Weekend Balita September 12, 2015

LOS ANGELES

VOL. XXIII, NO. 32 THE LEADING SOURCE OF NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR FILIPINO-AMERICANSSEPTEMBER 12 - 18, 2015

By Abner GalinoIn Los Angeles County, close to 800,000

lawful permanent residents (LPRs) or green card holders are eligible to become American citizens but just about half of them would take the time to make that happen.

This was revealed during an ethnic media roundtable held at the Los Angeles City Hall through the initiative of the New Americans Campaign and the New America Media. The roundtable, which happened last September 3, was a kickoff of the celebration of the Citizenship Day on September 17. Around 20 participating organizations will be holding a series of

multilingual citizenship workshops across Los Angeles.

There were three main reasons, accord-ing to one of the panelists Nasim Khansari, Citizenship Director for Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles, why many eligible green card holders do not apply for their citizenships. They include: the prohibitive cost of the naturalization process; the stringent language require-ment imposed on applicants; and the lack of the sense of urgency on the part of green card holders.

Khansari said her organization and other organizations in LA participating in

From left: storytellers Alenoush Bidrousian of Iranian ancestry and Korean-American Manok Cha; panelists Elisa Sequiera, of the NALEO Educational Fund; Nasim Khansari, Citizenship Director for Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles; and Linda Lopez, chief of the Offi ce of Immigrant Affairs at the Los Angeles Mayor’s Offi ce. Photo: Odette Galino

SACRAMENTO – With a growing chorus of voices demanding systemic police reform, California is poised to pass AB 953: The Racial and Identity Profiling Act of 2015, the first-of-its-kind bill to collect basic information on police stops in order to combat racial and identity profiling. The bill, introduced by Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego), was

Commuters still opt to take the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) instead of braving the traffi c on EDSA on Tuesday despite the reported improvement on the fl ow of traffi c along the major thoroughfare. The Highway Patrol Group said it is still adjusting on their second day of managing traffi c on EDSA. (MNS photo)

MANILA, Sept 10 (Mabuhay) – The government is confident that people out-side Metro Manila can soon enjoy free internet access.

Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo said that the installation of public Wi-Fi in Dagupan, Tuguegarao, Mabalacat, Batangas, Legazpi, Puerto Princesa, Ilo-ilo, Cebu, Calbayog, Taclo-ban, Zamboanga, Pagadian, Davao and Cagayan de Oro will likely be completed within the year.

“We are very, very hopeful. It’s on

track. The program is almost on track. That before the end of the year, free Wi-Fi would be in public places all over the Philippines,” Montejo said.

He added that the public W-Fi project aims to benefit Filipinos from the coun-tryside by exposing them to numerous employment opportunities online.

However, Montejo admitted that the government is still working on increasing the domestic internet’s bandwidth which can match the internet speed of neighbor-ing countries. (MNS)

Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero chided the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for not taking a stronger stance when it asked Canada to take back the toxic waste it has been dumping in the Philippines since 2013.

Escudero, who chairs the Senate Com-mittee on Environment and Natural Re-sources, said the Philippine government should exhaust all measures to ensure that the waste goes back to Canada.

“Dapat ibalik ang basura sa pinanggal-ingan nito. Hindi tapunan ng basura ang Pilipinas,” Escudero said, referring to the 103 container vans with Canadian waste that ended on Philippine shores.

Presiding over today’s committee hear-ing on the country’s waste disposal and management system, Escudero expressed disgust at how Canada’s waste has caused the Philippines so much trouble.

“Hindi ba nakakabaliktad ng sikmura na tayo na ang pinadalhan ng basura, tayo pa ang sumasakit ang ulo at tayo pa ngayon ang nagbabayad o gumagastos para ma-

High Fees hold back green card holders

800,000 immigrants primed for citizenship in LA County State lawmakers approve measure to fi ght racial profi ling

Chiz says DFA handled Canada toxic waste issue with kid gloves

DOST: Free Wi-Fi all over PHL by year-end

See HIGH FEES, page 10See LAWMAKERS, page 12

See TOXIC WASTE, page 9

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stay, or pay off large delinquencies in order to avoid a foreclosure.

Even with the new lower mortgage rates, few home owners will succeed in refinancing under the government’s Harp 2 program, that provides re-finance op-tions for properties under water. For most, if your credit is compromised, or you do not have at least 40% equity, you are out of luck. Therefore a bank foreclosure may well be unavoidable during this new fore-closure wave that’s about to begin.

