San Jose Mayor, Community Advocates Push for Measure T
SAN Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, community advocates and residents are encouraging voters to vote yes on Measure T which is included in the coming November 6 ballot. This was the gist of a media briefing at Rock Springs Park in San Jose on Thursday, October 24 which was one of the neighborhoods that were inundated…
What is ‘extreme hardship’?
IF a person commits certain immigration violations (such as fraud, or overstaying in the U.S. for over six months and then departing, etc.), the person may not be eligible to receive a green card, unless the person applies for, and is granted, a “waiver of inadmissibility” (or “forgiveness”) on a Form I-601. To be eligible…
California Divorce
SOMETIMES, divorce happens. The following seeks to address or clarify some common misconceptions about divorce: “What if my husband/wife does not want to sign the divorce?” or “My husband/wife does not want to sign the divorce papers, what can I do.” California is a no-fault divorce state. A party filing for divorce does not need the…
Entertaining trivia
Here are some remarkable, educational, and attention-grabbing bits of medical and general factoid that could enrich your cerebral armamentarium: • Arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) starts when a child is five or six years of age, and not after fifty. • Cholesterol and saturated fats (from pork, beef, eggs and other dairy products) have killed…
PH named 5th worst country for the prosecution of journalists’ killings
A REPORT from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) revealed that the Philippines, for the second time in a row, remained fifth among the countries with the worst prosecution of journalist killers. In the recent CPJ’s 2018 Global Impunity Index report, the Philippines followed countries in the Middle East and African regions, namely Somalia, Syria,…
‘FAMH Matters’: First National Forum on Fil-Am Mental Health Held in D.C
WASHINGTON D.C. 31 OCTOBER 2018 — As part of the month-long celebration of Filipino American History Month, the Philippine American Foundation for Charities (PAFC) and the Philippine Embassy co-hosted the inaugural National Forum on Filipino American Mental Health at the Philippine Chancery Annex Building on 20 October 2018. The forum brought together renowned speakers from…
Immigrants make our nation strong
By Katie Porter Ever wonder why donuts in Southern California always come in pink boxes? The answer, as with so many American success stories, is because of immigrants. In the 1980s, Cambodians who came here as refugees began training and supporting each other to open donut shops all over Southern California. They chose pink boxes…
Mayor Garcetti joins Fil-Am leaders for Fil-Am History Month celebration
LOS ANGELES — With October as Filipino-American History Month, Fil-Am communities across the United States have marked the past four weeks with various celebrations. Considered the home of the largest concentration of Filipinos outside of the Philippines, the greater LA area hosted several events this month, from a festival highlighting Filipino food to a speaker…
California tax rates and exemptions for 2018 tax returns
AMOUNTS for tax returns in 2018 are compared with amounts in 2017. Exemption credits: a. $118 from $114 – Single, Married filing separately, Head of Household. b. $236 from $228 – Married filing jointly. c. $367 from $353 – Dependent. d. $118 from $114 – Age 65 or older. You are considered to be 65…
Children just like you (2 of 2 parts)
“The deepest definition of youth is life as yet untouched by tragedy.” —Alfred North Whitehead (Continued from last week’s issue …) “Pay attention, Icarus. Stick close behind me and watch your altitude. Fly too low and the sea with its moisture will make your wings too heavy. Fly too high and the heat of the sun…
Trump to subvert the Constitution by terminating birthright citizenship using an executive order
ONE WEEK before the consequential midterm elections — amid the news cycle being dominated by criticisms against the massacre of 11 people in a synagogue Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; the sending of pipe bombs via mail to prominent Democrats critical of Trump, including news organization CNN by a Trump fanatic Filipino-Italian American; the deaths of two black…
Election rundown: Midterms 2018 edition
A barrage of texts from unknown numbers letting you know about a candidate or asking if you support a certain cause. Piles of glossy campaign ads lauding the promise of lowering taxes. News articles of the latest polls filling up your social media timelines. Election season is in full swing, and the 2018 midterm elections…
Cisneros campaign heats up as high profile Dems endorse the first-time candidate
Just 10 days before the midterm elections, Democratic congressional candidate for California’s 39th District Gil Cisneros made a last-ditch effort to appeal to the district’s rich Asian American constituency. On Saturday, Oct. 27, the Cisneros campaign met with small Asian-owned businesses in Hacienda Heights to better know the commercial operations of the district, which spans…
Barely a week after reopening, litter found on Boracay beach
Three days after its reopening, Boracay island once again faced problems as visitors flocked the world-famous destination. Piles of trash were seen along its coastline while businesses and establishments were fined for violating environmental laws. Tourists and locals witnessed the improper trash disposal seen on the newly-rehabilitated island, which had been closed for the…
Trump declares he can end birthright citizenship through executive order
AAPI leaders respond to proposal at odds with the 14th Amendment which guarantees “equal protection of the laws” UNITED States President Donald Trump on Tuesday, October 30 announced that he is preparing to issue an executive order that would eliminate birthright citizenship in the U.S., a concept that is widely interpreted as a constitutional guarantee….
