THE United Nations has condemned the killing of nine activists in Calabarzon region by the Philippine police targeting suspected insurgents. “We are appalled by the apparently arbitrary killing of nine activists in simultaneous police-military operations in Batangas, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal provinces surrounding Metro Manila,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said…
SOME 117,000 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine will arrive in the Philippines next month, according to National Task Force Deputy Chief Implementer and Testing Czar Vince Dizon. The batch of Pfizer jabs is under the COVAX Facility, a global initiative from the World Health Organization (WHO) that aims to ensure fair and equitable access to…
TOP Democratic Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) elected officials from California are doubling down on their support for Governor Gavin Newsom as he faces a recall effort. Current and former elected officials, representing “firsts” in various capacities down the state, denounced the recall attempt during a virtual press conference on Wednesday, March 10, the…
Legislation would combat opioid and substance use crisis by increasing number of substance use counselors in California SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco) announced a bill on Wednesday, March 10 that would address the shortage of substance use disorder (SUD) counselors and clinicians in California. AB 666 would create a pipeline of 1,000 new…
State officials continue encouraging eligible AAPIs to get vaccinated as distribution expands AFTER a problematic start to the coronavirus vaccine rollout in California, the state’s ramped-up distribution efforts over the past few weeks continue to encourage more communities to receive their shots. According to Johns Hopkins’ COVID-19 dashboard, California has administered 10.9 million doses of…
Following congressional approval, the bill will be sent to Biden for signature DAYS after the Senate approved President Joe Biden’s sweeping coronavirus bill over the weekend, the House of Representatives passed the $1.9 trillion relief package on Wednesday, March 10, marking a significant political victory for Biden and Democrats. The bill — dubbed the American…
THE gash on his face may have healed but it has left a big scar on Noel Quintana’s face and every time he looks at the mirror, he is reminded of that terrifying morning on February 3 when an assailant slashed his face with a box cutter. A few days after the incident, he joined…
FILIPINA American chef Isa Fabro can now add voice actor to her growing résumé. Fabro — who creates Filipino-inspired desserts and conceptual pop-ups under IsaMADE — voices Chef Jo in the first episode of “City of Ghosts,” Netflix’s new documentary-style animated series that follows a group of friends from different backgrounds as they interact with…
House to approve of Senate amendments to sweeping relief bill AFTER several pressure-filled weeks of negotiations, the United States Senate narrowly approved President Joe Biden’s sweeping coronavirus relief bill on Saturday, March 6 in what is one of the new president’s most monumental political victories. The massive $1.9 trillion COVID-19 bill — dubbed the American…
AMERICANS fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can now gather with other fully vaccinated individuals indoors without wearing a mask or social distancing, according to new guidelines set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the last dose in a two-dose series (Pfizer or…
LA Downtown Medical Center (LADMC), a five-star rated hospital by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in the heart of Historic Filipinotown, is marking its second anniversary. LADMC held a socially distanced anniversary celebration on Friday, March 5 with giveaways, a vaccination drive, entertainment and lunch for staff and community members. The medical…
JOE Garbanzos has been named AARP’s California state president, becoming the first Filipino in the capacity. The state president is a volunteer who serves as spokesperson and representative for AARP across California. In this role, Garbanzos will chair the all-volunteer Executive Council, a diverse group of professionals who provide advice and counsel to advance AARP’s…
by Julie Appleby Each night it’s the same. Story after story on the TV news is about the covid vaccination effort, and they are all illustrated with footage of needles sinking into exposed upper arms. Could those visuals, ostensibly making this all seem routine, backfire? More than causing squeamish people to look away or change…
GRAMMY Award winners Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak have joined forces under the moniker Silk Sonic to debut the smooth-sounding new single, “Leave the Door Open.” The song was released on Friday, March 5, along with an intro track featuring “special guest host” Bootsy Collins — both of which will be included in the forthcoming…
