Positively Filipino | Online Magazine for Filipinos in the Diaspora – The Magazine

The Historic Delano Grape Strike’s Sacrifices and Rewards

Alex S. Fabros, Jr. — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 16:50:41 +0000

Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee members picketing in front of the Filipino Community Hall as part of the Delano Grape Strike on September 24, 1965. (Source: © Harvey Richards Media Archive)

The cost to workers during the Delano Grape Strike was severe, prolonged and multi-dimensional. It was not simply a labor dispute measured in wages gained or lost, but a sustained period of economic deprivation, social strain and personal sacrifice that lasted from September 1965 to July 1970. For many of the farmworkers involved—particularly the aging Filipino manongs and the Mexican families who joined them—the strike demanded a level of endurance that reshaped daily life.

The most immediate cost was economic. When workers walked off the fields in Delano on September 8, 1965, they gave up their primary source of income. Agricultural laborers were already among the lowest-paid workers in California, often earning near-subsistence wages tied directly to seasonal harvests. By striking, they forfeited even that limited income.

A Five-Year Fight

The strike lasted not for days or weeks, but for five years. During this period, many workers had no steady employment. Some found occasional work outside the strike zones, but many remained committed to the movement and relied on strike funds, donations and mutual aid to survive. The financial hardship was constant. Families struggled to pay for food, rent and basic necessities. Savings, where they existed, were quickly exhausted.

Housing insecurity became a central part of the cost. Many farmworkers lived in labor camps or employer-controlled housing tied to their jobs. Once they went on strike, they risked eviction. Workers and their families were forced to move, double up with relatives, or rely on community support networks. In some cases, entire households were displaced. For the Filipino workers, many of whom were single men living in communal housing, the loss of employer-provided shelter was immediate. For Mexican families, the burden extended to spouses and children, who shared in the instability.

It was in response to this housing crisis—especially among elderly Filipino workers—that one of the most important institutional developments of the strike emerged: Agbayani Village in Delano. Completed in 1974 and named after Filipino labor leader Paulo Agbayani, the village provided permanent housing for retired and aging Filipino farmworkers who had sacrificed their livelihoods during the strike. Many of these men had no families in the United States, having lived as migrant laborers for decades under exclusionary immigration laws that prevented them from forming stable households. During the strike, they were among the most vulnerable, with no income, no employer housing, and limited means of support.

This photo of Manongs in front of Agbayani Village was published by Harvard Review. (Photo courtesy of Lorraine Agtang)

Long-Delayed Recognition

Agbayani Village represented both a response to immediate hardship and a long-delayed recognition of these workers’ contributions. Built by the United Farm Workers with support from unions, churches and volunteers, it offered dignified housing, communal facilities and a sense of permanence that had been absent from the lives of the manongs. The creation of the village underscored the depth of sacrifice made by Filipino workers during the strike. It was not simply that they had lost wages for five years; many had reached the end of their working lives without security, making the provision of housing a moral and political necessity.

Nutrition and health also deteriorated under the strain of the strike. With limited income, food consumption declined in both quantity and quality. Community kitchens and donated goods helped sustain strikers, but these resources were inconsistent. Malnutrition, especially among children, became a concern. Health care was largely inaccessible, as farmworkers typically lacked insurance and relied on minimal services even before the strike. The prolonged stress of uncertainty, combined with physical hardship, contributed to declining health among many participants.

United Farm Workers on strike in Delano, California (Photo by Frank Q. Brown, Los Angeles Times, Creative Commons License)

Significant Social Cost

The social cost was equally significant. The strike divided communities, sometimes sharply. Not all workers joined the strike, and growers actively recruited strikebreakers. This created tensions within labor camps and across ethnic lines. In some cases, workers who crossed picket lines were ostracized or confronted. Violence, while not constant, was present. Picket lines were sites of confrontation between strikers, replacement workers, and law enforcement. Arrests occurred, and some workers faced legal penalties for their participation.

Family life was deeply affected. For Mexican American workers, whose participation expanded after the involvement of Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, the strike required entire households to adapt. Children were drawn into the movement, sometimes participating in marches and boycotts, while also experiencing the instability of reduced income and uncertain living conditions. Education was disrupted for some, as families moved or struggled to maintain stability. The strike became a defining experience for a generation, shaping identities as well as material conditions.

For the Filipino workers led by Larry Itliong, the cost carried an additional dimension. Many of these workers were older, with fewer opportunities to recover economically after years of lost income. They had spent decades in the fields, often without accumulating significant savings or securing long-term security. By committing to the strike, they risked what little stability they had left. The decision to strike was therefore particularly consequential. It was not only a gamble for better wages, but a sacrifice of their remaining working years. The later construction of Agbayani Village stands as a testament to this reality, acknowledging that many of these men had given everything to a movement that would only partially repay them in material terms.

Larry Itliong (Source: Wikipedia)

Psychological Toll

The psychological toll of the strike was profound. Uncertainty became a constant condition. Workers did not know when, or if, the strike would succeed. The long duration tested morale. Periods of hope, such as the 1966 march from Delano to Sacramento, alternated with periods of discouragement as negotiations stalled and growers resisted. Maintaining commitment over five years required sustained discipline and belief in the movement’s goals. This endurance was itself a cost, measured in stress, anxiety, and emotional strain.

The expansion of the strike into a national boycott added another layer of sacrifice. Many workers left the fields entirely to become organizers, traveling to cities across the United States to promote the boycott of table grapes. This meant further separation from families and communities. It also required adapting to new roles, often without financial compensation. These organizers lived on minimal stipends, relying on the support of unions, churches, and sympathetic groups. Their work was essential to the eventual success of the strike, but it came at the cost of personal stability.

Legal and institutional pressures compounded these hardships. Growers sought injunctions to limit picketing, and law enforcement often sided with agricultural interests. Workers faced arrests for trespassing or disturbing the peace. The legal environment was not neutral; it imposed additional risks on those who chose to strike. For undocumented workers, or those with uncertain status, participation carried even greater danger.

Significant Gains

Despite these costs, the strike ultimately achieved significant gains when contracts were signed in 1970. Wages increased, health benefits were introduced, and the United Farm Workers gained recognition as a bargaining agent. Yet these outcomes do not erase the sacrifices made during the preceding years. The benefits were collective and long-term, while the costs were immediate and personal.

The strike lasted not for days or weeks, but for five years. During this period, many workers had no steady employment.

The Delano Grape Strike stands as a reminder that labor victories are not achieved without profound sacrifice. The workers who participated endured years of economic hardship, social disruption, and personal strain. Their willingness to sustain the strike under these conditions was a critical factor in its success. The creation of Agbayani Village, rising out of that hardship, remains one of the clearest material acknowledgments of what those workers gave—and what they were owed.

Alex S. Fabros, Jr. is a retired Philippine American Military History professor.

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On Cesar Chavez: We Need The Truth More Than We Need Heroes

Craig Scharlin & Lilia Villanueva — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 16:50:32 +0000

PHILIP VERA CRUZ: A Personal History of Filipino Immigrants and the Farmworkers Movement (University of Washington Press), by Craig Scharlin and Lilia V. Villanueva

As authors of the book PHILIP VERA CRUZ: A Personal History of Filipino Immigrants and the Farmworkers Movement (University of Washington Press), we have been asked to comment on the late Cesar Chavez, revered UFW founder and hero of the nation’s farm workers movement, who made recent headlines when two women, now in their 60s, accused him of molesting and raping them when they were in their early teens. The additional bombshell, however, was provided by none other than Chavez’s co-founder and second-in-command in the United Farm Workers Union (UFW), Dolores Huerta. Now 96 years old, Huerta admitted in an interview with the NY Times that she was raped by Chavez once and seduced to have sex with him another time. Both encounters resulted in pregnancy and both daughters were raised by other families who were sworn to secrecy.
Who was Philip Vera Cruz? He was the UFW’s 2nd Vice President, third in line of command after Chavez and Huerta in the UFW council. Philip was the highest-ranking Filipino who served as an officer in the UFW. Prior to the formation of the UFW, Philip, along with Larry Itliong, leaders of the all-Filipino Union AWOC, led Filipino farm workers in the first successful strike in Delano California against the grape growing corporations in California. The Filipinos began the strike despite Chavez’s initial decision not to join. Six months into the strike, the Mexican farmworkers pressured Chavez to join the Filipino-led strike. He finally joined the strike and organized the March from Delano to Sacramento that gained national attention to the plight of the farm workers. The strike lasted five years, and another year passed before AWOC and NFWA merged to form the UFW.
In our hundreds of hours of interview with Philip, half were devoted to his work and commitment to supporting workers’ rights, not only of farm workers but all laborers in the U.S. and internationally. It was always in the context of Chavez’s leadership and decisions that Philip shared his analysis of Chavez the man.
Philip recalled many conflicts he had with Chavez and Huerta, especially over issues involving Agbayani Village, the retirement residence for farmworkers, the majority of which were Filipinos. Philip felt the local needs of farm workers were being overlooked and underfunded as the Union’s priorities shifted along with the growing fame of Chavez as a personality. He recalled several attempts to warn Chavez on the pitfalls of intense media coverage and was almost always rebuffed, rudely at times. At one meeting of the leadership council, Philip called for more support for Agbayani Village residents, citing the Council’s lack of empathy towards the needs of retired farm workers by denying them simple pleasures such as keeping fighting roosters within the compound as a traditional hobby among Filipino men. Philip often defended residents when accused of violating Village policy by inviting female visitors into their quarters, a policy that Huerta vigorously enforced with penalty. Philip said Dolores Huerta was particularly unsympathetic to the plight of retired Filipino farm workers. Philip cannot recall Huerta supporting any of Philip’s initiatives for Agbayani Village when it came to a vote.

Authors Craig Scharlin (left) and Lilia Villanueva with Philip Vera Cruz in Agbayani Village, Delano, California, 1993

We learn in the book that Philip’s disappointment with the UFW stems primarily from the leadership of Chavez whom he observed became more erratic and inconsistent as his fame grew. Chavez became more dismissive of opposing views and even openly mocked those who challenged his decisions. This behavior was offensive to Philip but voiced his opposition only in board meetings. He was aware that if word got out of a rift among council leaders it would create a negative impact on the UFW as a whole. However, he was vocal about reminding everyone in council meetings that the goal of the Union was to support and fight for the rights of all workers and to not let fame or popularity get to anyone’s head. His constant reminder made Chavez refer to him as “the conscience of the Union.”
In the end, Chavez chose not to follow his conscience. When offered financial support by Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos and an all-expenses paid invitation to go to the Philippines in recognition of his work for Filipino farmworkers in the U.S., Philip adamantly opposed this invitation, citing that the dictator was a foe of labor unions in the Philippines. Chavez ignored Philip’s advice. Philip pointed out the hypocrisy of the evening when Chavez gave a speech in Malacañang Palace praising the dictator’s support for workers’ rights while not far away prominent Filipino labor leaders were sitting in prison having been arrested by Marcos. When Chavez returned to California he invited Marcos’s Secretary of Labor Blas Ople to be a featured speaker at a UFW convention. Again, Philip opposed this billing and when he lost the vote again, he asked that he be allowed to speak after Mr. Ople’s speech. Chavez said no, seconded by Huerta. At the convention, Philip tried to speak after Ople anyway but was refrained from getting up to speak. Soon, thereafter, Philip resigned from the UFW, citing censorship as a reason. “We need the truth more than we need heroes,” was Philip’s response when asked why he tried to defy Chavez’s attempt to silence him.

Chavez became more dismissive of opposing views and even openly mocked those who challenged his decisions.

What did Philip know about Cesar Chavez the man? In print, only that Chavez was a man who fell prey to fame and adulation, who lost his moral compass when making decisions as leader of the UFW. As for Chavez’s lifestyle and personal actions, let them speak for themselves, Philip would have said.
As for Dolores Huerta— second-in-command to Chavez from beginning of the movement until his death in 1994, known as a fierce feminist and women’s rights activist—just recently admitting to being an unreported victim of rape and sexual assault by Chavez all those years ago, raises questions about what kind of leadership was fostered within the inner circle of UFW that could not, or would not, support victims of sexual assault. Staunch supporters of workers’ rights should not flinch at sexual scandals among their leadership council but should be ready to hold up truth to power. As Philip would remind us: We need the truth more than we need heroes.

Lilia V. Villanueva and her husband Craig Scharlin have been living in the Philippines for over ten years, dividing their time between Bacolod and Baguio.

An Afternoon on Margaha Beach

Lilia V. Villanueva — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 16:50:22 +0000

Festival viewing café (Photo by Lilia Villanueva)

I must admit I didn’t know the formal name of the beach where the renowned Negrense visual artist Nunelucio Alvarado resided and presided over the whole Purok Bougainvilla of Margaha Beach. Since news of his declining health circulated among the art community right after the pandemic was declared, my husband, Craig, and I had planned to make a trek to Nune’s beach house and studio, have a sip of the famous barako coffee served at his Kape Albarako, and make good our promise to visit him in his natural habitat when we last met and exchanged a warm embrace at Orange Gallery just before COVID hit the world.
That promise was fulfilled yesterday, February 21, when we drove to Old Sagay—our second trip to this northernmost city of our island in ten years(!)—with a slim hope to see Nune—but to partake in the opening of the city’s 7th annual festival of short films by local filmmakers. This beachfront arts event, one of many that Margaha Beach plays host to, was not anything I expected and, at my age, a privilege not to have missed.

Visual artist Nune Alvarado’s residence marked by painted totem pole (Photo by Lilia Villanueva)

We were invited by our son Ben, who was executive producer of one of the film entries. Ben has been an active mentor to local filmmakers for several years; by association, we show support to his mentees and especially to organizers of grassroots art events. It was a fabulous opportunity to visit Nune’s stomping grounds, with the hope of saying hello to the legendary Tatay of Margaha Beach.
The first adventure was navigating the half-lane footpath-turned-paved footpath into Purok Bougainvilla, the only entry into Margaha Beach, now totally concealed from the path by back-to-back homes, structures, and makeshift resorts. Without the skills of driver, Michael, I would’ve forbidden our car from entering the “Welcome to the Community of Color (of Maestro Nunelucio Alvarado)” entrance to the footpath. After a harrowing inch-apart crawl from car to trisikad (pedaled tricycle) to fence to canal to babies to dogs, we entered a packed parking space of a karaoke-blasting resort, whose very pregnant parking attendant said we could park there and walk to Kape Albarako, the site of the event, which was “next door.” As we walked toward the water, she stopped suddenly and said, “Ooops, indi pa pwede gali kay taas pa ang tubi.” (“Can’t walk there because the water is still too high to walk on the beach.”) Apparently, there is no access from the footpath directly to Kape Albarako! She suggested we go to the next resort where there is also parking and which may be closer to Kape Albarako. Another inch-by-inch crawl to the next resort in the car, and again, I walked out first toward the sea and found the water still lapping up the resort’s walls, at least knee-high from the beach.
Since we were still early for the 3 p.m. start time, we decided to go back to town and get some lunch. Enting’s did not disappoint. The sustenance prepared me for the scene at Margaha Beach.
The beach is a kilometer length of black sand. The locals believe: Itom nga balas; bulong sa lawas (black sand is healing for the body)—an ode to the volcanic black sand’s healing power. It is not unusual to see adults buried in the black sand early in the morning, we were told. Upon returning from lunch, the low tide had begun in earnest, and a sliver of beach sand allowed one to walk toward Kape Albarako, a colorfully painted bamboo building that sprawled across 20 meters of beachfront, with a second floor. A few meters away, also on the beachfront, was a taller bamboo house whose stilts clearly demonstrated how high the high tide is on this beach. This was the Alvarado residence. On the lower level, we were told, was Maestro Nune’s work studio, where he also taught young artists, according to his wife, Sally, who greeted us as we tiptoed into the Kape building.

Low-tide beach path to Kape Alvarado (Photo by Lilia Villanueva)

It was difficult to get my bearings at first: where was the film festival actually going to be held? There was no “hall” or enclosed area for showing film. It was an open, balcony-style café building that looked out to the Visayan Sea, with a beach that was still half-filled with water and local kids out with their body boards, skidding up and down the shallowing water in front of us. People started to wade in or skirt the wet paths into the Kape and find benches and plastic chairs, or walk on the beach barefoot.
We settled at a front-view table with Ben’s friends, Catherine and her husband Ronelle, who beautifully did the soundtrack to Ben’s Rye movie. Catherine teaches production design. No one talked about where or when or how the “festival” was going to happen. A group of young, cheerleader-type boys and girls marched out in front of us on still very wet sand and began warm-up exercises—stretching, twirling, and jumping around in pairs and in groups. Obviously, they were going to perform—but how? And where? In the wet sand? I was confused but also intrigued. They all had a serious air about them, like a real dance troupe. The waterboarding kids still skidded here and there, doing tricks on their boards and impressing their audience, while the dancers continued their warm-up as the water continued to recede into the sea.
More people were on the beach now, but it was still wet and muddy in most parts. Adults began to break out serious food from styro boxes, sharing among themselves and their kids, who darted in and out between servings and ran back to play in the water, farther and farther away from their seated folks. Still, there was no visible sign of any “festival” being prepared to start.
At about past 4 p.m., elaborate homemade kites began to appear on the beach, making tentative attempts to stay up in the air. First, there was the jeepney kite—colorful and beautifully upright once it was in the air. Some people applauded. Then the giant fish kite went up, followed by the crab kite. They were all beautiful and sailed right past the appreciative audience, who whooped and applauded, and the kids jumped up and down as they pointed up at them.

Kites started the festival (Photo by Lilia Villanueva)

Then, quietly and without fuss, a stage was carried by four men and planted in front of us on the beach. A group of techies followed with 30 or more LED “boxes” and tons of wires. Ahhhh—the films would be screened on that stage on the beach. The sea breeze was gentle and perfect for the evening fest. The emcee got on the mic and welcomed everybody. She explained that the ten featured filmmakers would each board an assigned banca and make a fluvial entrance when the ceremony began. How cool is that!
Of course, there were technical delays, and the fluvial entrance of the filmmakers was not as dramatic as MacArthur’s “I shall return” march on the beach. The delay forced the bancas to retreat from the shoreline until the special passengers had to disembark, lest they walk farther away from the stage.
The festival began with the dance troupe from the State University of Northern Negros (SUNN), opening with a very well-executed modern number on the sandy beach! Festival judges and local officials were introduced, walking to the stage—some barefoot, others comfortably in their ready-for-wet Crocs—with filmmakers and their crew joining them for photo, video, and drone ops. Lupang Hinirang blared on screen and throughout the now-dusky beach, with the beautiful silhouette of the horizon etched by eyebrow-stroke clouds.

Filmmakers introduced on stage (Photo by Lilia Villanueva)

Through all this, I noticed three tiny girls in their swimsuits who did not stop or pause to look up from their serious sand-digging and building work—an activity I watched for at least an hour. They ran to their moms only for quick spoonfuls of rice. They were each beautifully covered by the itom nga balas, bulong sa lawas.
I felt so happy for them.
I told Catherine when I found my way back to the front-row table to watch the first short film entry: “I feel like I’m back in the ’60s. This scene is as natural and organic as it can get. I feel happy, even though I wish I had seen Nune to say hello.” I had a chat with Sally, and she described how Nune has gotten much weaker these days and how his dementia has progressed. They weren’t sure if he would make it from his house to the Kape-han. I had taken photos of Nune’s bamboo castle and imagined his body now leaning sideways as much as his house. Always one with nature, Nune is.

The locals believe: Itom nga balas; bulong sa lawas (black sand is healing for the body)—an ode to the volcanic black sand’s healing power.

The short films were a minute detail among the hundreds of details I observed and experienced at Margaha Beach that day. I am grateful that the film festival got us back to Old Sagay, and most grateful that I was witness to a rare, authentic moment of living on this island of my birth: where Sagaynons moved freely and supported their community without muss or fuss; where everybody was accepted, welcomed, and thanked for who they were and what they had done for their community; where pretense was completely absent—even for just the moments we were there.
All truly refreshing and inspiring—to be a Filipino. Seriously.

Lilia V. Villanueva and her husband Craig Scharlin have been living in the Philippines for over ten years, dividing their time between Bacolod and Baguio.

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‘The Forgotten Island’ Will Be Worth Remembering

Anthony Maddela — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 16:50:13 +0000

Filipina characters Jo (H.E.R.) and Raissa (Liza Soberano) in Dreamworks’ “The Forgotten Island” (Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures)

"Our one goal is to give the world a taste of peace, friendship and understanding. Through the visual arts, the art of celebration of life,” stated Steven Spielberg. This vision of a co-founder of DreamWorks Animation is realized in his studio’s upcoming release, The Forgotten Island.
The Forgotten Island is a world filled with the people and creatures of Filipino mythology and can only be visited through a portal. When high school best friends in the Philippines, Jo (voiced by H.E.R.) and Raissa (Liza Soberano) enter the portal, they are whisked into live encounters with the folklore tales of their childhood in 1990.