So how does that work? When you are unable to make your mortgage payments on time, the bank starts a foreclosure process. Foreclosure is a legal procedure that involves mortgaged properties. If a homeowner defaults on his or her mort-gage, by either failing to make mortgage payments or failing to follow other terms of the mortgage document, foreclosure may be the result.

The homeowner relinquishes all rights to the property, and the mortgage lender takes possession of the property. Usually there is a forced sale of the property at public auction; the proceeds of this sale are applied to the mortgage debt.

The most widely used remedy in dealing with foreclosure, is bankruptcy. Bankrupt-cy is a legal procedure that begins when an individual has a cash flow deficiency caused by debts they cannot manage. It can also protect against judgments, pay garnishments, evictions and buy time in foreclosure situations.

For those with little income, a chapter 7 bankruptcy gives debtors a fresh start. All unsecured debts are discharged. If you do have a regular income that is greater than the cost of living index for your area, you can still qualify for a chapter 13 bankruptcy.

The U.S. Courts’ publication Bank-ruptcy Basics refers to a Chapter 13 bankruptcy as “an adjustment of debts of an individual with regular income” where

the debtor works with the bankruptcy court to develop a repayment plan for the debtor to follow over the next three to five years. Upon completion of the repayment plan, the bankruptcy court will discharge any remaining eligible debts.

A Chapter 13 bankruptcy filing can stall or derail foreclosure proceedings. That’s because of bankruptcy’s “automatic stay” provisions that force creditors to the sidelines while the bankruptcy court sorts things out. The lender can petition the court to allow it to continue with the foreclosure, depending on where you are in the foreclosure process, but it should buy you some time.

The following, is from page 24 of the U.S. Courts’ publication Bankruptcy Basics:

By virtue of the automatic stay, an individual debtor faced with a threatened foreclosure of the mortgage on his or her principal residence can prevent an im-mediate foreclosure by filing a chapter 13 petition. Chapter 13 then affords the debtor a right to cure defaults on long-term home mortgage debts by bringing the payments current over a reasonable period of time. The debtor is permitted to cure a default with respect to a lien on the debtor’s prin-cipal residence up until the completion of a foreclosure sale under state law. 11 U.S.C § 1322©.

Clearly, you should hire a bankruptcy attorney to guide you through this complex process. That’s why the Law Offices of Paul M. Allen is here to help you. Attorney Paul Allen can re-structure your finances through the flexibility of a Chapter 13 plan, and provide you with options that will help you through many difficult situations.

For a free consultation, contact the law offices of Paul M. Allen and schedule your appointment with Attorney Allen. We have offices in Glendale and La Palma conve-niently located to serve you. Call today at 818-552-4500.

Can bankruptcy stop a foreclosure?Recent press reports now indicate that banks are ready to

begin a new push on delinquent mortgages through foreclo-sures and trust deed sales.

Although the recession seems to have bottomed out, and house prices are no longer falling, many home owners are still behind on their payments, or sit-ting in homes that remain upside down in value versus debt, or both. Bottom line, home values have not yet appreciated to the point where it makes sense to

MANILA, Sept 8 (Mabuhay) – Law-makers on Tuesday moved to probe allegations of human rights violations by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) after Gabriela party-list Rep. Luz Ilagan quizzed military officials about the purported involvement of soldiers in the rape of a 14-year-old girl in Davao del Norte.

Muntinlupa City Rep. Rodolfo Bi-azon asked that the probe be conducted jointly by the concerned House of Rep-resentatives’ committees, including the Committee on National Defense, which he chairs.

Biazon, a former AFP chief of staff, said the human rights allegation against the military should be tackled at a dif-ferent venue, separate from the ongoing budget briefing of the House appropria-tions committee.

“The charges being aired against the AFP are so serious to the point that it touches on the issue of criminal acts al-legedly being committed by its members, which can’t be accepted. I move that this be referred for further resolution by the appropriate committees,” Biazon said.

Earlier in the hearing, Ilagan grilled

Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Eduardo Año about the alleged involvement of soldiers in the recent reported rape of a teenage girl. The girl, she said, is a Lumad.

The girl was reportedly one of the in-digenous peoples (IPs) who temporarily sought shelter at the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) Haran compound in Davao City following re-ports of military abuses being committed in their communities.

