A FORMER agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) reported that the illegal drug trade in the country is thriving, and has become a P200-billion “industry.” An even more alarming report is that the Philippines has turned into a global hub for the distribution and increased production of illegal drugs for international syndicates. According…
It was one of those Padres-Dodgers slugfests — where 43,588 people in a wave of blue collectively sent out ear splitting displays of offensive chants throughout that evening at Dodgers Stadium. Frustrated at carrying out three straight losses into a game and not getting any further, the team struggles. For years we’ve watched them play,…
Twenty-five years of service in the priesthood! It’s a significant number of years in ministry. How fast the years went by! It seemed like yesterday when I was just a young seminarian at St. Martha’s Church directing a summer camp. They were not only 25 years of service to God and his people in the…
Senior files same for $55k credit cards “Do not sign personal guaranties for business loans because you will be on the hook if the business cannot pay the loans. If you own a house, why risk your house with a personal guaranty for a business loan?” Client is 45. He is actually a medical professional…
Ninoos Benjamin worked as a Director of Economic Division of the City of Los Angeles’ Community Development Department (CDD). According to several news outlets, Benjamin sued the city claiming retaliation for his whistleblowing activities and for refusing to take sides in a race turf war between African-American and Latino managers in the department. When he…
After losing an audit to the IRS, you have the option of paying or appealing. Pay if you are happy with the results or don’t want to extend the agony of dealing with the IRS. Appeal if you are not happy or feel that you have not been treated fairly. Let’s explore the advantages &…
IRS problems have a way of ruining all aspects of your life. They can take a toll on you financially, emotionally and physically. When you owe the IRS, you’re always wondering if today might be the day when the IRS shows up at work, your home or your business; or if today might be the…
Have you ever been in one of those cruises that just took your breath away? If not, I highly encourage you to try it at least once in your life. I promise you’ll never regret it. I wasn’t as enthusiastic as I am now when my dear friend, Dr. Lorraine Diego asked me to join…
LOS ANGELES — Farewells are always both sad and bright like after the rain. June has been a string of goodbye parties for LA Consul General Leo Herrera-Lim Out of their ink-stained asylums, the LA media trooped to the Philippine Consulate. From town hall meetings at the Rizal Hall, where elbows, perfumes and conversations invaded…
I COULD list off the ways I’ve been lucky in life, but it all stems from my parents’ decision to leave home and become American citizens. The Vietnam War had ended in 1975, but five years later, the conflict was still fresh in people’s minds. The government was actively suppressing any suspected dissent. People were…
The east coast’s biggest Filipino and multicultural indoor expo will revolve around a Total Wellness theme, according to Nanding Mendez, Fiesta In America’s President. Fiesta In America will celebrate its 18th anniversary on August 13 and 14 at the Meadowlands Expo Center in Secaucus, New Jersey. “A Goya Foods, Inc. cooking show based on ancestral…
Man can neither be judged by merely based on his failures nor through the vast wealth accumulated but by the macadamized roads he traveled from where his journey commenced. The same way when we try to fathom the disheartening pain every time we fall: the barometer for evaluation shouldn’t be based on the intensity of…
I WAS one of the most severe critics of Rodrigo Duterte as a presidential candidate. But now that he has assumed the presidency, I believe he should be given every chance and every reasonable support to succeed. And, boy, will he need a lot of support! In my own limited way, I’ve faced the challenges…
OUR congratulations in advance to actress and host Toni Gonzaga and her husband, director Paul Soriano for their upcoming baby boy! The baby’s gender was revealed in an interview with TV talk show host Boy Abunda last Tuesday, June 30. “It’s a boy! It’s going to be a mini-Paul,” the soon-to-be father excitedly shared. He…
IN most cases, in order for a person to adjust status (obtain a green card) in the U.S., the person must prove he or she was “inspected and admitted” by an immigration officer at the airport or border (port of entry). This means that the person presented himself to an immigration officer who reviewed his…
OFTEN, many immigrants have kept pushing back their decision to apply for US citizenship. Many of them have also failed to keep track of the validity of their permanent resident cards such that when they are now ready to apply for naturalization, they discover that their permanent resident cards have either expired or are about…
Acid reducers and their side-effects Preliminary studies suspect Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) and H2 Blockers, which reduce the secretion of stomach acid used by millions to treat gastro-esophageal reflux “heartburns,” may also have adverse effects on the kidneys when used regularly. Presently known side-effects of PPI and the H2 Blocker drugs, popular before the PPI…
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced in October 2015 that it is creating the “Filipino WWII Veterans Parole Program” to enable some family members of these veterans to come to the United States and be with their veteran-petitioners even if their visas are not yet available for processing. The program is part of…
Client files chapter 7 for $40K credit cards CLIENTS are seniors. Husband is 72. Wife is 71. Both are retired and receiving combined social security and pension total of $4,015/mo. Husband is still in good spirits although he is not in good health. He has been on dialysis for three years. He had hypertension when…
A RECENT “Balitang America” online viewer poll revealed that a large majority of Filipinos in America are feeling very hopeful under the Duterte presidency. Eighty-seven percent of kababayans who voted in The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast opinion poll feel the Philippines will be better off with newly sworn-in President Rodrigo Duterte stirring the country toward…
“TODAY, we continue the long journey toward an America and a world where liberty and equality are not reserved for some, but extended to all. Across the globe, including right here at home, millions of men, women, and children are victims of human trafficking and modern-day slavery. We remain committed to abolishing slavery in all…
Las Vegas’ McCarran Airport was crowded with people determined to get an early start on the long weekend rush. Las Vegas is already hot — it is 103 degrees in the shade, a desert steamy heat that promised long sultry days. Bikinied bodies, oiled and gleaming, laid in various stages of undress, abound in hotel…
“ We need more priests in this critical time when we need to imbue the world with the values of the Gospel.” “THE harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” — Luke 10: 2 It was a busy month for us…
THE 16th president of the Philippines — Rodrigo Duterte — has finally taken the oath of office on June 30, after a highly contro- versial campaign and election season. Many Filipinos in America who started out as not even knowing much about the former Davao City mayor, and those who were doubtful and even scared…
THIS column has often stressed the general rule that most employees should be paid overtime rate if they work more than 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week. However, there may be exceptions in the case of some who work in certain industries. It is in this instance that the employers’ classification…
I HAVE had many clients and prospective clients who would inquire how much is an “uncontested divorce.” Of course, I would ask some questions to determine whether their divorce is “uncontested” such as if both spouses have agreed to all issues of custody, support, property, etc. Unfortunately, many divorces are not as simple as…
ON June 26, 2013, the US Supreme Court struck down section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) as unconstitutional in the landmark case US. V. Windsor. The BIA shortly thereafter issued a decision in Matter of Zeleniak holding that DOMA is no longer an impediment in recognizing same-sex couples under the immigration and…
AFTER an audit of your tax returns by the IRS, you have a choice of either ending your misery by paying up or by continuing to fight at the Appeals Office. The appeals process is an administrative means to resolve your problems without resorting to legal action. It’s a good way to resolve disputes. It…
IN spite of the negative things that you may have heard about it, bankruptcy relief still remains to be the best option to many individuals who need help in recovering financially. There is nothing “illegal” or “criminal” about filing for bankruptcy. As a matter of fact, obtaining relief from debt under federal law is an…
I was writing this piece when I heard that it was officially the summer season. And boy, that couldn’t have been any more precise these past couple of days (hello, 109 degrees!). Speaking of summer, I am pretty sure everybody’s got their summer trips planned — some even saved up through the whole year for…
