BEGINNING last weekend, new revelations on the pork barrel scam continues to pour, probably just as heavily as Typhoon Maring’s wrath , which has flooded Metro Manila. Most Filipinos expressed anger and disgust through social media. They feel betrayed, knowing that their hard-earned money has been blatantly misused by the people they put in power….
PRESIDENT Noynoy Aquino ran and won on his anti-corruption platform. While not all kababayans were happy about the way his administration pushed for plunder charges against his predecessor and now Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and for the impeachment of former Chief Justice Renato Corona, a majority of Filipinos are still happy that the son of democracy…
Three weeks ago, the National Asian American Coalition (NAAC) was among the first, if not the very first minority organization in the nation, to protest the proposed merger of American Airlines and US Airways before the antitrust division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Last week, the Department of Justice employed many of our arguments…
LIKE most people, you’ve probably heard a lot of negative things about bankruptcy and that how filing could be the worst mistake you’ll ever make in your life. And like most people, you’ve been misled! There is so much misinformation out there about bankruptcy that a lot of good, honest, hard-working people are missing out…
ONLY a little more than one year into the Obama Administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA) more than 550,00 DACA requests accepted for processing, of which over 430,000 have been approved, and 7,450 requests denied, as of July 2013. In all, the program has been considered a success, creating a legal, albeit temporary,…
Early this month, flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) announces the turnover of its domestic flights to affiliate airline, PAL Express; and welcomes the arrival of the new flagship aircraft of its single-aisle fleet – Airbus A321-200. PAL Express (formerly AirPhil Express) takes over majority of the domestic flights while PAL continues flight services to Cebu,…
“Judge not that ye be not judged.” It makes me wonder and question. What to judge can be the result of humility and compassion, but even then we must remain clear as to what it is that we withholded judgment from. If we do not condemn, is it because we know we are not fit…
He wears an uneasy crown, as the darling of the fighting world. The odyssey of foibles and fallability starts from the time they were lightweights, who labored in the anonymity of boxing vineyards — from the greatest names in the pugilistic arena, to backyards of fighters, who once were light as a cucumber in their…
EVER since a warrant was released by the Department of Justice for the arrest of businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles and her brother Reynaldo Lim, social media has been inundated with feedback by netizens. Most were angry and appalled that Napoles was able to escape the clutches of justice so quickly. The Dept. of Justice, along with…
The California Supreme Court justices’ unanimous ruling last Wednesday tossed out a legal challenge by supporters of Proposition 8, a ballot measure passed by voters in 2008, which banned same-sex marriage. This means gay marriages in California are here to stay. Advocates against gay marriages, however, are not giving up just yet. According to the…
THE situation we envision in this discussion is where you have an offer in compromise which has been accepted by the IRS then you file for bankruptcy relief. Do you owe the original amount prior to the OIC or do you owe the compromised amount accepted by the IRS? For example, you owe the IRS…
IF your mortgage loan is forgiven, you end up with income from cancellation of debt. Here are 10 tips to exclude the forgiven debt from your income. • Cancellation of debt (COD) or debt forgiveness results in taxable income; however, you may be able to exclude the income (meaning you don’t have to pay tax…
LENDERS as I thought are more aggressively helping homeowners modify their mortgages. I have seen more loan balance forbearance lately. Another term for that is a loan modification with a Balloon payoff for the remaining balance. Lenders will structure this modification package with the homeowner paying a portion with full interest payment and another smaller…
Q: I WORK as a nurse in a hospital on a 12-hour shift, three days a week. Because of the realities of patient care, we often find ourselves working an extra 30 minutes to an hour per shift finishing up paperwork. We are not paid for the extra time. There are times when I am…
QUESTION: I am a US citizen or lawful permanent resident in a same-sex marriage to a foreign national. Can I now sponsor my spouse for a family-based immigrant visa? Answer: Yes, you can file the petition. You may file a Form I-130 (and any applicable accompanying application). Your eligibility to petition for your spouse, and…
