IN the Catholic Christendom, it’s that time of the year again to express the rich Filipino tradition of attending a nine-day novena of masses at dawn known as Simbang Gabi or Misa de Gallo (Spanish Mass of the Rooster) because Philippine masses are held at 4 a.m. from Dec. 15 to Dec. 23. In the…
Is employee’s travel an abuse of medical leave? Q: I HAD surgery and my employer approved the doctor-prescribed 6 weeks of medical leave. While on leave, I travelled to the Philippines to stay with family members who could assist me while I recovered. When I came back to the U.S. I received several messages from…
A person who obtains his/her green card via marriage to a US citizen spouse, and who is married for less than 2 years has conditional permanent resident status. A conditional permanent resident has a green card that is valid for 2 years. In order to continue to have permanent resident status after 2 years, the…
THE purpose of spousal support is not defined by the legislature in that its purpose varies according to the facts and circumstances of each case. The facts and circumstances of a particular case may be such which call for no spousal support, or for support for a very limited period of time, with the purpose…
Nick Ortner of The Tapping Solution writes this story: “A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which read, ‘I am blind, please help.’ There were only a few coins in the hat – spare change from folks as they hurried past….
President Joe Biden has nominated two women of color to lead the Office of Management and Budget, which has been called “the nerve center of the government”. According to the White House, Nani Coloretti, former Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, will take over as deputy director while Shalanda Young, who has been serving…
GEARING up for the 2022 midterm election, Rep. Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) and state Assemblymember Rochelle Nguyen (AD-10) joined the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Democratic Caucus of Nevada to reignite Southern Nevada’s AAPI community. The event on Sunday, November 21 at D’Pinoy Joint in Las Vegas sought to bring community members together to…
THE 64th annual Grammy Awards are shaping up to be a prideful event for the Filipino American community as artists Olivia Rodrigo, H.E.R, Saweetie, Bruno Mars and Elle King bagged several key nominations. The nominees were announced on Tuesday, November 23, with Grammy Award-winning H.E.R. leading the Fil-Am pack with eight nods, followed by Rodrigo with…
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has suspended its investigation into the killings linked to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-narcotics crackdown following a deferral request from the Philippine government. “The prosecution has temporarily suspended its investigative activities while it assesses the scope and effect of the deferral request,” ICC prosecutor Karim Khan wrote in a court…
BLACK and Filipina American hip-hop darling Saweetie performed a brand new single as she made her musical debut on “Saturday Night Live” over the weeked. The 28-year-old rapper on Saturday, November 20, performed new single “Icy Chain” in front of massive lit-up block letters spelling out “ICY.” She also performed a medley of her hits…
IF you’re in this situation, your question is probably – “Do I need to make repairs?” The quick answer is “No, you don’t need to make any repairs.” The real questions are – when do you need to sell by and what is your home’s current market value? The time it takes for a property…
Chef Angela Dimayuga wanted to explore Filipino food seriously as a professional cook but when she was just starting, she was told that that Euro-centric cuisine was the way to go in order to be seen. When she started to cook European food, she realized that the food she had at home growing up, the…
FILIPINO televangelist Apollo Quiboloy will not be accorded special treatment should the United States request for extradition against him, according to the Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ). Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Sunday, November 21, said that the agency is bound to comply with the RP-U.S. Extradition Treaty regardless of the persons involved. “The DOJ,…
CALIFORNIA Attorney General Rob Bonta is co-leading a coalition of 24 attorneys general in a comment letter in support of the federal government’s efforts to preserve and fortify the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. In the comment letter sent Friday, November 19, the coalition highlights the critical contributions of hundreds of thousands of…
ALL fully-vaccinated adults in the United States are now eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine boosters, giving them more protection amid the pandemic. Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)) authorized its advisory committee’s recommendation to expand vaccine booster eligibility to all adults ages 18 years and older who received a Pfizer-BioNTech…
Establishing parentage rights for Moms is a lot easier than establishing one for unmarried Dads. Moms can establish this by simply showing proof of her having given birth to the child. Family Code §7610. Establishing parentage rights, including custody and visitation rights, becomes more problematic with unmarried Dads because proving yourself as the biological father…
According to a new report, the number of seniors filing bankruptcy is increasing rapidly. The average senior who files bankruptcy these days owes approximately $17,390 according to the report (although I have to say that most seniors who come to me for debt help actually owe a lot more!). Some of the reasons mentioned are…
THANKSGIVING is a very special holiday, very much like Christmas minus the tree and decorations, gift giving, carols, and festive parties. But like Christmas, such love and beauty of the season make our hearts sing praises of joy and thanksgiving, especially when our family gather together, hold hands in prayer before our Thanksgiving feast, acknowledging…
Cathlene (left) and Corinne (2nd from left) were petitioned by their U.S. citizen father while he was living in the Philippines in 2017. By law, a petitioner must be “domiciled” or living in the U.S. in order for family members to be issued immigrant visas. Since the father was still residing in the Philippines, the…
THANKSGIVING is again being celebrated differently this year. Thankfully, although we are still in the midst of a pandemic, we may finally be able to have a gathering of loved ones, with masks, vaccinations, social distancing, and other protocols. We are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, in all areas of…
A cardiologist friend of mine in Indiana, who had referred countless patients for open-heart surgery to me in the 80s and 90s, had a freak accident at home that broke his neck (like actor Christopher “Superman” Reeves, who fell from a horse), which left him quadriplegic, unable to breathe on his own, with total paralysis…
FOR the merry month of December, internationally known boxing champ, Philippine senator and presidential aspirant Manny Pacquiao heads the list of prominent celebrities who will be celebrating their birthdays this month. The eight-division world champion boxing legend turns 43 on Friday, December 17. Known by his monicker “PacMan,” Senator Pacquiao added to his list of…
SENATOR Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said the United States is exploring the possibility of strengthening its Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the Philippines to prevent further incursions into its territory. The EDCA supplements the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty and the 1999 Visiting Forces Agreement between the U.S. and the Philippines. It was signed in Manila…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo will not get in the way if the United States requests for the extradition of his friend and spiritual adviser Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, according to Senator Bong Go. The senator on Monday, November 22, noted Duterte’s close ties with Quiboloy, saying that the Chief Executive will offer moral support to his adviser….
