“I DON’T have any formula for ousting a dictator or building democracy. All I can suggest is to forget about yourself and just think of your people. It’s always the people who make things happen.” – Corazon C. Aquino (1933-2009) On August 1, Pres. Noynoy “PNoy” Aquino commemorated the 4th death anniversary of his mother,…
A FILIPINO advertising agency found an innovative solution to the perennial problem faced by elementary school kids in the Philippines: carrying heavy textbooks. Elementary school kids in the Philippines have become susceptible to scoliosis or other physical ailments related to carrying such heavy books to school on a day to day. The solution? Old analog…
WHAT is it with Filipinos and beauty pageants? I experienced firsthand the Pinoys’ love affair with beauty pageants, when I was invited to be among the esteemed panel of judges in the first ever Binibining Pilipinas-USA. The pageant was held on July 27 at the Centinela Valley Performing Arts Auditorium in Lawndale, Los Angeles. Nineteen…
MOST people have heard of Noah and his ark. But why did God, the God of Moses and Israel, my God, whose only Son Jesus Christ, willingly became incarnate through the Blessed Virgin Mary, and died on the cross to redeem man from the consequences of sin, so that we may have eternal life with…
THE IRS is back. In full force. Leaner. Stronger. After reeling from congressional hearings and keeping a low profile for many years, the IRS reorganized and is back. Their mission then was to protect taxpayers. The mission now: go raise revenues. It is time to prepare for audits again. Let’s learn how agents evaluate evidence…
“ An employer shall not require the employee to sign a release of the employee’s right to any wages that are due and earned by the employee, unless those wages have been paid. Some employers hold their employee’s final paycheck “hostage” until the employee signs a release or some type of termination form. This conduct…
GETTING a home mortgage now is a challenge; the gray area qualifying method of lenders and broker back in the mid 2000s’ to help qualify homebuyers has diminished. Therefore the lending have gotten to a point of easily approving or disapproving a borrower based on debt to income ratios, credit, fund reserves, employment history etc. …
LOS ANGELES – Two Filipino students recently took part in a Summer Youth Leadership Institute, a youth camp organized by LA-based advocacy group Peace Over Violence (POV). They took part in four weeks of training and workshops to master skills needed for effective violence prevention. Kristina Rebullar and Jose Meneses (both from Benjamin Franklin High…
LOS ANGELES – The Asia Pacific Community Fund (APCF), headed by executive director Debra Fong, recently held its 7th Annual Giving for All Seasons Gala at the posh Los Angeles Music Center in Downtown LA, where APCF honored an individual and three organizations for their contributions and long-term commitment to the Asian American Pacific Islander…
LOS ANGELES – Asian American Advancing Justice – Los Angeles (Advancing Justice – LA, formerly known as the Asian Pacific American Legal Center or APALC) announced on Tuesday that they will be holding family reunification clinics that will help immigrant families to petition for binational siblings, adult married children, and same-sex spouses. This announcement came…
LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles City District 13 Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell recently filed a motion which seeks to start a process that will determine appropriate building heights in downtown Echo Park. According to a spokesperson for the councilmember, the intention behind the motion is to “preserve the integrity and character” of the neighborhood. In a…
For inducing illegal immigration, mail fraud; Denies charges SAN JOSE – A Filipino-American immigration consultant convicted of encouraging illegal immigration for private financial gain and mail fraud denies the charges against her, and plans to seek a re-trial. A federal jury on Tuesday, July 30 found Evelyn Sineneng-Smith, 66, guilty of three counts each of…
“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 most Christian ones. It’s because they prepare us for the words of Christ in the Gospel. They expose us to the ruthlessness of life and…
THE family court’s could grant initial restraining orders, protecting victims of domestic violence, for a period of up to 5 years under family code §6345(a). This includes personal conduct orders, stay-away orders, and residence exclusion orders. What happens if your initial restraining order is about to expire and you continue to have concerns that your…
Nothing remains unreachable when one extends his hands far and no dream remains a dream when one decrees with tremendous effort to have it realized. Attaining one’s magnificent obsession while using his potentials to the fullest makes him not only a goal chaser but a dream catcher, as well. Such is upcoming tenor Jared Martin…
