Kevin Belingon could enshrine PH as country with most title wins in ONE Championship
If making history as the first three-division world champion in mixed martial arts is what Martin Nguyen is after in his highly-anticipated encounter against Kevin Belingon, the Filipino spitfire could likewise establish a new record for the Philippines in ONE Championship should he win over his Vietnamese-Australian foe. Both men are slated to face each…
DOT eyes new markets for PHL dive destinations
MANILA –The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) looks to tap new markets for the country’s thriving dive tourism as it opens business opportunities for stakeholders attending the Dive Resort Travel (DRT) Show Philippines this coming September 7-9 at the SM Megatrade Hall, Mandaluyong City. During the DRT Show, one of the largest international diving exposition, the DOT…
Two years after Hague ruling, AAPI activist groups rally in LA against China in Philippine Sea conflict
Raucous protest calls for Fil-Ams, US lawmakers to stand with the Philippines on the second anniversary of the tribunal’s ruling by Klarize Medenilla AJPress TWO years after the Philippines scored an historic win at The Hague against China over the Philippine Sea dispute, Filipinos around the world are pressuring the Philippine government to uphold sovereignty…
Report: Hate crimes increase by 17 percent in California
Experts attribute the increase to the uprising of white supremacy amid the Trump era According to a new report from the California attorney general, reported hate crimes across the state have increased for the third year in a row, jumping by 17 percent in 2017. The 2017 California Criminal Justice Data Report from Attorney General…
US government misses first family reunification deadline
Nearly half of kids in youngest age group deemed ‘ineligible’ due to safety concerns Nearly half of the immigrant children under five years old who were separated from their parents at the U.S. border were unable to be reunited, as the U.S. government struggled to meets its first reunification deadline. The Trump administration said on…
‘Recent killings of local officials not due to war on drugs’
by Rae Ann Varona AJPress Four local officials in the Philippines were killed in a time span of less than two weeks, fueling concerns that the administration’s anti-drug campaign has been emboldening some people to carry out killings. Al Rashid Mohammad Ali, vice mayor of Sapa-Sapa in Mindanao’s Tawi-Tawi province, was shot and killed by…
Duterte unfazed by the drop in satisfaction rating
by Ritchel Mendiola AJPress President Rodrigo Duterte was unfazed when a new survey revealed that his satisfaction rating dropped to a new low in the second quarter of 2018. The nationwide survey was conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) from June 27 to 30. It showed 65 percent of adult Filipinos are satisfied and…
Philippine Chamber Singers-LA’ s heart-cramping Original Pilipino Music overflows with love for country, family, friends and musical heritage
(Part I of II series) “The only thing that makes life worth living is the possibility of experiencing now and then a perfect moment. And perhaps even more than that, it’s having the ability to recall such moments in their totality, to contemplate them like jewels.” – Paul Bowles, The Spider’s House In two series,…
Revisiting Baguio City
Baguio City is one of the genuine tourism treasures of the Philippines. But for those of us who haven’t been to the City of Pines for years (especially those living overseas), the horror stories told about Baguio are enough to discourage any plans to make a trip. The only attraction left unspoiled, according to the…
HBO announces call for entries for 2019 Asian Pacific American Visionaries short film competition
Three winners will have their works premiere on HBO NEW YORK, NY — HBO, home to the shows that everyone is talking about, announced on Thursday, July 12 the call for entries for its third annual Asian Pacific American Visionaries, the leading short film competition showcasing cinematic storytellers of Asian and Pacific Islander descent. The…
‘On Your Feet!’ — musical based on Gloria and Emilio Estefan — lands in LA
THE hit Broadway musical “On Your Feet” — based on the life story of seven-time GRAMMY® winning international superstar Gloria Estefan and her husband, 19-time GRAMMY® winning producer-musician-entrepreneur Emilio Estefan — opened at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre this week. The production will be in LA until July 29, before it does a two-week engagement in…
Should food delivery drivers be classified as independent contractors?
