by Emmanuel S. Tipon, Esq.
“He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much.” Bessie Anderson Stanley.
During the wake of the late newspaperman Angelo Castro in California many years ago, another newspaperman who looked like Willie Jurado remarked: “I am older than Angelo but I am still alive.”
To which another newspaperman who looked like Prud Europa remarked: “Matagal mamatay ang masamang damo.” (A bad weed dies hard.)
Laughter followed.
Why am I writing about myself now?
I am 92 years old. I will be 93 on December 24, this year. Have I achieved success? Have I lived well, laughed often, and loved much?
If the measure of success is living well, laughing often, and loving much, I submit that I have been successful.
I believe that I have lived well. I was born in Laoag City, Philippines on December 24, 1932. I studied at the Central Elementary School. We lived in Magsingal, Ilocos Sur, my father’s birthplace, for most of the war years. The Japanese officers occupied our home in Laoag. We survived the Japanese occupation.
After the war, I enrolled at the Ilocos Norte High School where I graduated in 1949. I went to the College of Law of the University of the Philippines and earned a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1955. I placed third in the 1955 bar examinations which I did not expect and did not strive for.
I reviewed for the bar just taking it easy. While reviewing I would go to the movies often to relax. All I aimed for was to pass it. I might have done better if my handwriting was good. I write like a doctor writing a prescription.
I started my legal career by working as a legal assistant to the former Judge Guillermo B. Guevara at the Calvo Building in Escolta, Manila.
I went to Yale Law School without any intention of going. I accompanied a friend to the U.S. Embassy to apply for a Fulbright scholarship to go to law school. I did not apply right away. I was enjoying life. I had three girl friends in Manila, Tarlac, and Laoag.
“Just apply manong so you and I can go together”, my friend said. So I applied. I was accepted. My friend was not.
The key to my acceptance was probably my answer to the question: Why do you want to study in the U.S.? My answer was: To strengthen Philippine-American relations by using a similar legal system. After graduating, I will return to the Philippines, run for Congress, and introduce legislation patterned after American laws.
However, after returning to the Philippines, I was asked by a fraternity brod if I wanted to be the Chief Legal Counsel for an insurance company. I was interviewed by the owner of the Fieldmen’s Insurance Group and he hired me on the spot with a salary offer thrice what I was earning. It involved primarily defending the insurance companies from liability for fraudulent claims. We had a very high rate of success.
I joined Dole Philippines (the pineapple company) as Corporate Counsel. Juan Ponce Enrile, yes the man, was their former lawyer. He was appointed by Apo Ferdinand Marcos as Undersecretary of Finance and later Customs Commissioner.
I had to meet with him every Saturday at the Ponce Enrile law office for him to brief me on what ought to be done. The job entailed various corporate matters and obtaining the titles for the land occupied by the plantation.
I was asked by Brother Erano G. Manalo, my wedding sponsor, if I would like to be the lawyer of Provident Savings Bank. It was an offer I could not refuse even if the pay was much less.
One night while it was dark and dreary in 1971, I was reading an ad in an American magazine seeking editorial writers for Lawyers Co-operative Publishing Co. in Rochester, New York. I applied.
I was asked to write an article and to cite applicable cases. It was accepted and I was asked how much salary I wanted. I did not know how much but replied at least $1,000 a month (at P3.90 to $1 = P3,900). They replied that they would start me with $1,400 a month. Wow.
I was given a H-1 visa by the U.S. Embassy. I told my wife that I was going to the States because I had a job there. She was surprised. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier,” she asked. I wanted to be sure before telling you, I replied. I will just try it for one year and then come back.
After a few months, my employer told me that they liked my work and to find out how to extend my stay. I went to the U.S. Immigration Office and they told me to apply for adjustment of status. My employer asked me to tell my wife to come to the U.S. with our one-year old child, Patricia. My second child, Emmanuel (Noel) was born in Rochester.
After working for 10 years, I asked my employer if I could transfer to their sister company, Bancroft Whitney Publishing, in San Francisco. My employer agreed. I continued working for another 10 years and then retired.
I wanted to go back to the Philippines and resume practicing law there. One day, I saw retired Chief Justice Enrique M. Fernando (my former professor at U.P.) at the Manila Hotel and introduced myself.
He said he remembered me. I asked him if he could officiate at the opening of my law office and handed him my business card. “You are a “60 cents” (meaning a U.S. citizen)”, he exclaimed. “You cannot practice law here.”
“Why not, sir?” I asked. “You read the Cory Constitution,” he replied. Article XII, Sec. 14 provides: “The practice of all professions in the Philippines shall be limited to Filipino citizens, save in cases prescribed by law.”
So I came back to the United States. I joined the U.S. Department of Justice as an immigration officer in Southern California. Then I decided to resume practicing law in San Francisco before moving to Hawaii in 2004.
I continue to live here and practice law, helping immigrants and their relatives obtain U.S. citizenship, petition for their alien relatives and fiancees, and represent them in deportation (removal) proceedings. My beloved wife passed away in 2019.
I have written law books and legal articles, including “Immigration Law Service. 1st ed.,” an 8-volume practice guide for immigration officers and lawyers. I enjoy our radio show at KNDI radio in Honolulu, 1270 AM dial, every Thursday at 8:30 a.m. We talk about immigration, current events, and politics.
As for love, I have had a very enjoyable love life. At the moment I am going out with a 20-something. Prior to that I was dating nurses, teachers, Fulbright scholars, secretaries, and students.
I am ready to go at any time.
ATTY. EMMANUEL S. TIPON has a Master of Laws degree from Yale Law School and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines. His current practice focuses on immigration law and appellate criminal defense. He writes law books for the world’s largest law book publishing company and writes legal articles for newspapers. Atty. Tipon served as a U.S. Immigration Officer. He co-authored the best-seller “Immigration Law Service, 1st ed.,” an 8-volume practice guide for immigration officers and lawyers. Listen to him on KNDI radio in Honolulu, 1270 AM dial, every Thursday at 8:30 a.m. Atty. Tipon was born in Laoag City, Philippines. Cell Phone (808) 225-2645. E-Mail: filamlaw@yahoo.com.
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