I HAD a chance to watch the movie Heneral Luna with my wife and family members and I was truly impressed with the crowd that it pulled. The lines at SM BF on Sukat Road were long and we couldn’t get seats for the mid-afternoon screening. We had to buy tickets for the next screening three hours…
THERE may only be three candidates who have officially declared that they are seeking the highest office in the Philippines, but as of press time, it may be (at least) a six-way fight for the position of vice president for the May 2016 Philippine Elections. The Liberal Party has found a co-pilot for Sec. Mar…
TURNING out to be an even more exciting race than the presidency in next year’s elections is the competition for the second most powerful seat in the country between some of the biggest names in Philippine politics. The vice president’s responsibilities are akin to that of the president’s. This highly coveted position, according to the…
Today, he seemed only slightly older than himself. In his heart, he doesn’t judge the pace of time, only its effect on others. He knows age does not come in strictly metered increments, it comes in waves. On some Thursdays he is younger than on the Mondays of those weeks. He is faster, stronger, wilder,…
THE average out-of-network ATM fee is now about the cost of a six-inch Subway sandwich or grande mocha cappuccino at Starbucks. In the last five years, the cost of withdrawing cash a local ATM has jumped 21 percent to a record $4.52 per transaction, according to a survey from data provider Bankrate Inc. Atlanta and…
CALIFORNIA Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday, Oct. 5, signed landmark legislation that allows physicians to prescribe lethal doses of drugs to terminally ill patients wishing to end their lives. His signature comes about three weeks after the measure cleared the state Legislature and will make California the fifth state where aid in dying is legal….
IN an interview with the Spanish network Telemundo, Democratic White House contender Hillary Clinton accused the Obama administration of breaking up families through an “aggressive” deportation policy, calling current immigration policies too “harsh.” Her comments echoed long-running complaints of the immigration advocates, who argue that President Obama’s immigration programs are “overly harsh,” said the Wall…
MANNY Pacquiao is set on proving he’s more than just a king in the boxing ring. The 36-year-old Philippine boxing hero announced his plans to run for the Philippine Senate on Monday, October 5. “Yes, I’m going to run for a Senate post this coming 2016 election,” said the fighter, who was elected congressman in…
FERDINAND “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., the son of late former president Ferdinand Marcos, and Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, have joined the pool of Philippine vice presidential contenders for the 2016 presidential election. Marcos, Jr., on Monday, Oct. 5, declared his bid for the position without attaching himself to a presidential candidate. Robredo, on Monday, formally…
SANTA ANITA—Makeup lovers rejoice: NYX Cosmetics opened its first-ever flagship retail store at the Westfield Santa Anita on Friday, Oct. 2. The vibrantly designed and high-tech store features over 2,000 products on its walls to satisfy the aesthetic needs of the new generation of makeup lovers. From foundations, lipsticks, eyebrow tools, nail polishes and more,…
AFTER Senator Grace Poe formally announced her intent to run for president, The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast “Balitang America” asked its viewers: If the Philippine Presidential Elections were to happen today, who would you vote for president? Sec. Mar Roxas topped the online poll with 56 percent;  Sen. Grace Poe placed second with 29 percent…
MANY parents believe that if you are a working parent, then the other non-working parent will get physical custody of the minor children automatically. This is a misperception of the law and simplifies the law too much that it trivializes it. There are many more issues that a court must look at in determining which…
SOMETIMES debtors cannot decide whether they should seek debt relief through Chapter 7 wipe out of all dischargeable debts or personal reorganization through Chapter 13, or business reorganization though Chapter 11. All of these methods get rid of unwanted and burdensome debt while allowing debtors to keep most if not all of their assets. Thus,…
Granting medical leave may not be enough LAURALYN Swanson is a highly accomplished elementary school teacher with over 30 years’ experience teaching kindergarten through sixth grade. She has a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, and holds several teaching credentials and certifications. In August 2006, the Morongo Unified School District (School District) hired Swanson as…
THE Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA, an agency that oversees the IRS) instructed the IRS to expand audits to prior and subsequent years. This means that if IRS audits your income tax return for 2013, they must expand the audit to your 2012 and 2014 as well. Ouch! The Treasury Department conducted its…
