by Marili Raymundo Nearly 400 cyclists rode their bicycles through scenic Orange County on Saturday April 26th to raise funds and awareness for underprivileged children affected by Typhoon “Yolanda” in Leyte, Philippines. The ride which raised more than $20,000 from registrants and donors kicked off as the sun was rising and finished around noon at…
COURTROOMS are required to be open to the public. As enshrined in the Philippine Constitution, the right of the people to information on matters of public concern shall be recognized. In some cases, however, the judiciary may conduct confidential proceedings and/or seal documents, when it feels secrecy is justified. It is perhaps through this principle…
SUPER Typhoon Yolanda. Heat waves, drought and wildfires. Torrential rains and flooding. Many of us have been asking why these calamities have been happening more frequently these days. Do we still doubt that these are symptoms of Mother Nature ailing, and that her deterioration is going at an alarming and ominous rate? People in a…
CHAPTER 13 has been popular to strip down junior liens such as 2nd trust deeds and home equity loans. But it can also be used to handle student loans and taxes which are not yet dischargeable. Why should you use Chapter 13 to handle student loans and taxes: To save on interest and to shorten…
Funny how life happens in a fast-forward pace – so fast that we cannot see and hear it anymore. Even funnier is the irony that we can best observe life during a ride in the 40-kph-fast-running Philippine National Railways (PNR) train. Yes, if only we adhere to the “stop, look, and listen” reminder. Stop With…
IN 2009, President Obama signed into law amendments to the Immigration & Nationality Act (INA) reversing the longstanding rule that a “visa petition dies with the petitioner.” The new law will ameliorate the harsh, unfair consequences resulting to thousands of beneficiaries of family and employment-based visa petitions who have been waiting for years for their…
IT was my first police beat assignment. We felt that we had no right to do what we were doing. The killing of a fellow human being was repulsive and hideous — like performing some iniquitous farce. These were the thoughts flashing in my mind. The boundaries of this narrative (from that one moment in…
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – May 6, 2014 – Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) has launched a new public outreach campaign to inspire and inform LAX travelers and nearby residential communities about the multi-year, multi-billion dollar modernization program underway at the airport. Themed LAX is Happening, the campaign features new resources, tools and tips to help the…
Greenlining Institute Asks: Do NBA Teams Put Money Back into Communities Their Players and Fans Come From? Calls for Concrete Steps on Diversity Contact: Bruce Mirken, Greenlining Institute Media Relations Director, 510-926-4022; 415-846-7758 (cell) BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA – In a letter sent today to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, The Greenlining Institute challenges the league to take…
LOS ANGELES – Consul General Leo Herrera-Lim paid a courtesy call on Mayor Mark Pulido at Cerritos City Hall on April 30. The two officials discussed political dynamic mix in Cerritos City and how to develop Filipino-American entrepreneurship. They further discussed the prospect of identifying a City in the Philippines that can forge a sister-city…
LOS ANGELES – The Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles hosted a dinner reception on 30 April 2014 in honor of the Philippine National Police participants of the Public Safety Officers Senior Executive Course (PSOSEC) Class 2014-87 and 88. The PNP-PSOSEC Class is headed by Police Chief Superintendent Nicolas Salvador. Their counterparts from the Los…
AARP partners with APA Heritage Foundation to honor extraordinary AAPI innovators SAN FRANCISCO, May 6, 2014 – AARP is proud to sponsor the 10th annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Celebration in San Francisco during the month of May. This is the first time AARP has participated as a sponsor of this popular annual event….
