Changing separate property to community property for estate planning purposes, and its consequences upon divorce

SPOUSES during both before and during marriage may agree to change the character of any of their property—from separate property to community property, from community property to separate property, and from separate property of one spouse to separate property of the other. When spouses agree to change the character of property, it is commonly referred…

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Teeth tips for teens

I WOULD like to share with you teeth tips for teens from the Academy of General Dentistry. 1. Limit soda drinking. Whether at school, home or on the weekends, teens are drinking more soda that they have in the past. In 1977, 12- to 19-year-olds drank 16 ounces of soda a day. In 1996, this…

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Home care

YOUR personal home care plays an important role in maintaining healthy smile. Your personal home care starts by eating balanced meals, reducing the number of snacks you eat, and correctly using the various dental aids that help control the plaque and bacteria that cause dental disease. Tooth brushing. Brush your teeth at least twice a…

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What are porcelain veneers?

Porcelain veneers are ultra-thin shells of ceramic material, which are bonded to the front of teeth. They can be the ideal choice for improving the appearance of the front teeth. Porcelain veneers are placed to mask discolorations, to brighten teeth, and to improve a smile. Highly resistant to permanent staining from coffee, tea, or even…

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Drugs affect your dental health and your dental treatment

You may not have considered the impact prescription medications and even over-the-counter drugs can have on your oral health, and on the dental treatment you receive. Informing us about your medication history and what drugs you are currently taking is essential because of dental health effects, potential side effects and possible interactions with drugs the…

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New white fillings replace silver for a natural look

Today’sdental patient demands a better look in addition to healthy teeth. Thanks to advances in technology, today’s dentists are better equipped that ever to meet the public’s high expectations. An area which has shown great advancement with direct results for patients who seek a more natural looking smile is that of composites or natural tooth…

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The waiting game

NORMA Sotio has every reason to grieve. Her husband, Gaudencio Sotio died on January 2010 without realizing a long-term dream – the promised monetary recognition made by the US government in February last year to Filipino WWII vets for their service and sacrifice. A lump sum of $9,000 or $15,000 will be paid to Filvets…

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Validation

Finally, Filipinos will appear as a separate race category in the US 2010 national census. On November 28, during a partnership program between The National Federation of Filipino American Associations and the US Bureau of Census, it was announced that Filipinos in the United States have been generically labeled as “Asians” in the past. Indeed,…

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Déjà vu

IT’S a chapter in history that Filipinos would rather forget. The Philippines’ first experience of martial law came during President Jose P. Laurel’s term, under Proclamation No. 29, dated September 21, 1944 which became effective the next day. Proclamation No. 30 was issued the following day, declaring the existence of a state of war between…

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Christmas offering

FOR most Filipinos who have been away from home, the season brings loneliness, wanting to be with their families and friends, and missing the traditional Pinoy Pasko – the masses at dawn, the bibingka and puto bumbong, the festive Noche Buena and the constant echoes of songs by the carolers. This year, the Asian Journal Foundation and the first-ever Filipino-American Symphony Orchestra…

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It’s always the thought that counts

With the faltering economy and cash-strapped consumers, most are now wondering if the spirit of gift-giving will still be alive this holiday season. In fact, kids will probably be a little disappointed to find that ‘Santa’ didn’t give them the latest favorite (and expensive) toy under the tree. In a report by the New York Times,…

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Silver lining

ACCORDING to the New York-based think tank, Global Source, resilient remittances and post-typhoon rebuilding efforts are sustaining the momentum for a rosier economy for the Philippines. The report also stated that the two leading presidential candidates, (based on the latest popularity polls) Sen. Noynoy Aquino and Sen. Manny Villar are both capable of managing the…

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Priorities

EVERYONE wants to get a piece of the action when Manny Pacquiao, RP’s pound-for-pound king goes into the ring with Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto on November 15. Therefore, it’s not surprising to know that Philippine House Speaker Prospero Nograles and his cohorts are going on a side trip to the WBO welterweight match after their…

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Relieved

LAST week, a certain blogger started a firestorm, reporting that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has been allegedly hoarding imported relief goods. To pacify the picketing mob of militant urban poor and labor leaders, Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral explained that “the distribution of relief goods to typhoon victims is done upon…

