THE passage of Comprehensive Immigration Reform was among the campaign promises of then-presidential candidate Illinois Sen. Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential elections. On the second term of the Obama administration, the US immigration system remains broken. Republicans and Democrats continue to differ in solutions to the immigration problem. But even as the president supports…
Policemen and other military personnel deployed throughout the streets of Manila are all set to ensure a safe and secure celebration. Medical teams and ambulance units are stationed in strategic areas within the procession route. And roads are closed to give way to the day-long march. Catholic pilgrims from all over the Philippines flock to…
BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA – Policy experts at The Greenlining Institute joined with other advocates in responding with cautious optimism to reports today that Gov. Brown’s budget will begin to repay cap-and-trade proceeds borrowed for the state general fund last year and will make substantial investments in clean, renewable energy and energy-saving projects in low-income communities. “Based…
FOR returning $300,000 to its rightful owner, Las Vegas-based and 55-year-old Filipino cab driver Gerardo Gamboa has made his kababayans in the US proud. Yet, despite being lauded and rewarded, Gamboa downplayed his act of honesty, saying that “he didn’t need a reward money,” and “that kind of feeling, knowing that he did something good…
WITH the US Supreme Court’s decision last June — effectively ruling that marriage in America isn’t just a union between a man and a woman — gays and lesbians are now free to marry the person they choose, and to petition their spouse to migrate to the United States, through the legal process. This principle…
SOMETIMES one lover takes advantage of the other lover by borrowing money that is not repaid. For example, John and Mary are in a relationship. They think that they are in love with each other. John wants to invest in the stock market because all the stock market indexes are up over 25 percent this…
THE Internal Revenue Service issued an alert about scams relating to Typhoon Haiyan (“Yolanda” in the Philippines). As you may have seen at CNN, Asian Journal, and other media, Haiyan is the strongest typhoon (“hurricane” in the US) in recorded history. It caused thousands of fatalities and rendered millions homeless from high winds and storm…
EMPLOYEES who want to be more vigilant of their rights in the workplace this year may want to pay attention to the following laws and developments: Overtime Work of more than 8 hours per day or more than 40 hours per week must be paid overtime compensation computed at either 1.5 times the employee’s regular…
MAYBE you’ve experienced this before: You’re driving down the road one cold, chilly day and before you know it, you find yourself surrounded by a thick white wall of dense fog. How did you feel? If you’re like most people, perhaps you felt momentarily lost and confused or perhaps even panicked, not knowing what was…
IN the coming New Year, we can expect some improvement in overall economic conditions in the US and throughout the World, however, there will continue to be turbulence and volatility as the World struggles to dig its way out of the financial morass that began in 2008. Most people have adjusted their spending habits and…
The holidays may be over, but their cumulative health and physical effects, among others, will linger a while. Medically speaking, it is actually a time for “damage control” for those of us who have over-indulged during the festivities. The post-celebration “damage control” is just as a healthy pre-emptive measure, more so for those who really…
Everybody loves watching movies. Aside from being a worthwhile form of entertainment, it’s also the most relaxing activity one can experience in the comforts of their own home or in a theater and anywhere where hi-tech gadgets are available. A venue for art imitating life and reality portrayed in various art forms, watching movies is…
“WE learned about honesty and integrity – that the truth matters… that you don’t take shortcuts or play by your own set of rules… and success doesn’t count unless you earn it fair and square.” – Michelle Obama Welcome to 2014! And it’s time to get everything in order. So whether you are transitioning or…
LOS ANGELES—The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), a coalition of 31 national organizations, recently elected a new executive committee that will spearhead its efforts in achieving greater policy presence and impact for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Hawaiian (AANHPI) communities. And leading this new executive committee is Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance…
Cap-and-Trade Funds, Health and Safety Net Spending Are Major Concerns, Greenlining Institute Says SACRAMENTO – Gov. Brown’s upcoming budget – the first in many years in which the state has not faced large deficits – will get close scrutiny from advocates for underserved communities, policy experts at The Greenlining Institute said today. “We’ve seen years…
WE get a treat of three parables in this Sunday’s Mass. The first and second parables are preparatory to the third one, a much longer parable. The first one is about a shepherd who has one hundred sheep. Upon realizing that one is missing, he leaves the ninety nine sheep to search for the lost…
It is said that Silicon Valley likes to think of itself as morally exceptional: the saints of American Capitalists are there. They are actually regarded as successors to the big money magnates of the gilded age. It is home to many of the world’s largest technology corporations, which have become famous in recent years for…
WE still have to hear the last word about the Culture of Impunity that is said to pervade our government and the bureaucracy, and there I was, the other day, being told about our government’s Culture of Incompetence. I don’t usually allow a non-Filipino to say unflattering things about the Philippines or the Philippine government…
“ Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a designation granted by DHS permitting individuals from a country, or portion of a country, the ability to remain in the US temporarily while significant adverse conditions in their home country, such as natural calamity or armed conflict, would not permit safe return.” ON December 16, the government of the…
AS we celebrate the New Year, let’s remember the famous words of Dag Hammarskjold, the Swedish diplomat and second Secretary-General of the United Nations, “For all that has been, thank you. For all that is to come, yes!” These words imply two great attitudes: gratitude and openness to God’s will. We’re thankful to God for…
President Aquino is correct that Typhoon Haiyan demonstrates that our efforts to prevent future similar damage should focus on fundamental reforms and “build back better.” However, the price President Aquino has put on the damage is approximately 600 billion pesos or $13 billion. The problem confronting the Philippines, however, is that the nations most capable…
As we start a new chapter in our lives, both as individuals and as a community, allow me to share with you these beautiful quotes that I hope will help you start the year right. Cheers to a new beginning! God bless us all. “The Old Year has gone. Let the dead past bury its…
We have seen in a previous article the consequence of illegally re-entering the U.S. after having been removed. Illegal re-entry must never be an option. Such drastic action is driven by desperation and lack of information. Removal and its resulting ban on re-entry for certain periods do not necessarily inspire hopes of ever returning to…
Forget the resolutions list; instead, set intentions, commit, embrace the fullness of life and continue to grow into the person you want to be. Make 2014 brighter and better and welcome the New Year with a new outlook in life. Try something new. You have been meaning to learn Chinese. How exciting would it be…
THIS Wednesday the whole Christian world celebrates the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This is the day 2013 years ago when the son of God, the one the one true God, Yahweh, became a human being, through the Blessed Virgin Mary. The son of God, Jesus, was born in Bethlehem, in a…
ALMOST everyone is concerned with saving money on their taxes, but most people worry only about income taxes and ignore planning to avoid estate taxes, which can consume up to 46% of a family’s taxable estate before it can be passed on to the children. With proper estate tax planning, you could avoid probate and…
QUESTION: I have been deported several years ago and different immigration lawyers tell me that there is nothing that can be done. My kids are growing up without me and my wife can only afford to see me once every two or three months. I am in despair and I have lost hope of ever…
Q: AS an employee for a service provider company, I am paid an hourly rate and an additional piece rate if I respond to customer calls after hours. I often work more than 8 hours per day and on weekends. I am paid overtime based only on my hourly rate. Since I’m also receiving a…
ARE you sick and tired of being in debt and having bad credit? Do you want to start over but simply don’t know where to begin? Is filing bankruptcy an option for you or are other options available? As we face the New Year 2014, this is a good time to look at your finances…
ALTHOUGH nearly two weeks has passed since the Philippines formally requested that that US extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Filipinos residing in the US due to devastation of Typhoon Haiyan, there has been no response from the Whitehouse. Political leaders and immigration advocates have been urging the Obama Administration to act since Haiyan struck…
