“The spirit of bayanihan will move us out from misery. Not them, not us, but all of us should move out and overcome the difficulties we are facing.” – Pres. Benigno Aquino III While super typhoons are a common occurrence in the Philippines, no one ever gets used to the devastation that they bring to…
WHY would a debtor want to compel bank to foreclose on his house? Recently, the LA times ran a story about a man who filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2009. He had purchased a condo loft in little Tokyo in downtown LA for $670,000 with no money down. His monthly mortgage payment was $3,000….
THERE is still a great need for conversion in each of us. When we think that we’re doing well with the practice of our faith, other people call our attention to some of our unchristian attitudes and ways. We may not like what we hear from them; we may disagree with their assessment about us,…
Rudolf Golez: Acclaimed Filipino Virtuoso Pianist in concert THE heavy rain on November 17, 2012 did not stop a knowledgeable and discriminating audience at Gennario’s Ristorante in Glendale, California, from expressing their almost boundless admiration for Rudolf Golez, a Filipino virtuoso pianist based in the Philippines. Indeed, the piano concert entitled Music Tapestry of Rudolf…
IF you are facing the prospect of filing bankruptcy for the first time in your life, it could be a frightening process. I bet you have a thousand questions going through your mind right now. Is bankruptcy the right thing to do or will it only make my situation worse? Will I lose everything that…
President Obama’s battle with the Republicans about how to avoid the so-called “Fiscal Cliff” is unfortunately more political drama than reality. First, the U.S. faces no short-term financial crisis relative to those faced by Greece, Spain, Italy, China or Japan, for example. Second, some of the issues dividing the two political parties are either artificially…
Revered World War II veteran Alfredo T. Diaz, who was highly regarded as a living hero from among the survivors of that war, peacefully breathed his last and finally succumbed to colon cancer last Nov. 3 at about 3:00 am at his residence in Jersey City. Born in Gandara, Samar on Nov. 27, 1916, (he…
Sometimes, a person’s case is denied, whether it is a hardship/fraud waiver, employment or family based petition, or other type of filing. In most denials, the person is given the right to appeal the denial, if he or she believes that the USCIS was wrong. However, the person should also carefully consider whether they should…
In this day and age of social consciousness, where youth and inner and outer beauty are revered, where image is considered very important, hair coloring has become a widely accepted cosmetic aid. Among those who used this hair grooming tool was US President Ronald Reagan, even in his 80s. Many public figures and media celebrities,…
Thousands of Filipinos will venture out into the Rizal Memorial Stadium this Saturday. The crowds will come in full regalia, their faces painted blue with all the adornments. Personalities will be mixing it up with ordinary folks who are just as passionate about this sport that has been elevated to a status befitting religion in…
THE debate over the United States economy and dearth of qualified Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) graduates has reignited the debate over employment-based immigration reforms. Even though Congress raised the number of H-1B “specialty worker” visas available in 1998, the increase lasted just three years. USCIS, under current law, may issue only 65,000 H-1B…
IN A few days, we will be bidding goodbye to 2012 and welcoming 2013. As many of us do in our personal life, The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast Balitang America also looks back to the big stories of the year that is about to end through our Yearender Special. One of the favorite segments of this annual…
“THE family company is an inheritance to be protected and handed in the outcome of the last geeration and each generation’s commitment to the next” – Gianni Agnelli Late President of Fiat, founded 1899 Most of the wealth in the Philippines is first generational in nature and many of these family businesses are set to…
THIS year’s Philippine economic report is a mixed bag. Last week, the domestic economy picked up more steam by expanding its growth to 7.1 percent in the third quarter, as measured by the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). According to Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balicasan, domestic consumption remained firm, sustained by strong local demand amid the…
In October 2012, an Immigration Judge (IJ) reopened my client’s exclusion proceedings more 20 years after another IJ ordered her exclusion from the US in 1991. In October 1999, she filed a motion to reopen (MTR) her proceedings through prior counsel but the IJ denied this motion in March 2000. What could have prompted this…
