MALIBU – On December 15, a glorious sunset glowed over Malibu — setting the stage for the SPAN Philippines Relief fundraiser at the Malibu West Beach Club. With over 200 in attendance (including many celebrities, VIP and community members), people came to support the Typhoon Haiyan fundraiser and to remember the life of Fast and Furious actor,…
LOS ANGELES – Immigrant groups urged the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Thursday to take swift action and grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to the Philippines before Christmas. The immigrant groups, who attended a press briefing in front of the LA Federal Building on Thursday, represented Relief to Recovery — a national public campaign…
WITH Christmas and the new year only a few days away, the overall mood should be festive and celebratory. But with the spate of killings involving journalists and most recently, Zamboanga Del Sur Mayor Ukol Talumpa and his family members, and the close-range shooting of Caroline Fortun (Atty. Raymond Fortun’s wife, who luckily survived the…
JUST a few days before Christmas, Filipinos in America (who may have expired visas) are hoping to be permitted to work in the US and travel to the Philippines through the Temporary Protected Status (TPS). In the wake of Super Typhoon Yolanda and with the support of immigrant advocates they hope the Obama administration will…
PEOPLE in the Christian countries celebrate advent and the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ as Christmas. The birth of our Savior is the most significant fact in the history of mankind. It is truly a joyous occasion for all mankind. Although the exact date of the nativity of our Lord is not known, what…
WHAT to do immediately -Gather family members. Plan, organize, delegate. Agree on main contact person. -Prepare lists of records to gather, tasks to do, people to contact. Establish responsibilities. -Establish dates & locations of -Viewing -Interment -Reception Who to inform – Family members – Close friends – Employer – Trustee, executor – Pastor, minister, priest,…
ALFREDO Villacorta, a Filipino mechanical engineer, worked as a maintenance planner at Cemex Cement, Inc., a large cement production company with a plant in Victorville. Villacorta transferred to Victorville from Cemex’s plant in the Philippines where he worked for 15 years. Villacorta was laid off from Cemex on February 22, 2008. At that time, he…
QUESTION: I have some friends who are applying for different kinds of waivers, but I don’t know if they qualify. I heard that they are supposed to have somebody that will suffer extreme hardship if they will be denied the waiver. Can you explain? Answer: First, you have to understand what is a waiver. There…
ONCE again, the Simbang Gabi Masses in our parish have been filled with excitement, joy and faith. Each early morning has been a period of reflection, heartfelt songs and prayer. Each homily has been engaging, humorous, and meaningful. Thanks to our visiting preacher from Butuan, Philippines, Fr. Randy Odchigue. But each Simbang Gabi Mass and homily should bring deep…
If actors are born actors, singers are also born singers. Kay Habana, another promising Filipina, is on her way to the top following the dictates of her heart and passion for music that lead her to where she’s truly destined. Kay, without doubt, is fame-bound. The sultry singer believes she was born to sing. When…
Not all debts are bad debts. While it is true that too much of any debt may be detrimental to your financial health, it doesn’t mean that all debt is ill-advised. There are “good debts” and “bad debts”, in my opinion. Knowing the difference between the two can be the difference between having a life…
ENCINO—The Green Environmental Group helps with all improvements needs for both residential and commercial areas. The rodent control company provides professional specialists who are highly skilled and educated to find solutions for a complete and permanent rodent removal from homes and buildings in a neat and efficient way. Rodent infestation causes serious damages in houses…
If actors are born actors, singers are also born singers. Kay Habana, another promising Filipina, is on her way to the top following the dictates of her heart and passion for music that lead her to where she’s truly destined. Kay, without doubt, is fame-bound. The sultry singer believes she was born to sing. When…
WHEN the cold and flu season strikes, your teeth are probably the last thing you’re thinking about as you reach for another tissue! But there ARE some things related to that cold or flu that can affect your oral health. Be conscious of these three things: Tip 1: Avoid dry mouth by staying hydrated Dry mouth…
THE January 2014 priority dates indicate that the F-2A priority date still remains at September 8, 2013, which is almost the same as being “current.” It is phenomenal news for spouses and minor children of green cardholders (Category F – 2A). That means that spouses and minor children of green cardholders would be eligible to file…