ACTRESSES Liza Soberano and Shay Mitchell have been cast to voice supernatural detective Alexandra Trese in the upcoming Netflix original anime series “Trese.” Soberano and Mitchell will be lending their voices for the titular character of the highly-anticipated anime series, Netflix Philippines announced on Monday, March 8. The series is based on the Philippine graphic…
“Vanity of vanities; ALL is vanity.” — From Ecclesiastes WE now live in an age of extreme self-absorption. Many already believe they have become legends in their own minds. They believe the world revolves around them and that their personal happiness is paramount. Following the lead of celebrities in the sports and entertainment world, we…
THIS has got to be the BEST NEWS for homeowners who are filing for bankruptcy to get out of debt! Given the huge job losses and high unemployment rate that have left many unable to pay their debts, this may be the biggest change in the law that can help many people protect and keep…
YOU, yes, you. You and all the ordinary hardworking Americans will finally get the much-needed help to defeat COVID-19, save more lives and rebuild our nation — after a year of death, destruction and desperation brought by the coronavirus pandemic. Yes, YOU, and not just the millionaires and billionaires and corporations of America, have so…
ONE year ago, Los Angeles County marked its first death attributed to COVID-19. Loretta Mendoza Dionisio, a retired 68-year-old Filipina, was traveling with her husband, Rodrigo, when she contracted COVID-19. “The couple had a recent layover in South Korea, and once they landed in Los Angeles on March 8, the wife had tested positive for…
Join California State Treasurer Fiona Ma, CPA and City of Glendale Treasurer Rafi Manoukian, CPA, on Thursay, March 11 from 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. PST for a free webinar on programs and resources available to small businesses at the state level, in partnership with: Glendale Chamber of Commerce Greater Downtown Glendale Association Kenneth Village…
AMID the uptick in violence against older Asian Americans, an elderly Filipino man was killed last month in an unprovoked attack in Phoenix, Arizona. Juanito Falcon, 74, was out on a morning walk on February 16 when he was punched in the face by a man for “no apparent reason,” the Phoenix Police Department said…
AS of Monday, March 1, eligibility for the coronavirus vaccine expanded to include workers in education, emergency services and food service. But website errors in the state’s My Turn COVID-19 vaccine appointment system — which has been exploited by wealthier and more privileged people who are securing appointments intended for people in underserved neighborhoods —…
FILIPINA American Disney star and singer Olivia Rodrigo has made Billboard history with her debut single “Drivers License.” The song is now the longest-running number-one song on the Billboard Global 200, dominating the chart for seven consecutive weeks. It surpassed BTS’s “Dynamite” and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” both of which…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, March 4 personally welcomed the arrival of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccines under the COVAX facility. The KLM commercial flight carrying 487,200 doses of the British-made vaccine landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport at around 7:20 p.m. The shipment was then transported to the Villamor Air Base for the welcoming…
OFFICIALS in Los Angeles County are urging the public to avoid non-essential travel as spring break season begins. This latest advisory comes nearly a year into the pandemic and as the county’s new COVID-19 cases have climbed above 2,200, the highest single-day total in nearly two weeks. The county Department of Public Health on Thursday,…
SUPER Grandmaster Wesley So is now a United States citizen. The 27-year-old U.S. chess champion was sworn-in as a citizen on Feb. 26, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced in a social media post on Friday, March 5. So, who was born in Bacoor, Cavite, remarked that the “amazing spirit” of the U.S….
“Each meal period must be “not less than 30 minutes,” and no employee shall work “more than five hours per day” or “more than 10 hours per day” without being provided with a meal period.” When time is scarce, those minutes count KENNEDY Donohue worked as a nurse recruiter at the San Diego offices of…
THE transition from Trump to Biden presents a tremendous opportunity to invest in China stocks. You may be familiar with Alibaba, Baidu, JD, and Ten Cent. Let me walk you through these China techs. I used to have few China stocks and even reduced my holdings when Trump started a trade war but since then…
