The Desert Sun from Palm Springs, California • Page 1

SPORTS I Tiger Woods reveals little in post-accident statement SOS CONCRETE; 760568-3799 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 200') 1 Tl IK CPAC1 II 1 .1 A VM .1 S1N( l'27 BREAKING NEWS AT 2F i i Millions go Coachella Valley Culture: Our Changing Valley provides new perspective on the demographic trends and rich diversity of the Coachella Valley. Look for it the last Monday of every month, 32 ing on company time v- 17 mrh'' JT --ws BY MONICA T0RLINE The Desert Sun Don't be surprised to see more coworkers clicking their way down holiday shopping lists at work today. Nearly nine in 10 retailers are expected to offer a special Cyber Monday promotion online today, according to the National Retail Federation. Cyber Monday, a term coined in 2005 by Shop.org, refers to the trend of consumers buying gifts online the Monday after Thanksgiving. While more Americans are turning to the virtual shopping cart for holiday shopping especially those with Internet access at work some in the Coachella Valley give the experience mixed reviews.

"I want to see die quality of what I'm buying," said Van Ho, 26, of Palm Desert While the nursing student buys books online, she plans to swing by stores in person to pick out gifts for a handful of people this season. She feels there are better promotions and sales to be had that way. "It's fairly simple," Pat MacDonaH said of buying directly from Web sites. The 75-year-old said she would probably shop at more stores if she were not working. But with Internet access at her job, she said, "Sometimes, it's the easiest way." This year, 68.8 million people are expected to shop for holiday gifts from work, the National Retail Federation reported last week.

They represent more than half of American workers with Internet access on the job. The study also found 73.8 percent of those ages 18 to 24 will shop at work and that men are more likely than women to shop on company time. Shoppers can find offers for specific products, one-day deals and free shipping on most sites today. For those who want it aggregated, more than 700 companies have posted their deals on a single Web site, www.cybernionday.com. J.D.

Watson of Desert Hot Springs estimates he will make 60 percent of his purchases online this holiday shopping season. "There is a huge difference when you've grown up in an age with the Internet and computers," the 26-year-old said of his generation's comfort with the online world. TAYA GRAY SPECIAL TO THE DESERT SUN Glenda Ryan (front, from left), Narcisa Maneja, Elvira Delistam, Edwina Gamboa, Leticia Balingit and Zenaide Clam sing during their Friday Santo Nino De Praga Devotional Group of Palm Springs meeting on Nov. 13 at a home in Cathedral City. The Filipino-American group has been meeting weekly for nearly 25 years.

OURCHANGINGVALLEY A 'hidden minority' The Philippines: a short history Filipinos celebrate rich history, culture through close ties with home country 4 China The Philippines is a swath of more than 7,100 islands that stretch south of China to Borneo in Southeast Asia. Please see SHOPPING, A8 Enjoy three new features in today's issue it Santiago island I PHILIPPINES Jomalig Island -r 'A) JinMolo iSemirara Islands Island 1 Bulusan urban areas in California Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco greater numbers live in Riverside and San Bernardino counties than do any other Asian group. Filipinos are often a hidden minority group the result of Latino surnames and more than 300 years of Spanish colonization making them difficult for demographers and sociologists to study. However, according to the 2000 US. Census, Filipinos account for roughly 36 percent of the total Asian population in Riverside County.

That's more than Chinese, Japanese and Koreans combined Roughly 20,000 Filipinos live in Riverside County, accounting for about 1.3 percent of the population. About 2,400 Filipinos live in the Coachella Valley, according to the last census. The reason? Likely a combination of factors that include the ability to work in the public sector and affordable housing, said Edward Chang, professor of ethnic studies at the University of California, Riverside. Please see CULTURE, A8 BY NICOLE BRAMBILA The Desert Sun For nearly 25 years, a group of Coachella Valley Filipinos have crowded into each other's living rooms to eat a traditional meal, chat in Tagalog and celebrate Santo Nino. The Friday-night prayer meetings are as much about embracing a shared Filipino culture as they are an expression of Catholic faith.

"They're friends that we can meet once a week," said Delia Price, a 55-year-old Palm Springs woman who attends the meetings. Price and others are making their lives in the Coachella Valley. It's an unlikely hotspot for Asian Americans, but a growing one, according to U.S. Census data. Filipinos began arriving en masse in California in the early 1900s in response to an American demand for labor.

