Education tax credits

THE American Opportunity Tax Credit AOTC and Lifetime Learning Credit can reduce your tax liability if you pay for college in 2016 even if you are studying outside of the U.S. The PATH Act makes permanent the AOTC used to be known as Hope Credit. The AOTC has been increased up to $2,500 and phases…

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Natalie Duran: the First Pinay American Ninja Warrior competitor!

If you missed “Kababayan Today’s” airing last Friday, August 12, we featured Natalie Duran. Natalie Duran  is a 25-year-old second-generation Filipina living in Los Angeles. Natalie choose the medical route and is a scientist! She has a degree in neuroscience and currently works as a clinical researcher in gastroenterology at UCLA Health. Along with a strict academic tract, Natalie has…

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To bloom where we are planted

IN my 8th year of priesthood, I was asked to be part of a dating game. Not the dating game that we see today on television like The Bachelor or the dating service called Christian Singles, but the dating game we used to have with several pastors who were looking for associates. Back then, that was the way to get another parishassignment: date some…

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DHS expands provisional waiver program

ON July 29, 2016, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the expansion of the provisional waiver program.  It is estimated that approximately 100,000 more individuals will be eligible to apply for a provisional waiver under the expanded program. The provisional waiver program streamlines the waiver application process so that the separation of family members is…

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Warning: Think twice before co-signing for anyone

“ The cosigner is fully legally responsible for the entire debt, just as the main borrower is.” IT is not uncommon for banks and other financial institutions to require a cosigner on a credit application. This is especially true when the applicant either has no prior credit history or the credit score is not high…

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Fil-Am Republicans defend Donald Trump on his plan to ban immigration of Filipinos to America

SOME U.S. politicians have spoken up in support of Filipinos against Republican Presidential Nominee Donald Trump’s plan to temporarily ban immigration from what he called “terrorist nations” to keep America safe from terrorism. In his speech in Portland, Maine, he named the Philippines as part of the list along with Afghanistan, Iraq, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia,…

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Green cards for thousands ‘out-of-status’ by waiver

A landmark change has been achieved in U.S. immigration law for thousands of “TNT” Filipinos and other foreign nationals. Recent expansion of the Stateside Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver Program – known as the I-601A Waiver Program – is finally a reality. For years, we have successfully represented clients who are “out-of-status” and “unlawfully present” inside…

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The glitterati of the 2016 People’s Ball

An event, no matter how meticulously conceptualized, painstakingly rehearsed, and smoothly presented, will still fail to achieve the utmost standard of grandiosity when lacking of interesting personalities and glitterati that effectually add to its definitive glitz and glam. The indefatigable working committee of the 2016 People’s Ball never left a stone unturned just so to…

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Filipinos among 6,000 new citizens in Los Angeles

MANY of those reciting the pledge of allegiance for the first time as American citizens on Thursday, August 11 arrived hours before security began allowing people into the West Hall of the LA Convention Center. Most fought through administrative and financial hurdles, and waited years for the government to sort through the millions of naturalization…

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Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Tulfo-Teo

Born in Kidapawan, Cotabato on November 4, 1952.  Wanda Corazon Tulfo-Teo graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from Saint Theresa’s College in Quezon City. Teo started her modest professional career in the travel and tourism industry as a flight stewardess for Filipinas Orient Airways and Niugini for years.  After discovering how…

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The September 2016 priority dates

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…

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When your green card expires: what next?

WHAT happens when my green card expires? Lawful Permanent Resident status is not affected by the expiration of the Form I-551, or the “green card.” A person does not lose his or her status as a lawful permanent resident of the United States by the mere fact that their green card has expired. However, individuals…

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Gluten-free chocolate protein porridge

(Champurrado inspired recipe courtesy of Fit Chef for Life Katrina Palana-Soledad) Ingredients 1 cup boiling water 1/3 cup steel cut oats*complex carbs 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tsp coconut sugar*low glycemic 1/2 scoop vanilla/chocolate whey-soy-vegan protein (15g protein)*lean protein source 1 tsp evaporated milk*Pinoy style or unsweetened vanilla almond milk for topping Directions 1….

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Crazy for coconut protein pancakes

(Bibingka inspired recipe courtesy of Fit Chef for Life Katrina Palana-Soledad) Minutes to Prepare: 10 Minutes to Cook: 5 Number of Servings: 4 Ingredients *Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour, .5 cup *Organic Brown Egg, 1 Large *Baking Powder – Aluminum Free, 1 tsp *Light Coconut Milk (canned) .75 cup or Light Coconut Milk Unsweetened (carton) *Coconut…

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Sleep deprivation and power naps

“MOST American adults sleep poorly,” according to a study by the National Sleep Foundation. The findings from 1,506 adults are obviously applicable to most of us in general. The lack of sleep translates to lesser mental acuity and concentration, poorer health, greater driving hazards, reduced productivity, and a diminished sex drive. Sleep experts recommend a…

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The power of tourism for Bicolandia

In Bicolandia, the renowned Mayon Volcano towers majestically at 8,000 feet from the base to its pointed tip, with its crater a mere 1,640 feet across. At dawn, mists bank its foliage.  During midday, it heaves in the heat like a ferocious lover.  Then as evening descends, it bathes itself in the whiteness of the…

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Healthy alternatives to your favorite Filipino dishes

Meet Michelle Ibarrientos, a Fil-Am based in Southern California, who whips up healthy versions inspired by Filipino favorites. Before she was a self-proclaimed “health enthusiast,” Ibarrientos would feel bloated and get sick often — that’s when she knew it was time for a change. When starting a health journey, she said it’s important to identify…

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A beginner’s guide to working out

Getting started on a workout routine may seem intimidating to beginners, but it’s certainly attainable. Longtime personal trainer and proud Fil-Am Joshua Hayes lends his tips to kick starting a fun, effective workout regime. Workout tips • Be sure to warm-up and cool down before and after each exercise. • Warming up before a workout…

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On living well:  Fit Chef for Life Katrina Palana-Soledad

For Katrina Palana-Soledad, living well has been a journey — one 12 years in the making. “Growing up in the Philippines, there’s no such thing as dieting,” she shared. When she came to the United States, that’s when she began to explore ways to change up her routine by eating more balanced meals and making…

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