Death toll reaches 72 OVER 70 people have died from measles, the Philippines’ Department of Health said on Friday, February 8, a few days after it declared a nationwide outbreak of the contagious virus. DOH Spokesperson Enrique Domingo said that the 72 casualties were among the 2,000 cases of measles in areas across the country,…
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) declared on Wednesday, February 6, that the second leg of plebiscite for the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) in Mindanao was successful despite the bombings in Lanao del Norte. Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said that despite the security concerns in the two voting areas— Cotabato and Lanao del Norte, the voter…
The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday, February 6, released the decision indicting Rappler Incorporated, its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and executive editor Maria Ressa, and former researcher Reynaldo Santos Jr. of cyber libel for a story published in May 2012. In the resolution dated on January 10, obtained by Rappler on February 4, and…
THE Philippines’ House of Representatives withdrew its approval of the reimposed death penalty for convicted offenders found in possession of illegal drugs during parties, social gatherings and meetings on Wednesday, February 6. Assistant Majority Leader and Zamboanga Sibugay First District Rep. Wilter Palma II made a motion to reconsider the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of…
The Philippines’ Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Wednesday, February 6, that the government will no longer issue work permits to foreign nationals who want to be employed as construction workers, cashiers, janitors and carpenters. BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said the bureau would tighten the requirements and procedures on the issuance of special and provisional…
Department of National Defense (DND) Chief Delfin Lorenzana announced on Monday, February 4 that a high-ranking panel of United States officials will review the U.S.-Philippines 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT). “They have been asking me what our plans and their high-level delegations will be arriving here soon, not yet the formal talks but just maybe…
The Philippines Department of Health (DOH) announced that 55 children have died due to the measles outbreak in the National Capital Region (NCR) on Wednesday, February 6. DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III declared the outbreak of the highly contagious disease due to a 550 percent increase of patients — with a total of 169 cases…
When you think of the Delano Grape Strike, who are the key figures who immediately come to mind? Largely missing from history and school textbooks is the name of the Larry Itliong, a Filipino-American farm worker and labor organizer, who led the strike along with a group of fellow Fil-Am workers like Philip Vera Cruz,…
CHANGES in the selection process of H-1B petitions. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced this January 2019 “a final rule amending regulations governing H-1B cap-subject petitions, including those that may be eligible for advanced degree exemption.” According to the final rule, “effective April 1, USCIS will first select H-1B petitions (or registrations, once the…
SOME people who are in the U.S. with immigration problems/issues, such as being out of status, in deportation/removal, or they are outside the U.S. hoping to immigrate one day, are reluctant to do anything about it because they don’t want to spend money and/or they think it may be “too expensive” to fix their problem….
The Norovirus outbreak that sickened 277 on board the Oasis of the Seas of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines forced the 7-day Caribbean cruise to return prematurely to Port Canaveral about 3 weeks ago. This incident puts the spotlight on this most contagious gastrointestinal disease known to man. For the aged and the very young,…
The TNT Boys brought pride to the Philippines once again when the group returned to the American stage and earned praise on the CBS show, “The World’s Best.” The trio, composed of Francis Concepcion, Mackie Empuerto, and Kiefer Sanchez, performed Beyonce’s “Listen” and impressed everyone in the studio when they hit all the high notes…
BEFORE going to the Philippines for her big homecoming, Miss Universe Catriona Gray spent an unusually warm winter afternoon with fellow Filipinos for a meet and greet at the Philippine Center hosted by the Philippine Consulate General New York. Gray on Monday afternoon said that just being in the consulate is already like taking a…
The Grammy-nominated R&B sensation H.E.R. discusses Filipina heritage, inherent passion for music and why she remains largely anonymous WHEN R&B singer and songwriter H.E.R. stepped onto the B.E.T. Awards stage last summer the whole room gave her its undivided attention. Propped in front of violinists and a harpist playing the dreamy intro to the single…
Manila, Philippines – Duty Free Philippines Corporation (DFPC) hosted its 18th annual Chinese New Year celebration at the Duty Free Luxe in Pasay City today. DFPC Chief Operating Officer (COO) Vicente Pelagio A. Angala, wife Maria Salome Angala, Tourism Attaché to Beijing, China Tomasito Umali, and renowned author and journalist Jullie Yap Daza led the…
The Rotary Golden Wheel Awards Foundation and the Government of Quezon City honored the other night 12 eminent non Rotarians led by PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde and Kapuso actor Dingdong Dantes and 13 Rotarians of RI District 3780 with Mario R. Nery Vocational Excellence Awards led by Intellectual Property specialist lawyer Pablo Gancayco and veteran…
CES 2019 is a wrap. But, the technology that dazzled throughout the week continues to generate buzz and excitement about the future. See the best-of-the-best from this year’s show.
DID you know that among Asian foster care children in Los Angeles, Filipino foster children make up the highest count? My objective is to share more with our local Filipino community so that we can educate our kababayans to help find culturally sensitive homes for these children and youth. As a social worker for the…
”The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”— Marcel Proust [Select a handful of those things in your bucket list that have the highest chance of coming to fruition given your time frame. In tech speak, it means before your life’s energy goes into ‘ low batt…
ALL property, real or personal, wherever situated, acquired by a married person during the marriage while domiciled in California is community property. Family Code 760. However, there are situations in which the marriage may be held to be null and void. These situations include, but are not limited to entering into a bigamous marriage, fraud…
Heads were turned on Sunday, February 2 when a Rodrigo Duterte impersonator walked into a Hong Kong church frequented by many of the city’s Filipino community members during a mass service. By his side was an uncanny doppelganger of North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un. Impersonating Duterte was 57-year-old Filipino Cresencio Estremos Jr., who also…
AS OF PRESS TIME, President Donald Trump addressed the American people on Tuesday night, February 5 through the State of the Union (SOTU) address, which was originally scheduled for January 31, but had to be rescheduled because of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. This tradition has a basis in the U.S. Constitution. Article…
Philippines also tops most time spent on social media A new report revealed that people in the Philippines spent more time on the internet than any other country in the world in 2018. The annual Digital 2019 report, created by social media platforms and agencies, We Are Social and Hootsuite, found that those in the…
