Weekend Balita December 26, 2015

/26 $1*(/(6

+RZ WR VXVWDLQ \RXU PDUULDJH DFFRUGLQJ WR *HOOL GH %HOHQ See ENTERTAINMENT, page 17

VOL. XXIII, NO. 47

LOS ANGELES

Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

THE LEADING SOURCE OF NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR FILIPINO-AMERICANS

PHL military spends nearly $2-B for new arms Manila, Philippines | AFP | Monday 12/21/2015 – Philippine President Benigno Aquino promised Monday that 83.9 billion pesos ($1.77 billion) allocated for military modernization projects would be spent by 2017 as the country faces a territorial dispute with China.

Speaking at a ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of the armed forces, Aquino said his administration had already spent 56.79 billion pesos of the total scheduled for full disbursement by 2017 on “big-ticket� modernization programs.

This was more than the sum spent by the three previous administrations, said Aquino, who took ofĂ€ce in 2010 and leaves ofĂ€ce next year, as he bemoaned the lack of proper equipment that had long hampered the military. “Back then, because of lack of equipment, there was a soldier in a sensitive operation carrying a purple backpack from a fast food chain. I just don’t think a purple backpack is suited for an operation in the jungle,â€? he told assembled soldiers.

The president cited the new equipment purchased in recent years See MILITARY, page 8

3UHVLGHQW %HQLJQR 6 $TXLQR ,,, GHOLYHUV KLV PHVVDJH GXULQJ WKH WK IRXQGLQJ DQQLYHUVDU\ RI $UPHG )RUFHV RI WKH 3KLOLSSLQHV $)3 RQ 0RQGD\ 'HF DW &ODUN $LU %DVH LQ 3DPSDQJD $OVR LQ SKRWR LV 1DWLRQDO 'HIHQVH 6HFUHWDU\ 9ROWDLUH *D]PLQ 016 SKRWR

Don’t inconvenience 3LD :XUW]EDFKÂśV PHVVDJH WR 0LVV &RORPELD Christmas travelers, Âľ,ÂśP YHU\ VRUU\ , ZLVK KHU ZHOOÂś MANILA, Dec 21 (Mabuhay) – pines,â€? he added as the music began transport execs told MANILA, Dec 19 (Mabuhay) – With the expected surge in the number of travelers this Christmas season, Senator Ferdinand “Bongbongâ€? Marcos Jr. has urged Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and airport ofĂ€cials to hire more personnel to assist passengers especially those at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia). “Passengers have to contend with the monstrous trafĂ€c going in and out of our airports in the Naia and they certainly don’t deserve this. That is why our airport ofĂ€cials need to make sure they don’t suffer more inconvenience anymore when they step into See TRAVELERS page 8

Miss Philippines was named Miss Universe Sunday in a drama-Ă€lled turn worthy of a telenovela.

The pageant’s host, comedian Steve Harvey, misread his cue card and initially announced Miss Colombia, Ariadna Gutierrez, as the winner.

She was brieĂ y, very Ă eetingly, crowned in Las Vegas and started the customary smiling and waving.

But not for long. As she blew kisses at an adoring and ecstatic crowd, Harvey awkwardly delivered a shocker. “OK folks, I have to apologize. The Ă€rst runner up is Colombia.â€? “Miss Universe 2015 is Philip-

anew, with the Colombian contestant left like a deer in headlights and the actual winner, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, looking stunned and mouthing “What?�

And all on live television with millions watching from Manila to Manchester. “Listen folks, let me just take control of this,� Harvey stammered as a perplexed audience held its breath, cheers mixing with boos. “This is exactly what’s on the card.

I will take responsibility for this. It was my mistake, it was on the card,� he said. “It was my mistake, still a great See VERY SORRY, page 8

9LJLO KHOG IRU PHQWDOO\ ,OO )LO $P VKRW GHDG E\ /RQJ %HDFK SROLFH %\ 1LPID 8 5XHGD

LOS ANGELES – Less than a week before Christmas, Khanly and Ana Saycon prayed and lit candles Saturday night (Sunday in Manila) in the parking lot of an arcade in Long Beach where their son was shot dead by the Long Beach police a few days earlier.

Mharloun Saycon, a 39-year-old Carson resident who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, was fatally shot while sitting down inside the Looff’s Casino Game of Skill in Long Beach Monday night.

Police said he was wielding a knife See FIL-AM SHOT, page 8

0LVV 3KLOLSSLQHV 3LD $ORQ]R :XUW]EDFK ULJKW UHDFWV DV VKH LV FURZQHG WKH 0LVV 8QLYHUVH DIWHU D JDႇ E\ WKH HPFHH 6WHYH +DUYH\ DQQRXQFLQJ 0LVV &RORPELD $ULDGQD *XWLHUUH] OHIW

DV WKH ZLQQHU RQ 6XQGD\ 0RQGD\ 0DQLOD WLPH DW WKH 0LVV 8QLYHUVH 3DJHDQW LQ /DV 9HJDV 1HYDGD 016 SKRWR

2

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

Balita

Balita

Visit www.Balita.com

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

'LVFKDUJH GHEW ± UHHVWDEOLVK FUHGLW

Banks and credit card companies have told us how important it is to maintain our credit, honor our obligations, pay on time, but what if we suddenly can’t pay on time, then what? What if I lose my job, and can’t pay anyone right now, where does that put me? The answers may surprise you: Q: My wife recently lost her job.

My income goes to food and rent.

We haven’t paid our credit cards for two months, and have been sent to collection, and or get letters from attorneys who threaten to sue us.

What can we do?

A: That depends on how long you think it will take for your wife to Ànd a job, how much you owe, and whether your creditors sue you and garnish your wages. Generally speaking, if payments to your credit card debts are more than 30% of your take home pay, you are in trouble. In this case, you may want to consider bankruptcy as an option.

Q: Will Àling for bankruptcy ruin my credit forever?

A: No, in fact it might even make an instant improvement, particularly if you cannot pay your bills. If you cannot make ends meet, your debt to income ratio is too high. At that point your prospects of getting more credit is zero. A bankruptcy cures the debt to income problem, discharging debt and leaving income.

This gives you access to a number of credit card and other lenders who literally target people with bankruptcy discharges. See next question!

Q: Will anyone issue me with a credit card, when I have a bankruptcy on my report?

A: Yes, there are many creditors who specialize in doing business with bankruptcy debtors. They are usually secured creditors that offer auto Ànancing, mortgages and secured credit cards.

Their main motivation is money - they want to charge you a little extra, and there is no real risk involved. After bankruptcy, you cannot Àle again for eight years. You have no other debts, a good debt to income ratio, and can afford to service the new loan.

Q: How long does it take to get unsecured credit at the same cost as before my bankruptcy?

A: Anywhere between 30 days and six months. We checked out several programs available. Some offer secured visa cards. That is where the line of credit is secured by a savings deposit. Another program we looked in to, offers an unsecured line of credit of up to $5,000 to shop at their catalogue store. Generally, most department stores will reestablish your credit after six months to a year of good payment history with another bank. Mortgage lenders consider applicants based on Àco scores.

There are programs available, starting at about 560 Àco. Building your Àco score is not difÀcult, if planned methodically, and a secured credit card is a good way to start.

Bankruptcy Options Admittedly, most people filing bankruptcy, Àle under Chapter 7, (The real bankruptcy) that discharges all unsecured debt. However, there are people with problems that are best resolved through Chapter 13, the debt consolidation program.

Chapter 13 is used primarily by those who either have problems with secured debt, and want to keep the collateral, or perhaps, have plenty of assets, but no liquid cash, and want to avoid a creditor imposed liquidation.

Most Chapter 13’s are Àled by people who are late on their mortgage, and want to avoid losing their home through foreclosure and trust deed sale. Since the mortgage is a secured debt, you have only two choices, pay

the debt or give up the house, but there is help - since Chapter 13 lets you amortize the mortgage arrearages, and in most cases, discharge unsecured debt at the same time.

By discharging unsecured debt, your ability to service the mortgage is improved, and hopefully, you can stay in your home.

Sample questions on Chapter 13.

Q: Can I make lower house payments if I Àle a Chapter 13 repayment plan?

A: If you have a second mortgage, we might be able to strip that off the property. As far as the Àrst mortgage is concerned, you may also be eligible for one of several loan modiÀcation plans that we work with. If you are not eligible for a loan modiÀcation, you must make the regular scheduled payments. However, the delinquent portion can be spread out over three years at a nominal interest rate.

Q: What does a Chapter 13 do to my credit card debts?

A: That depends on your income level. For most people, their unsecured debt, like credit card debts would be wiped out. This in turn helps to pay the mortgage arrears.

Q: Can a Chapter 13 stop lenders repossessing my automobile?

A: Yes, it will stop the repossession, and your monthly payments can be lowered, based on the depreciated value of the automobile.

Q: Can a Chapter 13 help me with debts to the IRS or student loans?

A: A Chapter 13 can be very helpful with debts that are not dischargeable in a regular Chapter 7. These types of debts can only be discharged if they are past their respective statute of limitations. A chapter 13 will allow you to pay these debts over a period of time, and limit future interest accruing on the debt.

Q: What’s the main difference between Chapter 13 and Chapter 7?

A: Chapter 7 will discharge all unsecured debts, but does not resolve problems associated with arrears on secured debts. (Such as late payments on the mortgage) Q: I Àled Chapter 7 last year, can I Àle Chapter 13 now?

A: Yes. Although Chapter 7 bars you from re-Àling again for eight years, a Chapter 13 can be Àled every three years.

Q: I own a house together with my brother. We want to Àle a Chapter 13 to stop a foreclosure, do we both have to Àle?

A: No, only one of you need Àle, preferable the party that owes the most in unsecured debt, and thereby has the most to gain.

Q: I have no equity in my home.

I just want to stay here as long as possible. What can be done to stop a trust deed sale and prolong my occupancy?

A: Contact your lawyer to discuss all options available to you.

Free Consultation – But ActNow! If you need help in resolving your Ànancial problems, easing that debt load, and want to improve your credit scores, call the bankruptcy lawyer that people trust. Call the Law Offices of Paul M. Allen, at 818-334-5445 and 818-552-4500 and schedule a free consultation with three convenient locations to serve you in Glendale, Cerritos and La Palma.

3

4

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

Recurring Áood nightmare in typhoon-battered PHL %\ 1RHO &HOLV

0HPEHUV RI WKH WK ,QIDQWU\ 'LDPRQG 'LYLVLRQ RI WKH $UPHG )RUFHV RI WKH 3KLOLSSLQHV DUUDQJH HTXLSPHQW IRU SRVVLEOH UHVFXH RSHUDWLRQV RQ )ULGD\ 7KH $)3 GHSOR\HG WURRSV IRU KXPDQLWDULDQ DVVLVWDQFH DQG GLVDVWHU UHVSRQVH LQ 1RUWKHUQ 0LQGDQDR DQG 5HJLRQ LQ SUHSDUDWLRQ IRU WURSLFDO GHSUHVVLRQ 2Q\RN 016 SKRWR

Balita

C a n d a b a , P h i l i p pines | AFP | Friday 12/18/2015 – Tens of thousands of people struggled Friday through waist-deep floods in typhoon-battered farmlands near the Philippine capital, as yet another storm threatened to dump more rain.

Large parts of four farming provinces on the main northern island of Luzon have been submerged in water since Wednesday due to Typhoon Melor, which left at least 27 people dead in its wake.

Hundreds of thousands of people there had yet to recover from Typhoon Koppu, which claimed 54 lives while causing Áooding that lasted for more than a week and destroyed vast swathes of rice crops just before harvest in October.

President Benigno Aquino on Friday declared a “state of national calamity” to hasten the government response, his spokesman, Herminio Coloma, told reporters.

Truck driver Roberto Mariano, who has been out of work since Koppu, again found the small bungalow he shared with 15 relatives submerged.

“The Áoods mean no work and no money for me,” the 51-year-old told AFP, trying to keep his balance as he walked through strong Áood currents in Candaba, around 50 kilometres (30 miles) north of Manila.

Mariano, who used to earn 500 pesos ($10) driving, was on his way to his parents’ house to borrow money to buy rice.

“It’s very hard out here. I have to go out because we’ve run out of food in the house,” he said.

Mariano said he had spent the last two nights sleepless, anxiously watching as the waters nearly submerged the children’s wooden beds.

‘We’re used to this’ Flooding was expected to spread to other parts of the country with a tropical depression, locally dubbed Onyok, on course to hit coastal villages on the main southern island of Mindanao late Friday.

In Surigao del Sur province, where Onyok was expected to make landfall Àrst, authorities prepared for possible evacuation and readied trucks and excavators to clear landslide debris, governor Johnny Pimentel told AFP. “We are prepared for this storm... the biggest threat here is the Áoods,” he said.

While Onyok will hit land about 700 kilometres from the farming regions currently enduring Áoods, it could still bring rain to those areas, said Esperanza Cayanan, a state weather bureau forecaster.

The weather misery comes a week before Christmas, the most celebrated holiday in the predominantly Catholic nation of 100 million people.

“We should not be in holiday mode,” Cayanan told reporters.

In the Candaba town centre, residents with groceries in hand rode small wooden boats and makeshift rafts made from refrigerator doors.

Others showed commitment to their daily routines, eating at roadside canteens waist-deep in Áood waters.

“We’re used to this, but it doesn’t make it any less difficult,” said Candelaria Balagtas, a 68-year-old retired policewoman. The country is ravaged by an average of 20 major storms a year, many of them deadly.

Balagtas said she risked triggering her arthritis by wading through the frigid waters to the market to buy rice and sardines for her daughter after they ran out of food.

“I’m lucky I have my pension, but the people here, their farms were destroyed, the Àshermen can’t go out to Àsh,” she told AFP. The islands of the Philippines are often the Àrst major landmass that storms hit after they emerge over the PaciÀc Ocean.

In November 2013, Super Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest storms on record, Áattened entire communities in poor farming and Àshing communities, leaving 7,350 people dead or missing.

1RQD GHDWK WROO ULVHV WR CALUMPUT, Philippines | AFP | Sunday 12/20/2015 – The death toll from two storms which battered the Philippines rose to 45 Sunday as several towns remained under water and rain kept falling in northern regions, disaster monitoring ofÀcials said.

