I JUST moved to California last month, and I’d like to file for divorce. Can I file now? To file for divorce in the State of California, the person filing (called the “Petitioner”) must first meet the jurisdictional requirements: (i) residence in the state of California for the past six (6) months; and (ii)…
What is “sore eyes”? Sore eyes, medically known as conjunctivitis, is a highly contagious infection of the eyes, commonly cause by an adenovirus. There are several serotypes of adenoviruses. The incubation period (from time of exposure to appearance of symptoms) is 5 to 12 days. The conjunctiva (thin lining of upper and lowers eyelids that…
IF you receive an IRS notice, keep the following suggestions in mind: • Be alarmed, but do not panic. Call your tax professional for guidance. Do not delay your response. Mail your response at least one-week before the specified deadline. • Do not ignore the notice. Read the notice very carefully and understand what have…
THE White House is in chaos, but let us look at the glimmer of hope in President Donald Trump’s appointment of General John Kelly as chief of staff, replacing Reince Priebus, who reportedly served for the shortest time in White House history — January 20 to July 27, 2017. Kelly previously served as the secretary…
During the early morning of Sunday, July 30, members of the Philippine National Police and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), armed with search warrants, raided homes of alleged illegal drug personalities in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental. Mayor Reynaldo “Aldong” Parojinog Sr. and his wife died during the raid on their house, while 13 other…
City promises economic upturn leading up to the games After weeks of negotiations, the City of Los Angeles has finally locked in a deal with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to host the 2028 Summer Olympics, a move that officials are confident will be financially advantageous. The deal brings the Summer Games back to LA…
Rep. Judy Chu, Fil-Am actor/activist Lou Diamond Phillips discuss importance of mobilizing the AAPI electorate By now, many are seeing the significance of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) electorate following the 2016 general election. Particularly, the AAPI community won big during the Senate races and AAPI voter turnout was the largest in American…
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 sometimes are not offered any explanation for the divorce petition by their spouse. You may start getting upset about how this can happen to you…
FREAK accident liability I want to discuss the client with the freak accident first. The first client is 45. This is really a very unusual case. In fact, I have never encountered a case like this before in the last 30 years. The client has a rental condo that needs plumbing repair because of a…
Q: I am a registered nurse in the Philippines but I have not yet obtained a license in California. However, I am working as a ‘private nurse’ to a bed-ridden patient in Los Angeles. My duties are mainly nursing duties – tube feedings, inserting catheter, tracheal suctioning, observing and recording vital signs, administering therapies prescribed…
Q: I AM a body builder and just won a big amateur contest. Can I come and work in the U.S. on some type of visa? A: Yes, there is what is known as the P Visa. The P-1A is for a person who performs as an athlete, individually or as part of a group…
YOU’LL be happy to note that the IRS also gets audited. It’s audited by the Treasury Department to determine whether tax compliance officers conduct required filing checks in accordance with IRS policies and procedures. In particular, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA, an agency that oversees the IRS) instructed the IRS to expand…
INDIVIDUALS who have accumulated excessive debt are often left to ponder whether they should file bankruptcy in order to get out of debt. Sometimes, these people feel that somehow, they’ve lost, failed, or that they will never have a chance to rebuild their credit again. Because we are living in a society where having a…
SURPRISE! President Donald Trump woke up on the morning of Wednesday, July 26, and announced via Twitter that transgenders (those born with a certain gender but identify self with another gender) will now be banned from serving in the U.S. military in any capacity: “After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised…
GRAMMY Award-winning artist Bruno Mars is bringing his “24K Magic World Tour” concert to Manila on May 3, 2018, at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena in Pasay City. Concert promoter, Music Management International (MMI Live), confirmed the news on social media on Thursday, July 27. The album, “24K Magic” already hit the 1 million…
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…
Filipina thespians Rachelle Ann Go and Christine Allado are both embarking on a major career move as both will star this fall in the West End production of “Hamilton: An American Musical.” The two ladies will take on the roles of the Schuyler sisters: Rachelle Ann will be Eliza Schuyler Hamilton while Christine will take…
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…
