What to do when you get victimized by the ‘laglag bala’ scam at NAIA
MY husband and I are visiting the Philippines this December, as many kababayans plan to do as well, but the excitement of this year’s trip is dampened by the “laglag…
Category: Features
Covering the week’s most noteworthy feature stories impacting the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
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Laughingstock
WITH the rising number of alleged victims of the notorious “tanim bala” (bullet planting) scam at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), it is no surprise that this peculiar security…
Fil-Ams paranoid about the ‘Laglag Bala’ scam in the Philippines propose solution
YOU can see and feel the “paranoia” among travelers even in the terminals here in the United States. On flights coming from the Philippines, luggage is plastic wrapped and locked…
Recognizing October as Filipino American History Month
Nevada would not be the state that it is today without the contributions made by the Filipino-American community. The hard work of our Filipino-American community continues to help move our…
Under Aquino, we’ve become the most violent country in Asia, next to NKorea
That’s according to the 2015 rankings by the “Global Peace Index” of 162 countries done annually since 2007 by a panel of international experts in the Institute for Economics and…
Revolution now? How and who?
I HAVE just read, with extreme fascination, a discussion paper published by Norberto B. Gonzales, secretary of national defense and national security adviser under former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. It has…
The ‘Laglag Bala’ scheme and the state of paranoia at NAIA: more fun in the Philippines?
ONE of the things we Filipinos living abroad always look forward to and are excited about is the ability to travel back to the Philippines and feel “at home” in…
Entrapment
IS it really more fun in the Philippines? In 2014, the government has recorded 34 million domestic and international arrival and departures at the country’s premier gateway. Despite a “worst…
Election or revolution?
“No faith is potent unless it is also faith in the future, unless it has a millennial component. So, too, an effective doctrine: as well as being a source of power, it must also…
PH presidential election cliffhanger: Duterte could still run for president
RODRIGO Duterte fans won’t stop believing, and they have reasons to press forward. Turns out the speculations about the “substitution” theory may indeed happen — popular Davao City mayor “may”…
Insights on election cheating and corruption
“GREG, how true!” This was the comment of a friend from Seattle upon reading my piece, “Insights from a small town politician,” particularly the part about the need for “mobilization” (a…
Usapang Todos Los Santos: When your time comes, would you choose to be cremated?
PERHAPS a lot of us Filipinos living abroad would have a collective memory of how “Todos Los Santos” was observed in the Philippines where many of us grew up. This…
Proposition
A GREAT fight is brewing among four opposing names who dare to covet the highest political rank in the Philippines. While the top presidential aspirants are strong contenders – each…
Reaction to first Democratic Party Presidential Debate
LINCOLN Chafee, Hillary Clinton, Martin O’Malley, Bernie Sanders and Jim Webb. These five Democrats – these five leaders – took the stage in Nevada last week for the inaugural Democratic Party Presidential…
Should Manny Pacquiao be disqualified from the senatorial race because of absenteeism?
SOLID fans who adore not only the Pambansang Kamao in Manny Pacquiao but everything else about him will surely not like this question. But this is exactly what the Commission…
Being Filipino American in the GOP
Dr. Jose Rizal, a national hero of the Philippines, placed a high value on civic involvement wherever he was, whether it be the Philippines or travelling around the world. He…
Insights from a small town politician
ON my recent visit to the Philippines, I found myself sharing a case of beer with the vice-mayor of a small provincial town, along with some of his ward leaders….
Fil-Ams can help decide who will be the next Philippine president
IT is very heartwarming to see and hear how very engaged kababayans in America have increasingly been when it comes to what is going on in the Philippines. Despite the…
Chosen one
AFTER the five-day filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs), from October 12-16, the Commission on Election (Comelec) reportedly received 130 applications from Filipino presidential aspirants. As granted by the law,…
With certificate of candidacies filed, who is your presidential pick: Binay, Roxas, Poe or Santiago?
SORRY, supporters of Rodrigo Duterte, but the man you think would be the best president the Philippines could ever have at this time will perhaps just be the best President…
Wi Spa: an urban sanctuary in the heart of LA
Think of a spa and the immediate perception is an air of pretense and privilege that only a select few can indulge in, given the exorbitant prices. However, if you…
Roxas II spends P257 million on TV ads to boost ratings
Presidential candidate Manuel A. Roxas II spent P257 million on television ads from Aug. 15 to Sept. 15 to push up his ratings in the presidential preference polls undertaken by…
Philippine politics, the movie
WE probably won’t live long enough to see it, but there could yet be a feature film on Philippine politics, in the tradition that has apparently been established by the…
Kababayans react to law allowing physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients
CALIFORNIA has joined Oregon, Washington, Montana and Vermont when Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill into law that legalizes assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. Beginning January 1, doctors can…
Do you support the law that allows a terminally ill patient to have the option of physician-assisted suicide?
WHAT would you do if you are very sick, suffering from excruciating pain because of an illness that has no cure? What would you do if your days are numbered…
Heneral Luna, the movie
I HAD a chance to watch the movie Heneral Luna with my wife and family members and I was truly impressed with the crowd that it pulled. The lines at SM BF…
Who is your VP pick: Robredo, Escudero, Cayetano, Marcos, Trillanes or Honasan?
THERE may only be three candidates who have officially declared that they are seeking the highest office in the Philippines, but as of press time, it may be (at least)…
Royal rumble
TURNING out to be an even more exciting race than the presidency in next year’s elections is the competition for the second most powerful seat in the country between some…
Kababayans’ reactions to Balitang America’s early Philippine Presidential election polls
AFTER Senator Grace Poe formally announced her intent to run for president, The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast “Balitang America” asked its viewers: If the Philippine Presidential Elections were to happen…