The decision to terminate one’s marriage typically brings to the forefront many issues all at once. Issues pertaining to property, support, and child custody need to be addressed in a divorce proceeding. In a long term marriage especially, these issues are often heavily litigated between the spouses, and can take a significant amount of time…
AFTER the tension, which flared after the shooting and death of a Taiwanese fisherman by a member of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on May 9, the Philippines and Taiwan have agreed to avoid resorting to force and preventing the recurrence of similar incidents. The two nations are also expected to meet in July for…
IN the past edition of this column, I shared with you some important information to help you understand teen depression and guide you in doing your best so that the heartbreaking loss of the Molina Family in New York (whose 12-year old daughter took her own life after being bullied in school and online) may,…
WHAT should the Philippines do about the “salami-slicing” and “cabbage-wrapping” strategy that China is applying in the Spratlys? It has left our armed forces looking like the skinny kid at the beach, in that old-time Charles Atlas ad, with the bully kicking sand on the weakling’s face. Like the quintessential bully, the Chinese are taking…
WHEN your financial circumstances are forcing you to declare bankruptcy, it is one way of dealing with debts that you can no longer manage on your own. Of course, the decision should not be taken lightly and it is best to consult with an experienced bankruptcy attorney to see if it is best for your…
LOS ANGELES – A former University of Southern California professor wanted for committing sex crimes in the Philippines was named in the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List on Monday. Walter Lee Williams became the 500th person named on the infamous list, FBI officials said. Williams is a former tenured professor where he taught anthropology and…
LOS ANGELES – Asian American homebuyers and renters face discrimination and adverse treatment as or more often than other communities of color when seeking a home, according to a US government study. The study done by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and The Urban Institute found on average that Asian American homebuyers…
LOS ANGELES – The Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program (CPDPP), a statewide collaboration of agriculture officials and citrus industry representatives, held a press briefing on June 6 at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to call for the support of Angelenos and LAX travelers in the fight against a disease that threatens to wipe…
“Summer time and the living is easy,” says Gershwin. Summer has officially arrived, that season when time stands still. When nothing bad can happen. When mornings, with the sun buttering the tree tops, represent a chance to start over and when everything seems possible — as it began to beguine. Summer is one metaphor after…
Aliens who commit drug offenses may become inadmissible or deportable. Inadmissibility means that an alien is ineligible to receive a visa or he cannot be admitted into the U.S. based on his conduct or convictions. Deportability means that an alien who was previously admitted could be removed based on his conduct or convictions. The drug…
IT HAS always been the case that every time I see my spiritual director, I end up becoming affirmed and beheld again. It is as if my spiritual director is God telling me, “Rodel, you are a special person. You have so many gifts. You are loved!” You see, like many people, I don’t always…
ROLE models, education, and being part of groups are the keys to success, said Filipino-American Rear Adm. Victorino “Vic” Mercado, vice director of Strategy, Plans and Policy for US Central Command. US Central Command (better known as CENTCOM) is one of 9 combatant commands in the United States military which promotes cooperation among nations, responds…
Based on the latest National Statistics Office (NSO) Labor Force survey released on June 11, the number of jobless Filipinos increased “to a three-year high in April,” reported Philstar.com. “…Unemployment reached 7.5 percent in April, up from 6.9 percent in the same period last year. The current unemployment rate was the highest since the eight…
“I FELT sorry for myself because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.” – Jewish Proverb During these tough times, it is very easy to wallow in self-pity especially when we have lost so much because of the recession. The “good life” we see our own friends experiencing and…
LAST week we talked about King David and his lust for Bathsheba. As punishment for King David’s sins of coveting Bathsheba who was Uriah’s wife and murdering Uriah so he could marry her even though he already had 6 wives and numerous concubines, the first born son of David and Bathsheba died several days after…
