In the United States Army, the term “commander” is officially applied to the commanding officer of a unit; hence, there are company commanders, battalion commanders and brigade commanders. On June 6, at a ceremony at General’s Field, Honolulu, Hawaii, a young Filipino-American Captain in the US Army was promoted to the position of Company Commander….
ONCE again, a Filipino has made his country proud by gaining honor and prestige in the international arena. On April 29, 2013, Canada’s Department of Justice has announced the historic appointment of the first Filipino-Canadian into the Supreme Court of Justice of Ontario, Honorable Justice Steve Anthony Banate Coroza. Justice Coroza will be the superior…
THE University of Massachusetts (UMass) Dartmouth, a low-profile university in Massachusetts, was put in the spotlight several weeks ago, when it was discovered that the accused suspect in the Boston Marathon bombing, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, was one of its students. What would interest Filipinos around the world is that a few days before the Boston Marathon…
ON MARCH 4, 2013, CNN reported the incredible news that a baby was cured of HIV, as announced at the 2013 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Atlanta. The baby girl from Mississippi is the first child to be “functionally cured” of HIV. Filipinos the world over will be proud to know that a…
IN October 2012, an international conference was held in Cape Town, Africa. Here, four of the world’s top forensic DNA experts did a presentation on “Forensic DNA Profiling and The Law.” Leading the DNA experts is Chris Asplen, former Assistant US Attorney and Executive Director of the National Commission on the Future of DNA Evidence…
Several weeks ago, a Filipino-American was posthumously honored in Hawaii. The Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce Foundation announced the inaugural Richard Caldito Government Service Scholarship for a college student majoring in Government, Political Science, or a related field. “The Richard Caldito Government Service Scholarship was created by the Maui Filipino Chamber Foundation to honor Mr….
FOR the hundreds of thousands of Filipinos working and living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dr. Rosario B. Tigno is widely known as a generous hero. The first Filipino doctor from the Philippines to practice in UAE, Dr. Tigno was issued a medical license by the Department of Health and Medical Services of Dubai…
IF YOU search for the name of Dr. Francisca Tolete Velcek on the Internet, one of the most impressive things you will find is an icon of Castle Connolly. In the medical world, to be on the Top Doctor List of Castle Connolly is like winning in the Oscars. A proud Ilocana and pediatric surgeon,…
RODELIO Cadas was born with an oversized head. He had an abnormal accumulation of cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) inside the brain. The condition is called Hydrocephalus and it results in the failure of the brain to drain properly, causing a buildup of pressure, intermittent headaches, and death, if not treated properly. Cadas needs help fast. His…
CHRISTMAS came early for Mary Jane Alvero Al-Mahdi, Chief Executive Officer of the Geoscience Testing Laboratory, the biggest independent testing laboratory operating in the Middle East. Al Mahdi was honored by no less than President Benigno S. Aquino III on December 5, 2012 at Malacañang Palace, as one of the recipients of the 2012 Presidential…
IT HAS been said that out of the most severe trials come the greatest triumphs. We could either become victims of circumstances, or we can turn those difficulties into stepping stones and emerge as victors. Filipino-Canadian Tomas Avendaño Sr. has undergone severe trials in his life as an immigrant in Canada and has become a…
It has been said that Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa chooses only the best and the brightest to work for him. Thus, when he announced last year that our kababayan Jaime de la Vega was his nominee for General Manager of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT), it proves that de la Vega…
ONE of Hawaii’s most distinguished business leaders is a Filipina. Joni B. Redick-Yundt has received awards and honors, not only from respected organizations, but from the highest strata of the state. Among her awards are a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from the State of Hawaii; a Recognition of Community Achievement from the State of…
While the entire world was eagerly watching the US presidential elections this week, a most noteworthy event was also happening in America. From November 4-7, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) US Election Program, brought together over 300 election officials, parliamentarians and diplomats from over 50 countries to observe and learn about the US…
ONE of the greatest American expos that have been showcasing the best of the Philippines is the Philippine Fiesta in America, which is held in New Jersey every year for the past 14 years. Appropriately, the great lady, who was the driving force behind the annual event ,also showcased the best of the Filipino character…
