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…
VOTING in American Idol. Campaigning for Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle for the Papacy. Voting for a Pinoy to be CNN Hero of the Year. Participating in the Philippine and US Presidential elections. What compels Filipinos to momentarily drop what they are doing and deviate a little from their everyday routine in life (be it work, household chores, their…
And so the conclave begins. 115 cardinals, representing all Roman Catholics from all over the world, have gathered in Vatican City to elect the Church’s new pope. Only when a cardinal receives at least 77 of the votes and accepts the new position will the white smoke come out from the Sistine Chapel chimney-signaling that…
NEARLY everyone knows someone who is directly or indirectly affected by diabetes. Not only can diabetes be difficult to manage, but it can also increase a person’s risk for other major health problems—including oral health problems. It’s everyone’s obligation to help educate With over 300 million people worldwide suffering from diabetes, we want to be…
LOS ANGELES – As of press time, it has been confirmed that over 80 Filipinos will be attending a free citizenship workshop, to be hosted by the Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC) and the Office of Mayor Antonio R Villaraigosa on March 16, Saturday at the Los Angeles Public Library in Downtown LA. APALC’s…
LOS ANGELES – The trial for disgraced car dealer Eminiano Jun Reodica has been moved again, this time to May 21, 2013. Citing the case’s unusual and complex nature, United States District Court for the Central District of California Judge S. James Otero granted another continuance, so prosecutors and defense can effectively prepare their case…
Fire was an essential discovery that eventually helped man in taking control of his surroundings. If we trace the origins of fire, we might as well say that the first humans were blessed with it the first time tangible fire, being sunlight, touched their skin. But according to archaeologists, it was around the Lower Paleolithic…
Unlike the poisoned barb of satire and the killing point of wit, humor is healing. It is not only wholesome, but re-creative and rejuvenating — a jest that breaks no bones. Laughter is the best medicine. It doesn’t fly to assault the mind. It is warmly sympathetic, playful, sometimes light-hearted and sometimes hilarious — unlike…
WITH the US economy steadily improving over the past several months, US employers are hiring again. Last weeks Federal Jobs Report showed that US employers were again hiring at a vigorous pace, with 236,000 new jobs having been created during the month of February 2014. What this means for H-1B Visa applicants is that employers…
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…
An alien of good moral character who married and resided with a US Citizen (USC) or lawful permanent resident (LPR) spouse but who was battered or subjected to extreme cruelty by the USC or LPR spouse during the marriage may file a battered spouse petition under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) provisions of the…
In the pugilistic arena, good stories are good stories, regardless of who tells them. Sports writers cobble these group of juicy pieces of fistic delights: vivid, immediate, firsthand, reported with the gluttony of an explorer. The doubts, the fears, the trials: foibles and fallibility from the greatest names in the boxing arena, to some of…
THE word “prodigal” means lavish, profuse, or wastefully extravagant. In the Gospel this Sunday, the younger son was prodigal because he profusely squandered his inheritance from his father on meaningless diversions. On the other hand, the father was “prodigal” because he lavishly forgave his wayward returning son: running to him even before he reached their…
AS THE world awaits the Cardinals in the Vatican to start the conclave and elect the next Pope, Catholics debate on the qualities they wish to be embodied by the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Before the Cardinals were ordered not to speak out about the impending election of Benedict XVI’s (who resigned…
IT’S one of the biggest pet peeves in the world. Imagine traveling for business or leisure and rummaging through your suitcase, only to realize that you’ve forgotten your cell phone charger. You see the dreaded red light flash on the phone. It’s about to die. You have no clue where the nearest electronic store is….
Q: CAN an employee be legally fired for job abandonment due to absence caused by an illness? Should the employer provide the employee with reasonable accommodations? A: California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on disability or medical condition. This law applies to employers with 5 or more employees. These employers may not…
1. YOU may deduct donations to qualified organizations. Qualified organizations include corporations or foundations organized in the US for religious, charitable, educational, scientific, literary, or prevention of cruelty to children and animals. 2. You cannot deduct contributions made to specific individuals – priests, nuns, victims, and political organizations or candidates. 3. File Form 1040 and…
WHAT I will discuss on the second portion of this article will be about HAFA (Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternative) which will typically offer a qualified seller $ 3,000 at closing of a short sale for relocation cost. But more interestingly is what other lenders are doing on their own to speed up short sale process…
MARCH 8 is International Women’s Day. Historically, this day has been observed since the early 1900’s — “a time of great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw booming population growth and the rise of radical ideologies,” saysInternationalWomensDay.com. “In accordance with a declaration by the Socialist Party of America, the first National Woman’s…
AS THE world awaits the Cardinals in the Vatican to start the conclave and elect the next Pope, Catholics debate on the qualities they wish to be embodied by the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Before the Cardinals were ordered not to speak out about the impending election of Benedict XVI’s (who resigned…
LAST week, we established the fact that back due income taxes can be discharged in bankruptcy, despite the popular belief that this was not possible. We said that there are six rules that must be complied with to discharge taxes. All of these rules must be followed. If you comply only with five rules, the…
LOS ANGELES – Thousands of parking lot attendants, cashiers and other employees received a whooping $4.7 million settlement after their class action lawsuit was settled. About 10,000 employees, some of whom were Filipino, filed a class action lawsuit against their employer AMPC System Parking Company (AMPCO) and its parent corporation, ABM Industries, one of the…
LOS ANGELES – A Hawaiian Senator and Congresswoman on Tuesday introduced legislation in both chambers that would reunite Filipino World War II veterans with their families. Senator Mazie K. Hirono and Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa introduced the Filipino Veterans of World War II Family Reunification Act, measures that would expedite immigration proceedings for children of Filipino…
PASADENA – Ethnic media practitioners in Southern California were recognized on Thursday night for excellence in journalism, and insightful coverage on ethnic community issues. Presented by New America Media (NAM), Los Angeles Multicultural Leadership Network and KPPC, the awards-giving body also gave special citation for inter-ethnic coverage by media outlets. The event was held at…
After a brief respite and heaps of social commitments that I had to cover, the continuation of my celebrity encounters resumes. Brace yourself for some more of my interesting nostalgic anecdotes. The “Fishnet & Minis” era gave Helen Gamboa an unprecedented popularity surge with the advent of musical films a fitting bifurcated avenue that showcased…
Question: I heard that H-1B’s are about to be able to be filed. What can I do? Answer: First, April 1, 2013, the doors open again and new H-1B’s can be filed. It does take time to prepare a quality H-1B, so time is of the essence and you should either get started right away…
In these days of health-consciousness, almost everyone is concerned about chest pains and possible heart attack, especially individuals who are 40 and older. While we hear of occasionally cases of heart attack among those in their 30s or even 20s, most likely candidates are actually those who eat red meat regularly, do not exercise, who…
Everyone knows that one of the fastest and easiest ways to get a green card is thru a bona fide, good faith (love) marriage to a US citizen. However, one of the worst things that a person can do is enter into a fixed marriage for purposes of obtaining immigration benefits. This is because if…
The sense of sight, most of the time, reigns supreme in the order of the senses. It affirms the existence of the outside world. It confirms presence and assures that people and things are out there. Seeing makes it convenient for us to believe. But when it comes to heritage, we go beyond the eyes….
I can believe that good is manifested from every experience that comes into our lives. Cancer is not a death sentence and I’ve been battling it for seven years, six months and twenty-nine days in the only way I know — living one day at a time. It was supposed to be a quick scene,…