There was a collective expression of disappointment among many Filipinos and the media because Barack Obama “gave no categorical commitment” that America would “defend” the Philippines if its dispute with China “escalates into an armed confrontation.” They had hoped that Obama would be as clear in his position on the Philippines-China dispute as he was…
Tattoos have evolved into popular forms of self-expression especially among younger people. However, tattoos sometimes indicate gang affiliations. As law enforcement officials began to understand the relationship of certain tattoos to criminal gangs, consular officers started to pay attention to tattoos for clues to gang affiliations among applicants for visas. Thus, in recent years, there…
ROSEMEAD, Calif., May 2, 2014 — Sixty-six percent. It would be a great number in an election. Unfortunately, it reflects a one-month spike in power outages caused by metallic balloons. Since the month of May and its celebrations of Mother’s Day, graduations and proms has arrived again, Southern California Edison (SCE) urges its customers during National Electrical Safety…
“OUR commitment to defend the Philippines is ironclad and the United States will keep that commitment, because allies never stand alone.” – Pres. Barack Obama’s remarks at the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Leyte in Fort Bonifacio Strong words uttered by the US president, who is considered as one of the greatest leaders in…
ONE controversial issue during the visit of President Barack Obama to the Philippines last April 28-29 highlights those instances when Fil-Ams, who have already been naturalized American citizens, have to confront two directly opposing perspectives and are challenged to make a stand. What do we value more: a deal that will be beneficial to America…
LET’S now discuss the last of three articles: How the IRS scores tax returns for audit. The higher the score, the more likelihood that you’ll be chosen for audit. 1. Scoring System: The IRS uses a Discriminant Function System (DIF) to determine returns that are most likely to generate additional revenue for the government. Although…
THE Los Angeles Times reports that in 2010, eleven officers of the Los Angeles Police Department’s traffic department assigned to the motorcycle unit, sued the city of Los Angeles, claiming that they suffered retaliation because they refused to follow the traffic ticket quota system secretly set by their supervisors. In California, ticket quotas are considered…
WARNING: If you are concerned about not having enough money to live on by the time you retire, you may find the following totally shocking: According to the Social Security Administration, if you took any 100 people at the start of their working careers and follow them for 40 years until they reach retirement age,…
The Board of Immigration Appeals (“BIA”) is an administrative appellate body, and a part of the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR). The EOIR is an independent agency within the US Department of Justice. The BIA reviews the decisions of the Immigration Courts by interpreting federal immigration laws. For example, if an individual is ordered…
THE sun was blasting down ferociously on the pavement in this hottest April day, brimming with heat. Historic Filipinotown was melting, heaving and breathing like a tired beast. Here on Temple Street, FACLA is a world on its own. Times change, so does a man I remember with clarity — the urbane gentleman’s countenance was…
YES, it ‘s official. Archbishop Jose H. Gomez has appointed me as a Member of St. John’s Seminary Faculty beginning the 1st of July this year. As I pray and reflect on this new assignment, I realize how critical it is to prepare future priests. At the same time, I feel privileged to be part…
Superstar Nora Aunor, now a resident of Los Angeles, will celebrate her 61st birthday on May 21. La Aunor, known as the one and only Superstar of the Philippines, was born in Iriga, Camarines Sur. She was the grand champion of the Darigold Jamboree Singing Contest and represented her province at the Tawag ng Tanghalan,…
THE Sounds of Manila (SoM), a US-based all-Filipino show band aptly tagged as “Ambassadors of Philippine Music,” finally raised the bar of their decade-long musical supremacy this side of the east coast when they formally launched their much-awaited CD during a live concert simultaneously celebrating Cecile Azarcon’s 35 years of writing and composing timeless original…
Dear Atty. Gurfinkel: I am out of status, but my employer filed a labor certification for me in 2006. The I-140 petition was approved, and the priority date is now current. I want to file for adjustment of status and get work authorization right away, but am being told I need to wait for an…
Due to demand stemming from aging demographics, the number of foreign-trained physicians practicing in the US continues to grow. According to the American Medical Association, International Medical Graduates (IMGs) comprise approximately one-third the US physician population. The Philippines is second, only to India, in the ranking of country of origin of IMG physicians. In order…
HMART Buena Park is just about ready to open its doors and making the final preparations. HMART Buena Park is set to open its doors at 9:30am on Friday, May 9. The opening of HMART Buena Park will tend to many residents who are eagerly waiting to discover what HMART has to offer. HMART hopes…
LOS ANGELES – Asian American lawmakers in the US House of Representatives appealed to House Republicans on Tuesday to join them in enacting comprehensive immigration reform into law. On Tuesday, April 29, members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) hosted a press call urging House Republican leadership to act on legislative proposals for…
Confirmed by LA City Council on April 30 LOS ANGELES – Mayor Eric Garcetti’s appointment of a Filipino-American to the East Los Angeles Area Planning Commission was confirmed on April 30, by the LA City Council. George Villanueva, 33, was confirmed as one of the new members of the Commision after all city councilmembers present…
