The 2020 Census found that in state after state, population growth in Black, Latinx, Asian American, and Native American populations is outpacing white growth. But new voting rules working their way through state governments, including gerrymandered district maps, make it difficult for communities of color to elect people who will represent their needs and interests. At a May 10 press briefing, voting rights and redistricting experts discussed an array of challenges they a...

In commemoration this May of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month and Hepatitis Awareness Month in the United States, the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco wishes to invite members of the Filipino Community to join its upcoming program, Free Hepatitis B and Tuberculosis Education and Screening Community Event on May 18 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Kalayaan Hall, Philippine Center, 447 Sutter Street, San Francisco. This event — a j...

05-23-2022 !!! Star Access of the Week !!!! Filam star newspaper Weekly Issue: 684 www.filamstar.com Star Access of the Week !! Happy Birthdays Celebration !!! FilamStar Welcome your event be featured here https://filamstar.com/star-access/ To get a chance to be on this week's issue on our Star Access column, please submit your pictures along with captions of your events such as parties/birthdays/announcements etc. To Email; [email protected] or gary_deguzman...

Incoming Sen. JV Ejercito on May 16 said he hopes to work with his half-brother, also incoming Sen. Jinggoy Estrada on a professional level. "I hope it's gonna be professional as long as it doesn't get in our work, the personal. Perhaps, we might just work by ourselves," said Ejercito. Ejercito and Estrada landed on the 10th and 14th spots, respectively in the last senatorial race. Both sons of former President Joseph Estrada, who remain at odds against each other, los...

The camp of President-elect Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. is looking for the most competent and qualified officials for the Cabinet positions of the incoming administration. Vic Rodriguez, chief of staff and spokesperson of Marcos, announced, “Apart from being competent, qualified and love of country, those recognizing the flag of the Republic of the Philippines, those respecting the Constitution and not calling for the downfall of the government," said Rodriguez. Ear...

MANILA -- Kontra Daya Convenor and University of the Philippines (UP) journalism Professor Danilo Arao warned the media against tough times under Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s presidency as disinformation "may become more widespread." At the Balitaan sa Maynila forum last May 15. “Ang nakikita po natin under a Marcos administration, baka mas maging institutionalized na iyong disinformation,” Arao said. “Kasi nariyan na ang government media at his disposal... troll a...

MANILA -- Ramon Casiple said political families -- not parties -- dominate the 2022 national elections, citing their concentrated wealth and power in an interview with PTV-4 last May 10. “Walang lumitaw na pangalan na political party hindi kagaya nung panahon may Nacionalista Party, Liberal Party. Ang tumatambad sa atin ngayon ay mga pamilya. Kaya yung tatakbo sa ganitong family suportado ng ibang family, ganyan ang naging kalakaran ng ating eleksyon ngayon," he said. C...

Editor’s Note: This week the Philippines elected its next president, the son and namesake of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos. His win has raised alarm bells over the potential slide of the Southeast Asian nation — a strategic US ally and Asia’s oldest democracy — into autocracy. Rene Ciria Cruz, US Bureau Chief for the Philippine news outlet Inquirer.net, says the campaign of opposition candidate Leni Robredo “awakened a long-dormant civic consciousness” among mainly younger...

A tycoon and close associate of outgoing President Duterte plans to sell businesses worth billions of dollars, including the South China Sea Malampaya gas field and a commercial land lease firm at the site of the former US military base in Clark that he all acquired in controversial fashion during Duterte’s term. Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Energy Committee, said the sale could result in a power supply crisis for the country. The Senator expressed gr...

Efforts to glorify the martial law years came to the fore after presumptive President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. appointed as secretary of Education presumptive Vice-president-elect Sara Duterte, who obviously shares his father President Duterte’s mind that there were no abuses during the martial rule of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. First in the line of attack were children’s book about the evils of dictatorship put out by Adarna Publishing owned by Na...