Helping Filipinos realize the American dream
THE elusive American dream, a cherished aspiration for countless Filipinos, remains a distant reality for many. Thus, immigration lawyer Attorney
through her profound expertise and unwavering commitment, stands as a staunch advocate for countless Filipinos who harbor the aspiration of attaining the elusive American dream.
With utmost dedication, she tirelessly endeavors to assist and raise awareness among our kababayans, both domestically and internationally.
As a compassionate immigration lawyer, prioritizes her clients’ needs above all. She firmly believes that her fees should not hinder her commitment to assisting those in need.
At the age of 12, Attorney Marlene immigrated to the United States with her family. Motivated by her mother, a nurse, the decision to move to the US was made. Her father, a military officer under President chose to retire and join his family abroad. Their new home was in Los Angeles, California, but adapting to the unfamiliar environment posed challenges for young Marlene.
She decided to become a lawyer after listening to a U.S. Supreme Court
“IT’S so good, it’s like a ride in Universal Studios,” multihyphenate Heart Evangelista laughingly raved about getting on her favorite massage chair these days at the launch of her newest endorsement for Zion Philippines.
The 38-year-old actress and fashion icon talked about putting a premium on health and wellness and shared her love for getting daily massages. At one point, Heart jokingly gave a shoutout to her regular masseuse “Ate Grace” whom she hasn’t called for a visit lately because she now has her massage chair at home.
“It’s like a whole new different universe. This morning, I had a cat nap on the chair and it’s the best!” Heart enthused.
“For sure, you have to get six to eight hours of sleep but I do believe in power naps,” Heart emphasized the importance of taking care of one’s self in this age of hustle culture. “It’s just very important to rest,” she added.
For someone who is constantly on the go and frequently traveling, Heart said it’s so important to find her metime, a form of self-love. The idea of self-love and self-care for the media darling has evolved through the years.
“I think we were more of a people-pleaser when we were young. But then, because of all the struggles in life, you realize your self-worth so then the way you love yourself also changes.
You take it up a notch.
You invest in yourself and make smart decisions.
Things level up as you realize how valuable you are,” Heart said.
Heart went into detail about her basic self-care. She shared. “Aside from investing in myself, I do a lot of research about eating properly. I also do a lot of cleansing. Sometimes, I do a 24-hour fast so that’s a water cleanse which promotes nomination hearing and finding out that most US Senators who get to pick the most powerful justices have a legal background. She was a stay-at-home mother then raising her first child.
Attorney Marlene knew that she needed to be an active participant in decisionmaking as far as the government and life, in general, is concerned.
“I wanted to be at the table for any decision that impacts me, my life as a mother, and as a woman,” added Attorney Marlene.
She was inspired by Cory Aquino’s rise to the presidency.
“Cory Aquino inspired me as a woman, and I decided to pursue a legal education, despite having my three kids already at the time.”
Attorney Marlene Gonzalez is a dedicated immigration lawyer with 23 years of experience. She has actively worked with organizations such as the YWCA, Utah Sentencing Commission, and the Utah Minority Bar Association, focusing on advocacy. As a non-profit lawyer for six years, she handled cases related to the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and now serves as legal counsel to the Asian Association of Utah- Refugee Immigrant Center. With a passion for helping others, she aims to establish a law office in Arizona, where many Filipinoautophagy which is cellular renewal. It helps in getting rid of the bad cells. I do those things I also like to get my daily steps. I have at least 5 or 6,000 steps a day. But if I can beat it, 10 [10,000], I would do that. I walk in place. I take vitamins and I try as much as possible to get eight hours of sleep. And bone broth (for fasting) is the best.”
Heart is a picture of a woman so sure of herself, one who knows what she wants and is out to get them. She seems fearless about aging. To this idea, she had the best explanation. “Of course, I am afraid of aging because I am afraid of feeling [body] pains that I didn’t feel before,” Heart opened up. She was quick to clarify that at the same time, she is also not afraid of getting old.
“I just don’t want to get sick because health is wealth. No matter how much money you have, when you get sick, it’s very difficult. You can always save up again as long as you are healthy,” she added.
Aside from her physical health, Heart pays a lot of attention to her inner calm by taking care of her mental health. To give us a glimpse of her daily routine, she shared, “I wake up very early in the morning. I always make sure that I have quiet time. I have a diary, I like to write down what I am grateful for in a journal. I never let go of my journal because I feel that it’s always nice to always be grateful and assess yourself. I also like listening to music and as much as possible, I like to have my dogs around me. All the time. I feel like those are my angels.”
Heart also added that finding a sense of peace also takes effort. She said with a smile, “It’s important to take a pause even when owned healthcare businesses are located.
She considers her greatest achievement in life as being able to raise three daughters who are now successful in their own endeavors.
Attorney Marlene is embarking on a new venture by launching a nursing recruitment company. This endeavor is another significant milestone in her we are going through a lot. Like with me, I have my clothes, I have this beautiful flower on my neck (She points at her fashionable neckpiece) but I’m also very tired and dealing with a lot of problems. I’m also a normal person. I think it’s important that you put yourself first. No questions asked.”