The rain was caused by a cold front, dragged into the country by Typhoon Melor and Tropical Depression Onyok which hit the Philippines in succession last week.

Floods almost three metres (nine feet) deep covered some riverside areas north of the capital Manila as heavy rain kept falling, civil defense ofÀces said.

“Our home has been Áooded up to the waist. It has been flooded for over two days,” said Mary Jane Bautista, 35, in the industrial town of Calumpit 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of the capital.

Her family and several others were forced to take refuge on nearby high ground – in front of a church where their only shelter is the awning over the entrance.

“My husband has to wade through the waters to go home to get supplies. If we need water, he has to go to the faucet in our kitchen,” she told AFP, expressing fears the current could wash him away.

“We had some food but it just ran out,” she said, complaining that government relief goods had not yet

reached her.

Around her the streets had turned into fast-moving rivers, passable only by rowboats and people using inner tubes.

Many low-lying areas north of Manila act as a catchment area for rain in other parts of the main island of Luzon.

“It (the Áood) really takes a long time to recede because this is the lowest area,” said Glenn Diwa, an officer with the regional disaster council.

Over 54,000 people in the region were huddling in government evacuation centers, she said, adding there was no guarantee they would be home by Christmas, one of the biggest holidays in the largely Catholic nation.

Melor hit the southeast of Luzon on December 14 and moved west across the archipelago.

Even as it departed to the South China Sea, another storm named locally as Onyok hit the southern island of Mindanao and brought more heavy rain.

Almost a week after Melor struck, the death toll was still rising, with the bodies of four dead Àshermen washed up in the eastern region of Bicol.

“They left during clear weather.

But they were caught by the typhoon on the way home,” said Cedric Daep, the region’s civil defense chief.

Balita

Visit www.Balita.com

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

5

Grace Poe: Search for kin will be ‘blessed with positive outcome’

MANILA, Dec 19 (Mabuhay) – Presidential aspirant Senator Grace Poe expressed hope on Saturday that her long search for her biological parents “will be blessed with a positive outcome” now that more people have come out to help her identify them.

The latest was retired Judge Jesus Nograles Rodriguez Jr., 76, who offered a P300,000 reward for anyone who could offer a “solid and credible information” that could help lead to the true identity of Poe’s biological parents.

Rodriguez said the reward will come from him and six golfing buddies and friends in Negros Occidental.

“I wish to thank Judge Jesus Nograles Rodriguez Jr. and all those who helped put up the reward money to help Ànd my biological parents. I welcome their help and I pray that their well-meaning efforts would lead to the truth we are all looking for,” Poe said in a statement.

“It is no secret that I have spent many years trying to Ànd my biological parents. All foundlings want to know who their real parents are.

All foundlings go through a difÀcult process, growing up—as a child, as a teenager and even as an adult—they wonder, they ask. I am no different.

I went through the same ordeal. I have been yearning to know.”

Poe noted that she had been in

Iloilo several times and have met with relatives and family friends “in an earnest effort” to know the truth well before the issue of her being a foundling has been used against her qualiÀcations for president.

“There are many theories and many stories, some of them jive, some are conÁicting. With the help of Judge Rodriguez and his friends and my supporters here in my hometown, I really hope and pray that this time our search will be blessed with a positive outcome,” she said.

“But I have also maintained that there is a higher purpose to this, which is to Àght for the equal rights of children. This is not just my Àght to remain in contention for

Mar taunts Rody: Ang lider ng ating bansa, hindi umuurong LEYTE, Dec 21 (Mabuhay) – Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer Mar Roxas is far from done with his tirades against fellow presidential candidate, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

In his visit to Baybay, Leyte Sunday, Roxas taunted Duterte for “backing out” from his challenge of settling their feud through a debate, ÀstÀght or a slapping match.

“Hamon sa sampalan, umurong; hamon sa suntukan, umurong; hamon sa debate, umurong. Ang

lider ng ating bansa hindi umuurong sa hamon, hinaharap ito,” Roxas insisted.

Roxas’ criticism of the peace and order in Davao sparked a bitter word war with Duterte.

The seven-term mayor has accused Roxas of falsely claiming that he is a graduate of the prestigious Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

What followed was a mutual challenge to slap each other if one of them was proven wrong. Roxas

also dared Duterte to a ÀstÀght and debate.

the presidency. The state should not discriminate based on circumstances of one’s birth,” she said.

Poe said the government has a “parens patriae principlel” to act as the guardians of people who cannot effectively take care of themselves.

If children are abandoned or abused, she said, the state takes care of them and the children take the citizenship of the state that adopts them. “It is not humane to say you have no rights just because you are a foundling, that orphaned children are stateless, that they have no country, no citizenship,” said the senator.

“Whatever happens though I am grateful to all those who believe in me, believe that I am a Filipino, and believe that I am worthy to serve them in government, through the highest office of our nation,” she further said. (MNS)

5L]DOLWR 'DYLG DVNV &RPHOHF WR FDQFHO 'XWHUWH¶V &2& IRU SUHVLGHQW MANILA, Dec 21 (Mabuhay) – Broadcaster Rizalito David on Monday asked the Commission on Elections to declare Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s candidacy as PDP-Laban’s substitute presidential bet as null and void.

David — who previously Àled petitions against another presidential aspirant, Senator Grace Poe, before the Comelec and the Senate Electoral Tribunal — is seeking for the cancellation of Duterte’s COC. In a six-page petition, David said the popular local executive, along with PDP-Laban’s Martin Diño, “desecrated the system with impunity” given the sequence of events leading to Duterte’s filing of his certiÀcate of candidacy.

David said the mayor’s COC was “not seasonably Àled,” given that Duterte missed the Àling period in October, when he instead Àled for reelection in Davao City.

He also scored Duterte for Àling his COC for president only on November 27, about a month after Diño withdrew his candidacy in late October, and named him as substitute.

Moreover, he said the Comelec “acted prematurely and was too soft, if not overly accommodating.”

“Not only is Duterte’s COC for President not validly and seasonably Àled but the substitution itself is legally inÀrm,” David said in his petition.

“As there was no valid substitution, not to mention that his COC was not seasonably Àled, his candidacy cannot, therefore, take off. The Commission cannot turn a blind eye to these violations,” he added.

Not after presidential ‘frontrunners’ David was among at least 100 presidential aspirants whose candidacies were deemed nuisance by the Comelec First and Second Divisions.

He filed his COC last October 12. He has since appealed his case before the en banc.

Asked why he seemed to be going after presidential “frontrunners,” he said such standing could not be determined at this point as campaign period has yet to begin.

“Sino ba ang nag-violate ng batas?” David said.

“Dapat ba na para lang maiwasan na masabi na bakit si Grace, at bakit si Duterte naman this time, hindi na natin gagawin? Responsibilidad nating lahat ito... It’s not a valid allegation na iniisa-isa ko. Mali ‘yung kanilang ginawa, dapat nating ituwid,” he told reporters.

He said that “procedurally and constitutionally,” he “does not see any” Áaw in the candidacies of other leading presidential aspirants, including Vice President Jejomar Binay and Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas.

“Wala akong nakita so far doon sa nai-Àle ng ibang kandidato. Dito malinaw ‘yung violation ni Grace, constitutional ‘yan. Ito namang kay Duterte, violation ‘yan ng procedures,” he said.

COC should have been Àled ASAP In an interview after the Àling, David also said Duterte’s COC should have been Àled immediately and alongside with Diño’s withdrawal.

“Dapat ‘yun magkasabay. ‘Winithdraw ko ito in his favor so ipinasol niya ‘yung kaniya.’ Anong nangyari?

Ang lapse nu’n ang tagal... Invalid ‘yan, hindi ‘yan dapat. Mockery of procedure ‘yan,” he said.

He added: “’Di ba doon sa substitution [nila ng anak niya sa Davao], kaliwaan ‘yun? Bakit dito [for president] hindi?”

He also said the Comelec “is not being fair to so many of us” in counting Duterte as a presidential candidate, and said the poll body “shouldn’t accept his COC even ministerially.”

Other DQ case ‘not serious’ The Comelec en banc has ruled to “acknowledge and accept” Duterte’s COC as part of its administrative duty.

However, the mayor may still be disqualiÀed, with a pending petition against him and Diño before the poll body’s First Division.

The case, filed by broadcaster Ruben Castor, was heard by the division last Dec. 18, where the petitioner through his legal counsel said they had nothing against Duterte running for president, but were against him substituting for Diño because of legal problems therein.

An Expert Immigration Attorney for All your Immigration needs Approvals are what we get from Immigration Services for our clients WE SPEAK TAGALOG MANDARIN, CANTONESE & FUKIENESE

Atty. Dixon Wong

S P E C I A L I Z E S • All types of Non-Immigrant Working Visas • Extension and Change of Status Application • PERM (Labor Certification) • Immigrant Visa Applications • Green Card through employment offer • J Waiver Application • Family Petitions • Registered Nurse and Healthcare Professionals Visa Applications • Exchange Visitor, Student & Fiancé(e) Visa

I N :

• Mandamus • BIA and Federal Court Appeals • Criminal Defense for Green Card Holders and Non-Immigrants • Asylum Application • Deportation and Removal Proceedings • Adoption Petitions • Naturalization Applications and Appeals • Green Cards through Investor Visas • Battered Spouse Applications

With two locations to serve you in San Gabriel Valley • Pasadena

Call To Schedule a Free Consultation:

Tel 626.577.1100

600 South Lake Ave., Suite 301 Pasadena, CA 91106

Fax 626.577.1102

Office Hours: Monday - Friday • Saturday by Appointment

6

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

Balita

0LQGDQDR 3RO\WHFKQLF JUDG WRSV &XVWRPV %URNHU OLFHQVXUH H[DP

*LIW JLYLQJ LQ 6DUDQJDQL LQ *ODQ 6DUDQJDQL 'HFHPEHU Âą $ *UDGH SXSLO RI &DORQNDPELQJ (OHPHQWDU\ 6FKRRO KROGV RQ WR WKH JLIWV ZKLFK LQFOXGH D EDFNSDFN ZLWK SDLU RI VOLSSHUV VFKRRO VXSSOLHV VRDS WR\V D %LEOH DQG SDFNHG PHDOV GXULQJ WKH JLIW JLYLQJ RQ 'HFHPEHU 7ZR RWKHU VFKRROV LQ WKH PXQLFLSDOLW\ 6XIDWXER (OHPHQWDU\ 6FKRRO DQG &RQJDQ (OHPHQWDU\ 6FKRRO ZHUH DOVR YLVLWHG RQ WKDW GD\ EHQHÂż WWLQJ D WRWDO RI SXSLOV IURP .LQGHU DQG *UDGH 7KLV SURMHFW LV LQLWLDWHG E\ (PPDQXHO DQG -LQNHHÂśV +HDUW )RXQGDWLRQ WRJHWKHU ZLWK WKH 2ႈ FH RI 9LFH *RYHUQRU -LQNHH 3DFTXLDR XQGHU WKH Âł5HDFKLQJ (YHU\ &KLOG )RU &KULVW D *LIW RI /RYH´ SURJUDP &DUO &OHPHQFH 7RORJ 9,&( *29(5125Âś6 2)),&(

%2& PDNHV ELJJHVW KDXO RI IDNH FLJDUHWWHV

MANILA, Dec 21 (Mabuhay) – The Bureau of Customs on Monday said it has recorded this year’s biggest haul of counterfeit cigarettes after an anti-smuggling operation early this month yielded fake P12.675 million worth of the contraband in various warehouses in Davao City.

The raiding team of the BOC-Enforcement Group brought samples of Marlboro, More, Fortune, Philip Morris, Jacpot, Hope and other cigarettes to Phillip Morris Philippines Inc. to examine the authenticity of the imported products.

The cigarette maker conĂ€rmed that the cigarettes were not produced by or with the permission of Philip Morris International, and are deemed counterfeit. “The widespread proliferation of fake cigarettes has Ă ooded the local market. We cannot blame these retail stores for buying counterfeit cigarettes since these are sold at a cheaper price,â€? said EG Deputy Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno. “Why wouldn’t it be cheap? These suppliers import these cigarettes but do not pay proper taxes and duties,â€? he added.

The bureau has served the Warrant of Seizure and Detention on HBTT Marketing Warehouse for violating Section 2530 of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines by not paying duties and taxes and in relation to Intellectual Property Rights Law.(MNS)

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (December 19, 2015) – A 21-year old graduate of the Mindanao Polytechnic College topped this year’s Customs Broker Licensure Examination.

Sheena Mae Gonzales, received a special citation during the 119th regular session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod on December 15 for bagging the number one spot for this year’s examination held last November. Gonzales graduated magna cum laude in the course of Bachelor of Science in Customs Administration from MPC. She is one of the 721 who passed the exam out of the 1,764 examinees.

During the SP session, she thanked the council for the warm welcome and commendation she received. “I am very honored and proud kay gitagaan ko ug privilege nga ma recognize diri sa city jud. It is unpredictable nga napatawag ko diria,â€? Gonzales exclaimed. “From MPC, nagkaroon na rin kami ng topnotcher before, pero Ă€rst time nagkaroon ng top one (1) ngayon sa course namin, Ă€rst time talaga,â€? she added.

When asked about her future plans, she revealed her desire to enroll in law school, while working at the same time. “Plan pa lang due to financial constraints, pero mag work pa para maka-enrol. I’m planning to work at Bureau of Customs. Actually, this is just a second choice, a preparatory course before going to law school,� she elaborated.

City Councilor Ramon Melliza added that the sooner, the better that the city will have another bar topnotcher. Gonzales was also complimented for being an inspiration and role model for the youth.

Gonzales said, hardwork, determination and faith in God was her secret to topping the exams. “Kung wala ang favor ni God, bisag unsa ka ka bright, dili gyud na ihatag sa imo. You have to pray always, Mao lang na akong ginabuhat,� she added.

