Filipino parents, teens weigh in on whether or not to vaccinate their 12 to 15-year-olds
CA, LA County begin accepting vaccination appointments for kids in this age group THE U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday, May 10 announced that it amended its emergency use authorization for the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine to include teens between the ages of 12 and 15, clearing the way for the 17 million people…
Daughter of Fil-Am senior attacked in NY starts AAP(IBelong) project
THE daughter of the elderly Filipina immigrant who was assaulted in New York has launched a project that encourages Asian Americans to share their personal stories of racism and belonging in the United States. “AAP(I belong) is a place to share stories and words of encouragement from those who have encountered anti-Asian hatred,” Elizabeth Kari…
CDC relaxes mask guidelines for fully vaccinated people
LA County still requires masks inside businesses AFTER a year of wearing masks, fully vaccinated individuals can forgo face coverings when outdoors or in most indoor settings, according to new guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The relaxed measures were announced on Thursday, May 13, paving the way for safely resuming…
Asian American legislators say systemic change must happen to address anti-Asian hate
CALIFORNIA Attorney General Rob Bonta, Congresswoman Grace Meng, and Assemblymember Evan Low spoke about the need for Asian American politicians to create inclusive legislation to protect the Asian American community. The new attorney general announced a new Racial Justice Bureau will be created within the state’s Department of Justice to implement systemic changes within the…
Metro Manila, other areas to shift to GCQ with ‘heightened restrictions’ on May 15
THE Philippines’ National Capital Region (NCR) Plus will be under general community quarantine (GCQ) “with heightened restrictions” from May 15 to May 31. President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, May 13, downgraded the quarantine status of NCR Plus following the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID). “President Rodrigo…
LA County battles hunger with Calfresh
AMONG the many problems made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic in Los Angeles County is a familiar one: hunger. For the county’s Board of Supervisors it’s a top priority. “No one in Los Angeles County should be experiencing the pangs of hunger,” First District Supervisor Hilda Solis said at a virtual town hall press conference…
Fil-Am star Olivia Rodrigo releases new song ‘Good 4 U’
FILIPINA American Disney star and singer Olivia Rodrigo has followed up her chart-topping singles with a new track from her upcoming debut album. Rodrigo on Friday, May 14, released “Good 4 U,” the third single off of her highly-anticipated album “Sour” out on May 21. In her Billboard cover story, the star of “The High…
[COLUMN] IRS top enforcement targets
WITH a bigger budget, IRS recently hired new personnel to increase their historic low audit rates. Here are 7 targets for IRS audits: 1. Non-filers IRS estimates that nonfilers represent $39 billion in lost revenue annually. To make even worse, nonfilers leave the tax system for good. The IRS has restarted its delinquent return investigation and…
[COLUMN] Is an unfair firing ‘wrongful termination’?
Q: I worked in a company for over 5 years. A client accused me of making a mistake in a big order. This was not true. But the new manager, who did not like me and wanted to bring in his best friend to do my job, used the client’s complaint as a reason to…
[COLUMN] Do I have to disclose my bitcoin to my spouse in my divorce case?
BITCOIN and other cryptocurrency has become popular lately as a new store of value. It is decentralized and not subject to regulation in any jurisdiction. It can be stored in a digital wallet or hard drive. Due to its lack of regulation, it is easy for one to assume that it is not necessary…
[COLUMN] Debtor with $70K credit cards but good income needs Chapter 13 relief
A DEBTOR who is 50 has accumulated credit card debt at the rate of $6,000 a year for the last 20 years. Now, he owes $70,000 of credit cards. He needs $2,400 a month of minimum credit card payments to keep all $70,000 current. His mortgage payment is $2,500 with a mortgage balance of $400,000….