Liza Soberano and H.E.R. at the “The Forgotten Island” trailer launch event (Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures)

The movie is directed by best friends, Januel Mercado, a Fil-Am from Stockton, California, and Joel Crawford, whose wife, Kathy, is Filipina. They were the creative team behind Penguins of Madagascar, The Lego Ninjago Movie, and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. The cast of voices features H.E.R., Liza Soberano, Manny Jacinto, Jo Koy and Lea Salonga.
In overt ways, The Forgotten Island is a cultural phenomenon and The Debut for our Diaspora in every part of the world. “I’ve always championed Filipino culture, but I didn’t expect it to grow into this big moment,’ says H.E.R. (Gabriella “Gaby” Sarmiento Wilson).

Directors Joel Crawford and Jenuel Mercado at the “The Forgotten Island” trailer launch event (Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures)

“We see it across the board,” observes the winner of an Oscar, five Grammy Awards, and an Emmy. “People are appreciating our food. They see our clips go viral, and they’re like, wow, Filipinos can really sing!” She goes on to list fellow musical artists Olivia Rodrigo, Apl.de.ap and Steve Lacy as examples of this moment that The Forgotten Island is poised to prolong.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish was a critical and box office success, topping $480 million in ticket sales worldwide in 2022/2023. The acclaim of this and previous movies gave the directing team cache to bring to life a story that takes place in the Philippines with the universal theme of friendship and love.
Asked whether he had to slow down the action to explain the idiosyncrasies of Filipino households to a mainstream audience, Mercado replies, “Joel (Crawford) and I approached it through our personal experiences in our families. These things are universal, like spending time with your family, big family parties and close friendships.”
In particular, he adds, “Our friendships are so close that you break each other’s hearts, you say hurtful things, you say encouraging things. We’re confident that being personal and specific will be universal and relatable.”
Liza Soberano may have found her star vehicle to erase regrets following her move from the Philippines, where she had grown from ingenue to A-list actress, to a new beginning in Hollywood. The irony isn’t lost that the Philippines would be the setting of the first chapter of her greatest adventure.

As The Forgotten Island progresses toward opening weekend on September 25th, DreamWorks Animation will keep Positively Filipino in the loop with interviews of stars and creative staff.

“I moved to L.A. two years ago from the Philippines, so I’ve been speaking lots of English.” For the movie, she says, “It’s like a refresher course to speak in Tagalog throughout this film. I felt so proud to speak in my mother’s dialect.”
As the movie progresses toward opening weekend on September 25th, DreamWorks Animation will keep Positively Filipino in the loop with interviews of stars and creative staff. It’s hard to dispute the life prescription to live each day like it’s your last, but the delight of having something to look forward to cannot be dismissed.

Anthony Maddela is a Staff Correspondent in Los Angeles.

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FilAms Among The Remarkable And Famous, Part 76

Mona Lisa Yuchengco — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 16:21:03 +0000

Filipinos have been in the United States since the 16th century, yet many of their stories remain untold. For the past years, Positively Filipino has been running a series on notable Filipino Americans who have made their marks in this country. There are hundreds, or maybe even thousands more, that need to be added to this story, and we need your help. If you know of a Filipino American who deserves to be included in this line-up, please send us their names and any supporting documents you may have to pfpublisher@yahoo.com. For now, we are including only those who are currently active and visible in the media and the community, regardless of their religious, sexual or political orientation. Thank you.
Isabella “Isa” Camille Briones, Actor

Isabella “Isa” Camille Briones (Photo by Gage Skidmore/Creative Commons)

Briones is best known as Dr. Trinity Santos in the medical drama, The Pitt, but she has also worked extensively in theater, becoming the youngest performer in the first touring company of Hamilton at age 19 and later making her Broadway debut as Eurydice in Hadestown. Starting on April 1, Briones will assume the role of Connie Francis from Sarah Hyland in Just in Time, the musical about Bobby Darin on Broadway.
Briones was born in London, England to Jon Jon Briones and Megan Briones. Her family members are all musical theater actors. She is Filipino on her father's side and Swedish and Irish on her mother's. Her parents met in Stuttgart while auditioning for Miss Saigon. She was ten months old when her family moved from London to New York City, where she began work as a model at age three. In 2006, when Briones was seven, her family moved to Los Angeles. She learned acting and singing at home from her parents. She majored in theatre and musical theatre at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.
For her role in The Pitt, she cited the importance of the series' work in representing Filipino contributions to the American health care system, saying it had "never really been addressed before in this way. We haven't seen a lot of Filipino actors in medical shows before, and now we finally have that chance." As part of the series’ primary cast, Briones received the award for Ensemble in a Drama Series at the 32nd Actor Awards (formerly SAG).
Aaron-Matthew Lariosa, Journalist

Aaron-Mathew Lariosa (Source: LinkedIn)

Lariosa is a freelance defense journalist based in Washington, D.C. covering the South China Sea, U.S. military efforts in the Indo-Pacific and Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization with USNI News and Naval News. He is a graduate of American University with a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations and Affairs. In 2025, Lariosa spent three days aboard the Philippine Coast Guard cutter during an escort mission to Thitu Island in the South China Sea.
Marlena A. DeCelle, Brigadier General

Brig. Gen. Marlena A. DeCelle (Source: National Guard)

On January 26, 2023, in Sacramento, California, then-Colonel DeCelle received her one-star rank during a promotion ceremony led by Maj. Gen. Matthew P. Beevers, becoming the first Filipino American general officer in the California National Guard. “I am the 5th generation to serve in the U.S. Army, dating back to the Spanish-American War,” DeCelle shared in a National Guard News interview. Her father, Michael, is a Navy veteran, and her brothers, Matthew and Michael, both serve as lieutenant colonels in the Army. Her path includes ROTC at the University of California-Davis and multiple leadership roles in the California Army National Guard. She currently serves as the Director of the Joint Staff for California National Guard. From 2023 to 2025, she held the position of Deputy Commanding General – Support for the 40th Infantry Division and served as the Joint Force Land Component Commander for the California Army National Guard.

Her civilian and military education includes a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College; a Master of Arts in Public Administration from Murray State University, KY; and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Sociology-Law & Society from the University of California, Davis. She also completed numerous military courses, including the Command and General Staff College, Adjutant General Corps Captain Career Course, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Course, and the Homeland Response Force Course. DeCelle’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit (with Oak Leaf Cluster), the Meritorious Service Medal (with six Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Commendation Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), the Army Achievement Medal, the National Guard Basic Recruiting Badge, Air Assault Badge, and the Parachutist Badge.
Jose Ralph Fernandez, Drone Videographer

Jose Ralph Fernandez (Source: Facebook)

Born and raised in Butuan, Fernandez initially studied nursing before discovering a deep passion for photography inspired by his father who had pursued it as a hobby in his younger years, he says. “While I was still studying nursing, I often found myself setting aside my anatomy books, completely absorbed in learning the craft of photography day and night.” He later expanded into videography, working on weddings and corporate productions and building his reputation in the Philippines. In 2016, he moved to Dubai after his wife accepted a nursing role there. “The prospect of moving to such an ultra-modern city was exciting, and the new environment provided invaluable experiences and growth,” he says. After completing a trial project, he became the first Filipino drone pilot and camera operator for Choppershoot, the UAE’s largest aerial filming company. In 2022, Ralph moved to the United States. “Moving to the US was inevitable for us; it was our long-term plan,” he says. “My wife has been my greatest supporter; she always motivates me to take the next step. Dubai honed us in every way. If we had gone straight to the US, I would not have made it this far.” He has since worked on productions including The Electric State and Peacemaker. “It was an exhilarating experience fulfilling a lifelong dream of working in Hollywood,” he says. “In reflecting on my life and accomplishments, my family stands as the achievement I cherish most,” he says. “I want them to know that with dedication and belief in themselves, their dreams are within reach and their goals attainable.”
Leah Milne, Associate Professor

Leah Milne (Source: leahmilne.com)

Milne is an Associate Professor of English teaching multicultural American and postcolonial literature at the  University of Indianapolis. Her work focuses on contemporary ethnic American literature, especially African American and Asian American, as well as postcolonial literature and theory and women and gender studies. Her book, Novel Subjects: Authorship as Radical Self-Care in Multiethnic American Narratives (University of Iowa Press), won the 2021 Midwest Modern Language Association Book Award. Novel Subjects examines self-care, ethnic identity and acts of authorship in multicultural American novels written by authors such as Toni Morrison, Gina Apostol, Carmen Maria Machado, Percival Everett, and Ruth Ozeki. She argues that they mobilize self-conscious fiction (or metafiction) to provide an alternative foundation for self-care.
Her co-authored second book, The Honeyfish Collective Presents Fieldnotes on Contemporary Black Poetry, is forthcoming from Duke University Press. She has also written op-ed articles for publications such as Newsweek, Ms. Magazine and The Hill. She received her doctorate in American literature from the University of North Carolina in Greensboro.
Arbaina Kawilan, Speaker

Arbaina Kawilan (Source: Facebook)

Kawilan is a TEDx-speaker and the host of the Resilience Code. Her talk, “Safety Is an Inside Job,” introduces Emotional Alchemy, a framework built from her lived experience as a Philippine-born immigrant who rebuilt her life after domestic violence and systemic failure. Her talk brings attention to the barriers immigrant women face when leaving abusive relationships–how immigration status, financial risk and cultural pressure shape decisions that many people outside these systems never see. “I learned that safety is not something you wait for. It is something you build from within,” Kawilan says. “Emotional Alchemy came from the moments when I had to choose action in the middle of fear.” She speaks about learning immigration law, seeking protection through the Violence Against Women Act, and rebuilding stability after her case was dismissed. Her message focuses on resilience and the daily steps survivors use to move forward. She invites viewers to practice Emotional Alchemy through three steps: acknowledgement, transmutation and steady commitment to small wins. Born in Cotabato City, Philippines Kawilan now lives in Austin, Texas.
Maybelle Francisco, Immigration Lawyer

Maybelle Francisco (Source: maybellefranciscolaw.com)

Born in the Philippines and educated at the University of the Philippines, Francisco came to the United States with the same hopes and uncertainties that define the Filipino diaspora experience. She went to law school, built a career at the highest levels of corporate immigration — advising Fortune 500 companies and multinational organizations — and then walked away from that world to open a solo practice in New Jersey, serving the community she came from. She remembered what it felt like to not know if you had the right information, the right advocate, or the right support, and decided to be that for others. Her practice is built around personal attention, bilingual service in English and Tagalog, and a genuine belief that immigration is not just a legal process — it's a life chapter. Every petition she files carries someone's family, future, and identity in it.
Francisco obtained her Juris Doctor from Mitchell Hamline School of Law. She served as Vice President for Asian Pacific American Law Students Association.
Jonathan Quan, Judge

Judge Jonathan Quan (Source: Judiciary of Guam/Facebook)

Appointed in 2018, Quan is a Magistrate Judge for the Superior Court of Guam. He handles various criminal and civil matters, including pretrial release hearings and, recently, sanctioning a company for litigation misconduct. He has a background in private practice, as an Assistant Attorney General and in the Guam Army National Guard. He earned a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania (1993) and a J.D. from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles (1996). Quan was also a Major in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, Army National Guard. Born in the Philippines and raised in Guam, he was a valedictorian at Father Duenas Memorial High School.
Jesse Cruz, Chef and Author

Chef Jesse Cruz (Source: Instagram)

Cruz is an award-winning chef, author, entrepreneur, and philanthropist whose work exemplifies excellence, cultural representation and community leadership. As a proud Filipino American, Cruz has elevated the culinary landscape of Silicon Valley while honoring the values of discipline, hospitality, resilience and family that are deeply rooted in Filipino culture. As chef and co-owner of Kumako Ramen Den, he has helped lead the restaurant to multiple recognitions, including Best Japanese Restaurant, Best Restaurant and Best Ramen in Silicon Valley. Cruz himself has been voted Best Chef in Silicon Valley — a testament to both his craft and leadership.
Beyond the kitchen, Cruz is a two-time published author. His cookbook Washoku became an Amazon bestseller in the international cookbook category, bringing refined Japanese culinary traditions into homes around the world. His second cookbook, Kumako Den, further reflects his culinary philosophy, creativity, and dedication to excellence. Through his books, Jesse not only shares recipes, but also preserves culture, technique and discipline, inspiring aspiring chefs and entrepreneurs, especially within the Filipino American community.
Cruz’s impact extends beyond business success. As Founder and Vice President of the Jesse Cruz & Samuel Moran Foundation, he is committed to supporting students and expanding educational opportunities. He understands that true success is measured by how many lives one uplifts along the way. In an industry where leadership diversity matters, he stands as a visible example of Filipino excellence — breaking barriers, mentoring the next generation, and proving that cultural pride and global achievement can coexist.
Pamela Price, Runner and Media Executive

Pamela Price

A former competitive dancer and instructor for over 20 years, Price’s athletic path led her to trail running, obstacles and ultra-endurance challenges. She is a first-place finisher and OCR Champion, and has competed on NBC’s American Ninja Warrior and TBS’ Wipeout. Living with Behçet’s Disease, a rare autoimmune condition, Price runs and reports while actively advocating for the rare disease community. She is a board member and ambassador for the American Behçet’s Disease Association and the founder of @WeCareWhen, a global care-package and resource initiative supporting rare disease warriors worldwide. In addition to her work in running, she is a media executive serving as Vice President of LATF USA News and Executive Producer of the Hollywood Beauty Awards and Daytime Beauty Awards.
What began as an unconventional idea has now become a marathon tradition. While racing from Dodger Stadium to Century City, Price captures real, unscripted stories from everyday runners—first-timers, veterans, charity runners and comeback athletes—sharing the moments that matter most when miles get tough. Her ability to manage pacing, breath control, and live storytelling has redefined what on-course coverage can look like. A proud Filipina athlete, Price’s presence on one of the nation’s largest marathon stages reflects the evolving diversity of the Los Angeles running scene and the leadership roles runners now hold beyond the finish line. Beyond marathon day, Pamela is a familiar face across Southern California’s running landscape. She serves as host and MC for SoCalTrail seasonal trail races and Students Run LA (SRLA) races, where she mentors and inspires young runners.

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India: The Naked and the Dead

Bella Bonner — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 16:20:55 +0000

Jain monk walking down a busy road in Jaipur (photo by Chona de Dios)

"There’s a naked man outside,” someone whispered among us on the bus. But we all heard the whisper and stood up to look. Whoa. Yes. Naked.
A man was walking down the road without a stitch on, marching like he was off to work on a Monday morning. Some clad men walked with him, and still others bared it all too. A man holding a flag led their way. There was no commotion on the street; no one even stopped to look.
“They’re Jain monks,” our tour guide said from the front of the bus. “They belong to one of the oldest Indian religions.”
Jain (pronounced “jayn”)?
I’d never heard of Jain, so I Googled.
How ignorant I was. Already, at least five million people in India are Jains, and their practice is called Jainism. They adhere strictly to nonviolence and do not kill any living being—not a fly nor a gnat. They believe that by following some basic life principles like right belief, knowledge, and conduct, they can eliminate karma and break the cycle of rebirth.
But not all Jains are nudists. Most are regular people like you and me who prefer to wear clothes. As far as I know, only monks do that walk-down-the-road-naked bit. They own nothing, move away from family ties, and eat only food offered to them. They are called “ascetics”—folks who renounce all worldly pleasures such as food, wealth, and sex.
Fine, but why are they naked?
Male monks practice nudity to symbolize total rejection of worldly possessions. Female monks wear clothes because—this is what I read—they are believed to be incapable of being as austere as their male counterparts. Hmm. Austere means to be strictly without frills or luxury. Interesting.
I didn’t go to India to search for my soul or learn religion, but maybe if I think deeply, I could say I went there to experience humanity.
On this trip, I realized that most Indian people, because of the religions they practice, have very different beliefs and attitudes from what I live by as a Catholic.
Down the Ganges
Take the Ganges River, for example. It is seen as a living goddess who descended from heaven to purify souls and cleanse sin. It is considered holy.
I returned to Varanasi, a city on the left bank of the Ganges, which is a 2,525 km-long river running from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal. Varanasi holds great significance as the “spiritual heart of India.” It is an old city deeply rooted in religion, particularly Hinduism. Much as Catholics visit the Vatican and Muslims go to Mecca, Hindus make their way to Varanasi to wash away sins in the Ganges, perform rituals, and visit temples. But perhaps, most importantly, they are brought there to die or to be cremated.
Ten years ago I witnessed for the first time bodies being cremated on the riverbanks of the Ganges, called “ghats.” Black smoke rose from piles of burning wood and flesh. I watched men mill around, and dogs and cows sniff at remnants on the ground. I didn’t get a real understanding of what was going on.

Morning at a ghat on the Ganges River in Varanasi. (Photo by Bella Bonner)

I had to re-see that scene, but I wasn’t sure I could muster the courage to go on my own. I persuaded my best friend Cion to join me on Gate 1 Travel’s 12-day Golden Triangle and Varanasi tour that started and ended in New Delhi. It would include a visit to the Taj Mahal and the Amber Fort, and although I had been impressed with those structures before, Varanasi was what I’d come for.
On my first visit in 2016, my girlfriends and I rode an overnight train to the city. We had been promised first-class seats, but someone botched the job, and we ended up in second or maybe third class. Not good. We were seated shoulder to shoulder on a narrow bunk in a compartment that was more crowded than Quiapo on Black Nazarene Day. If you’ve ever been in a place where everyone brushing up against you looked and dressed radically different from you and spoke words you couldn’t understand, you’d feel butterflies in your stomach and your heart in your mouth. For ten hours, we prayed we wouldn’t need to go to the train’s restroom.
I understand today’s trains offer better experiences, but I was grateful nonetheless that our Gate 1 tour booked us on a 1.5-hour flight to Varanasi instead.

Market day (Photo by Bella Bonner)

Dust and Disrepair
My first impressions of the city were unimpressive. Roads, as were most of those we had traveled in the country, were in disrepair. Dust flew everywhere, leaving tree leaves and plants a spectrum of dull green to dark brown. Cows, goats, dogs, and other animals roamed among people on the streets, selling, buying, walking, talking. Immediately, you think of the poverty of the people. Not a few Filipinos would wonder if the Philippines is better off than India.
India is the world’s fourth-largest economy today. However, it is the most populous country, with 1.47 billion people, and it’s a tough job for anyone to have all the nation’s money trickle down fairly to all its people and cities.
The Philippines, on the other hand, ranks 31st in the world economy but has a much smaller population at 112 million.
Just 10 km from Varanasi is the city of Sarnath. This place holds great importance to another religious group: Buddhists. Sarnath is where Siddhartha Gautama Buddha, after attaining enlightenment, delivered his first sermon. Here one can visit the stupa where he first taught dharma, or Buddhist principles.
It is interesting to note that while Buddha spent most of his life in India and Buddhism is now practiced by seven percent of the world’s population, less than one percent of Indians today are Buddhists. They are far outnumbered by Hindus (80 percent and Muslims (15 percent) and slightly outnumber Christians and Sikhs.
On our first day in Varanasi, we walked down a steep flight of steps lined with an eclectic mix of old temples, palaces, ashrams, and rest houses for pilgrims. Nearer the bottom of the steps were vendors selling garlands, prayer beads, food, and souvenirs. There was a vibrant crowd of people in colorful garb. To say the scene was intense would be an understatement.
The downward steps led us to the sacred Ganges.
It was wide. It was slow-moving. It had a funky smell. And it was murky.
Our tour group of about 20 got on a motorized rowboat run by a local boatman. We glided slowly along the riverbank and gawked at the centuries-old stone buildings that would soon fade in the dark. From newer ghats, we proceeded to much older sections that held more charm and character. We were engrossed in history and architecture when, from a distance, we saw a telltale column of dark smoke billowing into the sky.
Cremation. It was taking place openly along the river. A body was being burned in a pile of wood. It was someone’s mom, dad, child, spouse, or loved one slowly turning from flesh and blood to mere ashes.
Meanwhile, on nearby stairs, another body on a stretcher, wrapped in white cloth, was being brought down by some men. They made their way to the river’s edge, where the stretcher was lowered to the water. The garlands, clothes, and shroud used in the dead’s final journey were removed. A small cloth was left to cover the body.
The river rite was the dead’s final bath, a symbol of purification that would wash away sins. After the bath, the body was brought to the funeral pyre, lit, and left to burn for about four hours, which is how long it takes for a body to burn completely.

Cremation (Photo by Bella Bonner)

But sometimes they don’t burn completely. I cringed seeing a man walk to the water and toss out a slab of charred meat. Maybe it was an offering. I don’t know.
A dead dog floated nearby.
At the riverbank, cows and dogs scavenged among strewn clothes, marigolds, and pieces of wood. Men—maybe relatives of the dead—hung around and watched. It was not their duty to shovel the wood, corpse, and ashes to the funeral pyre. That was a job for “outcasts,” formerly called “untouchables.”
It is important that the deceased’s ashes be brought to the sacred river to allow the soul to end the cycle of reincarnation and find eternal peace in heaven.
Bodies, one after another, were brought down to this cremation site called the Manikarnika Ghat. Hundreds of bodies are cremated 24/7, making this the busiest Hindu burning ghat on the Ganges.
We returned to the river early the next morning. This time, we were less overwhelmed by the continued purifying and burning process. At another ghat, we took pictures of men and women bathing near shore. They had changed from their streetwear to something simpler and stood in the river happily splashing water on themselves. Further down, launderers washed sheets and laid them to dry on stone walls.

