As this year’s H-1B filing season comes to a close, employers not able to submit their applications on time or those whose cases are not chosen in the H-1B lottery will be looking for other options. The B-1 visa is commonly considered as a possible alternative, but this category does not cover typical employment scenarios….
Edmund Gerald “Jerry” Brown Jr., born on April 7, 1938; heads the list of prominent personalities celebrating their birthdays for the month of April. Brown is currently the 39th Governor of the Golden State of California since 2011, and was also Governor from 1975 to 1983. Before being Governor, he served in numerous State…
Cholesterol and saturated fats have killed more people around the world than all the battles and wars combined. In the United States alone, more than half a million people succumb to heart attack and stroke each year. This does not even include the morbidities and disabilities caused by the blockages of arteries in the abdomen…
SAN FRANCISCO—It came as a shock to many when the news broke out early morning of March 25 that State Sen. Leland Yee was arrested on public corruption charges made by the FBI. The senator’s office in Sacramento and home in San Francisco were among the locations searched. Authorities said that the 65-year-old senator solicited…
DESPITE some hiccups caused by natural disasters in the final quarter of last year, the Philippine economy remains as one of the fastest-growing in Asia. It was a remarkable turnout, with the Philippines finishing at 7.2 percent overall for 2013, just a little behind China’s 7.7 percent. Now that those threats are behind us, and…
“In Balitang America’s daily online poll Isyu Ngayon, 80 percent of viewers believe that Casquejo is a fool and that what he did was careless — a crime that could get him a year’s sentence in jail. On the other hand, 20 percent of the voters described Casquejo’s act as amazing. Not many people have…
THE 5th amendment to the United States Constitution states that no person may be compelled to testify against himself. Hence a person may refuse to answer a question on the grounds that it might incriminate himself. Our discussion involves questioning in a bankruptcy proceeding where a debtor refuses to answer invoking the 5th. Several years…
IN accordance with the US Supreme Court’s 2011 decision in Judulang v. Holder, the BIA issued a decision on February 28, 2014 that makes Section 212(c) relief available to thousands or immigrants who were ordered deported or are presently deportable for criminal convictions. The decision, Matter of Abdelghany, abolishes the so-called “comparable grounds” rule that…
It’s a wonder that the Philippines never runs out of interesting places to see. The profound natural resources and immaculate geographical beauty of this archipelagic island is home to a multitude of marine life and continue to gain popularity for having fantastic dive sites. Plunge deep into the wonders of the Philippine seas and be…
California law on the nature of spouses’ rights and obligations with respect to management and control of community property has evolved over the last thirty years from less stringent “good faith” standards to heightened “confidential duty” and “fiduciary duty’ standards. Under current law, the duties owed between spouses in transactions between themselves are the same…
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…
Making a commitment and sticking to it takes a lot of hard work. The beginning of the year is generally the time when millions of Americans commit themselves to being healthy by losing weight, exercising more and eating fewer calories. Losing weight is a daunting challenge. Weight loss experts say that people who have support…
Drug trafficking crimes are aggravated felonies. There are two distinct aggravated felonies under INA 101(a)(43)(B), illicit trafficking in drugs and drug trafficking. In Matter of Sanchez-Cornejo, 24 I&N Dec. 273 (BIA 2010), the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) defined illicit trafficking as a conviction involving the unlawful trading or dealing of any controlled substance. Drug…
MARCH 27 has been delegated as the Community Call to Action Day by a coalition of Filipino-American groups, who have been advocating for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for the Philippines since November 2013, after the extensive devastation brought to the country by Typhoon Haiyan. The designation of TPS for the Philippines will benefit hundreds of…
NEW development! “US Secretary of State John Kerry has already made his review and recommendation regarding the request for TPS designation of the Philippines, and that recommendation has been sent to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS,)” TPS primary proponent Atty. Arnedo Valera enthusiastically reported to me, after he got another call on March…