[COLUMN] On friendship
FRIENDSHIP is one of our most precious values. It brings us joy, comfort, and hope. It sustains us and inspires us in our work and aspirations. Paulo Coelho says, “Friendship isn’t a big thing — it’s a million things.” Proverb 17:9 states, “A sweet friendship refreshes the soul.” Then many of us agree to the…
[COLUMN] To vax or not to vax; to mask or not to mask — these are the questions we need to answer in this war against COVID-19
JUST as people are dying in the Philippines, and lockdowns continue to be enforced in many parts of the country, life-saving vaccines are in danger of expiring in storage areas of the Department of Health. “Supply of about 1.5 million AstraZeneca doses scheduled to expire by June 30, 2021. The doses were part of the…
[COLUMN] Appreciate nurses — we can all do our part to help end the pandemic
By Dr. Raynald Samoa THROUGHOUT the COVID-19 pandemic, I have been inspired by the strength and resilience of California’s nurses, many of whom are Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). This May and every day, I urge everyone to express appreciation to nurses by helping to end the pandemic. As we celebrate Asian Pacific American…
PH scheduled to receive 2.2M Pfizer vaccine doses
AN additional 2.2 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine from the World Health Organization-led COVAX facility will be arriving in the Philippines later this May, according to vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. “Yung next delivery ng Pfizer, more or less sa 2.2 million (The next delivery of Pfizer, more or less 2.2 million [doses]) I…
DFA files new diplomatic protest vs Chinese vessels in West PH Sea
PHILIPPINE Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. has ordered the filing of a new diplomatic protest against China over the presence of some 287 Chinese militia vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). “@DFAPHL (Department of Foreign Affairs), fire diplomatic protest,” the diplomat said in a tweet on Thursday, May 13. On Wednesday, May 12,…
[COLUMN] Medical pearls
STRATEGY to sleep better To a significant number of people, the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected their sleep, aggravating what is already an impaired activity for many. Sleep, “recharging our low-bat,” is vital to health and longevity. Statistics reveal that over 100 million people in the United States do not regularly get a good night’s…
Homicides surge in California amid COVID shutdowns of schools, youth programs
By Philip Reese, Kaiser Health News Amid a pandemic that left law enforcement agencies stretched thin and forced shutdowns that left young men with little to do, California registered a devastating surge in homicides in 2020 that hit especially hard in Black and Latino communities. The number of homicide victims in California jumped 27% from…
1.2 million working families in California eligible for tax credits, but still need to apply
With the tax filing deadline on May 17, there are 1.2 million working families in California who are eligible for tax credits from the State of California but may not be aware or haven’t applied. United Ways of California and local partners are helping to make sure families who qualify know about the programs and…
Family of Filipino man attacked in Oakland still searching for answers
IT has been over a month since an elderly Filipino American man lost his only source of income when he was carjacked at gunpoint in Oakland, California, but his family is still searching for answers. Sara Guillermo, a niece of the unnamed victim, recently spoke to the Asian Journal and said the police still haven’t…
How two chefs’ fascination with fast food led to the birth of Pogiboy DC
Pogiboy, the newest Filipino hotspot in the nation’s capital and the reunion project of two trailblazing Filipino American chefs, was born as an homage to the fast-food chains they enjoyed as kids. The men behind the concept are James Beard awardee Tom Cunanan, who made waves in the DC hospitality industry as one of the…
PH begins Pfizer vaccine rollout
THE Philippines on Wednesday, May 12, started inoculating its Filipino citizens with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Some 193,050 Pfizer vaccine doses arrived in the country on Monday, May 10, and were distributed to Metro Manila and other areas which can accommodate the product’s storage requirements of -70 to -80°C. Among the first local government units…
Free Fil-Am event on June 12 marks Philippine Independence Day in San Bruno, CA
“Salo-Salo” is an event that seeks to honor Philippine Independence Day on June 12 in San Bruno, California. Entrepreneurs Connie Villeta of Wicked! Photobooth and Edylyn Lagapa with NYL & San Bruno Chamber are spearheading the event. Both women are Board of Directors for Project Pearls and will be the beneficiary for this first-time event….
Center for Elders’ Independence opens PACE in Contra Costa County to meet growing needs for senior care
New state-of-the-art center expands access to senior health services CONCORD – Center for Elders’ Independence (CEI), the East Bay’s leading provider of senior healthcare, is bringing PACE to Contra Costa County. PACE is the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly, a national care model for seniors aged 55 and older who have multiple health…
Eileen Macam-Manalo redefines skincare management
HISTORICALLY, skin consciousness originated way back during the ancient Egyptian era when they considered such practice as complimentary options to beauty and hygiene. The dramatic evolution and growing technology of skin care products were enthusiastically met with great demands that boosted the science of Dermatology as a specialized branch of medicine. Considered as one of…