MORE than 100 people with prior criminal convictions may face deportation after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers performed a sweep of arrests in Southern California between Monday, July 18 and Thursday, July 21. ICE agents moved quickly to apprehend a list of 112 recently released inmates because a California law prevents police from holding…
Luis Manzano kept mum about his private life after breaking up with actress Angel Locsin, so a lot of people were wondering if he was seeing anyone new. After months of speculation, the actor and TV host finally admitted that he and actress Jessy Mendiola are “going out.” You would thing that everything will go…
MANY Filipinos consult with me saying they are sad, lonely, and depressed over their immigration situation, and just want to give up, and go back to the Philippines. Many of them came to the U.S. years ago, leaving behind a spouse and small children. Because of their immigration situation, they are unable to travel back…
THE failure of the Supreme Court to overturn the lower’s court’s decision blocking the implementation of the President’s Executive Order providing Deferred Action to Parents of US Citizens and Legal Permanent Residents (DAPA) dashed the hope of many undocumented parents who wish to come out of the shadows. The implementation of DAPA would have allowed…
HOWEVER the United States tries to goad China into accepting the ruling of the United Nation’s Permanent Court of Arbitration, in The Hague, what is certain is that the Philippines cannot rely on the Americans—or on our military alliance pact (the latest iteration of which is the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, or EDCA)—to test the…
(Part 1 of 2) Signing up to be a soldier for a country not initially your own and be willing and able to defend and die for its ideals, is probably the most courageous and noble act a person can do. After all, it is undeniable that going to war carries with it the risk…
What is Barrett’s esophagus? Barrett’s esophagus is a condition where the normal cell lining (stratified squamous epithelium) of the food pipe (the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach), or a segment of it, is replaced with a different tissue similar to the lining of the intestine. The transformation is called intestinal metaplasia. This…
Since President Johnson signed them into law on July 30, 1965, Medicare and Medicaid have helped millions of people receive necessary health care services. These programs are some of the most integral legislation ever passed and they continue to protect Americans throughout the country. Health care is not a luxury. It is a necessity no…
He left me a houseful of daughters — very young, and adorable, with the world on their side. In the face of adversity, we are not permitted to ask “why me?” You can ask but you won’t get an answer. Through the years, I’ve learned the hard way why some poems don’t rhyme, why some…
IF you do not agree of the IRS results of examination, your options are: request a meeting or telephone conference. If after the meeting or conference you still do not agree, appeal your case to the IRS Appeals Office. If you ignore and do nothing, a notice of deficiency will be issued which allows you…
The killing of Dallas police officers by sniper fire marks a new escalation of race wars here in America and signals a higher level of frustration with the unabated killing of blacks by police under questionable circumstances. It is unimaginable anywhere else but in this country how a simple traffic stop for a broken tail…
THEIR political opponents from their respective parties might have conceded defeat following a long contentious primary season, but Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump would remain to be called as presumptive nominees of the Democratic and Republican parties respectively — up until they both get officially proclaimed to be their parties’ presidential nominee for the general…
THE numbers are in his favor as it seems that majority of Filipinos are looking forward to the next six years of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s leadership and are eager to see the changes he had promised. In a Social Weather Station (SWS) poll conducted from June 24 to 27, 84 percent of 1,200 adults or…
The most notable about one’s time during an ocean voyage is that it is so purely relative. We sailed in the lightness of an early summer, the sky a fresh roseate, the sea quiet and calm. The ship sailed into the open sea, a shade of vivid indigo as the horizon narrowed and widened, dipped and rose,…
MY sister and I sat in my family house’s backyard porch last night to enjoy a home-cooked meal and a nice cool evening breeze. As we ate, we chatted about my recent 25th Anniversary celebration, the relatives and friends and other guests that came to the affair, and the family reunions that followed. After dinner,…
Senior files Chp 7 to discharge $35K credit cards CLIENT is 59 and single. He has a decent job where he makes $4K a month gross. He doesn’t owe any credit card debt. He only owes 3 secured debts. He owes a mortgage on his house for $400K plus he has arrears of $83K on…
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…
IN the absence of a premarital agreement, the general community property presumption under California family code section 760 controls which provides “ ….all property, real or personal, wherever situated, acquired by a married person during the marriage while domiciled in this state is community property.” Family Code §760. This becomes a problem if you…
MANY people have misconceptions or are misinformed about family law here in the United States, specifically, in the State of California. They tend to not know their rights that deal in this area. These include the areas of divorces, custody, child/spousal support, paternity actions, wills/trusts, property rights etc. In the years that I have practiced…
YOU are still upset from losing an IRS audit. You can either pay or fight. If you choose peace and quiet—pay. If you choose to fight—go to appeals. Let me give you 10 tips on how to prepare for the appeals conference: 1. Be organized in gathering and grouping records. An organized approach to gathering,…
ARE your debt problems keeping you up at night? Stressed out and worried about your financial future? According to a recent article written by a doctor, this can affect your health, leading to stress-related illnesses. This may seem like a stretch, even funny at first, but this is no joke and I’ll tell you why…
THE Philippines may have scored a moral and legal victory after the United Nations (UN)tribunal in The Hague ruled that China has no historical basis in claiming the resources-rich West Philippine Sea, but the debate continues even among Filipinos in America who are heavily invested on this fight: Should the Philippines negotiate with China? What…
Oh yes, it’s summertime. As the temperatures warm up, we are inspired by the season’s hottest trends. Whether it’s patterned party dresses or bold printed shorts, these summer fashion trends are guaranteed to have you looking hot this summer. Casual days Summer mornings are the best. Stand out by wearing nautical stripes and finish the…
The undiminished manifestations of the Filipinos’ intellectual achievements and unprecedented global status has consistently been the boosting power in their unsurpassed competence to uphold and commemorate habituated century-old tradition even across the miles and seas. That despite the unrelenting growth, development, evolution, social modernization, and new edifying adjustment, the innate cultural dynamics they brought along…
The new 2016 Miss World America is a Fil-Am from North Dakota! Twenty-year-old Audra Mari, a dean’s lister at the North Dakota State University taking up Public Relations and Communications, was crowned last Friday, July 8, in Maryland, beating 27 other finalists. She will represent the United States at the 2016 Miss World pageant 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…
SUMMER is here, and it’s time for summer barbecues and bonfires by the beach! Before partaking in summer fun, however, know where you stand: If you are a non-U.S. citizen, read this article carefully. What Uncle Sam giveth, Uncle Sam can just as easily take away. Whatever you do, try not to get deported. A…
What is gluten? Gluten is protein substance found in cereal grains, barley, rye, and triticale, especially wheat, which is responsible for the elastic texture of dough, an ingredient that “glues” the dough together. It is actually a mixture of two proteins, gliadin and glutenin. Gluten causes illnesses in persons with celiac disease. What is celiac…
AS of 2014, there were around 10.5 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), a number that is only increasing. Many Filipinos living abroad ship their families back home balikbayan boxes, large cardboard boxes filled with items from the foreign country that the sender believes the recipients would enjoy. There are many things overseas Filipinos are allowed…
AFTER an audit of your tax returns by the IRS and you disagree with the determination, you have the option to either accept the assessment and settle the tax you owe by signing the agreement form or request an appeals conference by writing a protest to Appeals Office. The appeals process is an administrative means…
