I ASKED a Filipino man who was participating in a ‘Traslacion’ procession of the Black Nazarene in the streets of Manila during my last trip to the Philippines why he has a deep devotion to the image. He responded, “Jesus Nazareno heard my prayers, Father.” “What were your prayers to him?” I queried on. “I…
Dear Attorney Gurfinkel: I married a US citizen after my child’s 18th birthday and am now a conditional resident. I know my husband and I need to file a joint – petition to remove conditions within 90 days of the expiration of my two – year conditional green card. I had hoped my husband could…
On 7/29/16, the USCIS announced the release of the final rule on the “Expansion of Provisional Unlawful Presence Waivers of Inadmissibility”. This rule expands the class of individuals who may be eligible for a provisional waiver of unlawful presence ground of inadmissibility and takes effect on 8/29/2016. Before an alien who is unlawfully present in…
” Singles or married alike must know that certain life insurance policies have valuable cash value. There is no restriction as to where you can use the cash value for. “ A lot of people are skeptical about the value of a life insurance. You have auto, home, medical policies. You may have these because…
If you own a foreign bank account, brokerage account, mutual fund, or other financial account, you may be required to report the account annually to the government. Let’s get an understanding of what FBAR is, who must file new forms, and who do not have to file. I also included a few tips on filing…
“You as the family member have the right to give information, ask questions, participate in care plan meetings, offer suggestions, review care plan documents and accept or refuse offered care.” Last week, we discussed why it may be beneficial for a family to move a loved one into long-term care. Whether the determining even was…
” California law prohibits an employer from paying any of its employees at wage rates less than the rates paid to employees of the opposite sex for substantially similar work, and performed under similar working conditions.” Dandan Pan started work at Qualcomm, Inc. as a Market Analyst in 1993. In 2015, she was a Director…
The USCIS announced the final rule expanding the existing provisional waiver to allow certain family members of US Citizens and lawful permanent residents to apply for the provisional waiver of unlawful presence. 8 CFR Parts 103 and 212. The final rule goes on effect on August 29, 2016. Prior to this expanded rule, only immediate…
Fights to keep house “Nowadays, the correct value of the residence is critical to keeping the house safe from the clutches of the Chapter 7 trustee, because house values are at their peaks again. Mortgage rates have been kept very low by the Feds for a long time.” When I say young senior, I mean…
Like most people, you’ve worked hard and have done your best to pay all your bills on time. But in life, at one time or another, all of us get into a situation where debt can be overwhelming. Money problems can easily overlap into other areas of our lives. Many people feel hopeless and powerless…
Did Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump go too far when he defamed the parents of a Muslim American hero who was killed in the line of duty in Baghdad in 2004? Most Americans, and a majority of Filipinos in America, believe so. A poll released by Fox News revealed that 69 percent of respondents familiar with Trump’s…
I’ve been to so many places. Stories about my international exploits occupy a significant amount of coverage in my column. Traveling soothes my soul and makes me appreciate life. It causes me to discover the beauty in any city, town or island that I’ve been. Such was my goal when I read that Palawan was…
IF all politics is local, then candidate Hillary Clinton may very well need to speak a little Korean and Tagalog in order to win the 2016 presidential election. Why? In 2014, Slate.com published a fascinating article with this headline, “Tagalog in California, Cherokee in Arkansas.” It is a survey of the languages spoken in each state….