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Small victory

THE much-awaited $5.5 million funding from US Millennium Challenge Corp. (MCC) was fi nally bestowed to the Philippines, MCC’s “model partner.” The memorandum of understanding between the Philippines and the US was signed on Friday by Ambassador Willy Gaa and MCC acting VP Darius Teter. The funds will be utilized to complete benefi t analyses,…

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Walking on water

THE aftermath of twin typhoons, Ondoy and Pepeng left the Philippines devastated, with hundreds of people dead and others, still missing. Millions of pesos have been spent for damages and most areas in Luzon will never be the same again. According to Finance Secretary Margarito B. Teves, damage caused by the storms may shave percentage…

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In pursuit of truth

CORRUPTION seems to be a fi xture in the headlines these days, and the numbers are increasing. Last February, the World Bank released a study that rated the Philippines as one of the worst among East Asia’s leading economies. It also placed the country at the bottom of the list of East Asia’s 10 largest…

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To ‘Protect and Serve’

TWO weeks ago, the Ombudsman cleared the Arroyos from any involvement with the $329-million NBN-ZTE contract, dismissing the evidence as “weak” and giving merit to Mike Arroyo’s counter-affidavit which states that complaints filed against him were fabricated. The first gentleman was earlier charged “with violation of the anti-graft law for allegedly brokering the National Broadband…

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On debt row

IT is not surprising to hear that the Philippines is in serious debt. During the post-Marcos era, it became very evident how the nation’s fi nances were mismanaged by the previous regime, and Filipinos felt the brunt. We, of course, tried to be hopeful – we all prayed that future leaders of our nation would…

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Horror Roll

THE Arroyos seem to be on a roll these days — in the hall of shame, that is. First were the lavish dinners in Le Cirque in New York and Bobby Van’s Steakhouse in Washington, DC which created quite a stir among their detractors, especially since the cost of dinners could’ve fed 180,000 hungry and…

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Last call

“THE vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men.” – Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson WITH only a few more days to go before the deadline to register for Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV), we would…

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A hard-earned right

ACCORDING to an announcement made by the Department of Foreign Affairs, only 159,100 newabsentee voters have registered for the past six months for the Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) registration which ends on August 31. That’s roughly about only 16 percent of the expected one million registrants overseas. Lawmakers have fi led a resolution that extends…

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Lessons from Tita Cory

“I don’t have any formula for ousting a dictator or building democracy. All I can suggest is to forget about yourself and just think of your people. It’s always the people who make things happen.” – Corazon C. Aquino (1933-2009) The whole nation mourns the loss of an irreplaceable and most beloved leader. No words…

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Old ties, new opportunities

THE much-anticipated historic meeting between President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and US President Barack Obama fi nally took place on July 30. Arroyo is the fi rst Southeast Asian leader to visit the White House since Obama was elected as president in November of last year. The ties between the two countries go a long way back…

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Healthcare for all: Boon or bane?

ALONG with food, shelter and education, healthcare is imperative for anyone. However, the cost of healthcare in the United States has risen dramatically. For the past two decades or so, more and more people have been left without quality healthcare. President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform aims to cover between 94 to 97 percent of the…

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Speak no evil

PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is all set to deliver her State of the Nation Address on July 27. Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. alleges that the Chief Executive will use this opportunity “to convene a constituent assembly and introduce amendments to the Constitution,” says Philstar.com. Senators Francis Pangilinan, Panfilo Lacson, Aquilino Pimentel Jr., and Mar Roxas…

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A moment to exhale

WHILE pundits are busy pummeling President Obama with criticisms and shaking their heads in dismay over his actions on Guantanamo, General Motors, the health care system and Iran’s civil unrest, the President makes himself even more vulnerable to flagellation by admitting a nasty habit – smoking. Pres. Obama ruefully admitted his fight with the big…

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Vindicated, at last

AFTER more than 60 years of struggle, the few surviving Filipino WWII veterans are fi nally in the process of claiming their well-deserved benefits. When the Philippines was a US commonwealth, President Roosevelt conscripted members of the Philippine Army into the US military to fi ght Japan. By the end of the war, as many…

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