Bessie Badilla

Moved by the plight of their fellow Filipinos displaced by the eruption of Taal Volcano in Batangas, Philippines, in January, N.Y.-based Filipino American (Fil-Am) artists banded together in a genre crossover to record the Michael Jackson hit “Heal The World.” A production of The Outstanding Filipinos in America (TOFA), the music video was recently released on YouTube.

The Black Eyed Peas Co-Founder apl.de.ap; multi-platinum award-winning recording artist David Pomeranz; and boxing, mixed martial arts superstar Ana Julaton, among others are set to join First Filipina Miss World Megan Young; Original Philippine Music (OPM) icons Kuh Ledesma, Cecile Azarcon, Edlyn Peregrina, Lirio Vital, and Ogie Alcasid; First Filipina Carnaval Queen in Brazil Bessie Badilla; Grand Marshals Drs. Emilio and Felicisima Quines; and nearly 200 Filipino American organizations in the festive parade.

First Filipina Miss World Megan Young; Original Philippine Music (OPM) Icons Kuh Ledesma, Cecile Azarcon, Edlyn Peregrina, and Ogie Alcasid; First Filipina Carnaval Queen in Brazil Bessie Badilla; Grand Marshals Drs. Emilio and Felicisima Quines; and Nearly 200 Filipino American Organizations to Lead Annual Festive Parade

The late impresario David Merrick will be celebrated at the Gala Benefit marking the 25th anniversary of the Ma-Yi Theater Company - one of the nation's leading Asian American theater troupes - on Monday, March 24 at 6 pm the Hudson Theater (145 W. 44 St.) in Manhattan, it has been announced by Jorge Ortoll, the company's executive director.

Rain on Saturday night (Feb. 23) did not dampen the spirits of more than 700 concertgoers to fill the historic performance venue The Town Hall in Times Square for the post-Valentine concert of 'Les Miserables' alums Adam Jacobs and Ali Ewoldt.

Drama Desk and Obie Award-winning theater organization Ma-Yi Theater Company, which originally produced Filipino and Filipino-American plays prior to shifting gears toward exploring more of the Asian-American experience via theatrical workshops and presentations, and Filipino-American set and costume designer Eduardo Sicangco ("Gentlemen Prefer Blondes") accepted "The Outstanding Filipino Americans in New York" (TOFA-NY) Heritage Award (2012) and the TOFA-NY Arts and Culture Award (2012) respectively at TOFA-NY's awarding rites held at the Weill Hall, Carnegie Hall Saturday, October 27.

While the city was being pummelled by a historic October snowstorm yesterday, Broadway actor-singers Lea Salonga, MiG Ayesa, J. Elaine Marcos, and members of the Filipino-American community braved the bad weather to get to Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall for The Oustanding Filipino Americans in New York (TOFA-NY) Awards, which recognizes individuals and organizations that have influenced the Filipino-American community in a positive way.

The OBIE Award-winning Ma-Yi Theater Company, one of the leading theater companies in the U.S. devoted to presenting work about the Asian-American experience, honors Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang and Loida Nicolas Lewis, a best-selling author and the Asian-American CEO of TLC Beatrice, as part of its Seventh Annual Benefit and Awards Dinner on Monday, April 23