California Governor Gavin Newsom this week announced another round of closures, from bars to indoor shopping malls, as positive cases and hospitalizations associated with the coronavirus continue to be reported across the state. The order, made in coordination with the California Department of Public Health on Monday, July 13, directed the closure of indoor operations…
By: Martin Santiago, Broker-Associate WHAT’S a jumbo loan? A jumbo loan is any loan that exceeds the loan limits set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are nicknames for the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLM), respectively. The median value of a home in California is more than double the median…
The $487.5 million Bond for the November 2020 ballot will fund essential City infrastructure and support San Franciscans’ mental and physical health with new investments in parks, open spaces, behavioral health facilities, and housing and shelter for the vulnerable SAN FRANCISCO – The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to support the Health and Recovery General Obligation…
HOUSE Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund Villafuerte on Tuesday, July 14, filed a resolution proposing that the government temporarily use ABS-CBN’s former television and radio frequencies for effective distance learning. This came after the House of Representatives rejected the bills seeking to grant the network giant a fresh 25-year franchise. Voting 70 to 11, the House…
Supervisor David Canepa of San Mateo County reminded county residents to follow guidelines issued by state, county and city officials designed to combat the wide spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the community in a July 2020 newsletter sent out by his office. Canepa, who represents District 5, said that the recent order by…
WHILE some celebrities have pursued other interests and hobbies (baking, cooking, painting, making TikTok videos, or posting self-help/do-it-yourself projects online) during the quarantine, others have decided to give physical and financial assistance to foundations, nonprofits and organizations geared for the less fortunate and front-liners. Wendell Ramos, though, has gone a different route. The Kapuso actor…
THE Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) recently held that a person caught applying for a K-1 fiancée visa in a “fixed relationship” (meaning having no intention to have a life together), is subject to the same lifetime ban as a person caught in a fixed marriage. Therefore, whether you are applying for a green card…
THE best way to answer that question convincingly for yourself is to not to sleep for one night, or more. If you are still alert and feeling well after this trial of sleep deprivation, ask yourself the same question and you will have the answer. Alpine swifts, fly continuously (non-stop from Switzerland to West Africa)…
SEVEN years ago, Patrick Starrr wasn’t given a shift at a MAC Cosmetics store he was working at in Orlando, Florida, so he turned to YouTube and uploaded his first tutorial walking viewers through his daily makeup routine. To date, Starrr has become a leading beauty guru in the online space, amassing over 4.4 million…
Filipino parents, teachers support closures, say school districts should prioritize health and safety As the coronavirus pandemic rages on with no end in sight, the Los Angeles and San Diego school districts announced on Monday, July 13 that campuses and classrooms will remain closed at the start of the next academic year. The Los Angeles…
4,244 new cases, 73 new deaths Los Angeles County on Tuesday, July 14 broke its single-day record for the highest number of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations, signaling a disturbing turn of events as the statewide situation continues to worsen. The LA County Public Health announced 4,244 confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number to 140,307….
ABOUT 150 individuals gathered at Wilson Park in Torrance, California on Saturday, July 11, roughly a month after a woman was captured on video hurling anti-Asian sentiments in two separate incidents. The participants took part in a group workout protest, wearing black T-shirts with the message, “Justice Delayed is Justice Denied,” in an effort to…
The video that went viral shows the white CEO making “unprovoked” racist remarks toward the family The San Francisco-based CEO of a technology company who was caught on video hurling racist and xenophobic insults toward a Filipino American family in Carmel Valley, California has resigned from the company, according to multiple reports on Monday, July…
FILIPINO American actor Darren Criss on Monday, July 13, paid tribute to his “Glee” co-star, the late actress Naya Rivera, who was found dead after drowning in a river in Southern California. He took to social media to remember Naya as someone who was “bold, outrageous and a lot of fun.” “Naya made me laugh…
COMMUNITY advocate and pioneering civil rights lawyer Robert Gnaizda passed away on July 11, 2020 surrounded by his loving family. He was 83. Gnaizda, known as Bob to his colleagues, friends and even to his adversaries across the aisle, was a fiery, articulate and thoughtful community advocate who fought for equality, minority rights and social…
THE United States on Monday, July 13, rejected most of China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea. “We are making clear: Beijing’s claims to offshore resources across most of the South China Sea are completely unlawful, as is its campaign of bullying to control them,” U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a…
FILIPINO stars and personalities took to social media to decry Philippine Congress’ decision to keep ABS-CBN off air. The show of support comes after a House of Representatives panel on Friday, July 10 denied the bills seeking to grant the broadcast giant a fresh 25-year franchise. “We can’t always control what happens around us, but…
Bankruptcy is often a last resort for people who are in serious debt trouble. But if you’re one of many millions of people who have suffered a job loss due to the COVID-19 crisis, it might make sense if it’s your only hope of being able to survive financially during these tough times. This is…
IS the 2020 tax deadline extended again? No. 1. Requests for more time to file your taxes have been denied. IRS will stick with the July 15 deadline for 2019 income tax returns. 2. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced via IRS News Release that the tax filing and payment deadline of July 15 will not be…
The University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Greater Los Angeles (UPAAGLA) is seeking outstanding and high-achieving U.P. Alumni to be recognized in their first Alumni Awards Program scheduled on October 29, 2020. Patterned after the U.P. Alumni Association Awards in the Philippines, UPAAGLA aims to identify and recognize the contributions of exceptional U.P. alumni…
THERE seems to be a misconception in the general public that you can only obtain a divorce in California if your spouse will sign the divorce papers. I get this question a lot from our family law clients. The fact is that California is a no fault state and you do not need your spouse’s…
SAN Francisco, California is said to be a bastion of liberal and progressive folks. The city has a black mayor, London Breed, who replaced a Chinese-American mayor, the late Ed Lee. Governor Gavin Newson, who was first to recognize same sex marriage, was mayor before Ed Lee and after Willie Brown, who is black. And…
CONGRESS has ruled to deny a new franchise to ABS-CBN, the nation’s biggest broadcasting company that has been serving the Filipino people for more than 65 years. The company has spearheaded the growth of the industry from analog to digital in providing news, information, entertainment and public services to Filipinos wherever they may be —…
The World Health Organization on Sunday, July 12, reported another record increase in global coronavirus cases, with the total rising by 230,370 over a 24-hour period. The previous WHO record for new cases was 228,102 reported on Friday, July 10. Of the new figure, 66,281 were from the United States, topping WHO’s list among countries…
PHILIPPINE Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Sunday, July 12, reaffirmed that the arbitral ruling on the South China Sea case is “non-negotiable.” He made the statement on the 4th anniversary of the historic ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which invalidated China’s claim over the entire South China Sea…
As the United States’ decennial population count is underway in the midst of the pandemic, one Filipina American is tasked with making sure California residents, particularly those that are the hardest-to-count, respond to the 2020 Census. Going into July, the state’s self-response rate now stands at 63.2%, but Ditas Katague, director of the California Complete…
