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Tag Archives: PinoyWatchDog.com

USA: Filipinos everywhere celebrate Calungsod canonization

December 24, 2012   Dionesio C. Grava   No comments

by Dionesio C. Grava
First posted in www.pinoywatchdog.com

I recall a Sunday afternoon performance by young thespians from Davao City at the regally cavernous Hall of Liberty set at the elevated end of beautiful Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills. It was about the Catholic church’s Padre Diego (Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores) and his young assistant Pedro Calungsod spreading the gospel to the Chamorros in 1672 in the Marianas. Their proselytizing greatly enraged a local headman, which led to their persecution and ultimately death.

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USA: Rep. Erin Tanada: PHL better-off now on human rights

December 18, 2012   Dionesio C. Grava   No comments

Words and photos by Dionesio C. Grava
First posted in  www.pinoywatchdog.com

pinoywatchdog-memorial-and-forum

Under different circumstances she may have preferred to be somewhere else. However, being the face of the administration in this part, Consul General Hellen Barber-De La Vega had to respond in defense of what admittedly is not among her country’s shining moments — the human rights issue — and at the same time be wary of the sensitivities of her hosts. After all it was a commemoration of a heinous episode of our country’s history where many officials in the government had bloodied hands.

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USA: Charitable Groups Mobilize, Appeal for Donations for “Pablo” Typhoon Victims

December 17, 2012   Dionesio C. Grava   No comments

By Dionesio C. Grava, Deputy Managing Editor
First Posted in  www.pinoywatchdog.com

Philippine Ambassador to Washington, D.C. Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. said that individuals and organizations in the US who would like to assist in the relief assistance can send their cash donations to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (www.ndrrmc.gov.ph); the Department of Social Welfare and Development (www.dswd.gov.ph); and the Philippine National Red Cross (www.redcross.org.ph).

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USA: Bonifacio Day – Recounting the heinous execution of a hero

December 16, 2012   Dionesio C. Grava   No comments

By Dionesio C. Grava
First posted in www.pinoywatchdog.com

In her welcome address during a program marking the November 30 birth anniversary of Andres Bonifacio, Consul General Hellen Barber-De La Vega said: “This observance of Bonifacio Day is important because next year we will be commemorating the 150th anniversary of our hero’s birth. I am, therefore, happy to see among us young Filipino-Americans, because this is also a good opportunity for us to educate them, especially those born and raised in the United States, on the significance of the life and works of Andres Bonifacio in the history of the Filipino people.”

Unfortunately that aspect of history has remained murky more than 115 years after Andres Bonifacio was executed at the height of the Filipino rebellion against the oppressive Spanish colonizers. In an audio-visual presentation during that consulate event, Deputy Congen Daniel R. Espiritu brought into focus that very contentious issue surrounding the death of the Philippine hero.

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USA: FilAm militants hold mass action in support of veterans

December 12, 2012   Dionesio C. Grava   No comments

Text and photos by Dionesio C. Grava
First Posted in  www.pinoywatchdog.com

In connection with the recent celebration of Veterans Day protesters composed mostly of young Filipino Americans crowded the streets of Entertainment Capital-USA and held a rally in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theater on Hollywood Blvd.

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USA: A repository of FilAm heritage at Echo Park Library

November 25, 2012   Dionesio C. Grava   No comments

Words and photos by Dionesio C. Grava
First posted in pinoywatchdog.com

Architect Greg Villanueva is an old timer who had vivid memories of what it was like generations ago. Ditto with book author Carlene Sobrino Bonnivier who, like Villanueva, is also a long time habitué of what is now Historic Filipinotown. The two were among community leaders who spearheaded the establishment of the Philippine Heritage Collection at the Echo Park public library in Temple St., Los Angeles.

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Congressman Mandanas: Former close ally now a critic of P-Noy

November 18, 2012   Dionesio C. Grava   No comments

Congressman Mandanas and Marlene "Princess" Robertson

Words and photos by Dionesio C. Grava
First posted in  pinoywatchdog.com

Rep. Hermilando Mandanas of Batangas was a long time political ally of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee until he defied his party’s stand in the contentious impeachment case of then Supreme Court Justice Renato Corona in December, last year.

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USA: LA schools embark on anti-obesity, healthy food program

November 01, 2012   Dionesio C. Grava   No comments

by Dionesio C. Grava
First posted in: pinoywatchdog.com

Pressed for an answer, the young Filipino American conceded that the food was okay as far as he was concerned. However, in a talk with PinoyWatchdog later, Karl Pascasio reiterated his reservations. He wished there were more choices such as, for example, Filipino food.

