KAKAMMPI News

Over a hundred Filipino supporters of Sen. Bongbong Marcos gathered in Paris, France, to protest the proclamation of Vice President-elect Leni Robredo by Congress, a report on QRT said Monday. The report quoted the group as saying that Robredo, the administration's vice presidential candidate in the May 9 elections, could win over Marcos only by cheating. It also questioned the move by Smartmatic, the technology provider in the automated elections, to introduce a new script in the transparency server of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on election night. Smartmatic has admitted to adjusting the script but only to fix an issue involving the "n" character that appeared as "?" on the names of some candidates. Marcos' supporters in France, meanwhile, said they would support whatever action he would take to contest Robredo's victory. Marcos, who lost to Robredo by a slim margin of only about 260,000 votes, has already filed a cybercrime compla...

The Filipino American Democratic Club of New York responded to poll results that show a record 30-point gain of FilAms who identify as Democrats since the last presidential election in 2012. “Now more than ever, Filipino Americans are identifying with the Democratic Party’s vision of equality and opportunity for all Americans, regardless of where they come from, what they look like, or who they love,” said Aries Dela Cruz, president of FADCNY. “This vision involves making it easier for Filipino American working families, and indeed all Americans, to build a secure and prosperous life such as a higher minimum wage, comprehensive immigration reform, and increased access to affordable healthcare and education.” After the release by AAPI Data, Asian Pacific Islander American Vote and Asian Americans Advancing Justice of the  Spring 2016 Asian American Voter Survey , the FADCNY independently highlighted the survey’s valuable findings and implications for the Filipino American com...

The Filipino-American who was crowned Miss Washington Teen USA 2014 received a scholarship from the Asian American Journalist Association for a prestigious annual journalism convention. Starla Sampaco received the 2016 AAJA Seattle Founders Scholarship for the national AJAA convention in August, IExaminer reported on Thursday (US time). Photo courtesy of Starla Sampaco's Twitter account Sampaco told the IExaminer, “I am proud to be a first-generation American, and my experience as the daughter of Filipino immigrants influenced my passion for stories involving immigrants and underrepresented communities.” Sampaco is double majoring Journalism and Law, Societies, and Justice at the University of Washington (UW) and will graduate in June 2017. UW included Sampaco in the 2016 class of Husky 100, a list recognizing outstanding 100 UW undergraduate and graduate students from Bothell, Seattle and Tacoma. She is also the recipient of various scholarships including a summer...

A Filipino convicted of murder has been included on the list of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. The  FBI posted a notice on their website  calling on witnesses to submit information on Philip Patrick Policarpio, 39, wanted for the murder of his pregnant girlfriend Lauren Elaine Olguin and her unborn child. Policarpio's name was added on the FBI's list last May 19, 2016. A $100,000 reward was set for information leading to the arrest of Policarpio, who shot his pregnant girlfriend "at a party in the Rampart area of Los Angeles last month." Los Angeles Fugitives Task Force member Special Agent Scott Garriola said Policarpio immediately went into hiding following the attack and violated his parole for his 2001 conviction in the process. LA Times reported that the FBI described the suspect, whose aliases include Bugsy, as "mentally unstable and an illegal drug abuser." Policarpio was said to have traveled to...

Officials from the Philippine Consulate in Dubai stopped a Filipina from returning to the Philippines after she tried to use a fake passport for her adopted child. According to a report of Khaleej Times, the Filipina's husband allegedly bought the bogus passport in the Philippines for P75,000 (Dh5,900). Consul Ferdinand Flores said the Filipina was unable to apply for a genuine Philippine passport as the whereabouts of the baby's biological parents were unknown. Flores said the biological mother was an illegal resident in Dubai who left the child with the foster mother a year ago. The foster mother claimed to have tried but failed to contact the biological mother by phone. Flores said no case was filed against the foster mom but insists the consulate does not condone her actions. The Khaleej report quoted Flores as saying, "fortunately they went first to the consulate before they traveled lest they be held up in the immigration and the mother will be possibly ...

