New Foreign Affairs Secretary Warmly Welcomed by Filipinos in Belgium, Europe
BRUSSELS 24 October 2018 —Newly-installed Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. met with members of the Filipino community in two separate events in Brussels on 19 and 20 October 2018, following his participation at the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in the Belgian capital. In the event organized by the Philippine Embassy in Brussels on…
Gina Ortiz Jones could be the first Filipina in Congress
Four Filipino Americans have a chance to make history and be elected to the United States Congress in the upcoming midterm elections next month. Jennifer Zimmerman, who immigrated to the United States 25 years ago, will face Republican Matt Gaetz for Florida’s District 1 seat. Zimmerman — or Dr. Z as she is known in…
Puyat Welcomes ‘Better’ Boracay, Calls For Responsible Tourism
BORACAY ISLAND, AKLAN, PHILIPPINES – Tourism Chief Bernadette Romulo-Puyat urges visitors to respect and observe local regulations to help protect and preserve Boracay Island. Puyat made the appeal during the much-awaited reopening of the island, stressing the importance of a collective effort from the island’s residents and its visitors alike. “As we welcome a Better…
PACCAL honors 21 outstanding Fil-Am highfliers and trailblazers
IT was, indeed, an indisputably far-fetched fete that ineradicably marked the elegant celebration of PACCAL’s 26th Founding Anniversary and Awards Night at the posh ballroom of the Ramada Plaza Hotel in Newark, New Jersey last Sunday, October 21, 2018. PACCAL, (Pan American Concerned Citizens Action League, Inc.) in its effort to relentlessly endorse the truest…
Before the waters rise again—Measure T will get San Jose ready
Measure T, on the Nov. 6 ballot, would put $650 million into upgrading San Jose’s aging infrastructure that puts our communities at risk. Many of our bridges and overpasses are old and deteriorating, and at risk of collapse in earthquake. Two of our City’s re stations are falling apart and one of them is at…
PDEA: No slowdown of anti-drug operations despite 4,948 deaths
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said on Tuesday, October 23, that the government’s fight against illegal drugs will remain continuous as it reported the 110,395 anti-drug operations conducted from July 2016 to September 2018. “There is no slowing down in the operations since the aim is for the country to have drug-free barangays,” PDEA…
Tens of thousands of Clark County residents cast ballots in early voting
Obama mobilizes Nevadans at rally for Democratic candidate for the Senate Jacky Rosen. Clark County voters broke records last weekend when tens of thousands of residents cast their ballots during the first few days of Nevada’s early voting. According to The Nevada Independent, the turnout by 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 20 was at 22,000,…
Senators reject PH withdrawal from IPU
Senators Franklin Drilon, Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, and Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday, October 23, opposed the proposal of House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the Philippines to withdraw from the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). “I oppose the proposal of Arroyo that we withdraw from the IPU just because this global body of parliamentarians expressed its concern over the…
Facebook purges 95 pages and 39 accounts in the Philippines
SOCIAL networking site Facebook on Tuesday, October 23, has shut down a total of 95 pages and 39 accounts linked to President Rodrigo Duterte and Imee Marcos, daughter of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos for operating as a “spam network.” According to a statement from Facebook, the said pages and accounts were “encouraging people to…
I came to the US under a different name, is there hope for me?
