By Kathay Feng I live in San Gabriel, CA, where more than half the people were born outside of the US. My neighbors include families who immigrated from Taiwan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and China. When my daughter went to elementary school, so many parents were newcomers – but not a single person in the front…
TWO Filipino American authors have been honored at the 20th annual Massachusetts Book Awards, the Massachusetts Center for the Book announced this month. Grace Talusan, author of “The Body Papers” who lives in Medford, was awarded with the Nonfiction Award. Her debut memoir, which was released in April 2019, explores a Filipino immigrant’s battle with…
DEAR Attorney Gurfinkel: I am a U.S. citizen, and filed a K-1 (fiancé) petition for my girlfriend in the Philippines. Unfortunately, the case was denied. I was told by friends it would help if we get married, as that would demonstrate we are truly in love and committed to each other. Would you advise that…
Meet Mia Mercado, a Filipina American millennial humorist who launched “Weird But Normal,” her debut collection of essays last May. The essays focus on various subjects, from gender roles, sexuality and beauty standards to racial identity, privilege and work dynamics. In the book, Mercado shares her insights about issues, some absurd, some beautiful and some…
OVER 100 fake accounts related to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s potential run in the 2022 presidential election were taken down by social media giant Facebook due to policy violations. According to Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook’s cybersecurity policy chief, the accounts were traced to individuals from the Fujian province…
THE International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Tuesday, September 22, said global airlines are pushing for airport COVID-19 tests for all departing international passengers to replace the quarantines that are allegedly exacerbating the travel slump. According to the head of IATA, rapid and affordable antigen tests that can be administered by non-medical staff are expected…
FILIPINO American Democrats across California and Nevada came together for a “weekend of action” to get their communities registered to vote and to make a plan to cast their ballots leading up to the 2020 presidential election this November. Speakers at the virtual event, spearheaded by the Pilipino American Los Angeles Democrats (PALAD) on Saturday,…
AS the deadline to respond to the 2020 Census approaches on Wednesday, September 30, Filipino American community leaders are making a final push to ensure that Fil-Ams are all counted across California. Census partnership specialists and community-based organizations are staking out in front of supermarkets and other high foot traffic locations to remind members to…
Flora Arca Mata Elementary School honors the first Fil-Am teacher in California history THE closure of school campuses due to the pandemic has complicated the lives of students across California, but that doesn’t mean learning and inspiration have to stop. As such, on Tuesday, Sept. 22, a new elementary school in Stockton, California named after…
Residents in the San Gabriel Valley lament a disastrous fire season in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic AS of Tuesday, Sept. 22, the Bobcat Fire that was first sparked two weeks ago in the San Gabriel mountains has now scorched through more than 109,000 acres, becoming among the largest fires in Los Angeles County….
A palpable sense of loss overcame me upon hearing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s (RBG) passing last Friday, September 18. Like many others, I turned to the internet to get confirmation, and was struck by the outpouring of posts about her. This made my sense of loss even more palpable. It’s like what one feels,…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, September 23, addressed the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for the first time since assuming office in 2016. “I am honored to address you today on behalf of the Filipino people on the 75th anniversary of the United Nations. The invisible enemy that is COVID-19 has brought about an…
PHILIPPINE Vice President Leni Robredo on Monday, September 21, warned Filipinos about attempts to revise history as the country marked the 48th anniversary of the declaration of martial law under late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos. “Maraming pinahirapan, naglaho, at pinatay noong Martial Law; lumobo ang utang ng bayan na binabayaran natin hanggang sa ngayon; lumalim…
Cristina de Jesus, an educator of nearly three decades, has been elected the board chair of the California Charter Schools Association, the organization announced this week. The association advocates for non-profit charter schools that can help California students prepare for college and life afterward. “I am honored and humbled for the vote of confidence by…
“For the first time since I became a citizen in 1983, I will not vote for the Republican candidate for President. But as proud as I am to label myself as a Republican, there is one label that I hold above all else — AMERICAN. So I want to take a moment today to remind my fellow Republicans…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, September 21, praised Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu for his rehabilitation efforts in the Manila Bay. “Let us begin by congratulating Secretary Cimatu. You know I remember that meeting and I think everybody was there when I said, ‘Roy, can you clean this up?’ And his answer was…very curtly given,…
