Realities of aging
Last February 28, 2018, my wife, Farida, and I arrived at the Los Angeles International Airport from Manila, following our two medical missions in the Philippines. While waiting at the…
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Fil-Am Chef Barb Batiste turns to Filipino classics at Big Boi on Sawtelle
Sawtelle Boulevard in West Los Angeles is another haven for those with eager tastebuds and stomachs, as blocks are lined with sushi bars, ramen places, and Boba tea shops, as…
Fil-Am owned café pushes Philippine-sourced coffee beans, Filipino dessert flavors in drinks
Despite the ubiquity of coffee giants, neighborhood cafés are still appreciated by locals, and for visitors, it’s the best way to get a glimpse into the local scene. If you…
Seven things you should not do when served with divorce papers by your spouse
FOR most people, being served with divorce papers by your spouse is probably one of the biggest surprises in your life. The spouse in the receiving end of the divorce…
In pursuit of lasting peace (Part 2)
(Part 2 of 3) (Remarks of Hon. Jose De Venecia, Former Speaker, Philippine House of Representatives; Founding Chairman, International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP); Co-Chairman, International Association of Parliamentarians…
17 school shootings in the first 11 weeks of 2018: Has America been desensitized to gun violence?
WHEN will the murder of innocent children and civilians due to the gun violence epidemic ever end in America? Just on Tuesday, March 20, an armed student in Lexington Park,…
Solar energy credit for residential
A SOLAR electric residential property to be qualified for the credit must meet the following requirements: 1. Costs paid must be for qualified for solar electric property. 2. Qualified solar…
Duterte: PH won’t join US expeditions
The Philippines will not participate in any joint expeditions with the United States, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday, March 21. Duterte remarked that the Philippines would “stand on our…
Business owner files Chapter 7 due to $1-M labor lawsuits
THE client is 65. He operates a service-oriented business with three outlets in strip malls. He has been in business for eight years. Of the three outlets, two are losing…
Reporting undocumented workers to ICE by employer’s representative is unlawful
In 1995, José Arias, an undocumented immigrant, began work as a milker for Angelo Dairy. Two years later, Arias wanted to accept a job offer with another dairy company. The…
Maximizing recovery in personal injury cases
Under Howell v. Hamilton Meats & Provisions (2011) 52 C.4th 541, the California Supreme Court ruled that persons who are injured and who are pursuing a personal injury claim cannot…
Q&A: What to expect during an IRS audit
HOW did I get selected for an audit? • Random selection and computer screening – how your return compares to norms. • Related party examinations - transactions with partners, investors, or audits…
Bankruptcy: Making the law work to your benefit
When your financial circumstances are forcing you to declare bankruptcy, bankruptcy can be one way of dealing with debts that you can no longer manage on your own. Of course,…
Balitang America presents ‘Lost and Found’: An original documentary on Filipino orphaned children who found their new homes in America
When we see a lot of homeless children roaming the streets of Manila, or kids who have lost their parents tossed from one house or orphanage to another, we can’t…
On listening in silence to God’s voice
I heard this beautiful story last week from a group of Lebanese Maronite Catholics during my visit to St. Maron’s Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In a mother’s womb were two…
April 2018 priority dates
EACH month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family and employment based categories. A…
Love and pain: Domestic violence and US immigration laws
IT’S Valentine’s Day and Malena woke up to a bouquet of bright red roses and a box of chocolates by her bedside. There was a handwritten note from her husband,…
Aphrodisiac dangers
What are aphrodisiacs? Aphrodisiacs are pro-sexual drugs or substances that will heighten libido (sexual desire), orgasm (ecstasy and pleasure) and performance in males and females, not partner-specific. As society gets…
Client seeks Chapter 7 relief again for $48K in credit card debt
WHO said that, first is chance, twice is coincidence and third is habit? I have two new clients who are actually previous clients. The first is 55 and she filed…
FATCA reminder for US persons
THE Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) requires foreign financial Institutions and other non-financial foreign entities to report on the foreign assets held by their U.S. account holders or be…
In pursuit of lasting peace (Part 1)
(Part 1 of 3) (Remarks of Hon. Jose De Venecia, Former Speaker, Philippine House of Representatives; Founding Chairman, International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP); Co-Chairman, International Association of Parliamentarians…
Republicans on House Intelligence Committee end Russia probe, break away from US intelligence community to conclude Putin did not help Trump win
‘No Collusion’ WHAT’S THE RUSH? Republican members of the House Intelligence Committee this week ended the year-long Russia probe without informing the Democrats in the committee, announcing that Russian President…
Charging different prices to consumers based on age may be discrimination
TINDER is a smartphone-based dating app. Subscribers use the app to find people whom they would like to date. Tinder presents users with photos of potential dates. In March 2015,…
Can I obtain a divorce if my spouse refuses to sign?
THERE seems to be a misconception in the general public that you can only obtain a divorce in California if your spouse will sign the divorce papers. I get this…
Are you thinking of debt settlement to avoid bankruptcy?
YOU’VE probably seen a lot of these ads: “Settle your debts for pennies on the dollar!”, “Reduce your debts legally without filing bankruptcy!” “Stop bill collectors now and pay them…
The future of California’s businesses require a sustainable, energy efficient approach
With nearly 5 million Asian Americans residing in California—approximately one-third of the U.S.’s estimated 15 million Asian Americans—we have an immense responsibility to take care of the state where we…
US President Trump to meet with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un: A start of peace in the region?
AFTER months of kindergarten playground bickering and name-calling long distance between these two unpredictable and narcissistic leaders as to who has a bigger nuclear arsenal that works, U.S. President Donald…
Only by God’s grace
I ADMIT that there have been times in my life when my faith and prayer have run dry. What do I mean? It means that even in my life as…
Jerome Orillaza Robielos: Indefatigably chasing his elusive star
“Every man bears surreptitious pains which the world knows not…and oftentimes his silence is mistaken for taciturnity when it was merely reticence…for there are wounds that never show swelling but…
Ice targeting those with Dui convictions
As part of its “enforcement priorities,” Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced the recent arrest of over two dozen people with DUI convictions in connection with “Operation Secure Streets.” According…