Citing news reports, Ilagan said the police had confirmed that the suspects in the alleged rape, only known by aliases “Galot” and “Daniel” were soldiers.

They also reportedly settled the case with the victim’s family for P63,000.

In response, Año said that the two suspects were identified as belonging to the 68th Infantry Battalion of the Philip-pine Army.

But despite Ilagan’s repeated ques-tioning, he did not give any more details on the incident, saying the police is now investigating the matter.

“Rest assured that the military will cooperate with the police’s ongoing investigation,” Año said.(MNS)

Solons to probe AFP’s alleged human rights abuses on Lumads

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MANILA, Sept 10 (Mabuhay) – Health Secretary Janette Garin on Thursday sought to allay public fear caused by the reported Ebola Reston Virus strain found in some monkeys in the country, saying the strain does not have any harmful effects on humans.

At a press briefing, Garin said the Ebola Reston Virus (RESTV) found in the monkeys in two undisclosed facilities in the country was the mildest strain and had no relation to the deadly strain that killed thousands of people in Africa.

“Magkaiba ito. It’s the opposite. The effect of that Ebola Zaire in animals is not fatal, halos wala, pero fatal siya sa tao. That’s the one in Africa. Pero dito naman sa atin, baliktad. Masama siya para sa hayop, pero hindi siya ganun kasama [sa tao], almost wala siyang sama na idinudulot sa tao,” Garin said.

Doctors at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) first identified the virus in the blood samples sent by the monkey breeding facilities last week. All the personnel at the facilities tested nega-tive for RESTV, though they will undergo another testing in 21 days.

“Kung saka-sakaling pumasok sa tao, it does not have any illness. Walang mara-ramdaman... Yung ebola reston [ay] nasa monkeys, hindi po siya nakakabigay ng sakit sa tao. Eto po yung pinakamabait na

ebola sa tao,” Garin said.Agriculture Undersecretary Jose Reaño

said the quarantine period for both the handlers and the monkeys will end on September 21.

At present, 11 monkeys had died from the two facilities, one housing 3,000 monkeys and another 4,000. But due to the formalin mixed in the samples sent for examination, the Department of Health (DOH) could not determine if the animals died because of the virus.

Garin said the monkeys were possibly infected with RESTV after measles con-tracted from humans lowered their immune system.

“May tao, nagkatigdas, ‘yung monkeys posibleng nahawa kasi wala naman silang panggagalingan ng measles. Yung measles ng monkeys exactly the same measles sa humans. So nung nahawa sila, bumaba ang kanilang resistensya,” Garin said.

She said most ebola strains, including RESTV, came from bats, as she noted the importance of protecting the natural habi-tats of the nocturnal animals.

“Dapat ‘yung kanilang natural habitat hindi galawin. Kung kunyari maglalagay ka ng subdivision, you have to understand the dangers na kung galawin mo at umalis sila diyan, at kung saan sila pumunta, baka merong pagbabago na pwedeng magdulot ng sakit,” Garin said. (MNS)

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

AM Passport Renewals

Civil Registration

Notarials Civil Registration

Notarials

PM Notarials

Passport Renewals

Passport Renewals

Passport Renewals

Passport Renewals

Effective Monday, 14 September 2015, the Consular Section of the Philip-pine Embassy in Washington, DC will begin implementing an appointment system for applicants of various consular services, including passport renewals, notarial services, and civil registration.

The appointment system will allow applicants to avoid long queues and to complete their transactions within a predetermined period. Walk-ins will still be entertained on a first come-first serve basis.

Requests for appointment should be sent to [email protected]. In the request, kindly indicate in the subject line the applicant’s family name, type of transaction, and preferred date for processing in the following format: (SUR-NAME), (type of transaction), (mm.dd.yyyy). For example, AQUINO, passport re-newal, 09.14.2015. In caseof multiple transactions, please provide details in the body of the email.

Kindly note the schedule allotted for the corresponding services in the box.Applicants will receive a confirmation email with the exact time of the appoint-

ment (10 minutes blocked time for authentication and civil registration; 15 minutes blocked time for passport applications) and the corresponding list of requirements. Said confirmation should be presented at the counter upon arrival. Applicants are re-mindedto come at their appointed time with complete documentation. Those who ar-rive late for their appointments would have to transact along with other walk-in applicants on a first come- first serve basis.