Manny Imperial (right) with Sisig City line cook Ben Acunin and cashier Arielle Crisostomo.  The FilAm photo In the indie film “Chef,” Jon Favreau’s character finds himself flipping Cuban sandwiches in a food truck after he quits his restaurant job as a head chef because of a disagreement with the crusty restaurant owner played by Dustin Hoffman. Let’s just say that Manny Imperial is fortunate to have both: a sit-down eatery on Staten Island called Phil-Am Kusina and the Sisig City food truck that roams the five boroughs of New York. It is some kind of a juggling act for this young restaurateur with a business degree from Baruch College, but for now Sisig City gets the lion’s share of his attention. “I waited several years to get a permit,” said Manny, 30, in an interview with The FilAm. “When I got it after so many years on the waitlist, I couldn’t believe it. Is this for real?” Sisig City officially opened in January as the first Filipino food van in New York City. Its...

A center that will provide educational and employment support for migrant adolescents, including Filipinos, has been opened in South Korea through the help of the public, private and industrial sectors. The center, called the Global Youth Dream Center, is a five-floor structure that has a gross floor area of 1,428 sqm and located in Suwon City in Gyeonggi Province, one hour south of Seoul. The center was formally opened on May 10. "It is a miracle that a center for migrant adolescents, who in particular face many difficulties, was established with assistance and contributions from many individuals," said Suwon Mayor Yeom Tae-young during the opening ceremony. According to Mayor Yeom, the number of foreign residents in the city has reached 55,000 in 2016, an 18.5 percent increase from last year. He called the growth "remarkable." Philippine Ambassador to Korea Raul S. Hernandez attended the opening ceremony to express the Philippine Embassy's support to ...

Fourteen Filipino-American students in Hawaii will receive scholarships for their academic excellence and outstanding extra-curricular work in the community. A  report on Maui Now  said the students will receive $1,000 at the Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce Foundation's annual Gintong Pamana Leadership & Scholarship Awards to be held at the Maui Beach Hotel on June 16. Other recipients include re-elected San Juan Mayor Guia Gomez Scholarship and Maui Cozy Island Dental Scholarship grantees. They will receive the same amount as fellow MFCCF scholars. Five students from Maui High School received the scholarship: Charwin Kenneth Andaya, Sherylynne Andrada,  Alssie Marie Jean Casayuran, Tara-Ann Marie Pacubas, and Alyssa Michiko Yoshimura. Andaya (kinesiology), Andrada (biology), and Pacubas (biological engineering) will enter the University of Hawai‘i while Casayuran (biology) opted for Pacific University and Yoshimura (education) passed University of Portland...

Starting June 1, those who will not show up on the date of their passport appointment will be barred from re-applying for 30 days, Foreign Affairs Secretary Jose Rene Almendras said on Thursday. “If you don’t show up you’re not going be able to reserve for 30 days. So please take your reservations seriously,” the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Chief told ANC Channel’s Headstart program. Almendras lamented that the practice of disregarding the schedule given to applicants by the DFA's consular division has resulted in a two-month waiting period for hundreds of applicants. “People complain it takes two months to take a slot to be interviewed. Statistics showed that 47 percent of people who applied for appointment do not show up,” Almendras  said. “They just apply now, they don’t show up again so starting June 1, if you do not show up for your appointment you’re gonna be put aside for at least a month. You are not going to apply for a new slot,” he said. As there is no...

PRESS RELEASE  “Time to act fast and vigorously on family planning” – Ben de Leon, The Forum The Forum for Family Planning and Development, Inc. (The Forum) supports the aggressive stance of incoming President Rodrigo Duterte in implementing the country’s reproductive health and family planning law that is also anchored on his new government’s economic agenda of eliminating inequality and poverty. The Forum commended President Duterte for his appointment of Dr. Ernesto Pernia as Secretary of Socio Economic Planning and Director General, NEDA. He will be a strong pillar to his Administration as he will craft economic policies that will benefit the country especially the poor. Pernia is a member of the Board of Trustee of The Forum. Benjamin De Leon, president of The Forum, said he welcomes the fresh pronouncements of the incoming government as “sensible and well-timed especially now that the Philippines is experiencing a slowing population growth rate and Filipinos recogn...

The Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) has sentenced a Social Security System (SSS) claimant to imprisonment of about seven years and eight months up to ten years and nine months for attempting to defraud SSS of disability benefits for pulmonary tuberculosis using spurious documents. SSS Chief Legal Counsel and Senior Vice President for Legal Services Division Voltaire P. Agas said that Julieta S. Panganiban was convicted for two criminal cases – one for false statement or misrepresentation when she submitted fake documents, and another for receipt of the P42,953.99 disability benefit even if she wasn’t qualified. "The court ordered Panganiban to serve a jail term one year, eight months and 21 days as minimum to four years, nine months and 10 days as maximum and to pay a fine of P5,000 for violation of Section 28 (a) of the Social Security Law. She would also serve another jail term of six years and one day and pay a fine of P5,000 for violation of Section 28 (b),...

Teachers and non-teaching staff of the Department of Education Regional Office No. 5 (DepEd-RO V) may now conveniently increase their savings with Pag-IBIG Fund through salary deduction. This was made possible through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed on March 1, 2016 at The Concourse Convention Center in Legazpi City, by DepEd-RO V Regional Director Ramon Fiel G. Abcede, and Pag-IBIG Fund Legazpi Branch Head Mr. Roberto A. Salvosa and Area Head Ms. Ma. Luisa P. Barcebal. The increase in savings may be done through the Fund's Upgraded Savings Program, which allows PagIBIG members to save over and above the mandatory monthly savings of P100, or through savings in the Modified Pag-IBIG II (MP2) Program of the Fund – an additional savings facility which yields higher annual dividends than Pag-IBIG 1 savings and has a fixed maturity period of five years. "We are happy to enter into this partnership with DepEd-RO V as this will enable our teachers and other DepEd personnel ...

Pag-IBIG Fund housing for NBI employees Pag-IBIG Fund President and CEO Atty. Darlene Marie B. Berberabe (third from left) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Atty. Virgilio L. Mendez (fourth from left) signed an understanding to cater to NBI employees’ housing needs. Joining them are (from left): PagIBIG Fund Manager Nanette Gerarda T. Abilay and Senior Vice President Engr. Juanito V. Eje; NBI Assistant Director Atty. Medardo G. de Lemos; NBI Employees Association (NBIEA) President Arch. Domingo LL. Tablizo, Jr., and NBIEA Vice President Rolando M. Alimboyong. Pag-IBIG Fund and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) recently sealed their partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will assist NBI employees in their housing needs. Pag-IBIG Fund President and CEO Atty. Darlene Marie B. Berberabe, NBI Director Atty. Virgilio L. Mendez, and NBI Employees Association (NBIEA) President Arch. Domingo LL. Tablizo, Jr.led the signing event. “Atty. Chito Cru...

Legazpi City: PhilHealth Regional Office V (PRO V) staged the third leg of Music for Unity (M.U.), a caravan to showcase Bicolano hospitality and goodwill for the delegates of the recently-concluded 59th Palarong Pambansa hosted by the Provincial Government of Albay. The M.U. was spearheaded by the PRO V Band, under the leadership of Regional Vice President Orlando D. Iñigo. The caravan endeavors to promote unity amidst diversity through music, and is in line with the Provincial Government’s theme reflecting  shared values, shared goals, and shared impact. Three delegations representing Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao were handpicked by Iñigo to be given the whole M.U. experience: Region 4-A in Luzon, Region 8 in Visayas, and one Region in Mindanao. Aside from entertainment, the PRO V team also sees this as an opportunity to increase PhilHealth visibility and intensify its marketing campaign for the Formal Sector members of the Department of Education through the to...