That fashion is a reflection of the social, economic, political, and cultural changes is indubitably factual and that while it mirrors the changing trends of our daily life, it simultaneously conveys the apogee of modernization and reinvention of styling perspectives. The standard paradigm of certain epoch may be regarded as discordant to be adapted by…
Many years ago, in May of 1986, our family — my husband and three children — decided to leave our country when weexperienced too much chaos and violence after the Aquino assassination. However, only ten months after arriving in the US, another blow more devastating came to my life: a huge fire in my parent’s…
LOS ANGELES — Project by Project has announced premier restaurants and beverage purveyors for the 14th Annual Plate by Plate Tasting Benefit. The non-profit’s signature event brings together over 40 culinary geniuses from the finest restaurants and beverage purveyors and pairs them with over 500 epicureans from all across Southern California. The dinner event will…
Surely, Filipinos back home — and all over the world — are dancing with pride and joy now that it has been confirmed that the Miss Universe 2016 pageant will be held in the Philippines. The prestigious beauty event is scheduled on January 30, 2017. This was officially announced by Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary…
On July 29, 2016, USCIS announced it is expanding the existing provisional waiver process to allow certain family members of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (“LPRs”), to apply for provisional waivers of the unlawful presence ground of inadmissibility. The expanded rule goes into effect on August 29, 2016. Current rule on Provisional Waiver (2013)…
WHAT we eat and drink affects our health. The relevance of this association is even more significant among those who have pre-diabetes and those who actually have diabetes. Soft drinks—diet or regular—are all harmful, toxic to the body of adults and children. Soft drinks increase the risk for metabolic syndrome. Processed fruits juices are likewise…
On blogs, cable news and radio, they take aim at the print. They provide people with social media tools to gauge the trustworthiness of specific news outlets and individual stories, with less genteel intentions. Why wouldn’t they? As one wag said, newspapering has always been a boisterous, brawling affair. I write all the time, it’s…
The IRS announced a major expansion of its “Fresh Start” initiative to help struggling taxpayers by providing: • Payment plans – more taxpayers can apply without financial statements. • Offer in Compromise OIC – IRS added flexible terms and guidelines for higher collection potential. We will explore OIC in our next article. When you owe…
Donald Trump’s millions of loyal ardent followers, many of whom are Filipinos in America, would even question the title of this piece as they believe in their hearts that he can indeed “make America great again.” There are kababayans who find it unfathomable how there are people who could not see beyond what they call…
AMID President Rodrigo Duterte’s intensified campaign against illegal drugs, the Philippine National Police (PNP) proudly reported that the country has also seen a downward trend in crime in the first half of 2016. “We are seeing the reduction of street crimes, particularly crimes against property metro-wide,” Chief Supt. Oscar Albayalde said. Albayalde said that the…
LOS ANGELES – On a recent evening, summoned by invitation, about 20 or so distinguished guests arrived at the palatial home of Rupert and Grace Mercado, a haven that flattered their impeccable sense of courtesy and hospitality. The honored guest, Hermilando “Dodo” Mandanas, governor of the province of Batangas, was welcomed over dinner at their…
Summer is a time of reunions with families, friends, and former classmates. In these gatherings, the conversations are not just about memories of years long past but also about the present and the future. “So how many kids do you have? Are they all done with college? How’s your business? How’s your practice? “When and…
On July 29, 2016, the USCIS finally published their FINAL rule expanding eligibility for a provisional waiver of the 3\10 year bar. The rule will go into effect on Aug. 29, 2016. The expanded provisional waiver “expands eligibility for the provisional waiver process to all individuals who are statutorily eligible for the waiver of the…
Filipinos can acquire visas by expanding their business to the United States. The L-1 visa enables United States employers to transfer existing executives, managers, or employees with specialized knowledge from an affiliated foreign office to an office in the United States. Alternatively, the foreign company can send an executive or manager to the United States…
” It is a wonderful thing that we and try to keep our parents, grandparents, and other family members at home as long as possible. When my grandfather had a massive stroke, we cared for him at home until he passed (which was relatively quickly). However, there are compelling reasons to seek assistance taking care…
“The new California law clearly states that a person who takes a photograph or makes an audio or video recording of a police officer (or any public officer), while the officer is in a public place, is not violating the law. Even if the officer is not strictly in a public place, the act of…
If you are a U.S. citizen (or dual citizen) residing outside the U.S. but do not report your foreign accounts, you may be subject to harsh penalties—penalties that are more severe than you expect, penalties that can even exceed balances in your accounts. It is therefore critical that you learn the new rules for FBAR…
