CALIFORNIA has agreed to reform its use of solitary confinement in prisons by ending unlimited isolation for certain inmates under conditions outlined in a landmark legal settlement. As part of the agreement, which was reached on Tuesday, Sept. 1, the practice of indefinite isolation to control violent prison gangs will come to an end and…
THE right to die in California on Tuesday, Sept. 1, moved one step forward when a state Assembly committee advanced a bill that would allow terminally-ill patients to take medication that would end their life. In a 10-3 vote, the Assembly Public Health and Developmental Services Committee propelled ABX2-15 to another committee, the Associated Press…
TWO Philippine nationals were among 244 foreign nationals arrested during a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) four-day sweep in Southern California. One of the men was 31 years old with convictions for battery and felony burglary, and was arrested in Los Angeles on Monday, Aug. 24. The other was a 39-year-old with convictions for…
TWO Philippine nationals were among 244 foreign nationals arrested during a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) four-day sweep in Southern California. One of the men was 31 years old with convictions for battery and felony burglary, and was arrested in Los Angeles on Monday, Aug. 24. The other was a 39-year-old with convictions for…
They proved that their age difference was not an issue, especially when people were saying that their relationship would not last. So just this week, Eat Bulaga! co-host and comedian Vic Sotto confirmed that he and girlfriend Pauleen Luna are now engaged. “Yes, we are,” he said during a press conference last September 2. “Hindi…
There have been many tragic situations where people were duped into applying for immigration benefits to which they were not entitled. Unscrupulous immigration consultants promise work permits, green cards, and other immigration benefits to people who are eager to work in the U.S. and send money back home. Only later do they find out they…
Under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Canadian and Mexican citizens (known as “Treaty Nationals” or “TNs”) can come to the United States temporarily, not to exceed one (1) year at a time, under a “TN Status” non-immigrant visa, to work/engage in activities at a professional level. TN Status can be extended for as…
Why does the National Visa Center (NVC) require you to submit an accurate Form I-864? We hear stories of the frustration experienced by those who have to re- submit the form many times thinking they are following instructions ‘to the letter” only to have it bounce back as ‘incorrect’. What is so difficult about filling…
Is it safe to warm breast milk in a microwave oven? No, it is not safe to warm breast milk in a microwave oven. Collected breast milk should never be warmed in a microwave oven, because it destroys many important natural protective elements in breast milk that is beneficial to the infant. As a matter…
If one is to have a more perceptive, a more complete, and therefore, a much more genuine love of the Philippine nation, historian Marcelino A. Foronda Jr. noted,it is inescapable that he should first of all love his own town, province, or region. One complements the other. “At the Birth of a City” is a…
Fil-Am Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson has been cleared to play for the Philippines in the upcoming FIBA Asia Championship, but his father says he won’t be participating. “As you know in professional sports, timing is of the essence especially when managing a player’s career,” his father, Mike Clarkson, said in an email to…
A committee under the Transportation Department on Tuesday, Sept. 1, approved a recommendation stating that airlines should possess discretion in whether to allow passengers to make phone calls during flights. “We recommend that if safe and secure, that the Department of Transportation allow airlines to decide whether to permit passengers to use mobile devices for…
THERE’S this joke about a little boy anxious to see his expectant mother give birth. She explains that it will take several months for the baby to come out. The boy then recalls how his engineer father had told his workers on a rush project to “put more men on the job,” to hasten its…
THOUGH a candidate most Democrats outside of the state of Vermont have never heard of, Senator Bernie Sanders has proven a sustained upward climb in the polls, possibly threatening the frontrunner status of former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. A new poll among Iowa caucus goers, the first to hold the primary…
This little piece takes us, not just to a place, but into the minds and hearts of those, who are in their twilight years, in a society that glorified youth. At the Culver City Community Center for Seniors, the tangible atmosphere was of bustle and contentment. The big room was filled with light from the…
