As a candidate for the Carson city council, Landero, a second-generation Filipino American, hopes to continue his family's tradition of service to the community. 01/01
• Atty. Anthony Corcuera: Sound Strategies: Estate and tax planning are unspoken concerns for most Filipinos who feel they’re not ”rich enough” to indulge in it. Anthony Corcuera explains why you don’t necessarily have to be “rich” to need strategies in paying your taxes. 11/00
• Walking the Extra Mile: As a boy, Curtis Valenzuela helped his father out with the family's muffler business. Today, he's a bank executive who's helping other people secure the capital they need to start their own. 11/00
  
• Richard M. Garrido: Filipino Financial Wizard He gives people advice on how to invest their money wisely. As financial adviser, he says his job is to help people "achieve their financial goals." 10/00
  
• The Third Secret of Fatima Revealed... but all of it?: Has the entire secret been revealed or is there a Vatican cover-up to suppress the most important parts of the text? 9/00
  
• Manoling Francisco: Perfect Pitch: Filipinos regard him as a musical genius. Yet the composer of "Hindi Kita Malilimutan," one of the most popular songs in Philippine music history, simply sees himself as an "ordinary Christian." 9/00
  
• San Lorenzo Ruiz: The Improbable Saint: Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint, was the kind of man who could die for God and religion a thousand times if he had to. 9/00
  
• Loida Nicolas Lewis: From Cheerleader to Coach. Reginald F. Lewis built his company to become the first African American-owned enterprise to exceed the billion-dollar mark. Now, years later, his widow, a Filipino-American, is credited with having steered its course as one of the most successful business enterprises in America. Failure, she says, was never an option. 8/00
• ”Mr. Future:“ Edwin Aroma‘s friends call him “Mr. Future” because he's always talking about it. A successful entrepreneur and philanthropist, he charts his future by never forgetting his past. 6/00
• Fabric of Faith: In 1990, top fashion designer Gang Gomez shocked Manila's high society when he traded in his flourishing career for the simple life of a Benedictine monk. Now known as Dom Martin de Jesus Gomez, OSB, he still designs vestments. Only this time it's for the church, and for his faith. 6/00
  
• The Quintessential Diplomat: As he leaves for his post as Philippine ambassador to China, Josue Villa, one of Los Angeles' Filipino community's most beloved officials, hopes for unity in the community. 5/00
• Bringing Families Together: Together with his wife Millie, Atty Michael J. Gurfinkel continues a personal crusade to unite Filipino families in America and help them attain the American dream. 4/00
• Marketing the Philippines: As officer-in-charge of the Department of Tourism in Los Angeles, Annie Cuevas has the job of selling the Homeland to Filipino-Americans and to mainstream America. 2/00
• For the Love of Opera: Andrew Fernando has yet to attain the fame and stature of Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti, but with the roles he has landed so far, this Filipino opera singer has definitely arrived. 2/00
• Paul Lacanilao, From TV to Pulpit: He lived a life blessed in the Philippines as a popular radio announcer and TV newscaster. But when the Communists sent him a death threat, he packed his bags and headed for America. Then he did what came naturally: he turned to God.
• He Never Stopped Dreaming: Edwin Aroma was once a janitor and his resume proudly declares it. Now he's one of the most successful businessmen in Southern California, as well as the Homeland.
• Mindoro's Son Shares Success: He vowed that if he ever became successful, he would never forget the barrio where he came from. Lauro Manigbas makes good his pledge to the barriofolk he left behind.
• Married with Children... for 70 years: She was 17. He was 20. But Artemio and Virginia Pagadora were oh, so in love when they got married, and still are — 70 years, eight children, 25 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren later.
• The People's Doctor: Dr. Rodolfo Punzalan, Jr. devotes most of his time to medical missions in the hope of helping the less fortunate.
• Prioritizing the Filipino: Josue L. Villa, Consul General of the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles, has been tasked with the seemingly impossible missionof unifying the fractious Filipino-American community.
• Joe Palicte, Living History: This World War II veteran's story is nearly as old as the history of Filipino-Americans in Los Angeles. He has seen a reality most of us only read in books or see in movies.
• Book Review: Gamalinda's Gravitas: Alfred Yuson of Manila reviews Eric Gamalinda's latest book, a volume of touching poetry.
• Dr. Carlos Manlapaz, Activist-Dentist: He shunned local politics in favor of his chosen profession, but politics continues to hound him. Locally, he's known and revered for his benevolence
• Manny Ontal, Jr.: New Star in Politics: Before the elections he was but an obscure resident of the City of Carson. Today, he's being hailed as one of its most promising politicians.
• Dr. Felix the Vet: He's been taking care of animals for years and pet lovers adore him. Now he wants to help more people too, especially children.
• Beating the Odds: The Philippines’ beleaguered president magically stays popular despite being lambasted by media. 1/99
• Marketing the Philippines: Annie Cuevas, recently appointed marketing specialist of the Los Angeles Office of the Philippine Department of Tourism, hopes to try and bring us all back home for a vacation.
  
