The Mail RSS Feed.
Subscribe Now

SPRINGFIELD, Virginia – Filipino American leaders in the Washington metropolitan area are organizing a “phone bank” in support of the candidacy of Vellie Sandalo Dietrich Hall for supervisor of the Mason district in Virginia in the coming elections.

Leading the call are community leaders Maurese Owens and Jon Melegrito who are asking Filipino Americans regardless of their political affiliations to help Vellie, a Republican, win because it will put the community in the political map.

WASHINGTON - Asian immigrants are raising average education levels in many states, with nearly half of them holding at least a bachelor’s degree, according to the new census data released by the bureau of census.

It also said that nearly one in five people living in the United States speaks a language at home other than English, indicating the wide-ranging effects of immigration in the United States.

Calls De Venecia III a "drug addict".

Matt Shiraki is the new White House Asian Pacific American Liaison. In this role, he will be responsible for communicating the President’s policies and priorities to the Asian Pacific American community and bringing the needs and concerns of the community to senior White House staff. In addition, Matt will represent the White House at community events and will organize briefings and outreach activities for Asian American and Pacific Islander constituency groups.

VIRGINIA – A fire broke out aboard the USS Leyte Gulf, a guided missile cruiser named after the site of the largest naval battle in World War II off the Philippines and five civilian workers were injured, officials said.

The 567-foot warship armed with Tomahawk missiles, torpedoes and Harpoon missiles was undergoing repairs in Norfolk, Virginia recently when the fire broke out below its main deck.

MANILA – Senate President Manuel Villar, a successful real estate developer whose companies advertise in the Manila Mail, is the richest member of the Philippine Senate.

And the poorest member is Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV who won election this year even though he is in prison facing charges of rebellion.

The latest statement of assets, liabilities and net worth of (SALN), Villar, the Tondo boy who made good selling low-cost houses, listed his net worth as P921.4 million, up less than 1 percent from the P915.6 million he declared in 2006.

By Delon Porcalla
MANILA – You want President Arroyo convicted? Do the spadework, and if possible, find a whistle-blower, prosecutors of convicted plunderer former president Joseph Estrada advised Arroyo critics.

Take it from the experts, who sent a popular ex-president to prison on a life sentence.

If there is one important thing the enemies of Mrs. Arroyo should learn, it is to stop organizing rallies, stop holding press conferences and avoid the limelight, if they really want her to suffer the same fate as the deposed president.

MANILA – Despite the outcry of protest from nurses in the United States and the Philippines over the alleged misrepresentation by the Sentosa recruitment agency, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (PORA) dismissed charges filed by 26 Filipino health professionals in New York “for utter lack of merit.”

The suit was dismissed even though Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Sen. Aquilino Pimentel delivered privilege speeches denouncing the Sentosa agency and calling for an investigation. Pimentel said this was the cse when then presidential chief of staff Michael Defensor called up POEA to intervene on behalf of Sentosa after NY Sen. Charles Schumer wrote Malacanang about the case last year.

DC Avant-garde artist Julian Oteyza wrapped up his group exhibit at the Ayala Museum in Makati and at the Philippine Center, 556 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10036 with the Society of Philippine-American Artists, (SPAA). The NY show lasted from September 10 - 21, 2007. Other artists participants are Francis Allan Bordeos; Egay Carreon; Mars Custodio; Lito David; Tessie Dichupa; Oscar Dizon; Joe Dureza; Trini Eckstein; Imela Cajipe Endaya; Manuel Gamboa; Mia Herbosa; Christine SC Jeanjaquet; Lenore R. S. Lim; Athena S. Magcase Lopez; Toots Magsino; Emi Mercado; Emilia Monroy; Charo Morando; Manuel Rodriguez Sr., and Pamela Rosales.

All his professional life, Joseph E. Estrada has always been a leading man.

The decision handed down last Sept. 12 by the anti-graft Sandiganbayan Court has just reversed his role - to that of a character actor.

The Supreme Court will be making this dubious role permanent if it affirms Mr. Estrada’s Sandiganbayan’s conviction of plunder that will put the 70-year-old charismatic former leader behind bar for the rest of his life.

True love may pave the way for a ticket to the United States.

An alien who is the fiance(e) of a U.S. citizen petitioner may be issued a K-1 visa which will allow entry to the U.S. for the purpose of marrying the U.S. citizen petitioner.

To qualify for a K-1 visa, the petitioner and the alien must satisfy the following requirements: (i) the parties have personally met within two years preceding the date of filing of the petition; (ii) they must have a bona fide intention to marry; and (iii) they are legally qualified and actually willing to conclude a valid marriage in the U.S. within ninety days after the fiance(e)’s arrival.

The country’s drive to bag its first gold medal in the Beijing Olympics next year got a huge boost when Senators Gringo Honasan and Juan Ponce Enrile promised their all out support for the strategic master plan of the PSC led by William “Butch” Ramirez which is aimed at accomplishing the seemingly impossible goal of achieving Olympic glory for the sports loving Filipinos everywhere. The two senators joined the growing clamor for every sector to help in this great cause. The two respected, veteran, legislators promised to help secure the much needed funds necessary to fuel the onslaught for our first ever gold medals.

As part of its Filipino American History month celebration, the Philippine Embassy is sponsoring a book launching of Sarah K. Joaquin’s memoir, “Of Laughter and Tears,” on October 5.

This is an occasion to pay tribute to one of the leading lights in Philippine theater, a beloved teacher, and a dear friend who enriched our community in more ways than we’ll ever know.

The officers of the Filipino American Institute of Accountants of Metro DC (formerly AFAI) recently attended the 21st Annual Convention of the National Council of Philippine American Canadian Accountants in Toronto. The three-day program included “A Welcome Night” (Boat Cruise),

WASHINGTON D.C. The United States will likely keep a military presence in the Philippines, at least until the end of the decade, a ranking Philippine official and recent developments indicated.

On Sept. 11, the Pentagon released a modified order to Global Contingency Services for a $6.25 million contract to support the operational needs of the US Joint Special Operations Task Force Philippines (JSOTF). The contract is scheduled for completion in April 2008.