Marcos urges Duterte not to resign, Robredo’s lawyer insists VP is qualified PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte may step down if former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. were to be successful in challenging his 2016 vice presidential election loss, said the chief executive’s spokesman on Thursday, August 16. Having entered office in 2016, Duterte’s presidential term…
Hundreds of newspaper across the U.S. on Thursday, August 16 joined together in calling out President Donald Trump’s diatribes against news media which he has more than once dubbed “the enemy of the people.” Nearly 350 editorials were published Thursday, after the Boston Globe last week encouraged editorial boards to write and publish editorials to…
FILIPINO food has, without a doubt, been heating up in the U.S. with Filipinos and non-Filipinos alike enjoying the burgeoning scene on both coasts. But while dishes like chicken adobo, sisig, lechon, and kare-kare can make mouths water, vegetables and fruits that Filipinos have for long enjoyed also deserve some spotlight as many of them…
THE growing Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population in the U.S. is very diverse — encompassing a large number of unique ethnic identities with their own cultures, languages, and experiences. According to fact tank Pew Research Center, a whopping 20 million Asian Americans trace back to over 20 countries throughout East and Southeast Asia,…
FILIPINO artists came together on Friday, August 3 at the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles, California to present some of their early and recent works, relating them to their experiences of immigrating to the U.S. from the Philippines. The presentations came ahead of an upcoming exhibit called “Philippines with Strands: Filipino and Filipino-American Contemporary Artists…
About 3.8 million Asians and Pacific Islanders rely on forms of public benefit The White House may go forth with a rule change that would give legal immigrants looking to gain permanent residency a much harder time if they have ever used certain popular welfare programs. The Trump administration has been reviewing the proposal that…
California fires have again been making ground, less than a year after a record breaking fire burnt through parts of Southern California’s coast. As of Tuesday morning, August 7, the Mendocino Complex Fire covered over 290,000 acres in Northern California’s Mendocino and Lake counties, making it the largest fire in California’s modern history. Made…
After nearly 40 years, the internationally acclaimed Leyte Kalipayan Dance Company is back in the U.S. for its third tour in the nation to promote the Philippine performing arts, culture, and heritage through Philippine dance. Up until the end of August, the company will be showcasing their “Kalipayan” (Happiness) production that features dances from different…
Former president endorses first wave of candidates for midterms elections A total of 81 candidates for federal and state offices got the thumbs-up by former President Barack Obama on Wednesday, August 1 in his first wave of endorsements focused on candidates across 14 different states. Among the first wave of endorsees is Fil-Am congressional candidate…
Clark Kent “Superman” Apuada sets new record at Far Western Championships A young 10-year-old Fil-Am from Salinas, California may very well be on his way to becoming a future Olympic swimmer for the United States. Clark Kent Apuada, rightly nicknamed “Superman,” swam the 100-meter butterfly event in 1:09:38 at the 2018 Speedo Long Course Far…
President Donald Trump made clear on Tuesday, July 31, that he’s serious about shutting down the government if Congress fails to pass new immigration and border security measures like border wall funding. Trump sounded off the likelihood of a government shutdown at least twice since the weekend, starting with a tweet on Sunday, July 29,…
MAD Travel co-founder Tom Graham shares journey towards social tourism platform Whether it’s family, friends, pristine beaches, food, shopping, or business — people find themselves in the Philippines for a number of reasons. For former business journalist Thomas Graham, his journey to the Philippines came by way of an assignment — to report on business and investment…
US government has until July 26 to meet reunification deadline U.S. Justice Department attorneys said in a court filing Monday, July 23, that over 460 migrant parents separated from their children under the government’s “zero-tolerance” policy may have already been deported without their kids. The report comes just days ahead of a deadline to reunite over…
Filipina-Polish magician stars on CW hit show, ‘Masters of Illusion’ FILIPINA-Polish magician Billy Kidd once again starred in the CW hit television show “Masters of Illusion” on Friday, July 13 — joining the lineup for the second year in a row. Since starting her career in magic, Kidd has performed at numerous events and venues…
LA County’s Safe Clean Water Program to be voted on in November Los Angeles is missing out on large opportunities to capture much-needed water as a result of its current water system, with over 100 billion gallons of water literally going down the drain each year from uncaptured rain. In fact, about two-thirds of the…
