A couple of years ago, I gave a talk before the officials and employees of Salcon Power Corporation (a government contractor in Southern Philippines) on the health hazards of smoking as a part of the company’s highly commendable campaign for a healthier lifestyle for its personnel. I would like to share with my readers the…
LAS VEGAS—There is no cheerier sound. I am proud, nowadays, of laughing, and grateful to anyone who makes me laugh. I’ve been told that it is a bad sign. When we try to determine from what minor source of mankind device we can glean the greatest pleasure in life. I agree with my colleagues that…
“WE will never forget.” These words are forever etched in the hearts and minds of people across the world, as we recall that fateful day when the World Trade twin towers crumbled into dust. Twelve years later, we are called to remember the nearly 3,000 lives that were lost on September 11, 2001. Who could…
After the Obama administration’s all-out push for a limited military strike against the Assad Regime for using chemical weapons to slaughter more than 1,400 of its own people to hold on to power, Syria now says that it will surrender all its stockpiles of chemical weapons to international control and destroy them. This surprising position…
THE USCIS recently issued guidance to provide new instructions to its adjudicators relating to the timing of creating new jobs and explaining the meaning of “full-time” for positions created through the “EB-5” investor program investment. Perhaps in response to seemingly ceaseless negative economic news, the adjudicatory changes will have the effect of extending the period…
Many of the finest food in the country are found in places where people rarely go. A quick two-hour drive south to Tagaytay for a weekend escape from the bustling life of the city is just the ideal breather every Manilenyo needs. With the exception of the amazing highlands and cool climate of Tagaytay, one…
SAN DIEGO – After former San Diego Mayor Bob Filner’s disgraceful resignation from office (due to sexual harassment accusations from 20 women), now the city’s audit committee is on his back. San Diego’s audit committee has launched a formal investigation on Filner’s use (or misuse) of his city-issued credit card. The audit committee is investigating…
Officials come out to support her candidacy ARTESIA – About 40 people attended a Saturday meet-and-greet with Filipino-American Melissa Ramoso, who is the youngest candidate to run for a seat in the Artesia City Council. The 30-year-old Ramoso is among a group of six candidates looking to fill one of three city council spots in…
FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF CARE PROVIDERS AND EXPERTS (Part 1 of 2) LOS ANGELES – In the United States, health care for the elders has always been and will always be an important topic. Whether it is discussed in within the context of the federal and state governments, or if it is talked about at…
(SACRAMENTO, CA) – Assemblymember Rob Bonta (D-Oakland) is proud to announce that his bill to require public school instruction on the contributions of Filipino Americans to the farm labor movement in California passed the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support (36-1). AB 123 now moves to Governor Brown’s desk for review. “The goal of AB 123…
LOS ANGELES – In an effort to establish a strong working relationship with the Filipino-American community, a nationwide nonprofit organization engaged in a roundtable dialogue with community leaders on Friday to find out more about the pressing issues being faced by Pinoy seniors in Los Angeles. The AARP (formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons),…
Adjustment of status is the process that allows an alien who was inspected and admitted or paroled into the U.S. to apply for lawful permanent residence (LPR) while in the country. Most adjustment applications are filed under INA 245(a) which requires that an alien be admissible to the U.S. and be eligible for an immigrant…
HER Philippine based-company has worked on some of the world’s most famous video games – Call of Duty: Black Ops and Modern Warfare, Heavy Rain, Mortal Kombat, and Injustice: Gods Among Us. The company has dabbled in films too, working on projects such as the 2009 film, A Christmas Carol, and “others that have yet…
They are the sons and daughters of dramatic journeys and fantastic tales, their stories carried like treasures as they lay down a shadow of stunning proportions, shaped both by the drama of the past and the sparkle of the moment. They are a phenomenon all on their own — from our ancestors who came to…
HER Philippine based-company has worked on some of the world’s most famous video games – Call of Duty: Black Ops and Modern Warfare, Heavy Rain, Mortal Kombat, and Injustice: Gods Among Us. The company has dabbled in films too, working on projects such as the 2009 film, A Christmas Carol, and “others that have yet…