Morning bath on the Ganges (Photo by Bella Bonner)

There was a man on the edge of a boat. He reached over to the water and washed his face. But then he cupped his hands and took a sip from the river. No! Don’t! The Ganges, though deemed holy, is one of the most polluted rivers in the world. Daily, it receives massive amounts of human waste, toxic waste, and trash. Lots of people get sick from the pollution, and in some cases, they die.
But belief is a very powerful word, and Hindus believe that bathing in the Ganges washes away sins and purifies the soul. Drinking the water probably has a more profound effect. To have your ashes immersed in the River Ganges would put you on a direct path to heaven. I guess that’s a great payoff.
Mind-Bending
After Varanasi, we returned to New Delhi and headed straight to another mind-bending experience.

Marketplace in New Delhi (Photo by Bella Bonner)

You see those Indian guys with turbans on their heads? As a young girl in Manila, I thought all Indians wore turbans. They rode motorcycles and lent people money. And because they were dark and hairy, I couldn’t help but be a little wary. Growing up, I realized how naïve and wrong I was.
In India, only Sikhs wear turbans, and Sikhs comprise less than two percent of the population. Sikhism is the world’s fifth-largest religion, with 30 to 50 million followers. They believe in one God and in equality, honest living, and selfless service.
As stalwarts of equality, they do not recognize the caste system. You cannot believe in equality and accept social hierarchy based on birth. Nor do they burn widows with their husbands’ dead bodies, deeming the practice inhumane. Instead, they encourage widows to remarry.
Sikhs do not cut their hair anywhere. Ever. Beneath that turban we see is a lot of long, long hair.
The one thing that impressed me deeply about Sikhism is their resolve that no one should go hungry. When we visited the large Sikh temple in New Delhi, our tour included a trip to the kitchen. It was huge! It had lots of stations and people at work, and that’s a necessity because we learned they continually feed everyone who comes to the temple 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It doesn’t matter what your caste, religion, or background is. If you are hungry, you are fed.
Up to 100,000 people are fed in the temple daily. All food is donated, and all workers are volunteers. The feeding concept is fundamental, but the delivery, in this case, is phenomenal.

Feeding the hungry in a Sikh Temple. (Photo by Bella Bonner)

I arrived back in Manila two weeks later, happy to again step foot in our parish church. I looked at the crucifix at the altar, bowed my head, and made the sign of the cross.
I believe in one God who is a Holy Trinity, meaning He exists as three persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I believe Jesus, the Son, was borne by Mary, a virgin, and that He was conceived not by man but by the Holy Spirit. I believe that when Jesus died, He rose again on the third day and spent 40 days on earth and then ascended to heaven.

I didn’t go to India to search for my soul or learn religion, but maybe if I think deeply, I could say I went there to experience humanity.

These beliefs are probably deemed radical or even preposterous by those of other faiths, and that is fine.
Let’s not judge or impose our beliefs on others. For as long as no one hurts anyone or commits crimes in the process, we should be free to practice our faith.
But if I decide to walk down the street buck naked one day, I promise you it’s not because I’m practicing my religion. It’s probably a very warm day in Manila.

Bella Bonner is a journalism graduate of the UP Institute of Mass Communications. Among others, she worked as a grant writer and hotelier in Texas where she lived for 30 years. She has retired, returned to Manila and spends her days in sports, traveling and writing a personal blog, "Chicharon Diaries."

More articles from Bella Bonner

Visual Artist Camille Dela Rosa’s Inner Cosmos

Leodivico Padua Masuli — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 16:20:46 +0000

Camille Dela Rosa's art is not about pleasing everyone, but about reaching someone deeply (Photo courtesy of Camille Dela Rosa)

Camille Jean Verdelaire D. Dela Rosa stands as one of the Philippines’ most distinctive and accomplished contemporary painters. Her artistic career is a testament to the power of dedication, passion, and perseverance, marked by a relentless willingness to push boundaries. From her early days as a gifted young artist to her current status as a renowned painter, Dela Rosa's journey is defined by bold experimentation, significant growth, and a profound search for meaning that transcends the visible world.
Dela Rosa was born into a family steeped in the arts: her father was the late painter Ibarra Y. Dela Rosa, and her mother, Ethel Dimacuha, an art history professor. Although her father intentionally withheld formal instruction, his aesthetic profoundly influenced her early path. She inherited his penchant for strong color combinations, which was initially evident in her early compositions of landscapes, flowers, and trees.
Following her father’s death in 1998, the self-taught artist dedicated herself to painting, mounting her first solo exhibition at the remarkable age of sixteen. Her early works, spanning from 1998 to 2008, established her mastery of Impressionist techniques. She honed her skills by exploring a widening array of subjects, including her signature vibrant landscapes, ancient churches, intimate portraits, and human figures, earning her the title of "youngest Impressionist painter in the Philippines" from art critic Cid Reyes.
In 2009, Dela Rosa's artistic career took a significant, and arguably defining, turn. Driven by a need to explore deeper existential and psychological truths, she transitioned dramatically to Surrealism. This crucial shift was encouraged by her mentor, Enrico Manlapaz, leading to her 16th solo exhibition, Aenigma, at the ArtisCorpus Gallery.
This new phase marked a radical departure. Her pieces were often described by critics as "morbid, out-of-this-world, grotesque, and phantasmagoric." Dela Rosa's canvases became saturated with anatomical figures, proto-human skulls, cryptic machinery, and complex layers of imagery addressing mortality, technology, and spiritual identity. This became her laboratory for the soul, where she stated, “I didn’t want to just paint what the eye sees; I wanted to paint what the soul experiences.”
The Surrealist phase continued its fertile evolution in subsequent years. Her 2012 solo exhibition, Dominion, delved beyond mere religiosity, while her Enchantress series (2015) featured portraits of women shrouded in esoteric symbolism, transforming female subjects into dominant figures such as mothers, warriors, and queens, drawing heavily from mythology and Jungian archetypes.
Dela Rosa’s achievements extended her reach internationally, including her feature in the Phantastische Venus 2015 exhibition in Germany and the selection of her steampunk painting as the official CD and DVD album cover for the international rock band Sepultura's Machine Messiah in 2017.
Dela Rosa's philosophical depth is most powerfully revealed through the artworks she holds closest to her heart. In a personal interview, the artist detailed the intimate meaning behind her three favorite paintings, spanning her core Surrealist and spiritual phases.
Dela Rosa views Those Who Have Ears, Hear … Those Who Have Eyes, See (2009) as a powerful testament to inner fortitude, stating: “It means the stillness you cultivate inside becomes stronger than the storm outside.” It challenges the viewer to achieve clarity and truth amidst external chaos through spiritual perception.

Those Who Have Ears. Hear ... Those Who Have Eyes, See, 2009, oil on canvas, 6 x 6 feet (Photo courtesy of Camille Dela Rosa)

Endless Beginning (2014) explores profound existential and cyclical mysteries, defined by Dela Rosa as reflecting: “The classic ‘chicken or egg’ question reflects mystery, cause and effect, and the eternal cycle of life.” The central woman represents the Great Mother archetype, symbolizing the ultimate source of life and the perpetual process of creation and transformation.

Endless Beginning, 2014, oil on canvas, 5 x 4 feet (Photo courtesy of Camille Dela Rosa)

Lotus Pond (2025), representing her newest work, conveys a powerful message of transcendence through nature: “From the mud of suffering rises the lotus of life.” It affirms that spiritual beauty and wisdom emerge directly from overcoming life’s darkness and difficulty.

Lotus Pond, 2025, oil on canvas, 30 inches x 24 inches (Photo courtesy of Camille Dela Rosa)

According to Dela Rosa, her art is "not about pleasing everyone but about reaching someone deeply." Her artistic philosophy centers on the idea that "inspiration comes through the act of creating, and that each stroke of the brush suggests the next."
She offers valuable advice for those aspiring to follow an artistic path:
• Practice, persistence, and patience are essential for growth and development.
• Embracing mistakes as opportunities for growth and innovation is crucial.
• Focus on personal growth, celebrate individual qualities, and appreciate progress on your own timeline.
• Don't compare yourself to others, as this can drain the joy from creating.

Driven by a need to explore deeper existential and psychological truths, she transitioned dramatically to Surrealism.

Camille Dela Rosa's artistic journey, marked by experimentation and profound philosophical themes, has established her as a preeminent painter who continuously pushes the boundaries of contemporary Philippine art. Her canvases remain a vibrant reflection of her fascinating and thought-provoking inner world.
The author extends his sincere gratitude to Dexjordi Lyle Sison for his assistance with the photos.

Leodivico Padua Masuli writes from Quezon City, where he is a security officer. His imagination and creativity were nurtured while growing up on a farm in Libertad, Abulug, Cagayan. He loves nature and enjoys watching documentaries.

More articles from Leodivico Padua Masuli

Princess and ‘The Pitt’

Anthony Maddela — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 16:54:20 +0000

Kristin Villanueva as Princess Dela Cruz in HBO Max’s “The Pitt” (Photo by Warrick Page/HBO Max)

When Filipinos walk into an American hospital, there’s an unspoken assumption that a Filipino nurse might extend a little extra kindness to a kababayan. Many Filipino Americans will attest to having experienced this quiet privilege—often without realizing that Filipino nurses are known for their rigorous training and deep-rooted hospitality. In reality, the care they provide is consistently excellent for all patients, regardless of nationality.
Kristin Villanueva stars as Princess Dela Cruz, the horny nurse in the Emergency Department (ED) of the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Center (PTC) in The Pitt on HBO Max, which won the 2026 Actor Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. (“Horny” is Villanueva’s own description.) But in real life, she once encountered a response that many Filipinos would find almost unthinkable—from a Filipino nurse who could have rescued her from a long wait.
A Life-or-Death Emergency
Any benefit a Filipino nurse can confer would be informal or under the scanner. Villanueva learned, however, that some Filipino nurses ignore the unwritten doctrine when she sought compassion for a friend who was suffering from renal colic.
The Pitt is known for graphic realism in its depiction of surgical procedures, such as sternotomies, and for its rapid-fire jargon. If you’re in the show’s fan base, you probably know “renal colic” is the medical term for a painful kidney stone like the one Villanueva escorted her friend to the hospital to treat. While passing a stone isn’t a code blue emergency, we know from The Pitt that any illness can take a wrong turn and become a life-or-death struggle. I’ll let her tell the story.
“We were in the waiting area for 30 minutes. Now that I’m doing The Pitt, I know 30 minutes is nothing, right?” Villanueva alludes to the perspiring extras who sit in eternal agony in the hellish waiting room of each episode. “You feel so helpless when you’re watching your friend go pale. She was holding onto a trash bag just in case she vomited.”
“I didn’t know what to do until I spotted two Filipino nurses down the hall speaking to each other in Tagalog. I told my friend, ‘Give me a second.’”
For the sake of her friend, Villanueva invoked a tacit agreement that binds all Filipinos. “So, I went up to them and I spoke in Tagalog. When I speak Tagalog,” she clarifies, “I don’t have an American accent.”
“I know that you have a long line. We don’t mind waiting,” she explains to the more sympathetic of the two nurses. “But if we could just get something like a stronger Tylenol to ease her pain, that would be appreciated.” She repeats, “I said this in Tagalog. And this Filipino nurse looks me in the eye and answers me in English: ‘She has to wait for the doctor.’ And then the nurses walked away.” So much for the preferential kababayan treatment.
Villanueva assures me that the two nurses’ resistance to cultural nepotism didn’t have tragic implications for her friend.

Kristin Villanueva, Noah Wyle and Amielynn Abellera (Photo by Warrick Page/HBO Max)

Musical Theatre: First Employer of Filipino Actors
At age 15, Kristin immigrated from Manila to Washington, DC, with her mother, Carolina. She performed in Singin’ in the Rain in high school and had intended to study at Syracuse University because of its reputable musical theatre program. But the school’s $37,000-a-year tuition was unaffordable.
“So, I ended up at SUNY (State University of New York) Purchase, which has just a straight acting program,” she recalls of the second door that opened after the first one closed. “It was actually a great fit.”

Kristin in the Philippines

For a list of productions that featured Villanueva, please view her résumé on her website at kristinvillanueva.com/bio. Missing from her résumé is her contribution to the first two workshops in the development of Here Lies Love at The Public Theater in New York City. (I know this exclusively from my interview, so don’t say Positively Filipino only repeats news mined by other publications.)
Villanueva’s résumé shows that her live performances on stage outnumber her performances in film and television. Nebraska Shakespeare Festival’s production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona: The Musical is closest to her heart. “While it’s based on the Shakespeare play, it’s done by the same composers of Hair,” she says of the 1960s rock musical that featured the music of Galt MacDermot. “You can imagine how groovy it was.”

Kristin in high school in Virginia with her mom and aunt

A Princess for All Filipino Nurses
Within the great ensemble of The Pitt is the small yet trailblazing group of Filipina actors: Villanueva, Isa Briones (Dr. Trinity Santos), and Amielynn Abellera (Perlah Alawi).
It’s about time. Ever since World War II, Filipinos have often been the first health care employees that patients see when they enter city hospitals. Yet they have hardly been depicted in film and television. In this respect, seeing them portrayed on screen in 2026 corrects more than 80 years of erasure. But to restate the obvious, it’s not the actor’s job to correct historical injustices. Villanueva and her castmates can only focus on their individual parts. It’s up to audience members to endow characters with universal meaning. Villanueva’s Princess is a single character and not a composite of all Filipino nurses.

(L-R) Patrick Ball, Taylor Dearden, Fiona Dourif, Lucas Iverson, Gerran Howell, Irene Choi, Sepideh Moafi, Shawn Hatosy, Kristin Villanueva, Shabana Azeez, Isa Briones (Photo by Warrick Page/HBO Max)

“I go into work representing one person, one character, Princess. Not a people,” she begins to delicately explain a complex social construct. “It just so happens that this part is Filipino and a nurse. The specificity of the writing for Princess and the acting happen to resonate with lots of Filipino nurses. The responsibility of portraying a group (nurses) is an effect, not a goal.”
Villanueva’s insights conjure up F. Scott Fitzgerald’s contemplation of what it means to be a personality as opposed to a personage in his novel, This Side of Paradise. A personality, such as Villanueva’s Princess, is “an unbroken series of successful gestures.” Based on her personality, the audience awards her personage status, which Fitzgerald called “a bar on which a thousand things have been hung.” That bar holds the aspirations of Filipino actors and health care professionals.
My contrived foray into literary criticism aside, Villanueva appreciates that “Princess is loved and has become universally connected with a lot of nurses.”
Fans love Villanueva by association, even though the similarities between her and her character end at her accent. Princess is single and in heat, while Villanueva and her husband, Josh, have a baby girl who’s seven weeks old at press time.
Journalists have avoided the word “sensational” since the headlines of publisher William Randolph Hearst triggered the Spanish-American War in order to sell newspapers. But I must say Villanueva looks sensational in real life. (I don’t understand why Hollywood suppresses the beauty of actors when recreating a clinical environment. If you ever run into your gastroenterologist in a Whole Foods, you’d probably discover that she looks the same as she does in the exam room, smocks and white lab coats notwithstanding.)
Villanueva speaks Tagalog, English, and “emergency” Spanish. We’re told that Princess is “fluent” in six languages, which is fine by Villanueva.
“I’m not one of those who can pull an accent out of their back pocket.” While she isn’t a Filipina Meryl Streep, she elaborates, “If you give me time, I’m very diligent because I love playing with accents.”
Her connection with Filipino culture isn’t limited to her Tagalog skills. Like most Filipino actors, her singing talent separated her from her peers at auditions early in her career. She honed her talent at the karaoke machine, which Filipino hosts will never allow AI to displace as the centerpiece of every celebration. Asked about her go-to song, she taught me an entire program instead.
“You start with easy Disney songs so everyone can join in. And then by hour 2.5, which is probably midnight, Celine Dion comes out, followed by Whitney Houston,” she lays out for our benefit before Apple Music converts her suggestions into the ultimate Fil-Am playlist.
Filipino Nurses to the Forefront
The Pitt is a breakthrough series for honoring the contributions of Filipino nurses in every hour of a shift. Past medical dramas have overlooked the ubiquitous presence of Filipino nurses because productions must have stars portray core characters as well as supporting ones. Then again, Hollywood just may not care about realistic casting. The Pitt, however, has done more than merely make up for lost time.

(L-R) Sepideh Moafi, Kristin Villanueva, Irene Choi, Adam Shaukat (Photo by Warrick Page/HBO Max)

Villanueva gives credit to Joe Sachs, MD, executive producer and writer, for bridging the chasm between the show and Filipino nurses. “He was an emergency doctor for many years and worked with a lot of Filipinos.” She acknowledges that the show’s writers do extensive research to ensure accuracy in all areas, including bits of Tagalog dialogue that are always pleasant surprises.
Real health care workers rave about the realism the show brings to the studio emergency room. Realism permeates every hour of the medical shift. Laypersons don’t appear to mind wincing for the duration of a femoral amputation because everyone values relatable storylines that mirror events affecting average people in their daily struggles.
“I feel that for as long as The Pitt airs, it will always be an instrument for societal change,” remarks Villanueva. “It is so good at showing the repercussions of whatever the government decides to do that month on the lives of everyday people.”
If social media posts are useful samplings, they suggest that Villanueva echoes the sentiments of most of the show’s 10 million viewers. The Pitt doesn’t preach against the pathologies the government inflicts on people, who are often vulnerable, innocent children. Instead, it illustrates the consequences of such policies in the high-stakes setting of a hospital.
For examples of topical relevance, in Season 1 the son of an anti-vaxxer is fighting for his life because he had no immunity during a measles outbreak. Dr. Robbie tries to reason with the parents. In the current Season 2, a proud father who lost his insurance forbids his daughter from crowdfunding to pay his six-figure hospital bill. A child loses three fingers in a firecracker accident. His teenaged sister fears that he will be placed in foster care once the hospital social worker learns that she has been the boy’s legal guardian during the nine months since DHS (Department of Homeland Security) deported their parents to Haiti.
Hope for the Next 100 Years of Warner Bros. Studios
If you were to binge-watch Charlie Chaplin movies, you would perceive that house calls weren’t a luxury but standard procedure for doctors to treat patients in the era before talkies. Even a sick hobo in a flophouse welcomed a man with a head mirror and black medicine bag. Considering that most babies were born at home, hospitals must have been treating patients who were suffering maladies more perilous than childbirth. No wonder infant mortality between 1920 and 1925 fluctuated between 86 and 76 deaths per 1,000 live births, as compared to nearly 6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023. By treating the most critical cases, American hospitals, a century ago, were ancestors of modern trauma centers like the one depicted in The Pitt.

Within the great ensemble of The Pitt is the small yet trailblazing group of Filipina actors: Villanueva, Isa Briones (Dr. Trinity Santos), and Amielynn Abellera (Perlah Alawi).

The Pitt conveys that in cities facing economic hardship, hospital care has, for better or worse, come full circle since the days of Warner brothers Harry, Albert, Sam, and Jack, who founded their Hollywood studio in 1923.  HBO Max is a division of Warner Bros. We hope that Warner Bros. will continue to give us engaging entertainment no matter what happens in boardrooms. If The Pitt has become the conscience of America, the soul of the show is its Filipina characters: Princess, Perlah and Dr. Santos.
Television cannot repeal the brutal tensions in the world and pressures at home, but an episode of The Pitt can provide one hour of escapist drama. Long before television, Filipino resilience, humor, and incandescent smiles sustained hope in dark times. An Eastern practice gives Villanueva a path to her river of inner strength. When she is having a bad day, she meditates to restore joy. What techniques save you and the nurses in your life from discouragement?

Anthony Maddela knows that sinking feeling of waiting for scan results on a gurney in the hallway of a crowded ED, when the PA system pages the attending physician that a call from Oncology is on hold. Nevertheless, he’s been blessed to be cancer-free for three years, thanks in great measure to UCLA medical staff.