Having just recently been re-elected after earning over 50 percent of the primary vote last month, Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo briefed people of his police hiring efforts at the Hong Kong Garden Restaurant in Las Vegas, Nevada on Tuesday, July 17. At the event held by the Sheriff’s Asian Advisory Council, Lombardo told attendees…
Cebu-based guitar duo wins grand prize in instrumentals as Filipinos turn out at finals The 22nd Annual World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) 2018 commenced on Sunday, July 8 in Long Beach, California with Team Philippines bringing home numerous awards including a total of 219 medals, after over a week of performances and competitions. At…
Filipinos share their experiences in caring for others THE Philippines has for years provided the international community with caregivers who have watched over people of all ages in both hospitals and homes. At the Fountain Valley Regional Hospital in Fountain Valley, California, two Filipinos shared their experiences working at the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit…
Nearly half of kids in youngest age group deemed ‘ineligible’ due to safety concerns Nearly half of the immigrant children under five years old who were separated from their parents at the U.S. border were unable to be reunited, as the U.S. government struggled to meets its first reunification deadline. The Trump administration said on…
by Rae Ann Varona AJPress Four local officials in the Philippines were killed in a time span of less than two weeks, fueling concerns that the administration’s anti-drug campaign has been emboldening some people to carry out killings. Al Rashid Mohammad Ali, vice mayor of Sapa-Sapa in Mindanao’s Tawi-Tawi province, was shot and killed by…
Possible free trade agreement discussions not needed to be ‘fast-tracked’ The Trump administration imposed its first wave of tariffs against China less than a week ago after confirming that the U.S. would start collecting tariffs on $34 billion worth of Chinese goods. Another $16 billion worth of tariffs are expected to follow. Describing the U.S.’…
PH tourism to focus more on opportunities for women The Southeast Asian region saw a 10 percent increase in the number of tourists during the first quarter of 2018, according to a recent report by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). The increase topped the six percent international average, giving the tropical and subtropical…
The City of Los Angeles has not yet decided on whether or not it will take in a $425,000 grant from the federal Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) program which was scheduled to be voted on at the Tuesday, July 3 City Council meeting. While the mayor’s office has planned to accept the grant meant to…
An American missionary was deported back to the United States from the Philippines on Wednesday, July 4, for allegedly engaging in “political activities.” Adam Thomas Shaw, an American missionary of the United Methodist Church, took a flight to the U.S. on Wednesday morning, July 4, according to the Philippines Bureau of Immigration (BI). Shaw was…
TWO Philippine mayors were killed in separate back-to-back shootings within two days, fueling more fears in the country as it deals with the publicized problem of extrajudicial killings stemming from the administration’s war on drugs. One of the mayors was previously said to be linked to illegal drugs. Mayor Ferdinand Bote, 57, of northern General…
PHILIPPINE Senator Grace Poe shared her experiences and thoughts on what it means to be a Filipino abroad during a recent visit to Los Angeles, California on Friday, June 30. “What we all went through is universal,” said Poe in Filipino, after warming up attendees with a few Filipino jokes in honor of late Senator…
Filipino green card holder detained for decade-old conviction WITH the current administration’s efforts to tighten immigration enforcement in the United States, several reports are emerging that Filipinos have been part of recent sweeps conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). One such case is that of Cloyd Edralin, a Filipino green card holder and U.S….
Malacañang said on Monday, June 25, that it would not support the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency’s (PDEA) proposal to make drug tests mandatory for students as young as 10 years old, siding with the Department of Education’s (DepEd) stance that such testings are unconstitutional. Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said that no mandatory drug tests would…
AMIDST a busy schedule, wrestling magnate turned Cabinet member Linda McMahon made way through an also busy Porto’s Bakery & Cafe in Glendale, California — her last stop in visiting small businesses in Los Angeles. McMahon has been making her way across the United States as part of her Small Business Association (SBA) Ignite Tour…
These days, Maria Lourdes Baltazar — more often referred to as “Girlie” — spends a good amount of her time working at the Philippines’ presidential Malacañang Palace. However, she did not grow up having political ambitions, despite being surrounded by it for a good part of her life. “It’s a lot of phone calls…
