NEW Year, new resolutions, new life. For some of you, the New Year is a time for reflection, and to realize that changes are needed to be able to lead and live the life you’ve always wanted to lead. Sometimes, divorce happens. The following seeks to address or clarify some common misconceptions about divorce. “What…
Nineteen years ago, I wrote my article entitled “How to Prevent Cancer”, a serious topic I also discussed in my book, Let’s Stop “Killing” Our Children (www.philipSchua.com). A review on cancer in the United States in 2014 by the American Cancer Society revealed that almost 50 percent of cancer deaths were related to smoking, unhealthy…
Cause of Wednesday fire still undetermined AN Island Pacific supermarket in the Los Angeles Koreatown neighborhood has been destroyed after going up in flames just past midnight on Wednesday, January 10. The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) received 9-1-1 calls from passersby starting at 12:30 a.m. early Wednesday morning, according to LAFD spokesman Brian Humphrey….
AMOUNTS for tax returns in 2017 are compared with amounts in 2016. Exemption credits: a. $114 from $111 – Single, Married filing separately, Head of Household. b. $228 from $222 – Married filing jointly. c. $353 from $344 – Dependent. d. $114 from $111 – Age 65 or older. You are considered to be 65…
OPRAH WINFREY delivered a powerful, empowering and inspiring speech after she accepted the Cecil B. DeMille Award during the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, January 7. It is an honorary Golden Globe Award bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for “outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment.” Since the first time this award was…
Trump pledges support for ‘clean DACA bill’ as long as increased border security is confirmed A bipartisan pair of Congress members on Sunday, January 7 reached a deal on the defunct Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program which will also include plans to strengthen the United States-Mexico border. Reps. Will Hurd (R-Texas) and Pete Aguilar…
President Donald Trump’s first-ever national security strategy presents new opportunities in furthering the alliance between the U.S. and the Philippines, according to a senior researcher at the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP). In line with the Trump administration’s “America first” platform, the new National Security Strategy (NSS) — released last December — encompasses…
Pres. Trump wants to eliminate “chain migration,” which allows people to petition extended family members, such as brothers and sisters, married children, adult (over 21) children, and even parents. The only family-based petitions that would remain would be for spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens or green card holders. The president further wants to…
THE client is 50 and operates a business. There is a state court judgment against him for $80K. Is this judgment dischargeable in bankruptcy? The answer is: If the judgment is for breach of contract only, the $80,000 is dischargeable. If the judgment is affirmative for FRAUD, then the $80,000 fraud judgment is not dischargeable….
Q: I WAS severely injured in a recent car accident while returning to work on an errand. I had to undergo multiple surgeries. I missed several weeks of work and will need more time off for treatments. I am afraid to tell my employer about my need for more time off because I might be…
IN the case of In re Marriage of Wilson, the Mother was attempting to enforce child support arrears against the Father for the period in which the child was not living with the Mother but instead was living with the Grandparents. The Father filed a request for an order in court, seeking a stay of enforcement…
REPUBLICANS hail the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act as their biggest legislative achievement under President Trump. It’s the first major tax overhaul since the days of fellow Republican Ronald Reagan. The new tax law causes wide implications. It affects your decision to buy or rent a home or your decision to send your kids to private…
DO you need help with debt problems but are too embarrassed to even talk about them? Perhaps you’re under a lot of stress due to your finances but don’t even know where to turn for help. As a bankruptcy attorney, over the years I have met a lot of people who were simply too embarrassed…
The election of President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016 raised hopes of a clean, corruption-free government that was also progressive and dynamic (unlike the passive and pass-the-buck tenure of President Benigno Aquino III). In America, the election of President Donald Trump was met with consternation by those who knew him to be the quintessential snake oil…
Since January 1, 2018, the state with the biggest Filipino population in the United States has been selling recreational marijuana after voters in California legalized the practice in a November 2016 ballot measure. Recreational marijuana has already been legalized in seven other states and the District of Columbia, while 29 states — plus the District…
The Court of Appeals (CA) this week upheld its earlier decision dismissing a petition filed by a human rights group seeking an about $2 billion worth of compensation to human rights victims during the term of late strongman Ferdinand Marcos. The CA’s former Twelfth Division on Wednesday, January 3 said it has denied the motion…
PHILIPPINE Vice President Maria “Leni” Leonor Robredo has asked the Supreme Court (SC) to allow both her camp and that of former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to witness the inventory and transport of ballot boxes in connection with their electoral case. In a resolution dated December 5, 2017, the SC, sitting as Presidential Electoral…
Fil-Ams react to new rules AS of Monday, January 1, Californians were officially allowed to participate in the recreational use of marijuana without the need of a medical marijuana card. Proposition 64 — which was passed back in November 2016 by a 15-percent margin — has come into effect, making California the sixth and largest…
Lawsuit puts a spotlight on forced servitude, anti-trafficking advocates call for further awareness on the issue A FILIPINA immigrant, who for nearly three years was allegedly forced into involuntary servitude and suffered unfair wages and extreme verbal abuse, has led a lawsuit against her host family in a case that highlights modern slavery and human trafficking….