TECHNOLOGY has dramatically changed the way that people work and earn a living in the 21st century. Instead of the traditional employer-employee model, companies who need services obtain them from the general public, leading to the formation of what is called the “on-demand economy” or “gig economy.” This has allowed the rise of alternative work…
Senior seeks Chapter 7 relief for $60K credit cards but what is the status of residence?
THE client is 57 and is recently divorced with two children, one in high school the other in college. She makes $40,000 yearly in middle management for a large corporation. She has $50,000 in credit card debt accumulated while she was still married. The ex-husband had good income. So, when she was still married, her…
Common bankruptcy fears and what to do about them
THE word “bankruptcy” is packed with all sorts of negative emotional triggers. It sounds bad — even dirty. It’s embarrassing. (What if people find out?!) People paint ugly pictures of what their lives will look like post-bankruptcy. But it’s not true. Bankruptcy is an opportunity to close one chapter of your life and open a…
Do hobby loses attract IRS audits?
YES, it does. Losses from hobbies attract IRS audits. It’s cool to run a business that you enjoy, such as photography, dance studio, martial arts, dog-breeding, farming, and other leisurely activities. If you convert that stress-reducing pastime into a regular business, try to make some money; otherwise, you may attract an IRS audit, especially if…
Regressing as a society
THE poetic words of Psalms 85:11-12 strike a chord in many of us today: “Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven.” In a time when we seem to have lost civility in government and society, and have regressed…
USCIS to start deporting people for being out of status, fraud, or denial of adjustment of status or naturalization
ON July 5, 2018, the USCIS issued a Policy Memorandum (PM), providing guidance to officers or adjudicators on when to issue notices to appear (NTA), which is the document placing a person in removal/deportation. This new PM should raise concerns for anyone applying for any immigration benefit (such as a petition, application, extension, etc.), because…
Trump embarrasses America in Europe: Will he now confront Putin over the new Mueller indictment against 12 Russians for meddling in our elections?
STATESMANSHIP seems to be an alien word in the Trump universe. His trip to Europe to meet with our allies and world leaders has yet again embarrassed most Americans, except, of course, his loyal fan base. He went to the NATO summit and acted “pa-macho” and treated the leaders of our allied countries like a…
BE Grand Resort ditches plastic straws
Panglao Island, July 14, 2018 – BE Grand Resort, a luxury resort in Brgy. Danao, Panglao Island, ditches the use of plastic straws in all of their five (5) restaurants and bars. The effects of single-use plastic to the environment are rising at an alarming rate and it’s not a secret that Bohol is still…
TakeTheStage crosses borders, invades overseas showgrounds
Every generation has an iconic boy band being emulated and idolized that indubitably facilitated to define the essence of the said era. Although some bands changed the way the public saw the stereotypical boy band, others have lucratively created a fresh outlook on male performers that unmistakably set new standards and norms. It wasn’t only…
Disrupting the laundry industry: Fil-Am entrepreneur turns her passion for clean clothes into a business
In New York City, it is a luxury to have your own washer and dryer in your unit, or even in your building. Some would stuff their dirty laundry into a luggage and go to a laundromat or use a store front cleaner nearby. Rechelle Balanzat struggled with her laundry needs and got frustrated by…
Philippines growth to remain strong despite global uncertainty
MANILA, July 13, 2018 – The World Bank maintains its 6.7 percent growth forecast for 2018 and 2019 despite rising global uncertainty. Considering recent economic data, the composition of expected growth was revised as compared to the April edition of the World Bank Philippines Economic Update. Given recent fiscal trends, government consumption growth was revised…
AdSpark strengthens digital agency capabilities through new leadership
Veteran marketing comms exec Onat Roldan appointed President and CEO AdSpark Inc, Globe Telecom’s digital advertising subsidiary, has appointed seasoned marketing communications executive Onat Roldan as the company’s new President and Chief Executive Officer effective August 6, 2018. Onat, as he is fondly called in the digital media world, brings with him 25 years of…
Frequently asked questions about California divorce
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…