Civil registration and notarial applications can be released to the applicant in the afternoon of the same day (5PMfor Monday, Tuesday and Thursday transactions and 3PM for Wednesday and Friday transactions).

Alpha Phi Omega (Philippines) Greater Los Angeles (APO-GLA), celebrating its 35 founding anniversary this year, has joined the Heal The Bay Organization as a Volunteer Group in the forthcoming Coast-al Cleanup Day, scheduled for September 19, 2015. Heal the Bay is part of the Cali-fornia Coastal Commission and in a larger way, of Ocean Conservancy Movement and Coastal Cleanup Day is the largest volunteer event on earth involving at least 150 countries. Heal the Bay Organization not only concentrates cleanup efforts in the Santa Monica Bay, but includes the South-ern California coastal waters, watersheds, rivers, basins and storm drains. APO-GLA, for its part, has volunteered to take charge in the cleanup operations of Echo Park Lake, a watershed that empties out in the LA River and ultimately into the ocean. It is located right in the heart of the Historic Filipinotown in downtown Los Angeles.

The goal of the cleanup is to reduce the amount of and ultimately eliminate trash and other pollutants that end up in our oceans and to raise awareness in the community on the importance of every in-dividual’s effort in placing trash where they

belong, in the trash bins and receptacles. So next time, before flicking that cigarette butt, throwing that empty plastic water bottle or candy wrapper, just remember that all the trash that ends up in our ocean is 100% man-made.

APO-GLA is therefore inviting every-one to join its members in this noble project on Saturday, September 19, 2015 at the Echo Park Lake, on 751 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles, 90026 from 9:00 am through 12 noon. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Children will need to be accompanied by parents and teens below 18 years of age will need to sign waivers to be able to participate. For more information, please call the On-site Cleanup Coordinator, Bro. Eric Serrano at (818) 434-3313.

BURLINGAME – California Teachers Association President Eric Heins issued this statement today about the state’s release of student test scores from the new California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP):

“Educators and parents know that a statewide test score is just one component of measuring student progress. Any true assess-ment of student achievement always includes multiple measures, including classroom as-signments and assessments by local teachers.

“California is still in the middle of a mas-sive transition in the state’s educational sys-tem. We’re implementing a new school fund-ing formula that focuses on local involvement and control. And we’re still transitioning to rigorous new learning standards that require students to develop critical-thinking skills needed for college and careers. As school districts continue to implement the California Standards, we must ensure that educators have the support needed to help students succeed. Final textbooks aligned to the new standards are expected to be approved by the state this year and will be available to schools next year.

“Our students will always be more than a test score. We need to allow all students time for exploration, discovery and awe. We need

to let them experience the wonder of learn-ing. With the state’s school funding formula and more community control over targeting resources, students, parents, educators and administrators are working together in ex-citing ways. It’s a work in progress, but it’s also a work about real progress that’s being made by educators, parents and communities coming together to help all students fulfill their dreams.”

The 325,000-member CTA is affiliated with the 3 million-member National Educa-tion Association.

Senator Huff responds to low scores in common core testing

Senator Bob Huff (R-San Dimas) issued the following statement in response to low test scores among California students after the first round of the new Common Core test-ing. Senator Huff is the former Vice-Chair of the Senate Education Committee.

“The low scores are not surprising. We discussed this extensively during Senate Education Committee during the implemen-tation process and we expected as much. What really disturbs me, however, is the State Legislature has already taken action to elimi-nate the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) exams and the long-standing Cali-fornia High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE).

DOH: Ebola strain found in PHL monkeys not harmful to humans

APO-GLA to join in the worldwide coastal cleanup day Sept. 19

New appointment system for consular services applicants of the PHL Embassy, Washington DC

New test scores just one measure of student learning


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Pimentel to Duterte: We are willing to wait for reconsideration

MANILA, Sept 10 (Mabuhay) – Sena-tor Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said on Thursday that his group, PDP-Laban, is willing to wait until December 2015 for Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to reconsider his decision about running for president in the 2016 elections.

Pimentel pointed out that the October 16 deadline for the filing certificates of can-didacy was just an “initial” deadline as the substitution of candidates until December is allowed under the rules of the Commis-sion on Elections (Comelec).

“We will never give up until October 16,” he told reporters.

“And actually ito lang ang gusto kong sabihin sa inyo (this is what I want to tell you), October 16 actually is not the final deadline because the rules of the Comelec allow the substitution by a political party of the candidates up to sometime in Decem-

ber. Kinaklaro ko po yun (I am clarifying) that there’s an initial deadline but that’s not actually the absolute deadline to decide,” said the senator.

