A Palm Springs weekend
This year-round oasis is a timeless, limitless haven that spells an unparalleled sense of escape, adventure, recreation, and relaxation at your own unique way of playing. It is where you…
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CA tax changes for 2013 tax returns
MINIMUM Wage –Minimum wage increases to $9 per hour effective July 1, 2014. Medical and Dental Expense Deduction – Federal law made it tougher to deduct medical expenses by raising…
Val Villarba & Mike Florendo: A tested partnership defying all odds
The highly rewarding field of Physical Therapy has generously accorded a huge opportunity for resourceful and collaborative advocacy whereby simultaneously promoting evidence-based practices and practical communicative relationship with patients. The…
Welcome, Year of The Horse
IT CAN be deemed as a love-hate relationship. Despite protests against China’s so-called “bullying” in the territorial dispute in the South China Sea, the Chinese influence is very much alive…
It takes a snake to tempt Eve
THE 2013 Survey of Enterprises on Corruption conducted by Social Weather Station tells us that the Bureau of Customs, the Land Transportation Office, the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Department…
PLDT US representatives pay courtesy call to Consul General De La Vega
LOS ANGELES – Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) US Representatives paid a courtesy call on Consul General Maria Hellen Barber De La Vega on January 28, 2014 at the Philippine…
Pinoy caregivers protest against unfair employer in Fresno
FRESNO – A group of Filipino caregivers staged a protest on Thursday, January 23, against their employer, Bedford Care Group of Fresno, who owes them around $1.6 million in back…
Fil-Am Seahawk Baldwin: Ready for his first Super Bowl
NEWARK – Doug Baldwin barreled into the collective consciousness of Filipinos with one single act: he entered the CenturyLink Field in Seattle proudly carrying the flag of the Philippines to…
Sam Durant’s: Pigs and Gold
Thursday, February 6 – Tuesday, March 18, 2014 Opening reception for the artist: Thursday, February 6, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. At the Eastern Star Gallery at The Archer School…
Treatment of non-filing spouse income in bankruptcy
CAN a spouse file for bankruptcy while the other does not? For instance, husband’s gross income is $3,000 monthly. Wife’s income is $8,000 monthly. Husband has $100,000 of credit card…
Characterization of gifts and bequest during marriage in divorce cases
GENERALLY, property acquired during the marriage are considered community property. However, property acquired by “gift, bequest, devise, or descent” are the acquiring spouse’s separate property. The issue becomes more complicated…
Does employer’s hiring of young attractive females over males qualify as free speech?
KYLE Hunter is a weather forecaster and broadcaster for over 23 years, who won several prestigious awards. He sued CBS Broadcasting, Inc. for discrimination, alleging that two of CBS’ television…
Need help with debt but too embarrassed to ask?
HAVE you ever faced a situation in your life where you needed help so badly but you were just too afraid or embarrassed to ask for it? Perhaps you felt…
House GOP unveils immigration ‘principles’
On January 30, 2014, the House GOP released its “Standard for Immigration Reform,” which proposes to allow undocumented immigrants to legally live and work in the US, if they “come…
The wisdom of God
“VANITY of vanities. All things are vanities!” Some thinkers say that these words from the Book of Ecclesiastes are the harshest words of the Old Testament Bible and yet the…
Relief and benefits available while waiting for immigration reform
(Part 2) In a previous article, I discussed various forms of immigration relief and benefits that are available now, which you (or your children) could be eligible. Here are some…
Disney Legend and Tony awardee Lea Salonga heads February birthday celebrants
INTERNATIONALLY known Filipina stage actress and singer Lea Salonga heads the lists of prominent personalities celebrating their birthday this February. Lea will celebrate her 42nd birthday on Saturday, February 22….
‘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…
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…