IRS collection enforcement on unpaid taxes
The IRS has different ways of collecting unpaid taxes. After collection notices prove ineffective, more drastic collection enforcement – ranging from imposition of federal tax lien on personal and real…
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Lady Justice
COMPLETING the Supreme Court of the Philippines as its 15th member, Filipinos welcome the entry of Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, as the country’s 24th Chief Justice. Sereno will preside over…
USCIS ramps up hiring for DACA processing
The USCIS has recently hired hundreds of extra workers throughout the country for immediate training and assignment in the processing of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) applications. The USCIS…
Bouncing back
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…
USCIS Reaches Milestone for Third Straight Year: 10,000 U Visas Approved in Fiscal Year 2012
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…
On staying in God’s presence
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…
A WYSIWYG president
“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…
Teaching is His Life’s Mission
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…
How is annulment different from divorce?
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…
Do I really need an attorney for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)?
(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…
112,000 bacteria on our skin!
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…
DACA Program underway
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…
Can you become debt-free without filing bankruptcy?
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…
A Culinary Tour: Binondo
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….
On interruptions
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…
A Lesson About Essentials
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….
Mortgage debt relief act: One step closer to an extension
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…
The September 2012 Priority Dates
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…
USCIS releases Form I-821-D for DACA applicants
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…
Are you looking for a solution to debt problems?
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…
Waterproof indeed
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…
When tempests come
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…
Disaster preparedness
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…
Learning from Life’s Lessons
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…
A roaring economy
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…
More on DREAMers
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…
Deferred action for DREAMers: The rules
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…
Bankruptcy: When life doesn’t go as planned
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…
Ah, those good old tabloid days
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…
PNoy gov’t must take action now in reducing global warming
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…