Marapao Law Offices, PC

11/26/2024

Today’s article from the Los Angeles Times:

I’ve spent my career trying to sway skeptics that people here illegally are no different from native-born citizens. That nearly all embody the immigrant spirit.

03/15/2022

Today is the deadline for filing a corporation tax return or a request for extension. If you wish to remember this date, you have to tie it up with the “Ides of March”.

Around this time of year, the ominous phrase “Beware the Ides of March” starts to pop up. Beware! Beware! But what does it mean, and why should we be afraid?

The ides of March is March 15. The phrase telling us to be wary comes from Shakespeare’s play “Julius Caesar,” in which a soothsayer emerges from a crowd to warn the Roman dictator with the now-famous words: “Beware the ides of March.”

Don’t get penalized. File your tax return today or ask for an extension!

10/10/2021

“DHS is taking an essential step to implement a fair and rational rule that does not cause fear and confusion among immigrant communities. We will continue to uphold this administration’s efforts to remove undue barriers in the immigration system and sources of fear that prevent immigrants from accessing benefits for which they are eligible.”

What a welcome statement from the Biden administration👍

05/26/2021

Proud to be a Marapao.

May 25, 1945, Bohol Province was formally declared liberated from the Japanese Imperial Forces by Major General William H. Arnold, head of the American Division in Bohol during World War II.

By order of Bohol Governor Conrado D. Marapao, Sr. (Governor 1942–1946, under the guerrilla or underground provincial government of Bohol (until the civil government of Bohol returned to normalcy). Gov. Marapao was unanimously chosen as the Bohol Governor by the Boholano officials in a crucial conference presided by then Senator Carlos P. Garcia for the final unification of guerrilla forces held in Batuan on November 29, 1942, concurrent with Governor Agapito Y. Hontanosas, Sr. (Governor 1941–1942 to wartimes) who was the incumbent and appointed Governor by the Japanese administration.), the seat of the Provincial Government of Bohol was transferred from Carmen [at first, Loboc was chosen as the provisional seat of government in Bohol under the Bohol Area Command; it was transferred in the early part of the Japanese invasion in Bohol during the Second World War; then Gov. Marapao retransferred the seat of government in Carmen] back to Tagbilaran, the provincial capital of Bohol. The return was made a few days after the American Division under the command of Major General William H. Arnold, went ashore at Tagbilaran on April 11, 1945. Inasmuch as pending the formal declaration by General Douglas MacArthur of the status of Bohol as a liberated area. The civil government was to be under the direct supervision and control of the Philippine Civil Affairs Unit of the United States Army (PCAU), all the ranking officials of the provincial government from the provincial governor to the chiefs of the provincial offices had their formal appointments issued by the Chief of the Philippine Civil Affairs Unit, Major Floyd H. Norris.

The provincial board met in Tagbilaran during the months of April and May 1945 and transacted business as usual subject however to the supervision and control of the Chief of the PCAU. Of course, this was only a matter of formality, because the American officers of the PCAU did not actually exercise such supervision and control. The provincial governor, the provincial board, and all the offices of the provincial government performed their usual duties practically without any kind of restraint nor any semblance of control by the PCAU. The PCAU authorities, in particular Lt. Henry Grivi who was the detachment commander of the PCAU No. 24, were more concerned in the distribution of relief goods, such as rice, canned foods, sugar, clothing, and other household necessities. Some units of the American military forces under Lt. Col. William J. Smith, were busy tracking down the remnants of the Japanese force in Bohol and the spies and other wanted persons as well.

When complete control by the United States military forces was believed fully established in Bohol and there were no more vestiges of enemy occupation, Major General William H. Arnold formally declared the island province of Bohol as liberated and its civil government formally turned over to the authority and jurisdiction of the Commonwealth Government of the Philippines on May 25, 1945. Thus, ended the control of the Philippine Civil Affairs Unit of the United States Army in Bohol and began the re-established Commonwealth Government with new appointments extended to all the ranking provincial officials and all the municipal officials by the President of the Philippines. Bohol once more was restored to its pristine glory and life of freedom, contentment and happiness. The horrible nightmare of the Japanese occupation in Bohol was ended.

Reference:
Pio B. Ferandos, The Bohol Guerrillas in Action, 1981, Our Press Inc., Cebu City, pp. 163–165

02/07/2021

Good morning everyone and have a Blessed Sunday!

The change in leadership of our country created a change in our way of life and our preferences.

The latest survey about an important yet divisive immigration issue showed a significant change in favor of the undocumented non-citizens (formerly called illegal aliens). Read this:

“The Vox and Data for Progress poll released this week found 69 percent of the 1,124 likely voters surveyed said they either ‘strongly’or ‘somewhat’ support an earned pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who arrived in the U.S. before Jan. 1 of this year and can pass a background check and pay taxes”.

“Among Democrats, 86 percent supported the idea while 51 percent of Republicans said they ‘strongly’ or ‘somewhat’ agreed”.

“When asked specifically about ‘DREAMers’ who were brought to the U.S. as children, 72 percent of those surveyed said they support a path to citizenship while just 24 percent were opposed. Along party lines, 87 percent of Democrats and 55 percent of Republicans backed the DREAM Act that would give DACA recipients a path to become U.S. citizens. The DREAM Act would give an estimated 3.6 million DREAMers living the U.S. protection from deportation and the opportunity to obtain citizenship”.

So, hang in there and let’s hope to see legislation towards this dream very soon.

Practice areas: civil litigation, immmigration, family Law, personal injury, Home Health and Hospice

02/05/2021

This is welcome news, once more:

In line with a campaign promise, Biden said he would set at 125,000 the cap on admissions as part of the country's refugee resettlement program, against the current 15,000.

"We offered safe havens for those fleeing violence or persecution" in previous years, when America's "moral leadership on refugee issues" encouraged other nations to open their doors as well, Biden said.

"So today I'm approving an executive order to begin the hard work of restoring our refugee admissions program to help meet the unprecedented global need," he added.

"It's going to take time to rebuild what has been so badly damaged, but that's precisely what we're going to do."

The United States has an extensive history of welcoming refugees and is one of the world's largest resettlement nations.

But after nearly 79,000 refugees headed to US shores in 2016, the numbers plunged, with just 6,740 arriving in 2020, according to resettlement data by the United Nations refugee agency.

The executive order "will raise refugee admissions back up to 125,000 persons for the first full fiscal year of the Biden/Harris administration," which begins October 1, the president said.

Biden's announcement earned swift praise from UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, who said it would send a compelling message to other countries to follow suit.

I’m sure the critics of the President will call these refugees “terrorists” or “children of terrorists”.

Practice areas: civil litigation, immmigration, family Law, personal injury, Home Health and Hospice

02/01/2021

Californians, are you ready to lose your Driver’s License granted under AB60?

Well, this new move by opponents of that law clearly wants to punish States like California and New York, but it won’t pass Congress, clearly speaking.

01/31/2021

To those who falsely call the undocumented non-citizens as “criminals” please read some legal articles on deportation. I recommend the American Immigration Council, they have vast resources on the subject.

Lastly, we must accept Supreme Court decisions because they are expected to be non-political, even if there’s been effort to politicize it lately.

01/31/2021

My advice to persons who are facing deportation or removal proceedings is to show up in Court and DEFEND your case. Contact pro-bono legal offices if you can’t afford an attorney.

01/31/2021

So you now know that those critical of the immigration policy of providing “due process hearings” are actually wrong.