After a lackluster performance in the Olympics, torrential rains and flooding, and the passing of a beloved government official; the country’s gloom was quite lifted with the news of the Philippine National Team Smart Gilas 2 winning the 34th installment of the Jones Cup. It was a sliver of light for a country grieving and…
WASHINGTON — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today marked a significant milestone in its efforts to provide relief to victims of crimes by approving the statutory maximum 10,000 petitions for U nonimmigrant status, also referred to as the U-visa. This is the third straight year USCIS has reached the statutory maximum since it began…
I have shared with friends on Facebook a profound dialogue I read in Paulo Coelho’s new book, Aleph: “But isn’t prayer a way of bringing us closer to God?” “Allow me to answer with another question: will all your prayers make the sun rise tomorrow? Of course not. The sun rises in obedience to a universal…
“What you see is what you get” or WYSIWYG may be an apt description of President Noynoy Aquino. The good part is that he says what he thinks. But it makes you wonder if he thinks about what he says. My guess is that he does. What may appear to be impulsiveness, a tendency to…
THERE comes a time in everyone’s life when you wonder about your purpose. What is your mission in life? Fil-Am Michael Vea recalls when this burning question creeped inside of him. He was sitting inside his New York city apartment wondering what to do next. At 32 years of age, Vea has already accomplished what…
A petition for nullity of a marriage is based on an allegation that an impediment existed at the time of the marriage that prevented the marriage from ever existing. Whereas a petition for dissolution of a marriage typically alleges that some issue arose during the marriage that precludes it from continuing further (i.e. “irreconcilable differences”),…
(Part 1) On June 15, 2012, the Obama Administration announced a new policy of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which is now being referred to as “DACA.”Additional guidance, and a DACA application form (I–821D) were issued on August 14, 2012, and DHS began accepting DACA applications as of August 15, 2012. Under this program, the…
No, that is not a typo. Scientists in the new Human Microbiome Project at the National Institute of Health have sequenced genes from 20 skin sites of volunteers and “found that bacteria hailed from 10 different phyla, 205 genera, and 112,000 individual bacteria,” using a sophisticated molecular technique of microbial DNA analysis. So, you and…
On August 15, 2012 the USCIS began accepting applications for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and accompanying request for work authorization, pursuant to the Obama Administration’s promise to accord Deferred Action Status (DAS) and work authorization for people who would otherwise have been eligible under the ill-fated DREAM Act. Over the past 5 days,…
DEBT is a common problem that a lot of people struggle with and many people want to know how thy can become debt-free. Of course, in today’s society, you can’t afford to spend cash on everything and sometimes you have to use a credit card or get a loan. The problem is that when those…
The Philippines and China go way back, even before the conquest of the Spaniards. As early as the 10th century, trade was already happening between Filipinos and the seafaring Chinese. That cultural exchange included beliefs, customs, clothing, technology, and of course food!What better way to celebrate Filipino and Sino relations than to partake in the…
Henri J.M. Nouwen, one of the great spiritual writers of the modern times, has influenced my personal spirituality and writing skill. He has helped me to see grace in my brokenness and ordinariness. He has also effected simplicity and clarity in my writing skill. A few days ago, I decided again to read one of…
A few weeks ago, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell appointed multi-awarded Filipina writer, Sofia Molina Starnes, as the new Poet Laureate of the state of Virginia, reported the Williamsburg Yorktown Daily. The prolific writer is the daughter of historian-lawyer Antonio M. Molina (former Vice Rector of the University of Sto. Tomas) and Carmen Gomez de Arnau….
