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DOT: Philippines welcomes...
and incentive program, at the Philippine Travel Fair in Los Angeles, California.
The program aims to bring in more foreigners by tapping Filipinos, especially those based abroad, who have foreign spouses or friends. Those who will be able to bring foreign visitors can win condominium units, airplane tickets and holiday packages in select destinations.
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Frasco said the agency, along with the Department of Migrant Workers and the Tourism Promotions Board, brought the BBM-G program to the U.S. “to give opportunities to fellow Filipinos to become ambassadors for the Philippines.” n
LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (LACMTA) REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
LACMTA will receive Proposals for PS48678 - Workers Compensation Services As-Needed Temporary Staffing Services Bench at the 9th Floor Receptionist Desk, Vendor/Contract Management Department, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012 or electronically at: bids@ metro.net.
A Virtual Pre-Proposal Conference will be held on Wednesday, May 3, 10:00 a.m. Local Time; attendance is optional.
All Proposals must be submitted to LACMTA in one of two ways: either (1) one hard copy original sealed envelope and marked with the RFP No. PS48678 of the entire Proposal, including all submittal forms, submitted by mail or hand delivered to the reception desk: One Gateway Plaza, 9th floor V/CM Department, Los Angeles, CA 90012 or (2) submitted electronically via email to bids@metro. net on or before 10:00 a.m. Local Time on Monday, June 12, 2023. Proposals received after the above date and time may be rejected and returned unopened. For a copy of the Proposal/Bid specification visit our Solicitation Page on our Vendor Portal at https://business.metro.net or for further information email Shannon Thoene at thoenes@ metro.net. 4/26/23
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ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)
Antonio* was working in construction when he suffered a serious injury.
Without knowing how long his rehabilitation would take, his biggest concern was how he was going to pay his bills and keep a roof over his head. That all changed when Antonio’s friend referred him to a free housing counseling service. Counselors in this program provide free advice and education on mortgage delinquency, rental housing, homebuying, reverse mortgages, and even preventing homelessness.
Funding for this service comes from California’s State Budget via the National Mortgage Settlement (NMS) and is administered by the California Housing Finance Agency. Through its NMS Housing Counseling Program, CalHFA has already helped more than 50,000 families find HUDcertified housing counselors throughout the state for free, confidential housing counseling services.
A housing counselor worked with Antonio, answering his questions about banking and credit options. The session was focused on how he could meet his financial goals even when unable to work due to the injury. They worked on the basics of establishing credit and reviewed the banking process as he did not have a bank account. The housing counselor helped him establish a general lifestyle budget to manage expenses and start saving towards his financial goals. In addition, the housing counselor helped him enroll in an English as a Second Language course, because language was something Antonio wanted to expand. Finally, he was referred to an advocate who helped him file a Workers Compensation claim.
“Hard-working Californians who deserve to take part in the American dream don’t always have a safety net to fall back on in difficult times,” said Tiena Johnson Hall, Executive Director of California Housing Finance Agency.
“This program helps people stabilize their living situation with advice and access to programs and resources that they might not otherwise know about.”
To find a counselor, anyone can visit CalHFA’s website and search NMS, or go straight to the counseling page at https://www.calhfa. ca.gov/community/nms/ resources.htm. All sessions are free, and homeowners can contact one of these organizations even if they don’t live in the same geographic area, since counseling can be done over the telephone or a video call.
The NMS Housing Counseling Program got Antonio through a tough spot. When he later checked back in with his counselor, he was pleased to have opened a bank account, was working on his credit score, and had started a community college class focused on ESL. Most importantly, Antonio was still in his home with a roof over his head.
Says Johnson Hall, “Housing counseling is a crucial service that reduces homelessness, addresses housing insecurity and reduces barriers to homeownership, all of which can set people on the path to financial wellbeing. I hope anybody who is having trouble takes this opportunity for free help.”
*not client’s real name