• Whether buying or selling, real estate is hot: Realtor makes homeowners' dreams come true
• Deep Space Juan: A Filipino husband-and-wife team blazes trail in space exploration as engineers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
• Evolution of a Divine Healer's Ministry: Famous healer-priest Fr. Corsie brings his ministry to the terminally ill and offers them a haven from their pain.
• Pinoy DJs Making Waves on Mainstream Radio: They're young, hip and lording it over the airwaves as Filipino-American DJs in one of the most popular radio stations in California. And they're doing everything they can to give others like them a break in the entertainment industry.
• Doctor with a Mission: Los Angeles' Limie de Guzman has dedicated her life to the most helpless and vulnerable members of society - the children - who, thanks to her efforts, are finding what it's like to feel wanted and to belong.
• Filipino Revives Nantucket Tradition: In this East Coast island where people are obsessed with status symbols, a Filipino craftsman has made his work with his unique (and decidedly expensive) baskets. A basket with his signature on it is now a collector's item.
• Lawyer as Consumer Advocate: Conrado Joe Sayas has established a solid reputation as a no-nonsense consumer advocate who has won huge recoveries for ordinary people fighting for their legal rights against insurance companies.
• A Perfect Match: Immigration lawyer Michael Gurfinkel and his wife Millie - their romantic liaison began through a simple conversation over the office intercom and blossomed into one of the most successful partnerships in the country.
• Turning Back the Hands of Time: Long life. Good health. And to never look nor grow old. Find out how one doctor in Torrance fulfills man's wish to actually turn back the hands of time.
• Mac and the Box: Forex International's Mac Carino went into the business, starting from the bottom up, learning the ropes of the trade firsthand. Now he's one of the most successful in the balikbayan industry.
• Mr. Community Service: For the most part of his life, Lito Santarina has been teaching young people and helping them cross over the threshold to adulthood. Now, he elevates his community service by seeking a higher office: politics.
• Atlas Man: Joel Longares started his business in a rented room, moved his operations to a relative's garage to eventually become one of the most successful Filipino entrepreneurs in America.
• Keeping Carson on the Move: Mayor Pete Fajardo lists his achievements
• Crowning Glory: A dentist lives up to her parents' dreams

ENTERTAINMENT

• POPS FERNANDEZ: The Way She Feels Inside
  The Philippines’ pop diva won’t discuss her current lovelife, but she talks candidly of the way she feels about love and romantic relationships. She even sings all about it in her new album, and her fans in California will get the chance to see her bare her heart in songs this September. 09/02
  
• LOUIE REYES: Life of an Immigrant Star
  As a Filipino musical artist, Louie Reyes had attained the kind of success and respect most of her contemporaries in the Philippine entertainment field could only dream of. But in 1997, she headed for America as an “alien of extraordinary ability.” Today, she’s living the life of a true Angeleno. 09/02
• GARY V.: Profile of a superstar. 03/02
  
• AMERICAN ADOBO: Is it edible? Take a talented cast of Filipino actors, mix it with a promising storyline, add an underdeveloped script, sprinkle some old-fashioned Philippine movie clichés, and let it simmer. What you have is -- honestly -- a movie about Filipino-Americans. 02/02
  
  
• AIAI DELAS ALAS: She’s come a long way, baby. The Philippines’ most successful comedienne is first to admit her singing voice and her face are nothing to crow about. But what she lacks as a singer, or a femme fatale, she makes up for by putting her audiences in stitches. This April, she’s coming to Los Angeles. So brace yourselves for a night of laughter and sheer fun. 02/02
  
• REGINE wows Hollywood. 02/02
  
• THE HUNKS. Entertainment writers describe them as the coolest dudes to invade Philippine showbizland. Oozing with talent and sex appeal, The Hunks are five good-looking young men who can sing and entertain — and they came to Los Angeles. 10/01
  
• FLOWER DRUM SONG: New Twist to Old Musical
  Lea Salonga and Jose Llana are two Filipinos in the cast of the first major revival of a 1950s musical. Both artists reveal the new version will reflect the life of Asian immigrants in America and deal with the issue of dual identity in a way writers of the original musical never did. 9/00
• REGINE VELASQUEZ: Flying High
  They just couldn't get enough of Regine Velasquez. Aside from missing her so much after a long absence, fans had looked forward to this performance for months. Regine not only delivered, she gave her all and reportedly brought the house down. 9/00
• ‘Flip’ Side of a Fil-Am Singer. Proud of her heritage, Filipino American singer Yvette Ocampo nevertheless says you don't necessarily have to be Pinoy in order to appreciate her music. 8/00
  The Comeback Kids: Janno Gibbs makes up for lost time. Vina Morales bounces back from a failed romance. Together, they team-up for a rare performance in Los Angeles. 3/00
• Smite Smut, They Say: By Jose F. Lacaba. One of the Philippines' most respected and prolific writers gives his commentary on the current — and raging — controversy in the Homeland about the “alleged proliferation of allegedly pornographic movies.”
• Martin & Pop: Philippine balladeer Martin Nievera talks about ex-wife Pops and the other "Pop" in his life.
• Jolina: Sugar and spice and all things nice: that’s what this young lady is made of. But more than Jolina Magdangal’s “good girl” image, the Philippine’s current teen idol outshines her peers in showbiz.
• Jose Rizal, The Movie: On July 10, 1999, the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles became the venue for the blockbuster epic movie produced and directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya.
• Instant American: Actor Christopher de Leon becomes an "instant American" citizen and it took him only 15 minutes to get his "blue" passport. Atty. Michael Gurfinkel paved the way.
• Kuh Ledesma: Pop diva. Quintessential entertainer. Performer par excellence. Businesswoman. Wife. Mother. By the way, she's also out to take the U.S. music industry by storm.
• Sharon Cuneta: Philippine's most famous singer and actress comes to the Southland with her own brand of concert artistry.
• Prince Charming Comes to Life: Paolo Montalban, star of the television musical Cinderella, is no doubt America's next big Filipino star. He talks about his childhood, his Filipino heritage, and what it's like to be the first ever nonwhite Prince Charming in the first-ever multicultural musical of the Grimm's fairy tale.
• The Salsa Kids: While most kids their age are into sports or 'hanging out,' these kids are dancing their youth away and loving every minute of it.
• Pops and Regine, Dynamic Duo: The 'Concert Queen' and the 'Voice' - two individuals with contrasting backgrounds and personalities have one thing in common: music.
• Lita Gutierrez - A Woman of Fate: Her life story could fill up volumes of tearjerkers. From cancer and marital breakups to financial woes and deaths in the family, the star of the movie 'Alembong' rises above every adversity and lives to tell about it.
• Jennifer Paz: Despite her rigorous schedule as a singing star, one of Miss Saigon's Kim still manages to find time for championing and supporting Filipino-American causes.
• Apo Hiking Society: Their farewell concert in 1973 ironically became their launching pad for success in the entertainment industry.

