“We can all make a difference in the lives of others in need… because it is the most simple of gestures that make the most of difference…” – Miya Yamanouchi If volunteerism is to be based on theology, easily, it could mean the theory that God is to be conceived as some form of will…
Not all are privileged to work with a former Philippine president. But for over 15 years now, I’ve had the blessing of serving alongside former President Fidel V. Ramos, who turns 88 today (March 18), whose love for our country and heart for good governance still ring a bell. FVR, as fondly called by his…
THEY say only the good die young. So when news broke out on March 2002 that then young actor Rico Yan was dead, everybody thought it was a hoax. He just turned 27 years old that time and was at the peak of his career. Born Ricardo Carlos Castro Yan on March 14, 1975;…
COULD the secret to perpetual youth be found in your smile (wink, wink)? Well, that’s probably a bit of an exaggeration! But as you know, here at our practice, we obsess over our patients’ smiles. We know that a confident smile can be life changing. But what does your smile have to do with aging?…
WHEN the US Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), their ruling enabled same-sex couples to marry and, for immigration purposes, to petition one another for green cards. However, what happens if one partner is a US citizen, living in the US, and the partner is living in the Philippines? To file…
Carpio’s revelation Contrary to what the public has been led to believe, there is no 9 – 6 majority vote in favor of declaring Mrs. Grace Poe Llamanzares a natural-born citizen, and qualified to run for President. This is what we learn from the dissenting opinion of Senior Associate Justice Carpio, who revealed the real…
IS it safe to drink beverages from the cans? Only after cleaning the can. Canned beverages (soda, beer, etc.) are usually warehoused in areas where they are exposed to possible contamination. There have been reports of illnesses among persons who drank directly from the can, which was contaminated with feces or droppings of mice or…
ON Tuesday night, March 15, five more states held key presidential primary contests–Ohio, Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, and Missouri–where two party candidates emerged as front-runners of the race. Hillary Clinton swept all five contests in Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, Missouri, and Ohio, racking up more delegates to solidify her lead for the Democratic nomination. The…
CERRITOS, Calif. – True to its name, the Happy Seniors of Cerritos truly live up to its name as an association by organizing activities that entertain them, promoting fellowship and recognizing important milestone among its members. Hence, the Happy Seniors of Cerritos enhance their quality of life as they journey to the sunset of their…
CALIFORNIA law on the nature of spouses’ rights and obligations with respect to management and control of community property has evolved over the last thirty years from less stringent “good faith” standards to heightened “confidential duty” and “fiduciary duty’ standards. Under current law, the duties owed between spouses in transactions between themselves are the same…
SHOULD you report the accounts to the U.S. government if you have offshore bank accounts? Yes, if at any time during the year the aggregate balances exceed $10,000. What if you already had the accounts before you left for the U.S.? Yes, you should. There is a rationale why our government wants to know: fight…
WHY all the hassle over the two social security numbers (SSN) allegedly used by Sen. Grace Poe when she was living in the US? In the Philippines, there must be a lot of people who are paying monthly social security premiums but can’t remember their SS numbers. This, aside from the fact that millions in…
A WEEK before Super Tuesday 3 — when five states were slated to vote for the candidate whom they believe should be their party’s nominee for the next president of the United States — Donald Trump has been criticized from the left, the right, and everyone else in between. The latest round of criticism comes…
THE world today is characterized by intense global competition and rapid technological change. According to a human capital theory, economic development is a function of the quality of a nation’s education system. In other words: the more and better educated the people, the better the chances of reaching economic development. The key to success is…
It was “hail, hail the gags all here” at the Beverly Hills Country Club. The live roast started with tip toe humor, nodding deferentially to the seven “honorees,” rising to verbal heights. With male roasters, it was beyond brilliance — their pauses got screams and wit barbs. Some feathers were ruffled, egos deflated and stabs…
