California encourages full family vaccinations
THE California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is encouraging entire families – from young kids to grandparents – to get vaccinated, complete their vaccination series, and get a booster as part…
Read More
Elderly Filipino man speaks out after knife attack in San Diego
AN elderly Filipino victim has spoken out after being brutally attacked outside a trolley station in El Cajon, California earlier this month. “It…feels good to be alive,” Jose Serra told…
Roque quits as Palace spokesman to pursue Senate bid
HARRY Roque has stepped down from his posts as spokesperson of Malacañang and the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases to pursue his senatorial bid. He announced his…
PH lifts face shield mandate in areas under Alert Level 1-3
THE Philippines has lifted its mandatory use of face shields in areas under Alert Level 1 to 3. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, November 15, approved the recommendation of…
[OPINION] May 9, 2022 is Election Day in the Philippines: How does the electoral process compare to the US?
MARK your calendar. Next year Monday, May 9, 2022, eligible citizens of the Philippines will be heading to the polls to vote for their new President, Vice President, Senators, Representatives,…
Palace: Duterte’s senatorial bid has ‘nothing to do’ with ICC probe
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to run for senator is not related to the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) investigation into the killings linked to his anti-narcotics crackdown, according to Malacañang….
[OPINION] Vaccination protects children from the dangers of COVID-19
Our state experienced the most devastating point of the pandemic last winter. More than 21,000 Californians were hospitalized with COVID-19 in the last week of December, and we lost 18,518…
[COLUMN] Two magical words
Part 1 of 2 MANY years ago, on a visit to my father’s grave site on a quiet, lush, manicured patch of Forest Lawn Glendale, my husband, daughter and I…
[COLUMN] Should you modify your child and spousal support obligation if you lose your job?
IF you have an existing child support or spousal support obligation (court order) and you are laid off from your job causing a major loss of income, you may want…
[COLUMN] How bankruptcy helps when you’re stuck in debt
MANY people find themselves in the position of facing overwhelming debt, with constant calls from creditors and no apparent way out. For some, job loss sent them into a downward…
LA County launches ‘United Against Hate Week 2021’
THE LA vs. Hate Coalition, led by the Los Angeles County Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services (WDACS) and the LA County Human Relations Commission, announced LA vs. Hate United Against…
CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccines for children 5 to 11
CHILDREN as young as 5 years old in the United States can now get the COVID-19 vaccine as the country further expands its vaccination campaign. The U.S. Centers for Disease…
[COLUMN] Estate tax rate changes
Biden tax plan series WHAT Is an Estate Tax? An estate tax is a levy on estates whose value exceeds an exclusion limit. Only the amount that exceeds that minimum threshold is…
[COLUMN] Who else should be liable for compensating the seriously injured?
QUICHANG Zhu (72 years old) and her grandson, Jian Hao Kuang (6 years old), were using a crosswalk to cross a street in Sacramento, CA. The intersection has no traffic…
[COLUMN] Naturalizing with an undocumented spouse
DEAR Atty. Gurfinkel: I have been a green card holder for over 5 years, paid my taxes, committed no crimes, and am eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship. However, my…
[COLUMN] Every moment: a precious and fragile gift
THE Gospel Reading from Mark 13:24-32 this Sunday (November 14) provokes a sense of vigilance and urgency in us with the following words: Learn a lesson from the fig tree….
[COLUMN] Maximizing recovery in personal injury cases
DEAR Attorney Tan, I was driving home and was at a complete stop when another driver rear ended my car. I was not feeling well after the accident, as my…
[COLUMN] Young client seeks Chapter 7 discharge of $300K in credit card debt for fresh start
WHEN I say client is young, I mean client is young, in her twenties. She is married and has a son, a toddler. Before becoming a mother, she was working…
[COLUMN] Should you modify your child and spousal support obligation if you lose your job?
IF you have an existing child support or spousal support obligation (court order) and you are laid off from your job causing a major loss of income, you may want…
Disney releases 2nd Filipino-inspired Christmas short
WITH the holidays fast approaching, Disney has released its second Filipino-inspired Christmas advert focused on family togetherness and the power of storytelling. “The Stepdad” is a follow-up to last year’s…
Reported hate crimes in LA County rise to highest level in 12 years
Hate crimes against AAPIs increased 76% from 2019 to 2020 IN 2020, reported hate crimes and incidents increased 20% in Los Angeles County, according to the Los Angeles County Commission…
Winwyn Marquez stars in suspense-thriller film ‘Nelia,’ an official entry in this year’s MMFF
“Nelia,” a film produced by A and Q Productions Films, Inc., has made it as one of the official films in this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival. Beauty queen Winwyn…
[OPINION] Poll: A majority of Americans support COVID vaccine, mask mandate
PRESIDENT Joe Biden has made defeating COVID-19 his top priority to win the war against the coronavirus pandemic in order to save lives and rebuild our nation together. Despite pushback…
California extends COVID state of emergency
GOVERNOR Gavin Newsom has extended the state of emergency in California for the third time as a result of the threat COVID-19 poses. The executive order issued on Thursday, November 11, is…
SFIO to invest US$100M to develop land into a resort-like condotel property in Batangas City, Philippines
SFIO has recently been named one of the “20 Promising Companies Everyone Should Know in 2021” by Global Business Leader Magazine. The joint venture project with Omnicor Industrial Estate &…
[COLUMN] ‘Help! Can I file bankruptcy again?’
I’VE been asked this question a few times lately, so I decided to write an article on it. If you have filed bankruptcy before, you may be wondering whether it’s…
[COLUMN] Itemized deductions
Biden tax plan series WHAT are itemized deductions? Itemized deductions are expenses that can be deducted from your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) to reduce your taxable income. Such deductions permit you to…
Sara Duterte withdraws reelection bid
DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte has officially withdrawn her bid for reelection just days ahead of the deadline for the substitution of candidates for the 2022 elections. In a post…