Filipino Web Magazine

Saturday, 4 July 2026

America Is Still the America to Love

Volume 7, Issue No. 57

OPINION/COMMENTARY

/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /

. . . . . A community service of The Filipino Web Channel (TheFilipinoWebChannel@gmail.com) and the Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@aol.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . . .

Our latest as of Saturday, July 4, 2026

~ Our neighbour to the south is celebrating its founding 250 years ago. From that time on, America has emerged as the strongest, economically and militarily, democracy in the world. It's a country to love and nourish. For years, America was my home. It's still home for my siblings and their offspring. In America, I learned to be my own, to be a free and independent journalist. America gave birth to my community newspapers.

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BORN JULY 4, 1776

America at 250 Years Is

Still the America to Love

By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ

Editor, The Filipino Web Channel

"My roots are my strength, not my weakness." — Alex Eala

TORONTO - America is 250 years told today, July 4. For all of sixteen years, it had been my home. My parents and siblings and their offspring have grown their roots there.

Four generations of the family are inextricably linked to the "huddled masses" in Emma Lazarus' words, as are the millions of people from all over the world who see America as the beacon of freedom, hope, and opportunity.

Because of the politics these days, however, everything seems aspirational. No longer can we feel free and fearless because of our skin color, accent, and culture that betray our origins.

On September 11, 2005 on the fourth anniversary of the 9/11 Twin Towers attack by the Islamic terrorist organization al-Qaeda, I had the pleasure of visiting Liberty Island where stands the Statue of Liberty while on a news coverage in New York City. (Related story: https://timecircumstance.blogspot.com/)

I had long wanted to see the statue, France's gift to the United States, which was erected in October 1886, or 110 years after America had declared independence from British rule on July 4, 1776.

Being there and seeing it with my own eyes was quite personal for me. I had adopted the statue's torch as the symbol of the community newspaper, the Diario Veritas, I had founded in San Diego, California in June 1998, to coincide with the 100th year of Philippine independence from Spain.

The torch, with its three rays of flame, may have appeared like another artwork, but its symbolism should not be lost to Filipinos the paper had endeavoured to serve. My perspective was that the flames represented the Philippines' main islands, i.e., Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Coupled with the torch was the advocacy I espoused then, and continue to follow up to this day in my news outlets: "Courage to say the truth." (Related video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9vcuamfGCI).

At Liberty Island, I felt so overwhelmed by the inscription at the Statue of Liberty - the poem entitled The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus. These lines are particularly poignant:

“Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

When I moved to California in 1994 after decades of working as a foreign correspondent for two major international news agencies, it wasn't so much as to breathe free as to find new opportunities.

Throughout my journalism career till the mid-90s I worked as an employee, handsomely-paid but answerable to higher authorities. In the US, that trajectory changed on my own accord. I was free and independent of corporate rules. I decided the future of my own newspaper.

The challenges were stimulating, and so were the prospects for a newspaper I founded, managed, and edited. In that respect, America was a country to love, for it nurtured me to be my own man.

Three community newspapers came out of that fostering environment that America had provided me in those days. Though none made money, my effort was a priceless venture I could dream of only in America. The success lied in opening minds, in enhancing understanding.

Reaching out to the community was inspiring in many ways. There were hurdles in the pursuit of an idea, true, but the goodwill it created had lasted for years until I moved to Toronto in 2010 for more opportunities.

Monday, 29 June 2026

U.S. Supreme Court Rebuffs Donald Trump

Volume 7, Issue No. 56

OPINION/COMMENTARY

/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /

Our latest as of Monday, June 29, 2026

~ The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a stinging rebuke of President Donald Trump on Monday, June 29, when it rejected his effort to overturn a $5 million jury verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing and defaming journalist and author E. Jean Carroll.

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'SHE'S NOT MY TYPE,' SAYS DONALD TRUMP

US Supreme Court Rebuffs

Trump on E. Jean Carroll Case

By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ

Editor, The Filipino Web Channel

"A good name is better than a golden girdle." — French proverb

TORONTO - In anticipation of a Supreme Court of the United States' (SCOTUS) decision favorable to journalist E. Jean Carroll, I recently bought a copy of her book "Not My Type" first published in June last year.

The title is a direct quote from President Donald Trump who had stated "She's not my type" to disavow her accusation that he had raped her inside the dressing room of Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan in 1996.

On Monday, June 29, SCOTUS, without explanation, refused to hear his effort to toss a $5 million verdict by a jury which found him liable for sexually abusing her.

