SEN. Bong Revilla’s privilege speech on January 20 seems to have generated more hatred for the actor-senator, instead of alleviating the public’s ire over his alleged involvement in the multi-million Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF or better known as the pork barrel) scam. Inquirer.net opinion writers, Conrado De Quiros and Randy David have regarded his…
(Part 2 of 2) LAST week, I shared the first part of the speech by Atty. Arnedo Valera, Legal Counsel of the Philippine Nurses Association in America (PNAA) and Executive Director of the Migrant Heritage Commission (MHC), delivered at the FIRST GLOBAL SUMMIT OF FILIPINO NURSES 2014 in Manila on January 16. Part 1 discussed…
(Part 2 of 2) Immigrants POLL workers: Permanent legal residents who are not citizens may serve as poll workers in California elections. Employer threats: Employers are prohibited from inducing fear by threatening workers to report their immigration status if they complain about working conditions. Lawyers: Illegal residents who pass the state bar exam may be…
MAX Taylor started work for Nabors Drilling as a “floorhand” on an oil rig in June 2010. Joe Mason and Jaime Mendez were Taylor’s supervisors. Several times a day, Mason called Taylor a “queer,” “homo,” and “gay porn star.” Taylor protested to Mason that he was not a homosexual and that he had a girlfriend….
The predominant influence of Rhythm and Blues, a music genre coined and abbreviated “RnB” or “R&B”by Billboard Magazine’s Jerry Wexter in 1948, undeniably opened a great opportunity for aspiring singers and songwriters one of which is fast-rising Fil-Am singer-songwriter-producer Eric G. Garzon, more popularly known as Eric G. A multi-faceted artist with diverse talents is…
Suppose you were a Chapter 13 debtor for the last two years of a 48 months plan then your mother dies leaving you as your inheritance a fully paid house with a fair market value of $250,000. Your Chapter 13 plan pays only 10% of your credit card debts of $100,000, leaving $90,000 to be…
I often get asked whether filing for bankruptcy can be avoided in finding a solution to debt problems. I usually tell people that filing for bankruptcy should be a last resort, not a first option. Before filing for bankruptcy, you should weigh the advantages against the disadvantages. How will filing change your financial situation and…
THEY say love is lovelier for the second time around and this holds true for actress Angel Locsin and actor/TV host Luis Manzano. It can be remembered they were a couple a few years back. When they ended their relationship, Luis became involved with Kapuso actress Jennylyn Mercado while Angel dated footballer Fil-Brit Phil Younghusband. …
The body is a wonderful natural chemical factory. Whatever we eat, drink or apply to our body is absorbed and automatically transformed to energy (fuel) or to various hormones and substances that control our total bodily function, including thought processes, mental state, behavior, and cellular responses and reactions. Medications and drugs we take are likewise…
(Part 1) All of us are hopeful that, in the upcoming year, Congress will pass some form of comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) that could eventually lead to legalization and citizenship for the millions of undocumented people in the US. However, I must emphasize that, at the present time, there is no immigration reform, so there…
The Filipino American Seniors Association (FASA) held its 20th Anniversary Celebration at Los Serranos Country Club last January 19, 2014 from 6 p.m. -12 p.m. The induction of new 2014-2015 officers was administered by Honorable Peter Rogers, Mayor of Chino Hills City and keynoted by Honorable Helen Barber-Dela Vega, the Consul General of the Philippines….
