THE country’s “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” tourism campaign was relaunched on Monday, February 18, by the Department of Tourism (DOT). The repurposed campaign, which would now use crowd-sourcing in a bid for “sustainable tourism”, meant to attract more tourists. It was propelled by Boracay’s six-month closure, in an effort to rehabilitate the world-famous…
by Harriet Blair Rowan A rash of recent measles outbreaks in New York, Texas and Washington state shines a light on California’s largely successful effort in recent years to suppress the disease — though some of the shine might be fading. A serious measles outbreak that started at Disneyland in December 2014 and carried over…
”When you clear your mechanism and tune out the noise that invades your being, you may come to a rare state of grace — that state when you are thoroughly convinced that God is in His heaven and all is right with the world.” [Select a handful of those things in your bucket list that have…
THE Sandiganbayan Third Division began the trial of former Senate President on Tuesday, February 19, for the plunder and graft case against him due to his alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam. The case was filed more than four years ago but Enrile failed to appear at most of the recent hearings because…
Local human rights group Karapatan on Monday, February 18, criticized the government’s move to delist over 600 cases of enforced and involuntary disappearances in the Philippines, calling it “an extension of a grave injustice”. “This can only be an extension of the grave injustice that the kin of desaparecidos have gone through and fueling impunity…
Part 2 of 3 (Remarks of former Philippine speaker Jose de Venecia – founding chairman, International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP); co-chairman, International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP); chairman emeritus, Universal Peace Federation (UPF); Special Envoy of the President to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and for Intercultural Dialogue at the UPF World…
TWO YEARS into President Donald Trump’s presidency and a lot of Americans ask, “How did we get here?” After a scandal-free Obama presidency, America now is being “led” by a business mogul who runs the country in the same way as his reality show — full of drama, cliff hangers, no respect for the truth,…
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Tuesday, February 19, warned that he will “kill” anyone who asks applicants for a birth certificate as a requirement for passport renewal. The DFA chief made the statement after a netizen on Twitter asked him if the document was still needed for renewing passports. “Sir…
The sports world is in an era in which aging stars are finding incredible ways to hold onto power. Roger Federer and Serena Williams remain near the top of the tennis universe at the age of 37. LeBron James is still viewed as the best basketball player in the world despite having enough mileage on…
Technology game changer LG Philippines partnered up with global content provider Netflix in bringing an immersive experience at the Seven Super Rooms, last February 16 at the Shooting Gallery Studios, Makati. To launch its brand new original series, The Umbrella Academy, guests were able to test their wits and be a superhero for a day…
When former Filipina-American MTV personality and model Belinda Panelo went out for a regular coffee run with her son, she didn’t expect them to be the target of a racist tirade. A video of the incident quickly caught attention after Panelo, 44, shared the experience on social media on Tuesday, February 12. Panelo, well-known for…
Arrest of 2018 TIME Person of the Year sparks international outrage, questions about press freedom ONE day after her arrest for “cyber libel” charges, Filipina journalist Maria Ressa of Rappler was released on bail on Thursday, Feb. 14 by her lawyer. After her lawyer posted bail (P100,000, or $1,915), Ressa did not shy away from…
Young ‘America’s Got Talent: The Champions’ finalist on her continuous ascent in the music industry “OH, my gosh, it’s all just so exciting!” In a recent interview, 11-year-old Angelica Hale repeats variations of this sentence and it is the hallmark of who she is as a young singer/songwriter and inspirational viral sensation. In case you…
In response to President Rodrigo Duterte floating the idea of renaming the Philippines to “Maharlika,” Malacañang said that the name change would require a new law and the public’s approval in a referendum. Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said that in order to change the country’s name, congressional action will be needed. “The Constitution provides that…
LOOKING for a movie to watch with your significant other, group of friends, or even alone this Valentine’s weekend? Romantic comedy “Isn’t It Romantic,” which hit theaters on Valentine’s Day, is sure to conjure some (or a lot of) laughs as it satirizes all the tropes found in rom-com favorites. Film stars Priyanka Chopra (who…
‘MCDONALD’S pranksters’ Jevh Maravilla and Christian Toledo and YouTube star Mike Bow discussed the importance of diversity in marketing at this past weekend’s East Coast Asian American Student Union (ECAASU) Conference in Orlando, the nation’s oldest conference run by-and-for Asian American and Pacific Islander students. First-time sponsor McDonald’s worked with the ECAASU conference team to…
The “Grandmother of All Shows” goes onstage at the Aratani Theatre WHAT do you do when you are friends with legendary female icons of the Philippine Music Industry? Comedienne Fe de los Reyes is at the helm of “Lolaland,” with a script she developed with close friend, songwriter Odette Quesada. The show was conceptualized at…
1. Tax rates The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Act) reduces tax rates to seven lower tax brackets: 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37%. The top rate was reduced from 39.6% to 37%. The rates applicable to net capital gains and qualified dividends were not changed. Kiddie tax rules were simplified by using…
SENIOR No. 1 and senior No. 2 are in the same boat. They each have car repossession deficiencies of over $100,000, and business credit card debt of $50,000. Just by looking at these figures, you know there’s something not right. At their age, why should they each have several car repo deficiencies of over $100,000?…
“ While an immigration filing is pending, the typical response by USCIS upon inquiry is that further time (usually 90 or 180 days) is needed to make a decision.” A COMMON question that is asked by a person who has a pending immigration petition or application is “how much longer until USCIS makes a decision?”…
SIX attorneys sued their employer, Morrison & Foerster, one of the largest law firms in the country, claiming that their employer discriminated against them by holding them back in their careers after they became pregnant. They sued on behalf of themselves and other female attorneys at the firm. The employees allege that those who took…
AT first glance, we may think that Jesus was speaking to a general audience when he was proclaiming the Beatitudes. But after reading this Gospel scene (Luke 6:17, 20-16) thoroughly, we would find out that Jesus was directly conveying its message to his disciples. For the Gospel states, “And raising his eyes toward his disciples,…
THERE is a natural tendency among divorcing parties to hide their assets from their spouse and understate income. This is a common problem that I have observed from practicing law for many years. A common question I hear from clients is “my spouse doesn’t know I have an account in this bank, do I have…
ARE you currently struggling with debt problems and don’t know what to do? To most people, finding themselves in that situation is pretty scary. They constantly worry about their finances and wonder whether they will ever be able to get out of the financial mess that is causing them a lot of stress. But what…
HAVING a V-shaped visage or oval face — as what most Filipino, Korean and Japanese celebrities have — accentuates a person’s facial features and gives a sculpted youthful appearance. This much-coveted face shape is considered one the most sought-after looks, especially among Asians. There are a number of ways to achieve a V-line or V-shape….
“It is a commitment, as each day we each rediscover who we are and how much love our love is capable of giving.” PERHAPS the heart is not just something in our chest that sustains life. It is also the wellspring of faith, hope and love. All the musings in the human heart — meanings, metaphors,…
LOVE in a time of social media bashing is one of the most challenging obstacles that celebrity-lovers face. It’s one thing to be caught in a ‘bad romance’ and get disapproval by netizens but another to have a whole community of fans fighting over whether or not their love should go on just because they…
HOW does one win in a senatorial election where 63 candidates are fighting over 12 seats? The advertising geniuses at the watering holes in Makati insist that name recognition is vital. But the harsh reality may be that money, which is also known as “the root of all evil,” is the foundation of Philippine elections….
