Fil-Am Doctor Performs First Robotic Surgery in Northern Florida

Dr. Cedric Ortiguera (Source: Mayo Clinic) 

A Filipino American doctor, Dr. Cedric J. Ortiguera, recently performed the first robotic surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. The procedure was also the first to be done in all of Northern Florida, report Inquirer.net.

Some 5,000 Young Filipinos Put at Risk By Trump's DACA Order

About 5,000 young Filipinos along with 800,000 other undocumented immigrants face the prospect of deportation unless Congress legitimizes their stay in the United States following President Donald Trump’s decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, reports Philstar.com.

40% of Asian Drivers Had Near-Accidents While on Cell Phones -- Ford Study

More than 40 percent of parent drivers in Asia said they or someone whom they know had experienced a near miss while using mobile phone behind the wheel, a recent study by Ford Philippines showed, reports GMA News.

Common Currency, Banking System Seen as Next Step for ASEAN Integration

Fund management guru Mark Mobius has given the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) a grade “A” for its integration efforts in the last 50 years and is hoping that the regional bloc would next move toward a common currency and banking system, reports Inquirer.net.

Filipina Advances From Nanny to Lawyer in Spain

Chona Abiertas

Twenty seven years ago, Chona Abiertas, a young office management graduate went to Barcelona, Spain. She started out as a household worker and nanny. Later, she moved on to office work while studying at a university. Now she is full-fledged Spanish lawyer, reports Inquirer.net.

Trump Makes It Harder to Shift From Work Visa to Green Card

For certain Filipino workers applying for a green card, the Trump administration has just added another hurdle for them to overcome. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced August 28, that those who are on work visas and applying for permanent residence are now required to go through an in-person interview, a step that could slow down the application process and make it more difficult for the applicant reports Inquirer.net.

Asia Society Names two Filipinas Among Asia 21 Young Leaders

Cherrie Atilano (Source Inquirer.net)

Eleanor Rosa Pinugu (Source: Inquirer.net)

Cherrie Atilano, a social entrepreneur working to end poverty for farming and fishing families, and Eleanor Rosa Pinugu, founder of a nonprofit school that provides high-quality education to low-income communities, are among the 30 remarkable professionals recently named “Asia 21 Young Leaders” by Asia Society, reports Inquirer.net.

CAAM Receives MacArthur Grant to Support Asian American Filmmakers

The MacArthur Foundation will give the Center for Asian American Media a grant to support the CAAM Future Fund, which will provide development, production, and outreach grants for projects produced by Asian American directors and producer and provide mentoring and professional development opportunities for emerging filmmakers.