RECENTLY, the USCIS “de-listed” (or banned) Filipinos from applying for the seasonal/temporary H-2B visa. (This visa allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary nonagricultural jobs, such as housekeepers at hotels during the busy summer season.) However, this ban DOES NOT APPLY to Filipinos seeking green cards through the…
Presidential hopeful U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) met with Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community members during his recent three-day visit to Las Vegas. Hosted by the Asian Pacific American Islander Caucus, over 170 community leaders and members joined the senator on Saturday, April 20 for a dinner at Hong Kong Garden in…
RECENTLY, I was reminded that our law firm will be celebrating its 10-year anniversary this May 2019. Though I joined this amazing band of legal warriors only in 2012, I have witnessed first hand what good lawyering is as it’s supposed to be. Here in San Diego where I am based, the county seal bears…
Is fasting healthy? Fasting results in drop in blood sugar during the fast and spike of the glucose level on resumption of food intake. It is best for our blood sugar to be on even keel at most times, instead of fluctuating because other hormones in the body negatively reacts to yoyo changes. Omitting a…
ABC matches its historic high from last year, while Fox gets an “F” Washington, DC — On this first day of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, the Asian Pacific American Media Coalition announced its Report Cards for the 2017-18 season, grading four major TV networks on their progress toward full inclusion. The report looks at…
THIS year, the American Nurses Association (ANA) has chosen the Nurses Week (May 6-12) tagline of “Four Million Reasons to Celebrate” to be an ode to the nation’s 4 million registered nurses who daily represent the nation’s healthcare system and dedicate themselves to providing quality care all clinical settings. According to the ANA, nurses make…
A VAST majority of Filipinos are seen to dominate the field of nursing in the United States, with registered nurses (RNs) making up the largest segment of the country’s health care workforce. Many often attribute such numbers to the common notion that those who hail from the Philippines are hospitable and accommodating. However, beyond that…
A recent survey released by Washington-based polling firm Pew Research Center revealed that a majority of Filipinos are satisfied with how democracy works in the Philippines. The study, which measured satisfaction with the performance of democracy in different parts of the globe, was released on April 29 and showed that across the 27 countries polled,…
Mark Steven Domingo of Reseda, Calif. faces federal charges in alleged plot meant to avenge the mass shootings at New Zealand mosques in March THE Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Friday, April 26 arrested a Filipino American United States Army veteran in Reseda, California, on suspicion of plotting a massive terrorist attack in Los…
Malacañang on Monday, April 29, said China is open to bilateral talks to resolve the territorial incursions raised by President Rodrigo Duterte during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jingping last week. According to Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo, Xi expressed willingness to discuss “irritants,” such as the increased presence of Chinese vessels in disputed areas,…
MANY people try to file and open their own divorce case without an attorney in an effort to save on legal fees. Often, the self-represented divorce litigant would seek the assistance of the court facilitator’s office in preparing the papers to open their own divorce case. However once the divorce case is opened, many…
“Kind people are the best kind of people.” WHAT does it cost to be kind to others? We often think that being kind costs us something — whether it is time, money, connections or any of what we consider to be our personal resources becoming depleted. Being kind does not diminish us. On the contrary,…
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP has been claiming he is the most transparent president in U.S. history. Any self-respecting U.S. citizen committed to the truth knows this is a lie. Transparency and accountability are values upheld by the principles of checks and balances mandated by the U.S. Constitution so that not one person nor institution accorded with…
by Shefali Luthra HIGH prescription drug prices are fast becoming a leading political topic, with medications like insulin emerging as a poster child for the issue. Nearly doubling in price from 2012 to 2016, the diabetes medication has commanded bipartisan attention on Capitol Hill and even a shoutout in a recent Netflix comedy special. Voters…
Los Angeles residents urged to be fully immunized against measles Hundreds of students and faculty at two Los Angeles universities have been quarantined after potentially being exposed to measles, according to university and Los Angeles County health officials. The reports are among the most recent in the U.S. where a total of 695 measles cases…
Salonga stars alongside Eva Noblezada in Diane Paragas’ coming-of-age film to premiere at the 2019 LA Asian Pacific Islander Film Festival LEA Salonga is musical theater royalty. The award-winning singer and actress, known for originating the role of Kim in “Miss Saigon” (for which she won the Tony Award and Laurence Olivier Award for Best…
Time magazine held its annual gala in New York to celebrate the list of the “100 most influential people,” which included veteran Filipina journalist and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa. Ressa, who has been a vocal critic against Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration, gave a speech on Tuesday night, April 23 wherein she said that “It’s…
by Samantha Young California regularly portrays itself as a national trendsetter on political issues, and Gov. Gavin Newsom is claiming that title on prescription drugs. Newsom has a plan to take on the drug industry, and at an April 17 news conference in Southern California, he declared that two other governors already want to…
“Purposeful giving is not as apt to deplete one’s resources. It belongs to that natural order of giving that seems to renew itself even in the act of depletion. The more one gives, the more one has to give – like milk in the breast. Even in our purposeful giving must have some source that…
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE is defined by U.S. law as an act that “corruptly or by threats or force, or by any threatening letter or communication, influences, obstructs, or impedes, or endeavors to influence, obstruct, or impede, the due administration of justice.” Special Counsel Robert Mueller did not and could not exonerate President Donald Trump of…
DONOVAN Sebastian worked in sales for Sprint/United Management Co. Sprint provided him and other employees with vehicles for them to travel between stores. Sebastian, on behalf of himself and other employees, sued Sprint for withholding wages purportedly because the employees drove the company vehicles for personal use. The employees also claimed that they were improperly…
THE first client is 48 and got married in the last four years. Her husband was a foreigner who professed his love for her in so many ways. Unfortunately, his love for her was actually for her U.S. citizenship. The client, who had never been married before, fell head over heels for her newfound…
GENE3RALLY, you may deduct casualty and theft losses relating to your home, household items, and vehicles on your federal income tax return. What used to be deductible under old law has been suspended (meaning not deductible for the current year) with the exception of federally declared disasters. Old law: Under old rules, you were able…
ARE you debts growing faster than your income every month? Trying to pay what you can but feel like you’re running on a treadmill and not getting anywhere? Do you have that sick feeling in your stomach after realizing that you have gotten yourself in more debt than you can actually pay back? If it’s…
IN United States vs. Windsor, 570 U.S. 744 (2013), the Supreme Court held that Federal restrictions of the terms “marriage,” and “spouse” to marriages between a man and a woman were unconstitutional. The Court invalidated Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which did not allow Federal Government recognition of same-sex marriages under…
AN action under the DVPA (Domestic Violence Protection Act) seeking a restraining order often is necessary to protect parties from abuse or domestic violence perpetrated by the other spouse or significant other. At times, it is effective in preventing harm to one of the parties. At the same time, this process is sometimes…
IN my recent trip to the Philippines a couple of weeks ago, I decided to have a much needed R&R at a resort in Camiguin, which fortunately, happened to be owned by a good friend of mine, Kate Hancock. Kate was one of our “Distinguished Entrepreneur Awardees” at the 2018 The Beautiful Life Celebration Awards….