2nd Case Report of California Certified PA (Public Insurance Adjuster) Jae Park In order to make readers understand the work of a PA (Public Insurance Adjuster), which may be an unfamiliar insurance related field to you, I’d like to show you an example of a recently handled case. In the middle of January 2012, a…
Whenever the support of a minor child, or an adult child for whom support is authorized under §3901 or §3910 of the family code, is at issue, the court may order either or both parents to pay an amount necessary for the child’s support. Family Code §4001. For purposes of child support, a minor child…
The Knights of Columbus, St. Genevieve Council 14772 in Panorama City, CA had conducted its installation of Officers and oath taking of its Directors for CY 2013-2014 at St. Genevieve Parish Madonna Hall on July 28, 2013 headed by Grand Knight Tony Florendo. Preceding the installation ceremony, a Mass attended by the Knights, families and…
THEY were considered as the couple who most people were expecting to tie the know in the not-so-distant future. So when international singer and TV host Billy Crawford and singer/actress Nikki Gil admitted that they have indeed mutually agreed to end their relationship of more than four years, everyone was surprised and saddened. Nikki, 25,…
Jen was 10 years old when her parents brought her to the United States. When she was about to graduate high school and filling out her college applications, she was shocked and horrified to learn from parents that they were in the United States illegally. She put aside her dreams of going to college and…
On the heels of the US Supreme Court’s decision in US vs. Windsor (which struck down DOMA’s definition of marriage as being a legal relationship between one man and one woman), the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) issued a precedent (or binding) decision on July 17, 2013 (Matter of Zeleniak), confirming that same-sex couples are…
Three top politicians in the Philippines have died from complications of stem cell treatment. There are countless others, some unreported cases, around the world, so the public must be warned. What are stem cells? The building block, the foundation cell, for every cell, tissue and organ in the body is the stem cell. Stem cells…
SAN DIEGO San Diego Mayor Bob Filner plans to undergo behavioral therapy as pressures for him to step down from his political post continue to grow. Filner on Friday again apologized to his staff and the people of San Diego for “the behavior I have engaged in over many years,” he said. The former long-time…
CELEBRITIES, who venture into politics, are not an uncommon sight in the Philippines — and Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao is one of them. In the last three years, politics has been a major part of his career. He may have lost his last two major fights in 2012, but Pacquiao won big time in…
MANILA, July 31 — President Benigno S. Aquino III led the opening of an exhibit featuring his mother, former President Corazon Cojuangco Aquino’s paintings at the Lobby Lounge and Roma Salon of the Manila Hotel on Monday. The exhibit, aptly titled, “A Gift of Self,” showcases around 90 paintings of the former President and pieces…
(Part 2 of 2) The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced a major expansion of its “Fresh Start” initiative to help struggling taxpayers by providing: Offer in Compromise (OIC) – more flexible guidelines for collection potential. Payment plans – more taxpayers can apply without financial statements. We discussed OIC in a prior article. Let’s now discuss…
THIS is an exciting time to be Catholic, especially for those who have had doubts and questions about the Catholic Church’s relevance in their spiritual and faithful journey. After the resignation of Pope Benedict a few months ago, the emergence of Pope Francis as the new leader of the Catholic Church has been a defining…
DO you dream of simplifying your life, reducing your stress and regaining control of your financial future? Everyone dreams of living a debt-free life and yet we know that today, so many people are drowning in debt that they don’t even sleep well at night. If you are one of these people, perhaps you are…
“ In making an application for adjustment of status, an applicant must also prove that he is not “inadmissible” to the US. Certain grounds of inadmissibility may be “waived” during the process, such as prior criminal convictions or immigration violations.” THE US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit granted a joint motion to dismiss…
WITH the high bio-diversity and undiscovered riches in the country, the Philippines is without a doubt a tropical paradise. Its scenic attractions, various outdoor activities, interesting culture, rich history and sumptuous dishes are just among the many inviting features of our country. During the summer, this archipelago is a major tourist destination. Travelers of different…