COMMUNITY

• Pennsylvania's first Fil-Am legislator
  New commander is Army's highest-ranking Pinoy
  Attention Fil-Ams: U.S. Peace Corps needs you
  
• CHILD TALK: VOLUNTEERS NEEDED AS CHILD ADVOCATES
  The CASA/GAL volunteer is tasked to promote the best interests of children in court -- they be victims of abuse and neglect or of a crime; alleged to have violated the law; witnesses in court; or mere subjects of family court cases.. 03/02
  
• FILIPINO WOMEN AT HIGH RISK FOR DIABETES
  One of the most alarming findings in a recent study is that one out of every three (36 percent) Filipinas had diabetes, compared to one in 11 (95) among Caucasian women Among Filipinas with diabetes, more than half (60 percent) did not know they had diabetes. Their condition may have continued to be undiagnosed if they had not joined the study, or if their doctors had not screened them for diabetes.. 03/02
  
• FIXING UP FACLA
  A judge orders the holding of elections for the board of directors of the ailing 57-year-old Filipino American Community of Los Angeles, Inc. And the sparks fly anew. 03/02
  
• ARE YOU CALLING ME A F.O.B.?
  A twenty-something Filipino-American puts a positive spin on a derogatory term. 03/02
  
• WHO'S LOOKING AFTER THE PATIENTS?
  According to a recent federally commissioned report published in the journal Image: Journal of Nursing Scholarships, California will face a serious shortage of nurses in the coming decades. A study by researchers at the University of California at San Francisco estimates that by 2010, California will need 43,000 more registered nurses. 03/02
  
• A PRIMER ON ABSENTEE VOTING
  Philippine legislators get serious about absentee voting for overseas Filipinos. 03/02
  
• SUBTEXT TO TERROR
  Does terrorism exist in an amorphous universe of utter lunacy with no beginning and no end, or does it depend on a rhyme and a reason for what terrorists are trying to accomplish? 01/02
  
• SAGA OF FILIPINO MIGRANTS IN CANADA
  Canada is one of the favored destinations of Filipino migrants. But for many, it has not turned out to be a promised land. Although Canada considers itself a "multi-color" country, many migrants -- including Filipino job-seekers and settlers -- remain objects of racism. 01/02
  
• RETURN TO COMMUNITY
  For most Filipinos, language remains a thorny, divisive issue. Who is your community? For writers especially, it is a very important question in determining oneÕs identity and knowing the direction of your literary life. 01/02
  
• A WORLD WITHOUT PREJUDICE
  A few months ago, the Brooklyn Children's Museum featured a special event that dealt on the issues of prejudice and discrimination, where both adults and young children learned that although people may differ through the color of their skin, their hearts --ultimately -- beat the same way. 01/02
  
• TRUE LOVE... and how to have it. People these days hope for love, and when they do, things sometimes go awry. Many end up bitter and cynical. Magazines, books, and talk shows abound with advice, yet love still fails. What is true love, how can attain it, what interferes with it and when does it all go wrong? 11/01
  
• CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS: Since the 1950s, as soon as it became deeply involved in Mideast conflicts in the name of oil and security interests, the United States discovered that while it had a strong ally in Israel, it had also begun to earn more and more enemies. It by grappling with these realities that the world may come to understand what led to the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States. 10/01
• THE ABC's OF ANTHRAX If you're not an expert yet on this modern-day plague called anthrax, here's a Q & A that deals with the issue: from cause and symptoms, to methods of handling suspicious letters and packages and recommended treat once a person has been exposed to the bacteria. 10/01
  
• TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE For more than 25 years New York City public school teachers have tested a method whereby many students, including young people who have been horribly deprived by the unjust economy, learn to read, learn arithmetic, history, art and science with excitement and ease -- and stay in school. 07/01
• When Eagles Fly: The eagle soars to great heights and flies with a speed that leave men in awe. Alumni of the Ateneo de Manila University are identified with this bird, mainly because they spend their lives trying to distinguish themselves in "meeting the human challenge to continue to grow as a person." 3/01
  
