FILIPINO fashionistas know all about Filipino-American clothing designer, Josie Natori and her iconic Natori brand. However, only few know how she accomplished the American Dream. Recently, Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine named the 64-year-old Fil-Am designer as one of its “7 Self-Made Immigrant Millionaires.” The Philippine native was among the millionaires and one billionaire, Kiplinger featured…
NICODEMUS Plumbing, a company in Cypress, California was ordered to pay its 44 employees $858,840.20 in wages and $230,050 in fines for violations of California’s laws concerning overtime pay and record-keeping. The California Labor Commissioner’s office had investigated the plumbing contractor and found that the company failed to pay overtime to its employees. It accused…
MARIA came to the United States 10 years ago after divorcing her husband in the Philippines. She came to the United States as a tourist, but decided to stay because she had high hopes of a fresh start. 10 years later, she finds herself in love with her boyfriend Joe. Joe proposes to Maria and…
ANY individual who has worked and contributed to the FICA/Social Security System for 10 years (40 quarters) can start receiving Social Security Retirement benefits at age 67. You may elect to start receiving your SS benefits as early as age 62. You permanently lose about 30 percent of benefits if you retire early at 62….
“ The only reason why the Real Estate Market is better is because banks have kept interest rates low but he claims that those rates are bound to move up and can’t stay this low forever. The concept of whatever goes up has to come down applies both ways.” I AM fairly confident that the Real…
TWO successive losses for our Pambansang Kamao have knocked down the morale of many kababayans around the world, who have looked up to Manny Pacquiao as the modern-day hero of Filipinos. His recent knock-out loss to Juan Manuel Marquez has made Pinoys wonder if it is time for Pacman to: (a) hang up his gloves, (b) return to the Catholic faith…
PINOYS, including those opposing the passage of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill, witnessed a metaphoric megalith transform when an overnight deliberation resulted to an actual outcome on December 11. Voting 113-104 in favor of the controversial RH bill, the Philippine House of Representatives turned the tide for the passage of the long-stalled measure. The bill…
IMAGINE that you are a Chapter 13 debtor. You owe $100,000 of credit card debt. You receive a pension of $1,000, $1,500 from a part time job, and $1,500 from social security. You propose a plan payment of $500 a month for 60 months which will pay 30% of your credit card debt. Your plan…
“ As we celebrate Gaudate Sunday this Third Week of Advent, let’s heed to the call of St. Paul in his Letter to the Philippians to “rejoice in the Lord”, to “have no anxiety at all, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving make your requests known to God!” A HOLLY Jolly Christmas! This…
Question: My husband is in detention and deportation proceedings. Can he get out? Answer: For noncitizens and their families, nothing is more important than the noncitizen’s release from jail. These concerns can sometimes seemingly dwarf the larger issues of removability and relief. Every day, or every second, of detention only serves to increase the anxiety,…
Recently, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the deportation/removal of a person who had filed a “frivolous” asylum claim, in which the person had stated that he was persecuted in his home country, which turned out to be untrue. Now, even though his US citizen wife tried to petitioned him, he was banned for…
Film demands a fundamentally different kind of performance with several nuances, while theater requires exaggerated body movements and expansive gestures to effectively convey emotion. Choreographer-singer-stage performer Miguel Braganza II can do both. He can even top it off with another talent, his powerful singing ability. Because of his pursuit of perfection and intense creativity, Miguel’s…
Film demands a fundamentally different kind of performance with several nuances, while theater requires exaggerated body movements and expansive gestures to effectively convey emotion. Choreographer-singer-stage performer Miguel Braganza II can do both. He can even top it off with another talent, his powerful singing ability. Because of his pursuit of perfection and intense creativity, Miguel’s…
In this issue, we shall devote our column to exalting the “medicinal values or therapeutic effects” of regular, ordinary food that people all over the world eat as a part of their diet. The reported health benefits of some of the foods we have listed hereunder are anecdotal, passed down from generations after generations, and…
The country is in a state of shock. Thousands are still reeling from a typhoon that ravaged the provinces of Visayas and Mindanao claiming a great number of lives while others are still missing and many more are left in dire situations. To add to this gloominess, an almighty thud came as an exclamation point…
THE USCIS is processing adjustment of status applications filed by “aged-out” Beneficiaries of preference petitions relying on the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) as interpreted by the US Courts of Appeals. Recently, the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit joined the US Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit and held that the…
THIS is one of the few instances where I am agreeing with Miriam Defensor-Santiago. In a recent speech at Far Eastern University, she declared, “Let me summarize the problem with Philippine elections. Of the 50 million voters who will troop to the polls in May next year, the greater majority are not intelligent, they are…
IF THERE is anyone who still has doubts about the powerful influence of our Pambansang Kamao Manny Pacquiao, particularly among Filipinos in every corner of the world, then the fourth bout between the Pacman and Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez must have already knocked that out for good. After Pacquiao was knocked out by Marquez in…
NO one would blame Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao if he suddenly decides to call it a career and walk away from the ring for good after being knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez in their fourth meeting last Saturday, December 8. At 33, (turning 34 on Dec. 17), Pacquiao is considered an “old” boxer….
Question: I have already worked in the United States for some time. Does my sponsor still need to submit the affidavit of support? Answer: Under INA §212(a)(4)(C), an alien who seeks permanent residence as an immediate relative or as a family preference immigrant is inadmissible as an alien likely to become a public charge, unless…
QUESTION: I heard that there is a type of visa whereby I don’t need to invest $1,000,000 to get the Green Card, but rather can use my business knowledge and business. Is this true? Answer: Yes, it is the much less known Multinational Manager Visa. This is where you have 2 companies in 2 different…
THE Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program was introduced in June 2012 and was implemented August 15, 2012. Within just one month of the program’s start date, the USCIS had reported that it had received more than 75,000 applications for deferred action status (DAS) and work authorization under DACA. Although experts had predicted that…
Question: My auntie petitioned my mother when I was 3 years old. However, the visa process is so slow that it took 22 years for the visa number to become current. I was over 21 when my mother got her Green Card and the U.S. Embassy said that I aged out and could not come….
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…
IMAGINE how frustrating this could be. You anxiously waited for months and months for your lender’s response after submitting your loan modification request. After countless hours of frustration on the phone, being put on hold, and the tedious task of compiling, completing and faxing tons of paperwork, you feel that you’ve done your part. Perhaps…
TRAVELING technicians obtain over $8 million settlement for unpaid work time Lojack Corporation manufactures vehicle-tracking systems. Its technicians install and repair alarm and tracking systems for its clients. These installations and repairs are generally done at the clients’ locations. Technicians are required to travel to the job-sites in company-owned vehicles. They are paid hourly beginning…
ONE of Hawaii’s most distinguished business leaders is a Filipina. Joni B. Redick-Yundt has received awards and honors, not only from respected organizations, but from the highest strata of the state. Among her awards are a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from the State of Hawaii; a Recognition of Community Achievement from the State of…
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…
YOU have worked for about 10 years and have paid to the Social Security (SS) administration through FICA deductions from your paycheck. Do you ever wonder if you are indeed covered after all these years? If not, how much more do you need to contribute before being fully covered? Here are 20 tips for your…
“PRINCESS KATE is pregnant, and why do we care?,” TIME Magazine asked, following the brouhaha over the news that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expecting their firstborn child. This baby will be heir to the throne — third in line, after his or her father, Prince William. The fascination over Kate’s pregnancy goes beyond the…
