Unexplained muscle pains

What is myalgia? Myalgia means muscle aches and pains. There is a condition called Fibromyalgia, which is a disorder that causes achy pain, tenderness, spasm, and stiffness of the muscle, areas of the tendons and ligaments. These tender points are common around the neck and shoulders, in the front of the knees, elbow, hip joints,…

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Corona-novela

FOR most Filipinos, telenovelas have proven more affective to regular households than the evening news. The recognition and relevance that the audience accords to the narratives from the characters they follow reveal a meaningful social, cultural and even political function that can be attributed to telenovelas. Analogous to a telenovela, the historic impeachment of Supreme…

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Of sin taxes, bishops and guns

THE guys at my favorite watering hole in Daly City are, as usual, confused about the state of affairs in the Philippines. And, as usual, they turn to me for enlightenment. I oblige, of course, knowing that in the land of the blind, the one-eyed is king. Take the Sin Tax, hailed by President Noynoy…

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2012 tax season starts January 17, ends April 17

INCOME taxes. For the lower income earner, it is a welcome relief as the government bestows tax credits and benefits. But for the medium to higher income earner, it’s usually dreadful experience as the idea of paying taxes creeps through their pockets and senses.  Whether we like it or not, we have to file our…

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Small steps for bigger goals

TAKE small steps at a time. This has been a recurrent advice that we hear from people and read from magazines as we make our New Year’s resolutions. We can’t hurry success or achievement in any endeavor whether it is exercise, diet, studies, work. We’ll have to take everything in stride. If you’re like me,…

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A ‘more fun’ strategy

ON January 6, the much-awaited and much-anticipated new tourism campaign was launched by the Department of Tourism (spearheaded by DOT Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr.) to dispel the nation’s disappointment over the previous (and now debunked) “Pilipinas Kay Ganda” campaign. “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” is the  final product, born out of convoluted pitches  and…

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An insult to our physicians

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has shown vicious contempt and grave disrespect for the Filipino physicians and the healthcare in the Philippines when she and her husband decided the quality of medical care in the Philippines was not good enough for her, the implied reason why they were attempting to go abroad for treatment. Apparently, they feel…

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Swimming and … staining?

When we notice someone with discolored teeth,  we usually assume it’s due to smoking, a  high consumption of staining foods and drinks, or some other common reason.  There’s another cause of stained teeth that doesn’t usually come to mind, though: swimmer’s calculus. Swimmer’s calculus is defined as being hard, brown, tartar deposits that appear predominantly…

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Testament of faith

TO commemorate the Feast of the Black Nazarene Monday, Jan. 9, some brave volunteers tried to secure the image of the Black Nazarene throughout the procession, while seven million maroon-clad devotees braved the streets of Manila hoping to touch, kiss or simply see the centuries-old image of Christ. Housed at Quiapo Church in Manila, the…

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IRS warns public of tax preparer fraud

MORE and more taxpayers have been receiving it from the IRS….. the audit letter asking to substantiate tax deductible expenses claimed in a prior tax year. In fact, some taxpayers have been or will be receiving it for two to five consecutive years once their credibility with the IRS has been tarnished. There have been…

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Permanent residency and divorce

WITH the New Year comes the opportunity to reflect on our lives and to set goals for ourselves during 2012. Many of these goals will revolve around health, work, and family. It is also the perfect time to set a goal to seek answers and resolutions to immigration problems. One problem that is common and…

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On taking on this journey of 2013

THE holidays are over and now we’re back to our normal routines. Like many of you, I think of the activities and the events that will unfold before me as I take the journey of 2013, some of them are set while the rest are still unknown. What is set is that I continue to…

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Safety (and security) first

The New Year is  a usual time for Filipinos abroad to visit their loved ones in the Philippines. But for most Pinoys in the Middle East, it was an involuntary homecoming due to political turmoil that has been going on in the oil-rich countries. Giving utmost priority to the safety of our kababayans abroad, local…

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Health capsules for 2012

Veggies protect the stomach Those taking NSAID drugs like ibuprofen, and other anti-arthritis pain medications regularly can be victims of stomach irritation which could result in ulcers and bleeding complication. To prevent stomach ulceration, ingesting 8 to 10 ounces of vegetables a day can work wonders by protecting the stomach wall lining, according to a…

