Pope Francis to Mark 500 Years of PH Christianity with Mass

Pope Francis (Source: CNA)

Pope Francis will offer Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on March 14 to mark 500 years of Catholic faith in the Philippines (See Catholic News Agency for story).

Hawaii Hoopster Is First Filipina in WNBA

Chanelle Molina (Source: Hawaii Tribune Herald)

Former Konawaena high school basketball standout Chanelle Molina signed a training camp contract with the WNBA’s Indiana Fever, becoming the first Filipina and Hawaii native to be in women’s professional basketball (See Hawaii News Now for story).

Heroic Pinay Nanny Seriously Injured While Saving 2 Tots' Lives in Toronto

Jillian Mendoza

A Filipina caregiver, Jillian Mendoza, who saved the lives of two young children in her care is now fighting for her own life. Mendoza was seriously injured by an out-of-control SUV on Wednesday, Feb. 24. She pushed the stroller with the kids out of harm’s way and to the impact (See Inquirer.net for story).

Pres. Duterte Fires Envoy Seen Physically Abusing House Help

Marichu Mauro

The Philippine president has dismissed his former ambassador to Brazil, Marichu Mauro, after she was seen on video physically abusing a Filipino member of her household staff (See ABC News for story).

Fil-Am Dies After Cops Apply Knee on His Neck

Angelo Quinto

The deadly knee-to-the-neck technique that killed George Floyd was used by police against a Filipino American and might have caused his death. The family of a 30-year-old Angelo Quinto is filing a wrongful death suit against officers in Antioch, California who answered a 911 call Dec. 23. He was pronounced dead at a hospital three days later (See Ed Diokno Blogspot for story).

US to Sell Arms to PH Despite No Human Rights Reforms

The United States has reaffirmed there are "no restrictions" on arms sales to the Philippine military days after Manila called for more robust defense aid as the two nations open negotiations to renew a key military agreement (See Nikkei.Asia for story).

PH Supreme Court: A Child Can Bear the Mother's Surname

The Supreme Court has granted a child's petition to bear his mother's surname, ruling that the Philippine Civil Code did not say that a father's surname must be exclusively used by children (See Rappler for story).

PH Wants to Trade Nurses for Covid Vaccines

In an unusual proposal the Philippines is asking the United Kingdom and Germany to provide hundreds of thousands of coronavirus vaccines in exchange for the deployment of Filipino nurses who have been in high demand globally as frontline workers during the pandemic (See Vice for story).