Malacañang on Tuesday, June 16, said Rappler executive editor and chief executive officer Maria Ressa, and writer Reynaldo Santos Jr. can apply for probation over their cyber libel conviction to avoid jail time. “I caution Maria Ressa and Mr. Santos. Their penalty is subject to probation. Walang kulong ‘yan (there’s no prison time there). If…
AS California proceeds with its stages of reopening, Los Angeles County remains the hardest-hit area in the state as it surpassed the 75,000 mark of confirmed coronavirus cases on Tuesday, June 17. County officials announced 1,337 additional cases of COVID-19 and 33 new deaths, bringing the total to 75,084 positive cases and 2,959 deaths. This…
THE Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles resumed consular services this week with new health and safety guidelines. The consulate is only enforcing appointment or mail-based services for the time being and will reduce its hours to 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The public is required to wear a mask when entering the building. The…
Stella Abrera, the first Filipino American principal dancer of the American Ballet Theatre, has retired after 24 years with the classical ballet company. Under coronavirus-free circumstances, 42-year-old Abrera’s farewell performance would have been the title role of “Giselle” at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York on June 13. “I always thought my heart would…
THE name of veteran journalist and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa evokes both pride and fury among Filipinos in the world, depending on which lens they are wearing as they look at what’s happening in the Philippines, especially during the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte. Maria Ressa is a multi-awarded Filipino American journalist and author who co-founded…
THE Apple TV+ original series “Dickinson,” starring 23-year-old Hailee Steinfeld, recently garnered a Peabody Award for Entertainment. The series, of which Steinfeld also serves as executive producer, is a historical comedy-drama that revisits the world of famous American poet Emily Dickinson. It also explores the poet’s romantic feelings for best friend Sue Gilbert (Ella Hunt)….
Rappler executive editor and chief executive officer Maria Ressa and writer Reynaldo Santos Jr. on Monday, June 15, were convicted of cyber libel by a Manila court. Ressa and Santos, a former researcher at the news site, were found guilty of violating Section 4(c)(4) of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, or cyber libel, sentencing…
“I have witnessed with great concern the disturbing social unrest in your nation in these past days, following the tragic death of Mr. George Floyd. We cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form and yet claim to defend the sacredness of every human life. At the same time,…
ANG mga lawful permanent resident (LPR) o green card holders na nasa ibang bansa at hindi makapag-biyahe pabalik ng U.S. dahil sa COVID-19 pandemic ay kailangang maging handang magpakita ng mga dokumento sa Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) Officers tungkol sa kanilang ties sa U.S. Kailangan din silang magpakita ng ebidensiya na wala silang intensyong…
For a lot of people, the moment that shifted the current incarnation of the fight against police brutality was when people across the world en masse gathered in the name of George Floyd. Since the massive Black Lives Matter protest in Los Angeles on Saturday, June 6, the movement’s momentum has only increased, calling for…
JUST in time for Philippine Independence Day, iconic Filipino-founded streetwear brand Illest has come out with a Philippine-proud collection in collaboration with Filipino American comedian Jo Koy. Released on Friday, June 12, the collection was part of an exclusive merchandise partnership with Jo Koy whose latest Netflix special “Jo Koy: In His Elements” premiered the…
Amidst a pandemic and nationwide protests, recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program take on added uncertainty as they anxiously await a decision that may determine whether they can continue to stay in the U.S. for the foreseeable future. Created in 2012 under then-president Barack Obama, DACA provided deportation protection for roughly…
A Filipina American in Southern California was verbally harassed and subjected to a racist tirade this week by a woman while working out at a public park. In a viral video posted on social media on Wednesday, June 10, the victim, who is only identified as Sherry, is seen using the steps at Wilson Park…
NEARLY three months since the coronavirus upended daily life and forced strict measures to be enacted, Los Angeles County moved forward with the third phase of easing restrictions on Friday, June 12. Under the modified health order, gyms, fitness facilities, hotels, lodging, short-term rentals, museums, galleries, zoos, aquariums, day camps, RV parks, campgrounds, outdoor recreation…
Starting in the fall of 2020, UCLA will now offer Pilipino Studies as a minor under the Asian American Studies Department (AASD), a major move for the historically diverse university. Announced on April 29, the Pilipino Studies Minor Program is open to undergraduates, who may contact the AASD Student Affairs Officer to declare the minor,…
