Masks still required in schools as masking mandates lift across California
LA County to lift certain mask requirements on Wednesday, Feb. 16 Starting at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 16, mask mandates in certain public settings for vaccinated individuals will lift across California, but according to state officials, masking requirements schools will remain in tact. Masks will still be required for everyone regardless of vaccination status…
99 Ranch Market hosts Lucky Draw ceremony at Fremont branch
99 RANCH Market held a drawing ceremony last February 5 for its Lucky Draw to celebrate the opening of the Fremont-Warm Springs location. Officials led by General Manager PeiYan Weng and Vice President for Marketing Teddy Chow welcomed the grand drawing participants and their family members who had been chosen at a previous drawing on…
[COLUMN] New COVID data
CHEWING gum An amazing clinical discovery: chewing gum with Xylitol decreases preterm birth by 24 percent! This simple and inexpensive intervention that prevents premature delivery is “linked to improvement in oral health, according to research presented at the meeting sponsored by the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.” Oral health also impacts heart health, our gut microbiome,…
Filipino American Business Association of Glendale hosts Lunar New Year mixer
Ringing in the Lunar New Year with a “Mix-Meet-Mingle and Membership Drive,” the Filipino American Business Association of Glendale (FABAG-GLAC) held a very successful mixer at Panda Inn Restaurant in Glendale, California The fully-packed event was attended by Special Guests and Dignitaries, such as Hon. Philippine Consul General Edgar Badajos, Protocol Officer Elvis Tamayo, City…
[COLUMN] Need to file bankruptcy but worried about your credit?
IF you are in debt and are seriously considering bankruptcy as an option, I am sure a lot of thoughts are going through your mind. I just want to get out of debt and start over but how quickly can I recover from bankruptcy? What are the different types of bankruptcy available? How do I…
Why millions on Medicaid are at risk of losing coverage in the months ahead
By Rachana Pradhan/Kaiser Health News The Biden administration and state officials are bracing for a great unwinding: millions of people losing their Medicaid benefits when the pandemic health emergency ends. Some might sign up for different insurance. Many others are bound to get lost in the transition. State Medicaid agencies for months have been preparing…
SFIO receives letter of interest from US EXIM Bank for up to $28.75-M in debt financing
STARFLEET Innotech, Inc.has received a letter of interest from the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM), in support of SFIO’s real estate development projects in the Philippines. In their letter, EXIM, the official export credit agency of the United States, expressed interest in extending financing of up to $28.75 million, towards SFIO’s medical and…
‘Microbusinesses’ could receive $2,500 COVID-19 relief grants
“MICROBUSINESSES” across San Diego County hurt by COVID-19 could soon be getting $2,500 boosts after County supervisors approved a grant program on Tuesday, February 8 funded in part by the California Office of the Small Business Advocate. Supervisors unanimously approved giving the $2,500 grants to help up to 1,550 microbusinesses, defined as earning less than…
Filipino American-owned bakery Créme Caramel LA to feature at Super Bowl tailgate party
Super Bowl weekend to generate half a billion dollars AS fans prepare for the upcoming Super Bowl LVI festivities on Sunday, Feb. 13, the entire Los Angeles County community is well aware of the significance of this year’s game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams. It’s not uncommon for a host city’s…
LA County reminds residents to stay safe ahead of Super Bowl
IT’S a big weekend for Los Angeles as the LA Rams will vie to win on their home field as Super Bowl LVI descends at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 13. But ahead of the game, county officials are reminding residents and visitors to follow coronavirus safety measures. The LA County Public Health has advised…
[COLUMN] Radical love on Valentine’s Day
LOVE is in the air as we celebrate our romantic expression of love on Valentine’s Day. Roses, chocolates, champagne, dinner dates, walks by the beach, stargazing together. All the “kilig” moments lovers shared together on this day of the hearts. But Valentine’s Day isn’t just about having dreamy eyes and feeling your heart beat faster…
[COLUMN] When you experience ‘adverse employment action’ for doing the right thing
DENISE Bertone worked as a coroner investigator for the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner (DMEC). For most of her 25-year tenure, she was the expert pediatric coroner investigator for most child deaths. In 2013, a disabled child was found nearly drowned in a washing machine and was comatose. The child was taken to…
[COLUMN] Why using your married child as a co-borrower to refinance your house is a bad idea
MANY parents who may have problems refinancing their house due to low income in retirement or due to low credit score sometimes resort to the idea of having their married child serve as a co-borrower to refinance their house As part of the refinancing process, the parents usually adds their adult children to the deed…
[COLUMN] Client files Chapter 13 for $400K unsecured debt
THIS is what I call a borderline Chapter 7 case with asset. Therefore, it is the better part of caution not to file Chapter 7 because the asset may be lost in Chapter 7, while Chapter 13 is safe enough because the Chapter 13 trustee, unlike the Chapter 7 trustee does not have the power…
[COLUMN] Can I get a green card if i had a previous marriage petition denied based on fraud?
DEAR Attorney Tan, I recently married a US Citizen, who is my second husband. He has filed an immigrant visa petition and green card application for me. My husband recently received from USCIS a Notice of Intent to Deny the petition that he filed on my behalf. The Notice indicated that the immigrant visa petition…
[COLUMN] Thomas Merton’s thoughts on poverty
Reading Thomas Merton’s s letters in the book Thomas Merton, A Life in Letters has fascinated me because of the relevance of Merton’s thoughts in today’s world. As you may know, Thomas Merton was one of the influential religious figures of the 20th century. As a monk, mystic, and prophet, he helped form American religious…
Nevada lifts public mask mandate immediately
Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak on Thursday, Feb. 10 announced an immediate end to the state’s mask mandate as coronavirus case numbers continue to decrease. Masks will no longer be required in public settings, regardless of vaccination status, the governor announced in a speech. “Masks will no longer be required in public places, but there are…
Romance scams in 2021: Fraudsters to the left of you, fakers to the right
LOVE happens year-round, not only on Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately, romance scams are the same. So, along with sharing (or not) some chocolate, make Valentine’s Day a time to share with people you care about some ways to spot and avoid romance scams. Because, according to a new FTC report, people sent $547 million to online…
Historic wins for two Filipino films at 2022 Sundance film festival
SAN FRANCISCO – In a historic first for the Philippine film industry, two Filipino film entries received praise and won awards at the recently concluded 2022 Sundance Film Festival, the largest independent film festival in the United States. Philippine Consul General in San Francisco Neil Frank Ferrer congratulated the filmmakers behind Filipino movies “Leonor Will…
The Newark Museum of Art to host first ever museum retrospective highlighting Filipino American artist Carlos Villa
New Jersey’s largest museum to show five decades of groundbreaking works exploring global art history, immigration and the art of identity THE Newark Museum of Art is set to present Carlos Villa: Worlds In Collision, from February 17 – May 8, 2022. The exhibition brings together 35 rarely seen works by Carlos Villa, a central figure in…
NJ lifts mask mandate effective March 7
Governor to extend the statewide public health emergency NOTING the significant decline of statewide COVID-19 metrics, Governor Phil Murphy early this week announced that masks and facial coverings will no longer be mandated for students, staff, or visitors in schools and childcare centers effective March 7, 2022. “We can responsibly take this step given the…