AS we all know, California has the perfect weather and scenery for those of us who enjoy riding bicycles. Besides using bicycling as a form of exercise, it is also environmentally friendly. California communities are leading the charge in promoting the use of bicycles for short trips rather than cars by creating bicycle-friendly streets and…
KALAYAAN Incorporated participated in the celebration of Dr. Jose Rizal’s 160th birth anniversary on Saturday, June 19 at the City of Carson’s International Sculpture Garden with a ceremonial wreath laying. Among the esteemed guests were Philippine Consul General Edgar B Badajos, Carson Mayor Lula-Davis Holmes, Mayor Pro-Tem Jim Dear, Assemblymember Mike Gipson of the 64th…
UNITED States President Joe Biden has extended his “deepest condolences” to the Philippines following the death of former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. In a statement released by the White House on Thursday, June 24, Biden called Aquino a “valued friend and partner” to the U.S. “He will long be remembered for serving his country…
VARIOUS Filipino artists have banded together in support of a global campaign that aims to end hate and violence against Asians in the United States and other parts of the world. The campaign, called #StopAsianHate, was launched by the non-profit organization Asia Society in response to hate crimes against Asians in the U.S. The star-studded…
Ito ay serye ng Medicare Tips hatid ng Clever Care Health Plan, isang nangungunang tagapagbigay ng East meets West Medicare services na sensitibo sa kultura ng kanilang mga miyembro. Ayon sa nakaraang survey na ginawa ng AARP, malaking bahagi ng Asian American at Pacific Islander seniors ang nagsasabi na sila o ang kanilang mga pamilya…
Church leaders discuss safely reopening for in-person worship With our community at much higher risk from the COVID-19 virus, Filipino faith leaders like me recently gathered for an online roundtable entitled “Vaccinating in Good Faith: Filipino Families & Frontline Workers” to hear from medical experts and to honor our many essential healthcare workers, while we…
The inaugural donation to the new fund takes place during the 15th Annual “Giving for All Seasons” Fundraising Gala hosted by APCF On Thursday, June 17, Asian Pacific Community Fund (APCF) celebrates the 15th Annual “Giving for All Seasons” Fundraising Gala with the announcement of the Women Leadership in Philanthropy Fund. In a study conducted by…
Philippines to observe 10 days of national mourning MALACAÑANG, top officials and former leaders expressed condolences to the family of former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III who died at the age of 61. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, June 24, urged everyone to “set aside differences” to pay respects to his predecessor. “Let us…
Fil-Am’s podcast helps with giant retailer’s aim to serve communities better JOANNE Tabellija-Murphy vividly remembers one of her mentors who once told her that she will be happiest in her career journey if she sought roles that filled her heart. Armed with that, she looked for the things she was passionate about and learned how…
‘Back of My Mind’ is a refinement of the 23-year-old’s trademark dreamy aura It seems strange to learn that H.E.R. has just now released her debut album. For the last few years, the dazzling Filipina and Black American Bay Area native has been a ubiquitous presence at awards ceremonies; this year, winning both an Oscar…
Vaccinated residents get a free pair of tickets to future Giants game starting June 25 SAN FRANCISCO – The Department of Public Health and COVID Command Center announced a partnership on Wednesday, June 23 with the San Francisco Giants to get as many residents vaccinated against COVID-19 as possible. Beginning this Friday, June 25, people…
AXG: Abunda and Gurfinkel, moderated by Asia’s King of Talk, Boy Abunda, and leading U.S. immigration attorney, Michael J. Gurfinkel, provides answers to commonly asked questions in the “Quick Consults” portion of the very first virtual Q&A held via Zoom. Some of the questions sent by Kapamilyas via email or social media are: What happens…
Fil-Am candidates for city council trailing in first-choice votes NEW York City voters trooped to their polling places across the city on Tuesday, June 22 to vote for the next mayor and other local races but results won’t be known until mid-July. This is due to a couple of reasons: absentee ballots and ranked-choice voting. For…
WHILE the COVID-19 pandemic has killed millions so far, the smoking pandemic has snuffed out the lives of billions since “modern smoking” started 91 years ago. Smoking kills. It is that plain and simple. There is no more doubt today that tobacco (cigarette smoking) is the predominant cause of lung cancer, besides other malignancies and…
The July 2021 priority dates, continue to provide great news for workers in the EB-3 (skilled/professional) and “other worker” (unskilled workers like caregivers). The priority dates for all countries (except India and China) are CURRENT! This includes the Philippines! This means visas are available, regardless of the person’s priority date. If a person is being…
ACTRESS Jodi Sta. Maria, who will star in the Philippine version of the BBC drama series “Dr. Foster,” has added another feather to her cap. According to an article in Inquirer.net, the 39-year-old television and film fan favorite announced her graduation from college, earning a Psychology degree from Southville International School and Colleges. “I dreamt…
FORMER Philippine President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III has died, sources close to his family confirmed Thursday, June 24. He was 61. The son of former Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. and former President Corazon Aquino was rushed to the Capitol Medical Center in Quezon City on Thursday morning. According to reports, Aquino had been suffering…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to put those who refuse to get vaccinated against COVID-19 behind bars. In his public address on Monday, June 21, the chief executive expressed exasperation over individuals refusing to get inoculated, calling them “carriers” of COVID-19. “They are really carriers and they, you know, traveling from one place to…
This week, Disney Animation Studios will celebrate the release of its movie “Raya and the Last Dragon” by working with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® to spread joy through a series of virtual events for St. Jude patient families and its generous supporters. “Raya and the Last Dragon” is an epic journey to the fantasy…
GROWING up in Southern California’s San Gabriel Valley, Michelle Sterling would see jasmine bloom in her neighborhood at the beginning of summer. In “When Lola Visits,” a new picture book by Sterling about a young Filipina girl being visited by her grandmother from the Philippines, the flower is one of the indicators the main character…
ASIAN American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community members and local officials gathered at a park in Cerritos, California on Saturday, June 19 for a solidarity walk, two weeks after a Filipino American man was attacked there. At the front of the congregation held at Don Knabe Community Regional Park, doughnuts and water bottles were passed…
FILIPINO American California Attorney General Rob Bonta has launched new regional Human Trafficking and Sexual Predator Apprehension Teams (HT/SPAT) to address the epidemic of human trafficking in California, which was exacerbated by the state’s lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The teams — one covering Northern California and another covering Southern California — are…
THE husband of a Filipina American who went missing two years ago in Colorado Springs has been arrested for her murder. Dane Kallungi, 38, was arrested on Wednesday, June 16, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and charged with first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Jepsy Amaga Kallungi. According to KKTV 11 News, Kallungi was…
BABY BOOMERS are retiring early in America because of the pandemic, but there seems to be two parallel America for those who were born between 1946-1964 as they look forward to their twilight years. At least 1.7 million older workers retired early because of the pandemic crisis, a new report by the New School for…
FACING an impending recall election, California Governor Gavin Newsom proposed to the State Legislature on Monday, June 22 a plan to forgive unpaid rent that accumulated during the economically tumultuous COVID-19 pandemic that put financial strains on the most populous state’s most vulnerable communities. The plan is to use the $5.2 billion in federal pandemic…