IN July of each year, the Franchise Tax Board of the State of California mails Questionnaire Form 4803 to taxpayers who claimed Head of Household status the previous year. Do not ignore this questionnaire. Mail it back within 20 days; otherwise, it becomes final. You’d have to go to appeals to fight it. If filled…
Q: I WORK as a kitchen staff in one of the busiest restaurants in Los Angeles. I often work 10-to 14-hour days but I am not paid overtime. Also, even though my supervisor says we are entitled to a 30-minute lunch break and 10-minute rest breaks, there is no one to relieve me from my…
MANY homeowners with first or purchase mortgages also add on second mortgages such as home equity loans. Unfortunately, job loss and tough economic times can cause homeowners to become delinquent or even default on second mortgages. Lenders holding defaulted second mortgages sometimes write them off, though those loans’ borrowers may still face certain consequences over…
LOS ANGELES – On Flag Day (June 14), the LA City Council joined the Filipino community in celebrating the 115th anniversary of Philippine Independence and passed a resolution that enjoins the city in this occasion. “The Los Angeles City Council hereby declares the month of June as Philippine Independence Month in the City of Los…
LOS ANGELES – Bicol 2nd District Representative Al Francis C. Bichara, who was a special guest at the Philippine Consulate General’s (PCG-LA) cocktail reception on June 12, Wednesday, enjoyed seeing many Filipinos in Los Angeles celebrating the 115th Anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence. “I feel good about this,” Bichara told the Asian Journal. He…
BAY AREA – Anti-domestic violence groups applauded the California Supreme Court’s recent decision to reinstate the second-degree murder conviction of a man, who killed his Filipino girlfriend in 2000. In 2008, a Bay area court convicted Tare Ramirez (also known as Tare Beltran) of second-degree murder for the death of Claire Joyce Tempongko, who was…
He left me with a houseful of daughters, who are very young and adorable with the world on their side. In the face of adversity, we are not permitted to ask “Why me?” You can ask but you won’t get an answer. Through the years, I’ve learned the hard way why some poems don’t rhyme…
Summertime is here and the fiesta fever, once again, is in the air! As the festive ambiance pervades the atmosphere, the principal player in the annual celebration this side of the Northeast, the 2013 Fiesta in America, is currently loaded with strategic plans without a single stone left unturned preparing for its 15th year anniversary…
Summertime is here and the fiesta fever, once again, is in the air! As the festive ambiance pervades the atmosphere, the principal player in the annual celebration this side of the Northeast, the 2013 Fiesta in America, is currently loaded with strategic plans without a single stone left unturned preparing for its 15th year anniversary…
Cleaning your teeth properly includes cleaning between you teeth, and the best way to clean between your teeth, and the other places your toothbrush can’t reach, is with flossing. A great deal of attention is given to cosmetic dentistry these days. It’s easier that ever to get a bigger, brighter, whiter smile. But just as…
Each month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family and employment based categories. A priority date is a person’s “place in line” for a visa, meaning that immigrant visas (or green cards) would be available for persons whose priority…
Being humble, or being “mapakumbaba” is a virtue that every person should have—but very difficult to do. We all have our egotistical side, that putting down the shield of our success, power or wealth takes some time. In show business, there are a lot of personalities who have tried their best to keep their feet…
“ When you are overwhelmed with debt problems, the situation becomes even more challenging when you have a family that you are supporting. Your paycheck may not even be enough to pay for basic living expenses like mortgage payments or rent, food, clothing, etc., let alone pay your monthly debt obligations.” ARE your debt problems…
ON June 11, 2013, President Obama pushed the US Congress to send him a bill by fall providing for Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR), just as the full US Senate began to vote on the bipartisan Gang of Eight’s proposal introduced earlier this year. The Gang of Eight, including Senators Shumer, McCain, Durbin, Graham, Menendez, Rubio,…
THIS week is all color (blue, red, white and yellow) and splendor, as Filipinos all over the world once again gather to commemorate the 115th anniversary of the Proclamation of Independence on June 12, 1898. “Ambagan,” which means “contribution, share in a collective affair,” is the highlight of this year’s celebrations. With the theme, “Kalayaan…
