WHILE President Benigno Aquino III continuously reports the country’s economic gains, Filipinos have yet to enjoy such good news. According to a recent survey, the majority of Filipinos consider themselves “struggling” or “suffering” financially. US-based think tank Gallup-Healthways’ State of Global Well-Being Index 2014 reported that 52 percent of the Filipino respondents said they are…
LOS ANGELES – A business development center focused on meeting the financial needs of small business owners in Chinatown held its grand opening on Thursday, March 26. The Chinatown Neighborhood Business Development Center (Chinatown NBDC), a Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) center, will use a culturally appropriate approach to assist local entrepreneurs understand what operating…
Prosecution shows victims’ gruesome autopsies PROSECUTORS rested their case on Monday, March 30 in the Boston Marathon bombing trial, after a morning full of grisly testimony from physicians who conducted autopsies on the youngest victims of the bombing attack on April 15, 2013. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 21, is charged in the attack that left three people…
NSA crash attempt failed TWO people tried to ram the main entrance gate of the National Security Agency (NSA) headquarters at Fort Meade, Md., on Monday, March 30. An NSA police officer shot one of the intruders dead, and seriously injured the second, according to officials. An anonymous law enforcement official said a firefight ensued…
CARSON Mayor Pro Tem Elito Santarina was re-elected to the Carson City Council and sworn-in Tuesday, March 24, at a swearing-in ceremony at the city’s community center. Santarina’s new four-year term marks the fourth time he has been elected to the city council. “Once again, you have validated the services I have rendered in the…
CARSON Mayor Pro Tem Elito Santarina was re-elected to the Carson City Council and sworn-in Tuesday, March 24, at a swearing-in ceremony at the city’s community center. Santarina’s new four-year term marks the fourth time he has been elected to the city council. “Once again, you have validated the services I have rendered in the…
OFFICIALS announced Thursday, March 26 that the California government would stop enforcing a key provision of a voter-approved law prohibiting all registered sex offenders from living close to schools. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) said it would no longer impose the blanket restrictions outlined in Jessica’s Law, which forbids all sex offenders…
THE California Department of Public Health released two television ads on Monday, March 23 to inform the public of risks associated with e-cigarettes. “California has been a world leader in tobacco use prevention and cessation since 1990, with one of the lowest youth and adult smoking rates in the nation. The aggressive marketing and escalating…
IT’S Palm Sunday this weekend, the beginning of Holy Week! We also call this Sunday, Passion Sunday, because we commemorate the entrance of Jesus to Jerusalem to be crucified, to die, and to rise again for the redemption of the whole world and mankind. As we read and listen to the narration of the Passion…
Edmund Gerald “Jerry” Brown, Jr., born on April 7, 1938, heads the list of prominent celebrities celebrating their birthdays in the month of April. Jerry is an American politician currently serving as the 39th Governor of the State of California. He previously served as the Golden State’s 34th Governor from 1975 to 1983. Prior to his…
Most green card holders may apply for US Citizenship after five years residence in the US. However, if married to an American, there is a special “fast-track” route to citizenship, where the green card holder or lawful permanent resident (LPR) may file for naturalization three years after obtaining his or her green card, instead of…
Foreign professionals wishing to immigrate to the US (as permanent residents) may do so under 3 general classifications: • 1st Preference (EB1) – extraordinary ability foreign professionals; outstanding researchers and professors; and multinational executives and managers known as “priority workers”; • 2nd Preference (EB2) – foreign professionals with advanced degrees and professionals of exceptional ability…
Vehicle maintenance is one of the more bothersome aspects of automobile ownership. Taking your ride into Auto Shop or Dealer is often like having a tooth pulled–painful, but necessary. Maintenance also can be confusing: Which service interval should you follow, the “normal-duty” or “severe-duty” schedule? Severe-duty applies to vehicles that operate under a variety of…
What is Ampalaya? Commonly called bitter melon or bitter gourd and known scientifically as Momordica charantia, ampalaya is a very popular vegetable in Asia. This vegetable is green, tubular in shape, has a characteristic deep tortuous wrinkles or ruffles all over its skin, and has a distinctively “addicting” bitter taste. Ampalaya has been known to…
