Every study has demonstrated that our nation’s twenty million Asian Americans seek the American Dream of homeownership. Among many Asian American groups, including Filipino Americans and Vietnamese Americans, the percentage is well-over 95% or even higher than for Whites. But this American Dream is decreasingly available to most Asian Americans. Why has this occurred when…
I’M writing from Orlando, Florida while attending the 2nd General Assembly of the National Association of Filipino Priests—USA. I remember fondly the first assembly that we held three years ago in Los Angeles. It was a historic moment because approximately four hundred of us, Filipino priests, ministering in different parts of the nation, gathered for…
A YEAR ago, the Philippines welcomed an unwanted visitor. Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) with winds up to 235 kilometers per hour and a tsunami-like storm surge ravaged most parts of the country, causing 6,300 lives. Homes, schools, hospitals, churches were destroyed. It seemed that all that was left was hope. The government, in…
The 2014 Midterm Elections are over and the balance of power has tilted in favor of the Republicans. The Grand Old Party (GOP) now controls both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Will a Republican-lead Congress be better for America in general, and the Filipino-American in particular? A majority — 63 percent — of…
Menu for business class starts Dec. 1 LOS ANGELES – Who says airplane food has to be subpar? This December, Japan’s largest airline All Nippon Airways will be serving dishes from a Michelin-starred restaurant to business class passengers flying out of Los Angeles International Airport. The collaboration between ANA and Patina, one of this city’s icons…
The other day, I came upon a shocking news headline on FaceBook, “George W. Bush Arrested for Cocaine Possession.” It was datelined Dallas, Texas, July 24, 2014. Intrigued, I read on: “One of the most notorious Presidents in the history of The United States of America is back in the spotlight, but not because of…
WE will discuss two new cases involving clients who seek a fresh start in life with no debts owed to anyone. Both sets of clients are in their forties. The first client is a couple in their forties with young children who are aged 3 and 7. Husband works for the county of LA and…
MORE than a year ago, I discussed in an article the immigration consequences of using a false social security number. In Beltran-Tirado v. INS, 213 F.3d 1179 (9th Cir. 2000), the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held that convictions under 18 USC 1546(b), for false attestation on an employment verification form, and 42 USC 408(a)(7)(B),…
TOUGH times may necessitate dipping into your retirement funds before retirement. Look at the tax impact of such a move. You may be shocked to find out what you are left with – as little as half or two-thirds of what you withdraw. Here are 10 facts about early distributions. 1. Payments you receive from…
EVERY now and then, our law firm receives calls from persons who inform us that supervisors reduced their hours, or suspended them for a trump up charge, in order to “get back,” or get even with them for “talking back,” or telling the supervisor he was wrong. The aggrieved employee then asks if they can…
THE recession has been tough on a lot of small businesses. And if you have a family-owned business that is your only source of income, the business may not even be making enough to pay its own expenses- let alone pay you. Good business practice says that you should pay yourself first but in practice…
A RECENT study found that working a job with irregular shifts comes with a price tag greater than the challenge in adjusting sleeping patterns: doing so has a long-term effect on cognitive abilities. The study, published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, revealed shift work can impair memory, speed and selective attention abilities. Researchers…
On Nov. 6, Disney announced the continuation of two of their biggest film sagas, Star Wars and Toy Story. The major studio announced the official title of the new Star Wars: Episode VII film, “The Force Awakens.” The reveal comes as the movie, directed by J.J. Abrams of the Star Trek series, wraps up its last days of shooting…
The most notable about time in an ocean voyage is that it is so purely relative. What a fragment is in space, a moment is in time. We sailed in the lightness of an autumn early evening—the sky a fresh roceate, the sea quiet, calm, the ship ploughed into open seas, a shade of vivid…
Gov. Brown, student against hike Administrators at the University of California proposed a new plan to increase tuition by as much as 5 percent in the next five years, drawing criticism from newly-reelected Gov. Jerry Brown, as well as top state legislative leaders and student activists. UC President Janet Napolitano sent out emails and messages…
FLU season can begin as early as October each year, at which time thousands of free and affordable vaccines are available to the public. But according to a report from NBC Bay Area, more than 500,000 vaccines have gone unused in California in the past six flu seasons. With each unit worth about $11, the…