LOS Angeles Immigration Judge Gita Vahid-Tehrani terminated the removal proceedings of a retired, 78-year old Filipino businessman at the hearing on August 22, 2013, by granting his motion to terminate such proceedings filed on October 4, 2012. This Author represents the Filipino respondent, who was placed in removal proceedings by the issuance and service of…
PREVIOUSLY, we talked about Noah who was instructed by God, my God, the God of Moses and Israel, who sent His only and beloved Son Jesus Christ, to us and who willingly became man through the Blessed Virgin Mary, suffered and died on the cross to redeem us from the consequences of sin so that…
THE Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA, an agency that oversees the IRS) instructed the IRS to expand audits to prior and subsequent years. This means that if IRS audits your income tax return for 2011, they must expand the audit to your 2010 and 2012 as well. Ouch! The Treasury Department conducted its…
DISCRIMINATION based on disability, race, sex, or other protected characteristics are prohibited by law. The law prohibits not only intentional discrimination, but also practices that have the effect of discriminating against individuals because of their protected characteristics. The law also prohibits retaliating against employees who report about discrimination. Retaliation is illegal and may subject the…
EB-1 is an employment-based first-preference immigrant visa category reserved for individuals who can demonstrate that they “have risen to the very top of their field of endeavors.” Under the USCIS guidelines, there are three types of EB-1 petitions: 1) a person of extraordinary ability (EB-1A), 2) an outstanding professor or researcher (EB-1B), 3) or a…
THIS article is from bankrate.com. As I have been hoping with predicting is that lenders will continuously change guidelines to help homeowners that went thru the recent mortgage crisis due to the recessions. I also mention that the lenders will get looser towards the tail end of this mortgage crisis we just went thru. Please…
SAN DIEGO – Interim Mayor of San Diego Todd Gloria, who is part-Filipino, announced earlier this week that he is not going to be a candidate in the special November election to complete the term of former Mayor Bob Filner. Filner resigned in disgrace on August 30, less than a year after being elected to…
IF WE only knew fully what were getting into, perhaps we may not have taken a path or decided on a kind of life. It could be a marriage, a career, or a business. It could be as noble as the priesthood or the religious life. It could as grandiose as a decision to engage…
LOS ANGELES – In a press conference held on Wednesday, September 4, the Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) said that only 3,500 applications for temporary deportation relief have been filed out of the 50,000 eligible Filipino youth across the US. PWC held the press conference in Historic Filipinotown, in cooperation with non-profit organization Asian Americans Advancing…
LOS ANGELES – In March 2013, ABS-CBN Foundation’s Jo Ann Kyle and Joannie Feliciano introduced to LA-based Fil-Am media the Greenfund Philippines project — a program which sought to alleviate poverty the Philippines by transforming remote communities into eco-tourism troves. Now, with the introduction of “Voluntrip,” ABS-CBN Foundation now looks to bring Filipinos in the…
Summer is almost gone. But not entirely just yet, for bits and canticles of its blistering high noon sun and bloodstained sunsets still fervently linger on every summer lover’s minds. One outdoor habitué and lover of sun-drenched beaches is Hency and Aurora Catral’s first born Francheska. Cheska to chums and pals is a teen of…
A client of mine said he never saw it coming. Everything he ever wanted in life, he always purchased on credit. The “pre-approved” credit cards just kept coming in the mail and he never said NO to any of them. Buy now and pay later, why not? As long as they allow you to pay…
Summer is almost gone. But not entirely just yet, for bits and canticles of its blistering high noon sun and bloodstained sunsets still fervently linger on every summer lover’s minds. One outdoor habitué and lover of sun-drenched beaches is Hency and Aurora Catral’s first born Francheska. Cheska to chums and pals is a teen of…
The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) has ruled that a parent who naturalized after his or her child’s 21st birthday destroyed that child’s eligibility for benefits under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA). Therefore, if you believe that your child may be eligible for benefits under the CSPA, you should seek the advice of an…
AFTER his controversial break up with ex-girlfriend Angelica Panganiban, one would think that hunky actor Derek Ramsey would hard to find love again. It could remembered that Derek and Angelica’s split wasn’t amicable. In an interview with StarStudio last March, the actress revealed that they had three major problems troubling their relationship: Derek being too…
