Fil-Am Chef Named Best California Chef By James Beard Awards

Chef Lord Maynard Llera (Source: Rappler)

California-based Filipino-American Chef Lord Maynard Llera bagged the Best Chef in the California region award for this year’s James Beard Foundation Award for Excellence held in Chicago (See Rappler for story). 

PH Named Global Leader in Budget Process Transparency

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman (Source: Inquirer.net)

The Philippines was named a global leader in budget transparency, oversight, and public participation in the budget process in Southeast Asia based on the recently published 2023 Open Budget Survey (OBS) results, making it the most fiscally transparent country in Asia (See Inquirer.net for story).

Cebu's Mactan Int'l Airport Bags Prestigious Green Award

Mactan-Cebu International Airport (Source: Facebook)

Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) was recently recognized for its sustainability efforts, bagging the Platinum Green Airport Recognition 2024 from the Airports Council International, an organization of airport operators from around Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. The MCIA the first Filipino airport to win this award (See Spot.ph for story).

UP Named PH's Top Performing University

University of the Philippines (Source: Inquirer.net)

The University of the Philippines (UP) was named the Philippines’ top-performing university in the 2025 edition of the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings (See Inquirer.net for story).

Filipino Chef Honored at UK House of Lords

Chef Jerome Jorda

Jerome Jorda, head chef at contemporary Filipino restaurant Kasa and Kin on May 20 received one of the UK hospitality industry’s most prestigious accolades, following a national cook off competition in London (See Facebook for story).

Fil-Am Actors in Hit Series 'Bridgerton'

Bridgerton actors James Bradwell and Martin Sarreal (Source: Preen.ph)

In the first two episodes of Bridgerton Season 3, viewers are introduced to James Bradwell as “Lord Basilio” and Martin Sarreal as “Lord Barnell,” marking the debut of Filipino nobility in the hit Netflix series (See Preen for story).

Filipino Graduates Summa Cum Laude at Yale

Dion Stephan Ong

Dion Stephan Ong, 21, a Filipino Chinese student graduated summa cum laude with a perfect GPA (grade point average) of 4.00 at the prestigious Ivy League school Yale University in the US on May 20 (See Manila Bulletin for story). 

From Domestic Worker to Nurse, Filipina, 62, Becomes a Lawyer

Rosula Calacala (Source: Manila Bulletin | Facebook)

Rosula Calacala, 62, passed the Philippine Bar exam in one take. She was a domestic worker who became a nurse and is now a lawyer (See Breaking News Philippines).