WHEN someone dies without a Living Trust, the decedent’s estate is subject to a probate. Probate simply means “to prove the will”. The process is designed to prove that the decedent actually had died and that the will presented for “proving” is actually the valid will. Today, it probably is best to describe probate as…
I LIKE how a fellow-priest interpreted the Parable of the Wedding Banquet of this Sunday’s Gospel. Initially, he didn’t find anything worst about the people who refused the king’s invitation to come to his son’s wedding banquet. In fact he found them to be good people: they took care of their families, worked hard to…
THE furor over the assertion of US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas that 40% of male foreign visitors are sex tourists reminds me of the newspaper headline that declared, “50% of the people in Congress are crooks.” Expectedly, the honorable solons reacted violently to that dishonorable accusation and demanded a retraction. The newspaper, forthwith,…
THE Pinoys’ plight to travel towards the “straight path” might serve them well in the long run, according to a recent study made by a Singapore-based financial service group. In its research entitled Asia 2020, the Development Bank of Singapore (DBS) said that the Aquino government’s campaign on curbing corruption could mean more foreign direct investments for the country as it…
This is one request every physician dreads to hear from a patient. No matter how hopelessly ill a person may be, even one dying from terminal cancer which has spread all over the body causing unabated pain and suffering, such a plea for mercy and final relief for the physician to prescribe higher dosage of…
WHILE a number of studies already link poor oral health to compromised overall health, recently published research also suggests a possible correlation between gum disease and the risk of respiratory infections, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia. These serious infections can be instigated when bacteria from the upper throat are inhaled into the…
US AMBASSADOR to the Philippines Harry Thomas, Jr. may have exaggerated in his statement, but that doesn’t mean the problem of sexual tourism in the country does not exist. In a text message sent to Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario the US envoy said: “I am sending you a response expressing regret for my…
“ALMOST everything–all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are…
Society has certainly changed a lot since Fil-Am Peter Jamero was growing up. Today, Filipino-Americans aren’t pigeonholed into a certain profession — they are able to date whomever they like and have more opportunities to succeed in general. But for Jamero, a child of one of the first Filipino pioneers, the manongs that were recruited…
TOO many times, I encounter relatives or friends going through the dilemma of not being able to handle an elderly relative’s financial, legal, and medical affairs after such relative becomes incompetent or disabled. Often understated and unrealized is the paramount importance of a Power of Attorney. Most people recognize the need for it when it…
The debate on whether or not amendments should be made in the constitution has been similar to an endless dance of Cha-cha; wherein government officials keep dancing to and fro without really going anywhere. This time, however, the lawmakers seemed to be getting pretty tired from all the dancing. A majority of the members of…
An action for dissolution of marriage often involves the division of community property. Typically, this involves property that is in the control and possession of either spouse. However, community property is often in the control of a third party not involved in the divorce proceeding. This scenario commonly occurs when one of the spouses has…
There are many myths floating around concerning various subjects. Some of them are about what NOT to do after a meal. These were emailed to me by a friend for scientific verification. Myths are obviously the fruit of partial or total ignorance, and speculations, handed down from generation to generation. While many of them are…
IN A University of Minnesota news feature, Professor Lawrence Que Jr. was referred to as “Iron Man” when he was awarded the prestigious Inorganic Mechanisms 2011 Award in May of this year from the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) for his contributions to the mechanistic understanding of dioxygen activation, by nonheme iron enzymes. The Royal…
FOR quite a few taxpayers who have deferred on filing their 2010 income tax returns, the deadline is just by the corner. The most prudent action would be to file your income tax return before the October 17th deadline to avoid additional penalties and interest owed. Remember, your tax payments would have been due on…
“THE Filipino, it seems, has lost his soul, his dignity, and his courage. We have come upon a phase of our history when ideals are only a veneer for greed and power, (in public and private affairs) when devotion to duty and dedication to a public trust are to be weighted at all times against…
FILIPINO comic book artist Alex Niño doesn’t get the credit most of his peers receive. When you think of the Filipino pioneers that entered the US comic industry in the 1970s, you’d automatically think of Tony DeZuniga (the creator of Jonah Hex), Nestor Redondo (an illustrator for Swamp Thing and Tarzan) or the late Alfredo…
THE fact that a lot of existing Living Trusts are not properly funded is a scare to behold. Once your Living Trust was drafted and finalized, you think your assets and loved ones are safe and protected from the dreadful process of probate. Absolutely not at this point! Not until you have funded the trust….
The Philippine coconut industry and the Aquino administration has all reasons to be thrilled with the big time companies in the United States recently expressing their willingness to invest in the Philippines. In a statement, head of the Presidential Communications and Strategic Planning Office, Ricky Carandang, told the press that President Aquino was “excited” that …
WITH 85% approval for his performance in the past three months, Vice President Jejomar Binay is enjoying the highest approval and trust ratings (85 percent approval rating and 86 percent trust rating) anew among key government officials in the latest Pulse Asia Survey. The country’s chief executive, President Benigno Aquino III, received 77% approval and…
To take the risk of possible death from surgery that is necessary to save life or to maintain or restore health makes intelligent sense. But to die from an elective cosmetic procedure performed for vanity, or for whatever reason, is obviously reckless and foolhardy. In medicine, one death out of 100,000-300,000 surgeries, or at most,…
While we endeavor to help our patients avoid tooth problems, the reality is that by the time many people get to the dentist, they are already experiencing symptoms of dental distress. Many common dental complaints – both physical and cosmetic – can be traced back to enamel damage. Tooth enamel is the hard, outer layer…
WITH 85% approval for his performance in the past three months, Vice President Jejomar Binay is enjoying the highest approval and trust ratings (85 percent approval rating and 86 percent trust rating) anew among key government officials in the latest Pulse Asia Survey. The country’s chief executive, President Benigno Aquino III, received 77% approval and…
IT’S WHAT an idiom would refer to as a “foot-in-mouth” situation. WikiLeaks consecutive release of secret diplomatic cables between the US Embassy and Washington (from 2006-2010) regarding the Philippine affairs may have soured PH-US relations significantly. The latest release revealed former US Ambassador Kristie Kenney’s opinions about the Philippines’ efforts in combating the Communist Party…
ON SEPTEMBER 13, America and the Philippines lost one of its most outstanding leaders – Maria Mabilangan Haley, who died from brain aneurysm. The highest-ranking and most influential Filipino-American official during the Clinton administration, Maria Haley received the highest tributes from top US officials, praising her for an outstanding and inspiring life and admirable work….
LAST week, Ana (not her real name), approached me regarding her situation. She has “loaned or invested” $182,000 to someone who is now missing with the lure of extremely high investment return. So many times I have been personally offered these sales pitches myself. My simple and easy answer, “If it sounds too good to…
Why do we age? Just like machines and engines, our body ages because of the cumulative damages to our cells, tissues and organs (resulting from daily “wear and tear” and the self-abuse humans are well known for) that exceed our body’s ability to repair them. These damages lead to obvious signs of aging: sags, bulges…
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…
One of the powerful attributes that we admire (or even marvel at) among many elderly, age 80, 90, and older, is the “youthfulness” of their mind. Unfortunately, not every one of them is gifted with senior brain power or brain youth when they reach 70 or older, and some have significant physiological “cerebral handicaps” even…
FRESH from his first state visit to People’s Republic of China, President Benigno Aquino III is set to embark on two more state visits this month. The outcome of Aquino’s China trip has exceeded expectations. The President’s first state visit to the People’s Republic of China was a success, bringing home billions worth of investment…