Asked then if his group would not endorse other presidential bets until De-cember, Pimentel said that’s the risk they are willing to take.

“Risk na po ng political party namin yun (That’s the risk of our political party). We’re willing to take that risk,” he said.

Duterte himself said announced last Tuesday that he will not run for president next year.

But Pimentel said Duterte’s pronounce-ments would not stop his supporters from pursuing him.

“We will continue to convince him, to plead with him na (to) please listen to the (clamor of the people). I can feel the clamor of a big segment of society for him to run for president so I will just beg him to listen to that clamor,” the senator added.(MNS)

BATANGAS, Sept 10 (Mabuhay) – Senator Ralph Recto has endorsed Vice Governor Marc Leviste as the Liberal Party’s (LP) gubernatorial bet in 2016.

Leviste, a three-term vice governor, was overwhelmed with the latest development as he had been longing for the endorsement of Recto and wife Batangas Governor Vilma Santos-Recto.

“Lubos akong nagpapasalamat, natutuwa at nagpapakumbaba sa inyong suporta at tiwala,” Leviste told the Recto couple in his acceptance message.

The endorsement was made in LIMA Hotel in Malvar, Batangas last Friday in the presence of provincial board members, municipal and city mayors and department heads of the provincial government.

“The trust and confidence of Senator Recto and Gov Vi is very vital to any candidate. Proof to that is the interest of national personalities like Sec Mar Roxas. The more it is true for candidates like me in Batangas because of their track record and trust rating in the province,” Leviste said.

Senator Recto, in a text message, confirmed the endorsement.“Yes, I endorsed Mark as LP candidate for Batangas. He is VSR (Vilma Santos

Recto) vice gov for 3 terms and the only LP member,” the senator said.Leviste earlier announced that he will give way to Sen. Recto if the senator de-

cides to run for Batangas governor in 2016. Sen. Recto, however, said he will run for another term in the Senate in 2016.

MANILA, Sept 8 (Mabuhay) – Que-zon City Rep. Winston Castelo wants the Liberal Party and the United National-ist Alliance (UNA) of Vice President Jejomar Binay to ink a covenant not to question the qualification of Senator Grace Poe for higher office.

In a news conference at the Lower House, Castelo said, “My personal position is let Poe run. Better for LP if we will be winning on merits instead of technicality.

It will be more healthy for democracy if the next president will have moral authority to govern. “

Castelo added that the accomplish-ments of the President and the LP will

offset the popularity of Poe.He said this is also to dispel doubts the

LP will win on a technicality.Castelo maintains the LP standard

bearer, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, can win on the strength of his own achieve-ments and experience as lawmaker and executive official.

For his part, ACT CIS Rep. Samuel Pagdilao reminded candidates that they should be able to stand on their own and not rely merely on the strength of the endorsements they receive.

Pagdilao is eyeing a senatorial run as an independent but with the backing of 40 party-list congressmen in the party list coalition at the Lower House.

Supporters wish Duterte changes his mind

LP, UNA urged: Let Grace Poe run

Leviste is LP’s bet for Batangas governor


A tremendously beneficial change to the Visa Bulletin was announced by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) and Department of State (DOS) on Sept. 9, 2015. The change assists those needing a work permit and

Change to visa bulletin advances adjustment ling eligibility

advance parole travel document by allowing individuals to file these applications earlier than before.

The changes to the Visa Bulletin are in accordance with the Executive Action announced by Pres. Obama in November 2014. It is intended to modernize and streamline the U.S.’ legal immigration sys-tem, especially in a time where Congress has failed to address the issue.

The Visa Bulletin indicates when immi-grant visas are available to individuals on the various family and employment-based categories. For those categories with a waiting list, the Visa Bulletin indicates a cut-off “priority date.” Only those with a priority date earlier than that shown on the Visa Bulletin may proceed with the final processing of their green cards. An individual’s priority date is generally the date that the relative petition or labor certification application is filed. The Visa

Bulletin is published every month and lists the cut-off priority dates for the upcoming month. For example, the Visa Bulletin released on Sep. 9, 2015, is applicable starting on Oct. 1, 2015.

