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UN, foreign gov’ts remember victims of Typhoon Yolanda
MANILA -- The United Nations and other foreign governments joined the Philippines in commemorating the victims of the devastating Super Typhoon Yolanda that struck the Philippines and killed thousands 10 years ago. “We remember the lives that were lost and disrupted and extend our gratitude once again to the Philippine government and humanitarian partners for their support and collaboration, which played a crucial role in efforts to assist those affected by the super typhoon,” the Philippines Humanitarian Country Team (HCT), under the leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator Gustavo Gonzalez, said in a statement on Wednesday. Yolanda battered the Philippines on November 8, 2013 and left over 6,300 people dead and thousands of families displaced. Over 16 million people were affected in 41 provinces across nine regions. In the immediate aftermath, the HCT said it helped coordinate assistance provided by international and national partners between November 2013 to August 2014. A total of 3.7 million people received food assistance, 2.3 million children were vaccinated, 110 local government units were given improved vaccine cold chain facilities; more than a million received cash aid
REMEMBERING YOLANDA. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (2nd from left) attends a Mass for the commemoration of the 10th anniversary of Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) in Tacloban City on Wednesday (Nov. 8, 2023). He also led the distribution of land titles to the survivors of the super typhoon, which left at least 6,000 dead and more than 28,000 injured, and affected about 3 million families after it pummeled Eastern Visayas in 2013. (MNS photo) and various assistance; and thousands were housed in emergency shelters, among others. Beyond these, the HCT members continued to provide support to restore
livelihoods as well as local institutions and public services for recovery. Climate resilient and gender sensitive evacuation centers, and resilient permanent housing for
All systems go with FP Thanksgiving Extravaganza
Cherilyn Mallari SAN DIEGO, CA-- Cherilyn picked up the microphone when she was 3 years old and hasn't put it down ever since. She started competing and winning in singing contests when she was 6 yrs. old and became the 1997 Seafood City Fiesta Filipiniana Mexican karaoke champion when she was 7 yrs old. She has competed and won numerous first place trophies since then as multi award winning singer here in San Diego and Southern California. She has front acted in concerts for Gary Valenciano, Jose Mari Chan, Nonoy Zuniga, Dessa, Bituin, Maja Salvador, Martin Niviera, Pops Fernandez, Jessa Zaragoza and many more. She got the Gold Ticket on American Idol from American Idol winner Taylor Hicks himself when he was a judge in Colorado when she was 26 Fast forward to November 18, 2023, Cherilyn will get her break as a singer/artist, not as a front act but the main act on the upcoming Filipino Press Thanksgiving Extravaganza on the dinner-concert
segment of the program. She will be singing popular songs of Whitney Houston, Celine Dion and a variety of popular artists which will showcase her vocal range, control, versatility and creativity as an emerging professional artist in her own right. Most people who have listened to her sing gets mesmerized by the power of her voice and control, some moved to tears as she shares her emotional rendition of some songs. Cherilyn will be joined by Charisma, 2021 Teen Karaoke Seafood City Champion on stage as well. Most recently, Cherilyn launched her professional singing services and is available for events, concerts, all occasion parties to provide musical entertainment. Book her for your future events as your singing DJ host or the main performer as highlight of your event. ART of FASHION The Filipino Press Thanksgiving Extravaganza also features the Art Exhibits and Couture Fashion
Collections of Artist & Fashion Designer, Jean Amour Pioso. A resident of San Diego, Jean Amour is so excited about the opportunity afforded her to share her talents and creations to San Diegans, after having done fashion shows in Los Angeles, New York, Philippines and recently from her Paris Fashion Week stint. Models to be featured at the event are coming from Los Angeles as well as San Diego based recruited models. The Filipino Press Thanksgiving Extavaganza is brought to you by Wyyerd Fiber, My Point Credit Union, Gerry's Grill, Noel Ancheta, Old Schoolhouse Square Shopping Center, San Ysidro Health Center, La Flamme French Pizza, Zarlito's, Atty. Morris Chichiyan, Ramada by Wyndham, Mabuhay DJ, Califoto and more. Tickets may be availed at eventbrite or by calling/text the Filipino Press at (619)755-0755. Cost is $75/person . Part of proceeds goes to the UP Alumni of San Diego's scholarship program. The event will be held at Ramada by Wyndham on November 18, 2023 from 6pm-11pm. There will be a Red Carpet welcome at around 4pm at the foyer with Holiday Bazaar vendors/ exhibitors like DCL Pre-Loved Bags and Jewelry, Palm Care Pharmacy, Juv's Petals, Sofia's Boutique, Kitchen Logic etc. We are looking forward to engage and have a bountiful celebration with you on November 18 at Ramada by Wyndham. Of course, there is always something for everyone, surprise guests, opportunity drawing, talent showcase, dancing most especially. For the karaoke enthusiasts, there will be a late night Karaoke to cap the event.
