While all roads will lead to the Hilton Meadowlands Hotel along Meadowlands Plaza in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Friday, August 11, 2017 at 7 PM for the 9th Grand People’s Ball, every guest will indubitably experience that bizarre feeling of inquisitiveness about the impressive line-up of diverse personalities performing at the most awaited prelude…
While working in the banking industry for years, Matina CEO and Founder Margot Bautista Henry found herself looking to replenish her wardrobe. She sought to support Filipino-made, or designed clothes she could wear to work, but somehow her search in the United States fell short. “My searches would always come up with Filipiniana clothing, terno,…
ON July 20, 2017 Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced a bipartisan bill (supported by Democrats and Republicans), called the Dream Act of 2017, which would provide a pathway to lawful permanent resident status to young people brought to the U.S. at an early age. The Dream Act would differ from Deferred…
WHAT makes a non-citizen deportable? An alien or non-citizen, including a lawful permanent resident (“green card” holder) is deportable for having a conviction relating to controlled substances. Title 8 U.S.C. Section 1227(a)(2)(B)(i) states: “Any alien who at any time after admission has been convicted of a violation of . . . any law or regulation…
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warning on the use of tanning beds at home and at tanning salons: tanning increases the risk for melanoma, a deadly skin cancer, up to 59 percent! More than 2.5 million teens, mostly girls, use tanning booths each year in the U.S. Just like with…
WE all know that aside from cheesy and a la Cinderella-turned-princess movie plots, Filipinos love horror, fantasy and folklores. It doesn’t come as a surprise then when a TV series with such themes drive us crazy to the point of drooling in front of the television. However, it takes a certain mastery in direction and…
It’s no secret that Los Angeles is home to one of the largest Filipino populations outside of the Philippines. Filipinos have made their mark in various facets of the city, whether it’s entertainment, business or politics. Many have even been involved with the inner workings of LA to ensure that it is functioning properly and…
THE bills described in this Rental Property Owner and Mangers Guide are rental housing related bills that were signed into law in 2016 and become effective January 1, 2017 unless otherwise specified. Certified Access Specialist Inspections AB 2093. Beginning January 1, 2017 to make sure that properties are in compliance with disability access laws, commercial…
Two weeks ago at the first meeting of Asian and European Political Parties in the Asia-Europe Political Forum (AEPF) held in Seoul, July 6-10, 2017, we listed the major conflict areas in Asia and some of their extensions in Africa and at the same time pointed to some of the successful but seldom mentioned geo-political…
MY HEART goes out to Attorney General Jeff Sessions. As you are reading this piece, the man President Donald Trump appointed to be his Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary may either have been fired or has resigned, following the barrage of tweets the president has made on Twitter over the past several days that publicly…
Unfazed by the criticism coming from the government of the United States, Malacañang on Friday, July 21 said the ‘real judge’ of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war is no one else but the Filipino people. In a press conference hours after a U.S. Congress hearing on the Philippines’ anti-illegal drug campaign, Duterte’s spokesperson, Ernesto…
THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) is encouraging Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to use the tax-free “Balikbayan Box” program, saying that no one has availed of it yet as of this month. “We are encouraging the OFWs to avail of this program. Isa itong pagpaparangal sa ating mga OFWs (This is one way of recognizing our…
WHENEVER I see glossy posters of folks waving happily as they hop on a plane, I realize what a lying society we live in today. Nobody is happy, hanging 35,000 feet in the sky, cocooned inside the belly of a heavy metal container because it does funny things to one’s guts. Yet every flight begins…
WHILE my audit tips usually focus on how you—the taxpayer—should conduct yourself, let’s look at how IRS agents are trained to conduct themselves when they interview you. Let’s change roles and learn how they work you over, I mean, work with you—from the agent’s perspective. IRS auditors are trained to: • Maintain a friendly and…
CLIENT no. 1 is 50 years old and the manager of a big retail store. He’s been working there for 30 years. Spouse got into an accident and is now on disability. He owns a house with $200K of equity. He has believe it or not, 11 children from age 2 to 18. Just imagine…