A lower court upheld that verdict in 2023, which led him to appeal. That means he has to pay up that amount.

In earlier posts on social media, Trump called Carroll's claims a "hoax" and a "con job" and added "This woman is not my type!" Those statements became the basis for her defamation suit against him.

Today, Trump reacted by saying her defamation claim was "ridiculous."

He posted on social media: "Surprisingly, the Supreme Court declined to 'review' a Fake Case brought against me by a woman I never met (Decades old celebrity photo line, standing with her husband, does not count!). I will continue to fight against this Weaponization and Lawfare against me, including the ridiculous claim of Defamation, with all my power and strength . . . "

Carroll's "Not My Type" recounts the process in litigating her suit against Trump by a team of 13 topnotch lawyers led by Roberta Kaplan.

The book is the latest in my growing collection of at least 50 non-fiction books about Donald Trump from his first term in 2017.

Friday, 26 June 2026

Are Philippine Mangoes in Toronto Extravagant Indulgence?

Volume 7, Issue No. 55

OPINION/COMMENTARY

/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /

. . . . . A community service of The Filipino Web Channel (TheFilipinoWebChannel@gmail. com) and the Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@aol.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . . .

Our latest as of Friday, June 26, 2026

~ Over the years since Guinness World Records adjudged the Philippine mango "the world's sweetest mango" in 1995, it practically defined the boundaries of what sets it apart from other varieties, leading to a steep price that is now its bane and boon. Pricey no doubt it is, and that may not work well in Canada which imports mangoes from other countries, notably in Latin America.

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PRICEY PHILIPPINE MANGOES IN CANADA

To Buy, or Not to Buy,

That Is the Question

By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ

Editor, The Filipino Web Channel

"When enough people believe that prices will keep rising forever, a bubble starts." — Naved Abdali

TORONTO - To buy, or not to buy, that is the question. (Apologies to Shakespeare for paraphrasing a line in Hamlet, which reads "To be, or not to be, that is the question").

A lot of Filipinos in Canada are faced with this conundrum with the recent arrival of Carabao mangoes from the Philippines, inaugurating a new trade outlet for a favourite nourishment.

The country's national fruit, according to Guinness World Records, is "the world's sweetest mango" - a testimonial that amplifies many of its characteristics, chief of which is taste.

That validates these anonymous remarks: "Mango on the tongue is happiness in the soul." There's another one: "Life is short. Eat mangoes first and regret nothing." And still another: "Mangoes are proof that the universe is capable of sweet decisions."

Nearly two months ago here in the Greater Toronto Area where the fruit is sold at Seafood City supermarket in Mississauga and Scarborough, consumers fuss over its price, necessarily inviting comparisons with mangoes coming from Mexico.

History tells us that Mexican mangoes are akin to Philippine (or Carabao) mangoes. Says Wikipedia: "The Spanish Empire (also) introduced mangoes directly from the Philippines to western Mexico via the Manila galleons from at least the 16th century."

This information means mangoes from Mexico could be the best alternative, taste-wise, size-wise, and price-wise, to satisfy cravings for the fruit coming from the homeland.

"Parang ginto" was how some Filipinos and Canadians described the costly Carabao mangoes. I personally believe the price is self-defeating, meaning, it's going to be priced out of a very lucrative market.

A Facebook post about Carabao mangoes says: "A box for $117.99 or $8.99/lb. They look so sweet and tempting, but for me, they’re a 'look first, buy later' kind of treat." The poster adds: "Maybe next time when the budget says yes! Don na lang muna ako sa ataulfo mango."

Kaye Intal of Calgary reacts: "They are a bit pricey, but hey—this price tag is mostly because of the 13,000+ km air travel from PH. From scent to flavor, this mango brings pure nostalgia to every Filipino who grew up enjoying our PH mangoes!"

I did some shopping in Chinatown this week in search of mangoes. At least two supermarkets there sell per case of 15 pieces for $22. Some stores retail at $1.99 each or $3.00 for two.

I feasted on Mexican mangoes at lunch and dinner just to taste the difference. I believe these mangoes in Chinatown compare favorably with Carabao mangoes. In fact, one could mistake one for the other in deliciousness.

"Parang ginto" may not be a pleasant comparison; it's similar to likening apples and oranges though both are fundamentally different. But for everyday Filipinos, gold (ginto in the vernacular) is an ultra-expensive commodity.

The Philippines ranks #34 in the top 50 countries with huge gold reserves. The homeland is also home to what the Guinness World Records call the "the world's sweetest mango."

