PH seeking UN intervention: Good or bad for the escalating standoff with China?
WHEN it comes to the territorial row, China does not want the United Nations (UN) to intervene and demands that the Philippines should resolve the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea…
Fee gouging and self-aggrandizement
ALTHOUGH attorneys take an oath upon admission to the bar to zealously advocate on behalf of their clients, I have heard an overwhelming number of stories in which potential clients…
Exploring Palawan’s natural wonder
Gliding across the sea and passing by the picturesque St. Paul Mountain Range, its rolling terrain of lush forest and beautiful karst formations seem like a teaser to a movie…
Filipinos protest inaccuracies in ‘Chavez’ movie
LOS ANGELES – Filipinos cried ‘foul’ over the supposed inaccuracies of the Hollywood biopic, Cesar Chavez that premiered in Los Angeles . Directed by Diego Luna, the film tells the story of…
TPS for PH gains support from 35 US congressmen, Mayor Garcetti and LA City Council
LOS ANGELES – The groundswell movement, urging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to grant full Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to the Philippines, has become bigger and stronger. Recently, key…
How do you file if you are missing a W-2?
YOU should have received Form W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement) from your employer by now. If you did not, here are 10 tips to help you file: 1. Employers have…
When is an employment termination illegal?
(Unfair does not mean Unlawful) Q: I WORKED in a company for more than 10 years. A new supervisor was recently transferred to my department. This person and I do…
Are you facing debt problems and don’t know what to do?
WHEN people are going through financial difficulty and are unable to pay their bills, their first reaction is often to ignore their debts and avoid contact with creditors. They think…
Peace, at last
ON MARCH 27, after 17 years of tumult and unrest, the Philippine government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) inked a historic pact for lasting peace in Mindanao through the…
Embattled CA State Senator Leland Yee and the Filipino connection
FILIPINOS in California are still in a state of shock and disbelief, after waking up to the news last Wednesday. After a series of raids in the Bay Area and…
The FOI Bill and the half-a-loaf principle
THOSE of you who are waiting for a Freedom of Information Bill crafted to your full satisfaction should not hold your breath. You folks will pass out from lack of…
‘Education and smaller servings will combat obesity in CA, not new taxes’
BEVERAGE LOBBY GROUP SAYS LOS ANGELES – According to a state-wide lobby group opposing the so-called ‘soda tax’ bill introduced in the State Legislature, consumer education and smaller serving sizes…
SITV hands out ‘Best for Women Awards’
BURBANK – Women from all walks of life were honored on Tuesday, March 25, by Soroptimist International of The Verdugos (SITV) for being role models and trailblazers for women everywhere….
The camera never blinks
With its vivid communication of reality, a photograph is a powerful tapestry, which tells a story. Images of people and events are captured in the split second that they happened….
The drink from the bucket
IN challenging and difficult times, how can we maintain peace? What we can we do to keep our minds sane and our spirits high? “We’ll just have to keep hoping…
Dennis Z. Sy & Mae B. Lozada: The embodiment of world-class Pinoy terpsichorean prowess
Dance, an art form that generally involves body locomotion in rhythmic beat induced by music, is as old and varied as many cultures. Considered a form of expression or even…
Can relatives petition family members for labor certification?
Dear Atty Gurfinkel: My American Citizen sister would like to petition me, but it would take many, many years to get a green card through a family petition. She also…
The ‘B-1 in lieu of H-1B Visa’ – a useful alternative in appropriate situations
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…
CA Gov. Jerry Brown heads list of personalities celebrating their birthday this April
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…
The wonders of statins
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…
State Sen. Leland Yee arrested on corruption, bribery charges
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…
Resurgence
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,…
Fil-Am who breached WTC security: Hero or fool?
“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…
Invoking 5th amendment right against self-incrimination in bankruptcy
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…
Motions to reopen for Section 212(c) relief
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…
Where to dive next in the Philippines
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…
The presumption of ‘undue influence’ in transactions between spouses during the marriage
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…
Spring once more
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,…