• Studying Blood: A Lesson in Aesthetic Realism: For more than 25 years, New York City public school teachers have tested a method whereby many students, including those deprived by an unjust economy, learn to read, do arithmetic, study history, art and science with excitement and ease — and stay in school. 03/01
  
• Myth, Memory, Myopia: Or I May Be Brown, But I Hear America Singin': Generations of Filipino writers have questioned not only America's presence in their own country but also their people's infatuation with it. Filipinos, in fact, have a term for it: "colonial mentality," which punsters have corrupted to the more derogatory "mental colony." It's a schizophrenic love affair to begin with. By Eric Gamalinda. 01/01
  
• To See and Be Seen, Rightly: A New Yorker learns that "when you see more what is not yourself as like you, you will be more for the world." Becoming aware for the first time that were things in the world to like that she had not wanted to see before, she also realized she was being given a new chance at life. 01/01
  
• Art for Justice: Quest for meaning of life leads to realization that art can bring justice to the world. 12/00
  
• Have Money, Will Spend: For OFW's at Christmastime, absence makes the heart, and their wallets, grow fonder. 11/00
  
• Why are Filipinos Poor? Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Bangkok: visit these cities today and weep -- for they are more beautiful, cleaner and prosperous than Manila. In the ‘50s and ‘60s, the Philippines was the most envied country in Southeast Asia. What happened? Why is the Philippines so poor? 8/00
  
• Maid in the Philippines. A Filipino bachelor wants to have a maid of his own. But he also wants the maid of his dreams, acknowledging that the tasks he envisions for his dream maid are ordinarily the domain of most Filipino men's wives. 8/00
  
• Working for Miracles: Circulo Pampangueño of Southern California aims to spark ”miracles“ in their home province by sending medical missions and sending kids to school. 8/00
• For the Love of Tasha: A Filipino couple offers to take care of a three-pound newborn baby girl as their first foster child. Today she‘s in kindergarten, and the couple's very own. 7/00
  
• Tales from the Desert: Filipino overseas contract workers in Saudi Arabia learn to cope with loneliness... through clandestine sex and banned alcoholic beverages, and by simply accepting the absurdity of their own situation 5/00
• What Lies in the Midwest for Immigrants? Asians and recent immigrants who have made it past the coastal cities of the United States to the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states are a minority. While record numbers of immigrants are arriving in cities on the nation’s shores, few are destined for America's "second cities." 4/00
• Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants Plain Hype? A Los Angeles-based Filipino workers’ group lambasts the proposal to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants who have been in the U.S. since 1986. Instead, they want unconditional amnesty for all illegals. 4/00
• Epic Struggle for Equity: During World War II, he fought Uncle Sam's battle for honor, freedom and country. Now 78, Faustino Baclig leads his fellow Filipino WWII veterans in their struggle for justice and total equity. 3/00
• Being ”Queer:“ What's in a name? If you're queer, it means a lot. Members of the Filipino gay community are trying to take the word back... to take pain and derogatory connotation away, by making members of the younger generation agents of change. 3/00
• A Cure for Racism? The philosophy of Aesthetic Realism, founded in 1941 by American educator and poet Eli Siegel, contends that the cause of racism is contempt and, as defined by Siegel, is ”the addition to self through the lessening of something else.” 3/00
• Living with HIV: What's it like knowing you have the HIV virus? Rob Lai of Los Angeles writes how, despite seemingly overwhelming odds, he has managed to live as normal a life as possible.
• Bone marrow miracle matches needed. Everyone likens the odds of finding one’s “miracle match” to playing the lottery, with chances leaning heavily more towards losing. A father and an actual bone marrow donor try to fight the odds for a three-year-old boy diagnosed with a rare disease.
• Let's Talk Y2K: This special report will hopefully better inform Filipinos on how to cope with the millennium bug.
• Women in Denial: Despite massive advertising, there is a general lack of awareness among Filipino women about breast cancer disease and its increasing risks.
• The Pilipino American Alliance: Its goal is to put Filipinos on the pedestal of American politics. So far, they've been doing just that.
• Special Report: Medicare + Choice: Anybody who is a Medicare beneficiary will benefit from this report.
• Southland Politics: Who's running: Profiles of Filipino Americans vying for mayorship and city council seats in Los Angeles County. In Carson, Lito Santarina, Carson's incumbent Mayor Pete Fajardo and Manny Ontal and Rey Monzon for city treasurer. In Cerritos, Joe T. Vicente . Update: Pete Fajardo won the Carson mayoral race and Manny Ontal took one of two seats up for grabs in the city council.
• The Children They Left Behind: Rejected in their mothers' land, they are denied their birthright in their fathers' country. Filipino-Amerasian children, product of American presence in the Philippines, continue to be living reminders of what America has done and failed to do.
• Memorial to Courage: In a small town in Florida, a memorial rises to honor Filipino-American veterans of World War II.
• Keeping the Fil-Am Experience Alive and Well in U.S. Classrooms: A Filipino-American takes an Asian Studies course and graduates with honors from CalState Northridge after becoming the first student allowed by the university to custom-design his course.