CALIFORNIA Commissioner for the Board of Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists Rey Satorre and his wife, the former Rachel Forneas, both devotees of the Nuestro Senior Padre Jesus Nazareno de Quiapo, will head the list of Hermana mayors for the fiesta. The 18th century replica of the Black Nazarene was formally owned by the…
Does shoe size mirror length of the male organ? This is a myth that has been around for centuries. There were studies made on this matter. One of the more recent ones is the observation which included 104 men, conducted by two urologists at St. Mary’s in London. They found no statistically significant correlation between…
Women of a certain age have brushed away tears with their hands — hands that were once held and warmed by their husbands, who couldn’t cry and died of heart attacks. I never expected to be such a poor sport for aging, because I never expected to become old, but I am not clutching it…
TWO vibrant democracies that are committed to each other in strength and prosperity. This is how US Secretary of State John Kerry described the immutable partnership between the United States and the Philippines. Kerry, who arrived in Manila on December 17, said that he sees a bright future in the US-PH bilateral relations. He vowed…
I HAVE been reporting about Migrant Heritage Commission’s (MHC)advocacy, calling on the Obama administration to grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Filipinos in America, in the wake of Super Typhoon Yolanda. Last weekend, MHC Co-Executive Director Atty. Arnedo Valera emailed me the good news: Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III has joined their call to grant…
FURTHER developing case law to interpret the meaning of statutory changes brought about by the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (“IIRIRA”) the Board of Immigration Appeals (“BIA”) decided a case last week that purports to delineate the meaning of “exceptional and extremely unusual hardship” for cancellation of removal. The BIA’s decision…
Not only do Filipinos show their excitement for Christmas through colorful decorations but they also share it through the many joyful holiday carols and heartwarming hymns. Generally, Filipinos are music lovers and any celebration is never complete without singing and dancing. Ease into the season’s spirit with these favorite Filipino Christmas songs! Noche Buena is…
LOS ANGELES – Covered California released the November enrollment statistics on the health insurance marketplace during a news conference at The California Endowment headquarters in Los Angeles on Thursday, December 12. Enrollment data in November showed more applicants than October, with 78,377 individuals enrolled in subsidized or unsubsidized coverage through Covered California and more than…
LOS ANGELES—Panda Restaurant Group, Inc. (PRGI) donated $645,000 for the Philippine typhoon victims during a press conference on Wednesday, December 11, at Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts in Los Angeles. Monetary fund matched 100 percent of donations, with $322,000 coming from the company and the other $322,000 collected from in-store donations…
An alien who was removed from the U.S. cannot return within 5 years if he was removed by an immigration officer through expedited removal or within 10 years if removed by order of an Immigration Judge (IJ) after removal proceedings. If this prohibition seems harsh, ignoring it would be worse. Under INA 241(a)(5), if an…
We will continue to hear horror stories in the wake of the devastation inflicted by typhoon Yolanda on Eastern Visayas, particularly Tacloban in Leyte and Guiuan in Samar. Riza, a niece of mine who works with the Tacloban fire department, related enough disturbing eyewitness tales to spoil anyone’s Christmas. But that’s nothing compared to what…
A DEVASTATING disaster can bring the best in humanity — and the worst in politics. After Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez’s tearful testimony before the congressional oversight committee on what he alleged was a lack of support from the national government, an 18-second “spliced” video of the Tacloban mayor’s meeting on November 14 with Department…
JUST weeks after the Philippine Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) froze some of boxing icon Manny Pacquiao’s assets for allegedly owing P2.2 billion ($50 million) in taxes, now, our Pambansang Kamao reportedly finds himself in another tax battle — this time with the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS). According to initial reports from TMZ, tax…
BOXING fans think that only Pacquiao vs. his current foe is the thing to watch. Basketball fans think it’s Kobe vs. whoever. So, Elijah who was a great prophet of God, my God, the God of Moses and Israel, Who sent His only and beloved Son, Jesus Christ to us, and Who willingly suffered and…
S CORPORATION is a corporation that has elected to be taxed under Subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code. This type of entity enjoys both the limited liability of corporations and absence of double taxation of sole proprietorships and partnerships. The corporation elects to be pay zero corporate federal tax and to pay a super-low…
