No new applications for DACA will be accepted as Trump admin reviews program
New applications will not be accepted for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a program that has prevented certain young undocumented immigrants from being deported, the Department of Homeland Security said in a memo on Tuesday, July 28. This move comes despite the Supreme Court ruling on Thursday, June 18 that said the Trump administration’s…
9,305 overseas Filipinos infected with COVID-19
ONLY one new case of the novel coronavirus was recorded in the overseas Filipino community, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday, July 28. This brings the total number of infected individuals to 9,305. The agency also logged in six new recovered persons, raising the official tally of recoveries to 5,426. Meanwhile, the…
Duterte delivers 5th SONA amid pandemic
DESPITE the enforced nationwide lockdown to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte delivered his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 27. “We live in a troubled time. Our dream of prosperity for our country was suddenly snuffed by a pandemic virulent virus. No nation was spared….
Nursing homes to receive $5 billion funding, Trump administration says
The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will be providing $5 billion to nursing homes among other actions to help them deal with the coronavirus pandemic, the Trump administration said Wednesday, July 22. The fund is part of the Provider Relief Fund authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES)…
US donates P14.8M worth of PPE to PH
The United States recently donated P14.8 million ($300,000) worth of personal protective equipment to the Philippine General Hospital and other coronavirus treatment centers in the Philippines. The U.S. Embassy in Manila said that the donation was made through the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and in coordination with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)….
DOJ: Supreme Court to rule on merit, not number of lawsuits vs anti-terror law
Determining the legality of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 would be up to the Philippine Supreme Court, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said on Friday, July 24. The justice secretary argued that resolving the legal challenges is under the purview of the high court based on the merits of the suits, not the number of petitions…
Maria Ressa denies tax evasion charges
Rappler co-founder and chief executive officer Maria Ressa on Wednesday, July 22, pleaded not guilty to her fifth tax evasion case before the Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC). Ressa was arraigned by Pasig RTC Branch 157 Judge Ana Teresa Cornejo-Tomacruz over her alleged failure to supply correct information to Rappler’s value-added tax (VAT) return for…
California continues to break coronavirus records as cases, deaths once again skyrocket
LA County cracks down on businesses, infection rate among younger adults increases As Californians grow more restless over the coronavirus pandemic, the state continues to break its own records. This week, California now, cumulatively, has the most COVID-19 cases in the country with over 409,000 cases, surpassing New York, the former leader in cases, according…
Southern California Filipino businesses push through amidst latest shutdowns
Asian American labor force and businesses disproportionately disrupted by COVID-19 compared to whites, UCLA report finds LAST week, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that closures were once again being put in place as cases in the state continue to rise. On Friday, July 24, the state reached yet another grim milestone of 159 new COVID-19…
Pechanga Resort Casino welcomes you back to golf at Journey with new health, safety measures
JOURNEY at Pechanga, the par 72, 7,219-yard golf course at Pechanga Resort Casino, is now open with limited operations to maintain the health and safety of guests, team members and the community. The greens on all 18 holes were aerified before opening in late April to provide the best playing conditions possible for many months…
City of Glendale to give $400 fine to those not wearing a mask
GLENDALE is the latest Southern California city that has approved imposing a fine to those who are not wearing a facial covering in public. The city council on Tuesday, July 21 approved a measure that would fine individuals with $400 for a first violation. The fees escalate to $1,000 for a second violation and $2,000…
Fiancé(e) petition
ANG isang U.S. citizen (USC) ay maaaring mag-file ng petition upang madala ang kanyang fiancé(e) bilang K1 nonimmigrant at magpakasal sila sa US. Kailangang maipakita ng USC ang mga sumusunod: (1) sila ay nagkita ng personal sa loob ng 2 taon bago i-file ang fiancé(e) petition (2-year requisite period); (2) sila ay may totoong intensyon…
Ideas to have a special and memorable summer transitioning to a smoke-free “new normal”
For a typical summer, you might have planned to go hiking, camping, visiting family or even travelling to other countries. This summer, however, is different than most due to the coronavirus outbreak. While some states have lifted their stay-at-home orders, many local businesses are still not up-and-running, which means it is harder to take normal…
Can I get a green card if I had a previous marriage petition denied based on fraud?