HERITAGE & HOMELAND

• INTRAMUROS: Enclave of a People’s Heritage
  It stands as a memorial to a country’s colonial past and a tribute to its people’s fight for freedom. With such rich history and substance, the Philippine government is asking Filipinos abroad to rediscover their walled city and resurrect their pride in their own heritage. 09/02
• AN EDSA ODYSSEY: From people power to paper boats. What had EDSA wrought? No sooner had all those deconstructed corncobs and peanut shells clogged up the sewers alongside the military and police camps -- where the reputedly million-strong Pinoy People Power force had congregated with upraised fists, flowers, guitars, songs, rumors and transistor radios -- than the cynics declared that a revolution eats up its own children. 02/02
  
• PURPOSES IN AMERICA, ONCE AND NOW. To understand the feelings and actions of present-day America , we need to look at them from an historical perspective .Where can we be both right and so dangerously wrong? It is in fact, necessary to look at America of another time and another war, a war that can seem so far-off and even quaint: the Spanish-American War of 1898. 02/02
  
• PLANTING RICE IS NEVER FUN. The world famous Ifugao Rice terraces are rapidly deteriorating. Instead of tilling the ricefields and maintaining the stone and mud walls built by their ancestors, young Ifugaos now seek white-collar, tourism-related jobs. 02/02
  
• DNA TECHNOLOGY AND THE PHILIPPINE COURTS. Today, the use of DNA technology has gained acceptance in the field of forensic and life sciences, and courts in the USA, Europe and Asia have availed of DNA evidence in deciding cases. There is no reason, then, why DNA proof, when relevant under our Rules on Evidence, should be treated differently in the Philippines. 02/02
  
• ATTENTION BALIKBAYANS: Have Program, Will Travel. Unfazed by the September 11 attacks and the general slump in tourism, the Philippine Department of Tourism has prepared "Must-travel-now" balikbayan tour packages and the Volunteer 12 program as part of the government's moves to unleash the dynamic energies of Filipino migrants and workers to invigorate Philippine tourism. 11/01
  
• DYING FOR A COST. A survey among funeral parlors and public and private cemeteries in the Philippines found that the cost of dying -- from funeral services to acquisition of a burial lot -- would definitely boggle the mind and bring mourners to their knees without being able to make any provisions for a decent burial of their dead. 11/01
  
• SLAVERY ON THE HIGH SEAS: The aphorism "travel for free, earn bucks and take women at every point," is just a romanticized notion about Filipino seafarers. The truth is, the Philippine maritime industry is beset by growing unemployment and unstable wages, with a dark side that hides the exploitation of the poor. 10/01
  
• ETHNICITY AND SENSIBILITY: Am I White or am I Flip? It’s interesting to consider what many Filipinos include in their notions of “ Filipino.” Many of us have never seen a carabao in real life nor danced the Tinikling. As always, determining what fits and doesn't fit in our culture is an eternal struggle for all of us. 07/01
• God's Hand in People Power 2: By RP Senate President Aquilino Q. Pimentel Jr. People Power 2 was probably the only instance in history where a head of state duly elected by an overwhelming mandate was forced to give up his presidency sans a coup d'etat or a bloody revolution. If the hand of God was not there, it would be difficult to find it elsewhere. 03/01
  
• Entertainment & Politics, Pinoy style: A good number of politician wannabes in Philippine show business are optimistic that the people will elect them despite the fall from grace of Joseph Estrada, the former actor who was booted out as president. But voters may not be that forgiving. 01/01
  
• People Power II: The Rise and Fall of Joseph Ejercito Estrada: Obviously, Estrada was not a good student of history. Neither were his advisers and loyal followers. Up to the last moment, Estrada and his allies thought People Power II would never succeed. The end came swiftly for the actor-president. 01/01
  
• Coincidence or Charted Course: A beggar's prophecy comes to light. 12/00
  
• If You Want to Know Who We Are: Fil-Am's Search for Identity. By Eric Gamalinda.12/00
  
• World War II Stories:
  • Pinoy Saint Peter: People knew him by nondescript moniker. But to an American missionary couple whose young son lived because of his ultimate sacrifice, Manong Pedro was a saint. 11/00
  • Saving Liloan: Two Filipinos save an entire town in Leyte from complete annihilation. 11/00
    
• Mansion Mania: The purchase of exclusive mansions, if they were indeed made on President Joseph Estrada’s behalf, raise questions about the sources of the President’s wealth and the possibility that the amounts used to buy them were illegally obtained. These properties could be confiscated if they are proven to have been purchased from ill-gotten wealth. 10/00
  
• ”State of the President’s Finances:“ Can Estrada explain his wealth? A special online edition. 7/00
  
• Why are Filipinos Poor? Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Bangkok: visit these cities today and weep -- for they are more beautiful, cleaner and prosperous than Manila. In the ‘50s and ‘60s, the Philippines was the most envied country in Southeast Asia. What happened? Why is the Philippines so poor? 8/00
  
