The Ties That Bind
ON TUESDAY, the US Senate unanimously passed a resolution”calling for increased defense and security cooperation with the Philippines.” The US Senate said that “Washington is fully committed to honoring its…
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The First Elected Filipina and Woman of Color in the Manitoba Legislative Assembly
IN THE 2007 elections in Canada, Flor Marcelino, a Filipina businesswoman, made history as the first woman of color and first Filipina elected to the Manitoba Legislative Assembly for the…
Miriam Offensor-Santiago
How is Miriam Defensor-Santiago regarded by her colleagues in the Senate? No more than a sick joke. This was obvious in the way they were chuckling and exchanging mischievous whispers…
Overseas waiver requests to be filed in the US
Starting June 4, 2012, people applying for immigrant visas at the Embassy, but have been found ineligible (or inadmissible) by a US consular officer, will nowfile their waiver requests in…
I am a victim of crime. Can I get a visa?
Question: I was raped years ago. I heard there is some type of visa. Can I get this visa? Answer: You may be eligible for a U nonimmigrant visa. If…
Brugada Syndrome
Brugada Syndrome is a baffling condition where a person, who appears to be healthy, unexpectedly develops cardiac arrest, for no apparent reason. Most victims do not survive the episode. This…
What happens if you did not file a Tax Return?
By this time most of you must have filed your 2011 tax returns already, as the filing deadline on April 17 had long passed. But if you are among those…
Justice delayed
AFTER 44 days of trial, the world witnessed the guilty verdict passed for Chief Justice Renato Corona, who is now impeached. Although it took five months to deliver, the conclusion…
Stateside waiver program to be implemented by end of 2012
THE USCIS has announced that its Stateside Provisional Waiver process to allow immigrant visa applicants to overcome the 3 and ten year “unlawful presence” bars should be in full force…
Public Comment period ends for proposed rule to create a Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver Process
WASHINGTON — Today the formal public comment period closes for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ (USCIS) Provisional Unlawful Presence Waivers of Inadmissibility for Certain Immediate Relatives rule. The proposed rule,…
Corona teleserye II
With a vote of 20 to 3, impeached Chief Justice Renato C. Corona, the unconstitutional midnight appointee of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, was forcefully kicked out of his office as head magistrate…
Paradigm shift
AS THE convoluted chapter called the impeachment trial of now ex-Chief Justice Renato Corona comes to a close, yet another one opens — and with a lot at stake. The…
Can I appeal this horrible decision?
QUESTION: I lost at the immigration Court level. Can I appeal? Answer: Yes, you can appeal. You can appeal it to the Board of Immigration Appeals in Virginia. Question: When…
Appeals processing from immigration court decisions
EACH year, I consult with hundreds of individuals who have been ordered to leave the US by Immigration Judges. In the vast majority of these cases, the person had applied…
Who is benefiting from the foreclosure markets?
IN MY opinion there is a big bad wolf that is always winning over any market we are in. It’s not the rich guy you here about buying up rental…
Going Above and Beyond
FIL-AM Shella Condino’s philosophy in teaching is similar to how she lives her life: Dream big, work hard and be the best that you can be, because as she says:…
God and His dynamic and caring nature
JONATHAN’S innocent face always glows, especially when he serves at Mass and sees me presiding. The glow also comes from being part of an active church and from the utmost…
The Governor’s dream of high speed rail versus the reality of homeownership
Governor Brown, facing growing pressure to fund programs necessary for California’s future growth has decided to put 2.2 million homeowners facing foreclosure in further distress. Spotting a soft target for…
Corona and the Al Capone solution
I wrote this piece on the eve of the decision that the Senate impeachment court was scheduled to hand down on the case of Chief Justice Renato Corona. It appeared…
Do you have a bona fide marriage?
MARRIAGE to a US citizen is an obvious and well- known method of obtaining legal and permanent residence in the United States. Once married to a US citizen many immigration…
Did you vote for Jessica?
For the past few weeks, Filipinos in the US (and around the world) have followed Jessica Sanchez’s meteoric rise on American Idol. She instantly became a source of pride and…
Vitamin mega dose is dangerous
What is nutriment? The substance in the food we eat that nourishes the body is called nutriment, consisting of micro-and macro-nutrients. Micro-nutrients include vitamins (A, B, C, D, E, etc.)…
Appeals processing from immigration court decisions
EACH year, I consult with hundreds of individuals who have been ordered to leave the US by Immigration Judges. In the vast majority of these cases, the person had applied…
Honorable TNTs
CHIEF Justice Corona has had his day in court. But he has left a lot of questions hanging. But rather than speculate on how he will satisfactorily explain his seemingly…
Back to school and it’s cool
WITH the Philippine school year coming once again to an opening, expect the streets to be a little more crowded and brimming with youthful exuberance. Just imagine rows and rows…
How to establish hardship while preparing for a short sale
IF YOU are considering Short Selling your property now, the first thing your lender will ask of you is what kind of hardship are you going thru? What do you…
Dr. Elizabeth Eugenio-Fildes, 2011 Healthcare Hero and Director of The Nevada Tobacco Users Helpline
THERE are people who are meant to live a life of altruistic service. They are people who dedicate their entire lives to helping and serving others, making vital contributions for…
Taxpayer rights
WITH the immense powers that the government wields over individuals, the founding fathers included in the United States Constitution the Bill of Rights to limit the exercise of governmental powers….
The NEW electronic filing system
QUESTION: I have heard that there is a new electronic filing system at USCIS. Is that true? Answer: It is called USCIS ELIS.USCIS ELIS is a user-friendly system created to…