In Santa Clara County, California, in between San Jose and Fremont lies Milpitas, a city rich in diversity. Since the 2000 census and again confirmed in the 2010 census, Asians have dominated the majority of Milpitas’ population, with Filipinos being the largest Asian group. At the helm of this thriving, bustling city is a Filipino,…
Lloyd Manglapus’ work is literally out of this world. The 42-year-old Manglapus is one of two Pinoys part of NASA’s historic and newest Mars rover called “Curiosity,” as it roams the red planet. Manglapus works at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in La Cañada. He’s been at JPL for the past 12 years, with six…
FILIPINO physician Dr. Edsel Maurice Tanghal Salvana might as well have “outstanding” as his middle name. Recently elected as one of the 2012 Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World (TOYP) for his contribution in healthcare, Dr. Salvana was also awarded by President Noynoy Aquino as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) in…
On August 31, 2012, Asia’s Nobel Prize, the Ramon Magsaysay Award, was presented to six Asians during the Presentation Ceremonies on at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City. The only Filipino awardee was DOST Academician Romulo G. Davide, 78, who was cited by the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, for “his steadfast passion in…
A few weeks ago, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell appointed multi-awarded Filipina writer, Sofia Molina Starnes, as the new Poet Laureate of the state of Virginia, reported the Williamsburg Yorktown Daily. The prolific writer is the daughter of historian-lawyer Antonio M. Molina (former Vice Rector of the University of Sto. Tomas) and Carmen Gomez de Arnau….
SEVERAL months ago, a Filipino brother and sister team made history in the United States Navy, when they became the first and only siblings of Filipino descent to hold flag-officer ranks simultaneously. The Naval Public Affairs department has dubbed Rear Admiral Raquel Cruz Bono and her brother Rear Admiral Anatolio B. “AB” Cruz III as…
FILIPINO-American George Samson has dedicated his life to helping the poor, the sick and the needy, but has never sought fame and honor for his work as the President of World Medical Relief Inc. Yet, that is exactly what he has been getting the past years — honors, awards, accolades, salutes and standing ovations from…
Retiring a few days ago, Anita Sanchez is the highest ranking and longest-serving government employee of the city and county of San Francisco. She lives to serve people, to empower them so that they can contribute in making the world a better place. Former Mayor Art Agnos praised Anita by saying that ” her greatest…
WHAT started out as a possible excuse to go back to the Philippines brought international recognition and honor for a Filipino-American instead. A scientist, genetic engineer, professor, researcher, and evolutionary biologist, Dr. Michael D. Purugganan has uncovered the secrets of rice that has made him a leading authority on the subject. His work documented the…
IN THE 2007 elections in Canada, Flor Marcelino, a Filipina businesswoman, made history as the first woman of color and first Filipina elected to the Manitoba Legislative Assembly for the electoral division of Wellington. Her outstanding performance as a public servant resulted in her appointment by Premier Greg Selinger as Minister for Culture, Heritage and…
THERE are people who are meant to live a life of altruistic service. They are people who dedicate their entire lives to helping and serving others, making vital contributions for the betterment of society. One such individual, who has been making an impact in the lives of her fellowmen, is Dr. Elizabeth Eugenio Fildes Ed.D,…
In the world of advertising, creativity and out-of-the-box thinking is key. There are a lot of excellent copywriters and art directors in the industry, but the creative director strikes the balance — ensuring that the creative output meets the objectives of a client’s business strategy. The creative director is also the head of the creative…
THE largest umbrella organization for school leaders in America, the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) is made up of more than 16,000 school leaders. One of ACSA’s priorities is to ensure that school leaders are recognized for their excellence. Thus, each year, a handful of educators are honored for outstanding job performance based on…
EVERY two years, from around the world, the European Society of Biomechanics (ESB) gives its most prestigious award, the S.M. Perren Research Award, to the first author of the best scientific paper submitted to the Chairman of the Award Committee. The largest Biomechanics society in Europe with almost 500 members from different countries in the…
HERE is a highly elite group of intelligent and gifted scientists, whose breakthrough achievements have made an impact on the lives of people — both at present, and for future generations. Filipino-American professor and scientist Dr. Rigoberto C. Advincula, Ph.D belongs to this select few. Advincula is an internationally known world-class scientist, who is acknowledged…
