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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, October 28, 2004 --- After a long wait, Maryo de los Reyes’ MAGNIFICO, one of the most acclaimed Filipino films of all time, opens on Oct. 29, to play two weeks everyday at the new Imaginasian Cinema (239 East 59 St., between 2nd and 3rd Avenue).Winner of an unprecedented 7 Best Picture awards from all of the country’s award-giving bodies — including Urian, Famas, Star and (FAP) the Film Academy of the Philippines — ‘Magnifico’ is the delightful and touching story of a young boy whose love and boundless faith transform the lives of his troubled family and townmates.Winner of the International Jury Grand Prix (Crystal Bear award) from this year’s Berlin International Film Festival, ‘Magnifico’ is directed by multi-award-winner Maryo J. de los Reyes (“High School Circa 65,” “Paraiso ni Efren”) and produced by Violet Sevilla of Violett Films.
This heartwrenching film, which is being released by Unico Entertainment, stars Albert Martinez, Lorna Tolentino, Gloria Romero, Mark Gil, Cherry Pie Picache, Celia Rodriguez and Jiro Manio who has won virtually every award either as Best Actor or Best Child Actor.
‘Magnifico’ is also the only Filipino film in history to have won over 60 awards combined in the Philippines and in film festivals abroad.Exclusively playing at the Imaginasian Cinema for one week, the showtimes are: Friday/Saturday/Sunday—12 noon, 2:30 pm, 5:00 pm, 7:25 pm, 9:45 pm.Monday thru Thurday—7:25 pm and 9:45 pm.
As an added attraction, “Imelda” and “Crying Ladies”are being re-released by Unico Entertainment, as part of its campaign to reach out to New York’s Academy voters. “Crying Ladies,” which is the Philippines’ official entry to next year’s Academy Awards, plays at the Imaginasian on Monday, November 1 and Wednesday, November 3 at 5pm.IMELDA, which is qualified for the Academy Awards in th category for Best Documentary, plays at the Imaginasian on Tuesday, November 2 at 5pm and on Thursday, November 4 at 12noon. For more information on all 3 films, call (646) 435-9431 or e-mail: vincemagi@cs.com.
Imaginasian Cinema is the first and only movie theater dedicated exclusively to playing first-run Asian and Asian-American films.
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NEW YORK, October 28, 2004 --- Ludi Hughes and her team of nine PIDCI Board of Directors candidates recently won endorsements from various civic, political and community leaders in the tri-state area, including formet Bergenfield mayor Bob Rivas.
Hughes’ team includes Darlene Borromeo, Tina Perez-Connor, Angie Cruz, Ph.D., Buddy Deauna, Charley Gonzales, Phil Peredo, Rommel Rivera, and Arnie Rosario, and Rev. Gaudy Soriano.
New Jersey Senator Jon Corzine has seen Ludi in action and has admired and praised her dynamism and potent leadership. It was Corzine who appointed her as the delegate to the National Democratic Convention in Boston, Mass. last July. Fair Lawn Mayor David Ganz, Deputy Mayor Martin Etler, and others who know Ludi’s “professional accomplishments and her commitment to community service” have joined in to endorse her and her team.
The most interesting and powerful is Rivas’ letter to the editor which was submitted early this week. Rivas expressed his initial “loathe to inject myself into the morass that is the annual PIDC election spectable.” He expressed his disappointment about the Filipino community having developed to “become the laughing stock of the metropolitan area, as ego, self-promotion and the ever-reliable “inggitan” have come to replace all the lofty ideals of camaraderie, good fellowship and humanitarian assistance for the homeland.”
In endorsing Hughes and her team, Rivas stated: “I feel Ms. Hughes possesses the necessary skills and background to reform the office of PIDC President, as well as the way we have been conducting the preparations for our Independence Day celebration.” Probably in reference to Ms. Hughes’ accomplishments in the Filipino community, most notably her very visible and tangible help to Filipino businesses, her role as defender of Filipino womanhood, her single-handed fight for the rights of consumers, and her Filipino empowerment activities, Rivas lauds Ludi Hughes by urging voters to support her since “our love for our native land, and its unique contributions to our adopted country, deserves nothing less.”
Obviously irritated by what had transpired during the past few years when “endless ego-tripping charges and counter-charges” are being brandished about, the former mayor explains his “entry into this quagmire” and asked to advise everyone involved that “my years of support for a host of Filipino businesses and organizations, as well as the struggle for empowerment of the greater Filipino community, as an elected official and community leader, have earned me the right to identify problems and propose solutions.”
Ludi Hughes Team discounts the advertised “lead” that Nimia’s team is claiming to have. There are organizations quietly supporting Ludi Hughes and her team as a result of being irritated by an open letter published in the Filipino Reporter which was full of inaccuracies, vague accusations and very personal, biased and divisive tone. The obvious turnaround by the “undecided” and those who are really not sure about whom to support has tipped in Ludi Hughes favor. As a matter of fact in Bergenfield alone, “Rivas town”, no less than twelve qualified organizations promised their solid vote to Ludi Hughes and her team.
In reference to a “Paid Advertisement” that purports to be an open letter published in the Filipino Reporter which irritated a good number of community leaders, one caller admitted earlier, that she was leaning towards voting for the other team because “she liked one of the candidates in Nimia’s team”. She complained “that when I read that ‘hateful’ letter, I cannot fathom the adverse consequences to the “unity” that both parties have expressed. I think, Ludi Hughes has lent better credibility when she talked about unifying efforts after the elections.”
For the record, the writer of that open letter that the caller mentioned is known to have been dismissed from her position as Vice President in an organization and ended up with no organization affiliation at all so she cannot even vote in this PIDCI elections. She added that the money spent for such advertisement could have been well spent contributed to the Consul General’s numerous projects instead of the “bickering and divisive publicity” mentioned by former Mayor Rivas’s endorsement.