Other examinees hailing from this city who also made good showing in the exams with the rating of 90.75 were Jarohsan Dang-ay, Gladys Joy Obsum, Sharmaine Punio and Marco Tactacan. (Gensan CPIO/ Sharmagne Villacastin)

Pimentel Âżles bill vs labor contractualization

MANILA, Dec 21 (Mabuhay) – Senator Aquilino “Kokoâ€? Pimentel III has Ă€led a bill that seeks to stop the prevalent practices of labor contractualization that have made it difĂ€cult for workers to attain the security of tenure guaranteed by the Constitution.

Pimentel’s Senate Bill No. 3030 aims to strengthen the prohibition against labor-only contracting, amending for the purpose Presidential Decree No. 442, otherwise known as the Labor Code of the Philippines as amended.

He said the Constitution provides that “the State afĂ€rms labor as a primary social economic force,â€? and that “it shall protect the rights of workers and promote their welfare.â€? “The same constitutional provisions further mandate the rights of workers to security of tenure, human conditions of work, and a living wage,â€? the senator said in a

statement on Monday.

But Pimentel said there are employers who “wantonly circumvent labor laws through a system that is designed to prevent workers from attaining regular employment and security of tenure.�

He said workers are terminated every Ă€ve months and thereafter are rehired for the same duration or by denying the existence of employer-employee relationship by engaging the services of workers either from workers’ cooperatives or manpower agencies. “These prevalent practices of labor contractualization have made it difĂ€cult for workers to attain the security of tenure guaranteed by the Constitution,â€? he said.

If enacted into law, Pimentel said his bill will put an end to the “malpractice that has victimized tens of thousands of workers nationwide.�(MNS)

&KL] VHHNV SDVVDJH RI OHJLVODWLRQ WR PDNH EDUDQJD\ H[HFV ZDJH HDUQHUV

Sen. Francis “Chizâ€? Escudero expressed hope his proposal seeking a Ă€xed salary for barangay ofĂ€cials will also be approved when session resumes next month after the Senate passed a bill authorizing barangay captains to administer the oath of ofĂ€ce of any government ofĂ€cial, including the President.

He said the passage of the twin measures would be a “big step in recognizing the vital role of those in the frontline of government service in nation-building.�

Senate Bill No. 2693, which authorizes the punong barangay or village chieftain to administer the oath of all government ofĂ€cials—from the President down to the lowest elective and appointive public ofĂ€cers—was approved on Ă€nal reading by the Senate on Dec. 14. Escudero is one of the principal authors of the bill. “It is just right that our barangay officials are now being given the proper recognition they deserve with all their sacriĂ€ces in serving the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week,â€? said Escudero, who is leading the vice-presidential race.

Since he Àrst became senator in 2007, Escudero has been pushing for a Àxed salary for barangay ofÀcials rather than a mere honorarium

based on their share of the Internal Revenue Allotment or IRA. Escudero’s SBN 124 seeks to amend Section 393 of Republic Act No. 7160, or the Local Government Code, to provide barangay captains a monthly salary which is 20 percent above the minimum wage rate prevailing in their particular region.

Under the proposed measure, barangay council members, treasurers and secretaries will receive a monthly salary based on the prevailing minimum wage rate in the region.

At present, a barangay captain is getting an honorarium of at least P1,000 per month while the councilors, the treasurer and secretary each receive P600 monthly. “As the most visible faces of government service, our barangay ofĂ€cials deserve to be compensated more than other ofĂ€cials of the government. They are expected to function above and beyond the normal service hours extended by the government to the people, given the proximity of the barangay to homes and workplaces,â€? he pointed out.

Escudero’s bill has been consolidated in SBN 12, along with other bills seeking higher benefits for ofÀcials of 42,000 barangays across the country.

Balita

Visit www.Balita.com

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

ALL NEW GAMING EXPERIENCE

SLOTS. BACC ARAT. KOI POND. 777 SAN MANUEL BOULEVARD, HIGHLAND, CA 92346

Must be 21 to Enter the Casino. Please gamble responsibly. 1-800-GAMBLER.

CP4350 VALID UNTIL 12/30/15

20

$

MATCH PLAY 777 SAN MANUEL BLVD., HIGHLAND, CA 92346

1-888-777-7404 | SANMANUEL.COM New Club Serrano members only. Take this voucher to Guest Services to redeem. One coupon per week only. Match play coupon is good for one bet only. Credit good for play on any casino table games excluding poker. San Manuel Craps and Mystery Card Roulette: good for even money bet only. Coupon is good for one Table Game choice. Only one coupon may be used per bet. For every coupon wagered, an equal wager of real chips or cash must accompany coupon. If you lose your wager, the promotional coupon will be claimed by the house. If you win your bet, your winnings will be paid in live gaming chips and the promotional coupon wagered will be claimed by the house. Live gaming chips may be re-bet or exchanged for cash.

If your bet is a tie, you may re-bet your promotional coupon. Coupon valid only on day redeemed and expires once used. All management decisions are ďŹ nal. Management reserves the right to modify or cancel events/promotions/offers without notice.

Persons who have voluntarily or involuntarily been excluded from the property or have requested self-exclusion from the property are not eligible to participate in the promotion. Must be 21 to enter casino. Please gamble responsibly. 1-800-Gambler.

Void if altered,copied, purchased or sold. 14014_OCT15_BALITA

CP4349 VALID UNTIL 12/30/15

20

$

EXTRA CREDIT SLOT PLAY

777 SAN MANUEL BLVD., HIGHLAND, CA 92346

1-888-777-7404 | SANMANUEL.COM New Club Serrano members only. Club Serrano membership required, which is FREE to join. Present this offer with valid photo ID to Club Serrano or guest services. This offer is transferable. One coupon per person. Member’s account can be credited only one time per coupon code. Xtra Credit play good only on certain machines. Casino management reserves the right to modify or cancel this program, Club Serrano and/or any associated activities. May not be combined with any other slot play offer. Persons who have voluntarily or involuntarily been excluded from the property or have requested self-exclusion from the property are not eligible to participate in the promotion. Must be 21 to enter casino. Please gamble responsibly.

1-800-Gambler. Void if altered, copied, purchased or sold. 14014_OCT15_BALITA

7

8

LOS ANGELES

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

Balita

‘Our queen still Miss Universe’: Colombian president Bogota, Colombia | AFP | Monday 12/21/2015 – Colombia’s president said Monday he was shocked when Miss Colombia won and then immediately lost the Miss Universe crown, and said as far as he was concerned she remained the winner. “I was watching Miss Universe with my family. We started a huge celebration when they said Colombia had won the Miss Universe title for the second straight year,� President Juan Manuel Santos told Radio Nacional. “To me, our queen is and will remain Miss Universe. They put the crown on her head. The photos are there to prove it. To me, as a Colombian, she is still Miss Universe.�

Santos was among the millions of people watching the pageant on TV Sunday when the host, American

comedian Steve Harvey, misread his cue card and announced that Miss Colombia, Ariadna Gutierrez, had won the title.

As the beaming, newly crowned queen blew kisses to her fans, Harvey was forced to admit he had goofed.

He apologized, said that Gutierrez was in fact the Àrst runner-up and named the winner as Miss Philippines, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach.

Santos called the incident “shocking.� “Our queen was marvelous. She looked spectacular.

It was such a disappointment when the host said he’d made a mistake,� he said.

Santos had publicly celebrated a year ago when the previous Miss Colombia, Paulina Vega Dieppa, won the Miss Universe 2014 title.

0LVV 3KLOLSSLQHV 3LD $ORQ]R :XUW]EDFK FHQWHU ZKR ZDV PLVWDNHQO\ QDPHG DV )LUVW 5XQQHU XS UHDFWV ZLWK RWKHU FRQWHVWDQWV DIWHU EHLQJ QDPHG WKH HYHQWXDO ZLQQHU DQG 0LVV 8QLYHUVH DW WKH 0LVV 8QLYHUVH 3DJHDQW LQ /DV 9HJDV 1HYDGD RQ 6XQGD\ 0RQGD\LQ 0DQLOD 016 SKRWR

75$9(/(56 )URP SDJH

the airport. More personnel should be manning our airports especially the Naia,� Marcos said in a statement on Saturday.

The Manila International Airport Authority had stated that it was expecting passenger volume to go up by 10 percent this Christmas week from the 1.6 million arrivals and 1.4 million departures last year. This translates to at least 300,000 additional passengers.

Marcos explained that despite the maximum deployment of airport police and personnel from December 15

),/ $0 6+27 )URP SDJH

and threatening customers. He disregarded “verbal commands to drop the knife,â€? according to Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) Sgt. Brad Johnson. The ofĂ€cers tried a “less-lethal electronic control device and baton, and neither less-lethal force was effective,â€? he said.

One of the witnesses, Pat Donovan, told this reporter that Saycon was sitting in a chair and Ă€ddling with a knife “and not attacking anybodyâ€? when the police entered the arcade and ordered him to drop the knife. “He was holding (the knife) on his lap. It was folded,â€? said Donovan who claimed he was about 10 feet away from Saycon. “They didn’t have to shoot him.â€?

Donovan, a Long Beach resident, joined Saycon’s family and friends who braved the cold and rainy weather to hold a prayer vigil in the arcade’s parking lot Saturday night. “Mharloun was a really kind per-

9(5< 6255< )URP SDJH

night,â&#x20AC;? added the talk show host. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Please donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hold it against the ladies, please donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;tâ&#x20AC;? he pleaded. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We feel so badly but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still a great night. Thank you all.â&#x20AC;?

The glittering crown was then promptly placed on Alonzo Wurtzbachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head and that was that.

Not so on social media where the awkward mistake spread like wildfire, with the #MissUniverse2015 hashtag trending. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People are human, mistakes can happen. Luckily some have the bravery to own it & take a step to correct it. Hugs to #MissUniverse2015 wow,â&#x20AC;? tweeted Audrey Bolte, who described herself as Miss Ohio USA 2012.

Alonzo Wurtzbach told reporters after the ceremony that she wished the jilted winner well. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very sorry, I did not take the crown from her and I wish her well in whatever she wants to pursue after this pageant,â&#x20AC;? she said.

The contest is wildly popular in Latin America and much of Asia.

(MNS)

to January 5, this will not be enough to assist all passengers.

Marcos also pointed out that some ticketing gates are closed or do not have enough personnel even during peak hours.

It can be recalled that during the Christmas break last year, scores of passengers complained because they were not able to fly out and spend Christmas day in their desired destinations because of unmanned counters.

Marcos said that the number of disgruntled passengers will continue to grow if not enough airport personnel will be deployed to assist them. son,â&#x20AC;? Polly Khiv, Sayconâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life coach for the past five years, told this reporter. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t someone who would be deĂ&#x20AC;ant against authority. I never had any issues with him being confrontational.â&#x20AC;?

Saycon died at the scene, according to Los Angeles County Coronerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Assistant Ed Winter.

Homicide detectives and the L.A. County District Attorneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office are reviewing video that captured limited portions of the incident, said a release issued by the LBPD. The LBPD also said it will conduct a review of the incident through a multi-step process that â&#x20AC;&#x153;evaluates legal, policy, tactical and equipment issues.â&#x20AC;? The Los Angeles County District Attorneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s OfĂ&#x20AC;ce will also conduct an independent investigation of the shooting.

The incident occurred at a time when police conduct has been under increased scrutiny nationwide.

0,/,7$5< )URP SDJH

including FA-50 jets, the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ă&#x20AC;rst supersonic Ă&#x20AC;ghter aircraft for a decade.

Two of the 12 South Korean-made jets have been delivered and Aquino said the rest would reach the country before the end of 2017.

He praised the military for performing difĂ&#x20AC;cult duties, singling out the Marines manning an outpost in the South China Sea to defend the Philippinesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; claims there.

Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan also have partial claims but China asserts rights over almost all of the South China Sea. It has been accused of taking aggressive actions to stake its claim, such as converting tiny outcrops or reefs into islands that can house military facilities.

The Philippines has been the most vocal in opposing Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s claims despite having one of the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weakest militaries.

As ties with China have soured, Aquino has stepped up efforts to strengthen the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s defenses, by acquiring new weapons and improving defense ties with allies like the United States and Japan.

Balita

Visit www.Balita.com

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

9

<RXQJ FOLHQW Âż OHV &KDSWHU WR GLVFKDUJH N FUHGLW FDUGV

3HFKDQJD ([SDQVLRQ *URXQGEUHDNLQJ 7KH 3HFKDQJD %DQG RI /XLVHQR ,QGLDQV WRJHWKHU ZLWK ORFDO FRXQW\ FLW\ Rá&#x201A;&#x2C6; FLDOV DQG JXHVWV DUH DOO VHW IRU WKH JURXQGEUHDNLQJ FHUHPRQ\ WR VLJQDO WKH FRQVWUXFWLRQ RI D PLOOLRQ SURMHFW RI WKH 3HFKDQJD 5HVRUW DQG &DVLQR 7KH WZR \HDU FRQVWUXFWLRQ ZLOO DGG URRPV D WZR VWRUH\ VSD DQG VDORQ D UHVRUW VW\OH FRPSOH[ ZLWK HLJKW SRRO DUHDV WZR UHVWDXUDQWV LQ D VTXDUH IRRW VSDFH LQ WKH SRSXODU UHVRUW

&KULVWPDV 7LPH LV D VHDVRQ IRU JLYLQJ Christians worldwide will celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and once more will be reminded of the reason why He had to give up his life in the ultimate sacriĂ&#x20AC;ce of offering himself to save mankind from eternal damnation.

At the same time that the season is when commercialism is at its peak as people busy themselves to prepare for the most important occasion. The message, has not been lost in the midst of all this mad rush to satisfy their material side. The spirit of giving permeates through all this frenzy. The awareness of other peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plight becomes more pronounced and drives many to reach deeper into their reservoir of generosity.

This important season reminds us of the Biblical widow and her two coins, which was all that she had and which she gave up at her worship time. The ultimate Giver of them all acknowledged what she did when He said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;the poor widow has put in more than all the others but she out of poverty put in all she had to live on.â&#x20AC;?

As we hear and learn of how people opened up their hearts to come to the assistance of others who are less fortunate in life especially in this tumultuous period to empathize in action with the victims in their own little and personal sacriĂ&#x20AC;cial ways, we are confronted with the issue of the heart that pertains to the matter of charitable people really are.â&#x20AC;?

