Hair by Willy Leyba, Paris-based hairdresser
Cavite-born Willy Leyba never imagined that one day she would open a beauty salon in Paris, the world capital of beauty and fashion.

Journey of a podcaster: from a hate crime to the manongs of Stockton
A podcast series by Filipino-American millennial Paola Mardo on the Filipino diaspora takes us back in time to Little Manila in Stockton, California

More than half of Filipino amnesty grantees prefer to stay in UAE
Of the 6,810 OFWs who availed of the UAE's amnesty program, 4,343 or 64% have opted to stay, according to records of the Philippine Consulate General’s office

Fil-Am teen among those killed in California shooting incident
The Phiippines' Department of Foreign Affairs expresses its condolences to the family of Alaina Punzalan Housley, a freshman student at Pepperdine University

FilAm bets make history in San Francisco elections
Two Filipino Americans are poised to become the new members of the City Council of South San Francisco
Bahrain Flexi Visa to help 3,000 undocumented OFWs
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs says it is seeking 'pathways for regularization' for overseas Filipino workers

Osmeña kin seeks U.S. Congress seat
Cristina Osmeña, great granddaughter of former president Sergio Osmeña and daughter of the former senator, declares herself Republican 'fiscally' and classic liberal 'socially'

OFW saved from UAE death row coming home to PH
Jennifer Dalquez, who was sentenced to death in the United Arab Emirates for murder but later acquitted, is expected to arrive in the Philippines on Friday, November 2

7 Filipino seafarers freed a month after Nigeria abduction
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs welcomes the release of the 7 overseas Filipino workers kidnapped aboard the Swiss vessel MV Glarus

Saudi Arabia releases OFWs arrested in Halloween party raid
(UPDATED) The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs reminds overseas Filipino workers 'to respect the laws and traditions of their host countries'

Fil-Am ethnic studies professor seeks Daly City council seat
'My decision to run for public office stemmed from the 2016 election and how the political climate specifically targeted the communities that I serve,' says Daus-Magbual

11-year-old Filipina gymnast killed in UK car crash
Tributes flow for Marianne Haboc, who was fatally hit by a car while she was on her way home from school

Ex-OFW files ethics complaint vs Bertiz
Ex-OFW Sheila Mabunga claims to be a 'human trafficking victim' of a recruitment agency formerly run by ACTS-OFW Representative John Bertiz, but the lawmaker's camp disputes this

20 Saudi OFWs protest unpaid wages, get ejected from home
The 20 overseas Filipino workers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, refuse to work due to two months' worth of unpaid salaries and food allowances

Swedish actor faces murder case for killing Filipina wife
The Filipina, 28-year-old Mailyn Conde Sinambong, was allegedly 'severely beaten' by her 50-year-old Swedish husband, says the Department of Foreign Affairs

Saudi OFW shot, killed after allegedly stabbing manager
The overseas Filipino worker allegedly stabbed his Saudi manager and Pakistani coworker, says the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs

My migration story: Why I left London and came home
At first I didn't know my story. Two movies helped me get there: 'Never Not Love You,' starring James Reid and Nadine Lustre, and 'Crazy Rich Asians.'
PH to help OFWs hit by proposed green card restrictions
'We'd like to work with the US. We have a special relationship,' says Philippine Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano

Saudi employer sued for forcing OFW to drink bleach
The employer of Agnes Mancilla, 35, an overseas Filipino worker in Saudi Arabia, allegedly makes her work 20 hours a day and gives her only coffee for meals

150,000 Filipinos warned of Hurricane Florence in U.S.
Filipinos in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina can be affected by Hurricane Florence. Take note of the hotline in case of emergencies there.

OFWs can lose jobs after NAIA runway accident
(UPDATED) An apology from Xiamen Air and government officials is not enough, the OFWs have to be compensated, says Migrante, an advocacy group for the welfare of overseas Filipino workers

OFWs can now rate recruiters online
OFWs can look for their agencies and rate it with stars – 5 stars as the highest. Reviews cover recruitment fees, pre-departure orientation, and the employment contract.

Migrante demands apology from Kuwait celeb who ranted vs maids' day off
'By projecting herself as a slave-owner, Sondos exhibits intoxication in her overinflated ego and false sense of superiority,' says Migrante
Philippines backs 'long-overdue' UN migration pact
United Nations member-states approve the final text of the Global Compact for Migration, upholding the rights of refugees and migrants. The United States has pulled out of the pact, citing its inconsistency with its 'America First' policy.

Hip-hop artist, OFW advocate: RJ Señeres' rhyme and reason
RJ Señeres' journey started way before his career in music – in their 3-bedroom apartment in Abu Dhabi, when he was just 11 years old. This is his story.

