Are you a dual US and Philippine citizen?

“ A person born in the United States with one parent or with both parent(s) no longer Philippine citizen(s) at time of birth is not a Philippine citizen at birth.” UNDER the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, “all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of…

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The strength of Filipinos, a worldwide admiration

ARCHBISHOP Socrates Villegas has written a prayer in behalf of Filipinos on the tragic devastations of Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda. Here’s an excerpt of his prayer: Lord we are in great need. Like infants we cry to you, do not abandon us in our distress. We kneel in disbelief! How could you, Lord, have allowed this to…

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Get out of debt now before the new year starts

The decision to file bankruptcy is not an easy one but sometimes it’s the decision that could change your life for the better. When you are seriously in debt and have ran out of options, procrastination only guarantees that your problems will get worse before they get better.  As this year comes to a close,…

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Reducing canker sore pain and duration

The exact cause of canker sores is unknown. What we do know is that canker sores can be extremely bothersome! By better understanding some of the possible causes—and some treatment options—we hope to reduce the irritation canker sores may cause you. Possible canker sore causes  These non-contagious lesions that appear on your gums, lips, cheeks,…

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Warning: Phthalates poison

Practically without exception, at least a dozen poisons (toxic chemicals) can be found in every home today, in the bathrooms, kitchen, garage, and backyards. Among them are phthalates. Phthalates are a family of very common chemicals used in a variety of products, from children’s toys, hard plastics or polyvinyl chloride (PVC or vinyl), certain cosmetics,…

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Bangon, Pilipinas

MONDAY was met with a heavy heart, as the horrors of the tragedy that struck Central Visayas last Friday began to unfold. Whether firsthand experience at the site or at home through the media, Filipinos and non-Filipinos alike shared the same sentiments — that of shock and sadness for the victims of  Super Typhoon Haiyan…

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Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor, AS I read in your paper  (Asian Journal – Nov. 8-14, 2013 issue) Greg Macabenta’s column, “A Closer Look at Corruption,” it’s a sad thing to note that we lay the blame on corruption [as] the root cause of poverty and hardships in the Philippines. He cited the premise: “Kung walang corrupt, walang…

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Something’s gotta give

THE PR temperature has cooled down a bit since Sonny Coloma took over as presidential spokesman. His explanations about happenings in Malacañang, that are not as laborious and convoluted as that of spokespersons Edwin Lacierda and Abigail Valte, have been printed by the press with much less sniping. While Coloma comes with impressive credentials as…

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Countdown to Christmas

The Philippines is one of Asia’s most populous countries and primarily a Christian nation where approximately a large percent of its citizens are devout Catholics. That being said, the Filipino community is widely known to have unique way of celebrating religious holidays. Christmas is perhaps the most awaited season for everyone. In some countries, preparations…

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How Fil-Ams can help Yolanda victims

LOS ANGELES – On Monday night, President Benigno S. Aquino III declared a state of national calamity in order to expedite the government’s rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts in the provinces devastated by Yolanda. The state of national calamity will remain in effect until lifted by Aquino. According to a Philippine Daily Inquirer report, as much as…

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Why the roast turned into fried chicken

Blame October’s lunar monsoons orbit last Wednesday. The much ballyhooed “Roast of the Decade” by no less than the meanest, cruelest, heartless and outrageous troika of Bobby Reyes, Bernardo Bernardo and Ka Larry Pelayo turned out to be a romantic evening for Deputy Consul General Dan Espiritu, whose tour of duty ends this month. The…

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U.S. Citizens by Birth Abroad

We briefly discussed in the last article the current rules for acquiring U.S. citizenship by birth abroad to U.S. citizen (USC) parents. Today, we’ll see some examples that illustrate both current and past acquisition laws. Let’s say A was an American soldier who remained in the Philippines after the end of the Philippine-American War in…

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Visa options small business owners (E-2, L-1, H-1B)

IN strolling through the shopping centers in our Office’s surrounding neighborhood, one cannot help but feel that the immigrant sprit of entrepreneurship is alive and well.  Small IT start-ups, mom-and-pop Asian restaurants, franchise American take-out restaurants, hair salons, bookstores, and language and music schools, are owned and operated by immigrants—many of whom are recent arrivals….

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No holds barred

THE outspoken senator strikes again. While Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago was busy grilling Janet Lim-Napoles at the senate hearing on Thursday, her quips were also trending in social media. Leaving her sickbed for the senate investigation on the P10-billion pork barrel scam, Santiago was merciless in her line of questioning, albeit in a more composed tone….

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Sagip Kapamilya from the wrath of Yolanda

OUR beloved Philippines has once again been tested by the wrath of nature, with the landfall of Super Typhoon Yolanda (International name: Haiyan), which meteorologists say may be the strongest tropical cyclone to hit land anywhere in recorded history — even more intense and powerful than typhoon “Yoling” which caused massive death and destruction in…

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10 recordkeeping tips for your tax files

1. IRS wants you to keep good records to document your income and support your expenses. It does not require you to keep records in any specific manner, but there are proven ways to keep good files. Read on. 2. There are two basic types of filers: the rat pack that hoards files for the…

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I’m in the military: Can I naturalize?

QUESTION: I’m in the military and I know somebody who was in the military years ago. Can we become US Citizens? Answer: Members and certain veterans of the US armed forces may be eligible for naturalization through their military service under a couple of different sections of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Additionally, the…

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