TWO months after Nepal was hit with a devastating earthquake and an aftershock that killed over 8,500 people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses in its wake, the US government granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to the victims and Nepali families who have been affected. Immigration authorities opened applications on Wednesday, June 24, which…
IF someone tries to “carnap” you, it’s understandable if you get “high-blood.” Along with 38 other Filipino terms, these two words were included in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) in its June 2015 update of the “definitive record of the English language.” The announcement of the inclusion, made on Thursday, June 25, marks the largest…
What a way to spend the weekend! It was an excruciating, physically exhausting, exhilarating, and frantic schedule that I encountered during the last weekend… I was like engulfed by a formidable cyclone from some maddening world that I couldn’t find a way out to free myself from such unforgiving bondage. Even as early as Thursday…
A criminal conviction for a firearm offense may affect an alien’s immigration status or his eligibility for relief. The immigration consequences of a firearm conviction would depend on the status of the alien. If an alien is applying for a visa or for lawful permanent resident (LPR) status, a firearm conviction would not necessarily disqualify…
An Asian-American musical about forbidden love has made its world premiere at The Pasadena Playhouse. Waterfall tells the story of Thai student Noppon (played by Thai superstar Bie Sukrit) falling in love with an American woman, Katherine (Emily Padgett), who is married to a Thai diplomat named Chao-Kun (Thom Sesma). Set in the 1930s, the…
Skinny jeans may be a staple in women’s wardrobes, but a new case study suggests that squatting while wearing them could result in serious nerve damage in the lower legs. A report published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, details the story of a 35-year-old woman who spent hours lying on the ground,…
In a controversial landmark decision on Thursday, June 25, the Supreme Court upheld the nationwide tax subsidies underpinning President Barack Obama’s health care law, preserving coverage for millions of Americans. In a 6-3 ruling, the high court made subsidies to purchase health insurance available in states without their own insurance exchange, extending coverage for low-income…
Dubbed as one of the most successful telenovela series in the Philippines, the 2007 remake of MariMar paved the way for Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes to stardom. The couple have since become a real-life couple and are now happily married and expecting their first child. This year, GMA Network has decided to relive the…
IN November 2014, President Obama announced he was implementing various immigration executive actions, including Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) and expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). These programs would enable certain children brought to the US before age 16 and certain parents of US citizen or immigrant children to obtain relief from deportation…
ONE way of obtaining an immigrant visa here in the United States is through a petition filed by the US citizen or legal permanent resident spouse. The US citizen or legal permanent resident spouse must file an immigrant petition with the US Citizenship and Immigrations Services (USCIS) to start the immigrant visa process. Depending on…
How common is cancer of the colon and rectum? Colorectal cancer is the third-most common cancer in humans, topped only by cancer of the lungs and female breasts. More than 150,000 people in the United States each year discover they have cancer of the colon or rectum, and approximately 46,000 will die from it this…
THE federal government announced Wednesday, June 25 that it will release several undocumented migrant families on bond, a move designed to ease the strain on detention centers and address criticism from activists arguing it is wrong to hold women and children for long periods. The change in policies follows other border security changes announced last…
A Filipino-American teenager in North Carolina was arrested Friday, June 19, for allegedly attempting to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organization Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Justin Nojan Sullivan, 19, of Morganton, NC, had plans to kill up to 1,000 US citizens on behalf of ISIL, according to the criminal…
He left me with a houseful of daughters, who are 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…
FIRST, there was Ralph DeLeon, a 26-year old Filipino-American who received a 25-year prison sentence after a jury found him guilty of three terrorism related charges last fall. Now, Balitang America Correspondent Steve Angeles reported about the arrest last Friday, June 19 of another Fil-Am, 19-year-old Justin Nojan Sullivan of Morganton, NC, for allegedly plotting…
