Foot in mouth
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…
Maria Mabilangan Haley, Former Adviser of Presidents Bill Clinton and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
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…
High investment return? Think again!
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…
Can aging be delayed?
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…
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…
Brain youth
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…
So far, so good
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…
A step forward
THINGS seem to be looking up for PH-China relations — at least, in terms of trade and investment. President Aquino’s state visit to China seems to be yielding positive results…
Action speaks louder than words
To better respond to criminality and improve on implementing peace and order in the country, the government recently released a P1.75 billion modernization fund for the Philippine National Police (PNP). …
The tax consequences of debt settlement or consolidation
TOO many times, taxpayers receive a surprise letter from the IRS, and even the Franchise Tax Board, on taxes owed from a cancelled debt acquired through debt settlement or debt…
Aspirin: Anti-cancer? And other questions
Does aspirin protect us against cancer? Yes, according to clinical studies conducted on patients taking daily aspirin (Acetylsalicylic Acid) for conditions like arthritis, etc., or among heart patients taking aspirin…
Ordinary heroes
“THE world’s battlefields have been in the heart chiefly; more heroism has been displayed in the household and the closet, than on the most memorable battlefields in history.” – Heinry…
Water is life
ACCESS to water is a basic human need, a fundamental human right. But according to a 2006 United Nation’s Human Development Report, more than 1 billion people are denied clean…
Perspective
Despite reports that the number of unemployed nursing graduates in the Philippines continues to increase, many (including those who already have medical degrees, or are already practicing medicine in the…
Prosecutorial discretion + Prioritization = Hope
LAST week, the Obama Administration announced an (immigration) Prioritization Plan. Priority: enforcement of immigration laws against serious criminals who are a threat to our public safety, i.e. deporting them. Not a priority:…
Athletic Heart Syndrome
What is Athletic Heart Syndrome? This is a condition among athletes who show a constellation of physiologic adaptations in the body system, especially in the heart, in persons trained to…
The tourism challenge
AS an important weapon of the Philippines’ economic arsenal, tourism is becoming to be an industry built through the country’s natural and cultural environment, where the most negligible and innocent…
Bangkok Pills
What are Bangkok Pills? Bangkok Pills are a combination drug marketed for weight reduction which had gained notoriety a few years ago for the various serious complications reported attendant to…
A new challenge
AS an important weapon of the Philippines’ economic arsenal, tourism has become an industry built through the country’s natural and cultural environment. Tourism holds the assurance of increased employment and…
Knowing your rights to reimbursements during divorce
DIVORCE can be a bit complicated specially if there are community assets and debts involved. Generally, accumulations and earning after the date of separation is each spouse’s separate property. What…
Bad breath
A LOT of patients share your concern about bad breath. As a social embarrassment, it’s surely near the top of the list. Since mouthwashes won’t eliminate the problem, let us…
Poverty reduction
With the 2012 national budget set to be filed on December of 2011, the economic managers of the current administration recently expressed confidence that poverty incidence in the Philippines can…
Religion vs Right
“Some people just don’t understand what we are doing here. I think we can all work together to uphold artistic freedom and appreciation of art’s place in a democratic society.”…
Diabetes Warning
Worldwide, in the last few decades, victims of diabetes have increased more than twice, and expected to grow from its current 246 million to 380 million in 18 years, by…
Surviving an economic downward spiral
NOT everyone understands the implications of fiscal developments in an economy. What a simple citizen realizes (and cares more about) is when there’s not enough money to spend, and not…
Endings are beginnings
I ADMIT that there are days when I really just want to stop and quit. It’s a double whammy when your loved ones are not by your side, during your…
A first generation dilemma: Succession or conflict
LEE-CHUA, (1997) defined a successful family business as “one that has existed for at least 10 years, is still existing, and has made a name for itself in its field….
Waiver of Joint Petition to remove Conditional Permanent Residency on a marriage entered less than two years
THE Immigration Marriage Fraud Amendments of 1986 (IMFA) requires an alien obtaining a green card through a marriage less than two years old to come back at the end of…
Endless Possibilities
2010 posted a good year for the Philippines as its economy grew by 7.3 percent (the highest in 34 years) during the last quarter. Aside from the renewed investor confidence…