It may come as a surprise that a recent study has revealed that â&#x20AC;&#x153;rich people give much less to charity than the poor peopleâ&#x20AC;?. The belief that the â&#x20AC;&#x153;richest individuals being most generous and worthy of tax breaks is false.â&#x20AC;?

Those belonging to the lower

bracket â&#x20AC;&#x153;donated twice as much of their discretionary income as compared to more wealthy individualsâ&#x20AC;?.

Philanthropy.com which tabulated data by following the donation patterns of every state concluded that â&#x20AC;&#x153;people who make between $50,000 and $75,000 a year donated 7.6% of their income to charity while those earning $100,000 donated only4.2% of their income.â&#x20AC;?

The accumulated data that followed the donation patterns of every state revealed also that the local population has 40% of people making $200,000 a year, donations dives to a measly 2.8%. The poor gives â&#x20AC;&#x153;till it hurts.â&#x20AC;?

More than 92% of Americans participate at some level of charitable giving with low income families on the average giving away 4.5% of their earnings as compared with only 2.5 % among the middle class doing the same. The high-income families contribute 3% of their income.

Among the reasons cited why people give are: they are asked to or a presented a giving opportunity; their innate compassion for those in need; their personal belief in the cause and how they are affected by the worthy cause and the compulsion to give back to the community.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the season for giving where you heart is.

Merry Christmas to all.

9HQGRUV HDW WKHLU OXQFK DV WKH\ ZDLW IRU FXVWRPHUV DW D Ă&#x20AC; RRGHG PDUNHW LQ &DQGDED 3DPSDQJD QRUWK RI 0DQLOD RQ )ULGD\ 9DVW VZDWKHV RI IDUPODQGV LQXQGDWHG E\ 7\SKRRQ /DQGR LQ 2FWREHU ZHUH Ă&#x20AC; RRGHG DJDLQ WKLV ZHHN GXH WR KHDY\ UDLQV EURXJKW E\ 7\SKRRQ 1RQD 016 SKRWR

Client No. 1 Client was disabled when he was 55, which was 7 years ago. He receives $1,600 of disability pay monthly. Since he is single, he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really have too many expenses. In fact, he almost has no expenses because he lives in the family home for free so he is rent-free.

He doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to pay for food, shelter or clothing, since he has a loving family that takes care of his needs. His sole possession is an old truck, which he treasures. He uses the truck to get around, hunting, camping and Ă&#x20AC;shing.

He actually has a life that many people may envy, but once in a while, his disability gets the better part of him. Once in a while, he gets an uncontrollable urge to borrow money from check cashing. Recently, he borrowed $3K from one check cashing ofĂ&#x20AC;ce at 111% annual interest. You read that right: 111%.

You get net proceeds of less than $3K, and in 12 months you will owe $6.3K! These loan sharks are not exactly like Mother Theresa. In addition to being on the hook for hyper interest, disabled client is also required to sign a power of attorney authorizing the loan shark to sell his truck as soon as client defaults on the loan. Client has also turned over the pink slip to the truck because he has secured the high interest loan with his truck. As soon as he got the loan proceeds, client went to Pechanga, had a good time there, and lost all of it gambling.

Client is good for two months. On the third month, he gets another uncontrollable urge to borrow money from check cashing. So, client goes to another check cashing store and borrows another $3K. The problem is, he only has one truck, and again, the check-cashing store asks that he give his truck as collateral. But since his disability has given him two distinct personalities when he is not taking his medication, clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second personality whom we will call client 1-B, as distinguished from client 1-A who mortgaged the truck the Ă&#x20AC;rst time to the Ă&#x20AC;rst check cashing store, decides to mortgage the same truck to the second check cashing store. This time, the interest is less than the Ă&#x20AC;rst. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only 98.95% annual interest. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 12.05% savings on interest per year right there.

Client 1-B canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to tell client 1-A later that he got a better deal on the loan!

Client 1-A has stopped paying the installment payments on the Ă&#x20AC;rst loan since February. Client 1-B has stopped paying the installment payments on the second loan since March. Both client 1-A and client 1-B now agree that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

panic time because both of them signed power of attorneys allowing the 2 loan sharks to sell the same truck upon default. To prevent the loan sharks from selling his beloved truck, client decides to seek bankruptcy relief. A Chapter 7 will not work because the same truck secures both loan sharks. Chapter 7 will discharge both loans, but all hell will break lose when two loan sharks sell the same car. Two buyers will claim ownership over the same truck. We do not want to have this kind of situation.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard enough to get my software to understand that the same truck has been mortgaged twice.

Chapter 13 will protect his truck by preventing the exercise of the power of attorney to sell the truck, and allowing the two secured loans to be paid over 60 months at zero interest. Both client 1-A and client 1-B decide to Ă&#x20AC;le for Chapter 13 because both concur that zero percent interest is a lot better than 111% and 98.95% interest! They agree to disagree on many things, but on zero interest, there is no argument from either one.

Client No. 2 Client is only 32. I remember when I was 32, which was 3 years ago, or was that 3 decades ago? Wait, my son is 36, so how can I be 32 three years ago? I digress. Whatever, at 32, client obtained $30K of credit card debt, which he used in college to supplement his student loans. College drugs to help you study better and to help you socialize, they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come cheap you know. He owes $120K of student loans. He tells me that he lost his job last December, and has not been able to obtain new employment thus far. Aside from wanting to get rid of all his credit card debt of $30K, he also wants to discharge his $120K of student loans. I told him that we can get all his credit cards wiped out, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s almost impossible at this time to discharge his student loans. When he starts to have two personalities like the Ă&#x20AC;rst client, and that prevents him from getting employment, then it may be worthwhile to Ă&#x20AC;le an adversary case to discharge his student loans. But until then, we can only get rid of his student loans. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fair enough,â&#x20AC;? said the young client. He said that he was paying $1,000 a month to keep the cards current, and See YANG, page 12

10

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

Balita

8QYHLOLQJ DQG EOHVVLQJ RI WKH PRVDLF LPDJH RI 2XU /DG\ RI 3HQDIUDQFLD In a recent visit of Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III in the Vatican on December 4th, which this authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s friends, Stefano and Marie Lami attended, he expressed his â&#x20AC;&#x153;gratefulness to the Holy See in recognizing the great Philippine Marian devotion of Filipino Catholics in Vatican,â&#x20AC;? with the unveiling and blessing of the mosaic image of Our Lady of Penafrancia, which was held right after his meeting with His Holiness Pope Francis in the Apostolic Palace.

In his brief speech, President Aquino said that â&#x20AC;&#x153;he is thankful to the Holy See for sharing Our Ladyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s image to Catholic devotees all over the world, who embark on pilgrimages to the Vatican and that they can now stop and reĂ ect in front of the mosaic image of Our Lady of

0RVDLF LPDJH RI 2XU /DG\ RI 3HQDIUDQFLD

Penafancia.â&#x20AC;?

Further, in his speech, President Aquino also said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;for centuries, this has been a place of refuge for Catholics and standing within it now, I am not surprised that it has brought serenity and guidance to so many members of the Church.â&#x20AC;?

Referring to the Blessed Virgin as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Inaâ&#x20AC;? the President said that â&#x20AC;&#x153;the image is a symbol of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deep bond with the Virgin Mary, who has protected Filipinos during many of their darkest moments. He cited the overthrowing of a dictator in 1986, when people who protested carried the statues of the Virgin Mary in their shoulders and gathered under her image during the revolution.â&#x20AC;?

The President also mentioned that â&#x20AC;&#x153;the late Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretarty Jesse Robredo was a devotee who never failed to join in the annual celebration of the feast of Our Lady of Penafrancia in Naga CIty.â&#x20AC;?

In his closing remarks, President

6WHIDQR DQG 0DULH /DPL JXHVWV DW WKH 9DWLFDQ GXULQJ WKH XQYHLOLQJ FHUHPRQLHV

,QWULFDWH FURZQ

Aquino added â&#x20AC;&#x153;as I remember when we commemorated Jesse Robredoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life of service in his hometown,while our heads bowed in mourning, we heard the cries of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Viva La Virgen!â&#x20AC;&#x2122; which raised everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spirits. Indeed it was through this humility and faith in the name of Mother Mary that we found the greatest

comfort and strength to carry on.â&#x20AC;?

The mosaic was â&#x20AC;&#x153;designed by Roberto Cassio, who belongs to a family of famous mosaicists. Since 1993, Mr. C assio was in charge of the Laboratorio del Mosaici nel Musei Vatican (Craft Laboratory for the Restoration of Mosaics in the Museum). Along with his father, Antonio, they own the Laboratorio Mosaici Artistici (Craft Laboratory for Artistic Mosaics), whose mission is to restore and reproduce famous mosaic works.

This particular Laboratory was founded in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;30â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for the conservation of the works inside the Vatican Museums and all the other mosaics (ancient, medieval and modern in marble, smalti, micromosaics, pavements, walls and transportable supports) within the territoty of the Holy See, with the exception of those inside the Basilica of St. Peter, which was under the responsibility of Fabbrica di San Pietro, another reknowned craft laboratory. The Cassio familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Laboratorio Mosaici Artistici is located a stoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s throw from the Basilica of St. Peter. The See MYRNA, page 13

Balita

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

LOS ANGELES

Visit www.Balita.com

HEALTH & BEAUTY

11

The Korean beauty trends set to dominate in 2016 Saturday December 19 2015 (Relaxnews) – K-beauty was one of the biggest trends of 2015, with beauty lovers the world over embracing the cult sheet masks and CC creams to emerge from Asia’s most innovative cosmetics fairground.

Korean fever looks set to grow even stronger in 2016, with Macy’s announcing a K-beauty shop in partnership with Peach & Lily in its Queens, New York, store, as recently as last month. Here are some of the trends to look out for.

Cushion foundation Cushion foundation, which com-

prises a spongy formula that is applied to the face with a pillow to provide easy and Áawless coverage, isn’t going anywhere for now. The added bonus of integrated SPF protection, wrinkle prevention and antibacterial properties mean that this budding trend is sure to take over next year.

French beauty brand Lancôme is leading the way and has carried its successful ‘Miracle Cushion’ formula ($46.50) over to its Spring 2016 collection, playing on the Korean penchant for cult packaging by adding some sweet pastel cover art to its compact.

Korean contouring

Contouring has undergone many a transformation since Àrst appearing on our radar, courtesy of Kim Kardashian, some years ago. 2015 saw the birth of ‘clown contouring’ and ‘strobing’, but 2016 will be all about doing it the Korean way. The ideal face shape for many Korean women is a soft oval with a dainty chin, known as the ‘V-line’, and the look can be achieved by highlighting the center of the face, using concealer under the eyes and shimmery tints down the cupid’s brow, the bridge of the nose and the chin, before shading the perimeter of the face to make it

appear smaller. Check out beauty vlogger Luvableviet’stutorial for more information.

Waterless skin care As beauty fans become aware of increasingly limited water resources, many brands are experimenting with alternatives. Water-free skin care lines Àrst came to our attention thanks to Korean brand Whamisa, whose collection relies on essential oils and plant extracts to hydrate the skin. Market research group Mintel recently predicted that water-free cosmetics will explode over the next decade, so watch this space.

+LJK IDW ORZ FDUE GLHW FRXOG KHOS WUHDW VFKL]RSKUHQLD Monday December 21 2015 (Relaxnews) – A team of Australian researchers have found that a high fat/low carb ketogenic diet, as favored by body-builders, may be effective in treating schizophrenia.

The ketogenic diet, which is high in fat and low in carbs, has most recently become popular with body-builders for weight loss; however, it has been used since the 1920s to manage epilepsy in children.

A team from James Cook University, Australia have now investigated the diet for its possible effectiveness in treating and managing schizophrenia. The results of their study, published in the journal Schizophrenia Research, showed that feeding mice a ketogenic diet led to fewer animal behaviors that resemble schizophrenia. The mice also weighed less and had lower blood glucose levels than mice fed a normal diet.

The team believes that the diet

may be effective because a ketogenic diet provides an alternative energy source for the brain, which could help neurotransmission and improve the neurobiological processes that underlie schizophrenia.

Lead author of the study, Zoltan Sarnyai, commented on the results saying that a “Ketogenic diet provides an alternative source of energy to the brain through fatty acids.

Furthermore, since this diet is very low in carbohydrates, almost all the energy needs of the cells comes from breaking down fat (fatty acids) as opposed to glucose. This can circumvent the classic glucose metabolic pathways that maybe impaired in the disease.”

In addition, the diet could increase levels of the brain chemical GABA, with low levels known to be a factor in various anxiety disorders, and possibly also an underlying factor in schizophrenia. Increased levels of

GABA could also help to normalize the symptoms of schizophrenia, and is something that Professor Sarnyai is keen to investigate further.

A ketogenic diet for humans would consist of high-fat food sources such as butter, cheese, salmon, so most of the person’s energy would come from fat. If prescribed to a patient, Professor Sarnyai said, “Initially it would be used in addition to medication in an in-patient setting where the patient’s diet could be controlled.”

And if the research is applied to humans, it may have secondary beneÀts in addition to treating schizophrenia. “It’s another advantage that it works against the weight gain, cardiovascular issues and type-two diabetes we see as common side-effects of drugs given to control schizophrenia,” said Dr. Sarnyai.

The team is now going to research the diet further, with the possibility of a clinical trial. Schizophrenia is a

chronic and disabling mental illness that, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, affects 1.1% of the U.S. population. Medications are available to treat and manage the disorder, but can come with unpleasant side effects, and there is currently no known cure.

Research published earlier this year found that omega-3, the fatty acid found in food such as oily Àsh, as well as other high-fat foods such as walnuts, may help to prevent the onset of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.

The study gave young people who were at a very high risk of developing a psychotic disorder omega-3 supplements for a 12- week period.

The results, published in the journal Nature Communications, showed that they were less likely to develop a disorder for up to 7 years after taking the omega-3 when compared to a placebo group.

