Seeking asylum
(Part 2 of 2) Asylum applications are filed to avail of protection in the United States due to persecution or fear of persecution “due to race, religion, political opinion,…
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Depression is great risk factor in suicide
Depression is a most significant risk factor in suicide. In today’s busy, impatient, materialistic, and fast-paced society, people are subjected to various stressors in life everyday. Encumbered by their personal…
Single moms in their multi-tasking, complicated world: The struggles and joys of doing it alone
ONE of my very close friends is a single mother. After a failed marriage, she had an affair with a married man and unexpectedly got pregnant. I didn’t know…
Tips to protect your company from worker classification audits
PART 1 THE focus of an audit is whether independent contractors should actually be treated as employees. The unpaid taxes for misclassified employees include income taxes, federal unemployment, and FICA…
The ‘war on drugs’: Saying too much is saying nothing
Social media have been abuzz over a tweet attributed to Dr. Agnes Callamard, Special Rapporteur from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, who was recently…
The PDAF queen is back
AFTER managing to stay under the radar while being incarcerated for one of the biggest scandals in Philippine politics, pork barrel or Philippine Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam mastermind Janet…
On leading future shepherds
I TOLD a friend one day that I probably have one of the best jobs in the seminary. I get to teach and observe seminarians on parish internship engage in…
Store manager needs bankruptcy relief
“ The Chapter 13 trustee, unlike the Chapter 7 trustee, does not have the power to sell debtor’s house. So, in Chapter 13, there is no risk of losing debtor’s…
Provisional waiver available even with deportation order
QUESTION: I have heard that the provisional waivers have expanded. I have a prior deportation order and have been so afraid to have my spouse petition me because I thought…
Bifurcation and status only divorce
“ Under the Family Code, a spouse can “bifurcate” the issue of marital status and terminate the marriage without having to wait until the issues pertaining to property, support, and…
Business tax changes under Trump tax plan
A MAJOR thrust of the Trump Tax Plan is to bring back jobs to America. Large multi-nationals left and set up operations in foreign countries to avoid our corporate tax…
Bankruptcy can offer hope when life doesn’t seem fair
WE’VE all been there. Those moments when almost anything that could go wrong DOES go wrong in our finances. As human beings, we all want to be safe and secure…
A personal account of the 1992 Los Angeles riots
The Los Angeles riots of 1992 are among a few moments that are seared in my memory. It was mid afternoon on Wednesday April 29, when I got a call…
The beautiful world of Camille Agbayani
Her positive energy radiates across the room. Her disarming beauty makes it hard to believe that beyond her imperial persona is a beautiful person who makes a living by making…
Angels of mercy in the medical arena
Nursing is most certainly a world in itself. Even as the American health care debate rages, these remarkable men and women quietly continue to provide the day to day grit…
Dr. Joven P. Dungo unbolts his munificent heart so that others may live
Choosing a career path puts one in a thorny, unfathomable crossroad hard to decide… or deal with it pragmatically and face the consequences brought about by an erroneous pursuit. Like…
I came to the US under a different name; is there hope for me?
DEAR Atty. Gurfinkel: I came to the US under a different name on a visitor’s visa. The passport and visa had my picture, but somebody else’s name. I still have…
California divorce frequently asked questions
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…
Seeking asylum
(Part 1 of 2) Back in the 70’s and early 80’s, when the New People’s Army (NPA)and other militant organizations were a potent disruptive force in Philippine society even if…
Is CPAP for you?
What is CPAP? CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, the best treatment, the accepted evidence-based standard of care, for persons with confirmed Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). What is OSA?…
National Nurses Week: Celebrating Filipino nurses’ contributions to the US
The United States will observe National Nurses Week in the coming week with festivities beginning on Saturday, May 6 through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of…
Interesting facts about nursing
• THE word “nurse” means many things to many different people. However, AllNurses.com traces the origins of the word back to the 13th century from the Latin “nurtrire,” referring to…
New California laws
EACH year brings hundreds of new laws to Californians and the year 2017 is no exception. Cell phones while driving AB No. 1785: Any electronic devices including smart phones will…
How courts determine child custody in california
“ Child custody comes in two parts, physical custody and legal custody.” ONE of the most emotional aspect of a marital dissolution case is dealing with Child custody issues. Sadly…
The Duterte and Marcos US trips, a case of déjà vu
President Rodrigo Duterte has been invited by President Donald Trump to the United States. I seem to have seen this scene before. A case of déjà vu. In September 1982,…
Can adopted children petition biological family members?
DEAR Atty. Gurfinkel: Before I was 16 years old, I was adopted and petitioned by my aunt, and got my green card through her petition. I am now a US…
Kindly men called doctors
Everyone pretty much agrees that if you exercise and eat right and don’t smoke or drink or annoy a cop, you’ll never die. I have been told that by my…
Christ’s presence within us
“ The words of Jesus at the end of Matthew’s Gospel are the promise of Christ’s abiding love for us through His Spirit present in the world. “And behold, I…
Lourdes, Aida and Gisele: The three faces of ‘A Beautiful Life’
Living ‘beautiful lives’ means living with passion, dedication and sacrifice. And these four amazing women of the Filipino-American community tell us how they do it. Meet the Queen of Queens…