(Why employees are suing Nike) OMRAN Hamid worked at a Nike store in San Clemente for 15 months. He filed a class action case against Nike, claiming, among other things, that Nike required its minimum-wage employees to buy and pay for Nike-branded clothes as a condition of employment. Hamid alleged that they had to wear…
ALL property, real or personal, wherever situated, acquired by a married person during the marriage while domiciled in California is community property. Family Code 760. However, there are situations in which the marriage may be held to be null and void. These situations include, but are not limited to entering into a bigamous marriage, fraud…
DO you have debt problems that you don’t know how to handle? Are you considering filing for bankruptcy but are afraid that it will only make your situation worse? Have you recently been sued by creditors and are afraid of what they might do next? If you are struggling with debt problems and are starting…
IN the Philippines, many Pinoys do not have a car. If they do — it is one car per family. There are jeeps, tricycles, taxis (calesas in the olden days), pedicab, etc. to help us go from Point A to Point B. But here in the U.S., that can be a problem especially if you…
President Rodrigo Duterte will soon have his highest-ranking representative in Washington to serve as the Philippine ambassador to the United States, replacing the previous envoy who stepped down from his post more than a year ago. Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano in a television interview revealed that the department is eyeing…
Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance, California has received a $20 million donation from philanthropists Priscilla Hunt and the late Donald G. Hunt, the hospital announced last week. It is the largest donation ever given to the Catholic not-for-profit hospital and will be used to support Little Company of Mary’s Cardiovascular Center…
Top court rules against Trump’s request to expand the controversial travel policy The United States Supreme Court this week ruled in favor of a lower court opinion that temporarily banned extended family members of American citizens from six Muslim-majority nations. The highest court in the U.S. on Wednesday, July 19 voted to allow a ruling…
SOME Mindanao leaders were in defense and even expressed their optimism despite the recent snubbing by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) of its rival Moro group, Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). On Monday, July 17, MILF Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim did not mention MNLF as he acknowledged the different groups that helped in…
WE have a fascinating Old Testament reading (1 Kings 3-5, 7-12) for this Sunday’s Mass. The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night to tell him, “Ask something of me, and I will give it to you.” Worried about the tremendous task of governing God’s people, the young Solomon answered, “Give your servant,…
The sixth installation of the Miss Philippines USA 2017 and Miss Young Philippines 2017 held last Sunday, July 16 at the Alex Theatre in Glendale proved to be one of the most successful Filipino-American pageants in Southern California. This year had the most number of contestants with 33 candidates vying for the crown. “This year…
For his second State of the Nation Address (SONA), Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is set to deliver a “direct to the point” speech that will run for about 50 minutes, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar disclosed on Friday, July 21. Andanar, who was present during Duterte’s rehearsal at the presidential guest house in Davao City on…
Psychedelic Information Brought to You By Tripsitter The People’s Ball, Fiesta in America’s preliminary episode and an elegantly schemed prelude to the two-day exposition and cultural indoor event, has consistently been a most-awaited and hugely attended summer social gathering this side of the east coast primarily due to its diversely themed fête and ambitiously conceptualized…
Psychedelic Information Brought to You By Tripsitter The People’s Ball, Fiesta in America’s preliminary episode and an elegantly schemed prelude to the two-day exposition and cultural indoor event, has consistently been a most-awaited and hugely attended summer social gathering this side of the east coast primarily due to its diversely themed fête and ambitiously conceptualized…
BRITISH rock band Coldplay celebrates the contributions of immigrants to the United States in their new lyric video titled “Miracles (Someone Special),” which also features Big Sean. The video also showcases America’s long history of welcoming immigrants from all over the world. It features photographs of immigrants arriving at New York City’s Ellis Island from…
ONE of the cornerstones of U.S. constitutional law is “equal protection”. That means people in similar situations should be treated the same. There should be no favoritism, such as on the basis of sex\gender. Men and women should be treated equally under the law. In a recent Supreme Court decision, Sessions vs. Morales-Santana, the Supreme…