DEAR Attorney Tan, I recently married a U.S. Citizen, who is my second husband. He has filed an immigrant visa petition and a green card application for me. My husband recently received from USCIS a Notice of Intent to Deny the petition that he filed on my behalf. The Notice indicated that the immigrant visa…
How to obtain custody and visitation rights for unmarried dads
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…
On discerning who to vote for
A FRIEND of mine called me to say that he needed to talk. He and his aunt just had a heated conversation about the coming U.S. presidential election. “I’m confused, Father,” he told me. “I’m not sure who to vote. As a Catholic, I need to vote for someone who upholds our values.” We then…
It’s Time to Protect Your Family From Secondhand Smoke
All forms of secondhand smoke can damage lungs. Make your time at home as safe as possible. Even as COVID-19 restrictions ease, most Californians are staying home to play it safe. But unless you live in a smokefree building, the safety of your home is worth a closer look. Did you know that secondhand smoke…
Off-the-clock and ‘unapproved’ work hours should still be paid
KAREN Martinez worked as a Case Manager for John Muir Health, a health care service corporation operating primarily in Contra Costa County, CA. Martinez was an hourly non-exempt employee who was regularly scheduled to work from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with supposedly a 30-minute unpaid off-duty meal period. When the employer instituted cost cutting…
Seven tips in dealing with federal penalties for underpayment of taxes
IRS penalties have been consolidated into two groups: A uniform accuracy-related penalty and a fraud penalty. 1. Accuracy-related penalties are computed at 20% of underpayments attributable to any of the following: A. Negligence or disregard of rules or regulations, B. Substantial understatement of income tax, C. Substantial valuation overstatement, D. Substantial overstatement of pension liabilities….
Senior needs fresh start Chapter 7 for $80K credit cards after becoming a widow
THE client is 67. Her husband passed away five years ago after a long fight with kidney failure. He was on dialysis for eight years waiting for a kidney transplant. It’s a long wait to get new kidneys from a donor. The average waiting period is 10 years. However, just because it’s been 10 years…
[OPINION] Dear Filipinos in America: The urgency of applying for dual citizenship if you need to visit the Philippines during the age of coronavirus
COVID-19 has made us realize how far away we are from the Motherland despite the conveniences of modern technology and apps like cellphones, Facetime, Viber, Zoom, Facebook, etc. While these help us keep in touch with our families back home, we have come to terms with the sad fact that without freedom of navigation, these…
48 Fil-Am elected officials, leaders endorse Biden for president
Forty-eight Filipino American elected officials and leaders are among the over 250 Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) who have publicly thrown their support behind former Vice President Joe Biden. The Fil-Ams include elected officials, California Assemblymembers Rob Bonta and Todd Gloria; Artesia Councilmember and California Democratic Party AAPI Caucus Chair Melissa Ramoso; Peter Urscheler,…
SWS: Most Filipinos still worry about getting COVID-19
A MAJORITY of Filipinos in the Philippines are still worried about being infected with COVID-19, according to a survey released on Thursday, July 23. The latest survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed that 85% of Filipinos were worried that anyone in their immediate family might get COVID-19. Of the total percentage, 67% were “worried a…
Philippine government suspends non-essential outbound travel anew
Malacañang on Thursday, July 23, announced that the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management for Emerging Infectious Diseases has once again suspended non-essential outbound air travel of Filipinos. According to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, only one travel and health insurance company agreed to cover rebooking and accommodation expenses should a traveler contract the novel…
Over 400 Princeton alumni call for US government to help Ressa
OVER 400 Princeton University alumni on Tuesday, July 21, took out a full-page ad in the Washington Post calling on the United States government to convince Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration to drop all charges against Rappler, its co-founder Maria Ressa and former staffer Reynaldo Santos Jr. The letter, signed by a number of journalists,…
Palace: Government can’t afford to test all Filipinos for COVID-19
The Philippines can’t afford to test every Filipino for the novel coronavirus, Malacañang admitted on Tuesday, July 21. “If we can afford it, why not? But the reality is, hindi natin maa-afford ang testing sa lahat ng 110 million Filipinos (We cannot afford testing for all 110 million Filipinos),” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque. “Pero…