12

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

&RPPXQLW\ /HDGHU 5RFLR 1X\GD LQWURGXFLQJ WKH VSHDNHU 0V /RLGD 1LFRODV /HZLV

3KLODQWKURSLVW /RLGD 1LFRODV /HZLV

Balita

3KRWRV 0$5& 3,-8$1

Roxas-Robredo tandem gets a boost in US

%\ $EQHU *DOLQR

The campaign to promote the political tandem of Mar Roxas and Leni Robredo, presidential and vice presidential bets, respectively, just got the proverbial shot in the arm after getting the support of a well-respected Filipino-American businesswoman-millionaire-lawyer-author-philantropist Loida Nicolas-Lewis.

And Lewis isn’t simply raising her thumbs up for the Roxas-Robredo tandem, she is vigorously campaigning for them and has pledged to open up her own pocket to Ànance their campaign here in the US and in the Philippines. She recently declared to give a dollar for every dollar that would be contributed by people here in the US to the political campaign of Mar Roxas and Leni Robredo.

At this early, Lewis’ endorsement of Roxas and Robredo has already caused a stir among Filipino-Americans who had a falling out with the administration of President Benigno

Aquino for bungling a succession of issues that include the opening of and other restrictions imposed on balikbayan boxes and the so-called “laglag-bala” scam at the country’s prime international airport.

Lewis went on a couple of “town hall-style” meetings in Los Angeles over the weekend. In one those meetings arranged by prominent Los Angeles civic leader Rocio Nuyda at the posh residence of Fil-American couple Edwin and Lanie Racquel (at the legendary former Mary Pickford estate in Hancock Park), the millionaire-lawyer-philantropist expressed optimism that the frail political campaign for the Roxas-Robredo tandem could still gain momentum.

While admitting that the Roxas-Robredo tandem being endorsed by the outgoing Aquino administration ranks very low in all public perception surveys, Lewis said political surveys have not been infallible in so far as predicting the outcomes of

elections in the Philippines. Lewis cited instances where candidates who were on top of surveys were actually beaten in the polls, which included Mar Roxas himself – who was beaten

by Jejomar Binay when he ran for vice president – and former senator Manny Villar, who was beaten by Noynoy Aquino for the presidency.

According to Lewis, the voice of Filipino-Americans – many of whom remain as financial providers for their families back home – could provide the much-needed boost to the frail political campaign of Roxas and Robredo.

“Each of you has at least 50 to 100 people in your sphere of inÁuence,” Lewis said, “Use the social media, your Facebook, Twitter and whatever you have to tell our countrymen why we should vote for Mar Roxas and Leni Robredo.

Lewis said she will pursue the Roxas-Robredo campaign, not only in the US, but as well as in other countries and continents in the west with big Filipino communities such as in Canada, England and in Europe.

Why vote for the Roxas-Robredo tandem?

For those in the know, Lewis supporting Robredo was a predictable upshot to the political alignments in the province of Bicol.

Both women hailed from Sorsogon.

And the other thing is, Robredo Àts into the mold of an ideal politician – fresh, modest, untainted by corruption and with sufÀcient credentials (she is a lawyer and current congressman of Sorsogon) for the post that she is aspiring for. Lewis, on the other hand, is a strong and consistent advocate of clean, good and pro-poor government here in the US and the Philippines.

Lewis, apparently don’t see Roxas as too far off her own mold of an ideal politician. On the other hand,

Lewis sees Roxas’ 22 years of government service – from a congressman to being cabinet secretary in three consecutive political administrations – as “untarnished with corruption.”

She also acknowledged Roxas’ role in strengthening the business process outsourcing (BPO), also known as call center industry which is estimated to currently employ more than one million Filipino workers.

Lewis added that Roxas’ ability to be part of three consecutive political administrations speaks volume about his efÀciency as a top government bureacrat.

But apparently, Lewis’ stronger argument to push for the candidacies of Roxas and Robredo has more to do with her perception of the outgoing Aquino administration.

Lewis believes that the Roxas-Robredo win would keep the positive outlook of the international community to Philippine government and its economy.

According to Lewis, the perception of corruption against the Philippines has declined greatly since the assumption of the Aquino administration. It was coupled by positive economic performance ratings for the country and the Aquino administration that came from the reputable Ànancial research groups such as the Standard and Poor and Bloomberg.

“This (simultaneous positive ratings) has never happened before in previous political administrations,” Lewis claimed.

Lewis went on to commend the Aquino administration for investing more money in education, public health and for continuing and expanding the conditional cash transfer program, better known as Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino program (started in the administration of President Gloria Arroyo) which now stands at P65 billion.

<$1* )URP SDJH

he has been paying that amount since he graduated from college ten years ago.

Well, that means he has paid out $120K to keep $30K of credit cards current for the last ten years since he graduated from college.

So, I told him that if he did not have these cards ten years ago, he would have saved $120K now, and he can use that money which he would have saved to pay off all of his student loans now.

Young client decides to seek Chapter 7 relief. Good decision. If he gets new employment, which I am certain he will eventually, he can pay off his student loans probably in ten years since he doesn’t have to pay credit cards anymore. And in ten years, the fact that he Àled for bankruptcy will not even appear on his credit report. In fact, in 2 years,

his credit score will be over 600.

“THE ETERNAL GOD IS YOUR REFUGE, AND UNDERNEATH ARE THE EVERLASTING ARMS.” – DEUTERONOMY 33:27.

Lawrence Bautista Yang is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and has been in law practice for thirty years. He specializes in bankruptcy, business and civil litigation and has handled more than Àve thousand successful bankruptcy cases in California. He speaks Tagalog and looks forward to discussing your case with you personally. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S Fremont Ave, MAILSTOP 58, Building A-1 SUITE 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803 OR at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789.

Balita

Visit www.Balita.com

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

+RZ WR YLHZ KRPHEX\LQJ LQ The most popular and intelligent discussion of 2016 would begin with the fact that history is very strongly against the Democrats in 2016 from an article of the Federalist. An analyst of those elections shows a startlingly uniform pattern over time: the incumbent party consistently lost ground relative to the challenger party. There are a number of reasons from the article that lead to this conclusion, “the simplest explanation being that governing exposés a coalition’s internal tensions and, as the saying goes, friends come and go, but enemies accumulate. The longer you are in power, the more people come up with reasons to blame you for things and consider giving the other guy a chance. The natural American distrust of our political class and distaste for permanent ruling parties is also an ingrained factor.”

Houses may not be homes, but homes could certainly be houses people live in. What had happened in this previous housing crisis taught us an important lesson. Economic and demographic changes may severely impact the value of houses when it’s time to sell. We live now in an “Ideal Economy” with a shrinking industrial base and a greater premium on knowledge and personal connections, which make social, educational and business networking ever more important. As a famous book author

predicted that the coming decade will likely see more intense clustering of jobs, innovation and productivity in smaller number of bigger cities and city region. This outcome if true could affect prices of existing homes and decision making of big builders moving forward to Ànd more homes to construct.

At the moment walkable urban areas, places where people can walk to work and to stores are becoming more popular. A Survey sees a higher cluster are to show higher property value appreciation.

Far-Áung suburbs are losing value relative to cities and close in suburbs that offer such walkable areas. These denser populated places seem to Àt in better with more environmental conscious values too. But that might change soon as prices of these neighborhoods have gone sky high.

Attitudes toward renting have also been changing. Buying a house has become less appealing to some, 57% in a survey has said so.

0<51$ )URP SDJH

laborious making of the mosaic image of Our Lady of Penafrancia in the Vatican Gardens took approximately two years to make, according to Robert Cassio.His meticulous work on the image which has a size of 1.2 meters by 2.3 meters were done with full attention to its detailed components.

According to Mr. Cassio, the “most delicate work on the image was the transposition of the mosaic work to the free-standing support, to enable the binding of a thin veil on the mosaic surface, and the meticulous removal of the temporary support in clay from the back of the mosaic; the construction of the honeycomb panel (beehive in aluminum or aerolam) applied on the surface to better fasten the binder for the mosaic tiles’ application of the sdhesive on the canvas of the same panel with ‘malto adiselex, P10 of the Mapei and lastly, the attaching of Swarovski crystals on the halo.”

Most important of all, materials used accoridng to Mr. Cassio include “ the use of smalti tiles which was a traditional tool used by mosaicists in shaping faces, part of the mantle, the bowl, the cape, the table and the blue background. The high quality materials used monochromatic colors that were selected from a wide array of colors, from samples that had thousands of different tones.”

Additionally, Mr. Cassio explained that the “halo was conceptualized from a graphic design imitating the image of the sketched drawing. This was made possible through the use of laser which then cuts the stainless steel plate with extraordinary precision to achieve a thickness of 5 milimeters.The halo that was obtained was subjected to a galvanic procedure that Àxed chemically, thus producing 20 micrometers of gold in 22 carats on the stainless steel plate. The halo was previously prepared to receive the gem that was Àlled with colored araidite resin in its interior. As a safety precaution, the gems were inserted at the conclusion of the work and is done successively upon the application of the mosaic on the panel.”

Following were the various components and materials used in creating the whole image: “The table is done with “ cut smalti tiles, with the exception of the sky blue letters and the fringes at the bottom. The crosses on the vertical drape was done in

our ay y d Sen ine’s D s nt r boxe e l a V aste &E

!

NOW

natural marble to make it more visible in order to maintain a certain monochrome. The irregular Àlati used on the fringes were done with vertical streaks to simuate crochet work. The bowl was done also with cut smalti tiles inserted mainly in the middle with ‘smalti Àlati’ used for the outline and white gold for the leaves in order to refelct a smooth or crumpled and antique leaf effect. On the upper part of the bow, there were twelve magnolia Áowers placed that form its borders. Natural pearls were used to form the buds in the center, which were embedded with petals.

The base of the mantle or light colored cloth was done in cut smalti to provide support to the embroidery which adorns a majot part of the surface. The smalti Àlati, irregularly mixed, produce different colors.

The gilded copper on the other hand, is a strip of copper with varying thickness ranging from 3/10 to a milimeter, gilded in 22 karats on both external sides. As soon as the length to be used is established, it was easily shaped to form shapes similar to gold threads.

The crown was done utilizing different colors of gold with wave and undulating surface , shaped to purposely recreate the same irregular and tri-dimensional shape of the original sketched design, along with a line of smalti Àlati with varying colors mixed in an irregular manner. The gilded brass wires outline the various areas of the crown, similar to a globe on its pedestal , with two curls under it, and the central circle was laden with Swarovski crystals and murrine, while the petals which surround it were enhanced with a blue background, thus creating a fan-like effect within the gold mosaic tiles.

Finally, below the face of the Madonna is a three-stringed necklace of real pearls held together by a series of wavy and undulating bands of white gold, but on the lower portion of the bodice, there were two cherubs in smalti Àlati which had the letter A and M placed in a lateral way and adorned with white gold mosaic tiles on a smooth surface.

In the spirit of the upcoming New Year, Bicolanos worldwide might want to add visiting the Mosaic image of Our Lady of Penafrancia in Rome in their bucket list for next year. Wishing you all good health and abundant blessings on NEW YEAR!

tro We deliver in Medays Manila within 40ths! not 2 or 3 mon

For the most part renting can be just as successful as owning at achieving the American Dream.

What you owe you don’t own.

We will hardly ever be able to own our house free and clear with home prices being so high now a days. I have been comparing the homebuyers in the late 60’s where home prices were averaging 50-80K and back then homebuyers where only using about 30% of their income to pay for their mortgage payments.

A point I would like to make is that homebuyers should really put into consideration facts about what they intend to do with their homes: areas of better school districts that will affect home values in the future.

A great factor is the distance to shops and work places that homebuyers have to endure day in and out, our days are already short and time should be a major inÁuence to your decision where you would like to buy.

I am all for owning a house but I have experienced my second housing

13

crisis and I see the same pattern of people losing their home for the same reason all over again. So, I would like for you to be open-minded and see the good. But of course also try to Ànd something negative and discuss it with your family and if it will all work out then pull the trigger. This is deÀnitely a good time to lock in on these very low rates now. If you want to be mobile and ambitious it might be sensible to rent Àrst. It may be wiser to choose housing that best meets your personal needs, among the choices you can afford.

For homeowners that might have some more questions about home buying or re-Ànancing your mortgages, there are newer programs that will come out to hopefully accommodate your needs for a better payments. Please call Ken Go of 1st Innovative Finance at 562-508-7048.

BRE 01021223 NMLS 238636 Thanks for your inquiries, please Call Ken Go at 562-508-7048 or write to kennethgo@verizon.net.

14

Visit www.Balita.com

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

OPINION

$TXLQRÂśV ODVW PLVVLRQ IRU $)3 3HDFHIXO VXFFHVVIXO SROOV

MABALACAT CITY, Dec 21 (Mabuhay) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; With only six months left in ofĂ&#x20AC;ce, President Benigno Aquino III on Monday ordered his â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;last missionâ&#x20AC;? to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP): ensure the peaceful and successful conduct of the 2016 national elections. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Malaki ang inaasahan sa atin ng ating mga Boss.

Malinaw ang kanilang atas: patuloy na maglingkod na walang ibang pinapanigan kundi ang taumbayan; patuloy na suklian ng serbisyo ang kalingang ibinibigay sa inyo; patuloy na maging lakas at sandigan,â&#x20AC;? Aquino said.

Aquino, the commander-in-chief of the AFP, was the guest of honor during the 80th anniversary of the AFP held at the Clark Air Base here. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sa susunod na taon, nakaatang sa ating balikat ang tungkuling siguruhing magiging matiwasay at matagumpay ang paparating na halalan,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ito na ho ang last mission ko para sa inyo, at bilang inyong Commander-in-Chief, tiwala nga akong iisa lang ang kumpas na inyong susundan: Ang gawin ang tama, makatwiran, at makaturungan para sa ikabubuti ng bayan,â&#x20AC;? Aquino added.

The event marked the last time Aquino would have attended the AFP anniversary as commander in chief and chief executive. He steps down the presidency in June 2016.

In his speech, Aquino trumpeted the transformation of the AFPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s image, which he said was neglected for the past decade, taking a swipe at his predecessor, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sa nakalipas na mga taon, sama-sama nating binago ang imahen ng AFP: Mula sa hukbong napabayaan matapos ang isang dekada ng kasinungalingan, pandaraya, at pagnanakaw sa pamahalaan, pinatatag natin ang inyong hanay upang maging isang mas moderno, mas handa, at mas maaasahang kasundaluhan, na ang tanging interes ay itaguyod ang kapakanan ng ating mga Boss,â&#x20AC;? said Aquino. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gaya nga nang idiniin ko nang una akong humarap sa inyo bilang commander-in-chief noong Hulyo 2010: Kung hindi natutugunan ang mga pangangailangan ng bawat sundalo, paano matutugunan ng bawat sundalo ang pangangailangan ng sambayanan?â&#x20AC;? he said.

