The news about the crash landing of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 at San Francisco International Airport on July 6 made many people re-think how safe it is to fly. This is a very serious issue for many kababayans, who have no other alternative to visit the Philippines with the motherland being almost 7,000 miles away…
“ The LORD said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the LORD.” IF YOU are troubled by debt, think of Hosea. Hosea was a prophet of the one true God, my God, the God of Moses and Israel, whose…
YES. Some are. Let’s discuss taxes, penalties, and interest that are not dischargeable in a Chapter 13 filing. The Chief Counsel of the IRS examined which tax claims are nondischargeable in Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases filed on or after Oct. 17, 2005 (the effective date of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of…
The story of a Saudi Princess and her 5 maids THE Los Angeles Times, NBC, CNN and other major news outlets report that on July 10, a woman identified as a Saudi princess, was arrested on suspicion of human trafficking and keeping slaves in her home in Orange County. Meshael Alayban, 42, reported to be one…
STILL dealing with the burden of owning a house that is underwater at this stage of the late stage mortgage meltdown we had has got to be much more frustrating than ever. It’s almost like you are the only once left hanging by a string and everyone else has escape tragedy or has gotten bailed…
CERRITOS – On Monday, July 8, The Cerritos City Council appointed Tatiana Yokoyama to the city’s five-member planning commission. The city council unanimously voted in favor to appoint Yokoyama, a long-time Cerritos resident, to a two-year term on the commission. Mayor Pro-Tem Mark Pulido nominated Yokoyama to the position. “She represents the next generation of…
SAN DIEGO – San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, a long-time champion of Filipino American World War II veterans, on Thursday issued an apology to the residents of San Diego for his behavior after being accused of sexually harassing employees. “I have diminished the office to which you elected me,” said Filner in a DVD given…
ICE still determining if 4 Pinoys are human trafficking victims ORANGE COUNTY – Four Filipino domestic servants were found in the home of a Saudi Arabian princess, who is accused of human trafficking a Kenyan woman into the United States, according to authorities. Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas on Wednesday charged Meshael Alayban, 42,…
Fritz Friedman appointed to Cal Humanities Board SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. on July 11 announced the following appointments. Cynthia Cotharn, 56, of Playa Vista, has been appointed to the Cal Humanities Board. Cotharn has been a private physician since 2002. She was a medical director in the Substance Abuse Division at the Watts…
PALO ALTO – New America Media recently held a Journalism Fellowship Program in Palliative Care at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. The goal of the program is to educate journalists in the emerging medical field of Palliative Care so that in turn, journalists can educate their readers and viewers. According to experts at the…
There is no correct or incorrect answer to that question—only an honest or dishonest one. Yet it is susceptible to a glib answer, just the way Atty. Jojo Reyes handled it during the presentation of the Binibining Pilipinas candidates at the Porsche. Because you can’t deny it’s reality, it is about values, beliefs, love, money,…
Movie: “Trafficker.” Location: Mother Ignacia, Quezon City. Director: Roland Sanchez. Scene one. Sequence. Take one. Exterior shot. Day effect. Street scene. Along a congested neighborhood the street surprisingly looks deserted in broad daylight. Clapper enters frame. Assistant director calls “Quiet!” Director yells “Action!” A slow moving car suddenly stops. The driver, after checking for people…
Movie: “Trafficker.” Location: Mother Ignacia, Quezon City. Director: Roland Sanchez. Scene one. Sequence. Take one. Exterior shot. Day effect. Street scene. Along a congested neighborhood the street surprisingly looks deserted in broad daylight. Clapper enters frame. Assistant director calls “Quiet!” Director yells “Action!” A slow moving car suddenly stops. The driver, after checking for people…
Marriage fraud is a serious immigration violation with lasting consequences. An I-130 immigrant petition based on a fraudulent marriage would be denied. Additionally, under INA 204(c), no petition shall be approved if (1) the alien has been accorded, or has sought to be accorded, immediate relative status as the spouse of a U.S. citizen (USC)…
Question: I have been a victim of crime and also my friend was basically a slave for her employer. What can we do? Answer: There are different types of visas for these matters. Basically, the U, T and VAWA petitions. In March 2013 Congress enacted several changes to the William Wilberforce Violence Against Women Act…
AND just when you thought that the controversy about of the Barretto family has died down (a bit), a new one will surely come out. True enough, just recently, actress Claudine Barretto confirmed and her husband, actor Raymart Santiago has left their home. In an interview with GMA-7 last July 8 during the post-birthday celebration…
The August 2013 priority dates have phenomenal news for spouses and minor children of green cardholders (Category F – 2A). That is because the priority date is CURRENT! 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,…
In previous columns, I have discussed the controversy about the health effects of coconut oil which has been going on for decades. The question still remains: Is coconut oil ingestion beneficial or harmful to our body? The Philippines is the world’s largest exporter of coconut oil, accounting for 7 pecent of its total export income….
