Fil-Am actress Tisha Custodio stars in new Disney+ series ‘Big Shot’ alongside John Stamos
EMERGING Filipina American actress Tisha Custodio is getting a shot at her first television role. Custodio plays Carolyn “Mouse” Smith, a teenage basketball player who comes from a military family in “Big Shot,” a new drama-comedy set to premiere on Disney+ on Friday, April 16. The series, developed by Dean Lorey (“Arrested Development”) and David E. Kelley (“Big Little Lies”),…
Investigation continues in disappearance of SoCal Fil-Am mom
NEW clues may give insight into the case of Maya “May” Millete, a Filipina American mother from Chula Vista, California who went missing over three months ago. A surveillance camera in the San Miguel Ranch neighborhood, where Millete lived with her husband and three young children, reportedly captured six loud bangs that sounded like gunshots…
More than 3,600 US health workers died in COVID’s first year
By Jane Spencer/The Guardian and Christina Jewett/Kaiser Health News More than 3,600 U.S. health care workers perished in the first year of the pandemic, according to “Lost on the Frontline,” a 12-month investigation by The Guardian and KHN to track such deaths. Lost on the Frontline is the most complete accounting of U.S. health care…
PH, US defense officials discuss VFA, concerns over West Philippines Sea
PHILIPPINE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and his U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin III over the weekend discussed the situation in the West Philippine Sea. During a telephone conference on Sunday, April 11, the two officials discussed recent developments in regional security, adding that they were looking forward to this year’s joint military exercises after it was cancelled…
[OPINION] Dismantling AAPI hate for a more inclusive future
By Bobby T. Rimas SO far this year, America has seen many great moments of more diverse representation than ever before with Deb Haaland, the first Native American United States Interior Secretary, Xavier Becerra, the first Latino U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary, and Dr. Rachel Levine, the first openly transgender U.S. Assistant Secretary for…
Ex-President Estrada tests negative for COVID-19
FORMER Philippine President Joseph “Erap” Ejercito Estrada is reportedly free of COVID-19 after several days on a ventilator. In a Facebook post, former Senator Jinggoy Estrada announced that his father tested negative for the virus with his condition continuing to improve. “We are happy to announce that my dad continues to improve and we expect…
[COLUMN] What to know about vaccine passports in the age of global mobility and in our war against COVID-19
VACCINE PASSPORTS are just the electronic versions of the paper proof of vaccinations we have been using in the past — whether it’s to enter the United States as new immigrants, to enroll our children in school, to comply with requirements for employment for some health care workers, and to visit a country that requires…
[COLUMN] Mindfulness as a survival skill
“Be present. It is the only thing that matters.” — Ways of the Peaceful Warrior (Conclusion of 2 parts, continued from last week…) I plead the case for mindfulness for everyone at all times and in all places. Do you feel incomplete, naked, inept and insecure when you are not tethered electronically to your cellphone…
[COLUMN] Can a divorce couple agree to pay for their adult children’s college expenses in their divorce judgement?
DIVORCING couples with children sometimes worry about who is going to pay for their children’s college education after the divorce once their children graduate high school. They want a guarantee that their soon-to-be ex-spouse will share in the college expenses of their children. This is especially the case when the other spouse has moved on…
California Endowment commits $100 million to AAPI communities
THE California Endowment is committing $100 million to Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) organizations across the state for the next decade. The commitment, which will be spread out over 10 years, will double the foundation’s current investments and will focus on health equity, racial justice and transformative solidarity. The announcement on Monday, April 12…
Metro Manila, other provinces shift to modified quarantine
METRO Manila and its surrounding provinces are now under the less stringent modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until the end of April. Malacañang on Sunday, April 11, said that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to place Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal under MECQ from April…
Duterte reappears in public after rumors of health problems
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has dismissed rumors surrounding his health after almost two weeks away from the public eye. His absence comes as the country faces one of the worst coronavirus surges in Southeast Asia with hospitals overwhelmed and infection rates continuing to climb. Meanwhile, a little over 1 million residents have received at least…
California pauses use of Johnson & Johnson vaccine
Golden State to expand vaccinations to 16 and older this week AS California is slated to broaden its COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to younger residents this week, the state is heeding the federal government’s recommendation to halt the administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The announcement to “pause” the type of vaccine on Tuesday, April…
