Getting to know Miss Universe-Philippines 2017 Rachel Peters
I have caught wind of the latest update regarding Miss Universe 2017 that is happening on November 26 at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. The Philippines’ representative to Miss Universe…
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A Filipino-inspired menu for this Thanksgiving holiday
Filipinos are known to be adaptive and creative. Whenever we try to assimilate something, be it language or food, we are fond of reinventing and putting a fresh Filipino spin…
December 2017 priority dates
F-1 and F-2B retrogress! THE December 2017 priority dates bring bad news for those Filipinos petitioned as adult single children of US citizens (F-1) or green card holders (F-2B). •…
Policy changes for employment-based petitions, heightened scrutiny for fraud and misrepresentation
CHANGES in adjudications of H-1B renewal petitions. On October 23, 2017, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that under updated policy guidance USCIS is instructing its officers to apply…
Monkeypox, toxic foods and hepatitis
What is Monkeypox? Monkeypox is a viral disease that is on the headlines today. It is characterized by pox lesions on the skin and is closely related to, but not…
Soaring the sky with the US Army Golden Knights
“Arch. Relax. Have fun.” Sounds easy, right? Along with 14 other people — consisting of educators from the LA Unified School District and representatives from the Los Angeles Police Department…
Tips to remember when you owe the IRS: Series 2
” If you cannot pay your tax liability in full, request for an installment agreement.” IF you cannot pay your tax liability in full, request for an…
Filipino first responders, nurses, and volunteers honored as heroes in the wake of the Last Vegas massacre
IT has been a little over a month since Stephen Paddock opened fire on the night of the Route 91 Country Music Festival in the Las Vegas Strip last October…
What’s on your Fil-Am table this Thanksgiving?
AS Thanksgiving Day approaches, many families in the U.S. have begun pulling out family recipes for apple pie, reserving holiday turkeys, and stocking up on staples like potatoes, gravy, and…
Disclosure and characterization of overseas assets in divorce
IN a divorce proceeding, people sometimes have a misconception that the only assets or properties that have to disclose assets and properties situated in California. Even worst, sometimes parties even…
Seniors need relief from big HELOC 2nd trust deed and $40K credit cards
Senior loses job, needs chapter 7 debt relief THE clients are 63 and 64. They are young seniors. Up to 65, you are a young senior in my book. You…
Notifying the employer of your disability
A doctor’s note may save your job RUTH Featherstone worked for Southern California Permanente Medical Group. She suffered from a sinus condition that required surgery. After several weeks of disability…
Don’t let ICE agents bully you!
QUESTION: I have a friend that was ‘visited’ by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. They told him that he had no rights and that he was going to detention…
Should you form a partnership?
YOU may choose to run your business as a partnership. A Partnership is an association of two or more persons as co-owners who intend to carry on a business for…
Is filing bankruptcy really worth it?
WHEN you are facing money troubles, sometimes bankruptcy can be the quickest and best way to get out of debt and get immediate relief from stress and anxiety. But is…
Making an apple look like a banana
In the wake of President Donald Trump’s self-serving assertion that any unflattering media reports about him are “fake news,” CNN, which has been among Trump’s most persistent critics, has launched…
Balitang America @ 15: The inside stories of the Filipino Channel’s reporters, producers
NEWS ANCHOR. That is my job title. I present the news every day. You see me on camera leading in to stories or doing live interviews, moderating debates, and weaving all the…
On keeping the lamps of our faith burning
WE know people who recovered from a stroke, survived a cancer, or escaped a fatal accident. We may think that they have learned and lived the most spoken lesson that…
Jestoni Alarcon and his journey to success
Reconnecting with my friends in the Philippines is always such a wonderful opportunity. I was so happy when Jestoni Alarcon and his wife Lizette invited me over for a dinner…
PACCAL turns 25, honors Silver Jubilarians, avows unremitting advocacy
After two decades and 5 years since its inception in 1992, PACCAL, (the Pan American Concerned Citizens Action League, Inc.), has productively carried out its advocacy and successfully achieved its…
PACCAL turns 25, honors Silver Jubilarians, avows unremitting advocacy
After two decades and 5 years since its inception in 1992, PACCAL, (the Pan American Concerned Citizens Action League, Inc.), has productively carried out its advocacy and successfully achieved its…
You don’t need a Philippine annulment to get married in the U.S.
DEAR Attorney Gurfinkel: I have been out of status in the U.S. since 2010. I’ve been separated from my husband since 2003, and he already has another family in the…
Petitioning children of your spouse from a previous marriage
“ Instead of marrying the biological parent, the U.S. citizen petitioner can just file a fiancé petition for the biological parent.” A STEPPARENT may file an immigrant petition for a stepchild even…
Medical journal updates
Today, about 1.25 billion people smoke cigarettes, and one billion deaths from tobacco-related illness are expected, ten times more compared to the toll in the 20th century. The deadly habit…
Penalty relief: How to establish reasonable cause
PENALTY could still be relived even if you fail to file your tax returns and pay taxes owed if you have reasonable cause. How to establish reasonable cause • Facts….
Avoid the bondage of debt, especially seniors
ACCUMULATING debt is the easiest thing you can do in America. Even your dog can get credit cards with a fake social security number. If you are an immigrant and…
The Filipino Channel’s ‘Balitang America’ turns 15
Documentary airs on November 12 “BALITANG AMERICA” (BA), the daily newscast of ABS-CBN International’s The Filipino Channel, is celebrating its 15th year and has become the leading source for Filipinos…
Safety first
“Generally, it is safe to work, study, do business, and travel in the Philippines.” This was what newly appointed Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque assured foreign embassies following the fresh travel…
The Stripboys (Almost) Bare All on Asia’s Got Talent
MANILA (November 3, 2017) Season 2 of Asia’s Got Talent is revealing even more talent from the Philippines! Meet this group of cheeky dancers who calls themselves ‘The Stripboys’. They…
SoCal Edison to increase carbon-free resources to local, disadvantaged communities
One of the nation’s largest electric utilities, Southern California Edison (SCE), released on Tuesday, October 31, a strategic framework to help California meet climate and air quality goals by 2030….