More articles from Anthony Maddela

Ceramic Art Across the Seas

Brian delos Santos — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 16:54:12 +0000

The KWUM Studio Ceramics Museum and Gallery in Fiskars, Finland

In Fiskars, a village in Finland known for design, history from Cebu now sits in quiet conversation with contemporary art.
They are bowls and plates, vases and jarlets, ceramics once carried across the busy trade routes of Asia and later recovered from the soil and waters of the Philippines. Some were buried with the dead. Some survived shipwrecks. Some passed through countless hands before coming to rest in a museum collection in Cebu. Now, more than 40 of them have traveled once again, this time to Finland, where they are on display at KWUM, a studio ceramics museum and gallery known for its devotion to craft, form, and artistic memory.
Bahandi - The Rosita Arcenas Ceramics Collection

Bahandi interiors - University of San Carlos Museum in Cebu City

The Bahandi Collection traces its roots to the vision of Rosita R. Arcenas. In the early 1960s, encouraged by her friend Maria Teresa “Bing” Escoda-Roxas to preserve Cebu’s cultural heritage before it was taken elsewhere, Arcenas began collecting Visayan ecclesiastical art and ceramic trade ware from across the Visayas.
Her collection of religious art later became the Rosita R. Arcenas Handumanan Gallery at the University of San Carlos (USC) Museum in Cebu City. Her extensive ceramic holdings, however, remained in the family library for years until the family sought the help of Rita C. Tan, the country’s foremost authority on Chinese trade ware. With Tan’s guidance, around 500 ceramic pieces were curated into what is now the Rosita Arcenas Bahandi Gallery of Chinese and Southeast Asian Trade Ware at the USC Museum.
Transport from Cebu to Finland
The journey from Cebu to Finland began with family, friendship, and a shared love of ceramics. Rosita’s son, Raul, who now spends part of his time in Finland with his wife, Johanna Klinge, developed a friendship with Karin Widnäs, the founder of the KWUM Studio Ceramics Museum and Gallery and a respected figure in Finnish ceramics. From their conversations came the idea of placing modern Finnish ceramic art alongside centuries-old trade ware from China and Southeast Asia. Forty-six pieces from the Bahandi Collection were selected for the exhibit.
Bringing the ceramics required extensive documentation, proof of ownership, photographs, and formal registration for privately owned movable cultural property. The process demanded precision, patience, and institutional support. The National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines played a crucial role, guiding the family through
requirements for approval, authentication, and protection of the ceramics during transport.
The Exhibit at KWUM in Fiskars Village

Bahandi exhibit at the KWUM

The setting in Fiskars adds its own historical weight to the exhibition. Over the past several decades, the village has emerged as a major Finnish center for art, craft, and design, shaped by a resilient community of makers whose exhibition culture dates back at least to the early 1990s. Barbro Kulvik and Antti Siltavuori who were responsible for the installation of the Bahandi exhibit, together with Karin Widnäs, were among the local figures who organized the first Copper Smithy exhibition in late 1993, an event widely seen as a key step in the foundation of Fiskars’ later artistic identity.
Now installed at KWUM, the Bahandi pieces are shown alongside the luminous glass and steel works of the celebrated Finnish artist Ritva-Liisa Pohjalainen and a selection of exquisite Finnish showpieces from Widnäs’ private collection. The pairing is striking. Ancient jarlets, celadon plates, blue-and-white dishes, and Song and Tang-era ceramics stand beside contemporary forms of light and metal. The result is not a simple contrast between old and new, but a dialogue across time, geography, and material tradition.

The setting in Fiskars adds its own historical weight to the exhibition. Over the past several decades, the village has emerged as a major Finnish center for art, craft, and design.

What makes the exhibition memorable is not only the rarity of the objects, but the breadth of the story they carry. These ceramics once crossed seas as goods of trade. Now they cross borders as bearers of memory. From the Queen City of the South to a design village in Finland, they remind us that history is not fixed in textbooks or archives alone. Sometimes it survives in clay, in glaze, in the curve of a bowl, and in the long journey of an object that still has something to say.
The exhibition runs through March 29, 2026.

Brian delos Santos is a Philippine Youth Ambassador of Goodwill for the Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Program (SSEAYP) and a Common Purpose 25 Under 25 Global Legacy Awardee.

Before Our Dream Came True

Joel Jong Clemente — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 16:54:04 +0000

Joel Jong, May & Krysha Clemente’s family portrait in San Jose Del Monte City, Bulacan, Philippines.

It all started when I hurdled the now-defunct Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) Qualifying Examination in December 1994. Passing that exam was my first step toward acquiring an employment-based immigrant visa to the United States—popularly regarded as the land of milk and honey.
However, after passing the exam, challenges and hardships soon followed. I struggled for many years to pass the Test of Spoken English (TSE) because of my speech defects. For ten long years, and at the cost of several thousand dollars, I continued trying to pass the test. The journey left my family and me extremely disappointed at times, and it also placed me in considerable debt.
Even before coming to the United States, my family and I nearly gave up on our dream because of the many requirements from the U.S. Embassy and the endless documents we had to submit in the Philippines. We also had to travel long distances by bus from San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan to Ermita, Manila for various requirements—from medical examinations to document submissions and eventually the interview with the U.S. Consul General.
Despite these obstacles, my family and I chose to keep pursuing our dream. After eventually passing the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), we finally moved to the United States in 2006, settling in Springfield, Massachusetts. I remain grateful to my employer, Genesis Healthcare, for recruiting me and believing in my skills, knowledge, and attitude to help make life more meaningful and colorful for our patients in Agawam, Massachusetts.

The Clemente’s humbling beginnings in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Just when we thought our fight and struggles were over, we realized that our journey was far from finished. Our first few months in the Bay State were not a walk in the park. We had to start from scratch—no home of our own, no car, and no job security. I still needed to take and pass the state licensure examination to become a Registered Nurse. Through prayer and our strong faith in God, I faced the exam and eventually passed it with flying colors.
Later, we moved to McKinney, Texas, and made the Lone Star State our second home away from home.
Looking back after nearly twenty years in America, our family feels truly blessed, grateful, and thankful for all the blessings and graces we have received from the Almighty God. Today, all of us are front-liners working in rehabilitation specialties in different facilities, clinics, and hospitals. Despite our new life, we have never forgotten our roots. The experiences we went through taught us valuable lessons in faith, hope, and love for God and country.
For our part, we continue to give back to the community for the many blessings the Lord has given us. We serve through various community and church activities, as well as through Filipino American organizations in North Texas such as the Knights of Columbus, the Philippine Nurses Association of North Texas–Dallas, and the Filipino Leaders Coalition of North Texas.

Team Clemente at the PNA North Texas -Dallas event.

Our family is also active in enriching our spiritual life through the Couples for Christ community. In addition, we try to help those in need back in ’Pinas, particularly by supporting the nursing education of our two nephews in Zamboanga City, and by providing assistance during emergencies, health crises, calamities, and disasters.
Our family’s hardships have become a source of inspiration for us. They remind us never to give up and to persevere through life’s many trials. Above all, we offer whatever success we have achieved to Divine Providence through devoted service to God and others.

Just when we thought our fight and struggles were over, we realized that our journey was far from finished.

Our heartfelt gratitude goes to both the Cabuenas and Clemente clans, as well as to the many individuals and groups who supported us along the way. They are part of the reason we are where we are today—a family on a mission, united with God and committed to serving society.
Indeed, our mantra remains: Life is a journey full of endless possibilities. Live it to the fullest for God’s greater glory and honor. This belief continues to guide us as a simple and humble family rooted in Christ—always and forever.

Joel Jong Clemente is a registered nurse based in McKinney, Texas. He is a freelance writer and the author of two books: The Story of a Prudent Nurse and Our Journey.

Haters and Zombies Don’t Scare this Grandma

Anthony Maddela — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 21:55:58 +0000

Tess at the Shooters Paradise shooting range with M-One TARGETS lined up on the range (Photo by James Honey)

While many elderly Asians were victims of violent hate crimes during the pandemic, one lola that perpetrators were wise to avoid was Marites Cada Turney, 54. “Tess,” as she’s called, doesn’t know karate or Kali, but she owns a Glock 19 Gen 3 handgun, a Juggernaut AR-15 assault rifle, and a Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) permit. This grandmother of three has the marksmanship she needs to keep safe.
The story of the home health nurse and business owner begins with the death of her husband, Brian Barber, in 2015.
At the time of her loss, Turney was earning adequate income to support three children on her own. As an independent Client Care Manager, she is sent by Los Angeles healthcare providers to the homes of patients to assess their health care needs after they leave the hospital. That is, she advises hospitals of the services and medical equipment a patient needs to recuperate at home.
The prevailing opinion was that she would either sell or close her late husband’s defining achievement, M-One TARGETS, the niche manufacturer that produces paper targets for law enforcement agencies, military departments, and gun ranges.

M-One TARGETS Catalog (Photo by Meryl M Photography)

Beckoned to Believe
There’s no point in judging whether bro culture in the firearms industry is inimical toward women, though the stereotype would probably look irrefutable to a gun control advocate. The fact or fable that sexist ruffians are denizens of gun shows doesn’t keep her awake. Turney has no moral or fiduciary obligation to crusade against toxic male culture. Her message is fixed on women like her who aim to reinvent themselves. If shallow men were ever menacing, she had the resources to move on. She could support her family without M-One TARGETS because demand was high for health care outreach services.
Turney never thought she had to choose between her patients and her late husband’s paper targets. “My heart is in my career, but I have no choice other than to continue Brian’s business,” she said of her two options. “I enjoy both.”
M-One TARGETS, she observed, “began as a commitment to honor her late husband’s legacy but evolved into a personal journey of growth, resilience, and empowerment.”
A sentimental journey became a complex calling that she wants to share with everyone who struggles to move on from loss. For them, she composed these thoughts:
“I truly hope my story can inspire not only Filipino women, but every woman out there who has faith in chasing her dreams, rebuilding herself, or quietly fighting her own battles. If my journey can remind even one woman that she is capable, resilient, and worthy of success, then sharing it is more than worth it.”

This picture shows the sponsorship of M-One TARGETS at the Annual IALEFI shooting conference in Houston, Texas. Photos of Firearms instructors with Tess. Lower Left Photo: L-R: From Left to Right: Ted, Tess, Scott. Lower Right Photo: Tess, Drake, Alton,Ted (Photos by Buddy Turney)

Humble Origins
Turney has multiple nursing certifications and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Colegio de San Juan de Letran. She emigrated from Calamba City, Laguna, to the San Fernando Valley of California in 2006. Around the same time, her first husband graduated from the police academy and founded M-One TARGETS. Their children, Alexis, Meryl, and Kevin, could hit a bullseye like Dad, but they followed Mom into the medical field.
Her second husband, Ralph Turney, is a Senior Agent for the Internal Revenue Service. His title shouldn’t be confused with a gun-toting Special Agent in Charge, but CPA Turney has other weapons at his disposal. When a billionaire misplaces the negligible check he wrote aboard his 100-room yacht, this federal agent has a quiver of penalties to jog the tax dodger’s memory.

Tess and husband Ralph Turney with family on their wedding day.
(Photo by Kiddo Dong Films)

M-One TARGETS is based in Turney’s home in Santa Monica, with inventory distributed among four storage units in Van Nuys. The company has not only survived since becoming a woman-owned business ten years ago, but has expanded its product line from six to 26 target designs.
Turney uses part-time designers in Los Angeles. She retains a part-time and full-time staff of 12. Two employees in the Philippines perform marketing through data mining and serve as virtual assistants. She delivers orders within a 200-mile radius herself and ships orders to more distant locations by UPS.
Turney is still a health care worker but on a part-time basis. She keeps a full-time schedule at M-One TARGETS. In addition to gun ranges and security agencies throughout the U.S., the client list includes the Glendale Police Department, Ventura Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida SWAT Association. She finds most of her clients at gun shows like the Las Vegas SHOT Show organized by the National Shooting Sports Foundation. She also gets referrals through contests she sponsors at shooting ranges like the California Tactical Academy in Piru, California.
Love at First Sight
If guns are her vocation, gun shows are her temple. “It’s a calling like what a priest feels,” related the avid churchgoer.

M-One TARGETS Gun Show (Photos by Tess Turney)

She recalled a decisive moment shortly after she inherited the company. “I was at the SHOT Show. I saw all the high-powered guns lined up on a table. Attendees encouraged me to hold a gun.”
The rite of passage accomplished a feat her first husband couldn’t duplicate during their life together. This church lady knew she had to own at least one gun.
Turney doesn’t fit the profile of a typical gun enthusiast. According to Pew Research, white men comprise a majority of the 46 percent of Americans who own guns. Approximately 22 percent of U.S. gun owners are women. In the wider demographics of gun owners, Asians miss the Top Four of ethnic groups.
Men represent more than double the number of women in M-One TARGETS’ customer base, but she is trying to lessen the disparity. Recently, Turney added a pink target to the product line to promote breast cancer awareness. “We sponsor many shooting competitions for women. When I hang out with female contestants,” she explained, “they tell me that they love guns because they make them feel safe.”
A Southern California headquarters gives her proximity to movie studios. “M-One TARGETS products have been used in Hollywood productions,” she confirmed before name-dropping a cult favorite that preceded The Walking Dead from AMC by six years. “Shaun of the Dead featured our popular Zombie target.”
Haters Take Heed
A firearm gives her the freedom to travel without fear of a carjacking or physical attack. Last year, from September through October, she logged almost 13,000 miles for meetings at police departments, gun shows, and offices of firearm instructors in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Georgia, and Florida.

Tess with husband Ralph

In the ten years since she took over M-One TARGETS, she has evolved from a skittish dove to a fierce marksman.

Asked why she brings her handgun everywhere, she answered, “I stop in rest areas to close my eyes. I’m surrounded by other drivers. I need a gun for my safety.”
Everyone has different experiences that have influenced their opinions on gun control. For what it's worth, my personal views favor fewer guns and more affordable housing. Turney has overcome challenging obstacles in her lifetime, and firearms have been a critical part of her journey toward self reliance. In the ten years since she took over M-One TARGETS, she has evolved from a skittish dove to a fierce marksman.

Anthony Maddela is a Staff Correspondent for Positively Filipino. He interviews entertainers, people with unusual jobs, and stars in their fields of work.

More articles from Anthony Maddela

Teacher Joyce Brings Out Hope

Wilminia Dumaop — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 21:55:51 +0000

Teacher Joyce during the awarding of the Most Outstanding Special Education teacher, June 2017, Manila City Hall

"Tell me when you’re ready.” A simple sentence—short and easy to understand. To others, that phrase may be a normal part of a conversation. But to Joyce, a teacher, it carries profound meaning for her students.
Whenever someone in her class exhibits a tantrum, a meltdown, or disengages from the lesson, she responds with composure and calm. She addresses the situation appropriately. She provides students with a safe space to validate their feelings and respect their experiences. For her, learning is always present—like the roots of a plant that will blossom at its own ideal moment.
Currently, Joyce Vernadeth Cruz, a Special Education Teacher (SET), is employed at John F. Kennedy Elementary School in Daly City, California, USA. Her tenure at the Jefferson Elementary School District began in 2018. Prior to this, she served as a Resource Specialist Teacher (RSP) at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School and M.P. Brown Elementary School in Daly City. In 2018, she concurrently held the position of SET at M.P. Brown Elementary School and was later assigned to John F. Kennedy Elementary School in 2023.

) Teacher Joyce with her students at M.P. Brown Elementary School in Daly City doing task folders and other activities to develop their skills in 2021-2022.

In the Philippines, she began her teaching career as a preschool teacher at De La Salle Araneta University in Caloocan City. In 2005, she became a special education teacher at Padre Gomez Elementary School in Manila. She was later promoted and served as a Master Teacher I from 2012 to 2017.
She has a total of 21 years of teaching experience, including seven years in the United States. Over the years, she has witnessed students who once struggled with simple tasks grow into functional, independent children with bright futures.
Teachable Encounter
A four-year-old boy in her pre-kindergarten class once taught her the importance of believing in children’s capabilities. The boy wore diapers at school. He could not talk, read, write, or make meaningful connections. He could only sit and listen for a couple of minutes. A simple conversation with him seemed impossible. Physically strong, he was good at jumping and climbing. His parents genuinely wanted him to learn how to speak.
Despite the difficult situation, Teacher Joyce remained firm in her belief that the boy would eventually develop. She advised the parents not to force the child.

Teacher Joyce with her students doing holiday decorations out of recyclable bottles at P. Gomez Elementary School, 2017.

His gaze often seemed blank. He gave no responses during lessons. Even the teacher’s aides were worried. They thought the boy’s situation was impossible. But Teacher Joyce professionally guided them to adjust things gradually for him. They worked patiently with the young boy—for days, months, and years.
Then one day, he suddenly started saying one word repeatedly. Later it became two words, and eventually, a full sentence. His once-careless lines became straight—vertical and diagonal. He gained confidence and motor control.
After three years in Teacher Joyce’s class, the boy had transformed. By the time he reached second grade, he could carry on conversations and dress like a typical child. He had beautiful handwriting.
He became a smart boy who remembered things and places well. He would occasionally mention fun memories with Teacher Joyce. Thoughtfully, he asked people for their birthdays and remembered them whenever they met again. The brilliance within him emerged.
His family remains grateful to Teacher Joyce for consistently believing in him—especially when hope seemed lost.
Unwavering Faith
This is what Teacher Joyce offers her students: an unwavering faith in their capacity to heal, recover, grow, and learn.
Her class usually consists of 10 to 12 children with varying disabilities, supported by four teacher aides. She adapts to each student’s needs, motivates them based on their interests, and encourages cooperation. Teacher Joyce collaborates with other service providers, including the school psychologist, speech therapist, and behavior specialist.
She also guides the teacher aides in fostering the independence of the children. With additional support and resources, she creates a structured routine that empowers her students to unlock their potential and apply their learning in daily life.
When the children are not listening, Teacher Joyce uses visual cues to express her feelings. This helps them understand how to communicate their emotions—especially those who cannot yet speak the language. The children begin to understand and gradually quiet down. Through constant practice and positive support, they eventually learn to regulate themselves.
When a student experiences a meltdown, Teacher Joyce offers choices: take a break, play with a toy, listen to music, or walk outside. She pauses the lesson, plays calming music, gives space, and asks the other students to do the same. Her students listen and cooperate. Once calm, they return to the lesson.
Their cooperative behavior reflects Teacher Joyce’s strong educational background and professional achievements.
Extensive Education
She initially earned her bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy from Our Lady of Fatima University in Valenzuela City, Philippines, in 1996. After graduating, she encountered children with impairments during public school events she attended. Seeing them touched her deeply and awakened a strong calling to pursue a profession that supports children whose needs are often overlooked.

Awarding of special education students winning gold and bronze during the Regional Sports Paralympic. With Teacher Joyce Cruz as one of their regional coaches at Marikina Sports Complex, 2016.

In 2004, she completed a postgraduate course in Continuing Professional Education at the University of the East in Manila and passed the Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers (LET) in August of the same year.
She later earned her master’s degree in Special Education from De La Salle University in Manila in 2018. Her thesis, “Regular Education Public School Teachers’ Perception Towards Inclusion,” was presented at the International Summit on Inclusive Education on February 24, 2017.
Throughout her career in the United States, Teacher Joyce has consistently pursued professional growth by enrolling in various educational programs. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Special Education at the University of Makati while balancing her professional responsibilities and attending online courses.
From March 2019 to January 2020, she earned English Learner (EL) Authorization—formerly known as California Teachers of English Learners/Cross-Cultural, Language, and Academic Development (CTEL/CLAD)—at the University of Phoenix in Arizona.
In the summers of 2020 and 2021, she took courses at the University of California, San Diego, including US Constitution, Health Education for Teachers, The Reading Process, and Integrating Technology in Education K–12. She also completed Autism Authorization (Course 1) at UMASS Global University from October 2022 to January 2023.
She successfully obtained the Mild Moderate Severe Needs (MMSN) Bridge authorization and is a certified Cross-Cultural, Language, and Academic Development teacher.
Speaker and Writer
She has been an active member of the National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) since 2024 and the California Federation of Teachers (CFT), specifically the Jefferson Elementary Federation of Teachers.
Out of love for her profession, she wrote a journal article for NASET titled “The Impact of Sensory Materials on Calming and Regulating Special Education.” It was published in May 2025.
In her work, she highlights the expertise of special education teachers who work with exceptionally gifted students. She shares updated resources that empower educators and help create inclusive learning environments.
Her dedication and passion have led to several speaking engagements. One of these presentations, titled “Every Learner Counts: Accommodating Exceptionalities in an Inclusive Learning Environment,” was delivered at the University of Makati in Taguig City, Philippines, on November 30, 2024.
She also authored a publication titled Unlocking Potential: The Transformative Impact of AAC Devices. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices help individuals with speech impairments communicate by supplementing or replacing verbal speech. She emphasized the importance of using both simple graphic boards and advanced tablets with specialized software in the classroom. These tools empower special education students to communicate their needs, make informed decisions, and participate fully in social and educational settings.
Numerous Awards
Since 2013, Teacher Joyce has received numerous recognitions and awards. In May 2013, she served as a resource speaker at a district In-Service Education and Training in Manila with the topic “Enriching Instruction Quality through Improved Educators.”
From June 2024 to June 2026, she served as vice president of the Manila Public School Special Education Teachers Association. In March 2014, she facilitated the district-wide seminar “Inclusive Education: Concerns and Issues” at Padre Mariano Gomez Elementary School in Manila. She also spoke at the “Semestral Break Institute for Special Education” in October 2014.
In October 2016, she became the Division Demonstration Teacher for Grade Two Children with Intellectual Disability. From 2014 to 2017, she served as the Department of Education National Capital Region Paralympic coach for intellectually disabled athletes at the regional level.
Teacher Joyce was recognized as an Outstanding Special Education Teacher at the Division Level in the Philippines in June 2017. She was also honored as an Outstanding Global Special Education Teacher by the BETMA English 2023 International Who’s Who Awards at the Networld Hotel in Pasay City, Philippines, on December 28, 2023.

