New York City has launched a campaign to mobilize all households to respond to the census because of the alarmingly low response rate generated so far. Dubbed the #GetCountedNYC Census Week of Action, it aims to significantly increase New York City’s self-response rate which was at 54% as of July 27. This is being done…
THE Bay Area reached a new high of COVID-19 cases as the count for positive cases reached 50,472 with 785 deaths, as of Wednesday morning, July 29. San Francisco reported 132 new cases from Tuesday, July 28, bringing its new total to 6,197. In San Mateo County, 108 new cases were reported, adding to its…
THE Philippines has failed to beat the prediction of the University of the Philippines (UP), which projected 85,000 cases of the novel coronavirus by July 31, Malacanang admitted on Wednesday, July 29. “The forecast happened and I see no reason why we should celebrate. It’s very sad,” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque. However, he maintained…
Broadcast giant ABS-CBN this week offered the government its transmission network for the broadcast of educational programs. “In response to the educational thrust of the government in this time of the pandemic, we are offering the use of our transmission network to broadcast educational programs all over the country,” said the network in a statement…
THE imposition of the death penalty would deter crimes in the country, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Archie Gamboa argued on Wednesday, July 29. “The PNP believes that with this kind of imposition, there would be a deterrence on crime,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the destruction of 800 kilograms of shabu…
Transitioning to a smoke-free ‘new normal’ FOR a typical summer, you might have planned to go hiking, camping, visiting family or even travelling to other countries. This summer, however, is different than most due to the coronavirus outbreak. While some states have lifted their stay-at-home orders, many local businesses are still not up-and-running, which means…
PHILIPPINE silver screen’s happily married couple and Kapuso Channel 7 Primetime King and Queen Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera, who were married on December 30, 2014, heads the roster of birthday celebrants for this summer month of August. Dingdong, the lead actor in many of GMA-7’s teleseryes, celebrates his birthday on Sunday, August 2, while…
THE number of people infected with COVID-19 has risen to almost 17 million, with nearly 98,000 new cases in 24 hours worldwide, and about 660,000 deaths. There are almost 4.5 million cases in the United States, with about 16,000 new cases in one day, and about 152,000 deaths, 400 of which was last Monday, July…
MOST petitions (family and employment based) allow the petitioner to include the beneficiary’s spouse and minor children, but not with immediate relative (IR) petitions (spouse, parents, minor children of U.S. citizens). For IR petitions, only one person per petition is allowed. No derivatives. Separate petitions are required for each family member. Here are some of…
Under the new “normal” in the time of the pandemic, Citizen Pinoy continues its public service by providing relevant information and updates on immigration. On the first episode of “Your Tanong, My Sagot: Social Distancing Style,” Atty. Gurfinkel answers questions from Kapamilya in New Jersey, Guam, and California. Find out if an employer of an…
Engaging in a conversation about the current fight against racism, discrimination, and police brutality is most likely a difficult conversation among Filipino families. There is a reticence among Filipino Americans who were born and educated in the Islands, to participate in militant political activities such as protests here in the United States although they might…
The renowned best-selling writer talks about her release “Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion” and how the COVID-19 crisis props up capitalist structures WITH the year more than halfway over, the maelstrom that is the year 2020 continues to impose an unabating state of dread underscored by confusion, anger and despair. A year that began with…
FILIPINOS all over the world can’t help but compare and contrast U.S. President Donald Trump and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. For many of us Filipinos in America, their similarities in terms of their leadership style, the image they want to project, the rhetoric, their relationship with the international community, the laws championed, facts and the…
LIKE most people, you’ve worked hard and have done your best to pay all your bills on time. But in life, at one time or another, we all find ourselves in a a situation where debt can be overwhelming. Many people feel hopeless and powerless over their debt problems. Debt problems can easily spill over…
Like so many pet owners, Filipino American Alex De Ocampo takes his dogs on a regular route in his neighborhood. The neighborhood in question, Mount Washington, is a microcosm of Los Angeles: left-leaning, socially progressive and, most importantly, gentrified. As a resident for the last decade, the Los Angeles native considers the inclusive, artsy neighborhood…
VERMONT Senator Bernie Sanders on Tuesday, July 28 introduced new legislation to provide masks for every American as the coronavirus pandemic continues. The senator — a former presidential contender whose platform was largely on ‘Medicare For All’ — said the reusable masks would be free of charge for people in the United States. “Masks save…
Los Angeles County has 51 new deaths and 2,708 new cases of COVID-19, officials announced on Tuesday, July 28. To date, LA County Department of Public Health has identified 178,642 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas across the county, and a total of 4,426 deaths. In the coming days, the department said it will start…
UNITED States immigrant officials recently announced that new foreign students will not be allowed to obtain visas to the United States if their courses are completely online this coming fall semester. The clarification on Friday, July 24 from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program comes after the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) previously retracted…
PHILIPPINE Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon denied that he was defending the Lopez family, owners of media network ABS-CBN, after President Rodrigo Duterte called him out in his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 27. “I was defending freedom of the press, not the Lopezes. The closure of the ABS-CBN sent…
A day after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte delivered his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City, several Filipino lawmakers and key public figures publicly reacted to the points highlighted in the chief executive’s speech. Senator Grace Poe noted that reviving the death penalty without judicial reforms would put…
THE United States will not return to its former naval base in Subic Bay in the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte said. During his fifth State of the Nation Address on Monday, July 27, the Philippine leader said that he would not allow American forces to reestablish a military base in the country. According to the…
New applications will not be accepted for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a program that has prevented certain young undocumented immigrants from being deported, the Department of Homeland Security said in a memo on Tuesday, July 28. This move comes despite the Supreme Court ruling on Thursday, June 18 that said the Trump administration’s…
ONLY one new case of the novel coronavirus was recorded in the overseas Filipino community, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday, July 28. This brings the total number of infected individuals to 9,305. The agency also logged in six new recovered persons, raising the official tally of recoveries to 5,426. Meanwhile, the…
DESPITE the enforced nationwide lockdown to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte delivered his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 27. “We live in a troubled time. Our dream of prosperity for our country was suddenly snuffed by a pandemic virulent virus. No nation was spared….
The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will be providing $5 billion to nursing homes among other actions to help them deal with the coronavirus pandemic, the Trump administration said Wednesday, July 22. The fund is part of the Provider Relief Fund authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES)…
The United States recently donated P14.8 million ($300,000) worth of personal protective equipment to the Philippine General Hospital and other coronavirus treatment centers in the Philippines. The U.S. Embassy in Manila said that the donation was made through the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and in coordination with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)….
Determining the legality of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 would be up to the Philippine Supreme Court, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said on Friday, July 24. The justice secretary argued that resolving the legal challenges is under the purview of the high court based on the merits of the suits, not the number of petitions…
Rappler co-founder and chief executive officer Maria Ressa on Wednesday, July 22, pleaded not guilty to her fifth tax evasion case before the Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC). Ressa was arraigned by Pasig RTC Branch 157 Judge Ana Teresa Cornejo-Tomacruz over her alleged failure to supply correct information to Rappler’s value-added tax (VAT) return for…