Aquino noted that only 45 projects were implemented for the AFP during the past three administrations totalling to P31.75 billion.

Under his administration, Aquino said 65 projects amounting P56.79 billion have already been implemented. These, he said, was apart from the P83.9-billion Medium Term Capability Development that will run until 2017. (MNS)

Balita

MalacaĂąang hails Pia Wurtzbachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Miss Universe win MANILA, Dec 21 (Mabuhay) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MalacaĂąang on Monday congratulated newly-crowned Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, calling her victory a â&#x20AC;&#x153;tremendous source of prideâ&#x20AC;? for the Filipino people. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In bagging this victory, Ms. Wurtzbach not only serves as a tremendous source of pride for our people, but also holds up the banner of our women and of our country as a true representative of what the Filipina can achieve,â&#x20AC;? presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a press statement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Indeed, this triumph is the result not only of her beauty but also of her passion for positive change, as one who is conĂ&#x20AC;dently beautiful with the heart,â&#x20AC;? he added.

Lacierda noted that the Philippines waited for 42 years before another Filipina was crowned Miss Universe.

Wurtzbach is the the third Filipina to win the crown after Gloria Diaz and Margarita Moran.

MalacaĂąang also praised Wurtzbachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s elegance and graciousness mid much confusion after host Steve Harvey initially announced Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez as the winner. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the Ă&#x20AC;rst few moments of the original announcement, she showed tremendous poise and control, and even more tremendous graciousness when the real verdict was Ă&#x20AC;nally announced,â&#x20AC;? said Lacierda. (MNS)

Senators hail Pia Wurtzbachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Miss Universe 2015 triumph

MANILA, Dec 21 (Mabuhay) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Pia Wurtzbachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s controversial win as Miss Universe 2015 drew mixed reactions even from senators who took to social media on Monday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Serious telenovela material! @PiaWurtzbach is #missuniverse2015 after the host Ă&#x20AC;rst announced that she was the 1st runner-up,â&#x20AC;?

Senator Pia Cayetano wrote on Twitter. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pinoys have such a sense of humor, congratulating me for @PiaWurtzbachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s win #missuniverse2015! We all stand proud with her,â&#x20AC;? Cayetano added. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Siya kaya uli ang host next year (Will he be the host next year)?â&#x20AC;? Senator Sonny Angara said in another tweet, apparently referring to host Steve Harvey, who made a mistake when he Ă&#x20AC;rst announced that Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez was the new Miss Universe, and Wurtzbach was first runner-up.

Harvey later apologized and corrected

himself that Wurtzbach was the real winner and Miss Colombia was the Ă&#x20AC;rst runner up.

Meanwhile, Senator Francis â&#x20AC;&#x153;Chizâ&#x20AC;? Escudero, also took to Twitter to congratulate Wurtzbach. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Congrats to Pia-Miss Universe 2015! Its a proud day for the Philippines & the Filipino! I admire her beauty, grace & humility,â&#x20AC;?

Escudero said.

Senator Grace Poe, in a statement, said Wurtzbachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;story of resilience and perseverance is the story of all Filipinos.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our warmest congratulations to the Philippinesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; own, Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach,â&#x20AC;? Poe said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Her story of resilience and perseverance is the story of all Filipinos.

She inspires with her grace and compassion for others. The Filipino heart indeed shone through! What a wonderful Christmas gift to us. It will bring many of us some much needed Christmas cheer,â&#x20AC;? she added. (MNS)

&DELQHW YRZV WR ZRUN RQ UHIRUPV GHVSLWH ORZ 6:6 VDWLVIDFWLRQ UDWLQJ MANILA, Dec 21 (Mabuhay) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; President Benigno Aquino IIIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cabinet will continue to push for reforms despite receiving a lower satisfaction rating this quarter, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) poll.

Aquinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cabinet, as a whole, got a satisfaction rating of 38 percent (from 40 percent in the third quarter) based on the December 5 to 8 survey of SWS. The same survey, conducted among 1,200 adults, also showed that 27 percent (from only 23 percent in September) said that they were dissatisĂ&#x20AC;ed with the Cabinet while 32 percent (from 34 percent last quarter) were undecided.

This resulted in a net satisfaction of +11 for December, from +16 in September.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We note the latest Social Weather Station (SWS) survey on Public Satisfaction with top government ofĂ&#x20AC;cials and top government institutions which show that the satisfaction rating for the Cabinet as a whole remained â&#x20AC;&#x153;moderateâ&#x20AC;? with 38% of respondents SatisĂ&#x20AC;ed, 32% Undecided and 27 dissatisĂ&#x20AC;ed for a net satisfaction rating of +11,â&#x20AC;? Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a statement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;While we value the insights provided by public opinion surveys such as those by the SWS, the entire Cabinet remains steadfast in its commitment to fulĂ&#x20AC;ll our respective mandates and to deliver on the priority reform and development programs anchored on inclusive growth,â&#x20AC;? he added.

WKH \HDU WKDW ,6 WHUURU ZHQW JOREDO %\ 0LFKHO 0RXWRW

Paris, France | AFP | Sunday 12/20/2015 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; From the blood spilled in the streets of Paris to the San Bernardino shootings, the world in 2015 showed its vulnerability to the brand of terror perpetrated by Islamic State jihadists.

Over the past 12 months, the group that took root in Iraq and in the chaos of the Syrian war has turned its focus from territorial gains to hitting at â&#x20AC;&#x153;distant enemiesâ&#x20AC;?. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Islamic State... has gone global,â&#x20AC;? said Richard Barrett, a former head of Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s global counter-terrorism operations who is now vice-president of the New York-based think-tank Soufan Group. Barrett told AFP that politicians Ă&#x20AC;nd the issue of the IS group â&#x20AC;&#x153;really difĂ&#x20AC;cult to deal withâ&#x20AC;?.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The public is frightened, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the point of terrorism â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to make the public frightened. And itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very difĂ&#x20AC;cult for the politicians to deal with a constituency which is frightened. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But at the moment, running around in circles and sending more bombers (to Syria and Iraq) is not solving the problem, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s even making it a little bit worse.â&#x20AC;?

Perhaps the key difference between IS and the extremist groups that have gone before it, is that it can call on agents that it dispatches from its self-declared â&#x20AC;&#x153;caliphateâ&#x20AC;? as well as sympathizers in the countries it is attacking.

As the year closed, even California appeared to have become a target, when the married couple Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik killed 14 people in San Bernardino.

Balita Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

Visit www.Balita.com

1R HQG WR Ă&#x20AC; RRGLQJ KHDY\ WUDá&#x201A;&#x2C6; F LQ 0HWUR 0DQLOD There seems to be no end to the perennial flooding problems that has plagued Metro Manila for years.

A week ago, it was reported that large areas of Metro Manila was Ă ooded because of typhoon â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nonaâ&#x20AC;? and tropical depression â&#x20AC;&#x153;Onyok,â&#x20AC;? making it virtually difĂ&#x20AC;cult for residents to commute.

As usual, thousands of motorists and commuters were reportedly stranded in bumper-to-bumper trafĂ&#x20AC;c.

Hundreds of commuters who were unavailable to find public transport, were forced to wade through waist-deep Ă oods just to get home.

Metro Manila has a total population of about 12 million and its total land area is equivalent to or even larger than most provinces in the Philippines.

Until such time that the government demolish all shanties built by illegal settlers along esteros, sidewalks and those under bridges, Metro Manila will continue to deteriorate.

And since there is no alternative for low income housing, people are forced to live or squat in make-shift shanties along esteros, sidewalks or even under bridges.

Congressmen and Mayors in Metro Manila have ignored the presence of these â&#x20AC;&#x153;squattersâ&#x20AC;? since they represent votes during elections.

Hopefully, elected ofĂ&#x20AC;cials in Metropolitan Manila will have the political will, one of these days, to finally evict these illegal squatters if only to help in solving the flood problem in the metropolis. â&#x20AC;˘ No money, no honey. This must be the message most members of the Lower House are trying to convey to President Noynoy for them to resurrect the moribund Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

Weeks ago, there were rumors that Malacanang was dangling a P1.5

billion pork barrel fund to Congressmen allies of President Noynoy, to railroad the approval of the BBL. As usual, Malacanang ofĂ&#x20AC;cials denied the reported bribe.

It seems that the balding President is determined at all cost to have his BBL approve for him to have even a slim change of being nominated for a Nobel Peace awardee.

However, after the supposed P1.5 billion pork barrel allocation for â&#x20AC;&#x153;cooperativeâ&#x20AC;? lawmakers came out in the news, the enthusiasm of some Congressmen to have the bill pass as urgent, seemed to have died down.

Even Speaker Feliciano Belmonte has already admitted in his press statement, that it will be difĂ&#x20AC;cult for the Lower House to act on the BBL due to lack of quorum in the house as well as the strong opposition being shown by some Congressmen against the controversial measure.

What I can not fathom is why will the Philippine government has to give P27 billion annually as what is stipulated in the BBL as agreement upon by both government and muslim peace negotiators.

There is a strong possibility that these huge amount of resources given to Muslim rebels will harbor, shelter or aid terrorists and pirates and possibly use to exploit the possibility to secede eventually from the Philippines.

Many still believe that the BBL is not the answer to the discontentment of the Muslims in Mindanao.

&DUHJLYHUV DUH HQWLWOHG WR RYHUWLPH FRPSHQVDWLRQ XQGHU QHZ &DOLIRUQLD ODZ In our aging society, the need for skilled caregivers is ever-increasing.

Providing the best possible care often means working long hours.

In the past, many caregivers did not qualify for overtime compensation because they were considered exempt from overtime as â&#x20AC;&#x153;personal attendants.â&#x20AC;?

However, on January 1, 2014, California enacted the Domestic Worker Bill of Rights, which provides that â&#x20AC;&#x153;personal attendants,â&#x20AC;? including most caregivers working in private households (with limited exceptions), must receive overtime pay for all hours worked in excess of nine per day or forty-Ă&#x20AC;ve per week.

Many caregivers are not aware that they are now entitled to overtime compensation.

It is vital that caregivers know and understand their rights under this new law. For example, oftentimes caregivers are improperly paid a daily Ă at rate of $50.00-$120.00 per day for providing 24-hour care.

If you are working as a caregiver and paid a Ă at daily or monthly salary you are not receiving overtime pay.

Under the new law, a caregiver working a 24-hour shift must be paid at least $283.50 per day. This number increases to $315.00 per day when the minimum wage increases to $10 per hour on January 1, 2016.

If an employer fails to pay overtime, the resulting liability can be extensive.

Employees that are not properly

compensated for overtime hours are not only entitled to receive their unpaid overtime wages, but are also entitled to interest, penalties, attorneysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fees and costs.

Here are a few things that caregivers should know about overtime in California: - With some exceptions, caregivers must be paid one and one half times their regular rate of pay for all hours worked in excess of nine per day or forty-Ă&#x20AC;ve per week.

- Caregivers that are paid a salary are not exempt from overtime laws.

- Caregivers need to be compensated for overnight care in most circumstances.

Caregivers work hard to care for our loved ones and, like all employees in California, they must be paid in accordance with California law.

Given these recent changes caregivers should consult with a knowledgeable employment law attorney with experience handing wage and hour matters to ensure that they are being properly compensated for their work.

Article written by Lauren J. Peterson, Employment Law Attorney of Rehwald Glasner & Chaleff. For free and conĂ&#x20AC;dential consultation call (818)703-7500.

I think the government was wrong in negotiating only with the MILF. The exclusion of other rebel groups in the negotiating table will make it harder for the BBL to be accepted by all Muslims once ratiĂ&#x20AC;ed in Congress.

Other rebel groups as as the MNLF, Abu Sayyaf and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters should have been invited by the government to present their ideas on how to achieve lasting peace in Mindanao.

I think the only reason President Aquino is pressuring Congress, particularly the Lower House, to approve the BBL is for him to get the credit for trying to end the armed conĂ ict in Mindanao. He wants it for his legacy since he has not accomplished anything substantial which he can be proud off.

For all we know, President Aquino doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even care whether the BBL will bring lasting peace in Mindanao. All he wants is credit and and public attention. This is the President the Filipino people voted in 2010 to be their president. â&#x20AC;˘ The chances of Senator Grace Poe Llamanzares of being allowed to run in the 2016 president election is very slim. Noted lawyers and constitutionalists agree that Senator Poe Llamanzares is not qualiĂ&#x20AC;ed to run for President for not being able to meet the 10-year residency required under the constitution.

Granting that she is a natural born citizen of the Republic of the Philippines, Senator Llamanzares still has to prove and satisfy the Comelec en banc and the Supreme Court that she has met the 10 year residency requirement.

15

I am not a lawyer, but hopefully, if and when Senator Poe Llamanzares will not emerge victorious in the Comelec en banc ruling, as well as with the Supreme Court, she will be allowed to keep her Senate seat, in fairness to the more than 20 million Filipinos who voted for her for Senator. â&#x20AC;˘ This is the best time of the year to be happy. Let us all forget our problems for a day and be merry and thankful that we survived another year of difĂ&#x20AC;culty and uncertainty.

There is another 360 plus days to look forward to. I hope next year will be much better than last year for all of us, particularly on our health.

Merry Christmas to all the Weekend Balita personnel as well as to my editor, Rhony Laigo and his wife Ruth and their kids.

