MALACAÑANG on Monday, February 5, downplayed Senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s latest request for a Senate investigation into the alleged unexplained wealth of President Rodrigo Duterte and his family. In a briefing, Presidential Spokesperson harry Roque dismissed Trillanes’ accusations as old news. “Lumang tugtugin, lumang balita para ng sirang plaka (It’s old news that sounds like a…
WHY does some love between two people endure a lifetime, while others are destined only for a while? Then, the two lovers are separated, either by choice or by faith? Love — the blossom and fragrance of all human feelings, thoughts, passion and longing — inspires patience of the heart, strength of mind and never…
THE first client is 75 years old. Her husband passed four years ago and left her with $30,000 of credit card debt. She has been making minimum payments on their credit cards for the last 15 years as far as she can recall at the rate of $800 a month. So in one year, she…
Q: I work as a travelling technician or ompany. Recently, my employer asked me to sign an “independent contractor” agreement and told me that I will now be receiving a 1099 instead of a W-2. Being on 1099 allows me to take home all my pay with no withholdings. But is there anything else I should know…
Part 6: Homeowners 1. THE Tax Cut and Jobs Act reduces the maximum amount of mortgage debt to acquire a first or second residence for which you can claim itemized interest expense deductions from loans of $1 million ($500,000 for married filing separately) to $750,000 ($375,000 for married filing separately). 2. Current homeowners will not…
MANY people try to file and open their own divorce case without an attorney in an effort to save on legal fees. Often, the self-represented divorce litigant would seek the assistance of the court facilitator’s office in preparing the papers to open their own divorce case. However once the divoqqqqqqrce case is opened, many…
EVERY day, I meet with couples who are deeply in debt. In a lot of cases, I can feel the stress level that they are experiencing while the couple is in my office. Emotions often run high and you can feel the tension in the air. There can be a lot of finger-pointing, resentment, anger,…
PRESIDENT Donald Trump yet again exonerates a supporter accused of abuse against women. This time it’s White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter. Porter resigned this week after allegations against him were made public by his former wives, Colbie Holderness and Jennifer Willoughby, after they reportedly contributed to a delay in granting him a permanent security…
An unfazed Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, February 9 welcomed an international court’s move to conduct a preliminary examination into crimes against humanity allegedly committed under his drug war. Speaking at a conference in Davao City, Duterte said he is ready to face trial, further daring the International Criminal Court (ICC) to sentence him…
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, February 7 said that the country will never reach any progress if he refrains from using a “dictatorial style” of leadership. Speaking before former communist rebels in Malacañang, Duterte said he needed to act like a dictator for the sake of the country’s development. “Sabi mo diktador, diktador talaga…
Two congressmen from the United States expressed their objections to the possible return of the historic Balangiga bells to the Philippines, citing the alleged massive human rights violations of the latter country’s anti-illegal drugs campaign. In a letter, Reps. Randy Hultgren (R-Illinois) and James McGovern (D-Massachusetts) had asked U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to “not…
“Dear Rosalynn” narrates life of Mrs. Carter, special relationship with St. Genevieve Parish Schools Since leaving the White House, former President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter moved back to and continue to live in Plains, Georgia, a quaint town nearly three hours from Atlanta with less than 1,000 residents. While their contributions to…
By Grace O. Rosalynn Carter is a truly unforgettable American hero who inspires everyone she meets. Recently, she arrived in Los Angeles to be honored as one of the most accomplished and important First Ladies in United States history. She is a woman I greatly admire, and whom I met for the first time last…
“If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touch him, and said,‘I do will it. Be made clean.’— Mark 1:40-42 WHEN we think of leprosy in this Sunday’s Gospel, we imagine it as the Hansen’s Disease that people of the island of Molokai suffered from in the late 19th century. It’s…
A trip to the grocery store can be a day filled with life-changing discoveries and hard-hitting realities. And if you are like me, who trails down the grocery aisles pre-occupied with budgeting woes, you would then come face-to-face with the stark reality that “everything is expensive.” In that regard, this piece aims to effortlessly empathize…
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is set to begin its “preliminary examination” into crimes against humanity allegedly committed by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte under his ongoing campaign against illegal drugs. Malacañang on Thursday, February 8, confirmed that the ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) will look into the country’s situation to determine if there was…
SEVERAL years ago, Filipina nurses had a fast track to green cards, as their priority was “current”. They could be immediately petitioned by hospitals or medical facilities for green cards and obtain work authorization even if they arrived as tourist. Those days are gone. Now, because of the wait for a green card, hospitals are…
The holidays may be behind us but the physical effects, among others, will linger a while. Medically speaking, it is actually time for “damage control” for those of us who have overindulged during the festivities. And I plead guilty to have succumbed to the temptation myself. The post-holiday “makeover” is just a healthy pre-emptive measure,…
THE Philippine government is not taking a soft stand on China’s reported continuous military build up in the highly disputed South China Sea, Malacañang assured on Wednesday, February 7. Palace Spokesperson Harry Roque has denied criticisms that the administration of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is giving China leeway on its militarization activities in the region….
