NOWADAYS when you ask people how they’re doing, most likely you’ll get the answer, “I’m good.” This response has often intrigued me because I’m used to hearing more familiar responses like “I’m fine” or “I’m okay”. To me, “I’m good” gives a greater sense of pride and certainty. It prevents the person asking the question…
INCOME tax season brings with it promises of easy and quick access to money. We have often heard some tax preparers, even the big chains, offering Refund Anticipation Loans (RALs). With a RAL, the preparer promises you get your refund money within 2 days. RALs are private loans to taxpayers provided by financial institutions. The…
BESIDES the long overdue fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather (which, up to now still hangs in the air), Pacquiao’s “renewed sense of faith” has also been making headlines, not only in Philippine media, but in various media outlets here in the United States. “Will it (Pacquiao’s upcoming fight with Timothy Bradley) be the…
QUESTION: I have a Master’s Degree in Economics and would like to know if there is anyway I can get the Green Card through employment without waiting years. Answer: There is what is known as the EB-2 category. This is the second employment based preference. It is specifically for persons whom have advanced degrees. In…
TWENTY years ago, Abel, who was 20 years old, entered the United States using his cousin’s passport that had a United States visa. They looked alike and were the same age. He overstayed his tourist stay but went home after one year. Ten years later, Abel re-entered the US on a student visa, now using…
WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas hosted an Information Summit today at the NASA Research Park in Moffett Field, Calif., to launch the USCIS Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIR) Initiative. “Today USCIS gained invaluable insights from prominent entrepreneurs and industry leaders on immigration issues critical to our nation’s economic prosperity,” said Director Mayorkas….
FOR musicians across the globe, performing in New York City’s Carnegie Hall is the ultimate dream. It is one of the most prestigious venues in the world for both classical music and popular music. Only a very select number of choirs, bands, and orchestras have the opportunity to perform in this world-renowned hall. Thus, it…
“TRUST is the foundation of marriage,” my dear friend Prosy said during a dinner engagement. “Certainly, it is the basis for any other relationships, whether it is friendship, business, or church,” I responded. “Take away trust and everything would crumble.” I remember preaching about this to my parishioners as we continued our pledge to renovate…
VALENTINE’S Day is traditionally a holiday for couples to celebrate their love. However, when good relationships go bad, Valentine’s Day becomes one abusive nightmare. Debbie entered the United States as a student where she met a young US citizen in one of her classes. They quickly fell in love and married. Unfortunately, Debbie soon saw…
Have you ever asked yourself, “Could my smile be brighter?” or “Is it possible for me to get my discolored, (misshaped, chipped or crooked) teeth to look good?” Thanks to the wonders of modern cosmetic dentistry, the answer is very likely to be, “ Not only is it possible, but in many cases, it’s quick,…
As a physician witnessing the impeachment proceedings against Chief Justice Renato Corona, I cannot help but compare and discern a stark difference between medical practice and the legal process as far as the search for “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth” is concerned. Also, holistically, at this impeachment, not only one…
DON’T KILL the messengers (aka the media) — but whether the US-PH high-level talks will push through this March is still a bit confusing at this juncture. Last week, Philstar.com reported that talks between the United States and the Philippines regarding the US’ military presence in the Philippines “may have to be postponed unless the…
IT’S PROBABLY the cliché of our economic times: foreclosures and short sales one after the other have triggered too many sleepless nights among honest Americans who were trapped into mortgages which were designed to be too perplexing for the average Joe to fathom. IRS Publication 525 explains, “Generally, if a debt you owe is canceled…
WHEN it comes to desserts, there’s nothing sweeter for Chef Sally Camacho. She is, after all, a pastry chef surrounded by yummy desserts every day. As executive pastry chef for Wolfgang Puck’s WP24, Los Angeles, life has been sweet to this 32-year-old Fil-Am. Lately, Camacho has been receiving a lot of attention for her savory…
I’VE BEEN preaching about Jesus’ popularity lately. The Gospel of Mark relates how people sought him anywhere he went to listen to his preaching, to witness and to experience his healing power and his ability to cast out demons. Even the notorious Herod manifested strong curiosity and admiration at Jesus’ power and popularity and at…
DESPITE travel advisories posted against the Philippines, foreigners—especially Europeans—remain unfazed and have continued to come and visit the country. The Department of Tourism (DOT), further confirmed that tourists still consider the Philippines as an ideal destination. The agency backed it up reporting that 3.9 million tourists visited the country last year, which was 4.6 percent…
DID you know how many hotdogs are consumed each day in the United States alone? Roughly 633 hotdogs are eaten by Americans per second, or 37, 980 every minute, almost 2.3 million an hour. A lot of dogs According to Janet Riley, president of the National Hotdog and Sausage Council, USA, Americans eat twenty billion…
Halitosis (bad breath) is a common oral health concern. Whether one’s chronic bad breath (as opposed to temporary “morning breath,” or bad breath from garlic, onions or other odorous foods) is caused by dental hygiene issues or gastrointestinal problems, the culprit can usually be traced back to bacteria – the root of many dental problems….