16

Visit www.Balita.com

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

FOOD & DINING

Balita

)UHVK )UXLW 3L]]D 7DUW )$0,/< )($785(6

6HUYLQJV RXQFHV VXJDU FRRNLH

GRXJK SUHSDUHG

RXQFHV QRQIDW FUHDP

FKHHVH VRIWHQHG FXS ORZ IDW VRXU

FUHDP

WDEOHVSRRQV JUDQXODWHG

VXJDU FXSV EODFN &DOLIRUQLD

JUDSHV FXS UHG &DOLIRUQLD

JUDSHV

NLZLIUXLW SDUHG DQG

VOLFHG +HDW RYHQ WR ) 3DW FRRNLH GRXJK LQWR ERWWRP RI JUHDVHG LQFK WDUW SDQ %DNH IRU PLQXWHV RU XQWLO OLJKWO\ EURZQHG &RRO FRPSOHWHO\ ,Q HOHFWULF PL[HU EHDW FUHDP FKHHVH DQG VRXU FUHDP *UDG XDOO\ DGG VXJDU EHDW XQWLO FRPSOHWHO\ PL[HG DQG Ã&#x20AC; X൵ \ 6SUHDG PL[WXUH RYHU HQWLUH VXUIDFH RI HDFK SDQ RI EDNHG FRRNLH GRXJK $UUDQJH JUDSHV DQG RWKHU IUXLW DV GHVLUHG FRYHULQJ HQWLUH VXUIDFH ZLWK IUXLW SUHVV JHQWO\ 5HIULJHUDWH XQWLO FKLOOHG 1XWULWLRQ LQIRUPDWLRQ SHU VHUYLQJ FDORULHV FDORULHV IURP IDW J WRWDO IDW J VDWX UDWHG IDW J SURWHLQ J FDUER K\ GUDWH J ¿ EHU PJ FKROHV WHURO PJ VRGLXP

:

LWK DOO WKH KXVWOH DQG EXVWOH RI WKH KROLGD\V JUHDW WDVWLQJ IRRGV WKDW IHDWXUH KHDOWK\ LQJUHGLHQWV VXFK DV ZKROH IUXLWV DQG YHJHWDEOHV SUHSDUHG LQ XQLTXH DQG LQWHUHVWLQJ ZD\V FDQ KHOS GHOLYHU KHDOWKIXO LQGXOJHQFH ¿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

)HWD 6WX൵ HG &KLFNHQ %UHDVWV ZLWK *UDSH 3RUW 6DXFH 6HUYLQJV

ERQHOHVV VNLQOHVV FKLFNHQ EUHDVW

KDOYHV DERXW RXQFHV HDFK

FXS RXQFHV FUXPEOHG IHWD

FKHHVH

WHDVSRRQV ROLYH RLO GLYLGHG WHDVSRRQ VDOW WHDVSRRQ FUXVKHG UHG SHSSHU Ã&#x20AC; DNHV FXS UHGXFHG VRGLXP FKLFNHQ EURWK

GLYLGHG

FXS WKLQO\ VOLFHG RQLRQ

FXSV UHG &DOLIRUQLD JUDSHV FXS SRUW ZLQH

WHDVSRRQV UHG ZLQH YLQHJDU

WHDVSRRQ FKRSSHG IUHVK URVHPDU\ 0DNH SRFNHW LQ HDFK FKLFNHQ EUHDVW E\ FXWWLQJ KRUL]RQWDOO\ IURP WKLFNHVW VLGH DOPRVW WR RSSRVLWH VLGH 6SRRQ FKHHVH LQWR HDFK SRFNHW 6HFXUH SRFNHWV ZLWK ZRRGHQ VNHZHUV LI GHVLUHG %UXVK FKLFNHQ SLHFHV RQ ERWK VLGHV ZLWK WHD VSRRQ ROLYH RLO 6SULQNOH ZLWK VDOW DQG UHG SHSSHU Ã&#x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¿ EHU PJ FKROHVWHURO PJ VRGLXP

5RDVWHG 6TXDVK DQG *UDSH 6DODG ZLWK 7DKLQL

+HDOWK\ +ROLGD\ 6QDFNLQJ 7LSV 7DNH D SUDFWLFDO DSSURDFK WR \RXU KROLGD\ PXQFKLQJ WR NHHS RYHU LQGXOJLQJ LQ FKHFN Â&#x201E; )RFXV RQ SHRSOH ¿ UVW IRRG VHFRQG Â&#x201E; +DYH D KHDOWK\ VQDFN EHIRUH WKH SDUW\ VR \RX GRQ¶W DUULYH KXQJU\ )UHVK JUDSHV DQG FKHHVH RU KXPPXV DUH WULHG DQG WUXH RSWLRQV Â&#x201E; %H SLFN\ &KRRVH RQO\ WKH LQGXOJHQFHV WKDW DUH WUXO\ ZRUWK LW RU VSHFLDO WR \RX

%HHWV *UDSHV DQG :DOQXW 6DODG 6HUYLQJV

VPDOO EHHWV D PL[ RI UHG

&KLRJJLD DQG JROGHQ

ZDVKHG ZHOO

WDEOHVSRRQ H[WUD YLUJLQ ROLYH

RLO GLYLGHG

VDOW DQG IUHVKO\ JURXQG EODFN

SHSSHU

VPDOO FORYH JDUOLF PLQFHG

WDEOHVSRRQ ULFH YLQHJDU

WHDVSRRQ WDPDULQG

FRQFHQWUDWH

WDEOHVSRRQV ZDOQXW RLO

FXSV DUXJXOD

FXS KDOYHG JUHHQ &DOLIRUQLD

JUDSHV FXS WRDVWHG ZDOQXWV +HDW RYHQ WR ) 3HHO EHHWV FXW LQWR LQFK ZHGJHV DQG WRVV ZLWK ROLYH RLO VDOW DQG SHSSHU

NHHSLQJ UHG DQG \HOORZ EHHWV VHSDUDWH 3ODFH EHHWV RQ IRLO RU SDUFKPHQW OLQHG EDNLQJ VKHHW 5RDVW XQWLO VKDUS NQLIH SLHUFHV EHHWV HDVLO\ DERXW PLQ XWHV /HW FRRO :KLOH EHHWV DUH URDVWLQJ ZKLVN WRJHWKHU JDUOLF YLQHJDU WDPDULQG ZDOQXW RLO VDOW DQG SHSSHU WR WDVWH 7RVV EHHWV ZLWK VRPH GUHVVLQJ 'LYLGH DUXJXOD DPRQJ VHUYLQJ SODWHV DQG WRS ZLWK EHHWV 6SULQNOH ZLWK JUDSHV GUL]]OH ZLWK PRUH GUHVV LQJ VSULQNOH ZLWK ZDOQXWV DQG VHUYH 1XWULWLRQ LQIRUPDWLRQ SHU VHUYLQJ FDORULHV FDORULHV IURP IDW

J WRWDO IDW J VDWXUDWHG IDW J SURWHLQ J FDUERK\GUDWH J ¿ EHU PJ FKROHVWHURO PJ VRGLXP

6HUYLQJV

PHGLXP EXWWHUQXW VTXDVK

DERXW SRXQGV

SHHOHG VHHGHG DQG FXW

LQWR LQFK WKLFN VOLFHV

WDEOHVSRRQV H[WUD YLUJLQ

ROLYH RLO

VDOW DQG IUHVKO\ JURXQG

EODFN SHSSHU

WDEOHVSRRQV VHVDPH

WDKLQL

VPDOO FORYH JDUOLF

PLQFHG

WDEOHVSRRQ OHPRQ MXLFH WDEOHVSRRQV KRW ZDWHU

SLQFK RI FD\HQQH SHSSHU

FXS KDOYHG UHG

&DOLIRUQLD JUDSHV WHDVSRRQ ]D¶DWDU VSLFH

EOHQG +HDW RYHQ WR ) 7RVV VTXDVK ZLWK RLO DQG VSUHDG RQ EDNLQJ VKHHW OLQHG ZLWK IRLO RU SDUFK PHQW 6SULQNOH ZLWK VDOW DQG SHSSHU DQG URDVW XQWLO VTXDVK LV WHQGHU DERXW PLQXWHV 7UDQVIHU WR SODWWHU ,Q VPDOO ERZO ZKLVN WRJHWKHU WDKLQL JDUOLF OHPRQ ZDWHU FD\HQQH SHSSHU VDOW DQG SHSSHU WR WDVWH 6SULQNOH JUDSHV RYHU VTXDVK DQG GUL]]OH ZLWK WDKLQL VDXFH 6SULQNOH ZLWK ]D¶DWDU DQG VHUYH 1XWULWLRQ LQIRUPDWLRQ SHU VHUYLQJ FDORULHV FDORULHV IURP IDW J WRWDO IDW J VDWXUDWHG IDW J SURWHLQ J FDUERK\GUDWH J ¿ EHU PJ FKROHVWHURO PJ VRGLXP

Balita Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

Visit www.Balita.com

ENTERTAINMENT

17

Vic Sotto talks about upcoming wedding with Pauleen Luna Vic Sotto has conÀrmed that his January 2016 wedding with girlfriend Pauleen Luna will be aired on GMA noontime variety program “Eat Bulaga.”

“Kung itatanong ninyo kung kailan, kung saan, basta manood lang kayo ng ‘Eat Bulaga’ at doon ninyo lahat malalaman,” he said.

Sotto said Luna is on top of all the wedding preparations but he still has inputs on what is going to happen next month.

“Si Pauleen ang nakatutok doon (sa wedding). Kanya kanya kami ng trabaho e. Ako dito sa pelikula at siya naman doon sa sarili naming pelikula. Lahat naman ay may approval, lahat dumadaan sa akin,” he said.

Asked what Ànally made him decide to settle down, the 61-year-old 9LF 6RWWR

µ0\ %HEH /RYH´ µJRHV WR &HEX DQG 'DYDR

Christmas came early for Cebuanos and Davaoeños as the cast of the Metro Manila Film Festival entry “My Bebe Love: #KiligPaMore” visited the region for the movie’s promo tour. The romantic comedy stars Vic Sotto and Ai-Ai Delas Alas, together with Alden Richards and Maine “Yaya Dub” Mendoza.

“My Bebe Love” is AlDub’s Àrst-ever Àlm together, following the unprecedented success of the phenomenal love team in Eat Bulaga’s Kalyeserye. As early as now, the movie is being predicted to be a smash hit, with the tandem of the Box OfÀce King and the Comedy Queen leading the story about Vito (Vic) and Cora (Ai-Ai)—business rivals who will Ànd the conÁict between them brewing further as Anna (Maine) and Dondi (Alden) become romantically involved. Anna is the daughter of Vito while Dondi is Cora’s nephew.

Both Vic and Ai-Ai have ruled the box ofÀce through various Àlms they have previously starred in. AlDub, on the other hand, has taken the world by storm with the love team becoming a regular trending topic on social media.

Just over the weekend, AlDub dominated Twitterverse once more as the phenomenal love team guested on various Kapuso shows.

The #AlDubonSPS trended in the Philippines and worldwide after Maine guested for the Àrst time on Sunday Pinasaya, where in Alden is one of the hosts.

Later on, AlDub joined Bossing in the latter’s primetime comedy sitcom, Vampire ang Daddy Ko, making the hashtag #AlDubonVDK trend both in the Philippines and all over the world. AlDub’s much-awaited interview with well-respected broadcast journalist Jessica Soho aired afterVampire ang Daddy Ko. The hashtag #KMJSAlDubYou dominated social media. It topped the Philippines and worldwide trends as well.

The Kapuso pair was also featured on GMA News TV’s Reel Time that night with the hashtag #AdubonReelTime becoming one of the trending topics on Twitter as well.

said it all boils down to right timing.

“Tamang panahon. Dumarating sa buhay ng tao na you Ànd the right woman at the right time, at the right moment, yun na siguro ang sinasabi ng Aldub na sa tamang panahon,” he said. Sotto said nothing will change after the wedding, especially in Luna’s career.

He said they haven’t discussed if she wants to be a stay at home wife but he knows the actress would like to have a career of her own.

“Walang magbabago siguro less lang kasi magbabago na din yung priorities niya sa buhay. It will really depend on her kasi hindi naman din pwede na ganun ka ka-busy kasi meron ka na din namang bagong responsibilidad,” Sotto said.

“Nasa dugo na niya yung showbiz,

ang pagiging artista and hindi ko naman siya pipigilan.”

As for having kids, Sotto said: “We’ll just wait for that blessing. In God’s time.”

Sotto is just thankful for all the blessings, especially now that he will enter a new chapter in his life.

“God is good. It has been going good for everyone, hindi lang naman ako, but for the family, my friends.

Basta gumagawa ka ng mabuti, maraming mabuting mangyayari sa iyo,” he said.

Sotto, together with Alden Richards, Maine Mendoza and Comedy Queen Ai-Ai delas Alas, will topbill the Metro Manila Film Festival entry “My Bebe Love: Kilig Pa More!” opening on Christmas Day, December 25.

(MNS)

0DULD 2]DZD RQ GRLQJ PRYLH LQ 3+/ 6R PXFK IXQ Japanese actress Maria Ozawa said she enjoyed doing her Àrst movie in the Philippines.

Ozawa is part of the Metro Manila Film Festival entry “Nilalang”, which also stars Cesar Montano and Meg Imperial.

Comparing her experience in doing movies in the Philippines and Japan, she said: “Everything was new to me, totally different from Japan, from what I’ve experienced.

And I love it here, [it’s] way better than Japan... So much fun.”

“I tried martial arts, ninja works and all the gun shooting, which is so much fun. Yes, action was really fun,” she added.

Ozawa went on to encourage Filipinos to watch “Nilalang” on December 25. “Everything is super fantastic—the action scenes and the horror and suspense, everything is in this movie. So just please go and watch it,” she said.

She also praised her co-star, Montano, describing him as “gentleman-type” and “nice.”

Imperial, who was with Ozawa during the interview, also shared

-HQQ\O\Q 0HUFDGR QRW SUHVVXUHG WR ZLQ EDFN WR EDFN 00)) WURSKLHV JennylyN Mercado does not feel the pressure to take home the best actress trophy in the Metro Manila Film Festival for the second straight year.

“Ayokong isipin yun kasi nung nakaraan e wala din namang pressure at wala din akong expectations. Sa akin, ginawa ko lang yung trabaho ko. Pinaganda ko siya at binigay ko yung lahat,” said Mercado, who won the award for hit romantic comedy “English Only, Please” in 2014.

“Ayoko na may pressure e. Ever since nagsimula ako sa industriyang ito ay hindi ko binigyan yung sarili ko ng pressure at never akong nakipag compete.

