An applicant for admission or adjustment of status must generally have a qualified sponsor who executes a Form I-864 Affidavit of Support. Otherwise, such alien would be inadmissible under INA 212(a)(4) as one likely to become a public charge. Form I-864 is a contract that binds the sponsor to support the sponsored alien at an…
THE Supreme Court of the United States has often called Chapter 7 bankruptcy the “Fresh Start”. This is an accurate description of debt relief given by Chapter 7. Debtors are given a rare opportunity to get rid of their debts without paying them. At the same time, they are able to keep all, if not…
IN February 2010, Cable’s Restaurant in Woodland Hills, CA was acquired by GACN, Inc. During the acquisition, the employer promised that veteran servers Martha Aboulafia (57 years-old), Cheryl Colgin (57), Patricia Monica (66), Lesi Clothier (55), Patricia Long (74), and Regina Greene (47) will be able to keep their positions. Unknown to the servers, the…
IN the Philippines, politics and show business are no strange bedfellows. Through the years, the country has been (and still is) under the influence of different officials – be it Mayor, Congressman or Senator, majority of which came from a family of renowned politicians and showbiz personalities. Not that we are saying that they are…
In an unprecedented show of unity, patriotism and force, 30 or more disparate Fil-Am groups joined the celebration of the Kalayaan Grand in Historic Filipinotown last Saturday, June 7. Inspired by the Filipino American Community of Los Angeles (FACLA), led by its sterling President Austin “June” Baul, formidable groups of the Fil-Am community such as the…
THE words of St. Paul in 2 Corinthians 13: 11-13 would always relevant to us: “Brothers and sisters, rejoice. Mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.” These are words that apply…
Last Saturday, June 7, the 158th day of 2014, I woke up to a rather smoggy morning but the murky weather was no match to my self-decreed over-powering cheerfulness and dexterity. Before I went to bed I had already a mental scheme of what to expect and how to face the following day with remarkable…
LOS ANGELES – On Friday, the Los Angeles City Hall joined the Filipino community in LA in celebrating Philippine Independence Day. The celebration was organized by the Los Angeles Filipino Association of City Employees (LAFACE), and was sponsored by the office of Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell. O’Farrell represents council district 13 (CD13), the area in LA…
The July 2014 Visa Bulletin provides great news for Filipinos petitioned in the third preference (professional/skilled worker) and other (unskilled) worker categories, in that the priority date moved forward one year, from January 1, 2008 to January 1, 2009. Therefore, if your employer filed your labor certification case before January 2009, you may be eligible…
HE has proven that age is not a factor in being a star. Last May 18, actor Richard Yap turned 47 and still remained humble as ever. The star of the hit teleserye Be Careful With My Heart, shared that he wished for nothing more for himself, apart from to continue to receive more blessings…
Letters Mailed to Businesses Located in Select Zip Code Areas Sacramento – Retailers throughout the state are receiving letters from the California State Board of Equalization (BOE) notifying them about upcoming visits from Statewide Compliance and Outreach Program (SCOP) teams. The visits are intended to educate retailers about properly reporting sales and use tax, increasing compliance…
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The man behind the successful lawsuit to declare California’s teacher-tenure laws unconstitutional is a wealthy Silicon Valley entrepreneur who says he has no gripe with teachers unions, only with incompetent teachers. David Welch, an electrical engineer who holds over 130 patents and has made a fortune merging and creating high-tech companies,…
WILL justice be truly be served? Only the aggrieved party can tell. When news broke out of the P10-billion Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel scam in July last year, names that have been dragged by the alleged misuse of the government’s money, and the Philippine politics, have come under increased scrutiny. Almost…
“TATAK PILIPINO” was a 60-minute weekly television magazine program that showcased Philippine arts and culture, produced by ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation from 1990 to 1994. It was hosted by APO Hiking Society’s Jim Paredes and ABS-CBN News Anchorwoman Gel Santos Relos, with Laurenti Dyogi as Executive Producer and Leo Katigbak as Director. At the time when variety…
I RECEIVED a letter from former Marcos regime Prime Minister and Finance Minister Cesar E. A. Virata to correct what he thought was a mistake I had made in my column entitled, “PNoy’s Marcosian Predicament.” Apparently, Virata had misread the part of my piece that recounted an incident in Washington DC, shortly after the assassination…