displaced families were also provided. “Today, we commemorate the resilience and strength of the Filipino people, who have rebuilt their lives and communities in the face of
adversity. We must continue to learn from the lessons of Haiyan to better prepare for future disasters made even more challenging by climate change,” Gonzalez said.
“Together with the government, we are committed to investing in disaster risk reduction and innovative solutions such as anticipatory action and to deepening our collaboration in building a more resilient Philippines,” he added. ‘Foreign gov’t aid’ The European Union, the United States, Canada, France, Japan, China, Australia, the United Kingdom, India, and Israel were among the many embassies that also paid respect to the victims of the typhoon. In a post on X, the European Union Delegation in Manila said it has provided EUR40 million in humanitarian assistance and early recovery interventions to help those affected. Including the assistance from other EU Member States, the total EU aid amounts to over EUR180 million. The United States in an X post also recalled its humanitarian and development aid totaling USD143 million, which supported the procurement of critical food, health, shelter, water, and hygiene support. The US military supported the US Agency for International Development’s (USAID) response by airlifting critical relief supplies to communities cut off by the storm. Coordination between the US military and the Philippine Air Force also enabled Tacloban Airport to See YOLANDA on 5
Post-Pandemic, Homeowners of Color Face Losing Homes By Selen Ozturk/EMS While CA homeowners of color already face many threats to their home, more will risk foreclosure than ever when pandemic-era mortgage relief will run out. SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- The California homeowners of color already face many threats to their family home. Now, more will risk foreclosure than ever as millions of dollars in pandemic-era mortgage relief is set to run out before they even know it’s there. At a Thurs., November 2 briefing co-hosted by Ethnic Media Services and Housing and Economic Rights Advocates (HERA), housing attorneys and mortgage experts explained how homeowners can keep their family homes against these threats, while homeowners of color shared their personal experiences of struggling to preserve generational wealth. Threats facing homeowners Joe Jaramillo, a senior attorney at HERA, a statewide housing legal service and advocacy nonprofit, said the main threats facing vulnerable homeowners are “keeping the family home when a parent or grandparent passes away; financing Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs which risk the borrower’s home if unpaid; and “zombie” second mortgages “that haunt borrowers with unexpected bills and threats of foreclosure.” The passing of a homeowning relative presents a threat when there is no will or trust, so that loved ones have to go through an arduous, lengthy and expensive probate court to inherit it while property taxes,
insurance and mortgages pile up with an unclear responsibility of who’s to pay. Jaramillo said Black and Latino households report consistently higher foreclosure risks from this problem. He added that PACE, which finances clean energy home improvements like solar with nomoney-down loans repaid by adding expensive sums to property taxes, has put thousands of California homeowners of color at risk of foreclosure statewide. “It sounds good in theory,” said Jaramillo, “but many salespeople and contractors target low-income households and misrepresent costs or install nonfunctioning or nonconnected improvements like solar panels.” A third factor, he continued, are zombie mortgages: “second loans often taken out at the same time as a larger first lien mortgage, split to allow borrowers to avoid large down
payments and apply part of the second to the down.” Before the 2008 housing crash, many predatory high-interest loans were marketed heavily to lowerincome homeowners assured their home values would only rise; after the crash, second-mortgage zombie lenders stopped billing because the homes were worth less than these mortgages, and homeowners assumed the second ones were forgiven, amended with the first, or gone with bankruptcy. Now that home values are up again, however, debt collectors are back with years of interest and fees. Key help for homeowners running out The California Mortgage Relief Program is the main way that homeowners have been able to surmount these threats, said Rebecca Franklin, president of the California See HOMEOWNERS on
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