‘Relaxation’drinks: Dangerous!
Celebrating and unwinding may mean a drink or two. As long as we enjoy the merriest season of all or any occasion (or no occasion at all in any given…
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Not guns, but bullets that kill
They consist of running bits of metals through the flesh of men — large, small, pointed, square, round and splintered bits that tear and kill. It is not the metal…
Transparency
FILIPINOS have long desired for a more open and accountable government — a dream that may become reality soon enough. Gone are the days of secrecy and authoritarianism. President Benigno…
Updates on the call for Temporary Protected Status for PH
WE have been inundated with letters and emails, inquiring about the status of the Philippines’ call for the United States to designate Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which would give more…
Sharing the love for music
for two Filipinos – Koh and Franz, music is life; and they’ve found a brilliant way of sharing the passion for music through a bamboo. Yes, bamboo – grown and…
Premium Food Philippines launches in LA
LOS ANGELES – The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) launched the Premium Food Philippines on Friday, January 24, at the Colombard Room inside Crowne Plaza Hotel near Los…
Fil-Am delegation meets with US State Dept. on TPS request for PH
LOS ANGELES – According to a member of a Filipino-American delegation that met with US State Department representatives on January 23, the decision on the Philippines’ request for Temporary Protected…
INA 212(h) Waiver
Aliens who engage in certain criminal conduct are inadmissible or ineligible for a visa or admission into the US. INA 212(h) authorizes the waiver of inadmissibility arising from the following:…
The day a million hearts broke
Enroute to San Francisco, I saw glossy posters of people, waving happily as they hop into a plane. I realized what a lying society we inhabit. Airborne inside the belly…
Ten common myths about the Labor Certification process
EMPLOYMENT-based immigration to the United States generally entails a three-step process: 1) Labor Certification (under the “PERM” program); 2) Immigrant Visa Petition approval; 3) Green Card issuance (or Consular Processing,…
Health plan enrollments surged in December, says Covered CA exec
LOS ANGELES – In efforts to ensure that they get health coverage by January 1, Californians rushed in December to enroll in health plans offered at Covered California, the state’s…
Fil-Am composer could join elite awards circle with an Oscar win
LOS ANGELES – If Disney’s Frozen wins an Academy Award in March, Filipino-American songwriter Robert Lopez could join the elite EGOT winners’ circle. EGOT is an acronym for the four most prestigious…
More than a half-million Californians enrolled in Covered CA
Health insurance plans through Dec. 31, 2013; January enrollment pushes total beyond 625,000; Medi-Cal enrollment under the Affordable Care Act tops 1.2 Million SACRAMENTO – Covered California and the California…
A tribute to Filipino nurses all over the world
(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…
New California laws for 2014
(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…
Sexual harassment at work does not have to be sexually motivated
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…
Eric G: a full-package talent ready for the big time
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…
Postpetition inheritance is part of bankruptcy estate
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…
Don’t let debt destroy everything you’ve worked so hard for
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…
Love is lovelier the second time around for Angel and Luis
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…
Foods that cause pain
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…
Relief and benefits available while waiting for immigration reform
(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…
The Filipino American Seniors Association (FASA) celebrated its 20th Anniversary
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…
Women and equality in the battle scene
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….
Rumination
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…
A tribute to Filipino nurses all over the world
(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…
Congress stalls on immigration reform: Alternatives available now!
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…
Gothic architecture: Basilica Minore de San Sebastian
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…
On humility in human encounters
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…