The teenager came to the U.S. with his parents in 1999 and had visited his birthplace, Quezon City, four years ago. He still speaks the mother tongue and “comfortable with the food of my country.” “My country” being the Philippines. More than 100 Filipinos attend the

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USA: Batangas Rep. Mandanas in LA for OAV, dual citizenship talks

October 27, 2012   Dionesio C. Grava   No comments

Words and photo by Dionesio C. Grava
First posted in:  pinoywatchdog.com

First the good news: There has been a steep climb in the number of registrants for Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) within the jurisdictional area of the Los Angeles-based Consulate General of the Philippines.

When the registration process was started in 2003 the registrants reached a total of 402. The current registration period from Oct. 31, 2011 has seen that number rise to 29,639. At the rate registration is growing and if sustained, in 5-15 years we may have 100,000 registrants, said the consulate officer-in-charge, Deputy Consul General Daniel R. Espiritu. Registration ends in the last day of this month.

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USA: FilAms celebrate heritage

October 16, 2012   Dionesio C. Grava   No comments

FilAms celebrate heritage
Words and photos by Dionesio C. Grava
First posted in  pinoywatchdog.com

This time of year is Filipino American History Month. Expect a number of activities celebrating “425 years of heritage and culture of Filipino Americans and their achievements, contributions, and the historical presence of Filipinos in the United States Filipino.”

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USA: Rizal monument reinforces ties with the homeland

October 07, 2012   Dionesio C. Grava   No comments

Words and photos by Dionesio C. Grava
Source:  pinoywatchdog.com

In his book Rizal Without the Overcoat, Prof. Ambeth Ocampo mentioned that although Jose Rizal was denied his request to face the execution squad, he managed to twist his body at the last moment and fell to the ground with his face to the sky. The way he wanted it.

Ocampo’s book also dealt on the matter of coup de grace. The soldiers granted Rizal’s other request that his head be spared from the damage of gunfire but that in the end the squad leader delivered a fatal shot on that very same spot to make sure Rizal was not feigning

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USA: A sense of disrespect on a Philippine official at FACLA

September 24, 2012   Dionesio C. Grava   No comments

Words and photos by Dionesio C. Grava
First posted in: pinoywatchdog.com

On the occasion of the celebration of Philippine National Heroes Day Austin G. Baul, president of the Filipino American Community of Los Angeles (FACLA), exhorted the audience to “bring out the heroes in all of us” in order that we may achieve unity in the Filipino American community.

Monday, August 27, is listed in the Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines as National Heroes Day, one of the nationwide regular holidays and special non-working days for the year 2012. But even as Mr. Baul lauded some achievers including caregivers and professionals as his kind of heroes during the August 31 event, there was also a sense of apprehension that a serious act of incivility may have been committed against the office that Los Angeles-based Deputy Consul General Daniel R. Espiritu, the invited guest speaker, represents.

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USA: The Gomez paradox endures

September 20, 2012   Dionesio C. Grava   No comments

Words and photos by Dionesio C. Grava

Maita Gomez, aka Margarita Favis Gomez, was one of Pitoy Moreno’s top models, a Miss Philippines-World, the scion of a rich landed family and had a family of her own (she was then married to Perez-Rubio with whom she had a daughter, Melissa) when she decided to join the underground movement in the fight against the Marcos dictatorship.

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USA: All that jazz!

September 14, 2012   Dionesio C. Grava   No comments

Words and photos by Dionesio C. Grava
First posted in  pinoywatchdog.com

For a while those Anglo features fooled me. But Mitch Franco has a Filipina mother, the former recording artist Gemma Franco, and that makes him Filipino. Good-looking and tall for his 19 years, Mitch is a crooner who would not be out of place in any kind of musical programs. His “Fly Me to the Moon,” for example, made the ladies and the gays in the

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USA: Big waves by Pinay militants in Hollywood rally

September 11, 2012   Dionesio C. Grava   No comments

Participants from women's groups congregate in Hollywood Blvd. for the start of the Women’s Equality Day rally.

Words and photos by Dionesio C. Grava
First posted in  pinoywatchdog.com

The fighting words emanated from the stage: “Makibaka!” Some in the crowd responded: “Huwag matakot!”

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USA: Historic Filipinotown turns 10

August 24, 2012   Dionesio C. Grava   No comments

Words and photos by Dionesio C. Grava
First posted in pinoywatchdog.com

LOS ANGELES — Saturday, August 4, marked the 10th anniversary of the designation of Historic Filipinotown (HIFI) in Los Angeles. Celebrations kicked off with the 7:30 am sixth annual HIFI Festival and 5k Run/Walk overseen by the Historic Filipinotown Neighborhood Council (HIFINC).

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