Over the years, she has witnessed students who once struggled with simple tasks grow into functional, independent children with bright futures.

Among all the awards she has received, her favorite remains being named Outstanding Special Education Teacher at the division level on November 14, 2013. This recognition helped make Padre Mariano Gomez Elementary School in Manila the pilot Special Education Center. Government agencies, corporate organizations, and foreign visitors came to observe its excellence and offered support for its continued development. The award brought pride and strengthened the school’s role within the community.
Teacher Joyce truly serves as an instrument of healing and development for the children under her care. Through the way she nurtures and empowers her students, she has become a highly effective educator. She represents a faithful source of hope that inspires positive change in the lives of her students.
At this time, our thoughts are especially with Teacher Joyce, whose dedication to her students has long been a source of inspiration. Her strength, compassion, and unwavering commitment have touched countless lives. We look forward to brighter days ahead and send heartfelt wishes for comfort, peace, and health.
Her impact continues to resonate deeply. We stand with her in hope—for more opportunities to help build a stronger community for children with special needs.
Healing begets healing.

Wilminia Dumaop is a Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature Grand Prize awardee. She also vested recognition in various organizations, such as the Christian Family Organization (CFO), Young Men Christian Association (YMCA), and The Lasallian Scholarum Awards, among others. She was the Editor-in-Chief of the Philippine Artisan, the Official Students Publication of the Technological University of the Philippines-Manila, from 2007 to 2009. Her most remarkable literary achievement came in 2021, when she earned third place in an international arena at the CFO Competitive Online Activities. She weaves stories with words as a writer and shapes visions through design as an architect.

Overseas Filipino Achievers, Part 2

Mona Lisa Yuchengco — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 21:55:42 +0000

In keeping with Positively Filipino’s goal of celebrating the 13-million-strong (and counting) Filipino diaspora, we are launching a new series titled Overseas Filipino Achievers. The series recognizes outstanding Filipinos making their mark in various countries around the world. It builds on our popular and long-running feature, “FilAms Among the Remarkable and Famous.”
But we need your help. If you know Filipinos outside the Philippines and the United States who are doing exceptional work in their adopted countries, please send their names, supporting documents or links, and photos to pfpublisher@yahoo.com.
AUSTRALIA
Melanie Perkins, Co-Founder and CEO of Canva

Melanie Perkins (Source: Flickr/CC)

In 2013, 38-year-old Perkins co-founded Canva, the software that enables the creation of attractive visuals for menus, resumes, and Instagram graphics. As of August 2025, the company was valued at $42 billion, according to Forbes. Perkins and her husband have an 18% stake and have pledged to transfer 80% of their stake to the Canva Foundation. She is ranked 89th on Forbes’ list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women and 92nd on Fortune’s list of Most Powerful Women.
Perkins was born in Perth, Western Australia, to an Australian father and a Malaysian engineer of Filipino and Sri Lankan heritage. She is married to Cliff Obrecht, one of the co-founders of Canva. After their marriage, the couple joined the Giving Pledge, committing at least half of their fortune to philanthropic causes.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE)
Michael Cinco, Fashion Designer

Michael Cinco (Source: Facebook)

Cinco was born in Catbalogan, Samar, Philippines, where he fantasized about dressing up celebrities like Audrey Hepburn and Joan Crawford. He studied Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines and later at Slims Fashion and Arts School in Manila, and took supplementary courses at Central Saint Martins in London. He moved to Dubai in 1997, where he reinvented the image of a slightly staid fashion house. He opened his own atelier in 2003. His famous clients include Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Nicole Scherzinger, and Sofia Vergara, to name a few.
In an interview with Golden Globes, he said, “No matter how successful or famous you get in life, the one thing you should never forget is the tradition and culture that you belong to. In a generation where, in order to fit in, you need to be ‘cool’ and ‘Westernized’ in a certain way, it is equally important to remember your roots, culture, and tradition. We must be proud of our tradition that shaped us to be who we are today. We must celebrate our culture and heritage instead of being ashamed of it.”
He is often photographed wearing sunglasses, which he says help manage his vertigo.
Ely Caluag, Painter

Ely Caluag (Source: Facebook)

After earning a Fine Arts degree from the University of the Philippines and working briefly in Makati, Caluag took a leap and headed to Dubai. His first jobs were for French branding companies in Dubai, and in 2014 he decided to freelance. Today, Caluag is the founder of ELYGRAF Fine Art & Branding Services, where he paints portraits of the UAE’s royal families. His artwork hangs in royal majlis, places where dignitaries meet and where history is made. He credits the strong Filipino community and support networks that made him feel at home.
In an interview with UAEMoments, Caluag advises others to be bold and think bigger, and if opportunities don’t exist, build them. He also said, “Filipinos are more than stereotypes. They’re artists, entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders who deserve the same spotlight as anyone else.”
ICELAND
Melanie Ubaldo, Artist

Melanie Ubaldo (Source: Instagram)

Ubaldo is an Icelandic artist based in Reykjavik. “Her practice explores unbelonging and intersectional identity through vulnerable autobiographical narratives that address racism, prejudice, power, and discrimination. Working across painting, installation, and large-scale spatial interventions, Ubaldo weaves together themes of memory, displacement, poverty, immigration, and identity. Her works often carry a monumental presence while simultaneously embodying a fragile and precarious quality that mirrors their subject matter.” Her works have been exhibited widely in Iceland.
Ubaldo is also the co-founder of Lucky 3, a collective of Icelandic artists of Filipino descent who collaborate on projects around diasporic experience and cultural hybridity. She holds a BA and MA in Fine Arts from the Iceland University of the Arts. She is also the recipient of multiple grants and awards.
NEW ZEALAND
Paulo Reyes Garcia, Politician

Paulo Reyes Garcia (Source: Wikipedia)

Garcia is the first Member of Parliament of Filipino descent in the House of Representatives for the New Zealand National Party. Born in San Juan, Manila, Garcia graduated from the University of the Philippines and attended the Academy of American and International Law in Texas. He practiced law for ten years, focusing on commercial law, particularly as it applied to foreign and multinational companies operating in the country.
After moving to New Zealand, he practiced immigration law with a focus on investor migration until he opened his own law firm, Garcia Law.
In 2012, Garcia was appointed honorary consul of the Philippines in Auckland. He was also involved in establishing the New Zealand Philippines Business Council. In his second term in office, he is the deputy chair of the social services and community committees.
On December 16, 2025, Garcia announced he would retire at the 2026 general election.
ISRAEL
Staff Sgt. Joana Chris Arpon, Soldier

Staff Sgt. Joana Chris Arpon (Source: Facebook)

The daughter of Filipino parents who came to Israel to find work in 1988, Arpon enlisted in the Israeli army because her grandmother was rescued by the Israeli army during Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, which devastated the Philippines. She became a combat soldier in the Israeli army, where only 7% are women.
In the 2½ years she was in the army, she served on bases across the country and responded to domestic disasters. The Israeli government allows citizenship for non-Israelis after serving in the army. During Israel’s 69th Independence Day, Arpon was one of 120 soldiers recognized for distinguished service.
After the army, Arpon wants to study architecture and design houses.
INDIA
Vinia Mukherjee, Research

Vinia Mukherjee (Source: LinkedIn)

Mukherjee is the Director of Publications at the Observer Research Foundation, a think tank and research organization based in New Delhi. Her role involves creating and implementing protocols and processes related to ORF's research activities, as well as managing and overseeing the editorial production of ORF's research papers. She was a Chevening scholar at the University of Reading in the UK, where she obtained her MSc in Environment and Development.
She has been a recipient of the Jaime V. Ongpin Awards for Excellence in Journalism; the Marshall McLuhan Fellowship; the SEAMEO-Australia Press Award; and the UNFPA Population and Development Award for Reportage. She was formerly the multimedia writer and Head of Research at the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ).
UNITED KINGDOM
Edmund Tabay, Director of Nursing

Edmund Tabay (Source: Rose Elarinal/Facebook)

Tabay is the first Filipino nurse to hold a top nursing directorship role in the National Health Service. He is currently Director of Nursing at University Hospitals Sussex, a position he began in September 2021. A farmer’s son, Tabay says he built his strong work ethic in his youth while tilling the family’s land between studies. He continued farming until he graduated from West Visayas State University and became a nurse in 1996.
Danilo Favor, Politician

Danilo Favor (Source: British Embassy/Facebook)

Favor is the first Filipino to win a seat in the UK government, first as town councilor of Asphalts Ward in 2011, then as deputy mayor and mayor of East Grinstead in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Favor was once a registered nurse in the Philippines before he moved to the UK in 2000 to work at Queen Victoria Hospital. Eventually, he received further training at King’s College London and became an ophthalmic nurse practitioner.
In 2014, Favor received the Presidential Banaag Award given to a person or group that has “significantly benefited a sector of the diaspora, or advanced the cause and interest of overseas Filipino communities.” The Mid-Sussex District Council also presented Favor with a Community Service Award that same year. After being elected mayor in 2019, Favor received the Pamana ng Pilipino Award from PAFIOO in 2022 for bringing honor to the Philippines.

Was Linda Ty-Casper Really a "Saling Pusa?"

Cecilia Manguerra-Brainard — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:05:53 +0000

Linda Ty-Casper (Photo courtesy of Mara Coson)

The Filipina novelist Linda Ty-Casper has, on several occasions, referred to herself as the saling-pusa (tag-along) in the literary circle of her husband, Leonard Ralph Casper. Linda’s self-effacing term was echoed by National Artist of Literature F. Sionil Jose, who called Linda “the most underrated Filipino writer.” In fact, Linda Ty-Casper has around 20 published books to her credit and is acknowledged as a prolific and important Filipino novelist.
The saling-pusa term probably came about because of this:
Between 1953–1956, the noted academic and critic Leonard Ralph Casper taught at the Ateneo de Manila, the University of the Philippines, and Philippine Normal College. There he befriended Filipino literary giants, among them Francisco Arcellana, Amador Daguio, Alberto S. Florentino, Nick Joaquin, F. Sionil Jose, N.V.M. Gonzalez, and Bienvenido N. Santos. When Leonard returned to the U.S. (with Linda after they got married in 1956), he wrote books about Philippine writing, some of which were published in the U.S. and helped introduce Philippine literature to American readership.

l-r: Robert Penn Warren, Linda Ty-Casper, Leonard Ralph Casper (Photo courtesy of Linda Ty-Casper)

Many of Leonard’s mostly male literary contacts taught in universities. Some were publishers, such as F. Sionil Jose and Alberto S. Florentino (Florentino’s Peso Books published Linda’s first book, The Transparent Sun and Other Stories, in 1963). They were also members of writers’ groups that helped enhance their literary standing (N.V.M. Gonzalez and Francisco Arcellana were members of the famous “Veronicans”).
Linda, on the other hand, was a member of PEN Women Wellesley (in Massachusetts), but she did not enjoy the extensive Philippine support systems that Filipino writers had.
Linda was a housewife and mother to two girls in the U.S. Because her husband taught at Boston College and was busy with his academic and literary activities, I suspect Linda did the lion’s share of the housework and gardening; of raising the girls; and of driving them to and from school, CCD (for their religious education), and Fil-Am cultural activities. Further, Linda and Leonard were members of Birthright, Nuclear Freeze, Pro-Life, Prison Ministry, Movement for a Free Philippines, and anti-Marcos protest groups. In other words, Linda was very busy. Still, she wrote her stories and garnered awards (SEA Write Award, the ALIWW Parangal, UNESCO/P.E.N., Rockefeller [Bellagio], Radcliffe Fellowship), among others. With these recognitions and 20 book titles to her credit, Linda Ty-Casper is no saling-pusa.
Linda’s connection with writing goes back to her childhood. In her Lives Remembered, A Memoir (PALH 2025), she talks about some people and an event that influenced her.
First, there was her grandmother, Nanay, or Gabriela Paez Viardo, whose mother came from Malabon and whose red-headed father came from Portugal. Nanay used to tell stories about the revolution and the war with the Americans, and other historical anecdotes. Linda listened avidly, and she also paid attention to Nanay’s admonition, “Someone should write these stories”—words that would stick in Linda’s mind until the time was ripe for her to act on her grandmother’s wish.
Second, there was Linda’s mother, Catalina Velasquez Ty, who taught fourth grade and later worked at the Department of Education, Curriculum Division. She wrote textbooks for Macaraig Publishers and for Ginn & Company of Boston. She brought home numerous books for Linda and her sister to read. Linda’s poem “The Ant” was published by the Philippine Journal of Education, for which her mother also wrote. Linda was nine years old when she received a one-peso check for her poem.

Antique photo of woman showing Catalina Velasquez Ty (Linda’s mother)

Third, there was the event that Linda relates as an important turning point in her life. She was at Harvard when an impending hurricane caused her law classes to be canceled. She went to Widener Library to find refuge. While looking at Philippine books and periodicals, she discovered inaccurate material about Philippine history. Linda decided to write a historical novel to correct these errors. She did not stop with one novel. Setting aside her career as a lawyer (she had an LL.M. in International Law from Harvard), she embraced this call to write. With her mission of correcting erroneous Philippine historical data, Linda wrote primarily historical fiction.
Her early novels were set during the Spanish and American occupations in the Philippines:
The Peninsulars (Manila: Bookmark, 1964);
The Three-Cornered Sun (Quezon City: New Day, 1979; Manila: Exploding Galaxies, 2024);
Ten Thousand Seeds (Manila: Ateneo de Manila University Press, 1987); and
The Stranded Whale (Quezon City: Giraffe Books, 2002).

Linda Ty-Casper holding book The Three-Cornered Sun (Photo courtesy of Linda Ty-Casper)

When Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in the Philippines on September 23, 1972, and began his 14-year repressive and bloody dictatorship, Linda went on to write novels of justice, or protest novels, against the Marcos dictatorship. They are:
Dread Empire (Hong Kong: Heinemann Asia, 1980);
The Hazards of Distance (Quezon City: New Day, 1981);
Awaiting Trespass: A Pasion (London: Readers International, 1985);
Fortress in the Plaza (Quezon City: New Day, 1985);
Wings of Stone (Manila: Ateneo de Manila, 1986);
A Small Party in a Garden (A Pasion) (Quezon City, 1988); and
Dream Eden (Manila: Ateneo de Manila University Press, 1996).

A Small Party in a Garden: Revised and Critical Edition

It should be noted that Linda’s works of fiction were so powerful that two of her protest novels, Wings of Stone and Awaiting Trespass, were banned in the Philippines during the Marcos dictatorship.
Aside from these novels, Linda also published short story collections, her Lives Remembered, A Memoir (PALH 2025), and her husband’s biography, Will You Happen, Past the Silence, Through the Dark?: Remembering Leonard Ralph Casper (PALH 2022).
Her recent publication, released by PALH (Philippine American Literary House, which I run), is A Small Party in a Garden: Revised and Critical Edition. Referred to as a “novel of justice,” this edition reintroduces this important work of historical fiction to a new generation of readers. First published almost forty years ago, A Small Party in a Garden is set in the Philippines during the Ferdinand Marcos dictatorship. The story’s protagonist, a privileged woman who is the right-hand woman of Imelda Marcos, learns in a horrific way what brutality meant under Marcos’ martial law. This revised and critical edition includes an introduction by Dr. Charlie Samuya Veric (professor at the Ateneo de Manila University), an article by Dr. Lynn M. Grow (emeritus senior professor of English at Broward College), and some past book reviews of Ty-Casper’s novella.

In fact, Linda Ty-Casper has around 20 published books to her credit and is acknowledged as a prolific and important Filipino novelist.

It is ironic that despite Linda’s A Small Party in a Garden, written to protest the Marcos dictatorship, the Philippines installed another dictator, Rodrigo Duterte, who instigated his “drug war” with 20,000–30,000 victims. Further, the body of Ferdinand Marcos is now ensconced in the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Cemetery of Heroes), and his son is president. The Philippines is currently racked with graft and corruption cases—ghost projects, padded congressional budgets, massive flood control graft, political dynasties, among many other problems.
This is perhaps one reason why Linda Ty-Casper’s historical novels remain relevant and important: like a sage, and through her writings, Linda continues to inform readers about what happened in the Philippines and what can happen if we do not learn from history.
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it ~ George Santayana.
Linda Ty-Casper books can be bought at Amazon.

Cecilia Manguerra Brainard (ceciliabrainard.com) is the author and editor of over 22 books, including the novels When the Rainbow Goddess Wept, Magdalena, and The Newspaper Widow, and her Selected Short Stories. Her writings have been translated into Arabic, Greek, Japanese, Portuguese, Slovenian, Macedonian, Azerbaijani, and Serbian. She also has earlier translations in Turkish and Finnish. She has received an Outstanding Individual Award from her birth city of Cebu, a California Arts Council Fellowship, a National Book Award, the Cirilo Bautista Prize, travel grants from the U.S. Embassy and from the National Book Development Board, among others. She runs a small press, PALH, or Philippine American Literary House.

More articles from Cecilia Manguerra Brainard

Sculptor Elaine Bordeaux and the Shape of Purpose

Jocelyn Alvarez Allgood — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:05:40 +0000

Elaine Bordeaux (left) and Polly Cortez are shown at the "Courage" exhibit at Castle Litomerice in the Czech Republic. (Photo courtesy of Polly Cortez)

Seeking enlightenment through words and art, a North Texas Filipina spreads a message of courage and beauty to people from her homeland and beyond.
Growing up in Pasay City, Philippines, Elaine Antonio Bordeaux said she had always been drawn to art, but it was only in 2020, after moving to Broomfield, Colorado, with her husband, Randy, that she heard the calling for sculpture impossible to ignore.
“There was something about the mountains, the open space, and the stillness that allowed me to hear my inner voice more clearly,” said Bordeaux, who is also an immigration lawyer. “That was when I began working seriously with clay and bronze and when I realized I was meant to be a sculptor. Colorado was where my hands finally found their language.”
In 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, her hands found their way to clay and bronze—working meticulously while the world outside was wrapped in fear, uncertainty, and isolation. Bordeaux recalled she wasn’t working from any image or plan; the strokes of her fingers let the form reveal itself. She was simply shaping clay when, suddenly, she said, a face emerged—the face of Jesus Christ. And that was the first sculpture she created, a form of prayer.
The art of creating images by casting metal gave her a deeper sense of purpose, affirming that it’s never too late to answer a calling, no matter one’s stage in life. With time on her hands during the pandemic, Bordeaux, 50, said it was possible to create something meaningful, especially when surrounded by such a beautiful environment.
Reignited Attraction
She said her attraction to art was reignited during a visit to Mexico in 2016. An immigration lawyer since 2008, she flew to Oaxaca for a much-needed break. While in search of something more personal, she attended an art class, and the fire inside her grew. She found herself in Oaxaca, she said, and experienced a personal transformation—learning to love herself.
While creating images, Bordeaux didn’t realize she was also building a dream—an ambitious one, she said. What began as an instinctive practice soon opened onto larger questions of identity, visibility, and belonging. As her confidence grew, she began to understand her work not only as personal expression but also as presence.
“As a Filipina, I did not grow up seeing many women who looked like me working in monumental sculpture,” Bordeaux said. “But that absence itself became my motivation. I realized that sometimes you become the artist you never saw, not because the door was opened for you, but because you opened it yourself.”
And from that awareness, a new purpose came to light— “Courage”—a journey showcasing her sculptures. Bordeaux said her “Courage” exhibit debuted in Barcelona, Spain, in 2023, sponsored by the Philippine Cultural Office.

The "Courage" exhibit drew attendees in Barcelona, Spain, on Oct. 16, 2023 (Photo courtesy of Randy Bordeaux)

Her excitement was palpable as she described the opening night. The gallery at the Philippine Consulate, she said, could hold only 20 people, yet more than 100 came. She saw happy faces as guests recognized Lapulapu, whose men killed explorer Ferdinand Magellan in what would become the Philippines in the 16th century, and Apo Whang-Od, a famous tattoo artist from Kalinga, Philippines. That night, Bordeaux recalled, the exhibition became more than an event; it became a revelation.
Changed by an Exhibition
“That exhibition changed me,” she said. “I want to share with our people what we can do, the power that we have inside us, and that we can be who we want to be.”
From Barcelona, “Courage” traveled to Madrid, then to the United States—to San Francisco, California; Wyoming; Arizona; and Houston, Texas. In 2024, the exhibit continued its journey to Castle Litoměřice in the Czech Republic. From Bordeaux’s point of view, the exhibit was historic because the town of Litoměřice was visited in 1887 by Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal to see his friend, Professor Ferdinand Blumentritt.