A FEW days before Christmas, I asked my niece, Ann, to suggest to me another phrase for “having a deep sense of awe” that I can use in my preaching. She answered, “It’s living the moment, Uncle.” I took her suggestion as I preached this theme to people during the Simbang Gabi Masses, and, indeed,…
First of all, Happy New Year to everyone. When the year ends, another one begins. As we bid adieu to 2017, it is good to look forward to what 2018 has in store for us. Here’s a list to get us started in that direction. Society and politics One thing I realized when it comes…
What’s in a song? Is it the singer or the song, itself? What’s the key element that entices the listeners: the lyrics or the melody? Could it be the dynamics of its poetic composition or the narrative content that moves emotions and make listeners relate to the message? What makes a song catapult to the…
The administration of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte maintained that the rich and the poor would “both benefit” from the newly enacted Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act. This is in contrast to IBON Foundation’s recent claim that TRAIN is “scourge, not a gift” to Filipino people. While admitting that the effects of exercising…
PRESIDENT Trump wants to eliminate “chain migration,” which allows people to petition extended family members, such as brothers and sisters, married children, adult (over 21) children, and even parents. The only family-based petitions that would remain would be for spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens or green card holders. The president further wants to…
What is food poisoning? Food poisoning is a variety of illnesses caused by eating food contaminated with bacteria, toxins or chemicals. This is more common during holidays and summertime. The symptoms usually include diarrhea, abdominal pains and vomiting. Diarrhea and vomiting could be so severe as to cause extreme dehydration, which, if untreated and unabated,…
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A look back at Filipino newsmakers, successes and heritage The year 2017 was an interesting and exciting year for Filipinos and Filipino-Americans alike. Apart from the negativity we read and hear in the media, there are stories that celebrate Filipino heritage and culture. Here are some of the top stories that made it to the…
United States President Donald Trump is the second most favorable world leader for Filipinos next to Pope Francis, according to the Gallup International Association’s (GIA) 41st Annual Global End of Year Survey. Results of the survey showed that 72 percent of seven out of 10 Filipinos have a “favorable” opinion on the U.S. leader, while…
A CLIENT wants Chapter 7, but can he avoid the presumption of abuse? The client is 55, married with a son and daughter who have just entered college. His income is $5,600 gross a month. The wife’s income is $5,500 gross a month. So, the combined gross of his household of four is $11,100 a…
2017 versus 2018 tax rates: individual income tax rates in 2017 in percentage are 10, 15, 25, 28, 33, 35, and 39.6. The 2018 temporary tax rates percentage are 10, 12, 22, 24, 32, 35, and 37 and will expire on 2025, under H.R.1 “The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act”. Your income tax return is…
Filipino-American human rights advocates and community leaders wrote a letter to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte citing their concerns about the growing number of deaths in the hands of law enforcers in Duterte’s bloody war on drugs. They cited Amnesty International, which recently published reports about “the extrajudicial killings of over 7,000 persons suspected of dealing…
