25 more Filipinos abroad contract COVID-19
TWENTY-FIVE new cases of the novel coronavirus among Filipinos across the globe have been reported, bringing the total number of infections to 9,933, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Tuesday, August 18. It also recorded 16 new recoveries, raising the number of recovered Filipinos to 5,860. Meanwhile, the death toll remained at…
Metro Manila, nearby provinces back to GCQ
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte announced on Monday, August 17 that the government will relax quarantine measures in Metro Manila, beginning Wednesday, August 19. The provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal were also placed under a general community quarantine (GCQ) that will last on August 31. Other areas placed under GCQ are Nueva Ecija, Batangas,…
Mayor Garcetti extends relaxed parking enforcement until Oct 1.
LOS ANGELES — Mayor Garcetti recently extended relaxed parking enforcement across the City of Los Angeles until October 1, making it easier for Angelenos to stay home whenever possible without being concerned about a ticket. “Angelenos shouldn’t be penalized for staying home, avoiding unnecessary trips, and doing their part to stop the spread of COVID-19,”…
Cooling centers available at Cerritos Park East amid heat wave
To provide the community with a free, indoor air-conditioned location during the current extreme heat weather conditions, the City of Cerritos is opening a cooling center at Cerritos Park East (13234 E. 166th Street). The cooling center will be open Tuesday, August 18 through Sunday, August 23 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Space is…
President Duterte to announce new quarantine status on August 17
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte will address the nation on August 17 to announce the new community quarantine classifications in the country, Malacañang said on Thursday, August 13. “Inaasahan po natin na magme-mensahe sa taumbayan muli ang ating Presidente sa August 17 kung saan ia-anunsiyo rin niya kung ano ‘yung mga bagong classification (We expect the…
Filipino dance crew UPeepz ends ‘World of Dance’ journey
DESPITE delivering a stellar performance during the semifinal round, Filipino hip-hop dance crew UPeepz failed to reach the final stage of this year’s “World of Dance.” Oxygen, MDC3, Jefferson y Adrianita and Géométrie advanced to the final round of the American dance competition. Contemporary group MDC3 eventually took home the crown and the $1 million…
Small business grant program launched for LA’s 13th District
Small business owners in Los Angeles’ 13th council district can apply for a grant program starting this week. Led by Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell and the city’s Economic and Workforce Development Department, $1 million of discretionary funding has been allocated to help small businesses pay bills while the safer at home orders continue to be in…
US State Dept. issues travel advisory for PH
The United States is urging its citizens to reconsider traveling to the Philippines due to the coronavirus pandemic. The appeal came after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a level 3 Travel Health Notice for the country. “Reconsider travel to the Philippines due to COVID-19. Additionally, exercise increased caution in the Philippines…
PAL to require passengers to wear face shields, masks
All passengers traveling on Philippine Airlines will be required to wear face shields, on top of the mandatory face masks, starting August 15. The new measure is in compliance with the latest guidelines that the Philippine Department of Transportation set for the public transport sector. “Passengers are required to wear masks and face shields during…
Fil-Am Susana Reyes elected vice president of LA Board of Water and Power Commissioners
SUSANA Reyes was recently elected to serve as vice president of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP)’s board of commissioners. “This is a tremendous honor and responsibility and a boost for [Asian American and Pacific Islander] representation,” Reyes wrote in a Facebook post. Reyes, a 32-year veteran of the city, became the…
Jollibee to close 255 stores after suffering over $200 million loss in first half of 2020
PHILIPPINE fast food giant Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) is the latest brand to feel the impact of the coronavirus pandemic after it suffered financial losses due to enforced lockdowns in the country. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, the fast-food giant reported a net loss of P10.171 billion from April to June, reversing…
4 Filipinos dead, 31 injured in Beirut blast
FOUR Filipinos have died in the massive explosion in Beirut, Lebanon this week, while 31 were injured, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday, August 7 said. “We are saddened by the latest turn of developments. The higher figure comes as our Embassy personnel work to ascertain the condition of the Filipinos in…
27th Annual Pistahan Parade and Festival goes virtual
SAN FRANCISCO — The Filipino American Arts Exposition (FAAE) invites the community to virtually join San Francisco’s 27th Annual Pistahan Parade and Festival. Traditionally held at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco each August with over 80,000 attendees in person, Pistahan has represented the largest celebration of Filipinos in the U.S. This year, Pistahan has…
All registered voters in Nevada to receive mail ballots
IN an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus as the November election draws closer, Nevada is the latest state to approve a plan to send absentee ballots to all active registered voters. Governor Steve Sisolak on Monday, August 3 signed Assembly Bill 4, which covers conducting elections “adversely affected by certain emergencies or…
Philippines now COVID-19 hotspot in Southeast Asia
WITH a total of 119,460 cases of the novel coronavirus, the Philippines surpassed Indonesia’s 118,753 and became the country with the highest number of infections among member nations of the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN). The Philippine Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday, August 6, recorded 3,561 additional COVID-19 cases, with the majority of them…
USCIS to increase fee to apply for naturalization by $500
The cost to become a naturalized United States citizen will increase by over $500, effective October 2, according to a rule change recently published in the Federal Register. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will raise the application fee to become a naturalized citizen from $640 to $1,170, the final rule on Friday,…
57 deaths, 1,901 new COVID-19 cases confirmed in LA County
FIFTY-SEVEN new deaths and 1,901 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Friday, August 7. The State has determined under reporting of COVID-19 cases due to technology issues with the electronic laboratory system (ELR). Public Health learned of new issues with the State ELR feed…
Google celebrates Fil-Am Olympic diver Vicki Draves
FILIPINA American Victoria “Vicki” Manalo-Draves was honored with a Google Doodle on Monday, August 3, on the 72nd anniversary of her winning moment at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. Draves bagged gold medals for both the 10-meter platform and 3-meter springboard diving events, making her the first Asian American woman to win a medal…