WE hear this a lot: Just keep repeating a lie, over and over, and people will believe it. A falsehood being told, people will still believe the lie if it’s repeated enough. Apparently, this has some scientific backing as evidenced by a 2015 Vanderbilt University study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology. This scientific…
IN the midst of the hype of the Dodgers games this past week, I felt a deep longing for my parents’ presence. Perhaps it’s because it’s that time of the year in the Church when we especially remember our deceased family members and friends. And so, on my day-off last Monday, I went to my…
It’s GAME ON for the remaining Binibining Pilipinas winners who are set to compete for their respective titles. With Philippine candidate Elizabeth Clenci being the first to fly off to Vietnam, where she was named Miss Grand International Second Runner-up, the pressure is surely heating up for the remaining six candidates including Miss World Philippines…
THE remaining days of our Western Europe tour seemed numbered after having covered vast areas in Spain and Portugal but enthusiasm grew even enormously zestful every passing day after having explored and visited various places with diverse historical and religious background we’re vaguely knowledgeable. Sunday, October 8: Burgos, Spain to Lourdes, France Lourdes, France, a…
THE remaining days of our Western Europe tour seemed numbered after having covered vast areas in Spain and Portugal but enthusiasm grew even enormously zestful every passing day after having explored and visited various places with diverse historical and religious background we’re vaguely knowledgeable. Sunday, October 8: Burgos, Spain to Lourdes, France Lourdes, France, a…
SINCE about 2004, USCIS had a policy that if an initial H-1B petition was approved, and the alien later applied for an extension, the officer adjudicating the extension was to show deference (respect for another person because of that person’s knowledge, experience, etc.), except in the limited circumstances where the officer processing the extension determined…
IN the past few months, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that, beginning October 1, 2017, it will expand in-person interviews for employment-based adjustment of status (“AOS” or “green card”) applicants. Historically, since the 1990s, USCIS adjudicated employment-based green card applications at service centers, without in-person interviews. The recent change in policy and…
At the 103rd Annual Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) last week in San Diego, California, I met several surgeons from the Philippines who flew in to attend congress. As a Fil-Am surgeon, I always enjoy and savor meeting my colleagues from my native land. One of them happened to be an…
IN series 1 we talked about the factors you need to consider before you decide choosing OIC, and meeting the compliance requirements before proceeding. If your offer is accepted, congratulations! What happens if your offer is rejected? Here’s what you need to do if you offer is rejected and you have disagreed items: • Offer…
THE TRUMP administration has claimed that the independent probe by Special Counsel Robert Mueller on the alleged collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election is ending because of lack of evidence. However, the fact is: the case has moved forward with the indictment of Trump’s former top…
The Philippine economy is booming. With more foreign players starting to invest in the country, there is no better time to harness the good prospect of doing business in the Philippines than now. Despite some tough times, the country is still able to offer the best investment opportunities. The country is entering a “golden age…
GIVEN the lack of Filipino representation in the international gaming industry, a group of Filipino-Americans is seeking to change that with the development of a Filipino fantasy video game. Set during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines during World War II, “The Girl Who Sees” is a 2D point-and-click adventure role-playing game (RPG) that follows…
IT was the spring of 1965, and in Coachella Valley, California, grape season was starting. Many of the workers in the grape fields were Filipinos, who had just discovered that they were being paid 15 cents less than former braceros (Mexican citizens who came to California to work in the fields). Braceros were making $1.40…
THE client is 60 & his wife is 58. He issued his check to pay rent of $1,200 but the check was dishonored for insufficient funds. The landlord called him to tell him that his rent check bounced. The client was surprised that his check bounced because he had at least $5,000 in the checking…
IF you are experiencing debt problems, you may find it difficult to talk to other people about it to the point that you are not getting the help that you need to find a solution. I understand. Debt is a very personal matter so most people don’t feel comfortable discussing it with anyone. Like most…