The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco announces the arrival and assumption of post of Mr. Henry S. Bensurto, Jr., the new Philippine Consul General to San Francisco. Consul General Bensurto is a career diplomat and a respected member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), and is currently one of the Philippines’ leading…
San Francisco—Ombudsman ConchitaCarpio Morales and members of her delegation met with members of the Filipino-American community in the Bay Area last May 30 at the Philippine Consulate General. The Ombudsman shared with the Filipino American community the initiatives being undertaken by her office in relation to its constitutional and statutory mandate to promote integrity and…
ON May 31, two birthdays, attended by almost 300 guests, were celebrated. The day began at noon with a birthday celebration for 7-year-old Gaston Soriano, the son of Andrew and Dr. Josefina Robles-Soriano at their 1887 Victorian Mansion in Orange County. Gaston’s party was full of fun with Gaston rendering a song, games, tricks, and…
My father was the kind of man I have always dreamed of: kind to the weak, fierce to the arrogant, generous to those who loved him and ruthless so those who will order him around. As a whole nation of sons and daughters pause to remember their fathers, I thought of how little I really…
“Meet the Prez” is hosted by the UP Alumni of Greater Los Angeles The University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Greater Los Angeles (UPAAGLA) will welcome current UP President Fred Pascual on July 5th at 6pm for a casual get together in this non-exclusive, open-invitation event. “Meet the Prez” allows UPAAGLA to report on…
New Report Documents Record Levels of Contracting with Firms Owned by Minorities, Women, Disabled Veterans BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA – Ongoing efforts by California utility and telecommunications companies to diversify their supplier networks set a new record last year, generating over $8.5 billion in contracts with businesses owned by people of color, women, and service disabled veterans….
LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles-based Filipino community organization Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) continues its call for action on the advocacy campaign that asks the US government to grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to the Philippines. In a news release on Monday, PWC called on their supporters to join the “Kulit Brigade,” keep on calling the government hotlines,…
ROSEMEAD, Calif., JUNE 9, 2014 — The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will hold a community information meeting June 16 in Costa Mesa on the proposed San Onofre nuclear plant settlement agreement currently before the commission. The proposed agreement was announced to the commission on March 27 by Southern California Edison (SCE), San Diego Gas & Electric,…
7th Case Report of California Certified PA (Public Insurance Adjuster) Jae Park “Should I file a claim?” Water loss at Condo unit owner/ Town house owner at Pasadena/ nearby San Marino, California. At the end of December 2012, I visited the site where the flood damage occurred, namely the condominium located in Pasadena. The condominium…
6th Case Report of California Certified PA (Public Insurance Adjuster) Jae Park In August 2012, there was flood damage in Mr. A’s mansion (with floor space of approximately 5,200 sq. ft.) located near the Silver lake in Victorville. This mansion is a place that Mr. A, who lives near Los Angeles, visits for rest and…
AT THE recent 3-day Asia-Europe Meeting(ASEM) conference on disaster risk and management, President Benigno S. Aquino III emphasized the need for countries to come together, to make the world climate-proof. He said that climate change has been a major threat to island-countries and that Super Typhoon Yolanda serves as a major warning about the worsening…
EVEN after debtor obtains a bankruptcy discharge of his debts, he might feel morally obligated to pay a debt for some reason. For example, debtor borrowed $20,000 from his “rich uncle.” This debt was discharged in bankruptcy therefore no longer legally collectible. However, debtor decides to start paying his uncle $200 a month despite the…
How social media postings can harm an employment case THE internet has become a powerful instrument for socializing and reaching people. Networking sites are now virtual coffee shops for meeting new friends or catching up with old ones by posting comments or photos. Like all other tools, social media has its good and bad side….
EVERY day, I meet with a lot of people who are sick and tired of being in a financial mess but they are unwilling to pay the price of being debt-free. What do I mean by this? In this week’s article, I will tell you exactly what needs to change in order for you to…
MANY financially distressed borrowers lost their homes and had their loans cancelled during and after the recession. It was a relief to have their debts reduced or forgiven, but the same debt relief also triggered tax consequences that they were not aware of. In my CPA practice as a tax consultant, homeowners express shock and…