With numerous brand collaborations and projects coming her way as an international fashion icon and jet setter, Heart has embraced a different sense of maturity from experience. She feels she has developed a certain kind of confidence and independence she once lacked as a young girl who lived a sheltered and privileged life.
“I’ve come a long way. Before I would say, I’m 30-something but I have a mind of a 21-year-old. I’m 38 but I feel like I have a mind of a 50-year-old,” Heart shared. She talked about learning a lot from her work, personal experiences, and responsibilities. “I’m on top of everything. I love being on top of everything. I love the feeling that you could drop me off anywhere and I would survive,” she added with pride.
“You know, I never used to travel by myself and now I do. I used to cry over connecting flights in Dubai, the train. Now, I can do anything! I love it. I’m not a hostage to anyone. I don’t need to rely on anyone,” Heart volunteered. She continued by expressing gratitude to those instrumental in her evolution. “It’s very empowering and I really appreciate the people like my husband who are very supportive of my being a late bloomer, being independent, and learning to survive on my own. I love it. I feel empowered.”
Most importantly, Heart now has a better grasp of courage. “I’m still very sweet but I know when to put my foot down. I will fight for myself this time around. Hindi na ako makakakawawa ng kahit sino ngayon (No one can bully me anymore) and I love it,” she said with a half-wink. Heart claimed that she has always been honest about her feelings but also too conscious about what others would think and say in the past. With gratitude, she ended by saying, “I love that I had to go through a lot through the years to be
where I am today.” ongoing mission to provide assistance and support.
In addition, she plans to offer consultations in the Philippines. Her current objective is to extend her assistance to immigrants and individuals aspiring to live in the United States, ensuring their safety and pursuit of a better life.
On a side note, Attorney Marlene has
OOKLA, a renowned global benchmarking company, has announced that PLDT, the largest digital services provider in the Philippines, has achieved an exceptional top speed score of 86.52 in 2022. This remarkable achievement serves as a testament to PLDT’s unparalleled dominance and unwavering commitment to consistently deliver the nation’s fastest Internet speeds for an impressive fifth consecutive year.
To mark its exceptional achievement, the telco hosted a glamorous soirée in the heart of Makati City. The star-studded affair drew a constellation of luminaries,
Model and entrepreneur Tweetie de LeonGonzales with PLDT ambassador Franco Laurel
including celebrities, esteemed brand ambassadors, content creators, and prominent industry influencers. Esteemed executives from PLDT and Ookla graced the event.
Among the celebrities present were Miss Universe Philippines beauty queens Gazini Ganados, Bea Gomez, Maureen Montagne, Billie Hakenson, and Kat Legado; model and entrepreneur Tweetie de Leon-Gonzalez; social media personality Eric “Eruption” Tai; actors and PLDT ambassadors Franco Laurel and Jairus Aquino; showbiz personalities Dianne Medina and Roxanne Montealegre; sports host
Aiyana Perlas; VJ and host
Samm Alvero; content creators Kayla Javier and
Andrea Angeles; and gamer and streamer
Een Mercado.
Talented P-Pop singer
FANA wowed guests with an impressive performance, and everyone danced the rest of the night away to a long set of music hits played by DJ Miaow. The event was hosted by
Beauty queen Gazini Ganados
Immigration lawyer Marlene Gonzalez
embarked on her own chocolate factory business. With a focus on spreading happiness, she aims to utilize the moodenhancing qualities of serotonin, also known as the happiness hormone, found in chocolate. By sourcing cacao from the Philippines, she not only aims to bring joy to people but also to uplift Filipino cacao farmers and bolster their businesses.
Later this year, Attorney Marlene will visit Manila to share her expertise about Green Card safety and awareness.
PLDT President and CEO Alfred S. Panlilio (right) with Ookla executive Luke Deryckx
Miss Grand International 2016 first runner-up Nicole Cordoves.
PLDT executives, led by President and CEO Alfred S. Panlilio, received the official Fastest Internet 5 Years
In A Row award from Ookla Chief Technology Officer Luke Deryckx. “PLDT’s commitment is to help build and empower the nation by setting the bar high in providing world-class digital services for Filipinos,” said Panlilio. “For the past five years, PLDT has made big strides to elevate our customers’ experience by delivering the best-fixed network services. We intend to keep this momentum and to go above and beyond in ensuring that our customers get the best digital experience wherever they need it – at home, school, or the office.”
Ookla’s Deryckx, affirms PLDT’s superior network performance for the past five years. He says, “With over 18 million consumer-initiated tests taken daily and billions of data points gathered, the Ookla data paints a clear picture of the performance, quality, and availability of virtually every network in the world. We are proud to recognize PLDT’s hard work in providing the fastest Internet experience in the Philippines and celebrate their achievements in superior network performance over the last 5 years.” PLDT’s five-peat win at the Ookla Speedtest Awards is a testament to the company’s commitment to providing Filipinos with the best possible internet experience and supporting the country’s digitalization.
– Nickie Wang