Attendees at the "Courage" exhibit in San Francisco, California on July 8, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Randy Bordeaux)

Polly Cortez, the current president of the Dr. Jose Rizal Legacy International Foundation (DJRLIF), was at the opening nights of the “Courage” exhibit in Litoměřice, San Francisco, and Colorado Springs. The DJRLIF, which was founded in 2023, shares on its website its vision of “a world where Dr. Jose Rizal’s legacy serves as a guiding light for individuals and communities to become catalysts for positive change.”
“Every Filipino should know that Rizal's legacy is not only about resistance,” Cortez said in an email interview. “It is about the transformative power of ideas, the importance of learning, and the courage to stand for what is right. These values resonate deeply with our shared American ideals of liberty, opportunity, and justice for all.”
Bordeaux’s migration to the U.S. started in 2005, when her family arrived in Mississippi. She was a young lawyer then, she said, having graduated from Arellano University School of Law in 2000. She did not waste time pursuing her goals in the “Land of Opportunity.” She enrolled at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, took the bar exam in New York, and passed on her first try. She chose immigration law because she wanted to help people like herself.

A group posed for a picture at the "Courage" exhibit in Cheyenne, Wyoming, on Aug. 31, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Randy Bordeaux)

While practicing law in Mississippi, Bordeaux said she witnessed firsthand the harsh realities of Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests and detentions, particularly among temporary workers from South America who had stayed on after Hurricane Katrina cleanup and reconstruction ended. She said those encounters deepened her understanding of displacement, resilience, and justice as she became a lawyer for Catholic Charities. It was the first time she felt good about her law practice, she said.
That work grounded her in service, but it also stirred something deeper. When the demands of practicing law weighed heavily, she turned to art, seeing it as a therapeutic balm. Sculpture became another outlet that words and laws could not fully express.
Larger Artistic Purpose
What began as a personal retreat soon grew into a larger artistic purpose. From celebrating stories of intrepidity and bravery through “Courage,” Bordeaux’s sculptures evolved toward honoring one of the Philippines’ greatest symbols of courage—its national hero.
“Dr. Jose Rizal represents the highest expression of what it means to be Filipino,” Bordeaux said. “Intelligence, courage, dignity, and peaceful resistance. As an immigrant and a Filipina American, I feel deeply connected to his story of exile, identity, and sacrifice.”
During a casual conversation in 2023 with noted Filipino sculptor and filmmaker Fritz Silorio, she recalled how they envisioned building a monument to Rizal in cities across the U.S. They set their sights on installing the first monument in Colorado, the place where the calling first took root. On July 27, 2025, the 6-foot bronze monument of Rizal, created by Bordeaux and Silorio, was unveiled and displayed prominently at George Fellows Park in Colorado Springs.
The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco reported on its website that Consul General Neil Frank Ferrer attended the dedication ceremony and that “the event was organized by the Dr. Jose Rizal Legacy International Foundation and was graced by descendants of Dr. Jose Rizal, namely Ms. Bambi Virata and Ms. Claire Pinto. Representative Jeff Crank of Colorado’s Fifth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives and Honorary Consul Donna LaVigne were also in attendance.”
Silorio said in an email statement that “placing monuments of José Rizal in U.S. cities is deeply important to me because Rizal represents universal values that transcend nationality—intellectual courage, moral clarity, peaceful resistance, and the power of ideas to shape a nation.
“For Filipinos in the diaspora, these monuments serve as cultural anchors,” Silorio said. “They affirm identity, history, and pride, especially for younger generations who may be growing up far from their ancestral roots. Seeing Rizal honored in public American spaces tells them that their heritage matters, that their history has a place in the global narrative.”
Bordeaux said the next unveiling of a Rizal monument will be in Daly City, California, in December, followed by a third monument placement in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Silorio said, “Ultimately, these monuments are not only about remembrance but about conversation. They stand as quiet educators in the public space—inviting reflection on who we honor, why we honor them, and what kind of future we are collectively shaping.”
Cortez was also present in Daly City when the project for a Rizal monument was launched. The message the DJRLIF wants to convey not only to Filipinos in the U.S. but to everyone who sees the future monument is “to celebrate and honor the legacy of a remarkable thinker, healer, and strong advocate for social justice,” she said.
“A prolific writer, physician, linguist, and reformer whose ideas helped awaken the national consciousness of his fellow citizens during the Spanish colonial period, his enduring works, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, inspired generations and remain powerful symbols of freedom, education, and dignity,” Cortez said.
She added, “Rizal depicted a quiet and impactful reformer not by force but by pen. He stressed the strength of community and strongly advocated for education, especially for youth, to empower our future.”
Sculpting Rizal
Bordeaux’s sculptures of Rizal and other Philippine heroes speak through presence and recognize the power of ideas, the strength of community, and the aspiration that Rizal once embodied in life—that the “youth is the hope of a nation.”

People gathered at the "Courage" exhibit in Chandler, Ariz., on Oct. 9, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Randy Bordeaux)

“We are all proud,” she said. “This is part of the nine monuments we plan to build in the next 10 years.”
Beyond honoring Filipino heritage, Silorio also intended to speak meaningfully to the wider American public.
“I hope these sculptures communicate connection and shared values,” he said. “Rizal lived, studied, and wrote in a global context. He admired democratic ideals, questioned injustice, and believed strongly in civic responsibility. Presenting his image in U.S. cities invites dialogue about freedom, colonial history, immigration, and the enduring relevance of thoughtful dissent.”
Meanwhile, Bordeaux’s sculptures continue on their journey. During Filipino American Heritage Month last October, her works were displayed at Dallas Love Field Airport, sponsored by the Pilipino American Community Endeavor. From April 9 to 30, her work will be displayed at the Dallas Asian American Historical Society Museum of Asian Texans. This summer, Bordeaux will be the artist in residence at Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center in Cedar Hill, Texas, where the Bordeauxs have lived since December 2024.

The “Courage” exhibit in Madrid, Spain (Photo courtesy of Randy Bordeaux)

For every image she has created, Bordeaux wants everyone to see something far beyond the images that stand in front of them.
“I want them to feel seen, acknowledged, and uplifted,” she said. “I want them to pause, to breathe, to feel something deeper than words—a quiet recognition of beauty, humanity, and spirit. For Filipinos, I want them to remember the beauty, the greatness, and the richness of our heritage, our people, and our history.”

The art of creating images by casting metal gave her a deeper sense of purpose, affirming that it’s never too late to answer a calling no matter one’s stage in life.

Passion for Writing
The Filipina artist’s passions also extend to writing. As a mental health advocate, Bordeaux has just penned a book on self-discovery, Change Your Mind, Change Your Life. At her book-signing event at Kabayan Restaurant in Dallas in January, Filipinos gathered not just to have a copy signed but also to share their dreams and stories.

The “Courage” exhibit in the Czech Republic (Photo courtesy of Randy Bordeaux)

Bordeaux told the audience how her dreams started with the support of Randy, reminding everyone that it is never too late to answer the call, “that you do not need everything figured out.”
Randy was in the audience and everywhere “Courage” goes.
“It is inspiring to watch her be able to navigate and succeed in both callings,” he said. “I see the balance she maintains between being a lawyer and then using art to give her that break from the law.”
He said his wife brings a drawing pad everywhere they go.
“I have seen more art museums now than I ever did before,” he said. “Sometimes when we go on trips, Elaine will have clay and create sculptures in our hotel room.”
As the applause died down at Kabayan, Bordeaux was pleased to connect with the attendees and hoped they had taken something to heart. “I hope something meaningful has touched them,” she said. “Something that reminds them who they are and what they stand for—courage and beauty.”
After she and Randy left, her words still lingered.
“Your dreams exist for a reason. You only need the courage to take the next step.”

Jocelyn Alvarez Allgood is a freelance writer and an actress in North Texas.

More articles from Jocelyn Alvarez Allgood

Be Daring Through Dance

Claire Mercado-Obias — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:05:24 +0000

Martee Dares to Dance teaches children courage and choreography. (Gloo Books, 2024)

What child has not experienced an embarrassing moment? In the picture book Martee Dares to Dance, young Martee’s classmates laugh at him because of a mistake that causes him to shy away from his favorite hobby, dancing. With the encouragement of his best friend, Yasmine; his loving lola (grandmother); and a friendly Martian who appears in a dream, Martee gets his confidence back.
Martee Dares to Dance was written by husband-and-wife team Harry Shum Jr. and Shelby Rabara, who are both actors. Harry has appeared on television shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Shadowhunters, and Glee, and in movies such as Do No Harm, Everything Everywhere All at Once, All My Life, and Crazy Rich Asians. Shelby’s television credits include Goliath, Two Broke Girls, and Glee, and she also lends her voice to the animated series Steven Universe and Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles.

Harry Shum Jr. and Shelby Rabara are the authors of Martee Dares to Dance. Shelby is Filipino-American who proudly says, “I love that my friends are now reading the book with their kids and reading words in Tagalog with them.” (Photo by Claire Mercado-Obias)

But before they got into acting, they were dancers.
“I started dancing at four and a half years old, when my older sister suggested to my mom that I take dance classes,” says Shelby. “I was a really shy child, and I had a hard time talking to people. Dance really helped me come out of my shell, and I made a lot of wonderful relationships with friends and teachers who were so supportive of me.”
Shelby studied ballet, tap, and jazz growing up, moved to Los Angeles at 17 after receiving a scholarship, and then pursued her degree in World Arts and Cultures at UCLA, all while auditioning for and booking professional jobs in film and television and serving as a Los Angeles Laker Girl.
“I have choreographed pieces for Steven Universe: The Movie, as well as numerous pieces for TV and film. Most recently, I have written, directed, choreographed, and produced my first short concept film based on a full-length script I wrote,” she adds.
Harry, on the other hand, says, “I was a late bloomer with dance. I was a physical kid and would often mimic what I saw on TV and in movies. I didn’t discover dance until I had to do a school play and we had to learn the Lindy Hop. Competent is what I would call my level of dancing, and I thought it would be a one-off thing. But it wasn’t until I stumbled into the high school dance team.”

Martee Dares to Dance authors, Shelby Rabara and Harry Shum Jr., wearing Filipiniana attire at an Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebration. (Photo courtesy of Shelby Rabara)

What started off as a dare from one of his buddies turned into a passion that led him to drop out of college and pursue a career in dance that he never knew was possible. He moved to Los Angeles with three friends and took classes every day from top choreographers at Millennium Dance Complex, Edge, and Debbie Reynolds, treating those classes like school and taking four to five classes a day.
“I also jumped right into getting an agent and auditioning, even though I had no clue what I was doing. I was hungry to learn and was making up for the time I didn’t have with dance in my younger years. The place I learned the most was by just being around some of the best dancers in L.A. and vibing with them in their garages and living rooms, analyzing tapes of our classes and performances like a football player would study game film.”
Through various dance jobs, he got to be around dancers from all walks of life and absorbed their stories through the way they moved. “It was such a cool way to experience dance since I was learning as I went. I have taught at those very same studios where I was taking classes at the start of my dance career. I co-choreographed The LXD (The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers), a web series that led to performances on So You Think You Can Dance and TED Talks.”
After dating for many years, Harry and Shelby married in 2015 and now have a six-year-old daughter named Xia, who also loves to dance.
They have always wanted to write a children’s book together. As parents, they wanted a book that showcased dance as a vehicle for building confidence. “We believe that self-confidence is fundamentally important to a child’s emotional development, and dance is something that is so dear to both me and Harry because it is what gave us the confidence as young adolescents to pursue our career paths,” Shelby says.

The team behind Martee Dares to Dance: authors Shelby Rabara and Harry Shum, Jr., illustrator Bianca Austria, and Gloo Books founder/owner Karen Chan.(Photo courtesy of Bianca Austria)

“Dance helps children become more confident because it allows them to discover their true selves,” she explains. “There is a world of discovery in learning a new dance move, and in that journey, kids find confidence in learning not to give up and eventually finding a way to make that move work for them. There is resilience in not giving up and trying again with a different approach.”
If you ask a child to “skip,” there are so many different ways and interpretations of what a “skip” is, Shelby adds. “There certainly is a correct way to skip—the traditional step-hop—but I think there is something so fascinating when kids are given permission to skip how they want, without the fear of judgment from others. The fun and joy that exude from that one request are really awesome to witness.”
Dance and music therapy are incredible; they can do wonders for increasing feelings of happiness and joy for both kids and adults. “I think it is so needed in our world right now, and a two-and-a-half-minute dance party with your kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews, or students is all kids need to see that it is okay to share a moment of joy with their friends and family,” Shelby elaborates.
She also believes children are products of their environment, and if they are provided with an environment of joy and nonjudgment when it comes to dancing, they will always remember that dance is fun and something they can do to express themselves.
In the book, there are many references to the authors’ multicultural backgrounds, specifically food and language.
Both Harry and Shelby love their cultures and heritage very much. Shelby is a proud first-generation Filipina American, born and raised in Southern California, and Harry is Chinese-Costa Rican. They love to cook and eat together as a family, especially different types of tamales—Filipino, Mexican, Costa Rican, and Chinese, just to name a few.
“We thought it would be fun to incorporate two different types of tamales, one wrapped in a banana leaf and the other in a corn husk and have Martee and his best friend Yasmine do a ‘Tamale Tradesies,’” Shelby explains. “Trading tamales is Yasmine’s way of comforting Martee during a time when he was too embarrassed to attend an upcoming school dance. Food has always been a way to comfort and nourish in both our cultures, and we are proud to represent them in this book.”
The inclusion of Tagalog words like “lola” (grandma) and “apo ko” (my grandchild) showcases the respect and love that Shelby has experienced with her grandmother and mom. “Our daughter has a very special relationship with my mom, and I wanted to showcase the grandchild-and-grandmother relationship and how truly special and fun it is,” Shelby adds.
One of the unforgettable characters in Martee Dares to Dance is Lola, who is hip and full of energy.
“Lola is based on so many grandmas that I know, including my mom, who have that swag—swag meaning hardworking women who also know how to have fun. Lola is the grandma that I want to be. I want to be a lola in a lavender velour jumpsuit, DJ-ing, giving the kids apple slices before bed, and dancing, of course,” confides Shelby.
The illustrator who brought the book to life is also Filipino American: Bianca Austria.

Bianca Austria is the illustrator of Martee Dares to Dance, saying, “The sketches took about a month while the coloring took around three months!” (Photo courtesy of Bianca Austria)

“All the art was done digitally,” says Bianca. “The first image I drew was Martee, which ultimately led us toward this very bold and poppy art style for the entire story.”
Her early sketches of Lola were very far from the final design. Initially, she was a soft, homey, cozy character who wore a duster (house dress) and an apron, with her hair up. When Bianca first submitted those sketches, they loved them but wanted to make her a bit different from the “average” grandma. They wanted her to look cool. In the story, Martee’s Lola is spunky and confident.
“I think a lot of Martee’s style and love of dance and hip-hop are inherited from her. Their shared love for these things is the tether in their relationship. She’s the epitome of ‘age is just a number,’ and I think we see that very early on in the kitchen scene when she has her boombox on a shelf and is showing us these dance moves while cooking,” Bianca explains.
“When I went back to the drawing board, I took these thoughts to mind and brought in all these elements of streetwear into her character—hence the velvet tracksuit and big hoops, which are clearly inspired by the music and fashion of the ’90s and early 2000s,” Bianca adds.

The characters of Martee Dares to Dance: Martee, Lola, the Martian, Yasmine. (Illustration courtesy of Bianca Austria)

“One thing I love about this book is that it reminds us that we all need a little burst of confidence or creativity every once in a while. I was a shy kid growing up, and it took me many years to feel comfortable in my own skin and find my self-confidence.”

As parents, they wanted a book that showcased dance as a vehicle for building confidence.

Harry and Shelby wrote this book to inspire kids, along with their families and friends, to dance. Dance has been a source of joy for their family, and they want to remind readers that it takes courage to dance in front of others. When they find the courage to dare to dance, it can unlock many creative outlets individually, as well as connect people with one another.
Martee Dares to Dance is available on gloobooks.com

Claire Mercado-Obias is a writer, food stylist and pastry chef based in New Jersey.

More articles from Claire Mercado-Obias

How Can You Forget Me: Filipino American Stories

Titchie Carandang — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 17:42:49 +0000

“The exhibit, like the trunks, we can view from the outside and conjure many perspectives. But it is only when you lift the lid and look inside will you appreciate its meaning, embrace its presence, and allow the spirit of the Manongs to speak to you.” - Elena Mangahas, Board Member, Little Manila Rising
At the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, visitors on the second floor will find an exhibit that is a historical first for Filipino Americans. Nestled between the signature exhibitions—Many Voices, One Nation and American Democracy—is the Nicholas F. and Eugenia Taubman Gallery, home to How Can You Forget Me: Filipino American Stories (Paano Mo Ako Malilimutan: Mga Kuwentong Pilipino-Amerikano), organized by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center (APAC).
Within this modest 1,200-square-foot space unfolds the story of Filipino Americans who migrated to the United States in the early 1900s, when the Philippines was a U.S. colony. The exhibit’s placement—between galleries devoted to immigration and democracy—feels intentional. Filipino American history embodies both themes: they arrived as U.S. nationals, not immigrants, yet were denied the full rights of citizenship. They labored in West Coast fields and canneries while navigating exclusion, racism, and legal discrimination.
Unpacking the Trunks
How Can You Forget Me: Filipino American Stories tells a familiar yet deeply personal story of a people seeking a better life thousands of miles from home—an experience shared by immigrants from all over the world. It begins with three beautifully restored steamer trunks that once held the personal effects of Filipino men who traversed Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska, harvesting asparagus in dusty fields and canning salmon in frigid coastal factories.
These men, mostly from Ilocos, were called manongs, the Ilocano term for “big brother.” The lives of the manongs, among the earliest overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), are emblematic of the immigrant experience; they reflect both hardship and hope.
It shows the lives of Filipino migrants who lived in Stockton, California from the 1910s to 1970s. Most of the items in the exhibit belong to the Filipino Agricultural Workers Collection - which sprung from the discovery of 26 trunks, suitcases, and toolboxes made by Antonio Somera in 2005 in the basement of the Daguhoy Lodge, owned and operated by the Legionarios del Trabajo, a Filipino American fraternal society modeled after Masonic lodges. These trunks were brought to Dr. Dawn Mabalon (who later passed away in 2018) and Dillon Delvo, founders of Little Manila Rising. They made it their goal to preserve the trunks and find a home in the Smithsonian, working with Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Curator, Dr. Sojin Kim, who later introduced them to Dr. Sam Vong, Curator of Asian Pacific American History. Vong worked on the collection of the one trunk and several items for the museum’s Archives Center.

Legionarios del Trabajo vestments (Photo by Titchie Carandang)

Vong also wrote an article, republished by Positively Filipino, highlighting five items from the more than 50 objects currently on display: a steamer trunk, an asparagus knife, three-piece suits, a pageant dress, and a hand-embroidered pillowcase stitched with flowers and the words “How Can You Forget Me.”
These items and other artifacts provide a fascinating glimpse into the complex lives of Filipino Americans as U.S. nationals who could live and work in America but were denied citizenship—only to lose their status after the Philippines gained independence from the United States.
Collaborative Curation
Vong’s curatorial approach was deeply collaborative. He traveled to Stockton several times. He interviewed the members of organizations like Little Manila Rising, San Joaquin County Historical Society & Museum, and the Filipino American National Historical Society (FAHNS), and also enlisted their help to lend artifacts. Families and individuals shared their memories and loaned treasured family heirlooms including labor leader Larry Itliong’s emblematic jacket, passport and his United Farm Workers Organizing Committee flag that were provided by his children. For Elena Mangahas, board member of Little Manila Rising, Vong’s curatorial work is “beyond research.” She described him as a kind of medium, allowing “the spirits of the Filipino ancestors to speak to him,” weaving personal stories of the manongs and manangs to the broader fabric of American immigration history.