Lawmaker urges banks to slash OFW remittance charges amid high inflation
ACTS-OFW Representative Aniceto Bertiz III asks banks to cut charges on OFW remittances to 5%, from the current average of 10.57%

200 OFW 'baby cases' in Dubai in Q1 2018 – PH consulate
'They know the culture. They know the rules. They know it’s illegal, yet they still do it,' says Vice Consul Von Ryan Pangwi

Cash remittance of Filipino seafarers may exceed $6B this year – lawmaker
'We expect the enlistment of Filipino sailors to increase along with international ship traffic, as the global economy continues to expand,' says ACTS-OFW Representative Aniceto 'John' Bertiz

[Balikbayan Voice] Notes from a Manila Kid
'It’s impossible not to have a connection to Manila in some way or another, regardless of where you are from," says Filipino-American Simona Gemayel

How this Cagayan de Oro lawyer is breaking the glass ceiling in international arbitration
Female, Asian, and just in her 30s, Earl Joyce Rivera Dolera shows the way for other young women who want to work in an industry not known for diversity and inclusion

[OPINION] One hour at a time
I had 30 minutes left with her. Taking the place of the sweeping vistas of the countryside we used to visit was the gray horizon of concrete pavement where we saw airplanes flying in and out. She would leave soon, along with the rest, to a life where they are needed – indispensable yet invisible at the same time.

Filipino nurse stabbed while on duty in Saudi Arabia
29-year-old emergency room nurse Rolando Mina sustains multiple stab wounds on his arms after he is suddenly attacked by a Saudi national

Human Rights Watch hits Kuwait for ‘punishing’ embassy staff aiding OFWs
Rothna Begum of HRW says Kuwaiti authorities should not be punishing embassy officials for helping domestic workers in danger

Apologize to OFWs over Kuwait row, Migrante tells PH gov't
Migrante says the incident puts OFWs in Kuwait in 'deeper trouble in the name of media mileage and false posturing'

Philippines vows respect for Kuwait amid OFW rescues
President Rodrigo Duterte meets with Kuwait's ambassador after the Kuwaiti government protested the rescue of abused OFWs in the Middle Eastern country without proper coordination with local authorities

‘That is a crime’: OWWA’s Arnell Ignacio hits OFW rescue ops in Kuwait
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Deputy Administrator Arnell Ignacio says Philippine embassy personnel should have coordinated with Kuwaiti police

Kuwait arrests 2 Filipinos for urging OFW maids to escape
This comes after Kuwait's foreign ministry summoned the Philippine ambassador over a video showing the rescue of Filipino domestic workers from Kuwaiti homes

Not 'just' a maid: How this center trains Hong Kong OFWs
The Fair Training Center in Parañaque City teaches Hong Kong OFWs to 'professionalize' their work – and not just to please their employers abroad

Duterte meets OFW scalded by Saudi employer
Pahima Alagasi, the OFW scalded by her employer in Saudi Arabia 4 years ago, is given financial assistance and offered a job by President Rodrigo Duterte

Filipinos in Syria urged to stay home amid U.S.-led air strikes
(UPDATED) 'So far, the Embassy has not received any reports of Filipino casualties in the attacks that appear to have targeted military installations in and around Damascus,' says Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Elmer Cato

How a Filipino from Capiz became top foreign cadet
'You need to prove yourself because you're a visitor. You need to perform much better,' says Kennon Jan Aguilar, a top foreign cadet at the Korea Air Force Academy

Ex-envoy says OFWs should consider ASEAN for jobs
Former envoy to the ASEAN Orlando Mercado says that member-states within the region have vibrant arrangements with the Philippines in terms of workers' protection

Murder shocks Filipinas in Kuwait, but some vow to stay
While the murder of Joanna Demafelis rocked the Philippine community in Kuwait, many say they want to remain in the country

HRW: Deployment ban to Kuwait increases risk of OFW abuse
Human Rights Watch also says Kuwait should 'confront the outcry' over the reports of abuse by taking 'immediate steps to reform the kafala system'

Bulacueña serves on US Navy’s largest amphibious warship
Petty Officer 2nd Class Precious Varilla hails from Baliuag, Bulacan

Iglesia ni Cristo system can help Filipinos abroad – Cayetano
The Iglesia ni Cristo has 'churches in several countries around the world' and a system of coordinating with government to attend to complaints of overseas Filipinos, says the DFA chief

Tragic homecoming for OFW victim in Taiwan earthquake
The remains of Melody Albano Castro are brought to her home in Barangay Banguian in Abulug town, Cagayan

DBM: Enough funds for OFW repatriation from Kuwait
The labor department says 800 overseas Filipino workers are scheduled to be home within the week

OFWs with prior contracts can return to Kuwait – immigration chief
'Kuwaiti-bound Filipinos with short-term non-working visas are also not covered by the ban,' says Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente
Mestiza in Manila: What no one tells you when you move to the homeland
'I do my best to use this privilege and power to contribute back to Filipino society. I’m incredibly proud to be Filipino. Manila may be melty and monstrous, but I love it.'