INTERNATIONAL students who earn their degrees in highly-sought STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields may be able to extend their stay in the United States longer. The revamped STEM Optional Practical Training program, or STEM OPT for short, adds an additional seven months to the previous length of stay required, while offering some safeguards…
1. WHAT is paternity? Paternity means fatherhood. Establishing paternity is the legal process of determining the legal father of a child who was born to unwed parents. When parents are married, in most cases, paternity is established without a legal action by virtue of their marriage. If parents are unmarried, paternity establishment requires a judicial…
Client seeks chapter 7 discharge for $30K credit cards Senior seeks chapter 13 protection for fully paid house CLIENT is a young senior in his early 60’s who took an early retirement last year. He owes $15K of credit card debt and nothing else. He has a community property house that is fully paid with a…
(Part 2) S. YUSUF is an Indonesian native who was brought to work as a housekeeper for Tija and Tija’s wife, Choi, in the United States. The Tijas promised to pay Yusuf $500 per month, plus expenses and meals. Yusuf gave her passport to the Tijas, who did not return her passport but kept it…
ON January 5, 2016, the Lawyers of Distinction announced the selection of Los Angeles attorney, Roman P. Mosqueda, as top 10% of attorneys in the United States. Members are accepted based upon objective evaluation of an attorney’s qualifications, license, reputation, experience, and disciplinary history. Please see its website www.lawyersofdistincion.com for further details concerning membership qualification….
YES, of course. Direct deposit is the fastest and safest way to receive your tax refund. Here are reasons why you should use direct deposit of your refund: 1. Speed: When you combine direct deposit with e-file, you can receive your refund in as little as 10 to 14 days. 2. Security: The IRS holds…
ARE you having problems paying your debts? Are creditors calling you day and night threatening you with a wage garnishment, repossession or foreclosure? Are you starting to feel hopeless and depressed about your situation and don’t know where to turn for help? The last few years have been tough for a lot of people. You…
TWO months before the May 2016 Philippine presidential elections, the Supreme Court of the Philippines has ruled that Sen. Grace Poe is eligible to run for the highest post of the nation. This throws out the disqualification cases filed by different parties that question whether Poe is a natural-born Filipino and meets the residency requirement….
Adela Filiu Ferguson went to America to define her dream, clutching her midwifery diploma, an abiding faith in God, sheer guts and grim determination. That day, on her date with destiny, a great traffic jam was giving her a cardiac arrest on her way to an interview with a possible employer. Three blocks away from…
“REMEMBER not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new!” (Isaiah 43:16) “My theology professor asks me to write a homily on sin to people who are in jail,” a seminarian shared with me over dinner last week. “Well, that’s interesting. Just make sure you…
IN a video released this week by Islamic militant group Abu Sayyaf, captors of three foreign nationals and a Filipino woman held hostage say the foreigners will be killed in a month if families don’t meet their demands. The Philippine military, however, said it is standing by the government’s no ransom policy. “We will just…
THE California Senate on Thursday, March 10, approved a measure that raises the legal smoking age from 18 to 21. Last week, the state Assembly voted in favor of the same bill, which was part of a six-bill package aimed at restricting access to tobacco. If Gov. Jerry Brown signs off on the legislation, California…
FACEBOOK CEO Mark Zuckerberg and more than 60 US companies filed a Supreme Court brief in support of President Barack Obama’s executive actions on immigration. In the brief, employers say Obama’s executive orders would benefit the US economy. “Instead of inviting the economic contributions of immigrants, our immigration enforcement policies have often inhibited the productivity…
MUSIC as a universal language and a pragmatically quintessential articulation of human emotions has considerably undergone paramount evolutions and adaptations to fit into the demands and modes of social lifestyles. An ultimate structure of poetry fused with melody, music has indubitably streamed to limitless forms and possibilities. Some adapted commercially pertinent genres in modern pop-music…
MEMBERS of the Filipino-American community in Los Angeles officially welcomed Richmond Jimenez as the new tourism director at the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) office in this city. Jimenez, who will serve in the position for the next three years, said that the department is seeking new ways to creatively attracted Filipinos and non-Filipinos living…