More than division, the Gospel today speaks of passion: ‘I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!’ HE is a 52 years old parish priest like…
In its commitment to recognize outstanding Filipino-American community leaders who distinctly exemplify success, Philippine Fiesta, now Fiesta in America, once again honors individuals with exemplary achievements in their chosen profession with a well-conceptualized ceremony during the annual People’s Ball, one of the most glitzy and glamorous gala events this side of North America. Under the…
In its commitment to recognize outstanding Filipino-American community leaders who distinctly exemplify success, Philippine Fiesta, now Fiesta in America, once again honors individuals with exemplary achievements in their chosen profession with a well-conceptualized ceremony during the annual People’s Ball, one of the most glitzy and glamorous gala events this side of North America. Under the…
JUST as wagging tongues were dying down in talking about the Raymart Santiago-Claudine Barretto battle, another showbiz marriage was making the news. This time, it’s actress Sunshine Cruz against action star Cesar Montano. Last August 13, Sunshine, along with her lawyer Atty. Bonifacio Alentajan, filed a complaint-affidavit against her estranged husband Cesar for violating Republic…
WHERE WOULD WE BE without our toothbrushes?! Today personal dental hygiene is easy with convenient tools like toothbrushes and floss. But have you ever wondered what people did before modern toothbrushes? Twigs and branches The earliest toothbrushes were actually “chewing sticks.” That may sound rudimentary, but they were surprisingly effective. In ancient Babylon people chewed on…
The September 2013 priority dates have 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 for adjustment of status and work authorization, if they are in the US, and are otherwise eligible! That is the case…
A mystery stomach bug that has sickened 275 persons in eight states in the USA since mid-June 2013 has been reported by the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The infection causing prolonged diarrhea, with or without vomiting, abdominal cramps, fever, and weight loss from dehydration. The Cyclospora cayetanensis one-celled parasite contamination was linked…
LOS ANGELES—Ask Dubai-based Filipino fashion designer Michael Cinco how he would describe his fashion couture style and he would immediately tell you, “Impalpable!” Ethereal. Unreal. Dream-like. Otherworldly. Too perfect for this world, for sure. “Michael Cinco is in a league of his own,” commented Los Angeles-based fashion designer Carlyn Nuyda-Calloway of Thumbelina Couture. “Remember his…
I have always thought growing older was a quiet time. My 20’s and 40’s were interesting, fairly serene. But my 60’s are passionate. I grow more intense as I age — to my surprise, I burst out with hot convictions, unrestricted by the outer world of human quality in general, as I attempt to put…
AFTER months of strained relations, the Philippines and Taiwan have settled their differences — letting diplomacy prevail. Tensions rose on May 9, when a standoff ignited between the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and a Taiwanese fishing vessel, boarded by alleged poachers, in waters where the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of both countries overlap. The incident…
How do we solve a problem like China, with its continued “bullying” and claim on a million square miles of the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea including some Philippine territories? As we reported on Balitang America, community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis and the US Pinoys for Good Governance have spearheaded the “boycott everything about China”…
Usually during rush hour, it takes Ian two hours from his home in Kamias, Quezon City to his office in Intramuros, Manila. Now, his travel time is reduced to only an hour and a half. Thirty minutes can make a big difference. Based on a study, it is believed that one of the major causes…
CHAPTER 13 is the section of the US Bankruptcy Code that allows individuals in the United States to reorganize their finances. If you are having difficulty paying your debts (credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, taxes, late mortgage payments and property taxes- all kinds of debts) due to insufficient income, don’t despair. Chapter 13 may…
THE United States Department of State has issued guidance for same-sex visa applications in light of the June 26, 2013 ruling of the Supreme Court that held Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) to be unconstitutional. The decision, in holding that each of the 50 states may define “marriage” according to their…
LOS ANGELES – On Monday, a mobile photo booth truck, a group of young artists, and eager young Angelenos turned the office facade of a non-profit organization in Los Angeles into a monument that literally puts a face on the issue of immigration reform. Through a partnership with the “Inside Out/11M” project, the Asian Americans…
