County surpasses 1 million COVID-19 cases AS Los Angeles County continues to grapple with unprecedented coronavirus cases and deaths, the county this week moved to officially allow residents who are 65 years and older to get vaccinated. Beginning Wednesday, Jan. 20, the county will begin to accept vaccination appointments from residents who are 65 years…
WITH 7,017 islands, the Philippines has been hailed as the world’s second most “Instagrammable” destination in 2021. Global travel website Big 7 Travel on Thursday, January 14, released its 50 Most Instagrammable Places in the World-2021 list in combination with Instagram marketing firm Twicsy, placing the Philippines in second place just behind Tokyo, Japan. Some…
FILIPINA American actress Tess Paras is set to direct and executive produce ViacomCBS’ 2021 virtual “Showcase,” making her both the first Asian American and Filipina director to do so. “Showcase” is a hybrid comedy show with Broadway-worthy live performances and original, creative writing attended by senior-level executives, showrunners and casting directors from ViacomCBS properties, as…
CALIFORNIA Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday, January 18 formally submitted the appointment of Alex Padilla to become California’s first Latino U.S. Senator and the nomination of Assemblymember Dr. Shirley Weber to become the state’s first African American Secretary of State. The announcement comes as Kamala Harris formally resigned her position as U.S. Senator as she…
PHILIPPINE Vice President Leni Robredo has responded to President Rodrigo Duterte’s remarks claiming that women are not fit for the country’s highest office. During her weekly radio show on Sunday, January 17, Robredo said: “Unang una, alam natin kung ano iyong pagtingin ni Pangulo sa mga kababaihan, at hindi tayo sang-ayon doon. Napakababa ng pagtingin…
The phrase describes an ancient Chinese torture method to kill a person slowly and painfully by ‘a thousand cuts.’ Maria Ressa, founder and CEO of online news site Rappler, alluded to it in reference to the state of Philippine democracy, saying that it is being slowly undermined through violations and curtailments of civil liberties. The…
A FILIPINO American who was a veteran 911 dispatcher in Los Angeles has died of complications related to COVID-19, becoming the LA Police Department’s fourth employee taken by the virus. Police Service Representative III Raymond L. Guerrero, who worked in the communications division, died on Thursday, January 7 at the age of 51, the LAPD…
Sweeping stimulus plan includes $1,400 direct payments, generous unemployment benefits AHEAD of his inauguration on Jan. 20, President-elect Joe Biden announced on Thursday, Jan. 14 a massive coronavirus economic plan to combat the financial burdens of American families due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which includes $1,400 direct payments to taxpayers. The sweeping $1.9 trillion package…
When the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines were confirmed to effectively combat the coronavirus, people across the world were overjoyed. Lawmakers in the United States promised a swift, widespread distribution of the vaccine with a projected 20 million doses administered by the end of 2020. But so far, as of the second week of January, only…
THE Philippines has banned the entry of foreign travelers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Hungary to prevent the spread of the new, more contagious COVID-19 variant. The two countries joined the list of 32 countries with travel restrictions including the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea,…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has advised his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, against running for the presidency in 2022, claiming that women are not fit for the top government post. In a speech during the inauguration of the Skyway Stage 3 project on Thursday, January 14, he said: “My daughter, inuudyok man nila. Sabi…
In loving memory of Andrey M. Caloza 1975-2020 A loving son, caring brother, devoted father, committed husband, and selfless nurse working on the frontlines, Andrey M. Caloza was born on September 2, 1975 in the Philippines. He passed away unexpectedly on October 26, 2020. Andrey grew up in a big family and was the eldest…
RAPPLER co-founder and chief executive officer Maria Ressa has been charged with cyber libel anew over an article about an alleged thesis-for-sale scheme by a professor of the De La Salle – College of St. Benilde. The article, titled “Thesis for sale: Benilde students say they paid P20,000 to pass,” was written by Rappler reporter…
Freedom of speech is the cornerstone of our Republic. The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution enacted in 1789 by our Founding Fathers explicitly states to protect freedom of speech: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the…
THE new and more infectious variant of COVID-19 first reported in the United Kingdom has reached the Philippines. The Philippine Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) on Wednesday, January 13, confirmed the detection of the B.1.1.7. SARS-CoV-2 variant (UK variant) in the country after samples from a Filipino who arrived from…
OVERSEAS Filipino workers (OFWs) returning from countries included in the Philippines’ travel ban are ready to go home after finishing their mandatory 14-day quarantine, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said on Thursday, January 14. “We now have a total of 5,900 OFWs undergoing 14-day quarantine. They are from the 28 nations with the UK…
Fil-Ams across the aisle weigh in on historic impeachment WITH the end of his term approaching, President Donald Trump on Wednesday, January 13 became the first president in U.S. history to be impeached twice by the House of Representatives. The House voted 232-197 on a single article of impeachment, charging the president with “incitement of…
FILIPINA American Disney star and singer Olivia Rodrigo’s official debut single “Drivers License” is shaping up to be a chart-topping hit. After its release on January 8, the song has been dominating the charts of major streaming platforms. It climbed to no. 1 on the U.S. iTunes Top 100 chart, Apple Music’s Top 100: Global…
FOR small business owners, especially those in the restaurant industry, “pivot” was a buzzword of 2020 — whether it was making meal kits, embracing delivery services or offering online cooking classes — in order to survive during the ongoing pandemic. In the Bay Area, Filipina American chef Reina Montenegro knows the immediacy of having to…
BE HONEST. Let us all be honest in answering this very important question: What would and should true patriotic law-abiding citizens and supposed truth, fairness and justice-seeking Christians in America do when United States President Donald Trump is now the leader and inciter of an insurrection to overturn election results and assault the democracy of…
New measure applies to all foreign nationals and U.S. citizens THE Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Tuesday, Jan. 12 that anybody flying to the United States will be required to show proof of a recent negative coronavirus test. Travelers arriving from international airports will be required to take a test for…
THE Philippines can now participate in the United States’ H-2B visa program again after two years of ineligibility. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of State (DOS), announced the list of countries on Tuesday, January 12. For 2021, the acting secretary of homeland security and the secretary of state have…
BUSINESS tycoon Manuel Villar is the only Filipino listed on Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a daily ranking of the world’s top 500 richest people. As of January 13, the self-made billionaire ranked 381st richest in the world based on the market value of his publicly-listed businesses. Villar’s businesses in real estate, retail, and utilities are estimated…
It’s a pandemic baby like no other. Coming out at a hefty 6 pounds, 7.6 ounces, “Through a Writer’s Lens” is a beautiful 12-by-14-inch 260-page hardbound compilation of photographs taken by award-winning Hollywood photojournalist Ruben V. Nepales. A true collector’s item, the coffee table book offers more than 1,000 photos of stars that Nepales himself…
COMEDIAN Rob Schneider on Tuesday, January 12, announced that his Filipina mother died over the weekend. In an Instagram post, the Fil-Am actor said that his mother, Pilar Monroe Schneider, “passed away peacefully after spending a perfect Sunday evening family dinner surrounded with loved ones at her side.” Schneider paid tribute to his mother by…