Hughes dismissed the open letter as very divisive but expresses that “I am committed to unity and I will do everything in my power to embrace my opponents after the process. I am serious about Fiduciary responsibility and I am equally serious about taking the high road and make Filipinos proud of PIDCI again. Please remember that PIDCI success rides on my entire team winning; otherwise, it will be ‘business as usual in PIDCI.’”
Other endorsements come from prominent community leaders whose leadership and integrity are beyond reproach. They are registered voters in the PIDCI elections. Rudy Quiambao, 2004 Grand Marshal, says: “Ludi is the most qualified to unite Filipinos, with her track record of unselfish service to the Filipino community.” NaFFAA NY State Chair Joe Ramos also endorses Ludi, saying that “She, together with her team, is the only one who can put us on the map of mainstream America.”
From Rhoda Calma, NaFFAA Connecticut State Chair: “Ludi’s leadership is tempered with compassion and her team stands for integrity, transparency and dedication.” Edgar Buenconsejo, Bicolandia President agrees and adds: “ We need Ludi and her team to make PIDCI an organization of which we can be truly proud.”
(Editor’s note: This is a paid advertisement. The entire content of the article is of the advertiser and not of The Filipino Expresses’.)
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NEW YORK, October 28, 2004 --- Kinding Sindaw, the theater company that brought Rajah Mangandiri, the Philippine Ramayana, to the U.S. is up for another premiere presentation in New York City.
“Parang Sabil” (Sword of Honor) is Kinding Sindaw’s dance and music drama of the conquest of the Tausug people by the Americans, a historical event of the previous century. This story, now largely forgotten in Philippine and American histories, is immortalized in the “Parang Sabil” ballad of the Tausugs.
Kinding Sindaw’s powerful adaptation intertwines Tausug dance, music and storytelling with the recreation of the 1906 massacre of the Tausugs, an event of American imperialism that particularly outraged the writer and journalist Mark Twain. His commentaries - a condemnation of United States’ mission to “civilize” the Philippines - are also woven within the dance drama.
“Parang Sabil” will run from Nov. 18 to 21 at La MaMa E.T.C. Theater, located at 74A East 4th Street, New York. Showtimes are on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 PM; and Sunday at 2:30 PM and 7:30 PM. Tickets are sold at $20.00 each. Student, senior and group discounts are offered. Or call the box office at (212) 475-7710.
Tausug dances depict the ebb and flow of the ocean waves, the lightness of butterflies, and the playfulness of turtles and fish. Some dances are also regal for their fluid, yet disciplined forms of outwardly curved hands, subtle head and shoulder gestures, and serene, meditative gazes.
A maiden ready for marriage performs the “Pangalay,” a classic Tausug dance. Wearing long golden nails called janggay, she emulates the mythical Sarimanok bird, a reincarnation of a goddess who loved a mortal man. After completing the dance, the maiden removes her nails and drops them to the ground, hoping that a man will gather them and claim her for his bride.
Kuntaw Silat, akin to Indonesian Silat, and Kali martial arts will be performed in battle scenes between the Tausugs and the Americans.
Accompanying the dances are traditional chants and music, played on instruments such as the xylophone-like gabang, made of acacia and bamboo, and the kulintang, a horizontally laid set of 8 bronze kettle gongs, and various other gongs and bamboo-based instruments.
“Parang Sabil” was first performed at Mulberry Street Theater on December 2003. “The dancers, particularly Amira Aziza as a doomed bride, interpreted the indigenous themes gracefully and persuasively...,” and “...the imaginative re-creation of the 1906 massacre of 900 Muslim men, women and children made for a powerful ending, fusing, for a brief moment, medium and message.” (Village Voice, December 2003)
Kinding Sindaw (Dance of Light), founded in 1992, is a resident repertory company at La MaMa, E.T.C, where it premiered “Rajah Mangandiri” to critical acclaim on December 2001, and “Lemlunay” on May 2003. “Rajah Mangandiri” is based on the historical Philipppine version, preserved by the Maranao people, of the classical “Ramayana.”
“Lemlunay” is based on an epic myth of the T’boli people.
Kinding Sindaw’s other recent performance venues include Lincoln Center, where it reprised “Rajah Mangandiri” on August 2004, Wave Hill, Nunnbetter Dance Theater, Elebash Recital Hall of the CUNY Graduate Center, Drexel University, Kennedy Center, the United Nations, Puffin Room, Kennesaw State Univ., Georgia State Univ., and Univ. of Georgia (Athens). Past venues include the Theatre of the Riverside Church, the American Museum of Natural History, the Smithsonian Institution, the World Trade Center, and the Mobile International Festival in Alabama.
The company has also performed at conferences, other colleges/universities, public libraries, public schools and community events, such as New York City’s annual Philippine Independence Day Parade and Festival.
Kinding Sindaw’s repertory is built upon the dances, music, and orature of the T’boli, Maranao, Maguindanao, Yakan, Jama Mapun, Higaoonon, Tausug and Bagobo peoples of the southern Philippines. Kinding Sindaw was founded by Potri Ranka Manis, the daughter of a Sultan of the Maranao people of Mindanao, a true modern-day princess and tradition-bearer.
Kinding Sindaw exists to assert, preserve, reclaim, and re-create the traditions of dance, music, martial arts, storytelling, and orature of the indigenous peoples of the Philippines. By asserting their arts and traditions, the historical and contemporary stories of these peoples are brought to life.
For more information about the show or the company, call (212) 982-2158, or visit the Web site: www.kindingsindaw.org.
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