DEAR Atty. Gurfinkel: I came to the U.S. on a visitor’s visa under a different name. The passport and visa had my picture, but somebody else’s name. I still have that passport. I recently married a U.S. citizen for love, and want to get a green card. Is there hope for me, since I entered…
The AAPI support for Sen. Dean Heller & GOP candidates in the November midterm elections
We are less than two weeks away from the 2018 midterm elections. It’s time for the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in Nevada to make an impact for the future of Nevada. Our AAPI values of family, faith, the importance of education, and hard work reflects the Republican Party’s main platforms. The Republican Party…
Medical pearls
Losing weight on a diet that is high in fat is dangerous for overall health. The risk of coronary heart disease has been found to increase significantly among those individuals who stayed on a high protein red meat diet to lose weight. While these subjects became slimmer, their cholesterol levels were high, leading to a…
Star for All Seasons and Cong. Vilma Santos-Recto heads the list of November birthday celebrants
STAR for All Seasons and Congresswoman Vilma Santos-Recto heads the list of prominent personalities who will be celebrating their birthdays this month of November. She will turn another year on Saturday, November 3. Vilma has portrayed roles in different genres and holds the titles of Grand Slam Queen, Queen of Queens and as the…
Criminal convictions and immigration law
WHAT makes a non-citizen deportable? An alien or non-citizen, including a lawful permanent resident (“green card” holder) is deportable for having a conviction relating to controlled substances. Title 8 U.S.C. Section 1227(a)(2)(B)(i) states: “Any alien who at any time after admission has been convicted of a violation of . . . any law or regulation…
Getting to know the LA River: What it is, what it does and how it’s changing
Most people recognize Los Angeles River as the set of some of Hollywood’s most iconic films. In 1978’s “Grease,” John Travolta competed against a rival greaser in a heated drag race under the 6th Street Viaduct. Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan sped down the river at breakneck speed in one of the few heartwarming scenes…
DOT trains 2,100 frontliners for Boracay reopening
BORACAY ISLAND, AKLAN, PHILIPPINES-The Department of Tourism (DOT) facilitated the training of some 2,100 tourism front line workers in anticipation of Boracay Island’s soft opening on October 26. “Since the island’s temporary closure, we have been providing free training for our frontliners or the ones who will work face to face with our tourists,” said…
Who you will vote for is a reflection of your values — and your children are watching
IT’S LESS than two weeks before the consequential midterm elections and already, the fiery and toxic battle for your votes have already been revealing the true color of the candidates, the politicians they choose to associate with, and the party they represent. They are who they are, but the question is who will you vote…
Children just like you (1 of 2 parts)
“The deepest definition of youth is life as yet untouched by tragedy.” —Alfred North Whitehead (HERE’S an abbreviated version of a fascinating story from Greek mythology. This is a redux.) Long ago in the island of Crete, there lived a man named Daedalus, who was famed for his skills as an inventor. He worked for King…
What’s new: Tax cuts and jobs act (Part 4)
• YOU may need to pay quarterly estimated taxes unless tax owed is less than $1,000 upon filing of the tax return or you do not owe any taxes in prior year if you have income from business as sole proprietor, or receiving K-1 as a partner or shareholder of S-corporation. Refer to IRS Publication…
Reported hate crimes in LA County increase for 4th straight year, survey says
Crimes against AAPIs are relatively low, but county cites underreporting as a “serious” factor Last week, the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission (LACCHR) released its Annual Report on Hate Crime, a yearly analysis of all the hate crimes reported in 2017. Hate crimes are categorized as crimes with “evidence that bias, hatred, or prejudice based on…
Why I am a Republican and why Filipinos should vote for Republicans
By Emmanuel Samonte Tipon, Esq. Republicans have treated Filipinos better than the Democrats. After the Spanish American War, President William McKinley, a Republican, decided to take the Philippines instead of giving them back to Spain or to a third nation like China or Japan. If the Democrats who opposed McKinley had prevailed, Filipinos would now…
Immigrants built this country
By Gil Cisneros For centuries, the United States of America has been a shining beacon of freedom and hope for millions of people around the world. Immigrants have come to this country in search of the American dream, and in return they have built the America that we live in today. When the Pilgrims famously…
Fil-Am woman in Orange County killed after large tree falls on vehicle
A 34-year-old Filipina-American passed away Monday morning, October 15, after she was trapped in a vehicle that was hit by a large tree. Dennet Bermas from Tustin, California was identified by officials after rescue crews responded to a report of the accident on the 14400 block of Red Hill Avenue. Also damaged were a carport…
California deadline to register to vote in midterm election on Oct. 22
ELIGIBLE voters in California who want to vote in the upcoming midterm election on November 6 have until Monday, October 22 to register. To do so, one can fill out an application online at registertovote.ca.gov or obtain a voter registration form at the county elections office or at a local library, post office, or Department…