REPUBLIC Act No. 10175, known as the Philippine Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, is caught in a time warp. Its provisions on cybercrime offenses in Chapter 11 are copied from current cybercrime laws of the United States (United States Code), but its provisions on online libel (Section 4(c)(4) and Section 6) date back to 1932,…
THERE are two different approaches to prepare for an audit: shoe-box and organized approach. Let’s discuss each method so you can determine which one is best for your next audit. Why you should be organized – In my four decades years of defending taxpayers audited by the IRS and other governmental agencies, this methodical approach…
Waiting at work for security checks may be compensable JESSE Busk and Laurie Castro are former employees of Integrity Staffing Solutions, Inc., a company which provides warehouse space and staffing to Amazon.com. They sued their employer in a class action, alleging that Integrity required them and other employees to pass through security screenings at the end…
DO you dream of simplifying your life, reducing your stress and regaining control of your financial future? Everyone dreams of living a debt-free life and yet we know that today, so many people are drowning in debt that they don’t even sleep well at night. If you are one of these people, perhaps you are…
CERRITOS – On March 19, the Cerritos City Council held the annual reorganization meeting and mayoral transition, which signified the end of a councilmember’s one-year term as City Mayor and ushered in the beginning of another councilmember’s stint as the city’s chief executive. In Cerritos, the residents elect five city councilmembers to four-year terms. Then,…
LOS ANGELES – Philippine Consulate General Officials attended the fundraising concert to benefit the victims of Typhoon Haiyan organized by the Rotary Club of Historic Filipinotown in collaboration with APO GLA and UP APO Foundation on March 15, 2014 at Incarnation Community Center Gym, Glendale, California. The concert features the REO Brothers, Raymart, RJ, Ralph…
I am one of those who freely and ungrudgingly take great interest in my friends’ pleasure, in what they relish and what they become anxious about in the world of Western mass culture (and borrowings). We reveal ourselves (like any westerner), with our grasp of the latest fashion and catch phrases, or the hottest dances….
“ We can’t always stay up in the mountain, we’ve got to come down from the mountain where our people are. We’ve got to feed the hungry, cloth the naked, give drink to the thirsty, visit the imprisoned and liberate the oppressed. For in these acts of heroic love, goodness, and generosity are found the…
Beauty pageants have constantly been part of our bourgeoning lifestyle and significant social changes greatly influencing the social status of our community. Despite the advent of hi-tech discoveries, beauty pageants still find an unabated place and distinct relevance in the modernized world. The cultural relevance of pageants had remained steadfastly after the many years since…
Employees of an international company that are transferred into the US temporarily to work for the company’s parent, branch, affiliate or subsidiary enter the US on an L-1 Intra-company Transferee visa. This classification of visa is issued to employees that are at the managerial or executive level (L-1A) or have specialized knowledge (L-1B) and are…
The Philippine Medical Society of Northern California (PMSNC) will hold its 42nd Anniversary and Installation of 2014-2015 Officers with a dinner-dance on Saturday, March 29, 2014, at the San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront (1800 Old Bayshore Highway) in Burlingame, CA. Officers to be installed include Dr. Carmencita Abarquez-Agcaoili, president; Dr. Peter Bretan, president-elect; Dr. Leila…
DURING medieval times, people believed they could cure a toothache by driving a nail into an oak tree. Silly, right? Today’s misconceptions are different. There are still some crazy ideas out there about teeth—ideas that have very little to do with the facts. Have you ever fallen for one or more of these modern misconceptions?…
Many people may be guilty of attempted “alien smuggling” and not even realize it. They may also be totally unaware of the harsh or drastic consequences to themselves and the rest of their family if they are caught. A person could be committing alien smuggling by claiming that a grandchild or “given” child (whom they…
Fil-Am and American Idol Season 11 runner-up Jessica Sanchez has been chosen again to sing the Philippine National Anthem at the Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley rematch on April 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jessica confirmed this when she recently arrived in the Philippines. She also shared that…
SAN FRANCISCO -Thursday, March 27 has been designated as the Community Call to Action Day urging members of the Filipino community in the United States to call the US State Department (202-647-6575) and urge US Secretary of State John Kerry to recommend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for the Philippines to the US Department of Homeland…