New report: 51% of Filipino adults in US say they have experienced racism
OVER 50% of Filipino adults living in the United States have experienced racism firsthand in their lives, according to a new report. Market research company Morning Consult on Wednesday, April 7 released a study highlighting the experiences of Asian adults living in the U.S. in the wake of recent hate incidents and crimes. The survey…
Pinay senior attacked in New York raises over $260K for recovery
Doormen fired for not intervening IN a show of support after a brutal attack, the fundraiser for Vilma Kari, the elderly Filipina immigrant who was assaulted on her way to church in New York, has surpassed its goal and garnered over $260,000 in a week. Kari’s daughter Elizabeth started the GoFundMe page last week, days…
[COLUMN] Get vaccinated: Our shield and weapon against the growing threat of COVID-19 variants
AS the world continues its fight against the deadly COVID-19 and its variants, we Filipinos in the United States must be grateful that as of April 7, 1 out of 4 adults in the country is now been fully vaccinated. Along with the accelerated vaccination effort and the rollback of safety measures and restrictions, the…
Philippine Consulate General in LA welcomes new ConGen
THE Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles welcomed a new head of post this week. Seasoned diplomat Edgar Barrairo Badajos will assume the Consul General role, presiding over Southern California, Southern Nevada and Arizona, where 1.2 million Filipinos live. “Los Angeles as a Foreign Service Post holds so much promise and potential for improving consular…
Fil-Am Mike Magpayo wins award for top first-year coach
FILIPINO American coach Mike Magpayo is the recipient of the annual Joe B. Hall award given to the top first-year head coach in college basketball. Magpayo on Thursday, April 1, received the award from CollegeInsider.com after leading the University of California (UC) Riverside Highlanders to a historic campaign in the Big West Conference. “Dealing with…
Ex-President Estrada’s condition improves
FORMER Philippine President Joseph “Erap” Ejercito Estrada has reportedly been removed from ventilator support. In a Facebook post, his son, former Senator Jinggoy Estrada, expressed happiness over the improvement of the family patriarch’s condition. “We are extremely happy to announce that my father has now been removed from ventilator support although he continues to require…
[COLUMN] Reinstatement for surviving beneficiaries of an I-130 petition filed by a deceased relative
DEAR Attorney Tan, My U.S. Citizen mother filed an I-130 immigrant petition on my behalf, which has a priority date in February 2000 and which has been approved. She filed the I-130 petition after I came to the U.S. in 1999 as a tourist from the Philippines. Since my arrival, I have lived in the…
[COLUMN] Life after bankruptcy: Get out of debt now
Sleepless nights… Stressed out… Worried about the future… Always broke no matter how hard they work…Feeling hopeless about their situation. This is what most people are going through when they are considering bankruptcy in their desperate attempt to get out of debt. The word “bankruptcy” often produces negative feelings because some people equate it with…
[COLUMN] What is intent to repay in BK debt?
IN one case, the debtor borrowed $100,000 in credit cards, which he used to gamble. He then filed for Chapter 7 to wipe out the $100,000 of credit cards. The creditors objected on the grounds that he had no intent of repaying his debts because he used the money that he had borrowed to gamble….
[OPINION] Of course we will survive
THE latest Bloomberg news on the status of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines seemed to me like a doomsday report. I was, frankly, rattled and found myself asking knowledgeable folks to give me the facts, “sans political spin.” But the facts can be as reassuring or as worrisome as one’s perspective – one either…
[COLUMN] California court’s power to make divorce orders when one spouse does not live in state
THIS is a common question among people contemplating divorce in California when the other spouse does not live in the state. The California Courts has the power to grant a divorce, annulment, or legal separation if either party is domiciled in the state. Domicile is where a person lives and intends to remain. However, there…
[COLMUN] IRS offers identity protection PIN to defend you from scammers
THE IRS expanded the Identity Protection PIN Opt-In Program to cover all taxpayers to include you. This Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) is a six-digit code known only to you and the IRS. It helps prevent identity thieves from filing fraudulent tax returns (and get your refunds) using your personal information. Here are key factors…
[COLUMN] Reporting time may entitle employees to additional pay
“It is the employer who directs the manner in which the employee is to present himself or herself for work – whether at the worksite or by phone. Either way, reporting time must be paid.” Michael Raziano worked in California as a truck driver for Albertsons, the second largest grocery chain in North America. He,…
[COLUMN] Do you believe?
DO you believe in God, the Creator of all? Do you believe in Jesus Christ, His Son, our Lord, and Savior? Do you believe in the Holy Spirit that permeates our lives, the Church, and the world? Do you believe in the power of prayer, not only personal prayer but also communal prayer? That where…
