A Filipino Gastronomic Tour of Brooklyn
When Purple Yam opened in the Ditmas Park neighborhood of Brooklyn back in 2009, it became a dining destination for many Filipinos and Filipino-Americans who live outside the borough. Some prefer to drive while others take the leisurely route via the Q train going to Coney Island. One by one, Filipino restaurants followed suit and…
Sereno appeals to SC: Do what is right and just
Ousted chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno on Wednesday, May 30, filed her motion for reconsideration to the Supreme Court (SC), urging her colleagues there to invalidate their decision of ousting her as the chief justice. The SC voted 8-6 in finding Sereno “guilty of unlawfully holding and exercising the Office of the Chief Justice” on…
US to keep confronting Beijing in South China Sea
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Tuesday, May 29, said that the United States will continue to confront China over its territorial claims in the South China Sea, arguing that Beijing hasn’t abided by its promise to not establish military presence on contested islands. “We are going out of our way to cooperate with Pacific…
Arato Brothers: music prodigies sans sibling enmity
Getting into music together among siblings is one noteworthy bonding option any parent could unmistakably choose for their kids. Aside from being a safer preference in lieu of sports or other out-of-school activity, common interest in music draws brothers closer and knitted. A band composed of siblings isn’t a new thing since even before there…
DNA testing to establish family relationships
IN the Philippines, establishing family relationships can sometimes be extremely complex. A child may be born and then “given” to a relative, such as a childless aunt. A simulated birth certificate is bought on Recto Street and then recorded, making the aunt the biological mother. In other cases, a child is born out of wedlock,…
California divorce
SOMETIMES, divorce happens. The following seeks to address or clarify some common misconceptions about divorce. “What if my husband/wife does not want to sign the divorce?” or “My husband/wife does not want to sign the divorce papers, what can I do.” California is a no-fault divorce state. A party filing for divorce does not need…
Plant-based diet
While cardiovascular mortality rates the past decades have gone down, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) has remained the leading causer of death in the United States. Several clinical studies have shown that there is a strong association between dietary patterns and the incidence of CVD, and that people eating predominantly plant-based foods have lower rates of heart…
DOT chief: Tulfo’s ‘Bitag’ hasn’t given P60-M back
THE P60 million paid by the Department of Tourism (DOT) for advertisements on Ben Tulfo’s — brother of resigned Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo — show on government channel PTV-4 has yet to be returned, current Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said. “It has not been returned,” Puyat said regarding the promise of Ben Tulfo’s company, Bitag…
PNP chief: Human rights important in drug war
ACCORDING to Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde, human rights are paramount in the police’s campaign against drugs. He also insisted that the police force is not lacking in training on human rights awareness in their operations. “The rules of engagement are paramount in every police operation, and respect for human rights…
OXFORD BUSINESS GROUP’S 2018 PHILIPPINE REPORT MAPS OUT PLANS TO EXPAND CAPITAL MARKET
Philippine Stock Exchange signs first MoU with Oxford Business Group Manila, May 29, 2018:Thenew 2018 report from global research and consultancy firmOxford Business Group(OBG) maps out the positive impact on the country’s capital market of the decision of Fitch Ratings, Inc. to award the Philippines investment status. The Report: The Philippines 2018 by OBG will track the…
Humanity & Inclusion and FWD Group sign partnership to help youth with disabilities in Indonesia and Philippines access employment opportunities
Humanity & Inclusion (formerly known as Handicap International) and FWD Group recently announced a partnership to support youth with disabilities in Indonesia and the Philippines by improving their access to employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. The partnership is part of FWD Group’s wider Community Care programme which aims to advocate equal opportunities and empower people with disabilities…
The bucket list
(First of a series) “What goes on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoonand three in the evening?” asked the Sphinx. “Man” Oedipus answered after some thought. –Riddle of the Sphinx SO here you are in the late afternoon of your life. Sundown is on the horizon. The end game is in sight. You…
