Top honors for Natori, Lopez & Coronel at the 4th TOFA-NY Awards

Curtain-raisers:

• When his love child was born, an “imported” singer promised to high heavens that he would love and take care of him forever and ever. His “forever” did not last, ever! He must have loved his child but not enough to, as he also promised, support him, much to the disappointment of his actress-girlfriend who promptly split from him. “Hindi nagbibigay ng suporta sa anak namin,” the actress told friends. Meaning, walang “K” ang singer?
• A few issues ago, this corner mentioned a (male) singer who is pricing himself out of the market by charging, hold your breath, P100,000 per song. Don’t look now but another (male) singer is also charging sky-high talent fee which, according to a movie writer who planned to enlist his services, he doesn’t really deserve. “Do you know how much he’s charging for three songs? P180,000! That’s P60,000 per song, discounted na daw,” said the “shocked” movie writer. Take it or leave it? “Forget it!” fumed the movie writer.
• Any day now, an “amorous” actress will admit that she has started a romance with an athlete young enough to be her son and with whom she’s now living-in. She said he’s her last love but “last” doesn’t necessarily mean “lasting” because the yawning age-gap between them is predicted to ruin the relationship.

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The Outstanding Filipino Americans in New York (TOFA-NY) Awards, the grandest celebration that caps the month-long Filipino American History Month in New York City, will be held on Saturday night, Oct. 25, at the Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall.

According to Funfare’s New York correspondent Oliver Oliveros, among those to be given Heritage Awards, the TOFA-NY Awards’ highest honors are: Bobby Lopez (Frozen, The Book of Mormon); fashion designer and philanthropist Josie Natori; Dean of Academic Affairs at Columbia University Sheila Coronel; the people behind Fiesta In America, an annual trade and cultural expo; and the medical mission volunteers of Philippine Medical Association in America (PMAA).

Said Lopez, who co-wrote the Oscar-winner song Let It Go, with his wife, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, “I’m so proud of my Filipino-American heritage, which comes from my father’s side and from which I learned a tireless work ethic and a challenge to always do my best. I’m honored to be one of the recipients of this year’s Heritage Awards.”

This year’s awardees join the roster of Tony Award-winning actress Lea Salonga (Miss Saigon, Les Miserables), Philippine American Chamber of Commerce, The Filipino Reporter, Drama Desk Award-winning theater company Ma-Yi Theater Company (The Romance of Magno Rubio, Microcrisis), Filipino-American Latin soul musician Joe Bataan, Filipino American Legal Defense and Education Fund (FALDEF), Foundation for Filipino Artists, Inc., and leading couture bridal designer Monique Lhuillier who were given Heritage Awards in previous years.

Besides the Heritage Awards, special category awards, whose recipients were determined via an online nomination and voting process, will also be handed out during the two-hour-long formal awards ceremony, hosted by Maria Ressa, former CNN reporter and multi-award winning journalist.

“To make the celebration even more momentous,” said Oliver, “Philippine Consul General to New York Mario De Leon, Jr., community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis, AARP Ambassador Major General Antonio Taguba, White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Senior Adviser Jason Tengco, and Miss USA first runner-up Audra Mari have been asked to keynote the event.”

The Voice Kids Philippines’ Darren Espanto, composer-pianist Yasuhiko Fukuoka, Pilipinas Got Talent finalist Geo Ed Rebucas, Philippine Chamber Singers Los Angeles, Broadway Barkada, UST Alumni Singers of New York, Enteng Evangelista, Richard Lelis Tuozo, Elaine Ficarra, and Pilipino-American Cultural Arts Society of Washington, D.C. are among the artists set to perform.

TOFA-NY Awards, organized by multimedia professionals and entrepreneurs, with Elton Lugay as founding chair, and Sally Nunez , Cristina DC Pastor (Nominations) and Oliver Oliveros (Publicity) comprising the board, has been recognized by the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications, a premier organization focusing on multi-ethnic diversity in the communications industry.

Ballet Philippines is also honored

Meanwhile, Margie Moran-Floirendo (1973 Miss Universe) received on behalf of Ballet Philippines the Image Awards given by US House of Representatives by Congressman Alan Lowenthal, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and City of Long Beach from Hon. Roberto Uranga, last Oct. 5 in Los Angeles, coinciding with the celebration of Filipino-American History Month. Margie was appointed president of Ballet Philippines in 2009 when the country’s premier ballet company commemorated its 40th anniversary.

The Ballet Philippines is currently on a one-month United States West Coast and Canada tour, billed as Master Pieces: Celebrating 45 Years of Dance, featuring an all-Filipino troupe and showcasing some of its best works, both classical and contemporary, like George Birkadze’s Farandole; Alden Lugnasin’s Aku and Lahat ng Araw; Bungkos Suite; Augustus Damian’s After Whom; Denisa Reyes’ For the Gods; Agnes Locsin’s Moriones; Carlo Pacis’ Nocturne; Paul Alexander Morales’ Halik; Redha’s Je, Tu, Elle; and the finale and showstopper, Tony Fabella’s Tambol at Padyak with dancers wearing bakya, the Pinoy version of tap dancing. 

Bungkos Suite is the work of Alice Reyes, the founder of Ballet Philippines, artistic director emeritus and just-named National Artist for Dance.

Repertoire’s music was provided by Jessie Lucas, Jerrold Tarog, Jed Balsamo, Fabian Obispo, Georges Bizet, Samuel Asuncion, Malek Lopez, Pinikpikan, Velarde-Obispo, Kasilag-Velasco and Paguio.  

The one-and-a-half show debuted in a full-packed Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Oct. 4 witnessed by famous celebrities including Lou Diamond Phillips, Apl.de.ap of Black Eyed Peas, 2012 Miss Universe first runner-up Janine Tugonon, 1975 Bb. Pilipinas-International Jaye Murphy Vergel De Dios, Aliw Award winning jazz singer Joni Feliciano, Nia Peeples (of The Young and the Restless, Pretty Little Liars, Texas Ranger, Walker) and Susan Ruttan of LA Law. Standing ovation and reverberating applause were accorded to the performers by the delighted spectators.

Produced by singer Becca Godinez, Ted Benito (Executive Director for Apl.de.ap Foundation International), among others, the show had performed in California Theater in San Jose, Lincoln Performance Hall of Portland State University in Oregon, Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts in Olympia, Washington, to a highly appreciative crowd. On Oct. 22, the troupe will perform in Highline Performing Arts Center in Burien, Washington, and in River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada on Oct. 26. 

Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth J. Minnaert graced the show in the theater named after him.

Part of the proceeds will benefit the Apl.de.ap Foundation International that will be channeled to marginalized children and Typhoon Yolanda survivors, and Ballet Philippines Foundation for its arts education projects. — Celso de Guzman Caparas

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