THE FILIPINO CHANNEL’s daily newscast “Balitang America” has been covering the plight of our Filipino World War II veterans since the program started airing 15 years ago. In all those 15 years, we have seen how demoralized and frustrated these Filipino veterans had been for hoping, year after year, that their sacrifices would finally be…
”He said to them: You shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” — Matthew 22:37-40 THEY were beautiful and heartwarming wedding ceremonies: an intimate one…
“THE radiant glow of my bride is simply breathtaking.” This was what people have told me about beautiful actress Joyce Jimenez, and countless other brides that have trusted me to be part of their very special day. Even after many years of making brides shine on their wedding day, I still have this important task—to…
After merely 4 days of non-stop road trip that was unambiguously physically arduous while gradually declining our vitality (not to mention thinning our wallets), our group’s committed enthusiasm to further explore what this side of western Europe has in store for us indubitably kept us agile and on our high spirits. October 5 & 6,…
Fil-Am Hollywood honcho Dean Devlin has stepped a bit outside his comfort zone and made his feature film directorial debut with the suspense sci-fi thriller “Geostorm”, starring an international array of Hollywood stars led by Gerard Butler, Jim Sturgess, Abbie Cornish, Andy Garcia and Ed Harris, among others. While “Geostorm” is still in theaters, Devlin…
After merely 4 days of non-stop road trip that was unambiguously physically arduous while gradually declining our vitality (not to mention thinning our wallets), our group’s committed enthusiasm to further explore what this side of western Europe has in store for us indubitably kept us agile and on our high spirits. October 5 & 6,…
ON October 12, 2017, several passengers aboard a domestic Delta flight from San Francisco to New York, filed a lawsuit against U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), alleging a violation of their Fourth Amendment rights against illegal search and seizure. According to the allegations/claims in that lawsuit, on February 22, 2017 CBP stopped and searched…
Except for infectious, congenital diseases, and rarer maladies, the most common major illnesses today are caused by four main risk factors, for which I have coined the acronym: TABA, which happens to be the Filipino word for fat, for easy remembrance. However, in this context, I am not relating it to weight or BMI (Body…
A consistent provider of homes designed to please the senses at the most happening locations, Avida is taking convergence to a whole new level with Avida Towers One Union Place at ARCA South, Ayala Land’s newest emerging growth center in the metro. This 74-hectare central business and lifestyle district located in the former Food Terminal…
With reports from Victor Sy Despite being nicknamed “Ruthless”, there’s nothing heartless nor callous about Romero Duno. At first impression, Duno comes off as shy and rather humble despite gaining new attention in the professional boxing world — that itself is noteworthy in a sport full of strong-egoed athletes. But, as the adage says, “actions…
BEGINNING on March 27, 2017, new offer in compromise (OIC) applications plus fee will be returned by IRS if all required income returns have not been filed unless there is a valid extension for the current year. Is the OIC right for you? Here are some TIPS before choosing this option: • Financial hardship. OIC…
THINKING about one’s demise is not something people want to spend time thinking about. However reality is that we all have to face this one day. It is just a matter of whether you depart this world prepared or unprepared. If you pass away with at least $150,000 in gross assets and you do not…
TRUMP and DUTERTE. They like each other a lot. They only have accolades for each other, pretty much like Trump and Putin. It’s a stark contrast with the tense relationship Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had with Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama, whom he cursed because the 44th president of the United States openly said he wished…
IS it really over? On Monday, Oct. 23, the Philippine Department of Defense (DND) formally announced the termination of the government’s combat operations in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur. This development comes a week after President Rodrigo Duterte declared the liberation of the besieged city from the influence of terrorist groups. It has been five…
The Department of Tourism (DOT) welcomed the lifting of the moratorium on educational tours and fields trips by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) imposed in the aftermath of a bus accident in Tanay, Rizal sometime in February. “Educational tours and field trips provide the experiential learning that complements the subjects taught in the classroom…