IF you are struggling with debt problems and are starting to feel hopeless about your situation because you are not getting anywhere in spite of your efforts, at what point do you consider filing bankruptcy as an option? Bankruptcy scares a lot of people and that’s understandable because everything they’ve heard about it from friends,…
PHILADELPHIA – From the moment that his plane, Shepherd One, landed, everyone was rewarded  with a perfect, early autumn day. He came to America as planned. He said “Greetings, to you” and “God Bless America!” beautifully. He mesmerized Washington, reigned over the Big Apple and rocked the Madison Square Garden. He thrilled Philadelphia with messages and great…
AN elderly Mexican woman developed a deep devotion to St. Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila. She would pray before the statue of the Filipino saint every time that she visited her church to ask for his intercession, especially for the safety of her son. One day she learned that the police arrested her son and put…
THE Philippines on Thursday, Oct. 1, conditionally pledged to slash its carbon emissions by 70 percent by 2030, contingent on assistance it receives from the international community. In the Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) it submitted Thursday to the United Nations (UN), the Philippines said it would also commit to adaptation measures to help citizens…
WITH only hours to spare before the end of the fiscal year, Congress approved a temporary funding measure aimed to keep the government open past the midnight deadline on Wednesday, Sept. 29. The bill was later signed by President Barack Obama. The stopgap bill will extend funding for federal agencies. The 78-20 Senate vote showed…
Reports of lower water conservation statewide ON the first day of October, water conservation figures for California were released by the State Water Resources Control Board. Impelled by severe drought conditions, residents have been seriously saving water in the last few months of summer. Californians cut water use by 27 percent in August, according to…
LOS ANGELES – Since the implementation of the city’s MyHealthLA program last year, more than 130,000 Angelenos previously excluded from health care are now receiving coverage. But the latest report from LA County health services shows that only 1,281 Filipinos – less than 1 percent – are benefiting from the program. In front of the…
There are well-rounded professionals who are qualified experts, duly certified, highly skilled, and rigidly trained, but what pale them in comparison with the achievers are the achievements of the latter. These are the ones who, aside from attaining high education and having landed profitable jobs, are altruistically involved in their community while finding opportunities for…
UNDER US immigration laws, if a non-citizen commits and/or is later convicted of certain types of crimes that person could be removed/deported. This is the case even if a person has been a green card holder for many years or later had the conviction expunged. I have encountered people charged with crimes who either handled…
LOS ANGELES – Since the implementation of the city’s MyHealthLA program last year, more than 130,000 Angelenos previously excluded from health care are now receiving coverage. But the latest report from LA County health services shows that only 1,281 Filipinos – less than 1 percent – are benefiting from the program. In front of the…
California is offering partial financial amnesty for some drivers with unpaid traffic tickets under a limited state amnesty program. Announced this week, the program — authorized by Senate Bill 85, and promoted by CA Governor Jerry Brown’s administration — will allow motorists with outstanding tickets to pay them off at a reduced amount.  The…
IN the year 1973, Rizal Governor Adelina Rodriguez sponsored the first Green Revolution Trade and Exposition Industrial Fair in Pasig. It was highlighted by the nationwide search for candidates for the Miss Green Revolution beauty pageant, which yours truly was the chairman. The winner of that prestigious beauty and talent competition was none other than…
IT all started with eggs. Growing up as a latchkey kid, Alvin Cailan’s father taught him how to cook eggs when he was tall enough to reach the stove. Who would have thought that years down the road and experiences at fine-dining restaurants under his belt, he would circle back to what he first learned…
AS the election season in the Philippines heats up, we see possible tandems forming among those seeking the highest posts of government. Anticipation and excitement are growing, and Fil-Ams are very much in the loop about the political developments in the Motherland. As of press time, Sec. Mar Roxas still awaits Cong. Leni Robredo to…
TOURISM is a dynamic and complex industry, where apart from leisure, the success of any tourism destination will depend on how well it can provide a safe and secure environment for its visitors. Currently on the upswing, the Philippine tourism’s momentum as being one of the leading tourist attractions in Asia might be halted following…