Fil-Am mail bomb suspect reportedly kept list of over 100 potential targets
Sayoc makes first court appearance Cesar Sayoc, the man suspected of sending at least 15 potentially explosive devices to high profile Democrats and Trump critics, had a list of over 100 potential targets, according to recent reports. The reports came as the 56-year-old half-Filipino, half-Italian U.S. citizen appeared in federal court in Florida for the…
Duterte orders military takeover of Customs
President Rodrigo Duterte announced the takeover of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on the Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Sunday, October 28, days after he fired BOC officials and executives. “They will be replaced, all of them, by military men. It will be a takeover of the Armed Forces in the matter of…
PH Consulate in Sydney Promotes PH Oral Tradition to Young Fil-Australians
SYDNEY 29 October 2018 – With the aim to promote Philippine cultural heritage and tradition to the young generation of Filipino-Australians, the Philippine Consulate General in Sydney organized a presentation of Philippine oral tradition entitled “Inspiring the Filipino Child” on 09 October 2018.The performance covers folk songs, riddles, proverbs, and folklore. The children performers delivered…
Fil-Am man federally charged in connection with bombs mailed to political figures
Suspect revealed to be half-Filipino with extensive criminal record in Florida THE U.S. Justice Department has formally charged 56-year-old Filipino-American Cesar Alteri Sayoc on Friday, October 26, after authorities arrested him in Plantation, Florida following a nationwide investigation on improvised explosive devices that were sent to liberal political leaders starting earlier this week. Sayoc faces…
LA Arboretum unveils “Moonlight Forest,” new larger-than-life lantern displays
STARTING Friday, October 26, 2018 to January 6, 2019, the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanical Garden will be home to “Moonlight Forest,” a dazzling evening experience of lights, art, and culture. Featuring over 60 displays of larger-than-life lantern art, Moonlight Forest is surely a destination for the entire family. The illuminating lanterns reflect three…
Boracay now open to the public after six-month rehab
WORLD-renowned Boracay island opened its doors to visitors on Friday, October 26, six months after it closed for rehabilitation. President Rodrigo Duterte previously called the hot spot a “cesspool” due to overcrowding and the disregard for environmental safety and standards. Given the circumstances at the time, he ordered that the island be shut down in…
SWS: Majority of Filipinos believe PH heading in ‘right direction’
The majority of Filipinos have a positive outlook on the current climate in the Philippines, the Social Weather Stations’ (SWS) latest survey has revealed. Results from the September 2018 survey found that 75 percent of adult Filipinos view the country is heading in the “right direction.” Only 22 percent said the country is in the…
Fil-Am media ‘game changers’ share stories from their careers, inspire young Fil-Am creatives to follow their passion
When Ricky Nierva was a young boy, he loved to draw. Inspired by the cartoons he would rush home to watch as a kid, he would draw pictures on his bedpost, around his room and the walls of his home. His mother, instead of forbidding him to draw altogether, came home one day with stacks…
Employers push for P20 wage hike instead of P344
THE Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) on Wednesday, October 24, found a total of P20 increase in daily minimum wage to be the “acceptable” amount for workers to recover from the lost of purchasing power brought by inflation. This is said to be way below the P344 wage increase that the labor group Associated…
LA receives $85 million in state funds to address homelessness
LOS ANGELES became the first city in California to receive $85 million in state funds for projects aimed at reducing homelessness, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced this week. The city received $85 million, its full disbursement of state Homeless Emergency Assistance Program (HEAP) dollars, which will be used to fund two A Bridge Home projects — one in…
Pres. Duterte dismisses Customs officials amid drug scandal
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, October 25 fired all commissioners and department heads of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) amid controversy that P6.8 billion worth of shabu was uncovered. Upon the discovery of shabu in four magnetic lifters in Cavite, Duterte commanded the dismissal of BOC executives in his speech during the anniversary of…