Larry Itliong’s jacket (Photo by Titchie Carandang)

The exhibition also included an advisory committee of Filipino Americans from the Washington, D.C., area. Vong hopes the show “does justice not only to Filipino American communities and the Filipino diaspora, but also to AAPI communities,” and inspires further donations to preserve these histories.
Pivotal Turn
Originally conceived as a five-part video series, the project took a pivotal turn when Dr. Yao-Fen You, Acting Director of APAC, recognized the symbolic power of the trunks, seeing them as “both literal and metaphorical carriers of hope and aspiration—belongings of men who traveled thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean in search of work and a new life.”
The result is APAC’s first exhibition at the National Museum of American History, dedicated entirely to Filipino American stories. It also serves as a test case for a permanent gallery dedicated to Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) histories on the National Mall, where they hope to identify their “various audiences—what resonates with them, what excites them, and what they hope to learn and experience about AANHPI history and culture.”
While Filipino Americans have appeared in previous Smithsonian projects—including Sightlines: Chinatown and Beyond and the traveling exhibition I Want the Wide American Earth, inspired by Carlos Bulosan’s poetry—this is the first exhibition devoted entirely to their lived experiences in the United States. Last year, Sightlines: Chinatown and Beyond, an exhibit also by APAC, showed the presence of Asian Americans in DC neighborhoods. Even though the exhibit ended, a fun online exhibit, Sightlines Atlas, presents Filipino Americans in DC that includes the Manila House, a historical landmark that was a popular gathering place for Filipinos in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood, and Filipino restaurants, Joia Burger and the now closed Hiraya. At the Museum of American History, popular Filipino American rapper Ruby Ibarra’s jacket was on display until October of last year. In 2024, at the Smithsonian’s Portrait Gallery, historian Ambeth Ocampo was part of the Advisory Committee of Scholars of the 1898: U.S. Imperial Visions and Revisions exhibit, providing a richer and more nuanced understanding of the acquisition of the Philippines as a colony.
The exhibit has two entrances that provide an unrestricted view of the entire exhibit. There are eight thematic sections – titles in English and Tagalog – guide visitors through the narrative. I visited the exhibit with my children and these are the items that we found the most interesting.
The trunks in Workers Needed. These are the first things you notice coming from the South entrance (for the directionally challenged it is the left side facing the exhibit). The trunks owned by Enrique Andales, Eusebio Maglinte, and Anastacio Omandam are lovingly restored, with pretty floral lining, and look almost brand new, evoking romance and adventure. Large scale portraits of Andale and Omandam smartly dressed in suits are riveting, inviting you to look closer. Seeing Andales’s signature on one of the hangers makes it feel very personal, and it feels like an invitation to look closer and to unpack the rest of the stories in the trunks.

Enrique Andales (Photo by Titchie Carandang)

Anastacio Omandam (Photo by Titchie Carandang)

The asparagus knives in Backbreaking Labor. Mahirap Na Paggawa. The displayed tools are lined up like surgical tools. The accompanying photo of Filipino farmworkers bent over the field gives renewed respect for the term “backbreaking labor.” The quote from Erwin Mina, “Every Filipino farmworker owns one of these hoes. They broke the backs of generations of farmworkers,” tell a harsher story: bent backs under punishing sun, repetitive labor, and racial hostility. This is in direct contrast with the startlingly large photographs (nine feet in height) of the manongs dressed in elegant suits and sexy swimwear projecting dignity, masculinity, and aspiration.

Asparagus Knives (Photo by Titchie Carandang)

The presence of women. Pillars of Litle Manila broadens the narrative beyond male laborers, the exhibition highlights the role of women in sustaining community life, even though fewer objects survive to tell their stories. Barbara Nambatac, whose photographs and intricate white lace gown are on display, joined the contest to raise money for the Stockton Legionarios del Trabajo. There is also an interesting photograph of a woman laborer wearing high heels that makes one wonder how she survived the day picking produce. Mangahas also points out that a photo of Concepcion Ruiz Sepe Lagura, a female member of Legionarios del Trabajo was used to explain the significance of the lodge.

Pillars of Little Manila (Photo by Titchie Carandang)

Barbara Nambatac’s wedding dress (Photo by Titchie Carandang)

Leisure and community life. Glimpses of the community enjoying leisure pursuits such as - swimming, boxing, social dances and fraternal gatherings that are highlighted throughout the gallery. This shows that these men were not merely laborers; they were brothers, dreamers, intellectuals, and romantics.
Fighting for their Rights. Personal effects of labor leader Larry Itliong anchor this section. Alongside fellow organizers Philip Vera Cruz and Peter Velasco, Itliong helped lead the Delano grape strike in 1965, and were inducted to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Hall of Honor in 2024. Together with Cesar Chavez, they fought for farmworkers’ rights, challenging exploitative wages and unsafe conditions. Their presence underscores how Filipino Americans were central to the labor movement, not peripheral to it.
The wall of distance and longing. The map illustrates the physical distance between the United States and the Philippines, and the travel paths of Pablo Solomon, Enrique Andales and Eusebio Maglinte. The embroidered pillowcase with the exhibition’s title, How Can You Forget Me. The interactive panels invite a closer look, my teenager lingered at the interactive displays, lifting panels to uncover hidden stories.

The “How Can You Forget Me” embroidered pillow case (Photo by Titchie Carandang)

Interactive Media Kiosk
We also enjoyed exploring the different stories from the interactive media kiosk. We hope that this will be included in the online experience of the exhibit in the future.
Breaking Stereotypes
When Vong examined the artifacts, he discovered that it dismantles the stereotype of the uneducated migrant laborer. Letters written in elegant cursive, college enrollment materials, and even books on palmistry reveal intellectual curiosity and ambition. Though not part of the exhibit, Filipino war heroine Maria Orosa worked in Alaska and picked fruit while she was a student at the University of Washington. Writer Carlos Bulosan was a laborer and was active in the labor movement.

How Can You Forget Me: Filipino American Stories tells a familiar yet deeply personal story of a people seeking a better life thousands of miles from home.

These artifacts situate Filipino Americans within major moments of U.S. history—World War I, the 1918 influenza pandemic, the Great Depression, and the fight for women’s suffrage and the Philippines’ campaign for independence.
A Question
At the opening reception of the exhibit, Little Manila Rising chair and co-founder Dillon Delvo posed a question about the title of the exhibit, drawn from the embroidered pillowcase: What does How Can You Forget Me mean? Delvo listed the possible answers—a question, a statement, an indictment, a responsibility, a debt, or a goal—and probed deeper, asking whether it is directed at a loved one, a generation, a museum official, or a legislator. The romantic in us imagines a sweetheart left behind, translating the heartrending Tagalog words between separated lovers: Paano mo ako malilimutan?
Perhaps it is all of these.
The exhibition reminds us that the manongs were never merely statistics in immigration records or footnotes in labor history. They lived full, complicated lives. They endured discrimination yet built a community. They bent beneath fieldwork yet stood tall in tailored suits.
“How can you forget me?” is not only a romantic refrain—it is a challenge to remember the lives of each immigrant who left their home to build a better life here in the United States..
Postscript
Dr. James Sobredo wrote an in-depth article about the exhibit in an article he wrote for Rappler. He is also working with the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) to trace the living relatives of the owners of the trunks. In his Bridges on Air interview, he mentioned that he has found leads to the living relatives of the following men: Pablo Solomon (Bataan), Eusebio Maglinte (Bohol), Enrique Andales (Cebu), Anastasia Omandam (Negros Oriental). He is also documenting opening two trunks that are with FAHNS Stockton.
The writer is grateful to Yao-Fen You, Sam Vong, Rick Lee, Ethan Johanson, and Elena Mangahas for their help with the article.
Exhibition Details
How Can You Forget Me: Filipino American Stories
Smithsonian’s National Museum of History|2 West| Nicholas F. and EugeniaTaubman Gallery | Open Daily 10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. |Free admission |Ends November 28, 2027|Email APAC-Eucation@si.edu to book a tour for students/community members/professional group
Exhibition Overview here.
Visual Description here.
Selected Resources
Learn about the owners of the steamer trunks and more in the Filipino Agricultural Workers Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
How Can You Forget Me: Artifacts of Early Immigrant Life by Sam Vong
Landmark Filipino American exhibit opens at Smithsonian Museum by James Sobredo
Recovered Steamer Trunks Reveal the Overlooked Histories of Filipino American Farm Workers in the Early 20th Century by Nathan Pugh
Filipino men's fashion: Farmworkers in three-piece suits by Ethan Johanson
“‘These Guys Came Out Looking Like Movie Actors’: Filipino Dress and Consumer Practices in the United States, 1920s–1930s.” by Mina Roces

Titchie Carandang is a freelance writer. Her articles have been published in the White House Quarterly, Northern Virginia Magazine, Metro Style, Connection Newspapers and other publications. She is the co-founder and was co-director of the Philippines on the Potomac Project (POPDC), where she researched Philippine American history in Washington, D.C. She has received awards from the Philippine American Press Club, the Mama Sita Foundation, and the Doreen Gamboa Fernandez Food Writing Award for her writing.

More articles from Titchie Carandang

A Girls’ Soccer Clinic Kicks Off in Dumaguete

Reina Bonta — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 17:42:37 +0000

Siaton FC Soccer Clinic

As my mother always said: a promise is a promise.
I made one three years ago, the very first time I visited Dumaguete. I had just crossed the Pacific Ocean, wedged in the middle seat between my Lola and my father. I was exhausted, my body aching and heavy with the weight of what had been the most exhilarating weeks of my life, representing the Philippines for the very first time on the world's biggest stage, the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The plane landed in the long shadow of that tournament. In some ways, it was still looming over me, coloring every waking thought with its memory. I was caught in a loop of reliving and processing. But after I passed through baggage claim, I was met with something that jolted me, catapulting me into the immediacy of the moment. In the parking lot outside the airport stood a group of young women, local footballers between the ages of eight and eighteen, buzzing with excitement.

Soccer Camp participants welcoming Reina Bonta

They wore Philippines football jerseys, sang our chants, and thrust clever, hand-painted signs toward the cloudless blue sky. A live band played on a simple stage—an elevated truck bed. They draped leis around my neck, pressed handwritten notes into my arms, and embraced me with warmth and pagtanggap (acceptance), a truly Filipino homecoming. There, in the parking lot of the one-carousel Dumaguete airport, I forged my promise: that I would return and show these aspiring footballers the same love and respect they had offered me so freely.
In the three years that passed between that moment and today, as I continued to reflect on the deeper personal and cultural significance of the tournament, I made a 15-minute short film about my team’s debut at the World Cup, told through the lens of my tender relationship with my Lola. The film, titled Maybe It’s Just the Rain, speaks of how our opportunity as a diasporic national team to raise the Filipino flag on the world’s biggest stage is owed to our elders, who walked through fire so we could stand where we do now.
As I began the journey of sharing that film, bringing it from Cannes Marché du Film in France to DOC NYC in New York, the young, inspiring women who had welcomed me at the airport never left my mind. Their faces, generosity, and belief stayed with me as I rounded every corner of the film festival circuit.
So, in an effort to bring the film—and an experience worthy of their welcome—back to their doorstep, I launched an impact campaign for Maybe It’s Just the Rain. Entirely separate from film festival premieres or awards conversations, this phase of the film’s life cycle was rooted in community. The screenings and related activities were designed to create moments of connection for Filipino American and Filipino audiences and for young, primarily female athletes who grow up fighting tooth and nail within systems never built to lift them up—or even make room for them.
Tapping dear friends, family, and like-minded institutions with service-forward philosophies—among them Philippine International Aid and Lululemon—to gather resources, I hatched a two-day soccer clinic for the very community of young girl footballers in Dumaguete and Siaton, whom I hadn’t stopped thinking about since the day we first met. Before I knew it, I was greeting them at the airport under a familiar cloud of muggy Dumaguete heat once more.
The days that followed were a whirlwind of joy and mutual respect.
I arrived at an open-air auditorium. As I stepped out of the car, a swell of bright, tinkling laughter met me: young players leaping up and down or shyly hiding behind friends’ shoulders. The space itself was alive with color—a concrete basketball court washed in fading blues, reds, and yellows, its court lines guiding the eye like a red carpet toward the stage.

The young participants at the open-air auditorium in Siaton

A welcome ceremony unfolded in which I, having come believing I was there to offer something, was instead met with extraordinary generosity once again. I was honored with a traditional Siaton dance, a ten-foot-tall bamboo stick that we pounded on the floor to release a small flood of water, and even a live chicken, all profound gestures of hospitality.
After opening remarks by the Mayor of Siaton and my collaborators Cobbie, Prin, and Alexa—locals who were the advance team in our organizing effort—I introduced Maybe It’s Just the Rain. It was projected on a massive screen behind the stage, its sound echoing off the bleachers and spilling into the surrounding streets like an invitation for neighbors and pedestrians enjoying Saturday strolls to join us. One of the older girls I had met at the airport back in 2023 sat wiping a steady stream of tears from her cheeks. “It reminded me of my Lola,” she later told me.
We jumped into a caravan of cars, vans, and bicycles and, less than ten minutes later, arrived at an expansive soccer pitch. It was beautifully imperfect, marked by empty patches where grass no longer grew—where teams warmed up or goalies stood, raking their cleats into the ground. The nets in the soccer goals, split by the wear and tear of time, had been carefully retied.

Soccer camp participants on the imperfect football pitch

“The coaches came here in the middle of the night and trimmed the field to prepare it for the clinic,” Cobbie whispered to me. “They don’t have a lawn mower or grass cutter, so they did it by hand, with shears.” I think about this, and each individual blade of grass, often.
I brought along a professional photo and video team from Manila, with the intention of capturing memories the girls could return to. We set up a simple photo corner with a backdrop, where each player could pose and take home professional-style headshots—images they could use for recruitment or to elevate their media presence. We then formed a wide, lopsided circle, linking our hands. One of the coaches led a prayer in Cebuano. I asked the players to “popcorn” intentions for the training, a ritual adopted on the National Team some time ago.
“Focus.”
“Open-mindedness.”
“Patience.”
“Courage.”
And we were off.
Training unfolded in two long periods, with a break for lunch and naps under the palm trees that circled the field. During the breaks, a handful of girls stayed on their feet with me, juggling the ball in small constellations. They riddled me with questions:
“What’s your favorite color?”
“Brown.”
“When are you coming back to the Philippines?”
“As soon as I can.”
“Yay! Next week?”

Girls doing drills and asking Reina questions

At the end of the session, brand-new Lululemon water bottles were passed around as tokens. In a province where so many of the girls scrape together pesos just to take the public bus to training, one of their biggest challenges is affording accessories like reusable water bottles or shin guards to sustain a season of soccer. I layered in details like structured warm-ups and cool-downs, post-match interviews, and conversations about gear sponsors. These were small touches, meant as a glimpse into the minute rhythms and traditions that make up parts of life as a professional footballer, framed not as unattainable fantasies but as very real possibilities.

Girls getting their Lululemon water bottles

On the second day, warnings of an incoming typhoon rippled through the group. Soon after, the air thickened and the sky shifted colors. It didn’t dampen the group’s spirit. I was once again surprised. The girls trained on, laughing into the wind, unafraid and sliding belly-first across the shallow pools that began to fill the field.

Girls still toughing it out on the muddy fields.

We closed with a simple ceremony. As the girls gathered cross-legged in front of me, I took the opportunity to ask questions, listen, and gently loosen the familiar hierarchy that exists between coach and player. What emerged was tenderness. The oldest participant spoke through tears. She shared that, as the eldest of six, she spends much of her life caring for her youngest siblings, and that soccer was the ephemeral paradise she goes to in order to breathe. Her words left all our cheeks glistening. They placed a clear glass bottle in my hands. Inside were folded pink, blue, and yellow Post-it notes with carefully written messages from every player. I held the bottle gently, knowing it contained far more than paper.

Girls with Reina Bonta after camp

A welcome ceremony unfolded in which I, having come believing I was there to offer something, was instead met with extraordinary generosity once again.

Just this past December, my wife, Brena, and I were married in Brazil. She plays professional soccer for Palmeiras and represents the Brazilian Women’s National Team. The news made the girls leap in the air and giggle. Since our clinic, a few other communities have reached out to me, hoping to replicate what we were able to do in Siaton. We’re now considering a traveling clinic in the Philippines—one that could carry onward this exchange of belief and care.

Reina Bonta is an award-winning filmmaker and professional soccer player.

FilAms Among The Remarkable And Famous, Part 75

Mona Lisa Yuchengco — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 17:42:29 +0000

Filipinos have been in the United States since the 16th century, yet many of their stories remain untold. For the past years, Positively Filipino has been running a series on notable Filipino Americans who have made their marks in this country. There are hundreds, or maybe even thousands more, that need to be added to this story, and we need your help. If you know of a Filipino American who deserves to be included in this line-up, please send us their names and any supporting documents you may have to pfpublisher@yahoo.com. For now, we are including only those who are currently active and visible in the media and the community, regardless of their religious, sexual or political orientation. Thank you.
Jason Myers, Football Player

Jason Myers (Photo courtesy of Steve Angeles)

Myers is the professional football placekicker for the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL. Born and raised in Chula Vista, California, Myers played varsity football for four years and was named Mesa Kicker of the Year. He is of Filipino descent through his great-grandfather, who immigrated from the Philippines to Pensacola, Florida, while serving in the U.S. Navy. Myers was instrumental in defeating the Patriots in Super Bowl LX after making a record five field goals and scoring 17 of Seattle’s 29 points. During that game, Myers set the record for most field goals made in a Super Bowl and for most points scored by any player in an NFL season.
Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Cinematographer

Autumn Durald Arkapaw (Source: Wikipedia)

Born in Oxnard, California, and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Arkapaw is a cinematographer and director known for Sinners (2025), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), and Loki (2021). She is married to Adam Arkapaw, and they have one child. She studied at Loyola Marymount University and graduated from the American Film Institute. She won the 2025 Best Cinematography award for Sinners at the Boston Society of Film Critics Awards, the New York Film Critics Circle Awards, the National Board of Review Awards, and the National Society of Film Critics Awards. She is a nominee for Best Achievement in Cinematography at the 2026 Academy Awards for the same film, becoming the first woman of color nominated for the award. Arkapaw is of Filipino descent on her mother’s side and African American Creole on her father’s side.
Dr. Raoul Carlo F. Angangco, Choral Educator

Dr. Raoul Carlo F. Angangco (Source: Hastings College/Facebook)

On December 6, 2025, choral conductor and educator Angangco was among the national winners of The American Prize, earning third place in the highly competitive Professional Division of the Choral Performance category. Unique among choral ensembles at the renowned Jacobs School of Music, the Conductors Chorus is a professional ensemble that performs for master’s and doctoral choral conducting students’ degree recitals every semester. In the spring of 2023, the ensemble was assembled and directed by Angangco. Having received a grant from the Presser Graduate Music Award in 2022, Angangco led the Conductors Chorus in a unique recital project involving the commissioning, premiering, and recording of four new works by U.S.-based Filipino composers: Nilo Alcala, Saunder Choi, GP Eleria, and Robin Estrada. The project was titled Sa Inang Bayan: To the Motherland, in line with its theme of exploring Filipino identity. The new works were professionally recorded by the Conductors Chorus in collaboration with Dominick DiOrio (recital mentor and recording producer) and Jamie Tagg (audio engineer). The album is available on major streaming platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music. Angangco’s success underscores the growing presence and impact of Filipino musicians and conductors in international classical music. Rooted in Filipino heritage, Angangco’s Sa Inang Bayan project demonstrates how diasporic artists can build bridges between cultures, enriching the global choral repertoire while honoring their origins. A product of two Philippine institutions—the Ateneo de Manila University (BS Management ’13) and the University of the Philippines (BM Choral Conducting ’18, summa cum laude)—Angangco came to the U.S. in 2019 to pursue graduate studies in choral conducting, eventually earning degrees from Westminster Choir College (MM ’21) and Indiana University (DM ’24).
Angangco is currently based in Hastings, Nebraska, where he proudly serves as Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Hastings College. He is also Artistic Director, Conductor, and Co-Founder of LALÒ, a trailblazing new Filipino American choral ensemble based in the San Francisco Bay Area, with the mission of championing Philippine choral music in the U.S.
Tallulah Proulx, Alpine Skier

Tallulah Proulx (Source: MYTV Cebu)

Proulx is a dual citizen of the Philippines and the United States. She is partly of African American descent, and her father is from Eastern Samar. She grew up in Berkeley, California, and took up alpine skiing while vacationing in Lake Tahoe. She started skiing competitively at age seven. Proulx began representing the Philippines in FIS-sanctioned tournaments in August 2024. This was inspired by Filipino American alpine skier Asa Miller’s participation in the 2018 Winter Olympics, which led to the Proulx family’s move to Park City, Utah, in 2019. With earning a slot on the United States ski team being more difficult, Proulx decided to represent the Philippines. She skied for the Philippines at the 2025 Asian Winter Games in China, finishing 16th in the slalom. She qualified for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. Proulx is the first woman to compete for the Philippines in the Winter Olympics.
Dr. Pedro A. Jose, Professor of Medicine

Dr. Pedro A. Jose (Source: GWU)

Jose is Professor of Medicine and of Pharmacology and Physiology at the George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences. He is also a guest lecturer at several universities and learned societies in the U.S. and many countries around the world. He received his MD degree, magna cum laude, meritissimus, from the University of Santo Tomas, Philippines, and placed first in the Philippine National Board Examinations in Medicine and Surgery. He received his PhD in Physiology from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., and defended his dissertation with distinction. He is a past President of the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology. The primary goal of Dr. Jose’s research is to determine the genetic and pharmacogenetic bases of human essential hypertension and metabolic syndrome. He has published more than 380 scientific articles in book chapters and journals. Dr. Jose has received several academic and research awards, including the 2003 Lewis K. Dahl Memorial Lecture (American Heart Association), the 2007 Ernest H. Starling Distinguished Lecture (American Physiological Society), the 2007 MERIT Award (National Institutes of Health), the 2015 Excellence Award for Hypertension Research (American Heart Association), and the 2019 Pamana ng Pilipino Award (Research), Republic of the Philippines. (Submitted by Benedict Lund)
Terry Acebo Davis, Artist and Nurse