Almost immediately after the US Supreme Court declared the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional, both Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, pledged their full support in providing same – sex couples the very same immigration benefits available to opposite – sex couples. Sec. Kerry, whose department oversees embassies…
THE Philippine economy is on the upswing and the numbers say it all. In the first three months, the country’s economy expanded by 7.8 percent, exceeding market expectations to become Asia’s fastest growing economy. The vibrant tourism industry and real estate market; and the Aquino administration’s pursuit of “Daang Matuwid” have all contributed to this…
THIS is a very common scenario that usually starts with good intentions from both sides. Many Pinoys from the Philippines come to America as tourists, secretly hoping to find lucrative job opportunities that seem elusive in the motherland. Some will find a kababayan who runs a business in America and will use all possible connections…
THE Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino is proposing the “rationalization” of the names used for our country, our citizens and our national language. Indeed, a lot of people – foreigners and Pinoys alike – are confused. Aside from being known as The Philippines, is our country called Pilipinas or Filipinas? Are our citizens Filipinos or Pilipinos?…
NO one ever wants face a debt crisis but at one time or another in your life, you may have to deal with one. Having debt problems does not make you a bad person although some people feel a sense of guilt as they feel responsible for the decision that they have made that led…
ON June 27, 2013, the US the Senate passed its version of Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) by a resounding 68-32 vote. S. 744, or the “Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act,” as it is known, underwent hundreds of revisions since it was first proposed by the bi-partisan “Gang of Eight” earlier this year. …
There have been several sightings of stray cats and dogs in Manila. What brings about overpopulation in the city? It is important that people are aware of the proper knowledge about these animals, especially on their needs and rights. There is lack of voice for animals in the country but luckily the Philippine Animal Welfare…
LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Council District (CD) 10’s Herb J. Wesson, Jr. was re-elected on Tuesday, July 2, as the LA City Council President. According to a CBS Los Angeles report, Wesson was unanimously voted into office by the 12 councilmembers present on Tuesday, himself included. CBS also reported that the lone councilmember who was not…
Two Chinese girls confirmed dead, 49 in serious condition THE Philippine Embassy in the United States said through social media that five Filipino-Americans, including a woman and her two sons were among the 181 injured in the Asiana Airlines Flight 241 crash at the San Francisco International Airport on Saturday, July 6. This information was…
IN a world running at digital pace, many newspapers have long been forced into the traditional news magazine model, with larger form writing and more big picture thinking. But we still have to do it everyday, after all there is only so much wisdom one can summon in a few hours. We are aware that…
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, July 8 (PIA) — Kapampangan film “Manenaya” (Waiting) won the Jury Prize award in the 11th Gawad Tanglaw sharing the honors with “Migrante” (The Filipino Diaspora). “The movie, which is filmed in black and white, is about the quest for truth and personal triumph through the challenges of life,” film…
“BE not afraid!” These are the words that I remember most from John Paul II as he spoke to youth during World Youth Days. His successor, Benedict XVI, would convey a similar message, and I’m certain that our present pope, Francis, would keep this mandate in mind when it will be his time to speak…
