IT’S that time of the year again — for a celebration universally known as Halloween. Spooky decorations of skeletons, ghosts, witches and pumpkins dangle on windows and lawns with almost the same regularity as Christmas lights. Parties are organized, with attendees making careful preparations on their costumes. Each year, in different parts of the world,…
ALTHOUGH the volume of newly-filed applications for benefits is down at the USCIS, the processing times for some applications pending at the US Citizenship & Immigration Services (“USCIS”) are longer than ever before. The USCIS holds a monopoly over all immigrants applying for green cards, citizenship and other applications, since the USCIS is the only…
SoftBank, a major Japanese telecommunications company, is seeking to acquire America’s third largest telecommunications company, Sprint, for $20 billion. It is possible that a combination of anti-foreign investment politicians, community groups, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will seek to oppose this merger. The…
One of the most dangerous survival tests for family businesses is their succession. It is no surprise therefore that many successors and heirs feel relief and complacency once the transition period is completed. However, the handing down of power and money is not an end point, but a new beginning of an ongoing process —with…
There is a presence, grand and mystic, that lurks in caves. History harkens the images of men seeking shelter in caves as they made the first paintings of the beasts they’ve encountered. Moving away from the caves marked a monumental change in our psyche for we became individuals who were out to conquer the vast…
A LOT of people end up filing bankruptcy when they get to the point of feeling hopeless about their financial problems. Despite what others may think, there is no shame in needing a second chance to secure your financial future. Bad things can happen to good people as the saying goes. Sometimes, people simply make…
HISTORICALLY, it has long been a natural occurrence in Philippine politics that family members or relatives of a political figure would eventually run for a position in government — more popularly known as “political dynasties.” With the 2013 elections fast approaching, expect the same scenario to unravel, as several prominent (both old and new) politicians…
IN 2008, the California State Controller’s office led a multi-state audit of the practices of 21 national insurance companies, to determine these companies’ compliance with state unclaimed property laws. California’s unclaimed property program generally provides that businesses must send lost or abandoned financial accounts to the State after three years of inactivity in order to…
Back in 1996, when President Ramos signed what was described as a “final peace agreement” with Nur Misuari’s MNLF, I wrote a piece guardedly welcoming the initiative and expressing relief over the possibility of peace in Mindanao. The pact was, concededly, not perfect, and the signatories on both sides had well-founded apprehensions over certain provisions….
ADVANTAGES of home sales for 2013 is that there will be fewer short sales and hopefully more regular listing coming back on the market. Lenders have pulled together finally and decided to streamline the short sale process, meaning they are setting time limits as short as 30 days to get a short sale approval. Now…
THE purpose of spousal support is not defined by the legislature in that its purpose varies according to the facts and circumstances of each case. The facts and circumstances of a particular case may be such which call for no spousal support, or for support for a very limited period of time, with the purpose…
YOU are still upset from losing an IRS audit. You have two choices: pay or fight. If you choose to fight, go to appeals. Let me give you 10 tips on how to prepare for the appeals conference: 1. Request access to your case files. Take a look at any dossier they have on you….
ONE of the greatest American expos that have been showcasing the best of the Philippines is the Philippine Fiesta in America, which is held in New Jersey every year for the past 14 years. Appropriately, the great lady, who was the driving force behind the annual event ,also showcased the best of the Filipino character…
YOU know what a stockbroker is and what he does for a living, right? A stockbroker recommends what stocks to buy and sell to his client, and he makes a commission on each purchase and sale of stock. They make a lot of money doing what they do because they get paid high salaries. But…
WHAT do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked Bartimaeus, the blind man in this Sunday’s Gospel. Wasn’t this the same question he raised to James and John, the sons of Zebedee, in last Sunday’s Gospel when the two brothers asked him for a favor? This seemed to be a recurring behavior of…
AN 18-year old Filipino male was granted lawful permanent resident status on or about June 3, 2010. He has been residing with his parents in Glendale, California, since May 23, 2003. On October 12, 2011, he was arrested by the Glendale Police Department for allegedly possessing a controlled substance, meth, in violation of Health &…
It’s the latest snapshot of the growing burden of student debt and it’s another discouraging one: Two-thirds of the national college class of 2011 finished school with loan debt, and those who borrowed walked off the graduation stage owing on average $26,600 – up about 5 percent from the class before. The latest figures…
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…
The National Asian American Coalition (NAAC) is a nonprofit bi-partisan organization. It is offering its suggestions and advice on the four most crucial California ballot measures (propositions) before the voters on November 6th, 2012. We offer our observations with reservations since we believe the initiative (proposition process), once the hallmark of California’s democratic system, is…
IF this Halloween proves to be too much candy for your children’s teeth, then come join us at Millbrae Smile Center on November 2nd for a Sweet Swap Post-Halloween party and have the opportunity in supporting our troops. At our Sweet Swap event, we’ll be giving children the chance to trade leftover candies for other…
Probiotics are live microorganisms which, when ingested, confer a health benefits. The most common types of microbes used as probiotics are lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and bifidobacteria, but some yeasts and bacilli may also provide good physiologic effects. Fermented foods with added active live cultures, like yogurt, soy yogurt, or certain dietary supplements are available…
Jon and Kate own and operate a successful real estate business in California. In addition to owning a beautiful home, they had acquired several homes and apartment buildings which they rented out. In 2008, when the US economy was struggling and the real estate business was sluggish, Jon and Kate decided to take a long…
THE Philippines dodged a bullet when it was spared from a Financial Action Task Force (FATF) blacklist. After making a “high-level political commitment” to address deficiencies in its law against money laundering, the country was granted four months to render necessary amendments, with a condition to fast-track implementation of compliance efforts with international regulations, before…
October marks a month’s worth of observing Filipino-American history in the United States. With a population of a million and growing, this is an appropriate action in understanding our deep ties in the land of the free. “Filipino Americans: Making History for 425 Years,” is this year’s theme and activities are lined up to showcase…
CONTRARY to what others may think, the majority of people who file for bankruptcy are honest, hard working people who simply need to get a fresh financial start. Because life is not perfect, there are times when we are so way in over our heads in debt that filing for debt relief becomes unavoidable. Filing…
Q: AS an employee for a service provider company, I am paid an hourly rate and an additional piece rate if I respond to customer calls after hours. I often work more than 8 hours per day and on weekends. I am paid overtime based only on my hourly rate. Since I’m also receiving a…
WHEN the Director of the Census Bureau appointed Ditas Katague to a new national advisory committee, it was just another milestone accomplishment for one of the highest-ranking Filipino-American officials in the United States. Groves appointed the 47-year-old Katague as a member of the new National Advisory Committee on Racial, Ethnic and Other Populations. The purpose…
ON October 18, 2012, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York declared that the Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”) was unconstitutional, to the extent the law attempted to ban (or refuse to recognize) same-sex marriages. Although the decision may still be appealed to the US Supreme Court, this could be great news (and…
FROM my article last week, I got a few more homeowners calling about the same scenario, I thought of researching more of how you can research and find out if you can qualify. As part of Bank of America’s ongoing efforts to help customers in need of mortgage assistance, this company is in the process…
Overall, the general view on the outcome of Tuesday’s second presidential debate is that Pres. Obama dominated (to make up for his lackluster performance in the first debate), while Republican presidential candidate Gov. Romney kept his ground. In the CNN/ORC International poll of 457 registered voters, it indicated that Pres. Obama won round 2 of…
