White House strengthens visa waiver program
THE White House announced changes to a visa waiver program aimed at securely screening migrants from 38 nations not required to get visas before traveling to the US. In light…
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US Marine guilty of Laude murder
Faces up to 12 years in prison JOSEPH Scott Pemberton, the US Marine Private First Class charged with murder for the death of Filipina transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude in October…
Clients with long pending loan modifications that do not stop foreclosure resort to Chapter 13
“ Chapter 13 does not exclude or kill the loan modification process. In fact, Chapter 13 enhances debtor’s chances of successfully resolving her claim of fraud with the bank. Under…
Can your employer fire you if you are not ‘100% healthy to work’?
RAYMOND Adame was a machine mechanic for Alcoa Fastening Systems and has worked there for more than 30 years. He was seriously injured at work and had to take a…
Do you feel like you’re stuck in debt forever?
A LOT of people who consult with me about their debt problems are going through the worst time of their lives. Unlike other problems in life that sometimes just go…
Tax consequences of divorce on non-custodial parents
CONSIDER the common divorce scenario where the divorce judgment provides primary custody of the children to one spouse while the other spouse only gets visitation. The parties begin to file…
Filipino crewman on CI/D granted waiver for immigrant visa
BY Approval Notice dated October 30, 2015, the USCIS granted Form I-601A Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver to a Filipino crewman, who is married to a US citizen spouse. Roman P….
Quotes that remind us about the essence of Thanksgiving
More than Christmas, Thanksgiving Day is perhaps the holiday that compels many families to come home and spend time with their folks. There is no pressure about giving gifts —…
The Ampatuan massacre: A treason of the spirit
LOS ANGELES—This is a little back story. There are moments with such magnitude that they must be clearly remembered — whether you were sitting before the television set or reading…
Jesus, The King of Hearts
IN his recent podcast, “The Light of Faith,” my college classmate, Archbishop Socrates Villegas, of the Archdiocese of Lingayen, Pangasinan, explains the positions and titles in the hierarchy of the…
Income inequality makes the rich stingier, study says
It might be the season of giving, but a new study shows that wealthy individuals residing in states with high income inequality are less likely to be generous toward others….
El Niño to bring heavy rains, snow
The superstorm likely to drench key California drought zone ONE of the most powerful El Niño storms on record is gathering strength in California, and is likely to bring heavy…
US issues worldwide travel alert citing increased terrorist threats
THE US State Department has issued a worldwide travel alert for Americans citing possible risks due to increased terrorist threats. The warning comes following deadly attacks in Paris claimed by…
Sanders’ plan would allow nearly 9 million immigrants to apply for deferred action
DEMOCRATIC presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has promised to take executive action on immigration if elected in 2016 to permit undocumented immigrants who have been in the United States for at…
Nearly 5K immigrant minors crossed the US border in October
ACCORDING to US Customs and Border Protection data, nearly 5,000 unaccompanied immigrant children were caught crossing the US border with Mexico in October of this year, almost double the number…
‘Lani Misalucha Live in New York’, the review
As expected, the exceedingly hyped “Lani Misalucha Live in New York” concert was a rousing success despite the grueling tension and arduous mind-torturing agony (days prior the main event) over…
Aspirin daily: safe or risky?
My column on “Aspirin, the Wonder Drug,” came out in 2002, when this common household item was on the spotlight for sometime for its new role in staving off heart…
World boxing champ Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao heads December birthday celebrants
For the merry month of December, world boxing champion, Sarangani Congressman and senatorial candidate Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, heads the list of prominent personalities celebrating their birthdays. The world-famous boxer…
Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks
THANKSGIVING is when people take a step back and reflect on all of the wonderful things and events to be grateful for, and to give thanks to those people who…
The Adam Walsh act: Bar to a US citizen or permanent resident to petition family members
THE Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 was enacted with the avowed purpose to protect and keep children safe from sex offenders; prevent child abuse and pornography;…
Senate Electoral Tribunal ruling: Tougher road ahead for Sen. Grace Poe
The 5-4 vote by the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) is not the resounding victory that many supporters of Grace Poe had hoped for. In fact, the close vote means that…
Fil-Am doctor to open endoscopy surgicenter in Southern Nevada
THE sole Filipino-American gastroenterologist in Southern Nevada, Dr. Noel Fajardo, is set to unveil a new, state-of-the-art endoscopy surgicenter in the region this December. LV Surgery Center will be the…
Noli Me Tangere and the APEC Summit
THE APEC summit, for which the Aquino government was willing to create horrible incoveniences and economic losses for the country, concluded amidst self-congratulatory applause and back-patting by its organizers. The…
Poll result: Fil-Ams do not want any more Syrian refugees in the US over terrorism fears
AFTER the coordinated terrorist attacks consisting of mass shootings, suicide bombings, and hostage-taking in Paris that killed 130 people and injured 389 on November 13, people all over the world…
Troubled water
OVER the weekend, members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) gathered for its annual summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The global leaders discussed some of the region’s most…
The daughter in my mind
THE apple that fell far from the tree is one I could only dream of — a perfect newshen and God’s little pencil. I would have taught this daughter to…
LAX will be the busiest US airport this holiday season
Record 2.1 million passengers expected at LAX this Thanksgiving LOS ANGELES Mayor Eric Garcetti and city Councilmember Bob Blumenfield joined airport officials to announce that a record 2.1 million travelers will…
Asian American lawmakers oppose House vote halting Syrian refugees
DESPITE the House of Representatives’ swift vote last week that would halt President Barack Obama’s program to admit Syrian refugees into the United States, the large majority of Asian-American members…
Clinton proposes tax break for family caregivers
DEMOCRATIC presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Sunday, Nov. 22, proposed a new tax credit offsetting up to $6,000 in costs for middle-class families who care for their aging parents or…
The U Visa: Assistance to victims of certain crimes
When a serious crime has been committed, justice can only be served when the perpetrator of the crime is successfully prosecuted and jailed. Unfortunately, justice is often not served when…