IN A divorce proceeding, people sometimes have a misconception that the only assets or properties that have to disclose assets and properties situated in California. Even worst, sometimes parties even think that since an asset or property is situated in a different country or state, that property is not community property and not subject to…
HEALTH insurance corporate giant Anthem Inc. reiterated the merits of its $54-billion offer for rival Cigna Corp. as shares of both companies rose during trading on Monday, June 22. Joseph Swedish, chief executive of Anthem, said he is “hopeful negotiations with Cigna will be restarted, and a deal can be wrapped up soon.” Anthem said…
THE Rotary Club of Historic Filipinotown named its first female president during its annual presidential demotion and promotion celebration on Thursday, June 18. “I’m honored and I’m challenged but I’m ready for it,” said 2015-16 club President Cecile Ramos of her assumption of the role. Ramos is the ninth to hold the position since the…
THIS summer, 10 rising college students will embark on a nine-week internship at a legislative or public office to acquire skills vital to careers in public office, public service and community advocacy. On Friday, June 19, the interns were introduced at the 24th annual Center for Asian Americans United for Self-Empowerment (CAUSE) Leadership Academy Kickoff…
Couples, officials, critics get ready for landmark decision WITH a US Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage expected any day now, gay couples in states with bans are making plans, courthouse officials are preparing, and critics are working to keep up the opposition. Marriage license bureaus are bracing for a rush of applicants if the…
OBESE American adults now outnumber those who are merely overweight, according to a new report in the JAMA Internal Medicine health journal. Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis estimated that 67.6 million Americans over the age of 25 were obese as of 2012, and an additional 65.2 million were overweight. They…
PHILIPPINE Vice President Jejomar Binay on Monday, June 22, submitted his irrevocable resignation from the Cabinet of President Benigno Aquino III. His resignation is effective immediately, the Office of the Vice President confirmed. Binay, who was chair of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and the presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers’ concerns, had…
THIS summer, 10 rising college students will embark on a nine-week internship at a legislative or public office to acquire skills vital to careers in public office, public service and community advocacy. On Friday, June 19, the interns were introduced at the 24th annual Center for Asian Americans United for Self-Empowerment (CAUSE) Leadership Academy Kickoff…
AS early as April 7, 2015, the USCIS announced that the statutory cap for the fiscal year (FY) 2016 of 65,000 H-1B visa applications for the general category and 20,000 under the advanced degree exemption have been reached. As you may be aware, the H-1B visa program allows US employers to temporarily hire alien workers…
Spouses need to be joint debtors from start of case “ It’s safer for the late filing spouse to file her own case so both cases will succeed. But with two cases, you will pay attorney and filing fees twice. So spouses should decide early on whether they will file a joint case or not.”…
SHOULD you attend an IRS audit? Yes, I mean, you – your own audit. Well, you don’t have to. This is always a strategic question that should be discussed at the planning stage of an audit. Of course, you do not want to go. Of course, I do not want you to go either. So…
Why workers should fight for employee status “UBER driver deemed employee by Labor Commissioner” is a headline. Why should this matter? Because employees receive more, in terms of pay, and in terms of legal protection than independent contractors. Employees, for instance, are reimbursed for expenses they incurred in performing their work. The driver’s claims against…
QUESTION: I did my Will many years ago and I need to add some items and change some items. What can I do? Answer: A codicil is a testamentary document that supplements, amends, qualifies, or republishes a prior testamentary document. Question: Can I just draft a codicil and sign it? Answer: A codicil must be…
A new film produced and directed by a Filipino American looks to shed light on the transgender community and help viewers understand what they go through. “Shunned” tells the struggles and stories of Filipina transgenders and the discrimination they experience because of who they are. Janice Villarosa, director and producer of the film, was inspired…
IT has been amazing to see and feel the passionate support Filipinos have given the Warriors in their quest to once again be this NBA champion after 40 years. Yes, Pinoys love basketball. Yes, there are so many Filipinos in the San Francisco Bay Area and in California, in general, which explains why there are…
