AN important part of Christmas is buying gifts for loved ones. Filipinos are busy filling their balikbayan boxes with pasalubong, to send to their families “back home.” The pasalubong may consist of clothes, food items, electronics, or other useful items, given as a way of “sharing one’s blessings.” However, many Filipinos forget about what could…
A CHILD born abroad to parents who are both United States citizens (USCs), or to a United States citizen (USC) mother or father, has a claim to citizenship either through “acquisition” (acquiring citizenship at birth) or “derivation” (citizenship acquired after birth). Either parent may report the birth of a child born abroad to the United…
DESPITE President Benigno Aquino’s challenge for them to pass the measure before the holidays, the House of Representatives adjourned for its Christmas break without passing the Basic Bangsamoro Law (BBL), now called the proposed Basic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BLBAR). The House will reconvene on Jan. 18, 2016, with a three week final…
WHEN international celebrity Marilyn Monroe, in her sexy tight-fitting gold gown that hugged her shapely figure, sang “Happy Birthday, Mr. President,” in May 1962, the attention of the world was momentarily focused on her. But John F. Kennedy, 45, was still center stage. After all, he was the honoree and the man of the hour….
Hit-and-run suspect was honored for turning her life around Lakeisha Holloway, the 24-year-old woman accused of deliberately driving onto a packed sidewalk several times through a crowd of pedestrians along the Las Vegas Strip on Sunday, Dec. 20, was publicly honored for turning her life around from homelessness to a government job. “Boy, have I come…
THE Commission on Audit had been, even through martial law, one of the most prestigious agencies of our Republic, its reputation untainted by graft or partisanship. With just a few months remaining for this inglorious Administration, the COA will be left as another institution damaged by President Benigno Aquino 3rd, who has turned it into…
I WOULD like to apologize to everyone I have called an idiot for believing that Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte deserves to be president of the Philippines in spite of his womanizing, his potty-mouth and his homicidal bluster. On reflection, there is in all of us a kind of idiocy that causes us to resort…
GIVEN the unsure situation the world is facing today, we are looking for some sort of a sign this Christmas—something that could calm our fears about what lies ahead. Times may be difficult, but Christmas and its spirit of love, faith and hope will always endure. It’s that time of the year—when war, conflict, political…
A week before Christmas, we’re crammed with Christmas wishes, checking them twice, the naughty or the nice part. It is a seasonal splendor of a heart’s wish for Christmas. I cannot remember no time in my life when an interesting man was not the object of my interests, if not search. Unlike some women, I’ve…
SIX days before Christmas, the three Democratic presidential candidates faced off in New Hampshire for the final Democratic presidential debate of 2015 and offered their opinions on issues such as terrorism, gun control, healthcare and foreign policy. Hosted by ABC, the two-and-a-half hour debate took place Saturday, Dec. 19, in New Hampshire where Vermont Sen….
Labor groups and people supportive of the candidacy of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday said they have repackaged the tandem as “Team AlDuB”. A take from the phenomenal noontime show love team between Alden Richards and Maine “Yaya Dub” Mendoza, popularly known as “AlDub”, the political “AlDuB” refers…
FOR individuals who are seeking to obtain lawful permanent residency, any past fraud or misrepresentation renders the individual inadmissible and ineligible to legalize status unless they are granted a fraud waiver. This includes all individuals who have committed fraud, even those who are married to a United States citizen. Immigration fraud occurs when an individual…
Q: EVERY pay period, I receive a check from my employer for my wages. Recently, there is news at work that our company will be requiring employees to receive our wages through a payroll debit card. Is this a legal way to be paid our wages? A: Generally, employers are allowed to fulfill their wage…
A DEBT-free life is something that a lot of people aspire to have. And yet it is a known fact that sadly, many will never attain it because of their unwillingness to make the necessary adjustments in their lifestyle to make it possible. I am talking about people who continue to accumulate debt for immediate…
IN both fiction and reportage, I’ve always made known that the winding down of autumn and ushering of winter put me in a heavy and philosophical mood. I’m thinking about the deep and very private personal needs of people — a need that when met, gives us a sense of well-being, one of them the…