• Mystery of the Missing Captain. A Japanese military officer appears from nowhere at a Filipino family's home during World War II, and disappears before the coming of the liberation forces. To date, he is nowhere to be found. 4/00
• The State of a Nation: Filipinos greeted the new millennium with characteristic optimism. But the stark reality is that the nation will still be stalked by increasing poverty, inadequate food for the population and environmental problems. 2/00
• The Arbularyo is In: In a country where modern health care is typically inaccessible to Philippine rural folk, the barrio-based “arbularyo” (herbalist) is the person people go to when they need healing.
• Preserving the Ilokano Identity An Iloko writer asserts that to reaffirm his identity, the Ilokano must strive to preserve his own language, for everything written in Iloko projects the true vision and spirit of the Ilokanos.
• Essays on Jose Rizal:
  • Jose Rizal, The Social Historian: A "seeker of truth for truth's sake," Rizal made his mark as a distinguished historian through his monumental literary and historical works. National Historical Institute Chairman Serafin Quiason discussed why Rizal is the most distinguished social historian our race has ever produced.
  • No Legend, Jose Rizal was Truly A Brave Man by Jenelle Mecija and A Bit Of Dr. Jose Rizal in Every Filipino by Kathryn Umayam: Two Filipino-American teenagers write their thoughts about Dr. Jose Rizal, how the man and his works inspire them and countless other overseas Filipinos.
• To 'P' or not to 'P': There are those who would rather use "Pilipino" than "Filipino." And vice-versa. And the debate goes on. And on.
• Manila's Street Lawyers: A proliferation of lawyers in the Philippines gives rise to the nation's capital's latest phenomenon: attorneys who hold office on the city's sidewalks.
• The Unremembered Centennial: American historians refer to it as the "Philippine Insurrection of 1899."The Bells of Balangiga: The Philippine government's efforts to retrieve the historical bells of Balangiga appear dim as ever.
• Essays on Jose Rizal: Two young students write about the Philippine's National Hero and his aspirations for the Filipino people.
• Two Poems by Dr. Jose Rizal: Eric Gamalinda, an award-winning poet revises and adapts two poems written by the Philippine's national hero and gives them a contemporary flavor.
• Pattern for Filipino Renewal: F. Sionil Jose, known as one of the Philippines' most distinguished men of letters, writes a four-part series on his views on how the Filipino can redeem his 'unhappy country.'Pattern for Filipino Renewal, Part 4: Novelist F. Sionil Jose concludes his four-part series on the lives of Filipinos

TRAVEL

• BAGUIO OF OUR SUMMER DREAMS
  Known as the summer capital of the Philippines, Baguio City is set apart from the rest of the country because of its pine trees and cool temperature averaging 68 F or 20 C year round. No wonder local and foreign tourists flock to this city above the mountains of Cordillera. 09/02
• TALES FROM A CAVE Trade artifacts and other relics found years ago in Cagayan de Oro's Huluga Caves are now on display in the city's museum. These and other historical accounts point to the city's prehistoric origin dating back to the Neolithic age. 07/01
• PHILIPPINES REVISITED A Filipino-American travels to provinces in Luzon in northern Philippines, and re-discovers the land of his birth. It is a trip through time, even as time seemingly stands still in certain places. In the end, all he can say is that there's no place like home. 07/01
• Images of Italy: After so many random encounters and conversations with Pinoys at bus stops, crowded train stations, and department stores all over the city of Rome, a Fil-Am tourist in Italy finally concludes that for most of our kababayans there, it ain’t exactly la dolce vita. 03/01
  
• CyberSubic and MegaClark: Once the formidable military installations of the United States in the Asia-Pacific region, the former Clark Air Base and Subic Naval Base have been transformed into dynamic economic hubs and two of the region's fastest-growing investment havens. 7/00
  
• Postcards from Cebu: An American film actress from New York gives a first-person account of her trip to Cebu, Philippines: how she got lost at sea during a hurricane; the beautiful people she met and tourist spots she visited; the little orphan girl she made friends with... 6/00
  
• Love and Culture Shock in the Land of the Jeepneys: An American pen pal's story. After a four-year correspondence with a Filipina, an American from Indiana sets foot on Philippine soil to meet her for the very first time. 3/00
• A Day at the Racetrack: Spending one’s Valentine weekend at the Santa Anita Park can be a memorable experience. And as this first-timer to the races realizes, there’s more to horse racing than simply placing bets. 2/00
• Tales from Dubai: Philippine Jazz Queen Louie Reyes de la Fuente goes to Dubai to sing. While there, she discovers a nation and its people, as well as her own, who have made this stretch of desert land into a bustling, cosmopolitan community.
• Eco-tourism: Uncharted Frontier. The Philippines is blessed with an impressive bounty from Mother Nature...forests, seas, wildlife, cultures unique to the Filipino. How to preserve all these while showing them off to a whole world of tourists and travelers is the goal of ecotourism.
• Travel: Re-Experience the Philippines: Where to go. What to expect. A look-see at some of the Philippines' prime tourist destinations. A guide for those who haven't been home in a while.
• Travel: 24-hour passport processing: Good news for travelers. The Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles has a new policy for providing passport services that cuts waiting time by several days.
• Manhattan for All Seasons: A New Yorker gives a glimpse of the city that changes with every season.
• Loco in New Mexico: The conquistadores didn't find their gold in New Mexico, but writer Eric Gamalinda found his.
• San Francisco - A City up in the Clouds (ay, fog pala): People can never resist going back to that charming city high up in the clouds, but as this writer realizes, it's the fog that determines the tourist's itinerary.
• Images of a Holocaust: The Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles allows tour visitors to experience (however vicariously) the unspeakable atrocities of World War II.
• Baguio of My Affections: High up in the Cordillera mountains in the northern region of the Philippines, the cool and mist-shrouded City of Baguio still remains one of the country's tourist must-sees.
• Intramuros: A Manila-based writer takes us on an interesting trip to the Walled City of Intramuros, still as beguiling today as it was a century ago.
• French Polynesia - Paradise Found: Newlyweds vow to find paradise during their honeymoon. On the island of Bora Bora, they swear they found it.

