CHANGE is indeed coming. The transition of power to President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s administration has become more apparent even in the incoming 17th Congress. In the House of Representatives, a Congress shake-up is currently ongoing after several members of the ruling Liberal Party have decided to curtail its “Tuwid na Daan” (Straight Path) engagement for Duterte’s…
Las Vegas is a city of a thousand flashing lights racing on and off, bizarre and beautiful, meant to confuse people that there is no time here, no night and day, no past or future. It is just like having arrived at a palace at the end of the world, its oversized antiquitiess, employees wearing…
We consider it a once-in-a-blue-moon event whenever we run into famous personalities. And to memorialize that moment, we ask for their autographs (for those who still know what that means) or take a picture with them – nowadays, some would just secretly take a snapshot thru their mobile phones without permission. “It is not everyday…
JESUS, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me…This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For…
GENERALLY, in California, property acquired by a spouse prior to marriage is considered separate property under family code section 770 while those acquired after marriage are considered community assets under family code section 760. How do you characterize real property purchased prior to marriage but with the mortgage principal paid down using community income or…
Q: I RECENTLY heard from a friend who sued her employer for unpaid wages. However, the court threw out her case and she had to go to “arbitration.” She said she lost because the arbitrator was biased and she could not appeal. My company is now asking me to sign an “arbitration agreement.” What should…
AS an Elder Law attorney specializing in estate planning and Medi-Cal for Long-Term Care, I receive phone calls from adult children all over the country who have an aging parent here in California. Quite often, our conversation goes something like this: “My father (or mother) is in a nursing home in California, has a home…
SHOULD you attend your IRS audit? Yes, I mean, you—your own audit. Well, you don’t have to. This is always a strategic question that should be discussed at the early planning stage of an audit. Of course, you do not want to go. As your power of attorney, I do not want you to go…
ARE you currently struggling with high mortgage payments? Did you get your loan modified in the past but now have a new hardship based on changed circumstances? If so, this is an important article that you MUST read. If you’re one of the many people who got approved for loan modification many years ago under…
REMEMBER “C5 at Taga”? For the benefit of those with short memories, in January 2010, with the presidential campaign in full swing and Sen. Manny Villar leading in the surveys on presidential aspirants, the Senate debated a report recommending the censure of Villar “for improper and unethical conduct.” Villar, who owns one of the biggest…
EACH year, we celebrate Memorial Day to honor those who gave their lives serving in our armed forces. The holiday is particularly close to my heart because I’m a veteran and also because it comes at the end of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. My parents immigrated to the United States when I was 3…
There is a funny thing about golf. It is more than strong shots or strong hands, beautiful knee action, smooth and self assured putting attributes or strokes. A tough player hides it well by acting nonchalant, whistling and laughing in the middle of tournaments. But in his mind, he is always calculating the next shot, never…
ALMOST every Filipino has seen the movie Titanic, the story of Jack and Rose who sailed that doomed ship, which hit an iceberg and sank. During consultations, I sometimes compare the person’s immigration situation to sailing on the Titanic. What do I mean by that? If a person wants to buy a ticket on the…
With the election of Rodrigo Duterte, The Punisher and Dirty Harry of Davao, as the next president of the Philippines, are the Filipinos headed towards a healthier, safer, and corruption-free nation? This is most certainly a tall order, which realistically could take decades to accomplish, but The Punisher promised he would achieve this much sooner…”in…
A NEW study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that Asian adults – particularly Chinese adults – are physically and psychologically healthier than other US adults. Overall, Chinese adults reported better health in five measures included in the report: likelihood for fair or poor health, chronic conditions, psychological distress, work…
STARTING 2015, filer of Form 8938 who satisfies the reporting obligation by completing Part IV Excepted Specified Foreign Financial Assets, must complete the newly added checkbox on item D on Form 5471 (discussed in this column), Form 3520,3520-A, 8621, or 8865 (not discussed in this column). What is a controlled foreign corporation (CFC)? • more…
This race to the White House is not like any other, especially when you look at the front-runners of each party. In past elections, voters generally have fallen in love with their candidates of choice, giving each a boost in favorability ratings. The winning candidate usually has the highest favorability rating — the one that…
WHILE most of the country is joining the bandwagon of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte, the Church is keeping its stand and keeping a close eye on the incoming leadership. Earlier in April before he won the votes, Duterte has already shrugged off a possible support from the Church. He even warned Catholics to not vote for…
JACLYN Jose made history after winning the Best Actress award at the 69th Cannes Film Festival on Sunday, May 22. She is the first Filipino to bring home the acting honor for the Philippines at Cannes. The 52-year-old veteran actress was hailed for performance in the film “Ma’ Rosa,” directed by Brillante Mendoza, who marks…
LAS VEGAS: On a hot, dry day in May, the whole city was breathing and heaving like a tired beast. On the strip that controlled all the luxurious hotels, cursing motorists are melting down encased in a steeled impotence, trapped in a horrendous gridlock. But come hell or high water, people flock here to untie…
A FILIPINO man from Los Angeles wanted for the murder of his pregnant girlfriend last month has been named to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. Philip Patrick Policarpio, 39, was charged with first-degree murder on April 22 in Los Angeles. Authorities have issued local, state and federal warrants for his arrest, and are…
Don’t you just love it when summer is approaching? I love how the suns sets so late and how it makes you feel like you have more daytime hours; not to mention, plenty of things you can still do ‘til the sun goes down at about 7-8pm. And since you have so much “solar-powered” energy,…
“WHY do we hear all this stuff about the Trinity?” The question burst from a man in the audience of a talk of mine. “Why can’t we just be good to each other and go to church? I answered, “Because.” “Because the Triune God is not some kind of brainy speculation by scholars. It is…
– Seniors seek relief from $80K and $28K credit cards CLIENT is 52, still young by any standard. He has got it all together. He has no credit card debt or bank debt. He doesn’t own a house but owns a mobile home that he lives in with a fair market value of $45K. He’s…
THROUGHOUT the years that I have practiced family law in the State of California, I have heard many ideas from clients as to how they think child support is calculated in the State of California. Unfortunately, some of their ideas are misinformed or not complete. Some feel that they are stuck with a low…
Q: MY job title is “manager.” I work at least 10 hours per day, 6 to 7 days per week. While I supervise a few employees, I mostly do the same tasks they do. I cannot hire or fire anyone. My employer insists that since I am salaried and paid double the hourly minimum wage,…
Background WHEN is your return free from IRS audit? From your point of view, statute of limitations prevents the IRS from collecting a deficiency in tax or beginning a civil or criminal case. Statute of limitations provides a date of finality after which the IRS or the taxpayer can take no further actions. We can…
ARE your debt problems keeping you up at night and causing a lot of stress in your life? Have you thought of filing bankruptcy but can’t decide whether it’s the smart thing to do? When no other means of debt relief are available, filing for bankruptcy may be the only way to get out of…
Some exciting news for foodies who live and work in Glendale. Caruso Affiliated, the privately held real estate company behind The Americana at Brand and the Grove, announced on Thursday, May 12 that in addition to burger chain Shake Shack, four eateries will be making their way to downtown Glendale this fall. Last December, it…
TIME is of the essence for Filipino World War II veterans who are now living in the United States but are still counting years to finally have their children and grandchildren with approved petition to join him here and enjoy the remaining years of their life together as a family. With the Obama Administration parole…