A HERO is an inspiration – an entity that invokes the beleaguered spirit. A hero is a source of strength that keeps his peers going. Political controversy, growing unemployment, poverty, and suffering through natural calamities are unforgettable experiences crippling the Philippines right now. Many people learn to live through such difficult times with the help…
ORLANDO, Fla.—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced that Self Check, a free online service of E-Verify that allows workers to check their own employment eligibility status, is now available in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands. Launched in March 2011…
ON DECEMBER 12, 2011 at the White House Oval Office, President Barack Obama honored nine recipients of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring. One of them is Filipino-American Dr. Amelito G. Enriquez, an Engineering and Mathematics Professor at the Cañada College in Redwood City, California. “It was like an out-of-body…
QUESTION: I’m afraid that I will get in trouble. My worksite is being audited. What should I do? Answer: Here are some useful tips. You should consider doing the following: Develop a transparent process for interacting with employees during the audit, including communicating with employees that the employer is subject to an ICE audit. Provide…
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”),…
THE best things in life are the unexpected ones! This was true during the grand centennial celebration of my parish last Sunday. I didn’t expect the three thousand people that came to the historic event. This exceeded our seat allocation during Mass and the food preparation. But I didn’t expect also that the archbishop would…
THINGS seem to be looking up these days for Philippine tourism. Following the overwhelming support given to the Department of Tourism’s new ad campaign “It’s More Fun in the Philippines,” yet another accolade has been bestowed upon the country—the confirmation of the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) in Palawan as one of the New7Wonders of…
What is refractive surgery? Refractive or vision correction surgery is an operation on the eyes to correct error of refraction, like nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, to eliminate the use of prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses. What are the various procedures available today? The advent of Excimer laser in 1988 ushered in a new revolutionary era…
WHILE we continue to witness the resumption of the Corona impeachment trial, let us not forget other things that are important – relevant enough to become newspaper headlines. Like physics, politics follows a law of equal and opposite pairs of action and reaction forces. However, unlike physics, politics is not required to always adhere to…
THE sight of the country’s senators raising their hands to declare their vote of confidence in the senate presidency of Juan Ponce Enrile was the surest sign that Noynoy Aquino’s Daang Matuwid is running parallel to another thoroughfare, the Congressional Expressway. The Congressional Expressway is decidedly not the straightest and smoothest road in our hapless republic. It…
CONSIDERING our close relationship ties, it is most likely that at least once in your life you’d be asked to co-sign for a loan for a family or a friend- whether it’s for a vehicle, a mortgage, credit card, or a student loan. While it may be tempting to help someone in “dire” need, you…
She’s been hailed as a Super Lawyer, referenced as one of the top trial attorneys in the nation, and the National Law Journal named her as one of the 50 most influential minority lawyers in the US. Fil-Am Attorney Lorna Schofield, a partner at Debevoise & Plimpton in New York City, has pretty much done…