Nearly half of 2.59 million recalled General Motors vehicles remain unrepaired nine months after the automaker issued a recall due to faulty ignition switches. As of Oct. 31, a total of 31 deaths have been linked to the defect, along with more in injuries. The problem is reported to prevent airbags from inflating, and interferes…
South Korean auto companies Hyundai and Kia owe a $100 million fine for exaggerating the fuel economy estimates of 1.2 million cars. An investigation conducted by the Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that the companies’ erroneous mileage information violates the Clean Air Act. As a result of the misstatement, an estimated…
Being an achiever doesn’t necessarily need one to be somewhat unapproachably recondite and stops being a woman. On the 16th day of June, 1944, a future humanitarian leader who could potentially uphold the values of Florence Nightingale was born to Ceasar Aquino Cajucom, a NARIC (National Rice Corporation) employee and Mercedes Buenaventura Martinez, an elementary…
The US midterm elections took place on Tuesday, November 4 and no doubt you have heard a lot about what the results mean for this country. Immigration reform was a constant issue throughout many campaigns, and some candidates even ran on an anti-immigration reform platform. The issue of comprehensive immigration reform has been before Congress…
FLU season can begin as early as October each year, at which time thousands of free and affordable vaccines are available to the public. But according to a report from NBC Bay Area, more than 500,000 vaccines have gone unused in California in the past six flu seasons. With each unit worth about $11, the…
Gov. Brown, student against hike Administrators at the University of California proposed a new plan to increase tuition by as much as 5 percent in the next five years, drawing criticism from newly-reelected Gov. Jerry Brown, as well as top state legislative leaders and student activists. UC President Janet Napolitano sent out emails and messages…
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo was re-elected for a second term Tuesday in the 2014 midterm election. Cuomo garnered 54 percent of the vote with 98 percent of precincts reporting on Wednesday, 41 percent for his Republican opponent Rob Astorino, and 5 percent for Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins. Reports showed that Cuomo was a…
ASIAN Americans tend to support Democratic candidates in congressional elections by more than a two-to-one margin, a pre-election poll conducted in three states found. The study, called the 2014 Asian American Election Eve Poll, was conducted between Oct. 30 to Nov. 4 via landline and cellphone interviews with 1,150 of these voters in California, Texas,…
For the Filipino-American community, voter turnout slightly increased during recent elections, but things slowed down during this year’s midterms. Analysts believe a non-competitive race for governor and the lack of controversial ballot initiatives—for instance, same-sex marriage—kept voters away from the polls. But despite the low turnout on Election Day, Southern California Fil-Am candidates remained hopeful…
HAVE you ever accidentally bitten down on a little piece of aluminum foil? Have you experienced that quick zap of pain? Perhaps a little piece of foil was clinging to the tortilla when you unwrapped your taco during lunch. When that foil came in contact with metal in your mouth (such as an amalgam filling, a metal crown, or…
Immigration attorneys can handle immigration cases anywhere throughout the US. This is because immigration law is federal law, as opposed to state law. Therefore, even if an attorney’s office is in California, and the client is in Florida, the attorney can still represent that person. Everyone is familiar with Starbucks coffee houses, which are located…
IT is with sadness that we write about the passing of Elaine Gamboa-Cuneta, the mother of Philippine Megastar Sharon Cuneta-Pangilinan and grandmother of actress KC Concepcion. She is also the sister of veteran actress Helen Gamboa-Sotto. Gamboa-Cuneta, fondly called “Mita” by KC, passed away on Wednesday, November 5, at the age of 79. The wife…
What is Reflux Heartburns? Reflux Heartburns is a milder stage of Reflux Esophagitis, which is an inflammatory condition where Hydrocholoric Acid, normally produced by the stomach to aid in the digestion of food, regurgitates (goes back up) to the lower end of the esophagus (food pipe) which is connected to the stomach. In majority cases…
For the Filipino-American community, voter turnout slightly increased during recent elections, but things slowed down during this year’s midterms. Analysts believe a non-competitive race for governor and the lack of controversial ballot initiatives—for instance, same-sex marriage—kept voters away from the polls. But despite the low turnout on Election Day, Southern California Fil-Am candidates remained hopeful…