Raoul Esperas FREE AT LAST. OFW Jonard Langamin is reunited with his parents upon arrival at NAIA Terminal 2 after serving 8 years in prison for killing a fellow OFW. His parents were accompanied by Susan Ople of the Blas F. Ople Policy Center.  Photo by Raoul Esperas MANILA –After being spared from the death sentence and serving eight years in prison, overseas Filipino worker Jonard Langamin is now reunited with his family in Manila. Langamin, 32-years old, arrived Wednesday morning on board a Philippine Airlines flight PR 683 from Damman, Saudi Arabia. Langamin was met at the airport by his parents Edith and Clemente Langamin who were accompanied by Susan Ople, head of the Blas F. Ople Policy Center. His parents had not seen him for 10 years. The Ople Center said the OFW was meted the death penalty by the Saudi Government in 2008 after being found guilty of killing fellow Pinoy Robertson Mendoza. FREE AT LAST. OFW Jonard Langamin is reunited with his parents...

HONG KONG – Some works of Filipino artists are featured in an exhibit exploring issues of race, labor, discrimination and migrant domestic workers here. Among them was a video presentation of Poklong Anading, whose mother worked as a domestic helper in Hong Kong for 11 years and who died of cancer shortly after she returned to the Philippines. According to Cosmin Costinas, executive director and curator of Para Site, which is running the exhibition "Afterwork," when Anading first went to Hong Kong, he chose to go to the places in the photographs of his mother when she was here. "Afterwork," which started in March, will run until May 9 in Quarry Bay in Hong Kong island. So far, the exhibit, Costinas said, has attracted some 6,000 to 7,000 visitors, including two lawmakers. On Sunday, Hong Kong lawmaker Emily Lau brought with her to the exhibit 15 domestic helpers from Enrich and Helpers for Domestic Helpers on a tour guided by Costinas. The group visited the...

A Filipino-Canadian businesswoman has been sentenced to two and a half years of imprisonment for exploiting some 70 foreign workers, including Filipinos, reports said. Jennilyn Morris, 46, was also ordered to pay back the unpaid wages of 13 of her victims amounting to $22,000, according to a  report on CBC News . The report said the sentence was handed down by Court of Queen's Bench Justice Kenneth Nielsen on Friday, four months after Morris pleaded guilty to two charges under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. It added Nielsen thumbed down the defense's request for a conditional discharge or house arrest for Morris, citing how her actions affected her victims who told the court how they suffered stress and depression, among others, under Morris. One victim, Teodora Bautista, a 42-year-old single mother from the Philippines, said she experienced blackouts and once even collapsed from sheer exhaustion after being forced to work for long hours. Others also com...

The question of who should be First Lady to incoming Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte rakes up a lot of historic ‘firsts.’ It will be the first time a politician will be taking office as president separated from his wife. It is likely to be the first time he will be publicly seen with a common-law wife, if the recent campaign is any indication. Cielito “Honeylet” Avancena, 46, who has been Duterte’s domestic partner for 20 years, has been front and center during the election campaign and is largely acknowledged as his low-key comrade in political combat. Time and shifting social folkways will determine if she will eventually assume the position of First Lady, and if she does, it will be the first time that the title will be bestowed not on a woman with the status of a stylized society-page socialite. (Duterte has said his daughter Sara will be his First Lady) Honeylet, who met Duterte while she was a nurse in the US, comes from the ranks of overseas Filipino workers (OFW). S...

Eleven Filipino workers allegedly forced to work under abusive conditions won a $15.3-million lawsuit against their employers, according to a  report on the LA Times . Named respondents in the lawsuit filed March 2015 were Analiza and Goncalo Moitinho de Almeida, owners of L'Amande French Bakery who were  accused of labor and wage violation . The decision was handed down by US District Judge Fernando Olguin on May 2, the report said. Christopher Lapinig, the OFWs lawyer, said in a statement that the ruling will hopefully make clear to "exploitative employers" who resort to "unlawful activity to escape accountability for their labor abuses" that they may "no longer act with impunity". A  report on the Daily Breeze  said the couple must pay the following: • More than $3.7 million in compensatory damages for human trafficking and $1.25 million for violating the Fair Employment and Housing Act. • More than $3.7 million in punitive damages for ...