SIMBANG GABI, or dawn mass, heralds the official start of Christmas among Filipinos, kicking off in the wee hours of the morning of December 16, for nine consecutive days. This dawn mass is also a novena, and completing all nine days has been a “panata” or offering/ sacrifice as a way of preparing one’s heart…
It is not Christmas fever or holiday blues, but a full spectrum of a human condition of what is to be sick, to be cured, to lose and to triumph. This bronchial curse, you can hear inside the church, meetings or theaters like some coughing symphony that starts on cue. Some call it the sickness…
While everybody’s feeling jolly and bright, the world of beauty pageants is gearing up for the Miss World 2016 event which will be held on Sunday, December 18 in Washington D.C. It is with pride that I express my support for our candidate Ms. Catriona Gray. This 22-year-old Australian-Filipino model, singer, and blogger has been making us proud since she rose…
THERE were a lot of people at the LA Cathedral on Thursday, December 15. The rain did not stop them, mostly our kababayans, from coming to the opening Mass of Simbang Gabi. By the time that representatives of different Filipino organizations and ministries paraded their parols, accompanied by the triumphant voices of choir members from…
If the world is a stage and each has to play a part…easily then, a camera is one imperative device that will capture every single facet of one’s performance. Its importance isn’t mainly in the gadget but in the wonders it produces. Since we consistently wanted to record and preserve monumental occurrences, there ought to…
EACH month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family and employment based categories. A priority date is a person’s “place in line” for a visa, meaning immigrant visas (or green cards) would be available for persons whose priority date…
IN this day and age of health consciousness and the appreciation of the value and role of weight on longevity, interest in weight control and dieting is greater than ever, especially during holiday seasons. This leads to the question as to what controls our appetite. What triggers hunger and satiety? The urge to eat (hungry…
WHEN a legal permanent resident files for citizenship, one of the questions being asked of the applicant is whether the applicant has ever been convicted or charged with a crime. Depending on the nature of the crime committed, a criminal conviction may result in a permanent bar to an applicant for citizenship. If an applicant…
These are Filipinos who are living and working in the United States without the required immigration papers, while some have benefitted from President Barack Obama’s DREAM Act — deportation relief measures that protect these young people brought to the United States as kids and have considered America their home. However, President-elect Trump has vowed to…
A Filipino sweet soup snack perfect for chilly winter nights Contributed by Sarahlynn Pablo / Filipino Kitchen Beyond the brown sugar and coconut milk, my aunt said, any available fruit or vegetable may be used for the Filipino ginataan recipe below, like taro root (gabi), corn (mais), even mongo beans or guava (this last one she said…
Though born and raised in the Bay Area, Chef Eric Pascual spent a good amount of his childhood in Hawaii. His passion for cooking started at a young age when he was introduced to cooking by his grandparents and parents. Chef Eric’s family told him that he share his grandfather’s passion for cooking, who would…
Ingredients: • Meat from 2 large Dungeness crab (approximately 1 lb. of meat) • ½ lb. shrimp (shells removed) • 1 cup green jackfruit, chopped (fresh or 1 can large, seeds removed) • 3 tbsp bagoong (shrimp paste) • 2 tbsp patis/fish sauce • 5 garlic cloves, minced • 1 onion, minced • 1 1/2…
Ingredients: • 3 ½ cups of frozen grated cassava or fresh cassava if available • 1 ½ cup evaporated milk (or ¾ cup of whole milk and ¼ cup half and half ) • 2 eggs • ½ cup cane sugar • ½ cup condensed milk • 1 can coconut milk (13.5 oz.) • pinch…
There is no doubt that Christmas is one of the Filipinos’ favorite holidays. Aside from having the longest holiday season (starting in September until January), Christmas is the time for parties, gift-giving, and of course, a multitude of culinary delights. On Christmas Eve, the last Mass of Simbang Gabi is attended; and then noche buena…
One night about two years ago, Romeo Garcia decided it was time to take a “creative sabbatical” from his career in academia. Over the past six years, Garcia — who was then a dean of special programs and grants at Merritt College in Oakland, California — had been attending chocolate making workshops on weekends as…