So, comparing the price of mango with gold is simply saying they are both unaffordable to fixed-income families. One had to sacrifice non-essentials to be able to procure either.

Gold is a luxury. At the current price, Carabao mangoes are on their way to being extravagant indulgence in Canada. As some say: "parang ginto."

Perhaps Philippine officials and business entities contracted to import and sell these Carabao mangoes should reconsider and make the fruit easy on the pocket.

Mangoes have short shelf life. Ripe mangoes spoil within a week. If Carabao mangoes that are flown in from the Philippines are not sold within that period, they're destined to be wasted, and therefore, the importer loses money. (Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved).

Thursday, 18 June 2026

How Did Taste of Manila Spend $34K from the City?

Volume 7, Issue No. 54

OPINION/COMMENTARY

/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /

. . . . . A community service of The Filipino Web Channel (TheFilipinoWebChannel@gmail. com) and the Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . . .

Our latest as of Thursday, June 18, 2026

~ Taste of Manila - the Filipino festival that stole copyrighted photos and videos then spliced and manipulated them to promote its officials, politicians and friends on social media - has now generated a family-owned business called Taste of Manila Inc. The street fest has apparently become a profitable venture, reason it's going places this summer, i.e., in Niagara Falls. Toronto's $34,000 money grant might have been a big boost to its coffers and possibly contributed in funding the event outside city limits. If true, such diversion would violate the city's community grant policy.

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TASTE OF MANILA 2026

Did Tax Dollars from Toronto

Help ToM to Go to Niagara?

By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ

Editor, The Filipino Web Channel

"Man is not what he thinks he is, he is what he hides." — Andre Malraux

TORONTO - Thirty-four thousand dollars of taxpayers' money had gone into the pockets of organizers of Taste of Manila (ToM) festival last year, an amount nobody knew how it was spent. Except perhaps its officials.

Only ToM and its secretive team of so-called "artists" and self-declared founder are in the know, not the thousands of revelers, vendors, sponsors, and fans from where it derives support.

But there's a hint ToM made money, probably tons of it - in fact it has generated a family-owned business venture called Taste of Manila Inc. (ToMI) - in addition to the $34K that the City of Toronto had so generously gave for its 2025 edition.

ToMI has three officers all surnamed Mangante, namely, Rolando alias Rolly alias Kabise, Nieves, and their daughter Roloves.

To have qualified to receive $34K, ToM and its officials must have had convinced City authorities - or had lied to them - that they did not have the financial resources to undertake the festival in August 2025.

A freedom of information request I filed and paid for with the City in September 2025 had not been fully complied with as of this writing. In there, I asked that documents be unsealed on the reasons the City granted the money to ToM which, by all appearances, is awash with cash.

Social media posts by (scam?) "artists" belonging to the three-member Society of Philippine Artists, Recreation, and Community (SPARC) indicated that ToM is set to stage in Niagara Falls, a one-and-half hour drive southeast of Toronto, sometime in August. SPARC manages ToM for ToMI.

Either SPARC or ToMI, or both, must have sweet-talked some individuals or organizations to put up ToM there, otherwise the logistics alone of such a venture would be financially and physically tough for Toronto-based producers.

We have yet to see the impact of the $34K grant to the Filipino community and generally to North York where ToM holds its annual bash, and now, we're being beguiled to support a complementary ToM fest in Niagara, possibly at the market hall and cultural hub The Exchange.

Niagara region has a very small Filipino population, which could mean that ToM is targeting tourists visiting Niagara Falls. ToM's return on investments must really be bountiful, otherwise, why go to Niagara if not for the potential to gain more money?

According to SPARC, acting on behalf of Rolly "Kabise" Mangante, the self-declared ToM founder, it is "committed to advancing community development, cultural preservation, and economic inclusion within the Filipino-Canadian community."

Sounds impressive, all these blah blah blah found in its website. But what "development, cultural preservation" etc. have SPARC and ToM advanced other than promoting themselves and their families and friends?

Early on, Mangante, a former driver at the Philippine Consulate who relishes being teased as "amba" (ambassador) or mistaken for congen (consul general), made a promise to put up a community centre once ToM grows big. That was 12 years ago.

According to colleagues he had thrown under the bus, Mangante is the mastermind in stealing content from the Filipino Web Channel to publicize social climbers, including his wife and some friends. (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_398v7dDQhQ&t=18s).

Last month, I followed up my freedom of information request dated October 2025 and City authorities promptly informed me that, and I quote, "A decision on whether the records will be disclosed will be made by November 10, 2025."