LOS ANGELES – Five college-bound students are recipients of supplemental scholarship grants from APO Global Foundation, Inc. The students, who were nominated by their high school and career guidance counselors, will receive $1,000 each so they can jump start and tied them over in their freshman college career path. The five Filipino-American scholars were judged…
EMMANUEL “Manny” Ilagan has navigated an exceptional and well-rounded journey. With divergent interests: he was a community leader, a travel writer, a former choir member, a sportsman and with myriad hobbies and interests in biking, tennis, golfing, fishing, boating and target shooting. As a testament, Manny is a member of International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC)….
Cerritos – On its third year run as Los Angeles County’s largest Philippine American Friendship Day, this year’s edition will be held on July 13 (Saturday) from 10:30 am to 8 pm at the Don Knabe Community Regional Park on Bloomfield Ave., this city. Hosted by the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) in…
Long Beach – In response to the rapidly evolving landscape of the importing industry, EC Ferrer Customs House Brokers (CHB) Inc. in partnership with the Filipino American Chamber of Cerritos and Gateway Cities and the Pangasinan Brotherhood USA Inc., is proud to announce “Back to Basics 2.0,” an informative summit designed to equip importers with…
Travelling to other countries like Italy and Greece is culturally and intellectually very enriching and stimulating. It rekindled my interest and passion in history especially ancient history and antiquities of both countries. The first time I was in Italy was in 2009 but only visited Rome, San Marcello in the province of Ancona. Our recent…
LOS ANGELES – In a bid to bolster tourism in the Philippines with emphasis in the untapped countrysides – the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Tourism, Tourism Promotions Board and its implementing partner Rajah Tours – are intensifying their campaign to attract Fil-Ams and other diverse groups in North America to visit the Philippines…
Norwalk, CA – Despite the short preparation, the inaugural induction and gala night of newly-formed Philippine Global Media Group was fruitfully carried out at the Double Tree Hotel by Hilton on Feb. 10 in this city, 20 miles southeast from Los Angeles. Filipino-American community influencers, business leaders, elected officials and journalists from both Southern California…
LOS ANGELES – A group of seasoned Filipino journalists, broadcasters and news photographers have formed a new media group to help professionalize the Filipino-American media industry in their efforts to serve the information needs of the Filipino community. The Philippine Global Media Group, Inc. (PGMG) brings together journalists in print, broadcast and social media, initially…
As a tax practitioner dealing with income tax, sales tax along with two dozen Fil-Am non-profit, public benefit 501 C-3 organizations that I maintain, I have the top four in my book that fulfill their role in serving humankind in the most prolific ways in Southern California. My selection criteria are based on: Impact and…
Liong Beach, CA — It appears that “Women Empowerment” in Pangasinan Brotherhood-USA’s top leadership team seems to be the mantra as the incoming board of directors elected two women to lead this non-profit, 501-C-3, charitable umbrella organization for the next two years. Sue Ann Estrada-Tumakay, current president of San Carlenian Organization and Ellen Rodriguez-Swing of…
IN a bid to upgrade the existing College Seminary and House of Formation for theology students of the Marian Missionaries of the Holy Cross (MMHC) in Marikina and Silay City, the combined forces of the Holy Family Church in Artesia and St. John of God in Norwalk, are spearheading “A Joeyful Christmas, a night of…
LOS ANGELES – The donation drive dubbed as “Ahon Abra,” a joint project of the Divine Word College of Bangued (DWCB) High School Batch 82 and the United Specialist Healthcare Foundation (USHF), ended on a successful note. Begun just a few days after super-typhoon “Egay” caused severe flooding in the province of Abra in late…
Although Mother’s Day is more hyped in terms of celebration because of our mothers’ heroic role in raising their children, fathers’ roles should not be taken for granted for their pivotal role in our lives. They’re more often than not the breadwinner of the family. Parents should equally be honored. Remember, when two are united…
JANUARY is the start of income tax filing once again. It is due on or before April 15, 2023. However, due to the natural disaster caused by the so-called atmospheric-river storm that battered California, the Internal Revenue Service just announced that your tax filing can be extended to May 15 for counties covered by a…
BECAUSE the late 12th Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos is one of the most admired presidents of our Motherland — who restored democracy and who recently passed away at age 94 — let me show some vignettes of my close interactions with him through the years before, during and after his presidency. After all, he…