Some things light up — an uneasiness that, at first, you wouldn’t know how to define. But then you eventually do, and a shudder rises up and down your spine. Sometimes, it wouldn’t be much of a line. It doesn’t have the poetry of “I-breathe-the scent-of equality,” or the elegant journalism on the verge of…
THE National Day of Prayer is neither a political rally nor a spiritual event. With the theme “One Nation in Prayer,” last Monday’s gathering went beyond political separation and religious beliefs. It called on Filipinos to pause for a moment of prayer for guidance and protection, regardless of religion. The National Day of Prayer’s intent…
(Part 1 of 2) WE may have heard of some horrific stories of abuse committed by a few Filipino nurses, but I hope we do not lose sight of the big picture. It is important for us to appreciate the very big role our kababayan nurses play in the economic, social and cultural system of …
THE US House of Representatives has ignored a call to pass immigration reform over the past two years, opting instead to politicize the issue. As a result, the Boehner-led House has done absolutely NOTHING, even as the Senate passed its Comprehensive Reform Bill, S. 744, last year. In the meantime, the Obama Administration has taken…
Among the iconic elements that depict the rich culture and history of Manila are the ancient churches. These stunning creations dating back the early 16th century have become the country’s prominent treasures. One of the historical churches in Manila that exudes great beauty and architecture is located in Quiapo, Manila. The light blue-green basilica that…
I STILL think fondly about my enjoyable trip to Guatemala and El Salvador. I think not so much about the places that I visited but the warm encounters that I had with the people there. I remember the times that I sat at dinner table with some families and friends and engaged in joyous conversations…
Remember, Rebuild and Sustain: Walang Iwanan is the theme of the gala benefit event and concert for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan, which was organized by the Scripps College Music Department and Joint Music Program and will be held on February 2 at the Garrison Theater, Scripps Performing Arts Center in Claremont. The event will come…
WHEN Labor Rosalinda Baldoz announced on January 12 that the government is “liberalizing the labor market and allowing entry of foreign workers with the required skills so we can fill up those hard to fill occupations due to shortage,” netizens expressed their anger in social media. The need was based on a study conducted by…
THE nursing profession is a field that Filipinos are known to excel in. Patients credit and are most thankful for Pinoy nurses’ high level of knowledge, strong work ethic and remarkable degree of compassion. However, we also hear stories of abuse being committed by a few, which may taint or affect the image and reputation…
DUE to the extended damage caused by Typhoon Haiyan (“Yolanda”), USCIS has extended certain immigration relief available to Filipino nationals. On January 14, 2014, USCIS reminds that it will continue to accommodate requests such as: -Change or extension of nonimmigrant status for individuals currently in the United States, even when the request is filed after…
THE legal question that is posed is whether or not an inherited IRA is exempt in bankruptcy. For instance, your father died two years ago. You inherited his IRA of $250,000. You owe $100,000 of credit card debt which you can no longer pay. You file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy relief to discharge your credit…
(Part 1 of 2) MINIMUM Wage: Minimum wage increases to $9 per hour effective July 1, 2014. Identity Theft, Internet Online Tracking – Identity theft: State agencies and businesses are required to notify people when security information is hacked. – Tracking software: Website operators are required to inform users if their online activities are being…
LAST week, we wrote about the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) which entitles qualified employees 12 weeks of leave from work when they have to care for their seriously ill child, parent or spouse, for birth of and bonding with a newborn, or for the adoption or foster care a child. In the absence of…
ON December 17, 2013, the Hon. Mark C. Kim, Presiding Judge of Department 20 of the Long Beach Superior Court, ordered that the felony conviction of a Filipino client of the Author under Penal Code Section 475 for forgery on July 28, 1998, be reduced to a misdemeanor, under Penal Code Section 17(b)(3). The Author…
THE most important advice I can give to a person seeking legal advice is that the first opinion they obtain is not necessarily the best opinion. Often, as an attorney I am obligated to explain to a potential client that they are facing bad news. This is not something I enjoy, but the client’s right…
DID you know that “failing to maintain status” is not the same thing as being “out of status” and that the government can still try to Deport (Remove) you, even if you are in a “Period of Stay Authorized by the Attorney General”? Why is it that some people that overstay their I-94 for years…
PER the regulations of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), all non-machine readable passports may no longer be extended beyond October 31, 2015 and must be completely phased out by November 24, 2015. All Filipino nationals holding Machine Readable-Ready Passports (MRRP; green passports) and…
WALK 4 FREEDOM LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles is considered as one of the top three points of entry for human trafficking to the United States. It is also home to over 600,000 Filipinos. According to nonprofit Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking (CAST), human trafficking is a serious and growing problem in neighborhoods throughout…
THE cool and refreshing wind of Naga caresses my face and reminds me of my youthful days in the minor seminary. I remember those days vividly, particularly those times when I would walk around the grounds of the seminary on a stormy morning, singing psalms of praise and writing poems to God. They were fresh…