LIFESTYLE

• The Essence of Kindness: As the holidays approach, people everywhere are worried whether they have enough money for gifts and celebration. Perhaps the greatest gift anyone can give is kindness... the real kind, the kind anyone can learn to give and receive. 11/00
• Love, Confidence and Permanent Valentines. Why are people uncertain about love and how can people be truly confident about themselves? Through the philosophy of Aesthetic Realism, more and more people are discovering that love of the permanent kind are indeed possible. 8/00
• Lessons on Ending Prejudice: Through a philosophy called Aesthetic Realism, a teacher shows her students how to “like the world by knowing it first...that what is different from us can thrill us, teach us, make us larger.“ 6/00
  
• Can green tea really cure cancer? The Chinese and Japanese, as well as other Asians, drink it the way other folks drink water or soda. Researchers note they have lower cancer rates. Now, more and more studies are pointing to the health benefits of drinking green tea.
• Memories of Christmas: Christmases past and present. Filipino holiday traditions are alive and well in America.
• The Feng Shui Factor: Psychic George Regner shows how the ancient Chinese practice of Feng Shui can help us create an environment where we can live more comfortably, work efficiently, even attain good health and prosperity.
• Kasalan, Pamanhikan, Atbp.: A Filipina-American gives her own personal insight into that sacrosanct Filipino tradition where the groom-to-be's family goes to his blushing intended's home to ask for her hand in marriage.
• Dad: In this poignant article especially for Father's Day, the writer shares a bittersweet lesson about a father's love.

BUSINESS

• Sending pasalubong without stress: There’s always room for one more good company, even in a crowded industry such as the balikbayan box consolidation business. Ely Mercado of Seaspeed Transport believes a different outlook, an innovative approach and quality service can spell the difference in a highly competitive environment. 11/00
  
• Going Global: Atlas Shippers extends operations: The balikbayan box used to be a unique way of sending gifts to the Philippines from the U.S., Hong Kong and the Middle East. With Atlas Shippers’ worldwide expansion program, even kababayans from as far away as The Netherlands, Germany and Australia can send their boxes too, making the market even bigger, and the service, even better. 11/00
  
• Bringing those Precious Dollars Home: Filipinos in the U.S. remit an estimated U.S. $2 billion home per year to the homeland via various companies that offer services ranging from "door-to-door" to "ATM." 10/00
  
• Truckin' Through the U.S.A.: Filipino truckers are calling it "a whole new lifestyle." And why not? They get to travel all over the U.S., all expenses paid, while earning a living to boot. 10/00
  
• Door to Door, Heart to Heart: The story of the Forex Group of Companies.
• Fast Forward for Cargo Shippers: Filipino entrepreneurs turn a Filipino tradition into a multi-million dollar industry.
• Who's Afraid of Multi-Level Marketing: Some say it's a scam. Others believe it's an idea whose time has come. What's the real score on this business concept that's making millionaires out of ordinary people?

SPORTS:

• Second place in Style: Jose “Amang” Parica lives up to his image as the Pinoy Billiards King by romping away with second honors during the Kasson 9-Ball Billiards Tournament in Nashville, Tennessee, the fourth stage of the prestigious eight-leg Camel Pro Billiards Series.
• Leader of the Filipino Invasion. Jose "Amang" Parica continues to dominate the world billiards scene as he leads seven Filipino billiard players in their invasion of America.
• Attack of the Billiard Boys. Pinoy pool players lord it over the 1st Western Open-9 Ball Championship in Compton, Calif.
• Francisco 'Django' Bustamante: "Kilabot" of the Billiard Hall. Along with Jose "Amang" Parica and Efren "Bata" Reyes, Bustamante completes the triad of top Filipino pool players who have been giving a field of international competitors a run for their money.
• Sports: Memories of "Tour of Luzon:" A Manila-based sports columnist and a California-based former sports scribe reminisce about their "glory days" while covering the summer classic known as the "Tour of Luzon."
• FAMBA - A League of Their Own: Move over, NBA. This Filipino-American basketball league is drawing in middle-aged sports enthusiasts to the hardcourt.
• Watch out Tiger, Here Comes TJ: A Filipino 12-year-old makes waves on the golf circuit.