THE Philippine Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday, February 6, has affirmed the constitutionality of President Rodrigo Duterte’s yearlong martial law extension in Mindanao. Ten magistrates voted to junk the petitions challenging the extension of Proclamation No. 216, which placed Mindanao under martial law and suspended the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in the…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo has turned down an invitation from the European Union (EU) to attend the upcoming 12th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in October. Speaking at the 45th anniversary of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) on Tuesday, February 6, Duterte expressed his belief that he would only be insulted at the event. “Tingin niyo…
A United States-based analyst warned that China will soon effectively control the South China Sea amid the reported continuous developments of Beijing’s artificial islands in the heavily disputed waters. According to Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative director Gregory Poling, China’s construction of artificial islands is an apparent militarization of the area. “I think we kinda see…
FORMER Philippine Health Secretary Janette Garin welcomed the civil case filed against her in connection with the controversial Dengvaxia vaccine. The Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) on Monday, February 5, filed a civil case against Garin, Sanofi Pasteur executives, and officials of distributor Zuellig Pharma for damages over the death of a child who received the…
ON January 31, 2018, USCIS announced a change in policy for scheduling affirmative asylum interviews. They will follow a “last in, first out” interview schedule, meaning the newest asylum applications will be pushed up to the front of the line and interviewed first. The reason for this policy is to “identify frivolous, fraudulent or otherwise…
The recent findings of an international organization stating that the rule of law in the Philippines has “deteriorated significantly” were “not based on reality,” Malacañang argued on Thursday, February 1. In the newly released World Justice Project (WJP)’s 2017–2018 Rule of Law Index, the Philippines saw its biggest decline in the rankings after plummeting 18…
PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte wants Congress to pass the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) ahead of the possible Charter change, Malacañang clarified on Tuesday, January 30. Over the weekend, reports saying that Duterte wanted the revision of the 1987 Constitution first before the BBL passage have surfaced. Malacañang, however, said that the president’s statements last…
The tourism industry in the Philippines has achieved another “milestone” after reaching an “all-time high” record of more than 6.6 million tourist arrivals in 2017. A recent data released by the Department of Tourism (DOT) showed that the number of foreign tourist arrivals in the country increased from the previous 5,967,005 in 2016 to 6,620,908…
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales may face administrative and criminal sanctions for refusing to enforce Malacañang’s suspension order against Overall Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang. President Rodrigo Duterte’s chief legal counsel Secretary Salvador Panelo made the warning on Wednesday, January 31. In a statement, Panelo noted that Duterte’s order of preventive suspension against Carandang is “presumed to…
One of the biggest milestones in a woman’s life is her wedding day. Even at a young age, many girls dream of their “perfect wedding.” They dream of that pivotal moment of seeing themselves walking down the aisle and seeing their groom at the end. They can only imagine the joy and excitement that they…
LAST week, in this column, we dissected the anatomy, physiology, and psychological and social impact of electronic addiction, a relatively new condition on its way to officially being a medical disease entity. The e-addicts we described ranged from the first year of life to teenage years to adulthood. Yes, I have seen few babies with…
