Fil-Am books to read during summer 2020
NOW entering two months into stay-at-home orders, individuals across the country have found ways to fill their “free time,” whether through baking, sewing masks, or completing puzzles. Another method has been diving into a good book as a means to escape the outside world. Book purchases grew 777% in the first half of April, compared to…
Undocumented immigrants in CA can now apply for relief
Undocumented immigrants in California this week can start applying for up to $1,000 per household in disaster relief under the state’s coronavirus emergency assistance plan. Governor Gavin Newsom last month announced the Disaster Relief Assistance for Immigrants, a $125-million coronavirus disaster relief fund that would provide a one-time disbursement for undocumented adults who are unable…
LA County’s new WiFi locator tool helps residents get internet access
With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing individuals to be more plugged in digitally, it has also opened up a broader discussion about the inequity of internet access. Los Angeles County has launched a new WiFi locator tool to help residents access the internet during the pandemic. According to American Community Survey Data for the county, about…
PAL schedules 2 flights to LA, SF for stranded US citizens
Flag carrier Philippine Airlines recently announced that it will be assisting stranded American citizens in the country by mounting two separate flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco this week. The “user-pay” flight leaving for LA is scheduled on May 21 with two domestic sweeper flights — one from Cebu and one from Davao, according…
LA makes face coverings mandatory in public
LOS ANGELES Mayor Eric Garcetti this week issued an order requiring Angelenos to wear face coverings outside their homes. The order will help the fight against COVID-19, as restrictions are gradually eased to allow more people to return to work and outdoor recreation. “We all have to recognize that we’re not moving beyond COVID-19 — we’re…
Supreme Court set to tackle ABS-CBN cases
The Philippine Supreme Court will start tackling the cases of media giant ABS-CBN on May 19, according to a new report. Members of the high court will decide if it is possible to consolidate all cases regarding the network’s renewal into one, the Manila Times reported. The cases include: the quo warranto petition filed by…
PH House committee OKs bill granting ABS-CBN provisional franchise until end of October
A PHILIPPINE House of Representatives committee on Wednesday, May 13 approved a bill granting the media giant ABS-CBN a provisional franchise until the end of October. The House of Representatives Committee of the Whole gave the greenlight for House Bill 6732 or “An Act Granting the ABS-CBN Corporation A Franchise to Construct, Install, Operate and…
‘Float,’ Pixar’s first-ever short featuring Filipino characters, earns Peabody nod
Pixar’s first-ever short film featuring Filipino characters has been nominated in this year’s Peabody Awards. Filipino American storyboard artist Bobby Alcid Rubio took to social media to share that his seven-minute short, “Float,” is one of the nominees in the award ceremony’s entertainment category. “So honored to have @Pixar #PixarFloat to be nominated for the…
LA County’s stay-at-home order likely to be extended for another 3 months
AS Los Angeles County’s “safer at home” order is slated to expire this week, officials are now recommending that it be extended for another three months in a continued effort to diminish the spread of the novel coronavirus. The county’s current emergency order was set to be lifted on Friday, May 15. The possibility for an…
Asian Americans #MakeNoiseToday through social movement
#MakeNoiseToday launches a social movement encouraging Asians to stand up, stand out, and speak up. The COVID-19 crisis has propagated a surge in racism and attacks toward Asian Americans and now is the time to organize and stand together. This May, multicultural communications agency Intertrend is tapping its inhouse nonprofit Creative Class Collective to honor…
Candlelight vigil held for Pinay nurse who died of COVID-19 at Hollywood hospital
On National Nurses Day, a Filipina nurse who died on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic was memorialized with a candlelight vigil in front of CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital in Los Angeles, where she had worked for 16 years. Some 200 individuals — including colleagues, community leaders, family and friends — came together on…
Highway in Daly City closer to being named after Pinay trailblazer
A PORTION of State Route 35 in Daly City, California may soon be named after a Bay Area Filipina trailblazer. The state Assembly Transportation Committee on Monday, May 4 approved ACR 165, a resolution by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) that designates the Daly City portion of the highway as the Alice Peña Bulos Memorial Highway. “In…
Meals over video chat, self-care rituals: Fil-Am moms share how they’ll spend Mother’s Day at home
THIS Sunday, May 10 marks Mother’s Day — another major holiday that families will have to celebrate while sheltering in place and social distancing. While treating mom to a dine-in meal at her favorite restaurant or going to a church service may not be viable options, the Asian Journal asked Pinay moms and their children…
This National Nurses Week, remember the Filipino and Fil-Am nurses providing care and risking their lives daily
by Momar G. Visaya and Christina M. Oriel In honor of the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale, the World Health Organization declared 2020 as the “International Year of the Nurse and Midwife.” The American Nurses Association followed suit by adopting the same observance for this year. Wednesday, May 6 marks National Nurses Day, the annual…
Historic Filipinotown group activates nationwide care program for working families
A LOCAL Filipino American organization in Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown has launched a new nationwide program to provide working families with supplies and other resources during the coronavirus pandemic. The Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) unveiled its Community Care Program, which includes the Care Box Program, Care Fund, Care Meals, COVID-19 Relief Fund, Virtual Town Halls,…
East West Players announces virtual gala plus weekly streaming programming, featuring Fil-Am talent AJ Rafael, Isa Briones, Dante Basco and more
EAST West Players (EWP), the nation’s longest-running professional theater of color and the largest producing organization of Asian American artistic work, announces that its 54th Annual Visionary Awards Dinner & Silent Auction will be celebrated online this May. Recognizing the achievements of individuals who have raised the visibility of the Asian Pacific American (APA) community…
Filipino Young Leaders Program immersion trip deferred to 2021
The annual immersion trip bringing young Filipino American professionals back to the Philippines has been postponed to 2021 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. For the past eight years, the program has been the signature piece of the partnership with the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, the Ayala Foundation and the Filipino Young Leaders Program…