DINING

• Easy Recipes.
• Simon's: Seafood, steak, spirits and a slice of the sea.
• Jam's Manila Express

Columns

Val Abelgas:

• CAN YOU AFFORD THE HOME YOU WANT? Real Estate & You by Val G. Abelgas. 10/01
  
• Get Out of the Rent Trap. Just imagine the benefits of home ownership against renting, and you should be planning by now to buy that first home of your dreams. Real Estate & You. 09/01
• Edsa Tres: Angry for the Wrong Reason: Unlike Edsa 1 and Edsa 2, Edsa Tres was doomed from the very start.Edsa Tres was also democracy in action, until the protesters turned into a mob. On Distant Shore. 04/01
  
• Erap Down to His Last Chips: Based on the way Estrada has handled his current crisis -- the biggest game in his life -- I tend to believe he only wins because his opponents are afraid to make him lose, or they know that they would win bigger money outside the gaming table if they allowed him to win. On Distant Shore. 12/00
  
• Blasts Ripped Nation's Heart: The blasts that killed 15 people and injured more than 90 others in Metro Manila also destroyed one bus, one LRT train, one gas station, a statue in a park, and a warehouse near the airport. They also ripped a nation's heart. On Distant Shore. 12/00
  
• Sloppy and Irresponsible Journalism: After reading the article of one Erin Texeira, entitled "Carson, a Model of Multiracial Politics, Hit by Discord," I realized that even the greatest newspaper in the world can have the sloppiest reporter and copy editor, too. On Distant Shore. 11/00
  
• Listen to the Generals: A group of retired soldiers, mostly generals, warned that Estrada should resign now to avoid "compelling and impelling" the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) from invoking this provision, obviously referring to possible military intervention. For the sake of the country, heed the warning, Mr. President. 11/00
  
• Senate acquittal won't save Erap: Marcos tried to play the numbers game. So did the Ivory Coast dictator and Yugoslavia's Malikosevic. They were all swept away by the tide of people’s protest. Estrada will, too. It may take longer than anticipated. But Estrada’s fall is inevitable. On Distant Shore.11/00
• The Time Is Now, Mr. President: The handwriting is on the wall. The die is cast. The Filipino people know it. Estrada just has to accept it. As a high-stakes gambler, Estrada should know when to call it quits. On Distant Shore. 11/00
  
  

Insight by Doris Trinidad:

Showing Love.Inisght by Doris Trinidad. 03/02

New Beginnings. Insight by Doris Trinidad. 01/02

WHAT REALLY ARE GHOSTS? 10/01

A Passing White. I feel there is a meaning to the quickness of this passing white, but it is still too close for me to see, but it will begin to show itself to me by and by. Insight by Doris Trinidad. 09/01

Confession of a Closet Mystic 7/01

All Heart: 01/01

From Prison with Love. 8/00

Diet and the Lightness of Being 7/00

Travel's a hassle, but...: 3/00

Looking for God

How will the world end?

The True Soulmate: Doris Trinidad tackles the subject of finding our soulmates.

How Real is Pain? Doris Trinidad poses the question.

If Trees Could Talk (And They Can!). Doris Trinidad urges everyone to treat trees as living, feeling beings

Not All Psychics are Quacks: Doris Trinidad writes in defense of psychics.

People with Hidden Agendas: Doris Trinidad writes about "user-friendly" relationships.

To Heal is to Make Happy: Doris Trinidad entreats everyone to be happy, because every happy thought rebounds to everybody else in this universe.

Things That Matter Now: Doris Trinidad discovers how the things that matter to her now consist mainly of making others happy, and as a result, becoming happy herself.

Life: The Ultimate Puzzle: Doris Trinidad tries to answer the questions about what this so-called "life" really is.

Belly up!: Whale watching in Palos Verdes

Change

Thoughts are Things

Fools Over Gold

If the Dead Could Talk

Spiritual Power Also Corrupts

Fright Tales, Anyone?

A Gratitude Journal

A Different Christmas Gift 

Eric Gamalinda

• That Woman, Monica: Eric Gamalinda reacts to Barbara Walters' interview of Monica Lewinsky.
• Pavanne for a Dead Princess: A piece on the death of the controversial and much-loved Princess Diana.
• Mulling over the Millennium: Award-winning author Eric Gamalinda wonders what the Year 2000 will bring

Marisse Abelgas

• THEIR FATHER'S DAUGHTERS Imagine a novel about three bewitching women. Three daughters living in the shadows of their deceased fathers' famous names. Three women carrying the burden of their country's expectations on top of their fathers' enduring legacies. Three restless souls defiantly charting their own individual destinies, and in the process, turning their country's history askew. Editor's Notes by Marisse Abelgas. 09/02
• KEEPING THE FAITH. Despite my cynicism about the church as an institution, I remain true to my faith, as we all should. God's messengers may have deplorably proven themselves to be more vulnerable to temptation and evil than the rest of us in the flock, but the message itself remains true and good. Religion itself, minus the institution, remains unshaken. That's why it's called faith: we believe, no matter what. . 03/02
  
• WAITING FOR MADAME. She came and went, and when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo left Los Angeles, she left behind a trail of new hopes and old promises, visions of absentee voting rights for overseas Filipinos and the very real possibility of a dual citizenship law being passed by Philippine Congress in the very near future. Editor's Notes by Marisse G. Abelgas. 11/01
  
• SMALL TALK ABOUT SMALL POX. For years now, we've been told that bio-terrorism was a distinct possibility, and yet we've managed to sleep peacefully at night, unaware that terrorists had already found a way to get past our national security. Editor's Notes by Marisse G. Abelgas. 10/01
  
• A Most Unusual War. If a single photograph speaks a thousand words, only the word "war" came to mind as thousands of images were caught live on television when terrorists attacked America last September 11, 2001. Editor's Notes. 09/01
• Trouble in Ballroom Land: Trouble is brewing in ballroomland. And things could come to a head on June 9, 2001 when two dinner-dances in L.A. are held at the same time in different venues to celebrate the Philippines’ 103rd year of independence. Politics, i