NOW that Christmas passed by, we look at the photos of families and friends shared on Facebook and Instagram and express a profound gratitude to God. Thank God for another beautiful Christmas! Thank God for parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, and other family members who drove or flew from far places to be with us. Thank…
CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is the largest trade fair for consumer electronics. It’s presented by Consumer Technology Association (CTA) annually in Las Vegas. It has been our tech bell weather for more than 50 years. CES features the latest products from 4,500 exhibiting companies from around the world. CES gives us a glimpse of the…
ACCORDING to a recent study, a majority of people in this country are living way beyond their means. In keeping up with the Jones’s, these people have resorted to using credit cards to buy things that they normally can’t afford with their income. They buy everything with the plastic cards they keep in their wallets. …
President Rodrigo Duterte will officially turn down President Donald Trump’s invitation to visit the United States, Malacañang said on Friday, December 27. In a press briefing on Friday, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte would reply to the letter invitation and decline it. He also clarified that Duterte’s decision reportedly is not related to Trump’s…
The Philippines has ordered an entry ban on two United States senators who have been calling for the release of Senator Leila De Lima, and is considering tighter restrictions for U.S. citizens visiting the country, according to President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesman on Friday, December 27. Duterte has instructed the Philippine Bureau of Immigration “immediately” to…
At least 28 people have died after Typhoon Ursula swept across villages and towns in the Visayas, the Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported on Friday, December 27. Of the 28, 13 were recorded in Iloilo, where six members of a family were found dead when strong floodwaters swept them away in…
The new elementary school will honor Flora Arca Mata, who was also the first woman of color to teach at Stockton Unified School District A NEW elementary school in Stockton, California will bear the name of Flora Arca Mata, the first Filipino teacher in the Golden State who laid the groundwork for Asian American educators…
Performance raises funds for the Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture 2020 and GANAP Scholars AFTER a year hiatus, the Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture will be relaunched in late summer of 2020! FilAm Arts, the backbone of this annual event that has run for almost three decades, is getting into gear to present…
The major public health move follows the national vaping crisis which resulted in lung injuries among vapers The United States now prohibits the sale of tobacco products to anybody under 21 years of age, according to a new minimum age law signed into effect last week by President Donald Trump. The new law, called the…
ACCUMULATING debt is the easiest thing you can do in America. Even your dog can get credit cards with a fake social security number. If you are an immigrant and have just arrived, you will have no history of credit here. Chances are that in your country of origin, you probably had no credit card…
DEAR Attorney Tan, I recently married a US Citizen, who is my second husband. He has filed an immigrant visa petition and 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 petition…
Q: I was diagnosed with early stage cancer a few weeks ago. I can still do my job but I will need about 5 hours off from work every week for 3 months for medical treatments. I asked my manager for intermittent leave. When he refused, I emailed him information from the Labor Commissioner’s office…
ANG U classification ay nagbibigay ng nonimmigrant status sa mga dayuhang biktima ng “qualifying criminal activity”. Noong naging batas ang Victims of Trafficking and Violence Prevention Act of 2000 na siyang naglikha ng U nonimmigrant status, ang layunin nito ay protektahan ang mga biktima ng mga ilang krimen dahil ang mga biktima ay naglakas-loob na…
COUPLES get divorced for various reasons. California is a no fault state. The reasons why a couple is getting divorced are often irrelevant to the issues of the family law case. Divorce is often a difficult and negative experience for most families. However, getting divorce may have some unintended benefits in the immigration law arena. …
THE gift of the yuletide comes to us wrapped, not in tissues and ribbon but in cherished events of ceremony, celebration, connections and parties that constellate about the holiday season. Guests troop in all sizes and shapes, of race, color and creed in effulgence that intoxicates, sizzles and electrifies the holiday revelers. It could be…
Following the last Democratic primary debate of 2019, South Bend, Indiana Mayor and presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg made his way to Las Vegas for another town hall with members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. The conversation — moderated by Assemblywoman Rochelle Nguyen and One APIA Nevada board chair Evan Louie on…
For the first time, the Nevada caucus will include Tagalog as a language option With Tagalog now a language option in the upcoming Nevada caucus, Sen. Cory Booker (D-New Jersey)’s campaign became the first among the 2020 Democratic presidential contenders to host a Tagalog-specific training event. As the third state scheduled to vote in the…
Senator Christopher Go recently invited U.S. government officials to the Philippines so they can see for themselves the extent of the country’s drug problem. This invitation came after President Donald Trump signed the U.S. 2020 budget that included a provision denying entry to those involved in the arrest and detention of Senator Leila De Lima….
Typhoon Ursula (international name: Phanfone) on Wednesday, December 25, swept across the villages and towns in the Visayas, ruining the holiday mood and taking the lives of more than a dozen people. Typhoon Ursula made landfall in the eastern province of Samar and packed maximum sustained winds of 120 km per hour (75 miles per…
WHAT if I do not have legal papers, and my spouse is abusive? If safety is a concern, we urge people to seek help first, particularly if there are minor children who may also be at risk of abuse. For non-emergency calls, individuals may dial 2-1-1 to seek help finding resources for health, mental health,…
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal judge has temporarily blocked a rule that would have made it more difficult for low-income immigrants to apply for citizenship. Federal Judge Maxine Chesney of the Northern District of California issued a preliminary injunction on December 9, 2019, preventing U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) from eliminating means-tested benefits as…
by: Martin Santiago, Broker-Associate BUYING a home is a big deal. Too often, I think people rush into home ownership because it’s seen as a sign of adulthood and financial responsibility. Home ownership can be a smart long-term move, but you want to know what you’re getting into. It is important to know the three…
ON Wednesday, December 18, President Trump, along with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that, if finalized, would allow for the importation of certain prescription drugs from Canada. In addition, the Administration is announcing the availability of a new…
Palace condemns explosions, vows to go after culprits At least 21 people suffered injuries in a series of explosions that rocked Cotabato City on Sunday, December 22 — the eve of President Rodrigo Duterte’s visit to the city for a land distribution ceremony. According to regional military spokesperson Major Arvin Encinas, a hand grenade was…
HUMBLED BY ACCOLADE, PRAISE BRYAN Stevenson wears many hats. He is a lawyer, a social justice activist and founder of Equal Justice Initiative (EJI). He wrote a New York Times bestselling book called Just Mercy, based on his experience as a young lawyer dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need: the poor, the…
ALMOST 20 years ago, the U.S. State Department (DOS) provided guidance to consular officers that they should be “judicious” (use good judgment or common sense) about returning approved petitions to USCIS for revocation. In other words, they should not be “trigger-happy” in returning approved petitions. DOS warned that Posts “should not use the revocation request…
The inter-agency technical working group (TWG) conducting the pilot program for motorcycle taxis announced Thursday, December 26, that it no longer plans to have an extension for the study. According to TWG chairman Antonio Gardiola Jr., the inter-agency body believes that the three-month period is already “enough” for them to gather data. “For us, the…
