Kuwait Bayanihan Aids Striking Workers Who Were Going Hungry

A Kuwait Times report sparked what Filipinos call ‘bayanihan’  aimed at helping a group of laborers from all nationalities who are suffering due to nonpayment of salaries. About 200 laborers, 100 of them Filipinos,  went on a work strike to protest against nonpayment of their salaries for months. The men were forced to beg for food and alms in order to survive after months of not being paid. There was an outpouring of support after the publication of their story. First the Philippine Embassy delivered the men some food and basic needs. Then various Filipino community organizations also brought help.

Hoy Pinoy Dishes Up Filipino Flavors in Australia

Hoy Pinoy co-owner Regina Meehan (Source: smh.com.au)

Hoy Pinoy's meaty skewers are among the most coveted delights at the Night Noodle Market events around Australia, and now Perth foodies have the chance to sample Hoy Pinoy's tasty treats on home turf. The Melbourne eatery's cooks will travel to Perth for for the WAtoday Night Noodle Markets, which will run from March 18 to 29, the Cultural Centre, reports the Sidney Morning Herald. Hoy Pinoy co-founder Regina Meehan said her family hailed from the Philippines, which inspired her to "promote the amazing flavors and experiences of Filipino food."

Fil-Am Is Newest Member of NY Human Rights Commission

Carmelyn P. Malalis (Source: nyc.gov)

Carmelyn P. Malalis, the new human rights commissioner appointed by Mayor Bill de Blasio, received a warm welcome last week from members of the City Council and advocates for the poor as the troubled body's newest member, reports the New York Times. Malalis, the daughter of Filipino immigrants, is married to a woman from Ethiopia and has two biracial daughters. She vowed to vigorously pursue the fight against discrimination.

Amal Clooney Asks UN Human Rights Council to Act on Arroyo Detention

Amal Alamuddin Clooney (Source: Inquirer.net/AP Photo)

Amal Alamuddin Clooney, human rights lawyer and the wife of actor George Clooney, has urged the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to act swiftly on the case of the former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who has been under hospital detention for three years already for plunder on a charity fund mess, reports Inquirer.net. Arroyo’s lawyer, Atty. Larry Gadon, confirmed that  a renowned international human rights lawyer, urged the UN Human Rights Council to treat the case under “urgent action procedure” instead of being considered a regular case.

Pacquiao Said to Be Punching Harder, Less Careless

Filipino boxing star Manny Pacquiao, who will fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. May 2, has matured a lot and is less careless, since his six-round knockout loss to Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012. "He became more cautious and has matured a lot as a fighter,” said Restituto “Buboy” Fernandez, assistant trainer for Pacquiao, reports Inquirer.net. Fernandez said Pacquiao was winning the fight and about to finish off Marquez when he became hasty.

2 Filipino Hopefuls Shortlisted for One-Way Trip to Mars

Mars One candidates Minerva Rañeses (left) and Jaymee del Rosario (Source: twitter.com (left) and mars-one.com)

Two Filipinos, Minerva Rañeses, 25, and Jaymee del Rosario, 27, were among the remaining 100 hopefuls shortlisted to set foot on Mars as part of a project of a Netherlands-based nonprofit organization called “Mars One,” reports Inquirer.net. Mars One intends to send humans on a one-way trip to Mars to colonize the planet

3 Filipino Nurses in Saudi Have MERS Virus

Three Filipino nurses working in different hospitals in Saudi Arabia have tested positive for the dreaded Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (MERS-CoV), prompting Philippine officials to renew calls for Filipino workers to strictly follow health protocols, reports Inquirer.net.

More Filipinos Became Poor Last Year Despite Economic Growth

The rapid rise in food prices and the lingering effects of Typhoon Yolanda eroded gains from last year's economic growth to push more Filipinos into poverty, reports Interaksyonc.om. The Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) Annual Poverty Indicators Survey (APIS) showed poverty incidence among Filipino individuals rose by 1.2 percentage points to 25.8 percent in the first semester of 2014 from the 24.6 percent in the first half of the previous year. Among Filipino families, poverty incidence increased by 1.1 percentage points to 20 percent from 18.8 percent over the same period.