Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for more than 72.5 million Americans will increase 2.5 percent in 2025, the Social Security Administration announced today. On average, Social Security retirement benefits will increase by about $50 per month starting in January. Over the last decade the COLA increase has averaged about 2.6 percent. The COLA was 3.2 percent in 2024. Nearly 68 million Social Security beneficiaries will see a 2.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) beginning in January 2025.  Increased payments to nearly 7.5 million people receiving SSI will begin on December 31, 2024. (Note: Some people receive both Social Security benefits and SSI). “Social Security benefits and SSI payments will increase in 2025, helping tens of millions of people keep up with expenses even as inflation has started to cool,” said Martin O’Malley, Commissioner of Social Security. Some other adjustments that take effect in January of each year...

Monterey Park, CA — Monterey Park Mayor Thomas Wong welcomed local AAPI leaders for a special luncheon and briefing today to discuss Proposition 5, a significant ballot initiative aimed at empowering communities to address the critical needs of affordable housing and public infrastructure. “I am proud to join local and regional leaders, teachers, nurses, business leaders, and working families from across the state, as well as fellow councilmembers, elected officials, and nonprofit leaders to urge voters to vote yes on Proposition 5 this November,” said Monterey Park Mayor Thomas Wong. “We have a housing and homelessness crisis throughout the state of California that is only getting worse. There’s also an infrastructure crisis in many of our cities where critical investment and reinvestment in our local communities is needed. Here in Monterey Park we’ve been seeking state and federal funding to rebuild one of the oldest fire stations in the entire...

Members of the media were given a sneak peek into the upcoming 72nd edition of Manila FAME, as organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) during the Manila FAME Media Preview held at the Makati Diamond Residences on October 10, 2024. With only a few days before Manila FAME 2024–the country’s premier trade show for   home, fashion, and lifestyle (HFL) is set to open its doors to the public, CITEM presented      a visual display of select products and designs encapsulating this year’s trade event      theme of “Reimagination.” According to CITEM Executive Director Leah Pulido-Ocampo, “Reimagination is our take    on sustainability and circularity. In all of the settings we will be showing at Manila FAME, these will be reflected. With different interpretations, it’s going to be really exciting to see    the end products. CITEM remains steadfast in its mission to elevate and champion Filipino products to the...

From left: Ricky Lee, Aries, Arya, Martha and Atty. Michael Gurfinkel FOR 19 years, the show has been known as “Citizen Pinoy,” but in this special episode, leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel is calling it “Citizen Puti” in honor of a remarkable American who is not only a dedicated fan of the show but also an integral part of a heartwarming family reunion. Ricky Lee, an American married to Filipina Martha, watches Citizen Pinoy religiously—so much so that he was able to correct a Seattle attorney on immigration law thanks to what he learned from the show. This special episode features Ricky, Martha, and her son Aries, who was finally able to join his mother in the U.S. after an 11-year wait. Martha, who married Ricky in 2009, petitioned for her son Aries as soon as she received her green card. Despite the long delay in processing, and...

Bamboo Mañalac rendering a song onstage. Photo by Mic Diaz FOR the first time Filipinos from all over Southern California gathered to witness one of the most-awaited historical and life-changing moments of the year, the Rivermaya Reunion Concert at the Greek Theatre on Friday, October 4. It was as if Rivermaya fans were transported back to the ‘90s when the Philippines experienced a renaissance in Pinoy rock. The emergence of Rivermaya in 1994 along with several bands that produced seminal “anthems” spewed an alternative rock explosion in Original Pilipino Music history. It was a reunion of sorts at the world-renowned Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. Not only was it a long-awaited assembly of original band members — lead singer Bamboo Mañalac, singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Rico Blanco, bass player Nathan Azarcon and drummer Mark Escueta — but it was also a gathering of friends who drove several miles from all corners of California...