Accordingly, starting on Oct. 1, 2015, there are now 2 different charts stating priority dates for each of the family and employment-based categories. The one chart, “Dates for Filing,” determines when an individual who is eligible for an im-migrant visa, or green card, may proceed further with the process.

For individuals who are outside the U.S. and whose priority date becomes current under “Dates for Filing,” the DOS is to proceed with notifying the individual of the steps necessary to further process their im-migrant visa. For those already inside the

U.S., a current priority date under “Dates for Filing” signals that the individual may proceed with filing the adjustment of status application, along with the related work permit and advance parole travel document applications.

For those seeking adjustment of status, it is important to note that the changes to the Visa Bulletin do not affect an indi-vidual’s eligibility for adjustment of status. It only changes when an application may be submitted. Individuals must continue to be eligible for adjustment of status either because they are still in lawful status; have been out of status for less than 6 months and are applying on an employment-based petition; or are grandfathered under former INA §245(i).

The second chart, “Application Final Action Dates,” determines when the individual’s green card may actually be granted.

For those outside the U.S., the Embassy can only issue the immigrant visa so that they may enter the U.S. once their priority date on this chart becomes current. For those inside the U.S., the USCIS may only finalize their adjustment of status ap-plication once their priority date becomes current on this chart.

The creation of the 2 charts, “Dates for Filing” and “Application Final Action Dates,” is very beneficial to those in the U.S. seeking adjustment of status as it advances their ability to get the extremely valuable work permit and advance parole travel document. Moreover, it advances the ability for their dependent spouse and children to obtain work permits and advance parole. The work permit and ad-vance parole documents may continually be renewed until the adjustment of status applications can be finalized.

As an example of the benefits under the

change, take the family F1 category for the Philippines. Starting on Oct. 1, 2015, individuals with a priority date earlier than Sept. 5, 2005, may proceed with filing their adjustment of status, work permit and advance parole applications. Had the Visa Bulletin not changed, it may have been another 4 years since the cut-off priority date would have only been June 1, 2001.

Another example is the employment 3rd and Other Worker categories for the Philippines.

Starting on Oct. 1, 2015, individuals with a priority date earlier than Jan. 1, 2015, may proceed with filing the adjust-ment, work permit, and advance parole applications. The change advanced their eligibility potentially 8 years since the cut-off priority date would otherwise have been Jan. 1, 2007.

The advancement to those eligible for adjustment of status to obtain work autho-rizations and advance parole recognizes the benefits of providing hard working individuals with the tools necessary to fully contribute to our society. This change in the Visa Bulletin implements yet another one of Pres. Obama’s Executive Actions, many of which are indeed helping to mod-ernize and streamline the U.S. immigration system.

For further information, please sched-ule an appointment with an attorney at Aquino & Loew, Certified Immigration Law Specialists; (888) 797-1140 or (626) 799-3089; [email protected]. Please also visit Aquino & Loew at www.aquinoloew.com, watch us on Kababayan Today every 1st Tuesday, connect with us on Facebook and Twitter, and read about us on Yelp. Aquino & Loew also handles family law and criminal matters. Provid-ing Personalized Service Nationwide & Abroad Since 1996.


that one should be aware of the food you eat and drink, to enable the doctor to de-termine or diagnose them to have a stress incontinence.”

Another doctor, Robert S. Kelley , an osteopathic physician at New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital said that “though incontinence can be embarassing, other symptoms might indicate a more serious problem such as bladder cancer.” That’s why it’s best to consult your personal physician.

Other age-related medical challenges while ageing include symptoms of heavy sweating, particularly in women. These could be signs of menopause. However, in “both sexes it could signal a hormonal disorder or a neurological problem or even cancer,” wrote Julie Stewart in the recent issue of AARP Magazine’s “Healthy You” section. Ms. Stewart suggests eating Medi-terranean - style food and fruits to “lower the odds of hot flashes and night sweats.”

Body sweat in ageing people also pro-duce foot fungus or Styapylococcus bac-teria or “little organisms that break down the substance called ‘leucine’ in sweat to produce isovaleric acid. It’s the compound that makes feet emanate some awful smell,” according to some research done in the UK. What’s alarming however, is the fact that these bacteria multiply because “older people tend to be less flexible and they often skip a thorough foot scrubbing while taking their showers, making it more likely for the bacteria to thrive.”

