The Wutz Up in the Philippines!

WASHINGTON D.C. Hundreds came to remember, and to honor former President Corazon Aquino at the historic St. Matthews Cathedral.

Her portrait welcomed churchgoers.

Fil-Ams joined friends and family of Mrs. Aquino who attended the memorial mass. Three cousins of her husband, former Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., live in the area.

The mass was officiated by Msgr. Ronald Jameson and Filipino priest Jose Opalda.

It was the second time mass was being celebrated for a Philippine president in St. Matthews, the seat of the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington DC.

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In the mid-eighties when I entered the seminary to check if ever I really had the vocation to the missionary life, one of the reasons why I decided to join the Scalabrinian Congregation was due to my family situation. My father was then working as a mechanic in Saudi Arabia. I also had a brother in Kuwait and another brother who was a seafarer.

That time, there were also my aunties who were working as nurses in Canada who later on asked their families to join them as immigrants. Later did I realize that we will become a family of migrants.

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I’ve been hosting a talk show on ANC/TFC called Crossing Borders, which just concluded its first season last week. The concept of the show is empowering the Filipino, wherever in the world he finds himself. It’s a self-help show that tackles issues and concerns that Filipinos face when they are abroad – from immigration, employment, human trafficking, psychological matters, financial matters, and the list goes on.

The objective is to provide the viewers with reliable and up-to-date information from myself and from experts that we guest on the show. Through the show, Filipinos would be able to help themselves deal with their concerns or know where to find help. And of course, my favorites is the Q&A portion, where I get to answer questions on U.S. immigration that people send in via email, text, or post on our multiply site.

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An elderly Filipino couple was found dead inside their home in Rockford, Illinois, Wednesday night.

The Winnebago county coroner’s office said 77-year-old Reynato Cardino and his 74-year-old wife Leticia died of blunt force trauma, indicating that they were battered to death.

The couple was found dead inside their Pleasant View Avenue home in Rockford a few days after returning from their vacation in Zamboanga, Philippines.

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Nestor Figaroa had sold his tricycle’s sidecar to add to the money that they used to buy a return plane ticket for his wife who is still in Oman.

“Naghanap po kami ng pera. ‘Yong sidecar ko naibenta ko para lang maidagdag sa pambili ng plane ticket ng asawa ko dahil yun po ang sabi ng agency ng Oman,” Figaroa said.

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MANILA, Philippines—“Aliw!” What fun!

“The Eraserheads by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra! I really believe the Eraserheads should be National Artists,” said a gleeful and amused Jed Segovia.

The 24-year-old artist was in serious-chic suit, his first, bought only a week before to wear to this fashion show at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) that would marry high fashion and the arts.

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The misery of the remaining 68 Filipino bus drivers still stranded in Dubai could soon be over.

Labor Secretary Marianito Roque said he was able to talk with various government officials in the United Arab Emirates and several agreements have been reached to address the issue.

Roque was a guest at the migrant workers’ day at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Dubai.

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The lone Filipino passenger of an Air France flight that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean has been identified.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Arden Jugueta was a seafarer whose vessel docked in Rio de Janeiro. Jugueta was to take a connecting flight from Paris to Manila.

Jugueta was among the 228 listed passengers and crew of Air France flight 447 that left Rio de Janeiro en route for Paris, France on the evening of May 31 (Brasilia time).

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Filipinos and French nationals held a protest rally to demand justice for the death of a Pinoy teenager who was stabbed by one of five students who attacked him in Trappe, Paris, France.

The victim was identified as 16-years-old Sharif Ibrahim, a student at the College le Village in Trappes, France.

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One of the top attractions at Gateway Mall’s main building in Quezon City is an enclosed garden paradise. The place houses The Oasis, a unique floating garden and restaurant managed by the Mandarin Oriental Cafe and Deli.

The 450 square-meter restaurant is enclosed in transparent glass. It showcases a variety of exotic flora in a lush tropical setting, making it an ideal venue for fine dining and cocktail parties. Within the garden are towering 60-foot Royal Palms, which extend up to the uppermost floor of the building. Other plants include colorful, flowering bromeliads, anthuriums, heliconias, ginger plants and aglaonemas.

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