2016 wish list
In every wish, there will be glimpses of kind virtues, to encourage and console. It could be something modest or even mundane, something fantastic or utterly practical. It can take…
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Reflecting on a Simbang Gabi homily
MANY Filipinos worldwide posted pictures of Simbang Gabi Masses on social media such as Facebook. Their photos showed happiness, harmony and contentment. There were even pictures of parishioners attending Simbang…
There is no mistake: Miss PH Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach deserves to be Miss Universe
LAST week, I wrote about determined Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach to win in the Miss Universe pageant. In fact, having joined Binibining Pilipinas three times to be able to get where…
A wonderful Christmas gift for your family
AN important part of Christmas is buying gifts for loved ones. Filipinos are busy filling their balikbayan boxes with pasalubong, to send to their families “back home.” The pasalubong may…
Child born abroad to US citizen parent/s
A CHILD born abroad to parents who are both United States citizens (USCs), or to a United States citizen (USC) mother or father, has a claim to citizenship either through…
House failure to pass Bangsamoro Basic Law
DESPITE President Benigno Aquino’s challenge for them to pass the measure before the holidays, the House of Representatives adjourned for its Christmas break without passing the Basic Bangsamoro Law (BBL),…
The uninvited celebrant: Where’s the birthday boy?
WHEN international celebrity Marilyn Monroe, in her sexy tight-fitting gold gown that hugged her shapely figure, sang “Happy Birthday, Mr. President,” in May 1962, the attention of the world was…
Fatal crash on Las Vegas Strip leaves dozens injured
Hit-and-run suspect was honored for turning her life around Lakeisha Holloway, the 24-year-old woman accused of deliberately driving onto a packed sidewalk several times through a crowd of pedestrians along the…
COA: Another institution Aquino damaged
THE Commission on Audit had been, even through martial law, one of the most prestigious agencies of our Republic, its reputation untainted by graft or partisanship. With just a few…
Duterte’s way isn’t the best way
I WOULD like to apologize to everyone I have called an idiot for believing that Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte deserves to be president of the Philippines in spite of…
Christmas wish
GIVEN the unsure situation the world is facing today, we are looking for some sort of a sign this Christmas—something that could calm our fears about what lies ahead. Times…
A Christmas wish
A week before Christmas, we’re crammed with Christmas wishes, checking them twice, the naughty or the nice part. It is a seasonal splendor of a heart’s wish for Christmas. I…
Clinton, Sanders, O’Malley take stage in final 2015 Democratic presidential debate
SIX days before Christmas, the three Democratic presidential candidates faced off in New Hampshire for the final Democratic presidential debate of 2015 and offered their opinions on issues such as…
Duterte-Marcos is the new ‘AlDuB’
Labor groups and people supportive of the candidacy of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday said they have repackaged the tandem as “Team AlDuB”….
Waiving fraud due to extreme hardship
FOR individuals who are seeking to obtain lawful permanent residency, any past fraud or misrepresentation renders the individual inadmissible and ineligible to legalize status unless they are granted a fraud…
Payroll debit cards: What employees should know
Q: EVERY pay period, I receive a check from my employer for my wages. Recently, there is news at work that our company will be requiring employees to receive our…
Do you dream of having a debt-free life?
A DEBT-free life is something that a lot of people aspire to have. And yet it is a known fact that sadly, many will never attain it because of their…
My Christmas box
IN both fiction and reportage, I’ve always made known that the winding down of autumn and ushering of winter put me in a heavy and philosophical mood. I’m thinking about…
The genealogy of Jesus Christ: A journey to amazing discoveries
THUS the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian Exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Christ, fourteen generation. …
Study: Screening for ovarian cancer could reduce related deaths
ABOUT one-fifth of ovarian cancer deaths could be prevented if women were given yearly blood tests that screened for the condition, a new study has found. The findings, published in…
US, Cuba reach deal to resume commercial flights
THE United States and Cuba reached an agreement to restore commercial flights between both countries for the first time in more than 50 years, the State Department announced Thursday, Dec….
Congress passes budget deal
Avoids shutdown in time for the holidays CONGRESS approved a $1.1 trillion year-end spending package on Friday, Dec. 18 that will fund federal agencies through next fall, avoiding a government…
A faultless chip of the old block that is Marion Aunor
Indubitably a “chip of the old block” and admittedly a spitting image of her mom, Lala Aunor, a former movie-TV popular teen personality of the early 70s and 80s, multi-faceted…
Obama visits families of San Bernardino shooting victims
Friend of shooters arrested and charged PRESIDENT Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle visited San Bernardino, California on Friday, Dec. 18, to meet privately with families of the victims of…
Union City middle school renamed in honor of Fil-Am labor leaders
A HISTORICAL moment for Filipino-Americans in the United States took place Friday, Dec. 18, when a middle school in Union City, California was officially renamed in honor of Fil-Am labor…
Filipina beauty queens ready and determined to win international titles
TWO Filipina beauties are ready to face the international audience and determined to win the respective titles they are vying for. First up is Pia Wurtzbach, who is the Philippine…
How a little sunshine helps our teeth
WHO doesn’t love a little sunshine? Not only does it feel fantastic, but it also has numerous health benefits. Sunshine improves our mood, our immune functions, and catalyzes vitamin D production in…
Some issues and pitfalls in pursuing US citizenship
(Part 1) FOR many people, attaining US citizenship is the final step in achieving their “American Dream.” After getting a green card, they eagerly count off the years until they…
Abandonment of US residence
JON and Kate own and operate a successful real estate business in California. In addition to owning a beautiful home, they had acquired several homes and apartment buildings which they…
Flu could be deadly
The influenza season is upon us once again. While flu is common and those afflicted usually recover uneventfully, this viral infection could be serious, or even fatal, for some people…