Category: Filipino American
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Champions of Culture: PSA Barkada Takes 1st at Battle of the Bamboo 2026
The spirit of Bayanihan was vibrant at the Copernicus Center on February 21st during the 2026 Battle of the Bamboo. We are overjoyed to announce that PSA Barkada from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign took home the 1st Place trophy! Their winning piece, Semgulang Tawan Sohul (Semgulang Afflicted by Madness), was a breathtaking epic…
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REVIEW OF THE ART OF BELONGING
The Art of Belonging at the Rizal Center By Ginger Leopoldo In recent weeks, the Rizal Center has become a home for The Art of Belonging, a multidisciplinary theater experience blending literature, archival film, and live performance into a communal act of remembering and imagining. The production offered more than a show. It created a…
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In Loving Memory of Michael Caga-anan Aguhar
Dear Community, We are writing to share the funeral arrangements for our beloved Michael Caga-anan Aguhar. The service will take place in Houston, Texas, and the details are included below for those who would like to attend or support from afar. We also want to let you know that a Celebration of Life is being…
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Tribute for Michael Caga-anan Aguhar
Michael Aguhar stood with us at a critical moment, reminding us that places like Rizal Center are not just physical spaces, but living expressions of our collective history and identity. We came to know Michael through struggle—through the fight for Rizal Center, a place that has long stood as a home away from home for…
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Message of Gratitude
On behalf of the FACGC, I extend my heartfelt thanks to the University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Greater Chicago (UPAAGC) for their partnership, leadership, and stewardship in bringing the Oblation Suite to life. We are deeply grateful to everyone who joined us for the ribbon cutting — your presence made the occasion truly…
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Ilang Tanong Sa Buwan, Isang Gabing Napuyat, Ang Mga Bintana
ni Ogot Sumulong 1. Almusal Sa tuktok ng gusaling Nakadungaw sa ilog Marikina Gipit ang hangi’t Gutom ang kalye Gaano kaya katagal Makakahigop ng lugaw Ang araw na uusbong Bago tubusin ang sigla 2. Ngiti Sa harap ng gusaling Kumembot sa ilog Marikina Nakupas sa maghapon Ang ngiti ng mga tindahan Sa sinapupunan ng palengke…
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PABASA
by Rowena Luna PABASA, a traditional Lenten Filipino Catholic devotion, is one of the oldest Holy Week tradition which begun in the 17th century. It was started by Spanish Missionaries in melodic form and translated into Tagalog so the Filipino indigenous people could be familiar with it. It is a continuous chanting of a long…
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Spring Renewal—and a Timely Reminder to Get Screened
By Michael Worthington March signals renewal. As winter fades, many of us turn to spring cleaning, planning our gardens, and looking ahead with fresh energy. It’s also a time to focus on something just as important: our health. March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the second leading cause of cancer-related…
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A Proposed Blueprint for Filipino Americans’ Political Recognition
During every election cycle, Filipino American voters bring a cluster of priorities highlighting economic needs, immigration anxieties, and health care, among other issues in the mix but these community concerns rarely surface in mainstream political narratives. The core issue behind this absence in the political landscape that tends to perpetuate Filipinos’ under-recognition is not a…
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Connecting People to Opportunity: The FilAm Economic Resource Center
by Norberto “Bobby” Luna The Filipino American community in the Chicagoland area, like many across the United States, has long been shaped by individuals pursuing the American dream. Early waves of immigrants were largely professionals—nurses, doctors, allied health workers, accountants, and teachers. By the 1990s, the rise of information technology brought a new group of…