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A fresh start

“LEARN from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.”- Albert Einstein Forget the past and start anew.  This is perhaps a trend now as the world economy begins a new year. In his speech before year 2011 ended last week, Obama expressed his confidence for an economic comeback for the United States. Reflecting on a…

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Using caution with student loans

GOING to college is a good thing as it can open greater opportunities for employment and has the potential to transform someone to higher level of success. There are various ways to finance a college education, one of which, and maybe the most popular means, is by obtaining student loans. It might seem overwhelming as…

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Obtaining bond in immigration custody

AT LEAST once a week, someone comes into my office panicking because their spouse or other relative has been picked up and detained by immigration authorities. The relative was arrested and placed in one of the county jails where Immigration and Customs Enforcement detains those with immigration violations. This can happen in many different ways….

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The visit: The gift

MY best Christmas gift this year was not another gadget or a nice polo shirt or a sweater. It was not a gift card or a ticket to a concert. It was something different. It was a surprise visit from someone I knew a long time ago, when I was a young associate pastor. The…

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Foods to avoid

Poorly cooked pork/seafood Unlike beef which could be eaten rare or medium, pork is safe only when fully cooked, especially in barbeque. Improperly cooked pork could lead to a micro worm infestation called trichinosis, where the tiny roundworms enter the muscles, even in the eyelids, the heart, etc. and pose a danger not only to…

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A period of reflection and determination

NO MATTER how good our intentions are in helping others, we will often find ourselves misunderstood, mistreated or misjudged by some people. I have found this true in my twenty years of ministry as priest and as someone who has been involved in works of charity. For example, some people would throw hurtful and harmful…

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Tax cuts program extended

THE Bush-Era Tax Cuts was set to expire on December 31, 2011 and one of those that would have been greatly impacted is the Child Tax Credit (CTC), one of the most popular tax credits for families and children. Had the Obama administration not extended the Bush-Era Tax cuts for another year, the CTC would…

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Christmas ailments

Is there an illness called Christmas Disease? Yes, there is, but it has nothing to do with the Christmas season. Christmas Disease is a blood disease, also known as Hemophilia B or factor IX hemophilia. It is a hereditary bleeding disorder due to deficiency in coagulation factor IX. This condition is X-linked recessive inheritance, affecting…

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Season of giving

DURING this holiday season, we are bombarded with advertisements about the latest and greatest deals on how we can celebrate Christmas with awesome gifts and welcome New Year with a bang. It is easy to get caught up in the hoopla of purchasing that perfect something, or scoring a sweet deal on the hottest items…

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Tidings of (dis)comfort

IT’S the season of gift-giving. And President Benigno Aquino III (PNoy) wasted no time looking for the perfect gift for his nemesis, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA) – a suite befitting of a former president, in jail. Now, only a few weeks after GMA’s arrest and before Christmas, PNoy and his constituents in Congress have…

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2012 Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)

DESIGNED to supplement the wages or earned income through self-employment of working families, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) benefits taxpayers who are either low or moderate income earners by providing generous tax credits. It is believed to have helped alleviate poverty for around 6.5 million families, affecting 15 million children every year. As part…

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Anacleto ‘Lito’ Alcantara, Multi-awarded Founder and CEO of One of America’s Top Construction Companies

ONE of America’s top construction companies is Hawaii-based Group Builders, Inc., founded and owned by Filipino-American Anacleto “Lito” Alcantara. Group Builders Inc. ranked 186 among the Top 600 Specialty Contractors in the US(2007). It has consistently been in Hawaii’s Top 250 Largest Companies since 1998, presented by Hawaii Business; the First Filipino Company included in…

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The Good News within

THE Good News is within us – within our minds and hearts. It’s the change that is happening within our lives, in the way we think about or perceive our everyday experiences and challenges. It’s the new way we feel towards others and about our selves. The Good news is our awakened hearts, our enlightened…

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Race for the numbers

Since Benigno Aquino III assumed the position of president, he made his intentions very clear of weeding out officials who did the country wrong during their terms. The aggressiveness of the current administration in going after those who have allegedly betrayed the public trust, was seen in the recent hospital arrest of Former President Gloria…

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