(Part 2 of 2) Two months earlier we had visited Tehran, and we raised the chances of perhaps an almost impossible dream: we said Allah could certainly bless a dream of centuries: a reunion of Islam’s great Sunni and Shiite populations, akin to Christianity’s Catholic and Protestant wings whose sometimes bloody conflicts raged for centuries…
MANY KABABAYANS who voted for President Donald Trump tell me that they support him because they believe in his fight against undocumented immigrants. These Filipinos lament that they followed the laws, waited in line, paid their dues and it would be unfair if those who entered and are staying in the United States illegally would…
Wyoming officials have refused to return the Balangiga bells to the Philippines as they are deemed “memorials” to the casualties of the Philippine-American War. In a statement, the all-Republican delegation comprising of U.S. Senators Mike Enzi and John Barrasso, and U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, said, “These bells are memorials to American war dead and should…
THE Filipino-American community across the United States is mourning the death of Dawn Bohulano Mabalon, a community leader, professor, author, historian and mentor. Mabalon, 46, died on Friday, August 10 while on a family vacation in Kauai, Hawaii. She was an associate professor of history at San Francisco State University, specializing in Philippine and Filipino-American…
Former Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo denied all corruption allegations hurled at her regarding the 60 million-peso advertisement deal with PTV4 at a Senate hearing on Tuesday, August 14. “With confidence, I can say that there’s nothing illegal in the said contract,” Tulfo-Teo said. The former tourism secretary testified before the Senate Blue…
The LA mayor shares his thoughts on maritime dispute in the West Philippine Sea Amid rumors of a 2020 presidential candidacy, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti honed his expertise in foreign affairs by embarking on a 10-day tour of Asia to strengthen relations with key cities across the Pacific Rim. Last month, Garcetti and a…
LUMPIA, one of the traditional Filipino dishes, took center stage when Fil-Am Will Simbol won the 2018 Great Garlic Cook-off at the 40th annual Gilroy Garlic Festival with his original recipe: Savory Crunchy Freshy Tangy Shrimpy Herby Garlic Lumpia Wrap. He beat out seven other finalists who came from all around the country. The eight…
THE bustling SouthBay Pavilion Mall in Carson became the apex of the Filipino-American community last August 4 and 5 during the Travel, Trade and Consumer Roadshow (TTC). The event is the premiere foray of the Asian Journal into a more active effort to drive Filipino businesses into the forefront of U.S. enterprise. Project heads Cora…
SEVERAL options exist for a US citizen to bring his/her foreign-national fiancé(e) to the United States. One popular option is to marry the fiancé(e) in the country in which he/she resides, and file an I-130 immigrant petition, with the fiancé(e) to undergo consular processing for an immigrant visa when the I-130 petition is approved. However,…
BENEFICIARY spouse of marriage based immigrant petition’s where the marriage was less than 2 years old at the time of the immigrant visa or status was approved are issued a 2 year conditional green card. In order for these immigrants to obtain their permanent green card, the immigrant has to either file a joint petition…
Equal rights in parental leave benefits Q: I HAVE been working 4 years for a large company in Los Angeles. My wife just gave birth to our first child. When I asked my boss about parental leave, I was told that I could take off for 2 weeks and no more. I thought I was…
THE first senior is 73. He has been separated from his wife for 30 years but not divorced. So, for all intents and purposes, he is single because even if his wife makes a ton of money, her income is irrelevant under the means test since the client does not benefit from that income. Even…
“My health may fail, my body may age, but my love, faith and hope in God will remain frim and strong.” WHY do I keep believing in Jesus Christ and his teachings? This is the question that would sometimes arise in my mind. Is it because of the way I was raised and educated? Is it because of…
THE Internal Revenue Service currently audits less than 1% of tax returns annually, so your probability of attracting IRS audit is incredibly low. Taking deductions that are higher than average deductions nationwide increases your probability of getting audited. • Taking unrealistic itemized deductions raises red flags. • The IRS has a sense of what’s a fair…
Do you have old debts in the past that you haven’t paid and are wondering if the creditors can still come back now and collect from you after so many years? This is a common question that I am often asked. I actually see a lot of people in this situation. At some time in…
FILIPINO artists came together on Friday, August 3 at the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles, California to present some of their early and recent works, relating them to their experiences of immigrating to the U.S. from the Philippines. The presentations came ahead of an upcoming exhibit called “Philippines with Strands: Filipino and Filipino-American Contemporary Artists…
Part II of III Series “I recalled the Columbine shooting only four months earlier [1999] and challenged the students [Class 2000] to live the lessons learned from that horrific event. No one should feel like a stranger in his own school. We all have a place at the table of St. Genevieve. And by making…
Presidents Donald Trump and Rodrigo Duterte have both been accused of criminal behavior, the former for allegedly obstructing justice and colluding with a foreign arch enemy, and the latter for allegedly enriching himself in office. But how each one has handled the accusations provides insights into the way justice is dispensed in the United States…
THE FOUNDING FATHERS of the United States of America truly had foresight when they structured the democratic government of the United States and wrote the U.S. Constitution in 1787 to protect the country’s people and the forming of a “more perfect union” against entities from within and without who may try to undermine the nation’s…
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano denied on Tuesday, August 7, any oil and gas exploration with China in the West Philippine Sea. Cayetano said that the joint venture between the two countries will be “commercial” in nature. “It will be a commercial venture. I think that’s a smarter thing to do…
President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday, August 8, that he would no longer allow the establishment of casinos “outside of what are existing” in the Philippines. Duterte amplified his disapproval of gambling activities during his speech at the 117th Police Service Anniversary Celebration in Camp. Crame, Quezon City. “I will not allow it. I hate…
Debbie Dobrosky noticed a peculiar hue in the sky on Monday — “a very ugly yellow casting” — as she peeked outside. A large cloud of smoke had begun to cover the sun. By Tuesday, the smoke was so heavy that “even inside my apartment I’ve had to use my inhaler twice this morning, which is…
Ethnic minorities draw in lower incomes on average compared to white families, national paid family leave would alleviate financial difficulties for families of color, report says The United States of America is one of four countries in the world, and the only developed nation, that don’t have a federally mandated paid family leave (PFL) program. Some states…
About 3.8 million Asians and Pacific Islanders rely on forms of public benefit The White House may go forth with a rule change that would give legal immigrants looking to gain permanent residency a much harder time if they have ever used certain popular welfare programs. The Trump administration has been reviewing the proposal that…
PRESIDENTIAL spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. on Friday, August 10 said that the different perspectives concerning the shift to a federal government were part of the “continuing discourse” on the issue. “We view the differences of opinion on federalism as part of the continuing discourse, even among members of the president’s official family, which the chief…
WHILE it recognizes that some of the national government’s environment policies, such as stricter mining regulations and the six-month closure of top tourist destination Boracay island, likely played a role in the recent slow Philippine economic growth, Malacañang maintained that President Rodrigo Duterte’s decisions are for a more sustainable future for Filipinos. In a report…