Some encouraging news for financially stressed homeowners across the country: The Senate Finance Committee approved a bipartisan bill before heading home for summer recess that would extend the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act through 2013. Don’t jump yet, given the majority of Republicans in the House that might have serious objections, we will know in…
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…
On Tuesday, August 14, 2012 USCIS announced that Form I-821-D will be used fro the filing of applications for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals benefits (DACA) also known as Deferred Action Status for DREAMERS. The USCIS also reissued its expanded guidelines for the program, reminding people that August 15, 2012 is the first day on…
If you are searching for debt reduction solutions, no doubt you’ve been inundated with advertisements for various debt management programs, companies and solutions. The choices seem confusing to the average consumer. The truth is that every situation is different and what may work perfectly for others is not necessarily going to work the same way…
SO it has happened again. A bombardment that occurred on tin roofs with assaults on the asphalt; it was an extended blitzkrieg of rain. Water rushed with a flurry carrying the debris of our hardwork together with chronic negligence. Houses were made into anchored boats that could go anytime. It may be a scenario worthy…
When the water is calm and the sailing is smooth, we feel happy and stable. We don’t want this state of serenity to end; we just want to stay with it. But we know that this is not always the case in life. Storms come by naturally and monsoon rains would disrupt our routines. Accidents…
BEING a monsoon country, the Philippines is visited by at least 20 typhoons in a year. Aside from that, even without an actual storm, rainfall can dump a month’s worth of rain in less than 24 hours. Just this week, Metro Manila and other provinces in Luzon were submerged as rains continued to pour. It…
Who knew that a former University of the Philippines (UP) student with a 2.56 undergraduate grade point average would one day become one of the school’s most distinguished alumnus and president of a US University? For Dr. Luis Calingo, the new president of Woodbury University in Burbank, life has certainly been an adventure. “Yes. Life…
ACCORDING to Drs. Tyler Cowen and John Nye (professors at George Mason University in Washington DC), under the leadership of President Benigno Aquino III, the Philippines has “the best chance of becoming a tiger economy in Asia.” The visiting foreign economists said that the country is “on the verge of an economic takeoff,” reports Inquirer.net….
Question: What are some documents that can be used to document the Arrival Requirement? Answer: The documents that may be accepted by USCIS to satisfy this criterion includes, but is not limited to: • Financial records • Medical records • School records • Employment records • Military records What can be used to document the…
ON FRIDAY, August 3, 2012 the USCIS issued new guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to clarify the rules and requirements for “Childhood Arrivals” to the US who may benefit under the “DREAM ACT” Deferred Action Status (DAS) initiative announced on June 15, 2012. There are an estimated 1,000,000 people living in the US who…
LIFE just happens. Sometimes even the best laid plans can go wrong. How do you respond when this happens to you? Do you easily give up when you’re overwhelmed? Remaining calm can be difficult when things are chaotic so the usual reaction is panic. As a bankruptcy attorney, I often see this when people are…
PRESIDENT Noynoy Aquino had ample praise for the Manila business daily, BusinessWorld, at its 25th anniversary reception last week. In contrast, and within the same week, he had harsh words for TV Patrol anchor and former vice-president Noli de Castro at the ABS-CBN news program’s silver anniversary celebration. Both presidential comments were prompted by Aquino’s…
THE future is not somewhere we are going. It is something we are creating. Every day we do things that make some futures more probable and others less likely. Reducing carbon and greenhouse gas emissions will not only make one’s lifestyle more sustainable, but also save money. Even if one remains a cynic and disagrees…
US citizens will soon be voting in the upcoming presidential elections. As election time nears, many groups try to register as many people as possible and increase the turn-out of voters. However, only US citizens can vote. If you are not a US citizen, but you register to vote, or voted in an election, it…
What is angina pectoris? Angina pectoris is the medical term for chest pains or more specifically pains emanating from, and involving, the heart. It is most common for people to associate chest pains with impending or insipient heart attack. The same is true within the medical community: chest pains, especially by the breastbone, are considered…
MAUREEN Pratt, the speaker of the month this August of our parish’s centennial year, impressed many of us with her talk and example. Despite suffering from lupus erythematosus since age 9, Maureen has led a productive and fulfilled life. One can only appreciate Maureen’s courage, determination and positive attitude if he or she understands what…