Spring has sprung. It is upon us in a scent that grows deeper, dizzying, improbable. It is too heady, too provocative to be diminished. Seeping through open windows, under doors, as you slip out of a doorway or slide out of a car. There it is—a scent that dominates the air, your bed clothes. It’s…
A trade group and broadband provider on Monday, March 23, sued the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) due to new net neutrality rules, claiming they overstep the government’s authority. The U.S. Telecom Association, the industry group – which includes providers AT&T, Verizon, CenturyLink, and others – calls the rules “arbitrary, capricious and an abuse of direction,”…
ANOTHER school year is wrapping up in the Philippines. Students, educators and parents in different schools around the country are all geared up for the commencement exercises to welcome the march of 2015 graduates. Through the years graduation has been an annual event that brings Filipinos together to celebrate the next generation’s accomplishments. “Your education…
EVERY now and then we hear horrible stories of kababayans who put their trust in another Filipino only to find out that their trust, — and yes, desperation for many — had caused them to be victimized by the very people they thought would help them give their families a better life by working in…
ALL the noises being made about President Aquinoâs role in the Mamasapano tragedy may be likened to Macbethâs frustrated commentary on life: âFull of sound and fury, signifying nothing.â While the public may have already decided that Aquino is, to a lesser or greater degree, responsible, accountable and culpable for the tragic fate of 44…
“BUY real estate in areas where the path exists and buy more real estate where there is no path, but you can create your own” -David Waronker, American real estate investor. The presence of a number of Central Business Districts (CBDs) in the Philippines is a clear indication that the country is experiencing a booming…
On January 2, 2013, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano announced the posting of a final rule in the Federal Register that reduces the time US citizens are separated from their immediate relatives (spouse, children and parents), who are in the process of obtaining visas to become lawful permanent residents of the United States commonly…
A FEDERAL judge on Thursday, March 19, threatened to sanction the Justice Department if it is found that government lawyers misled him about the implementation of President Barack Obama’s executive order on immigration. US District Judge Andrew Hanen, ruled on Feb. 16 in favor of 26 states to indefinitely postpone Obama’s executive action, which would…
This piece began as an act of friendship. But because friendship has no biological purpose, no economic status, savored without rules that turned out to be a sparkling conversation—with pauses now and then—its spheres are not always connected at the beginning. It was Lydia’s thoughts that gave this piece a completion. Our topics were exploratory,…
FR. Steve, my colleague in the seminary, told me as soon as he left my office after we chatted, “Fr. Rodel, God will never abandon you. And remember, just as a mother will not forget her child, God will not forget you.” Then, he jokingly remarked, “I may leave you but God will never leave…
IN an Elton John song, the renowned singer said, “Sorry seems to be the hardest word.” This cannot be more accurate for President Benigno Aquino III’s current predicament. Aquino is accused of being mainly responsible for the botched Jan. 25 Mamasapano operation that caused the death of 44 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos and 17…
MONTHS after the botched terror mission in Mamasapano that claimed the lives of at least 65 people, including 44 Special Action Force (SAF) troopers, the trust and approval rating of President Benigno Aquino III has fallen to its lowest level yet. The President’s addition to the confusion about the issue could have contributed to this,…
White House appeals amnesty restraing order to Court of Appeals Client no. 1 CLIENT no. 1 is in her fifties. She comes to see me regarding a lawsuit by a credit card collecting $7K. Aside from this, she owes another $11K, for a total of $18K total credit card debt. She has a story to…
Q: I AM a body builder and just won a big amateur contest. Can I come and work in the US on some type of visa? A: Yes, there is what is known as the P Visa. The P-1A is for a Person who performs as an athlete, individually or as part of a group…
IN a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy petition, the debtor is required to list down in the bankruptcy petition all his assets in the applicable schedules which are part of the bankruptcy petition. These assets are classified as real or personal property. The debtor is also required to list down all secured assets. From all the assets…
FOR those of you who itemize, the table below should be of special interest. For those of you who play the odds (you know what I mean), this table should be of very special interest. Having claimed too many exemptions at work to increase your take-home pay, you suddenly find yourself owing Uncle Sam a…