Cayetano: ‘Prove Philippines lost an island to China and I will quit’
The Philippines has not lost a single inch of its territory to China under President Rodrigo Duterte’s watch, according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, even promising to quit public office if proven otherwise. Cayetano on Monday, May 28, dared his critics to prove the Duterte administration failed in protecting the country’s rights over disputed…
Health care looms large in race for California’s top cop
Attorney General Xavier Becerra uses a well-worn refrain to describe his role as the state’s chief law enforcement officer: to defend California’s values. “If that translates into fighting Donald Trump, then so be it,” he said in a recent interview. Becerra has been one of the leading voices in California’s charge against the federal government,…
Five ballot propositions Californians will be voting for on June 5
The June primaries for the 2018 midterm elections are coming up which means that voters everywhere will be heading to the polls to vote for a number of local, state and federal measures and government officials. In California, in addition to the highly publicized gubernatorial and senatorial races, we will also be voting on eight…
Congratulations, Class of 2018: Honoring community colleges
MY DAUGHTER Katrina just graduated with an Associate’s degree in political science from San Mateo Community College here in California, and will be transferring to California State University in the fall to continue pursuing a bachelor’s degree. This was a choice she made as she wanted to be personally invested in her education and in…
What you need to know about pretax plans
THE only means an employer can offer employees between taxable and nontaxable benefits is through section 125 plan. What are a section 125 plan, a cafeteria plan, and the IRS requirements for this plan? 1. Cafeteria Plan: Cafeteria plan is a written plan maintained by employer for employees that meets the requirements and regulations of…
Conrad Ricamora stars in ‘Soft Power,’ a political musical from an Asian perspective
“Do you mind if I’m on the elliptical during this?” actor Conrad Ricamora asks on a recent afternoon during a phone interview. For the next 30 minutes, Ricamora talks about the latest stage role that has been filling his time before ABC’s legal drama series “How to Get Away with Murder” — in which he…
Affected transactions and sanctions under the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA)
AFFECTED Transactions A. Currency Transaction Report (CTR): You must report cash transactions in excess of $10,000 during the same business day. The amount over $10,000 can be either in one transaction or a combination of cash transactions. It is filed with the Internal Revenue Service. B. Monetary Instrument Log (MIL): You must indicate cash purchases…
USCIS tightens policy on student and exchange visitor violators
THE USCIS issued another Policy Memorandum on May 10, 2018, that imposes significant restrictions to F and M students, as well as J exchange visitors, who violate their status. The new policy will impose additional hurdles for legalizing the immigration status for those who violate their F, M, or J nonimmigrant status. The new policy…
Residing removal/ deportation order to allow for adjustment status
“ A typical scenarion involves a person who entered the US years ago on a B-2 tourist visa, overstayed and was ordered removed by the Immigration Court.” WE have all heard the popular saying, “Timing is everything.” Unfortunately, this saying often adversely applies to those persons who have found an avenue from which to obtain…
Clients seek to discharge $100K and $30K in credit card debt
Both qualify for different chapters of the bankruptcy code MOST debtors prefer to have a Chapter 7 wipe-out of debt. This is called a fresh start without debt. Most debtors who qualify for Chapter 7 debt relief get to keep everything they own but are able to get rid of all of their debt, thus,…
What is unlawful discrimination and how to protect against it
ON May 29, 2018, about 175,000 Starbucks workers at about 8,000 locations will undergo a training on race discrimination. The training session will focus on understanding both racial bias and the history of racial discrimination in public spaces in the United States. Starbucks announced the training session after two black men were arrested for allegedly…
Reinstating a deceased petitioner’s family-based petition
IT is very common for beneficiaries of family based petition to wait many years before their petition’s priority date becomes current. This is usually the case with US Citizen parent petitions to adult son or daughter. This is also common among petition’s between Siblings. What happens when the Petitioner dies? Are all those years of…