Whether or not kids should wear masks in school remains a heated topic with strong opinions on both sides. Adding to this conversation is the state’s latest masking guidance, which went into effect on March 12. Schools are no longer required to enforce a mask mandate and instead are maintaining masking as a strong recommendation…
CORRUPTION has been the chronic illness that has plagued the Philippines for a long time, and in each and every election cycle, we hear candidates for president vow to end corruption and yet the problem has persisted and the prognosis did not look good. In fact, corruption has become systemic, and its toxicity has been…
AFTER more than two years since the March 2020 lockdown due to the pandemic, travel professionals are optimistic that with the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions around the world, more people will be traveling in the coming months. At the New York Travel and Adventure Show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center over the weekend, prospective…
KAPAMILYA star Erich Gonzales is now married to businessman Mateo Lorenzo, according to various news reports. The lead star of TV series like “Maria La Del Barrio,” “Katorse,” “Be My Lady,” “Blood Sisters” and “La Vida Lena” reportedly tied the knot with Lorenzo at the St. James the Great Parish in Alabang, Muntinlupa. Their marriage…
I STILL think of last Sunday’s (March 20) Old Testament Reading on God’s presence through a burning bush. It’s a powerful image of God’s luminous presence, love, mercy, and wisdom. It burns continually; it cannot be consumed. As human beings, we cannot fully comprehend him. Yet, like Moses, we approach him with fear and reverence….
TO help put an end to the proliferation of anti-Asian hate and harassment, the Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles (Advancing Justice-Los Angeles), in partnership with Hollaback!, is holding a series of virtual trainings entitled “Bystander Intervention To Stop Anti-Asian/American and Xenophobic Harassment.” Starting with the first training last March 23 which was carried out using…
LEADING U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel hosts the almost 50,000-strong SoCal Pinoys of Southern California. Its founder and leader, Charles Chamorro, talks about the group’s mission and accomplishments. Atty. Gurfinkel also answers immigration questions from members of SoCal Pinoys, like “Is there a way for a crewman to legalize his status?,” “Can a woman…
SAN FRANCISCO – The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco celebrated National Women’s Month in the Philippines and Women’s History Month in the United States with an online roundtable discussion that featured some of the trailblazing Filipino American women health leaders in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. Entitled “Women in Health: Leading Our Communities Out of…
A common issue for which persons have consulted with me is whether any avenues towards permanent residence exist for a person who entered as a “crewman.” Under INA Section 245(c)(1), a person who enters the US as a “crewman” is generally barred from adjusting his status to permanent residence. Analysis of this issue must begin…
Q: I WAS fired from work last week and another co-worker also quit at around the same time. Our employer told us both to sign an “exit form” and a “release.” We were told that we would not get our final paycheck if we do not sign these documents. Is this legal? A: If an…
WHEN debts become unmanageable, bankruptcy can become an invaluable financial recovery in helping regain control over your finances. Without the “fresh start” that bankruptcy provides, it would be impossible for a lot of people to ever pay back what they owe, and they will simply remain stuck in debt with nowhere to go. If you’ve…
THE COVID-19 pandemic is a scary reality which affects everyone globally and has shut down the global economy. Individuals over 60 years old and individual that are immune compromised are more at risk of having serious complications with this virus. Individuals are dying all over the world in exponential numbers. Although we cannot completely control…
FIRST client is 34. She is recently married and now has a one-year old son. She used to be employed making a gross of $50K yearly. At the same time, she was doing a home-based business using credit cards to finance the purchase of goods for people who had no credit. She would use her…
Stories have the power and influence to touch the heart that a cut and dried essay or a report does not have. Somehow the lessons and insights we learn from stories have a longer shelf life. They stick. Along the way, I have met many whose stories seem like the stuff of fiction. Other stories…
MEET Martha Millan, a Filipino actress who recently made a splash in the barrier-breaking and history-setting Fox series “The Cleaning Lady” as Fiona de la Rosa, an undocumented immigrant in America. The Cleaning Lady’s diverse cast is led by French-Cambodian Elodie Yung who fans might recognize as Elektra on the Netflix series Daredevil. The show…
MARCH 20 marked the eve of the changing of seasons. Winter gave way to spring as activism and volunteerism saw a renaissance in the growing number of Filipinos now invested in the campaign of Leni Robredo for president and Kiko Pangilinan for vice president. From the Peoples’ Rally and caravan that kicked off the campaign…
By Sunita Sohrabji/Ethnic Media Services CHILDREN ages 5-11 have one of the lowest vaccination rates of any group but are now returning to elementary schools which have no masking requirements and do not require them to stay at home if a classmate is infected. “2022 could well be the worst year of the pandemic for…
AS multiple COVID metrics continue to decline, the state is lifting the requirements for vaccine and test verification at indoor mega events starting April 1. LA County will align with the state and post an updated Health Officer Order later this week. While we’re encouraged with the progress made, as the BA.2 subvariant gradually increases…
Susan Espiritu Dilkes died on March 2, at her home, surrounded by family and friends. She was 72 years old. She was a mother, a wife, a grandmother, and a community leader; she had struggled with metastatic colon cancer for seven years. Susan was born in 1949, in Cebu City, in the Philippines. Later, the…
Marco Polo Plaza, Cebu today announced the completion of its renovation of 60 Premier category rooms and suites at a total investment of PHP 100 million (nearly US$ 2 million). Owned by Cathay International Resources Corporation, the hotel is popular with business and leisure travellers visiting Cebu City and part of the corporation’s continued investment…
The Asian American and Pacific Islander community in Los Angeles County holds deep fears of racial attacks, according to a new survey released by the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at Cal State LA and the California Community Foundation. Nearly a quarter of the 1,500 AAPI residents who were surveyed reported being a victim…
FILIPINO Americans can now sign up for the first-ever digital bank built with their cross-border financial responsibilities in mind. BayaniPay has tied up with California-based East West Bank to launch a pioneering neobank that will cater to the banking needs of more than 4 million Filipinos based in the United States. A neobank, also referred…
In Los Angeles County, programs that have already saved small businesses millions during the COVID-19 pandemic are looking for ways to expand their outreach into underserved communities. Safer At Work Los Angeles (saferatwork.la), working with partners such as PPE Unite, have provided basic support, such as communication assets for business store fronts, personal protective equipment…
Running a small business can have its perks although it’s often an all-consuming endeavor. The owner often has to wear many hats – from being a marketer, manager, and yes, including the often most dreaded role of all – managing the finances of the business. The sad fact is that many businesses struggle, no matter…
