POLITICAL reform in the Philippines is hounded by high public expectation because of untold amounts of corruption and law-breaking by public officials for years. It is like a mirage that never truly materializes; it recedes the closer we try to get to it. There are those who maintain a level of cynicism toward the political…
DONALD TRUMP has bigger problems to worry about than his historic 40 percent approval/55 percent disapproval ratings in the most recent Gallup Poll. His less than a month-old presidency has already been saddled with lawsuits one after another, and then this: the issue about the “resignation” of his senior National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. NO,…
“Have you ever caught a dance fever? An infectious move? I sometimes wonder about the difference between choreography and freestyle. If choreography is the influence imposed upon you by outside bodies — like stars, or other humans — what is free style? It radiates from the inside out. Is my evil star inside?” – Ordinal…
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…
WE have a saying in theology that Jesus Christ is the Sacrament par excellence. This statement does not only mean that Jesus is the Word made flesh or the Living Bread that came down from heaven, but it also means that Jesus embodies the whole Law of God. It’s why He says in the Gospel…
The Year of the Fire Rooster began on January 28, but the celebrations across Southern California haven’t waned down. Last weekend on Saturday, February 4, The Americana at Brand in Glendale, CA hosted an afternoon of elaborate festivities, complete with cultural performances and an array of Asian food vendors. The high-end mall has been hosting…
The Los Angeles Times brings ‘Food Bowl’ to the city in May FOODIES in Los Angeles have yet another reason to rejoice: this May, the Los Angeles Times is launching a 31-day food festival at various locations throughout the city. Dubbed the ‘Food Bowl,’ the culinary fair — which is slated to be annually —…
Senior needs Chapter 13 to stop sale of $1.0M house by judgment lien of $30K CLIENT is 61. Her husband is 60. In my book, they are young seniors. They bought their house in 2006 just before the crash of the housing market. They used a zero down 10 years interest only mortgage for the…
SEXUAL misconduct in the workplace is more common than most people think. In many instances, victims do not complain for fear of retaliation, of being disbelieved, or for sheer embarrassment. However, it is only by filing a complaint can a victim of sexual misconduct at work obtain justice. Consider the following story from an actual…
DID you ever wonder how the IRS selects tax returns to be audited? Here’s a three-part series on how tax returns are received, stored, and chosen for audit: • How e-filed and paper-filed tax returns are verified, validated, and reviewed for accuracy. • How tax returns are stored into master files. • How IRS scores…
Awarded one-year talent holding deal with NBCUniversal A millennial Filipino American has won this year’s ‘StandUp NBC,’ a national search for stand-up comedians of diverse backgrounds. JR De Guzman was selected from over 600 stand-up comedians who auditioned at open calls last year in New York City, San Diego, Nashville and Austin. As part of…
“EPIPHANY — A moment when you suddenly feel that you understand, or suddenly become conscious of, something that is very important to you.” In other words, an awakening. This definition of “epiphany” certainly applies to President Rodrigo Duterte’s change of attitude towards his certain promises and policies, including those concerning the Philippine National Police and…
TWO defeats out of two court battles, and Donald Trump is learning the hard way that in the United States, no one is above the law. No one is above the law and the Constitution — even if you were a celebrity who could grope a woman’s genitals and do anything because of your celebrity…
The apple that fell far from the tree is one I could only dream of. A perfect newshen. God’s little pencil. I would have taught her to begin each work by having a real and passionate curiosity about how people behave in the infinitely various situations they find themselves in. To be aware that no…
SINCE becoming president, Donald Trump has issued over 20 executive orders (EO) on a wide variety of topics and issues, including immigration. So far, there has not yet been an Executive Order concerning the future of Deferred Action for Child Arrivals (DACA). However, there have been several draft or leaked memos, which eventually became executive…
IN the first two weeks of the Trump Administration and with a quick stroke of a pen, the country was swept up in a whirlpool of Executive Orders the tangled mangled web of which we are still trying to make sense. What is happening? What does it mean for me and my family? What’s going…
Since its issuance on Jan. 27, 2017, the Executive Order on immigration (Trump’s E.O.) has been dissected because it is a “travel ban” of nationals from seven specific countries ( Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Syria, Sudan, Libya and Somalia) whose majority populations are Muslims. While the previous administration and Congress have characterized them as war-torn and…
Countless lives around the world have been saved by CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation). Accounts by locals on this remote Alubihod beach resort in Guimaras Island (across Iloilo), where we were as of this writing, revealed they have witnessed CPR performed on a drowning victim a couple of times in the past several years. Actually, you can…
Love is in the air as Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. Now who wouldn’t be familiar with this great day meant for sharing love gestures? I know many couples excitedly wait for February 14 so they can express their feelings to their partners. However, though we may be familiar with the day’s history, some may…
Whether or not you agree with President Donald Trump and his executive order, which bars citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries (Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen) from entering the U.S. for 90 days, all refugees for 120 days and indefinitely bans refugees from Syria, it is fair to say that what we are…
THE relationship between government and religion has always been a complicated matter in the Philippines, one that is both a desensitized and hardly discussed issue. As a predominantly Catholic nation, where 86 percent of its population is Roman Catholic, it has become a Filipino’s moral obligation to live by the Church’s teachings—or at least respect…
After everything has been said—or was not said—and done, we choose to look at the bright side. We choose to see beneath the surface, avoid the negativity and focus on what really matters: the kingdom, not the ‘crown.’ Some of you may be surprised to know that I am one of the few who predicted…
“ Share your bread with the hungry; shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own. Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the Lord…
A FAREWELL mass was held on Wednesday, February 1 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, in honor of Bishop Oscar Solis, who was recently appointed as bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, Utah by Pope Francis. Solis will be installed on Tuesday, March 7, making him the…
SINCE President Trump’s inauguration last January 20, 2017, the President has issued three (3) executive actions on immigration, namely, (1) Executive Order 13769, “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States” issued on January 27, 2017; (2) Executive Order 13768 ,“Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States” issued on…
THE current political environment has disturbed many immigrants. The administration has touted that immigration laws will strictly be enforced, with tough talk on rounding up immigrants for deportation. This has sowed fear and confusion among immigrants, especially the undocumented. Immigrant workers are especially vulnerable to threats as many employers exploit immigrant workers for cheap labor….
QUESTION: I have been put into deportation proceedings. Do I really need an Immigration Attorney? Answer: Hiring an Immigration Attorney is critical to the successful outcome of your case. Immigration Law is changing all the time, especially with the new President Trump. What used to be the law is no longer the law. What once…
PRESIDENT Trump appears to be executing on his “America First” agenda by executing executive orders in record pace with the intent of securing American interest. However, these executive orders has affected certain rights of legal permanent residents and aliens residing in the United States. As a green card holder, you are still considered an Alien…
REPUBLICAN president-elect Donald Trump unveiled a new framework for his revised tax plan. Basically, his plan simplifies the tax code – reduce tax rates, simplify provisions, and reform business taxation. His fellow Republicans control both the House and Senate so he’ll probably deliver on most of promised tax reforms that we have not seen since…