JANUARY 31, 2017 is the new deadline for filing 2016 Forms W-2 and W-3 both in paper forms and electronic. If you need 30-day extension complete Form 8809. There are penalties for the late filing of W2s for employee compensation payments and Form1099 Misc for non-employee compensation payments in box 7.These penalties are based on…
“I WILL continue to fight against things I do not believe in. If being an opposition leader entails that, then I will be an opposition leader,” Vice Pres. Leni Robredo told the media after she resigned from Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s Cabinet last week. Robredo quit being the chairperson of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating…
It was an unbridled celebration of sound and scenes last Saturday at the International Celebrity Center for the Philippine Institute of Language, arts and culture (PILAC) in partnership with the United National Human Rights Organization. Himig Pasko showcased an evening of Christmas songs performed by a mix of adult and children’s voices rendered in a…
SPOUSES of deceased United States (“U.S.”) citizens may apply for green cards, if they self-petition within 2 years of their spouse’s passing. The unmarried children under 21 years of age of the petitioner are also eligible for green cards as derivative beneficiaries. To qualify for a green card as a widow(er) of a U.S. citizen,…
IF you are an applicant for an immigration visa, K visa, or V non-immigrant visa, your application may be denied if you are found inadmissible under certain circumstances. In this case, you may file an application for waiver for pacific grounds, such as health-related grounds of inadmissibility, certain criminal grounds of inadmissibility, or immigrant fraud…
THERE is a natural tendency among divorcing parties to hide their assets from their spouse and understate income. This is a common problem that I have observed from practicing law for many years. A common question I hear from clients is “my spouse doesn’t know I have an account in this bank, do I have…
SOME weeks ago we welcomed the fall season with an article on hairstyles. Today, we tackle another one of my fortes—and a sought-after subject for women—the latest makeup trends. I can describe this season’s makeup peg in two words: fresh and minimal. With that image in mind, I invite you to experience “Valentine’s in October”…
“THE Lord gives sight to the blind; the Lord raises up those who were bowed down. The Lord loves the just; the Lord protects strangers.” – Psalm 146:8-9 Archbishop Gomez bore some good news to us in the seminary at the end of our fall semester during the Mass of the Solemnity of Immaculate Conception. …
WITH the election of Donald Trump as president, and his statements about deporting millions of illegal aliens and getting tough on immigration, many people are scared, anxious, and worried about their future in America. They are mystified at the complex immigration laws, and may be totally unaware of their rights, possible immigration benefits, waivers, or…
Another young senior files Chapter 7 for $10K credit cards CLIENTS are 59 and 58. Husband had a solid and well paying job for the last 20 years. He grossed about $150K a year working for the State. But the job caused his mental health to deteriorate, as it was a high stress work environment…
KIMBERLY Murphy worked at a Caremark CVS pharmacy in California. As a pharmacy employee, she was required by her employer to undergo a security inspection of her bag every time she leaves the store. The employer also required employees to label items brought from home or items purchased at the store. This policy applied to…
MARRIED couples buying property are asked to decide how they should hold title: • Joint tenancy or • Community property. Basically, it is a choice between the ease of transfer to the survivor for joint tenancy and the tax benefits of holding property for community property. Unfortunately, it also a choice between the loss of …
ONE of my clients told me recently: “My wife and I both work very hard to raise our two children. On some days we work long hours and don’t even get home until late. It doesn’t seem fair. No matter how hard we work, we are flat broke every single month. We don’t even see…
HOLIDAYS are here and that means travelling to see family members. But before you go, here are a few things to remember. Departing the United States when you are not a U.S. citizen can lead to serious problems upon your attempt to return. This is true for both lawful permanent residents and for non-citizens with…
What is anorexia nervosa? This is a “psychological” disorder where the person has a disturbed sense of body image. He/she has a morbid fear of obesity, refuse to maintain a minimally normal body weight, and in women, amenorrhea (absence of menstrual period). What causes this condition? The cause is still unknown, but it appears that…