Get Your Tickets Now and Don’t Miss the Chance to Join This Historic Celebration! LOS ANGELES — The University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Greater Los Angeles (UPAAGLA) proudly announces its 25th Anniversary Endowment Fundraising and Awards Gala, scheduled for November 9, 2024, at the Warner Center Marriott Woodland Hills. This milestone event celebrates a quarter-century of fostering connections among U.P. alumni in the Greater Los Angeles area and beyond. The gala promises an evening of reflection, networking, and renewed commitment to the association’s mission of Honor, Excellence, and Service. “Our 25th anniversary is not just a celebration of past achievements, but a launching pad for future endeavors. We cordially invite all U.P. alumni, friends, and supporters to join us in this momentous occasion,” Eric Panuncialman, UPAAGLA President and 25th Anniversary Committee Chair, emphasizes the significance of this event. The gala will feature an elegant dinner, live entertainment, and...

“I FIRST met Christine Rocas about 12 years ago when I was asked to co-produce a fundraiser event for Typhoon Haiyan relief at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.  I remember being completely entranced and mesmerized by her performance; a ballet dancer with so much power and grace, it was completely captivating (I mean, how many Filipino/Filipino-American ballet dancers are there from professional companies like the Joffrey?). Fast-forward 12 years, Christine announces her retirement from professional ballet in her final performance where she will have played the title role in Joffrey’s ‘Anna Karenina.’ True to form, Christine delivered a powerful performance, exploding on stage with the effortless strength and quiet fortitude, not unlike Tolstoy’s tragic heroine. There, amidst her fellow cast members and with her partner (in various pas de deux moves), Christine shined; not with the brilliance that accompanies jewels, but with a radiant dignity and superlative movement that belied her many...

(From left) Ilocos Norte Gov. Matthew Marcos Manotoc, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, Trade Secretary Cristina Roque, and First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos. Deputy Social Secretary Dina Arroyo-Tantoco (at the back) is partially seen. Photos courtesy of Rogelio Medina THROUGH the efforts of First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos, Bahay Pangulo (during Pres. Bongbong Marcos’ term), formerly named Bahay Pangarap (during Pres. Noynoy Aquino’s term) or Bahay ng Pagbabago (during Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s term), has been completely restored. It was open recently to selected media entitities for the first time. In the past I used to visit this place when I worked as presidential message writer or information officer under Press Secretary Teddy Benigno. This is the same rest house where then-presidential son Noynoy Aquino (I was called by him to go there) and I were together while watching his cousin actress Jackie Aquino on TV. During the terms of Presidents of Fidel V. Ramos and Joseph Ejercito Estrada, I was...

IN this week’s episode of “Citizen Pinoy,” leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel heads to a vibrant Pop-up event in New York City called “Batok at Sulat,” where he learns about the Filipino indigenous art of “batok” tattooing, made famous by the legendary Apo Whang-Od. The “Batok at Sulat” event organized by Chef Augee featured Kristian Kabuay, Michelle Solis, Maya & Robin Kitana Aquilizan and Gerald Mauyupao. The event, organized by Augee Francisco, owner of Kabisera NYC, showcased booths by Kristian Kabuay (batok artist) who featured Baybayin art; Michelle Solis (Ina Sol) who featured indigenous style jewelry; Gerald Mayupao (Anito) who had apparel for the community; and Robin and Maya Kitana Aquilizan (Bayani Art) who offered children’s books on Philippine heroes. During the event, Atty. Gurfinkel took time to address immigration questions, including Chef Augee’s inquiry on how she can sponsor relatives from the Philippines for green cards to...

COMPARED to most head and neck malignancies, the rate of throat cancer in the United States and around the globe has not declined. The statistics are also true, when extrapolated, for other countries, like the Philippines, since most Filipinos are westernized in their lifestyle, habits, and behaviors, etc. The most logical explanation why cancer of the throat has not diminished has been attributed to the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), a bug that causes a sexually transmitted disease. HPV is popularly (70 percent) known to cause genital warts and most cancers of the cervix (mouth of the womb). Scientists have discovered and identified HPV transmission through oral sex as an etiology of throat cancer. The American Cancer Society reports that the greatest risk factors in head and neck cancers are smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages, 90% of them either smokers or tobacco-chewers and about 80% of them also imbibed a lot...