IN an effort to keep labor costs down, some companies take shortcuts and break the law. One of these shortcuts is to classify workers as “independent contractors” so that they do not have to be paid minimum wage, overtime, missed breaks, and other benefits. There are also no deductions for taxes and Social Security. Some…
Question: Is there any movement on new Immigration Bills since President Obama was re-elected? Answer: The House voted on a STEM bill — standing for science, technology, engineering and mathematics — in September, but under a procedure requiring a two-thirds majority. It was defeated, with more than 80 percent of Democrats voting against it, because…
HERE’S a bit of good news for a change, for homeowners in California. More than 22,000 homes sold in Southern California in August, showing a 14 percent increase from a year ago. The median price rose more than 10 percent from about $290,000 to $309,000. Does this mean prices will shoot straight up? What about…
TODAY, I celebrate a milestone in my blessed life. I am halfway there… I took off from work for a long personal weekend to map out where I had been, where I am now, and where I am going in the next course. As we do our usual daily grind in life, we only know…
It is typical, if not natural, for Parties to a divorce case to start hiding assets and income from each other as soon as divorce is anticipated. Spouse’s are thinking ahead of the game on how they can outsmart the other spouse so that they end up with the larger portion of the pie. This…
WHILE Europe continues to struggle with an economic crisis and the Republicans and Democrats in the House of Representatives are still locking horns over what to do with the looming “fiscal cliff,” the Philippines is experiencing a sunnier side in the economic scene. The country is currently the best performing nation in Southeast Asia, exceeding…
SUPPOSE that you lost your finger in a work related accident. You filed a worker’s compensation claim for that, then you filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. A day after you file your bankruptcy, you receive $193,000 as your worker’s compensation payment. In your bankruptcy petition you exempt your worker’s compensation claim pursuant to Section 522(d)(10)(C)…
THERE are times when I need to be alone and to be quiet, away from the noises and the busyness of life. There are times when I prefer to stay away from public occasions, when I would rather be anonymous. During these times, I would close my room, sit comfortably on a chair to mediate,…
With the days leading up to Pacquiao-Marquez IV ( and hopefully this will resoundingly end) the boxing world saw another classy fight courtesy of Filipino-American and World Boxing Organization flyweight champ Brian “the Hawaiian Punch” Viloria who scored a convincing victory via technical knockout over Mexico’s Hernan “Tyson” Martinez. Viloria’s feat was a rare one…
IN the wake of Mitt Romney’s devastating loss in the Presidential election, House Republicans will introduce a Bill to expand visa availability to foreign science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates, as well as ease the process through which spouses and children of Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) may immigrate to the US. Although viewed as…
On the third anniversary of the Maguindanao Massacre on November 23rd, we might as well remember all those who perished in the Philippines, as the continued human rights violations goes on unabated. Five months ago, on May 29 this year, the Philippine government’s human rights record came under scrutiny by member states of the United…
LAST week, US District Judge Audrey B. Collins ruled against churches that tried to keep a 60-year Nativity tradition alive, “after atheists stole the show with anti-God messages.” She rejected a motion from the Santa Monica Nativity Scenes Committee, to allow the religious display this season while their lawsuit plays out against the city. Kababayans and…
THE Philippines was ranked 87 out of 141 countries, in Forbes’ annual look at the Best Countries for Business. With a 3.7 percent GDP growth and inflation rate of 4.8 percent, the country maintained its position from last year and remained at the bottom half of the list. The country outranked China and India, but…
FOR about 150,000 homeowners with a second mortgage held by Bank of America, it seemed too good to be true. In the last couple of months, a lot of my clients received letters in the mail saying that their second mortgage is being automatically forgiven and wiped out. And they don’t even have to do…
EMPLOYEES who are “on the clock” know that the employer must pay for work performed during this time. However, there are situations where it is not quite clear whether a work-related activity performed by an employee outside the regular 8-hour framework would still be compensable. The most important rule to remember is this: Time spent…