A TEAM of nine students and one biology professor from Cal State Northridge (CSUN) have pinpointed a gene that can cause breast cancer to spread. The new finding, published in this month’s Public Library of Science One journal, could change the course of breast cancer treatment, researchers say. Among women, breast cancer is the most…
A FILIPINA choreographer and dance historian was honored Monday, Aug. 31, for “her single-minded crusade in preserving the endangered artistic heritage of the Southern Philippines.” Ligaya Fernando-Amilbangsa, 71, was among five recipients of the Ramon Magsaysay Award, Asia’s version of the Nobel Prize, for documenting and teaching a pre-Islamic dance tradition called pangalay. Amilbangsa told…
FOLLOWING the death of another Filipino journalist on Thursday, Aug. 28, the Committee to Protect Journalists called on Philippine President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday, Sept. 1, to work toward eliminating attacks against press in the country. Radio broadcaster Cosme Maestrado, 46, the most recent victim, was shot to death by four unidentified gunman, according…
A TEAM of nine students and one biology professor from Cal State Northridge (CSUN) have pinpointed a gene that can cause breast cancer to spread. The new finding, published in this month’s Public Library of Science One journal, could change the course of breast cancer treatment, researchers say. Among women, breast cancer is the most…
” Traditions and rituals are meant to transform our relationships, to make us relate with one another with humility, love, mercy, and compassion.” What is the heart of the matter? This is the question I have been reflecting on this past week. It came out of a conversation I had with a fellow priest regarding…
“There are special laws that allow middle class families to avoid paying thousands of dollars out of their pocket monthly for nursing home care, assisted living care and home care. So, why get financially devastated when a health crisis happens that cannot be avoided?” CHAPTER 13 Client is 68 and relies on social security of…
Investor visas are a great option for immigrant investors and their families. These visas are available both for those that are outside of the United States, and for those that are currently in the United States on a different type of visa. Two programs stand out as great options that should be considered by any…
National origin is not a bar to recovery Immigrants are a growing part of the labor force in the United States. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2014, there were 25.7 million foreign-born persons in the US labor force, comprising 16.5 percent of the total workforce. According to the Office of Occupational Safety,…
How long do you have to keep tax records? How long can the IRS audit your tax returns? Let’s discuss 10 tips on statute of limitations so you can clean your garage this weekend. Statute of limitations provides final dates after which neither you nor the IRS can be disturbed by the other. • From…
Deciding if bankruptcy is right for you can be one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make in your life. As much as possible, most people try to avoid it, of course. But sometimes, the hole you’ve dug up is too deep that there is no other way out. For example, perhaps you owe…
Social media was on fire on Friday, Aug. 28 with comments and criticisms from kababayans who were caught in traffic on EDSA after thousands of members of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) members gathered in front of a shopping mall, reportedly following instructions from the INC leadership. While the rest of the commuting public had been…
THEY are the sons and daughters of dramatic journeys and fantastic tales, their stories carried like treasures as they lay down a shadow of stunning proportions, shaped both by the drama of the past and the sparkle of the moment. They are a phenomenon all on their own — from our ancestors who came to…
“Is this a good deal? Should I buy this?” are questions many teens of today are now asking. Gone are spending sprees and splurging for the new school year. Teens are shopping like their parents during the back-to-school season, putting a lot of pressure on retailers to change the way they market to them. According…
The state Senate approved on Thursday, Aug. 27, six tobacco regulation measures that would raise the smoking age in California from 18 to 21 and restrict e-cigarette usage in a variety of public areas. Thursday’s vote marks the second time in three months that California’s Senate has advanced measures boosting the smoking age and restricting…
LOS ANGELES – A Filipino-American judge was sworn into the LA County Superior Court on Thursday, Aug. 27 at a ceremony held at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown. Julian C. Recana of Long Beach became the newest Fil-Am judge, following his appointment by Governor Jerry Brown in July. Recana, who has served as a…