NAIL salons in California will be allowed to open, regardless of the tier the county is in on the state’s reopening roadmap, according to State Health Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly. During the press briefing on Tuesday, September 22, the secretary said even with the state’s permission, it would be up to individual counties to have…
Q: My coworkers and I have had to work from home due to COVID-19. We are slowly returning to the office and I am concerned. I am an older worker with well-controlled diabetes and I have family members at home who are immuno-compromised. I don’t want to be infected and I certainly do not want…
Ang isang lalaking lawful permanent resident (LPR) o green card holder na nasa pagitan ng 18 hanggang 26 taon gulang ay kailangang magrehistro para sa Selective Service at magpakita ng ebidensiya ng pagrehistro para sa kanyang N-400 Application for Naturalization. Ayon sa USCIS Policy Manual, ang aplikante para sa naturalization ay kailangang magpakita na sa…
Preference for in-person voting drops amid COVID-19 As the presidential election looms just over a month away, the likelihood that the coronavirus pandemic will be gone in time for voters to hit the polls becomes more of a stark impossibility. Voting by mail is poised to be the more primary option for voters across the…
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Joseph Scott Pemberton, who was convicted of murdering Filipina transgender woman Jennifer Laude, will no longer undergo court-martial proceedings, a U.S. Marine Corps spokesperson said Wednesday, September 16. Pemberton will not be tried a second time since he already served the court-imposed penalty for his actions prior to his pardon, Major…
THE Philippines’ richest experienced a drop in their fortunes as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt the country’s economy. The collective wealth of the country’s 50 Richest dropped to $60.6 billion (P2.9 trillion) from $78 billion (P3.8 trillion) a year earlier, according to Forbes Asia. “Despite having one of the world’s strictest lockdowns, the Philippines…
LAST Wednesday, September 9, those of us in the West Coast all shared a very eerie experience as we woke up to inferno-like orange skies, and it seemed the sun did not shine that day. The blazing skies, choking smoke and ash in the air were caused by wildfires that have been raging in the…
A number of California mayors are among a coalition of at least 25 city mayors across the U.S. who are pushing to roll out guaranteed income programs for low-income individuals in their cities. Led by Stockton, California Mayor Michael Tubbs, the Mayors for a Guaranteed Income (MGI) program was launched in June with the goal…
The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, September 17, passed a resolution to denounce anti-Asian rhetoric and discrimination fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic. Introduced by Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), the measure calls on all public officials to condemn all forms of anti-Asian sentiment and “all manifestations of expression of racism, xenophobia, discrimination, anti-Asian sentiment, scapegoating,…
Commentary by Assemblywoman Rochelle Nguyen This election means more than any other in our lifetimes. We’ve seen what four years of madness from the White House has inflicted: An increase in hate crimes toward the AAPI community; Kowtowing to dictators around the world; Racism over the origins of COVID-19 that paints our community with a…
THE Philippines was recently recognized as the top “digital riser” in East Asia and the Pacific by the Berlin-based European Center for Digital Competitiveness (ECDC). In ECDC’s Digital Riser Report, the Philippines was named as one of the world’s top digital risers along with France and Saudi Arabia. The report analyzed each country’s digital competitiveness…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte will review the reduced 0.75-meter physical distancing policy for passengers by the Department of Transportation (DOTr). “Inaasahan po natin na siguro po magkakaroon ng desisyon ang Presidente sa Lunes sa kanyang susunod na talumpati sa taumbayan (We expect that the President may announce his decision on Monday during his next public…
Majority of Fil-Ams prefer Biden, but segment shows 2nd highest support for Trump FILIPINO American registered voters are showing the highest levels of enthusiasm among the major Asian American groups as the 2020 presidential election nears, according to a new survey. The 2020 Asian American Voter Survey — released on Tuesday, September 15 by APIA…
Coronavirus lockdowns, ongoing protests and navigating working from home and online school, on top of everyday responsibilities, can all take a toll on one’s mental health and well-being. To offer some relief, a San Francisco-based health and wellness center is offering free virtual classes for the Filipino American community and other communities of color in…