Some suggested remedies to alleviate the bacteria include airing out your feet by wearing sandals after work or your workout. Another way is to have an “as-tringent foot soak,” according to podiatrist DavidTran, an assistant professor at the California School of Podiatric Medicine at Samuel Merritt University. This can be done by “brewing a strong pot of Black Tea, allow it to cool and soak your feet for

ten minutes a day for a week or so. One other option is to try Domeboro crystals by mixing it with water and soak your feet in it and by doing so, the crystals release aluminum acetate which helps take out the sweat and odor.”

By personal experience, this author has also found out that cracked, brittle, discolored and unusually thick toenails are a result of fungal infection and can become embarassing. Again, per Dr. Tran “the fungus feeds on the nail material and then it leaves behind a damaged nail and age is the biggest factor. The nail fungus are most usually seen on people with diabetes and conditions that limit blood circulation in their lower extremeties. The fungus can be treated by prescribed topical solutions or laser treatments. Sometimes, discolor-ation can result to skin cancer, which is often diagnosed late when it occurs under the nails.”

Finally, as people age, says Patricia Lenton, director of the Oral Health Re-search Clinic at the University of Min-nesota, they take more medications and many of the pills cause dry mouth which exacerbates bad breath.” A good remedy, according to Ms. Lenton which I know for a fact due to a cousin’s own experience, is scraping your tongue to thoroughly clean it and scrape the tongue as far back as you can in order to take out “volatile sulfhur compounds which release the unsavory odor of an alkaline pH., thus making the mouth more acidic. A rinse with zinc and cetypyridinum chloride (CPC) is your best remedy or schedule an appointment with your dental practitioner to enable them to see if you have tooth decay or gum disease.”

While we can’t all stop our ageing process, let us all be mindful of the little remedies we can learn to keep us healthy to have longer lives. As the saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is a pound of cure.”

Coping with age-related medical challenges As people mature in age, there are quite a number of

age-related medical challenges. One of them is uncontrolled bladder or “stress urinary incontinence.” During a person’s ageing process, according to Dr. Alan Wein, Chief of Urology at the University of Pennsylvania, “the nerves and structures of the ageing body that hold things in place, degenerate - thus, resulting in uncontrollable bladder when people laugh, cough or even sneeze.”

Further, Dr. Wein said that “in order for a person to target his or her problem, he advises

the New American Campaign are work-ing together to address these concerns by providing free workshops, civic classes and free legal assistance that include helping applicants get a fee waiver for the $680 application cost.

Another member of the panel, Linda Lopez, chief of the Office of Immigrant Affairs at the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office, announced that their office is “partnering with local organizations that form part of the New Americans Campaign, public libraries, ethnic media and the Los Angeles County to put forward all the information and resources needed to get the green card holders to apply for citizenship.

“We are working to make sure that every person who is eligible to become a U.S. citizen does,” Lopez said, adding that there are more benefits and rights, particu-larly the right to vote, that await those who would become U.S. citizens.

Elisa Sequiera, of the NALEO Educa-tional Fund, said her organization educates newly naturalized citizens on how to reg-ister and vote, the candidates or issues that are on the ballot.

She added that they help new citizens to understand that citizenship is not “end of the journey but as the beginning of the journey to civic participation.”

“And specially when deciding on immi-

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gration laws, who better have a voice on the table than new citizens?”Sequiera stressed.

When asked if presidential hopeful Donald Trump’s inflammatory remarks on immigrants was causing a rise in natural-ization this year, Sequiera said: Immigrants want to become U.S. citizens regardless of someone is disparaging them or not. But we do know that negative politics lead immigrants to be more motivated to be involved.

Half of the 800,000 green card holders eligible for citizenship are settled in the city of Los Angeles. Throughout California, there are 2.5 million of them out of the national total of about 9 million.

The New American Campaign urged ethnic media to help reach out to these green card holders and encourage them to naturalize this year.

The organizers also brought in several storytellers that included Saul Montoya and his wife, Leticia, who were both of Mexican ancestry; Alenoush Bidrousian, who was of Iranian ancestry and Manok Cha, who was of Korean ancestry.

The storytellers recounted their expe-riences while they were still green cards holders and also told the audience why they subsequently decided to become U.S, citizens. Bidrousian said she gained many rights as a woman when she became a U.S. citizen, which would not have been avail-able to her in Iran.


20 Visit www.Balita.com LOS ANGELES WeekenSat. - Fri., September 12 - 18, 2015

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Weekend Balita September 12, 2015