THUS the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian Exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Christ, fourteen generation. Matthew 1:17 Where are you from? What’s your last name? Are you related to somebody I know? These are questions we ask or hear from…
ABOUT one-fifth of ovarian cancer deaths could be prevented if women were given yearly blood tests that screened for the condition, a new study has found. The findings, published in The Lancet, a medical journal in the United Kingdom, are based on a 14-year-study of 200,000 post-menopausal women in Britain between the ages of 50…
THE United States and Cuba reached an agreement to restore commercial flights between both countries for the first time in more than 50 years, the State Department announced Thursday, Dec. 17. The historic achievement takes place exactly one year after the US President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced they would restore full…
Avoids shutdown in time for the holidays CONGRESS approved a $1.1 trillion year-end spending package on Friday, Dec. 18 that will fund federal agencies through next fall, avoiding a government shutdown in time for Congress members to return home for the holidays. With strong bipartisan support, the House overwhelmingly approved the measure in a 316-113…
Indubitably a “chip of the old block” and admittedly a spitting image of her mom, Lala Aunor, a former movie-TV popular teen personality of the early 70s and 80s, multi-faceted singer Marion Aunor is the niece of Philippine phenomenal Superstar Nora Aunor… no wonder she uncompromisingly carries on the legacy of excelling in the field…
Friend of shooters arrested and charged PRESIDENT Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle visited San Bernardino, California on Friday, Dec. 18, to meet privately with families of the victims of the mass shooting in the city that killed 14 and injured more than 20 others. The president was slated to stop in San Bernardino while…
A HISTORICAL moment for Filipino-Americans in the United States took place Friday, Dec. 18, when a middle school in Union City, California was officially renamed in honor of Fil-Am labor leaders Larry Itliong and Philip Vera Cruz. Alvarado Middle School is now officially Itliong-Vera Cruz Middle School, and is believed to be the first school…
TWO Filipina beauties are ready to face the international audience and determined to win the respective titles they are vying for. First up is Pia Wurtzbach, who is the Philippine representative in the 64th Miss Universe pageant. The 26-year-old beauty queen recently answered questions from fans via the official Miss Universe Facebook page. When asked…
WHO doesn’t love a little sunshine? Not only does it feel fantastic, but it also has numerous health benefits. Sunshine improves our mood, our immune functions, and catalyzes vitamin D production in our bodies. Vitamin D is important to our healthy smiles Vitamin D supports oral health in two ways: 1. It helps our bodies absorb and utilize calcium. One of…
(Part 1) FOR many people, attaining US citizenship is the final step in achieving their “American Dream.” After getting a green card, they eagerly count off the years until they are finally eligible to apply for naturalization. However, for some people, applying for citizenship could cause problems, issues, and even being stripped of their green…
JON and Kate own and operate a successful real estate business in California. In addition to owning a beautiful home, they had acquired several homes and apartment buildings which they rented out. In 2008, when the United States economy was struggling and the real estate business was sluggish, Jon and Kate decided to take a…
The influenza season is upon us once again. While flu is common and those afflicted usually recover uneventfully, this viral infection could be serious, or even fatal, for some people as discussed below. Statistics worldwide cite between 250,000 to half a million die of flu complications each year. What is Influenza? Commonly known as “Flu,”…
The candidates for the 2016 Presidential race are all ready to rumble. The top contenders are Mar Roxas, Jejomar Binay, Grace Poe, Miriam Santiago and Rodrigo Duterte. Mar Roxas is from the Liberal Party. He was the former DILG head and part of the hierarchy of the current administration. He is remembered with the Zamboanga…
WITH over 30,000 Filipinos living in Long Beach, conversations about raising the minimum wage and wage enforcement in the city are important issues to the Filipino community. Most Filipinos in Long Beach have settled in Westside Long Beach, an area tucked in between the 710 freeway and the bustling Port of Long Beach. Filipinos living…
A new analysis by NASA scientists reveals that it would take approximately 11 trillion gallons of water to remedy the drought that has plagued the Golden State for the last three years. Data was collected by NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites—which were the first to develop a calculation of how much water…