CERRITOS, Calif. — The Filipino American community of Southern California recently came together at the Don Knabe Community Regional Park for the Philippine-American Friendship Day hosted by the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA)-Greater Los Angeles. This year’s celebration theme, “Together We Rise. The Time Is Now,” is a fitting tribute to the accomplishments…
COMPARED to other Filipino American elected officials in California, Ariel Pe, Lakewood’s newly-installed vice mayor is relatively unheralded in the local media. Is it by design or by the circumstances beyond his control when he was first elected to the Lakewood City Council in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic was raging on planet earth?…
CERRITOS, Calif. — Two Filipino American public officials were officially sworn in as councilmembers on Wednesday, April 27 at the City of Cerritos Council Chamber. Top vote-getter Frank Aurelio Yokoyama was re-elected to his second term as councilmember while Lynda Johnson was elected in her first council run. “My dream of becoming a City of…
CERRITOS, Calif. – Two Filipino Americans emerged as the top vote-getters out of seven hopefuls in the race for this city’s council. Fil-Am incumbent councilmember Frank Aurelio Yokoyama, a local businessman and attorney, and Lynda Johnson, a former field deputy of L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn and current field deputy of L.A. County Sheriff Alex…
IT has come to my attention that several qualified taxpayers – by either lapse of memory or for some unexplainable reasons – don’t realize that they already received their Economic Impact Payment or the Recovery Rebate Credit otherwise known as stimulus refund amounting to $1,400 under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) of the Biden…
THE 2022 Tax Season is very much underway for tax year 2021. Due to the pandemic, there are new tax laws that were enacted like the American Rescue Plan to mitigate the needs of taxpayers especially those who were affected. In addition, tax deductions and credits can reduce the amount we pay to Internal Revenue…
Cerritos, CA — With her vast and glowing experiences as paralegal and field deputy of Los Angeles County’s two branches of services, Lynda Johnson may yet be the first Filipina American woman to break the glass ceiling as councilwoman of the City of Cerritos. Election day is April 12, 2022. Tangible signs are pointing to…
Corona, Calif. – Jake Taruc Merilo, the 22-year-old son of APO member Robert Merilo (APO San Diego) who was also the competitor of the former, topped the 1st Golf For A Cause hosted by APO Global Foundation at the tricky and challenging Dos Lagos Golf Course by the foothills of the scenic, wind-swept Cleveland National…
IF there’s somebody who passionately dares to thread a career path that’s rarely taken by like-minded professionals, Errol C. Mendoza typifies this description. Due to the COVID-19 lockdown, Errol’s artistic mind or gift, has shifted to painting which is being noticed by the community and art critics alike. He is a self-taught painter. His paintings…
FE Olegario-Pakula, a former elementary school teacher from Mangatarem, Pangasinan, passed away on April 5 from coronavirus complications at a nursing home facility in New York City. Olegario-Pakula, 81, is survived by her husband Marian Pakula, a Polish-American, and her younger brother, Dr. Eddie Olegario, a retired physician now based in Atlantic City, New Jersey….
From the reckless rhetoric of both Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and U.S. presidential nominee Donald J. Trump, one can deduce that they share the same speaking style: It’s rough, unorthodox and un-presidential. During the inauguration of President-elect Duterte in Malacanang Palace, my wife and I were impressed while listening to his inaugural speech. That…
Long Beach, Calif. – As a continuing public service, E.C. Ferrer Custom House Broker, Inc. is sponsoring another half-day seminar for importers, entrepreneurs, distributors, wholesalers and retailers on Oct. 26 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Long Beach Marriott Hotel on 4700 Airport Plaza Drive. Complimentary breakfast will be available and served upon…
CERRITOS, Calif. – True to its name, the Happy Seniors of Cerritos truly live up to its name as an association by organizing activities that entertain them, promoting fellowship and recognizing important milestone among its members. Hence, the Happy Seniors of Cerritos enhance their quality of life as they journey to the sunset of their…
CERRITOS – As expected by political pundits in the ABC school district, Lynda Johnson, a paralegal by profession, cruised to an easy victory when she topped the recent ABC School Board election in the field of five candidates. Another Fil-Am candidate, re-electionist and former mayor Victor Manalo came in second in the field of six…
When members of the Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity in both the Philippines and USA are gathered in full force in the name of service — it was not only historical but a sight to behold. They typified the three basic cardinal principles of this Greek-letter fraternity of LEADERSIP, FRIENDSHIP and SERVICE when they converged at…
