The Sandiganbayan on Friday, November 16, granted former first lady Imelda Marcos’ plea to post bail amounting to a total of P150,000 while the anti-graft court assessed her motion to leave on her conviction on seven counts of graft. In her plea, Marcos noted that she is suffering from “multiple organ infirmities” and was under…
Nearly a week after midterm elections took place, a new and diverse House freshman class came together for the first time on Tuesday, November 13 in Washington, D.C. for orientation. Among the attendees was Democrat Filipina-American congressional candidate Gina Ortiz-Jones who ran for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District and has trailed closely behind two-term holding Republican…
A Filipino-American high schooler in Carson, California was recently recognized for earning a top score on the ACT college entrance exam. Gerrick T. Cardenas, a senior at Bishop Montgomery High School, earned the highest possible ACT composite score of 36. On average, only around one-tenth of 1 percent of students who take the ACT earn…
[Editor’s note: This column was originally published in 2014 but has been updated and republished in light of recent immigration conversations in the U.S.] “Immigration is by definition a gesture of faith in social mobility. It is the expression in action of a positive belief in the possibility of a better life. It has thus…
WAR is just a filthy tragedy. But it has always been like that, whether it was the violent age that was Renaissance, the Roman Empire, or the Golden Age in Greece. When reporters describe dying in war, are you helping abolish war? What is the magical attraction to war and the risk and defiance of…
The municipal government of El Nido on Thursday, November 15, announced that a total of 50 more tourism establishments are now facing closure for violating the three-meter coastal easement policy in the town. El Nido town administrator RJ de la Calzada said that the establishments that violated the environmental rules have been given a two-week…
CES (Consumer Electronics Show) gives us a glimpse of the next mega trend in consumer technology. Each January, tech giants from around the world gather to show off their latest inventions in Las Vegas. Let me give you a list of our favorites at the tech show earlier this year. 1. Robots of all Kinds:…
After the United States Defense Department initiated the return of the historic Balangiga bells to the Philippines this week, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte could be open to an official visit to the U.S., despite his past criticism of the country. Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. revealed with the return of the…
NEW guidance on NTA issuance. In June 28, 2018, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued an Updated Guidance for the Referral of Cases and Issuance of Notices to Appear (NTAs) in Cases Involving Inadmissible and Deportable Aliens Policy Memorandum (PM). Beginning October 1, 2018, USCIS will take an incremental approach to implement this memo….
WE can spend many years of studies, read many books, travel to many places, hear from both simple and erudite people, and learn lessons from the experiences of life, but we can’t have all the answers to many existential questions. We may have unwavering faith in God, but we still grapple with many mysteries of…
INTERNET and social media has become a way of life these days. Almost everyone these day have Facebook, Instagram, Tweeter, etc. as part of their daily lives. These media are used frequent as people used to use land lines and TV. However if you have a pending divorce case or are contemplating filing for divorce,…
“To prevail on a harassment claim, the employee must show that the conduct created a hostile work environment. A hostile work environment is one in which harassment occurs that is severe, frequent, or both.” AUGUSTINE Caldera worked as a correctional officer at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) for 20 years. Caldera, who stutters when…
1. IS there a constitutional right to file for bankruptcy? Yes, there is. The United States Constitution adopted 250 years ago provides for the creation of bankruptcy courts and the power to administer them. Our founding fathers believed that people should be given a chance to have a fresh start in life to become productive…
IF you are one of the millions of homeowners who survived the mortgage crisis in 2008, you have something to be grateful for. In 2008 alone, close to 900,000 homeowners were in foreclosure. This went on for several years until about 2011 and 2012. Hundreds of thousands lost their homes. Dreams were shattered. Banks were…
AFTER a hate and rage-laden week from the White House burner, we end this week with some silver linings to propel us in celebrating steps toward protecting democracy in the United States. First, let me start with the great news that a federal judge has ruled that the White House give back to CNN Senior…
AS a move to establish closer ties with the Philippines, United States Defense Secretary James Mattis on Thursday, November 15, decided to return the Balangiga bells that were taken as war booty over a century ago. “In returning the Bells of Balangiga to our ally and our friend the Philippines, we pick up our generation’s…
Pony, one of the most influence makeup artists and beauty influencers in the world, was recently in Los Angeles with Shiseido for a masterclass showing looks that can be done with the line’s new makeup. Earlier this fall, Shiseido launched a new makeup collection worldwide featuring 21 products and 124 shades, like gels, dews, inks,…
Former first lady Imelda Marcos, widow of dictator Ferdinand Marcos, is not exempt from being arrested and jailed despite her advanced age, various lawmakers said on Tuesday, November 13. According to them, the police should enforce any order from the court to take her into custody after she was sentenced by the Sandiganbayan to up…
EACH month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family and employment based categories. A priority date is a person’s “place in line” for a visa, meaning immigrant visas (or green cards) would be available for persons whose priority date…
What is Lactobacillus acidophilus? L. acidophilus is the most popularly used probiotic or “friendly bacteria.” They live in the intestines and vagina and prevent the entrance and proliferation of disease-causing organisms, thus protecting the individual. Are there other friendly bacteria in the body? Yes. Actually there are several trillion friendly bacteria (over 400 species) in…
THE Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday, November 13, expressed its disapproval of releasing the “narco list” of politicians allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade. They echoed the sentiments of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) who chose not to publicly name accused officials. PNP Spokesperson Bong Durana said that doing such “is not…
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Tuesday, November 13, is set out to remove business establishments that violate environmental rules and guidelines in El Nido by the end of 2018. DENR for Region IV-B Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) Regional Executive Director Henry Adornado said that such move is done to…
The Department of Justice (DOJ) insisted on Tuesday, November 13, that President Rodrigo Duterte’s order regarding the amnesty revocation granted to Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV by former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III is legal. DOJ’s acting prosecutor-general Richard Anthony Fadullon is adamant on stating that the president’s decision to revoke Trillanes’ amnesty is a…
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday, November 13, said a rulebook to settle disputes in the hotly contested South China Sea should be finished in three years. He also insisted that his nation does not seek “hegemony or expansion.” Talks about the code of conduct have dragged on for years, with China accused of delaying…
Reports about the U.S. returning the Balangiga bells to the Philippines were welcomed by the Malacañang on Wednesday, November 13. But officials have yet to comment until the actual arrival of the bells that were seized by American troops during the Philippine-American war in 1901. In a report by The Philippine Star, it was said…
