TIME really flies so quickly. Paul Victor Ireton was just an ordinary teenager when I met him with his younger bother, Nathan. Fast forward to 12 years later, Paul and his wife Miriam invited me to a five-day seminar and convention hosted by the World Finance Group (WFG) in Las Vegas. The evening was jam-packed…
“BEHOLD, God’s dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them as their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the old order has…
A 25-year-old beauty from Quezon was crowned as the new Binibining Pilipinas-Universe last Sunday, April 17 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum. Maria Mika Maxine Medina bested 40 other candidates to win the most coveted title, and the opportunity to represent the Philippines at the Miss Universe competition next year. Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach took her…
ON April 18, 2016, the US Supreme Court heard oral arguments from Texas and other states, as well as the Obama administration, concerning President Obama’s November 2014 Executive Action for DAPA and expanded DACA, which would enable qualified\eligible parents of US citizens and green card holders to obtain work authorization and be protected against deportation….
THE power to give, take away, and deport. The United States does not welcome you with open arms. It allows non-citizens entry into the United States, under certain conditions. When these conditions are broken, you can expect nothing but the full force of the United States government through the Department of Homeland Security to bear…
That conclusion is based on statistics on human rights abuses during the Ferdinand Marcos and Corazon Aquino regimes, presented in Richard Kessler’s book Rebellion and Repression in the Philippines (1989: Yale University). Ironically, Kessler’s statistics have been the basis of historian Alfred McCoy’s repeated claims that the human rights abuses during the Marcos regime were…
Around 50,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year alone. About 49,000 others who already have this malignancy are projected to die. That’s how fatal this cancer, the 4th highest cause of cancer-related deaths, is. While annual death rate from pancreatic cancer among those in the Philippines is listed…
(Part 2 – Basics) ESTATE planning is simply how you want your assets distributed to your heirs after you die with as little time and expense as possible. This can be accomplished by setting a revocable trust. A revocable living trust allows you to establish a simple trust to pass on your assets to your…
THE way the spate of public opinion polls on the forthcoming elections have been tarred and feathered in mainstream and social media should alarm the research companies that have been conducting them with greater frequency as May 9 approaches. The question now being frequently asked by opinion makers is, “Does anybody still believe in the…
KUDOS to Fil-Am community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis for calling out the Philippine Commission on Elections (Comelec) over a resolution that she says is a violation of the Fil-Ams and other overseas voters’ right to freedom of speech, expression, and even assembly. Lewis, who is a staunch supporter of the Roxas-Robredo team for president and…
SINCE freeing itself from an authoritarian rule three decades ago, the Philippines has enjoyed the restoration of democracy and freedom. However, human rights issues remain prevalent in the country, challenging the commitment of the government and its people to have a collective resolve to uphold human dignity. On Wednesday, April 13, US Secretary of State…
Call it FACLA’s coming of age, as this Sunday, April 24, will be an unbridled polished affair of sight, sound and scene that will collide with the Filipino American’s Community of Los Angeles at the Glendale Hilton. It will be a promise of a life-changing celebration about dignity, respect and caring; a splendid celebration of youth…
WHILE Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant cruised to victory in the final game of his career last week, dozens of individuals gathered that same day at the Muzeo Museum in Anaheim where accomplished Filipinos shared their ingredients to success. The Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Orange County (FACCOC) on Wednesday, April 13,…
THE nation’s top court on Monday, April 18, heard oral arguments for the case United States v. Texas, which challenges President Barack Obama’s executive actions to grant reprieve to millions of undocumented immigrants in the country. Monday’s arguments centered on whether Obama overstepped his authority by authorizing programs in November 2014 that would defer deportation…
“In the area of immigrant visas, a same sex US Citizen spouse or legal permanent resident spouse may now petition for an immigrant visa for their spouse as long as the marriage was valid in the place of celebration. Validity of the marriage is not based on the place of domicile.” On June 26, 2013,…
In this current economy, I do understand that a lot of us have had to give up on some things we were used to when financial times were better. But I hope that despite the challenges, we do not neglect to take care of ourselves. This includes grooming. We have to encourage feeling good on…
We often hear that “politics” exists not only in governments but also in corporations, schools, civic organizations, and even in churches. We find this contention to be true when we understand politics as “the art or science concerned with winning and holding control over government” and of “competition between competing groups or individuals for power…
Surely as April 15 comes along, some of you will procrastinate in filing tax returns. It can be habit forming as I see the same taxpayers come after April 15 year after year. After four decades of counseling taxpayers, I look back at so many reasons why taxpayers don’t file on time – not having…
Luis Castro-Ramirez was hired to work as a truck driver by Dependable Highway Express (DHE) in 2010. During his hiring, he told DHE that he had a disabled son who required dialysis every day and he (Ramirez) was responsible for administering the dialysis. He requested his employer that he be given driving assignments that would…
Are you feeling stuck and unable to move because of lingering debt problems in your life? Considering bankruptcy but not sure if it’s the right solution for you? For those who are struggling with debt problems, the decision to file for bankruptcy is never an easy one. So they put it off and hope that…
At the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach FILIPINA-Canadian actress and comedienne J. Elaine Marcos is back on stage at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach, California, portraying the role of Sister Mary Martin-of-Tours in the musical production of “Sister Act.” “Sister Act” is a broadway hit based on the 1992 Whoopi…
After the televised vice presidential debate in the Philippines, The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast “Balitang America” asked its viewers in an online poll: “If the elections were held today, whom would you vote for to be the Philippines’ next vice president”? The son of the deposed dictator, Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, came out on top…
After an achievement-filled 20-year career, Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant stepped foot into the Staples Center on Wednesday, April 13 for the final basketball game of his professional career. Throughout his career, the Black Mamba set a number of records including becoming the third highest scorer in the NBA, becoming the first player…
LAS VEGAS—In boxing, there’s that thing called “The End.” It always seems like a good idea—until the next fight. On the morning of his fight, after the Bible study, we caught up with the champ just before he was led into his waiting vehicle. He told us, “After this fight, win, lose or draw, I…
Air in Southern California is cleaner than it was two decades ago, and a new study suggests children may be experiencing less respiratory problems because of it. The study, published April 12 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, showed that kids living in eight Los Angeles-area communities today have stronger lung function compared…
As part of the official Women’s History Month in March, the Center for Asian Americans United for Self-Empowerment (CAUSE) hosted Women in Power: Leadership in Law and Justice, at the Omni Hotel in downtown Los Angeles on Friday, March 18. This “Women in Power” panel discussion featured some of California’s top legal experts: Honorable Tani…
The gift of music has consistently been one of the most valued innate properties a man possesses and the same remains to be the best enduring legacy one bequeaths behind once his “mission” on earth is through. Heritage, in any form, is preeminent when planned, organized, and perfectly fixed that no predicament arises when the…
In his State of the City address, Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti portrayed the city as “not only strong, it’s getting stronger every day.” The address was the third by Garcetti since he took office in 2013, and he took the opportunity to shine light on Los Angeles’ improving economy. Among figures he specifically cited included…
Air in Southern California is cleaner than it was two decades ago, and a new study suggests children may be experiencing less respiratory problems because of it. The study, published April 12 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, showed that kids living in eight Los Angeles-area communities today have stronger lung function compared…
Primetime Queen Marian Rivera has always remained mum about the past feud she had with actress Heart Evangelista. It could be remembered that the friction happened sometime in 2011, while the two actresses were filming the movie “Temptation Island.” It was said that it came to a point that Heart’s mother, Cecile Ongpauco, even…