Terry Acebo Davis (Source: 90 Institute/Facebook)

Born in Oakland, California, the oldest of six children, Acebo Davis earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from California State University, Hayward, in 1976, followed by graduate coursework in Pediatric Oncology at the University of California, San Francisco. In 1991, she was awarded a Bachelor of Fine Arts by San Jose State University, followed by an MFA in 1993. Rather than becoming a full-time artist, Acebo Davis chose to balance making art with work as a professional nurse, serving as a Pediatric Critical Care Transport Specialist at Stanford Medical Center. About her artwork, Phoebe Farris writes, “Acebo Davis’ ability to not only manage but lucidly express her complex identity as a Filipino American printmaker, mixed-media artist, lecturer, and nurse fuels her highly meditative work… Acebo Davis presents to her viewers visual mantras, simultaneously pleasing in their careful compositions yet hauntingly thought-provoking in their subject matter.” Acebo Davis has served as Chairwoman of the Palo Alto Public Art Commission; as a Trustee for Arts Council Silicon Valley; and as board president and advisor for WORKS/San Jose. She is a member of the DIWA Filipino artists' collective and regularly lectures on Filipino identity, including at the Smithsonian Institution, the University of Pennsylvania, and Mills College. (Submitted by Peter Bacho)
Leonor R. Fuller, Lawyer and College Board Trustee

Leonor R. Fuller (Source: Fuller and FUller)

Fuller earned her B.A., M.A., and Juris Doctor degrees from the University of Washington. Fuller was one of the longest-serving community college trustees in the state and was twice elected Chair of the South Puget Sound Community College Board of Trustees. During her 17-year tenure, she worked to help promote the legislative priorities of SPSCC and Washington’s community college system. In 2019, the SPSCC Board of Trustees unanimously voted to name the college’s art gallery the Leonor R. Fuller Gallery to acknowledge Leonor’s “legacy of compassion, commitment, and support” of the college and her advocacy on behalf of community college students. She began her legal career at the Seattle City Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor and civil litigator. Leonor served as Chair of the Women of the Washington State Association of Justice and was a founding board member of the WSAJ Foundation. She is Vice Chair of the University of Washington Board for 2025–2026. (Submitted by Peter Bacho)
Paolo Pasco, Jeopardy! Winner

Paolo Pasco (Source: Facebook)

Filipino American Pasco is the winner of the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions, with a dominant clean sweep, becoming the first contestant to do so in TOC history. In addition to the $250,000 prize, Pasco’s win also earned him a spot in the upcoming Masters tournament. A graduate of Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts degree, major in Computer Science, Pasco grew up in San Diego, California. His path to becoming a professional crossword constructor began on a family road trip when he was in the eighth grade. He had enjoyed other puzzles before then, especially Sudoku and the Dell Magazine puzzle books sold in airports. On that trip, he downloaded the New York Times crossword app to his tablet; by the end of the trip, he had found a new passion. Only twenty-five years old, Pasco constructs crosswords for The Atlantic, The New Yorker, The New York Times, AVCX, and Defector, among other venues. He was the champion of the 2024 American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. He lives in Brooklyn, NY. He is also skilled in editing, computer science, mathematics, and creative writing. He is the Games Editor at TED. (Submitted by Dr. Agnes Alikpala)
Clarissa Reyes Falcon, Chair of the California Transportation Commission

Clarissa Reyes Falcon (Source: Falcon Strategies)

Effective March 1, 2026, Falcon chairs the California Transportation Commission, becoming the first Asian American to be elected from the San Diego region since 2008. She is a government and public relations professional with 30 years of experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, including 14 years working for the State Assembly and State Senate. In 2010, she founded Falcon Strategies, a firm that specializes in strategic communications, project and issue advocacy, coalition building, and public policy analysis, guiding clients through complicated government processes while deploying holistic approaches to engaging with commuters. She was recognized as Woman of the Year by former Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins and former State Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez.
Rick Rocamora, Photojournalist

Rick Rocamora (Photo courtesy of Rick Rocamora)

Rocamora is an award-winning documentary photographer whose work focuses on the immigrant community and their contributions to America, as well as human rights, civil liberties, and social and economic inequalities in the Philippines. Rocamora is the author of eight photo books: Filipino WWII Soldiers: America’s Second-Class Veterans, Human Wrongs, Alagang Angara, A Long Road to Dignity, Muslim-Americans (published by the Tokyo University for Foreign Studies Press), DARK MEMORIES of Torture, Incarceration, Disappearance and Death under Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.’s Martial Law, Blood, Sweat, Hope, and Quiapo; Rodallie S. Mosende Story, and Sigma Rho Way of Life, published in June 2025. His work is part of the permanent collections of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the U.S. State Department Art in Embassies Program, as well as private and institutional collections. His work is widely exhibited in national and international museums and galleries, published in print and online, and aired on various broadcast news outlets. Before pursuing a career in documentary photography, he held sales, marketing, and management positions in the U.S. pharmaceutical industry for 18 years.
Erwin Mina, FANHS Museum President

Erwin Mina (Photo by Minerva Amistoso)

Mina is the Board President of the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) Museum, based in Stockton, California. A product of San Jose State University, Mina has over 20 years of experience in the technology field, specializing in program, account, and project management and sales support. The museum presents educational programs and experiences that preserve, explore, and celebrate the history of Filipinos in the United States. It is the only museum of its kind in America.

Artists Novy Bereber and Ignatius Jones: Not Like Everybody Else

Maria Carmen Sarmiento — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 18:30:31 +0000

Novy Bereber and Ignatius Jones (Photo courtesy of Maria Carmen Sarmiento)

There is, within us, always the longing for home. The Buddhist sage Thich Nhat Hanh teaches that our beloved is also our home, where we feel most cared for and safe. For the internationally acclaimed Filipino dancer and choreographer, Novy Berber, who had spent 25 years performing in world arenas and theaters, this was fully realized when his husband, the renowned Australian theater and events director Ignatius Jones, came back with him to settle in Iloilo City.
Jones’ health problems had slowed him down. Although he was 20 years younger than his “Gâ,” short for the Ilonggo palangga, or darling, which was his term of endearment for Nacho Jones, Novy had already stopped dancing on stage. When they decided to make Iloilo their home in 2022, they both wanted to share with Filipinos what they had learned and practiced for world-class audiences.
Jones believed that Iloilo arts and culture could be world-class. As the Sinulog is to Cebu, and the Ati-Atihan is to Aklan, so is the Dinagyang to Iloilo. Toward the end of every January, Iloilo’s Dinagyang Festival draws over a million visitors from all over the Philippines and abroad. Hundreds of thousands of merrymakers throng the streets to watch the varied cultural performances. Jones conceptualized the “Dinagyang ILOmination” (a pun on illumination), the artfully lighted and choreographed Friday evening procession of Ati tribes and floats that marks the start of the culminating Dinagyang weekend. Novy was more often a judge for the performances and served as a creative director and consultant for the Miss Iloilo Pageant, another of the Dinagyang highlights. When it comes to spectacle, more is always more. The Dinagyang has been called the “Queen of Philippine Festivals” and has received numerous awards.
Homecoming of Sorts

Ignatius Jones and Boy George (Photo courtesy of Maria Carmen Sarmiento)

Coincidentally, returning to the Philippines was also a homecoming of sorts for Ignatius “Nacho” Jones, a.k.a. Juan Ignacio Rafaelo Lorenzo Trapaga y Esteban. Long before he transformed into Ignatius Jones, AM (Order of Australia), which Queen Elizabeth II had awarded him for his contributions to entertainment and literature, he was born in Singalong, Manila, in the late 1950s and had spent his early childhood there. The Trapagas had Basque roots, while on his mother’s Esteban side, Jones was Catalan. Creativity and musicality ran on both sides of the family. The Trapaga grandfather was an orchestra conductor, and his son, the patriarch Nestor Juan, played the violin, conga, and bongo drums. Nacho Jones and his younger sister, Monica Trapaga, would later manifest this musical talent. Their Esteban maternal grandfather was a professional cartoonist and an erstwhile actor, while the grandmother, Mary Case Esteban, had a clothing atelier showcasing her own designs and ran a catering service for state events. Imelda Romualdez Marcos was among her clients.
In 1963, Nestor Trapaga and Margot Esteban left their comfortable life in Manila behind to migrate to Australia with their three young children: Juan Ignacio, Luis Miguel, and Rocio Maria. Nacho grew up in the Sydney suburb of Wahroonga and adopted dual Australian-Spanish citizenship. He excelled in the Classics at his prep school, even competing for top honors with Tony Abbott, who later became the 28th Prime Minister of Australia. Despite his academic proficiency, Jones did not proceed to university but founded Australia’s first “shock rock” band, Jimmy and the Boys, where he was the lead singer and contortionist.
The Australian rock journalist Jenny Hunter-Brown gleefully called them “a high voltage package of filth, glorious filth.” Their songs on Spotify bear the E warning for explicit content, but they were also great fun. The rock music historian Ian McFarlane describes their popular performances as having “mixed S&M trappings, sex shop props, mock rape, and other depravities with sub-Zappaesque humor, hard rock, jazz, reggae and disco.” Jones performed his hit song, Not Like Everybody Else, in a white dinner jacket, which he hilariously stripped away to reveal a studded leather-and-chains BDSM harness. The release of their album of the same title was delayed for being too obscene. On the Donnie Sutherland talk show Sounds After Dark, Jones and the band’s transvestite keyboardist Joylene Thornbird Hairmouth (Billy O’Riordan in real life) deadpanned about forming a political party known as “The Cocktail Party.”
Unstoppable

(L-R) Novy Bereber, director Baz Luhrmann and Ignatius Jones (Photo courtesy of Maria Carmen Sarmiento)

After Jimmy and the Boys disbanded, Jones was unstoppable. He was versatile, to say the least. In a 180-degree turn from the band, he formed a straight vintage jazz trio, Pardon Me Boys, with his younger sister Monica Trapaga (who sang the theme song for the Bananas in Pyjamas children’s show) and directed her children’s music videos. He also acted on stage and screen and co-authored the tongue-in-cheek bestsellers True Hip and The True Hip Manual with Pat Sheill. In the late 1990s, Jones staged The Olympic Journey Begins, featuring roadshows in 27 Australian cities as a lead-up to the 2000 Sydney Olympics. He would go on to direct the Vancouver Winter Olympics and other high-profile events for Sydney. As the director of the 2002 Gay Games Opening Ceremony, Jones declared that “Australia and the gay and lesbian community is not so much a melting pot… We are more of a mixed salad, where every part remains separate, yet adds to the wonder of the whole… I have been lucky; I have never had to come out. I was never in.”
Meanwhile, back in the Philippines, young Noviembre “Novy” Bereber (thus christened because he had been born on November 11) was off to a much rockier start. At the tender age of three, his parents had separated. Little Novy, their only child, was removed from his familiar home in Roxas, Capiz, to be shuttled among his grandparents and his mother’s several sisters in Iloilo City, while his mother became an OFW in the Middle East. His father had left them for his other family. As dearly as his grandmother and his aunts loved him, the sensitive young child acutely felt the loss of the only home he had ever known and the absence of his parents. Sometimes, he would stay with his grandmother in Molo, or with an aunt in Hippodromo, Delgado, or Jaro. He made light of his peripatetic lifestyle, saying, “I was an NPA when I was very young: No Permanent Address.”

Novy dances (Photo by Jojo Mamangun)

Their family was of modest means, yet they did not begrudge him what they could share. For one of his birthdays, his maternal grandmother, Fay Yap Pacheo, long retired as a public-school teacher, made him a layer cake out of paper because she could not afford to buy him a real one with her meager pension. An aunt who worked in the administration office of SM took him along with her on weekends. She would plunk the fair-skinned, fine-featured little boy on top of her desk, and he would regale her office mates by vivaciously dancing to pop tunes on the radio. He would be rewarded with cash, which he would then use to buy treats in the school canteen to augment his baon. Another aunt made yema candies, which Novy would sell to his classmates. He was well-liked, but it was his gift for dance that would distinguish him even as a child.
Dance Beginnings
In 1989, when Novy was in the third grade, a sympathetic teacher recognized his talent and arranged for him to dance solo before the entire Iloilo Central Elementary School to his own upbeat choreography of Jamie Baby’s Kasi Bata. That was his first taste of performing publicly before a large audience. Novy was with the first batch of the Iloilo National High School Class of Performing Arts, where he joined the Dagyaw Theater Dance Company, founded by Mr. Edwin C. Duero, who was also instrumental in shaping the Dinagyang Festival. It was Duero who added pageantry and distinctive theater to what had previously been perfunctory and repetitive performances by drably authentic Ati tribes, who had descended to Iloilo City upon the City Tourism Office’s invitation. The Dagyaw Theater Dance Company was invited to perform in Europe and the USA for the 1998 World Expo, giving Novy his first exposure on an international stage.
Sadly, his own mother was not proud of his achievements. Instead of appreciating his physical grace and talent, she was shrilly homophobic and would cruelly criticize and deride his effeminacy. Since she had been absent for most of his formative years, she blamed her mother and sisters for making him an agî or baklâ (gay). If not for the mentorship of his teacher Edwin Duero and the steadying influence of his high school bestie, Madeleine Sia Ang, whose stable family welcomed and accepted him, Novy might have succumbed to adolescent angst—or worse.

Novy taught a class in sydney back in 2012 (SOurce; Facebook)

After high school, Novy realized that a conventional college degree was not for him. His negligent father had coldly rebuffed all his appeals for support. Boldly, he went to Manila, hoping he might travel to Japan as a “cultural performer.” It was a difficult time, with Novy sharing a tiny room in Pasay with five other struggling young provincianos, one of whom was his cousin. There was no furniture, so they slept side by side on a banig (mat) on the floor and shared a bathroom with others living in similarly cramped quarters in the same decrepit house. Although he had not had any formal dance classes, the recruitment agency he applied with recognized that he was exceptional and hired him to train other “cultural performers.” For each student who passed as a “cultural dancer” for work abroad, he was paid the then-princely sum of P5,000. Being enterprising, he used part of this to buy leotards and dancewear in Divisoria, and Iloilo delicacies, which he would then sell to his students and fellow dancers.
At each stage in his life, Novy believes he has been guided by mentors whom he calls his angels. After Edwin Duero came Osias Barroso, the associate director of Lisa Macuja’s Ballet Manila. Barroso was conducting a workshop for the recruitment agency that Novy was working for. He remembered Novy from Duero’s Dagyaw Theater Dance Troupe. Although Novy had no classical training, Barroso believed he had a place in Ballet Philippines, where the choreographer Agnes Locsin had a modern Filipino dance repertoire. Barroso was right, and Novy became a full scholar of Ballet Philippines in 2000 and was a soloist during workshop recitals.
Another angel, in the form of Ballet Philippines choreographer-director Alden Lugnasin, was then part of Novy’s journey as a dancer. He became a regular member of the dance troupe and was the soloist for the ballet Buhay. Novy’s own choreography, To Whom It May Concern, became part of Ballet Philippines’ repertoire and was one of Margie Moran’s favorites. By 2004, Novy felt confident enough to resign from Ballet Philippines to become a freelance choreographer, doing corporate events. For the opening and closing ceremonies of Cinemalaya in 2005, Chris Millado had Novy do the choreography. It has been this way ever since.
Making It
The year 2005 was also when Novy made it to the international scene in a big way as a principal dancer for the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. And who would be the event director? Ignatius Jones. During the after-party, Nacho gave Novy his personal card. In the succeeding days, Jones’ chauffeur and car would come calling for Novy. There would be intimate dinners for two in the privacy of Jones’ Doha villa. And so the seeds of romance were planted.
The following year, Novy was back in Manila. He auditioned for the Broadway Asia production of The King and I and was cast as an alternate in the role of Simon Legree. When the production went to Shanghai, Nacho Jones surprised Novy by being in the audience. Afterwards, he came backstage with flowers and invited all the Filipino cast members to a party in his hotel room. That was when Novy realized that Nacho was serious.
Although Ignatius Jones was one of the top event directors in the world, Novy still had to audition just like everyone else for a part in the 2008 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Bereber and Jones may have been romantically involved by then, but their personal lives were separate from their professional careers. To get a permit as a working student in Canada, Novy enrolled in English and Culture at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Novy still paid his own way even when he moved into Jones’ well-appointed apartment in a Sydney heritage building. He did not take part in the vibrant Sydney drag and pageant queen scene but enjoyed hosting dinner parties for their close friends as Poquesia Jones, the glamorous lady of the Jones household.
Novy continued to upgrade his skills. He got certified as a Stott Pilates instructor and taught contemporary dance and modern ballet at the Sydney Dance Company. Despite being a couple with Jones, he maintained his financial independence and even worked part-time as a receptionist at an aesthetics clinic. A high point in his professional career was the reprise of his role as Simon in Sydney’s The King and I, with Lou Diamond Phillips and Jason Scott Lee alternating as the king. Dancing at the Sydney Opera House was a dream come true, and after this, he was ready to stop performing as a solo dancer.

Novy and Jason Scott Lee (Source: Facebook)

Taking the Big Leap
When Australia legalized gay marriage, Novy and Nacho took the big leap on Octobr 12, 2018. They had been living together for over ten years by then. Like any Filipino, Novy wanted to celebrate with his loved ones in Iloilo, so on his 40th birthday in 2019, he and his Gâ affirmed their vows at the Nelly Garden, a neo-colonial mansion built by a member of the Lopez clan in Jaro, Iloilo City. Five years later, Nelly Garden would also be the venue for a rebirth-day party Novy held for his Gâ, who had passed away in 2024 from complications of kidney and liver disease.
Living together had its own highs and lows. With his advancing age and deteriorating health, Gâ became increasingly needy and demanding. Then one day, Novy saw a sign on the Sydney Opera House bulletin board looking for teachers willing to work with Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. He was intrigued. A paternal aunt had died of this cruel, incurable disease. He signed on, and it changed his entire perspective on his life and career. In an epiphany, he realized how lucky he was to still have the gift of movement and bodily control. He became more patient with his Gâ. He went for further training with Mark Morris’s Dance for Parkinson’s in New York. Dancing helps to slow the progression of the disease and improves PD patients’ posture, coordination, mood, and core strength.
Then came COVID-19, when Novy and Nacho could not travel because of lockdowns. That period became a test for many relationships, but for them, it was more of a second honeymoon. With only each other for company, 24/7, through those pandemic years, their relationship mellowed and matured. Every day was precious. They realized how truly blessed they were.

Novy made it to the international scene in a big way as a principal dancer for the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. And who would be the event director? Ignatius Jones.

When COVID travel restrictions were lifted, Novy returned to Iloilo with Sayaw PD (Parkinson’s Disease). Holding these free classes of guided movements for the mobility-impaired has become his way of paying it forward and sharing the gift of dance with those who least expect it. Sayaw PD is Novy’s gift not just to Iloilo, but to anyone with an internet connection who cares to join the free classes online. He or a senior teacher leads classes face to face every Wednesday at 11 a.m., Philippine time, at various venues such as the Asilo de Molo, Museo Iloilo, and even LGU multipurpose halls. There are no wrong movements, as the classes aim to bring joy to those living with Parkinson’s disease through chair-based dance sessions. Seniors who also have balance and mobility issues, or patients with other kinds of movement disorders, are likewise welcome to join. Sayaw PD has become his major advocacy, with the taglines: “May sayá sa bawat galaw—may kasama sa bawat sayaw” (There’s joy in every movement—there’s someone with you in every dance).

Love from Novy and Nacho (Photo courtesy of Maria Carmen Sarmiento)

Ignatius Jones returned to Iloilo too; it turned out to be for good. Realizing his end was near, Nacho first made sure that Novy -- the little boy who had once been an NPA (No Permanent Address)—would be home safe. Their portrait hangs in the Bereber Pilates Studio in North Grove, Molo, Iloilo City, which, sadly, Nacho did not live long enough to see. He did get to see the larger Pilates Studio in Anaros Subdivision, Mandurriao, Iloilo City. In his final weeks, tired of suffering while prolonging his life, Nacho defiantly refused to take his meds or undergo drastic medical procedures. “You can fuck me dead,” he had flippantly replied to his nurses’ pleas.
He also made Novy promise to scatter some of his ashes in the Spanish village of Trapaga, where his father’s Basque forbears had come from. This had been on Nacho’s bucket list, and just as he had made sure Novy would return to the land of his birth, he also wanted part of himself to return to his. After all, they were each other’s home.

Maria Carmen Sarmiento is an award winning writer and the former Executive Director of the PAL Foundation. She can be reached at menchusarmiento@gmail.com; menchusarmiento@ymail.com.

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