“THIS country was founded on protest — it is called the American Revolution,” former President Barack Obama said during an online roundtable event with his former attorney general Eric H. Holder Jr. and activists from Minneapolis, voicing his support for George Floyd peaceful protesters and calling for police reform. “Every step of progress in this…
HERE are 10 tips to avoid residency audits when you move to a tax-free state: • Get a driver’s license in your new state. • Register to vote in your new state. • Open a bank account in your new locality. • Change vehicle registrations. • Update address on bills. • Join social clubs in…
THE middle-aged client owned a retail business for some time. The business was located in a good location so the lease was for $10,000 a month. The company that he owned, which operated the business, signed a lease for 20 years worth $2 million. Three years ago, the client sold the business to a third…
ELIZABETH Carter worked at Dunn-Edwards, the paint store, when her medical condition prevented her from lifting more than 20 pounds. She could, however, still continue to perform most of her essential duties. Her employer thus provided modified work duty by allowing her to ask co-workers for help whenever she needed to lift anything heavier than…
LOS Angeles’ Grand Park is kicking off its summer programming virtually with Sunday Sessions: Home Edition for the next three months. Beginning June 14, the annual dance and music party will be online featuring the city’s finest House music curators who will host multiple-hour sets. This Sunday from 2 to 8 p.m. will be themed…
Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown will soon have a gateway structure to welcome visitors into the neighborhood and to honor the contributions of Filipino Americans in the city. The Historic Filipinotown Eastern Gateway Project, named “Talang Gabay: Our Guiding Star,” will be placed along the stretch of Beverly Boulevard that designates the neighborhood. It is set…
Malacañang on Thursday, June 11, said that critics of the controversial anti-terrorism bill are free to question the measure before the court. The bill, since President Rodrigo Duterte certified it as urgent, has been receiving a lot of flak for its broad definition of what constitutes as “terrorism.” Netizens comprised of youth, progressive, and human rights…
As protests continue across the United States for a second straight week, families are finding themselves having uncomfortable, yet crucial conversations about race, injustice and police brutality. For many multicultural Filipino American families, these discussions are not new, but the latest events have renewed the national discourse and awareness around the systemic issues that disproportionately…
TRAVEL and tourism are among the economic sectors badly hit by COVID-19 and as the rest of the world prepares to reopen and countries are working hard to get their respective economies back on track, all eyes are focused on how recovery can be done. In the Philippines, industry officials are confident that the country…
By Martin Santiago, Broker-Associate While most Americans agree with the protesters’ cause, some detractors worry about the cities with the largest marches, where people are gathering in the thousands in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Those arguments aren’t always made in good faith, but the concerns have some validity. How big is the risk that…
FILIPINO-AMERICAN stand-up comedian Jo Koy is set to work on a movie with the revered filmmaker Steven Spielberg. “I signed a deal with Steven Spielberg’s company. [He] watched my last special ‘Comin’ In Hot’ and then he gave me a deal for a movie, so get ready for that. We’re writing the script now,” the…
PHILIPPINE Senator Manny Pacquiao on Tuesday, June 9, denied that he discussed his supposed plans to run for president with his former longtime promoter Bob Arum. “We talked about Crawford, but we didn’t talk about politics,” he told ABS-CBN News’ Dyan Castillejo. His statement came after Arum revealed that Pacquiao had confided to him about…
MALACAÑANG on Wednesday, June 10, said the protests against the anti-terrorism bill would push President Rodrigo Duterte to scrutinize the measure “even closer.” “Let’s just say that the public interest on the bill will make the President review the provisions of the bill even closer,” said presidential spokesperson Harry Roque in an interview with ABS-CBN…
THE Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor has always been a symbol of immigration and of welcoming immigrants to the U.S. The USCIS has used the Statue of Liberty as its own symbol. Approval notices have an orange colored picture of the Statue of Liberty torch in the background, and the “help” search tool…
SINCE the first COVID-19 case was detected and confirmed on January 20, 2020 (144 days ago) in the United States (in the State of Washington) in a man who returned from Wuhan, Hubei, China, on January 15, 2020, and the official declaration by WHO of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States has had around 2.1…
