Season 15 of the Fox reality competition “So You Think You Can Dance” finally came to a close on Monday, September 10, naming Filipina-American Hannahlei Cabanilla as the winner. Hailing from Anaheim Hills, Cabanilla is an 18-year-old contemporary dancer who began dancing at the age of 2 and was trained at the Orange County Performing…
Two “Miss Saigon” alumni are set to appear in a movie musical together. Eva Noblezada is headlining her first feature film, “Yellow Rose,” alongside Lea Salonga. Directed by Diane Paragas, the film tells the story of a 17-year old Filipino-American girl from Texas who is secretly dreaming of becoming a country music star. She has…
Our planet would be at an imminent grave risk of being destroyed, if Global Warming, more appropriately termed Climate Change, continues unabated. Although controversial and like the multitudes of problems threatening the world, this major one is caused by its intelligent inhabitant, man himself, and his careless and irresponsible behavior, especially in the last two…
A tribute to a decade of aspiring to inspire With its continued mission to promote the Filipino heritage through their performance and presence in the Filipino-American community, Parangal Dance Company has come a long way, a decade, in fact. Today, the San Francisco-based Philippine folk dance company is celebrating a decade of “aspiring to inspire”…
Dear Atty. Gurfinkel: In 2004, I applied for a visitor’s visa but was denied. The next year, I secured an “assumed name” passport, which was a Philippine passport with my picture but someone else’s name. I tried my luck again under the assumed name, but the Embassy caught the fraud and again denied my visitor’s…
I just moved to California last month, and I’d like to file for divorce. Can I file now? To file for divorce in the State of California, the person filing (called the “Petitioner”) must first meet the jurisdictional requirements: (i) residence in the state of California from the past 6 months; and (ii) residence in…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, September 11, rendered the amnesty grant of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV invalid because he claimed that it was signed by then Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. “So that an act of pardon, an act of amnesty is always an act of state, which cannot be done…
SPECIAL Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Monday, September 10, denied the corruption allegations against him amid the involvement of the family-owned CLTG Builders and Alfrego Builders in the government’s public work projects. Go said that the said criticisms hurled against him were “politically motivated attacks” considering that there are groups…
CHICAGO 11 September 2018 – Aimed to inform the Filipino-American electorate in Illinois on the significance of elections and their right to suffrage, a voters’ education forum was held at the Seafood City Community Center in Chicago on 15 August 2018. Promoting a more active civic engagement and participation by the Filipino community in Illinois,…
MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The Department of Tourism (DOT), in close collaboration with Austria-based research and development organization, Center for Appropriate Technology, identified twenty-seven (27) hotels and resorts as awardees for this year’s ANAHAW Philippine Sustainable Tourism Certification. ANAHAW – the Philippine Sustainable Tourism Certification is developed by the Department of Tourism and GRaT Center for Appropriate Technology…
IN a divorce proceeding, people sometimes have a misconception that the only assets or properties that have to disclose assets and properties situated in California. Even worst, sometimes parties even think that since an asset or property is situated in a different country or state, that property is not community property and not subject to…
IN the last column, we covered how to obtain a domestic violence restraining order. In short, a domestic violence restraining order is a legal document from the court that states your abuser cannot contact you or come near you. If you are a victim of domestic violence and need protection, you may want to apply…
TWO years ago Anthony Alvarez left a plum investment banking job in London to follow his childhood dream of starting his own clothing company. An avid traveler — coupled with his passions for extreme sports, art, and music — he realized that fashion was a universal language that could lessen barriers and divisiveness. With…
Increased diversity in the fashion world welcomes inclusion of Asian models In the world of modeling, walking in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is a coveted dream, a rite of passage for young models everywhere. This year, Filipina-American model Kelsey Merritt gets to live that dream as the first Filipina to be in the show,…
The older and smaller Donnie ‘Ahas’ Nietes used his boxing craftiness to break down Aston Palicte who was on survival mode in the last round during their World Boxing Organization (WBO) championship fight on Saturday, September 8, at The Forum in Inglewood, California on ‘Superfly 3’ televised on HBO. However the scores of the judges…
Most of victims were Filipino, said Attorney General Becerra The Filipino owners of six Bay Area adult and child day care facilities were charged last week for numerous violations including human trafficking, wage theft, possession of illegal weapons, and rape. A total of 59 charges were filed Friday, September 7, against four members of the Gamos…
THE Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 150 on Monday, September 10 has scheduled a hearing later this week, declining the omnibus motion of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to issue an arrest warrant against Senator Antonio Trillanes IV without litigation. The hearing has been slated for Friday, September 14, at 9 a.m. “The…
THE International Criminal Court (ICC) on Tuesday, September 11 said that it will continue to do its work “undeterred,” after the United States criticized the court’s legitimacy. “The ICC, as a court of law, will continue to do its work undeterred, in accordance with those principles and the overarching idea of the rule of law,”…
(13th of a series) ”…Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear — not absence of fear.” — Mark Twain WHAT is your greatest fear? Some say that for most men, the greatest of fears are the fear of death, fear of failure and fear of public speaking. I know of someone who is deathly…
IN February 2018, the IRS started certification of individuals with delinquent tax debt to the State Department. How will the IRS certification impact you? • Upon receipt of certification. The State Department will either deny application or revoke current passport or both. • You are overseas. Limited validity passport for direct return to the US…
(Part 1 of 3) We were out of town on speaking engagements and attending meetings in the Middle East, South Asia, and last week in Seoul when the bemedalled and popular U.S. Senator John McCain, although unable to make it twice to the U.S. presidency, passed away from cancer, and was the object of unprecedented…
Gov. Brown signs new bill that aims to combat damaging effects of climate change Governor Jerry Brown signed two measures on Monday, Sept. 10 aiming to convert California to 100 percent renewable energy and “carbon neutrality” by 2045, securing the state’s reputation as a national and global leader in clean energy and environmental innovation. SB…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, September 11, addressed the country with varied matters of national importance during a “tête-à-tête” with Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo in Malacañang. Initially, the president called for a press conference at 3 p.m. without disclosing the scope of his speech. However, an hour before the said media affair,…
HONOLULU 11 September 2018 – The Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu visited Filipino fishermen at Pier 17 on 28 August 2018 to donate basketballs and new long-sleeved shirts. The Consulate General group, representing Consul General Joselito A. Jimeno, were Consul Roberto T. Bernardo, Assistance-to-Nationals Officer Rodel V. Tejada, Severino B. Baliao and Felix V. De…
Philippine Department of Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat led in welcoming hundreds of international and local diving enthusiasts to the 4th edition of Diving Resorts and Travel (DRT) at the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City last weekend. As promised, the DOT treated attendees to an “ultimate underwater tourism” experience with an on-site familiarization tour of some…
THIS week I would like to pay tribute to our dear friend Dion. He was a well-known entertainer, a fashionista, and a friend, not just to me but to a lot of people in the community. We are all in awe and sadden by his untimely death. With this, I would like to share a…