Today, California has the largest concentration of Filipinos outside of the Philippines, with nearly 1 million calling the Golden State home. But Asians, unlike other minority groups, often venture off from the ethnic enclaves in gateway cities. Although Filipinos largely live in Batbal an Island Palawan Panglao Island EDITOR'S NOTE: We end the 30 days of November with three new features that help you better understand the Coachella Valley's diversity, history and weekend happenings. On Page One, reporter Nicole Brambila launches her new mondily feature, "Our Changing Valley." It's an analysis of the diverse pockets of our desert the people, their traditions, their noteworthy moments of life and the demographic trends that are shaping our valley in new ways. In Valley, editor Jamie Pricer looks back at the valley's rich history in her monthly feature, "Remember When." She will recount the heritage, touchstones and chapters of history that make the valley so unique.

On Page A7, we debut "Weekend in Photos." Every Monday, we'll share images from the desert and around the globe that capture memorable moments from the previous weekend's stories. Some will be newsy; others will be fun. Make sure you check it out today and every Monday. Today marks the end of our campaign to introduce 33 new things in November's 30 days. But don't think we're done looking for ways in which we can improve The Desert Sun.

We'll have more enhancements in the weeks ahead Is there something special you'd like to see in your morning edition that we've missed? Call me at (760) 778-4637 or drop an e-mail at rick.greenthedesertsun.com. We appreciate you welcoming these 33 new things over the past 30 days, and, as always, thanks for reading The Desert Sun. MCK GREEN Executive Editor Where Filipinos live in the Coachella Valley With a population of roughly 97.9 million people, the islands are home to roughly 100 ethnic groups who speak more than 110 dialects. The official languages are Tagalog and English. Indo-Malays and Chinese merchants had settled the islands before being discovered in 1521 by Ferdinand Magellan, who named the Philippines after the King of Spain.

The islands then came under Spanish rule until 1898 when it was ceded to the U.S. and became a colony until the Philippines gained independence on July 4, 1946. Did you know? The majority of Filipinos speak multiple languages with English used for instruction and higher education. The Philippines is the third-largest English-speaking country. SOURCE THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES THE DESERT SUN Roughly 20,000 Filipinos live in Riverside County, accounting for about 1.3 percent of the population.

About 2,400 Filipinos live in the Coachella Valley. Although Filipinos live in cities across the Coachella Valley, the U.S. Census Bureau, for confidentiality reasons, does not break out ethnicity count in communities where their total population is fewer than 100. Here's where there are the most concentrations: PALM SPRINGS 1,086 CATHEDRAL' CITY 1,018 INDI0305 SOURCE: 2000 U.S. Census Bureau Reverse Mortgage Officers killed in coffee shop 'ambush' Do you have family members who could benefit from access to the funds from their home's equity? Troyer said.

"It's like a bad horror movie." The officers were in uniform, including bulletproof vests, and were working on their laptop computers as they prepared to start their day shifts, Troyer said "This was a targeted, selective ambush," Troyer said. Police seek wounded suspect, A3 opened fire. The officers three men and one woman were found dead by deputies who arrived at Forza Coffee, said Pierce County Sheriff spokesman Ed Troyer. The officers made up one patrol unit, including a sergeant Their families have been notified, but their identities have not been released "It's carnage out front everywhere," The Reverse Mortgage' program allows homeowners age 62 and older to tap into the equity in their home. Senior homeowners can borrow against the equity in their home and receive monthly payments instead of making them.

loan proceeds can be obtained in a lump sum or in monthly installments. This program helps senior homeowners maintain their current lifestyle and McClatchy-Tribune news service SEATTLE Police are looking for a Pierce County man in his 30s in connection with the execution-style shooting of four Lakewood, police officers in a coffee shop Sunday morning, sources told The Seattle Times. The officers were killed at about 8:15 a.m. by a scmffy-looking man who walked into the coffee shop and helps keep them in their home. For more information, call today! Carol J.

Buzzard Se Habla Espahol 760-564-1287 Phone 5. GOODMORNING! Armchair shopping 74 48 J-4 -'fS "We Restore Concrete" 'aJ TheDesert Sun is printed using recycled paper (760)346-6105 high low ii til ii I irfi ii viiww.econo-crete.com.