Nakikipag compete ako sa sarili ko pero hindi sa iba,” she added.

On December 25, the GMA talent will headline drama comedy movie “Walang Forever” opposite Jericho Rosales and under the direction of Dan Villegas.

her excitement for her latest movie project.

“Yes, excited kami at pinaghirapan namin ‘yung Àlm. And to think na bago sa amin ito, sobrang bago ‘yung ginawa namin dito,” she said.

“Nilalang” made headlines when actor Robin Padilla backed out of the movie to focus on taking care of his wife, Mariel Rodriguez, who was then experiencing a delicate pregnancy.

Days after his exit from the project, Padilla and Rodriguez lost their triplets to miscarriage.

The Àlm was initially cancelled but was revived when Montano signed to take over Padilla’s role. (MNS)

0DULD 2]DZD

18

Visit www.Balita.com

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

Balita

Balita Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

Visit www.Balita.com

19

20

Visit www.Balita.com

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

Balita

Balita Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

Visit www.Balita.com

21

22

Visit www.Balita.com

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

*HW RXW RI GHEW DQG VWDUW VDYLQJ DJDLQ LQ

I know that our economy in the last several years has caused a lot of Ă&#x20AC;nancial problems for a lot of people. A lot of families are struggling Ă&#x20AC;nancially every month and are living paycheck to paycheck, thus making it impossible for them to save for their future. They feel like no matter how hard they work, there never seems to be enough money to go around and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re always broke before next payday.

Chances are you know someone who is struggling just to keep their head above water. Maybe theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve lost their job. Maybe their business is not doing too well. They are living on the edge every month and they feel that they could fall off anytime.

Unfortunately, very few people have a safety net, like some kind of an emergency fund that can keep them going for a short time while they are trying to Ă&#x20AC;gure out their next step.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to blame the economy for our money problems. However, one thing Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned over the years as a bankruptcy attorney is that with certain people, there ALWAYS seems to be a Ă&#x20AC;nancial crisis no matter how the economy is doing, good or bad. No matter how much money they make, there never seems to be enough because as their income rises, so do their expenses.

For example, if they get a raise, they will always Ă&#x20AC;nd a way to spend that extra money instead of saving it. As long as they can make the minimum payments on their credit cards, they think theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing OK and that they have their Ă&#x20AC;nances â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;under controlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

If you are spending all of your income every month, you are making yourself very vulnerable to a lot of changes that life may bring your way. With no cushion to fall on if you lose your income, you can have an immediate Ă&#x20AC;nancial crisis that you are not prepared to handle. So

how do you create a safety cushion?

The Ă&#x20AC;rst step is to start saving part of your income every month starting NOW. Not later when you think youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing better. Not later after youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve paid off all your debts.

The time to start is now. This may seem counterintuitive if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re buried in debt but I personally think that saving money even while youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in debt gives you a psychological advantage knowing that should you have a Ă&#x20AC;nancial emergency, your family will not be out in the streets the following month because you have nothing to live on. Pay your debts but also Ă&#x20AC;nd a way to slowly build an emergency fund. This is money that should NEVER be touched except for an emergency.

If you are drowning in debt, you need to Ă&#x20AC;gure out a way to reduce or eliminate your debt. A lot of you reading this canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even put aside a couple of hundred dollars a month because you can hardly pay your credit card bills on time.

If you are Ă&#x20AC;nancially strapped every month because of high debt payments, you need to Ă&#x20AC;gure out a strategy to escape the debt trap so you can start building a good financial future for yourself and your family.

The payments you are making on your debts every month should be money you are saving. Think about it.

As we start another year, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to review your Ă&#x20AC;nancial situation and set new goals for yourself and your family. Make 2016 a better

LAW OFFICES OF

N. JOE P. INUMERABLE Graduate of Notre Dame Law School 24 years of Jury Trial-Litigation experience

Legal Service with Personal Touch AREAS OF PRACTICES â&#x20AC;˘ Bankruptcy â&#x20AC;˘ Criminal Law â&#x20AC;˘ Business/Real Estate Litigation â&#x20AC;˘ Divorce-Child Custody â&#x20AC;˘ Immigration â&#x20AC;˘ Health Care Matters â&#x20AC;˘ Personal Injury Call ME for FREE Consultation.

Asahan mong AKO mismo ang tutulong sa'yo!

3600 Wilshire Boulevard Suite 2020 (where the Phil Consulate is) Los Angeles, CA 90010

(213) 251-5477

year! If you are in debt and need professional help, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be embarrassed in Ă&#x20AC;nding out what your options are and asking for legal help. For a free consultation, please call my ofĂ&#x20AC;ce at Toll-Free 1-866-477-7772. We have offices in Los Angeles, Cerritos, Pasadena and Valencia. I will help you get your Ă&#x20AC;nancial house back

Balita

in order.

(None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any speciĂ&#x20AC;c situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped over 5,000 clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call RJB Law OfĂ&#x20AC;ces at TOLL FREE 1-866-477-7772).

)LYH EHQHÂż WV RI HVWDEOLVKLQJ D UHYRFDEOH OLYLQJ WUXVW The holidays and the end of the year is a good time to think about who you would like to inherit from your estate in case you pass away or at least who among your closest friends (BFFs) and family members are even deserving of inheriting from your estate. In doing so, you should also think about which vehicle you plan to use in implementing your estate plan. One of the best vehicle in implementing your estate plan is a revocable living trust. Five major beneĂ&#x20AC;ts of establishing a revocable living trust are: Your estate can avoid the time, cost, and hassle of going through the probate court process.

If you pass away without a will (intestate) in California, one of your close family would have to Ă&#x20AC;le a petition in probate court to probate your estate. Your estate will be divided and distributed according to the California probate code rules of intestate succession. Even if you have a will when you pass away, your family would still need to Ă&#x20AC;le a petition in probate court if your estate is worth over $150,000 and go through the probate process. This can become a circus if certain beneĂ&#x20AC;ciaries contest the validity of the Will or the distribution of the estate. Your estate will pay for attorneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fees, probate referee fees, appraisers and other experts, CPA fees, etc. If people contest the case, your estate would end up paying legal fees to defend the estate in litigation. The entire process can take anywhere from 9 months to years depending on the contentiousness of the probate case.

With a revocable living trust, your trustee or successor trustee if you were the initial trustee, would administer the trust and distribute the estate according to the trust document without having to open a probate court case. If the trust is funded with all your assets, it is possible to administer and distribute the trust assets without any Court involvement at all. This process is a lot faster than going through probate.

Your estate is not public record When you Ă&#x20AC;le a probate case, the public has access to your probate case Ă&#x20AC;le. The public will know the assets of the estate including the values of those assets. If the Will is admitted into probate, the terms of the Will is open to public scrutiny.

Establishing a revocable living trust makes your estate affairs private. Strangers do not have access to the terms of your living trust. Only certain beneficiaries and possible heirs can request a copy of the revocable living trust after you pass away.

You can dictate who will inherit from your estate.

If you pass away without a Will, your estate will be divided and distributed in Probate Court following the rules of intestate succession in the California probate code. Certain relatives will be entitled to a share of your estate even if you feel they are not deserving. By establishing a revocable living trust, you can designate who you want to inherit from your estate. You can designate what and how much each one will received from your estate after you pass away. The assets distributed to each beneĂ&#x20AC;ciaries does not have to be

equal. The people you designate as beneĂ&#x20AC;ciaries of your living trust does not even have to be close family members. You can designate anyone as a beneĂ&#x20AC;ciary, with certain exceptions, of your estate.

You can structure your estate to minimize estate taxes If your estate is valued above the estate tax exemption, establishing a trust can allow you to divide up your estate into smaller sub trusts to minimize the overall estate tax effect on your estate. It allows you to set up a vehicle for certain charitable giving which carries tax advantage and asset protection.

You can choose who will administer your estate after your death When you establish a revocable trust, you can appoint someone else as trustee or you can appoint a successor trustee if you are the initial trustee. The trustee will be administering (managing) the trust after you pass away without a need to open a probate court case. This allows for continuity in operating the trust and the efĂ&#x20AC;cient and cost effective distribution of estate assets.

If you are concerned about whether you can trust any family members as your trustee, you can appoint an institution as a professional trustee to carry out the terms of the declaration of trust. These type of trustee services are often offered by banks, Ă&#x20AC;nancial institutions, wealth management Ă&#x20AC;rms, and business management Ă&#x20AC;rms for a reasonable fee.

This minimizes conĂ icts within the family and prevents negligence and wrong doing by inexperienced family members.

Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-speciĂ&#x20AC;c legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed.

The speciĂ&#x20AC;c facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law OfĂ&#x20AC;ces of Kenneth U. Reyes, APLC. This article is not a solicitation.

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a CertiĂ&#x20AC;ed Family Law Specialist.

He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APLC. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslaw@ gmail.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com

Balita Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

COMMUNITY

Visit www.Balita.com

23

$FKLHYHPHQWV RI \RXQJ )LO $PV FLWHG LQ 'U -RVH 5L]DO <RXWK $ZDUGV WASHINGTON, DCâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Thirteen young, outstanding Filipino-Americans were recognized for their academic excellence and community service during the Dr. Jose Rizal Youth Awards on 17 December 2015 at the Romulo Hall of the Philippine Embassy.

Now on its 23rd year, the annual award recognizes students from the elementary, high school, and undergraduate levels in the Metropolitan Washington, DC area who epitomize the values of the Philippine National Hero.

This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s awardees were the following (grade levels during AY 2014-2015): Trina Sophia LaFortune â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3rd grade, Holy Spirit School Rebecca Verba Honigford â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4th grade, Our Lady of Good Counsel School Gerard Gonzaga â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6th grade, J. Michael Lunsford Middle School Regina Verba Honigford â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6th grade, Our Lady of Good Counsel School Arianne Arizala â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7th grade, Redland Middle School Adeline Christelle Baban â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 8th grade, St. John Academy Justin Francis T. Bustamante â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 8th grade, St. Peterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School Janelle Gonzaga â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 9th grade, Freedom High School Nicholas T. MaĂąalac â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 9th grade, Fairfax High School Jed Paolo Dela Torre â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 10th grade, Benjamin Banneker High School Joseph Brandon B. Gopiao â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

10th grade, Lake Braddock Secondary School Allan James Phillips â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11th grade, Oakton High School Jennifer Marie R. Palo â&#x20AC;&#x201C; graduate level, Bowie State University In his keynote address, Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. talked about Rizalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life and urged the awardees to continue learning more about the hero after whom the award is named. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jose Rizalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s accomplishments were never achieved before by a Filipino during that time. He realized his potential and he never allowed lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hardships to stop him from serving his family, fellow men and country.

His poem â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;To the Filipino Youthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; appeals to the youth of the past, the present and the future to realize their dreams and be the best that they can be in the service of the greater good,â&#x20AC;? said Ambassador Cuisia.

He added, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I strongly encourage all of you, especially as Rizal Youth Awardees, to learn more about our national hero by studying his life and reading his works.â&#x20AC;?

Col. Shirley S. Raguindin, Chief of NGB Diversity at the National Guard Bureau, offered inspirational words to the awardees. In her address, she shared how she aimed high in her studies and career and shared a quote from 11 year old Nkosi Johnson from South Africa, encouraging the young individuals to make the most out of what they have. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do what you can in the time that you have, in the place that you are,â&#x20AC;? said Col. Raguindin.

1RZ RQ LWV UG \HDU WKH DQQXDO DZDUG UHFRJQL]HV VWXGHQWV IURP WKH HOHPHQWDU\ KLJK VFKRRO DQG XQGHUJUDGXDWH OHYHOV LQ WKH 0HWURSROLWDQ :DVKLQJWRQ '& DUHD ZKR HSLWRPL]H WKH YDOXHV RI WKH 3KLOLSSLQH 1DWLRQDO +HUR

Three of the awardees shared essays they wrote which were used in the selection process.

Now a 5th grader, Rebecca Verba Honigford from Our Lady of Good Counsel School read her response to the question â&#x20AC;&#x153;If Dr. Jose Rizal could don his Batman suit, what do would be his Ă&#x20AC;rst big task?â&#x20AC;?

Meanwhile, 7th grader Regina Verba Honigford responded to the question, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Can you describe how the Filipinos lived during Dr. Jose Rizalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time?â&#x20AC;?

Nicholas T. Manalac, now in 11th grade at Fairfax High School answered the question, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ever the man of peace, how would Dr. Jose Rizal resolve the issue of gun violence in the

US?â&#x20AC;? Jenniber Marie Palo of Bowie State University read her essay on Rizalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opposing views regarding the Katipunan.

Awardees and guests were also treated to a violin performance by the Baban Trio made up of siblings Ace, Troy, and Adie Baban.

The Dr. Rizal Youth Awards is a joint project of the Philippine American Foundation for Charities, Inc. (PAFC) and the Embassy of the Philippines.

PAFC is a non-profit organization formed in 1996 which sponsors charitable, educational, cultural, and emergency assistance projects to help improve the quality of lives of people in the community.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Star Warsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sets N. America opening weekend record with $238-M Los Angeles, United States | AFP | Sunday 12/20/2015 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Star Wars: The Force Awakensâ&#x20AC;? set a record for the highest-grossing opening weekend at the US and Canadian box ofĂ&#x20AC;ce with an estimated $238 million in sales, Walt Disney studios said Sunday.

The Ă&#x20AC;gure shatters the previous record set by â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jurassic Worldâ&#x20AC;? earlier this year when it premiered to $208.8 million.

Globally, the latest â&#x20AC;&#x153;Star Warsâ&#x20AC;? space epic raked in an estimated $517 million, Disney said, breaking records for biggest opening weekend abroad in 18 other countries, including Russia and Germany, and second biggest across four nations.

The worldwide figure puts the Ă&#x20AC;lm in second place behind â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jurassic World,â&#x20AC;? which earned $524.9 million globally in its Ă&#x20AC;rst weekend.

The highly anticipated â&#x20AC;&#x153;Force Awakensâ&#x20AC;? has blazed a record-setting trail since its domestic debut Thursday, taking the prize for highest-grossing domestic opening night with $57 million and biggest domestic single-day sales Friday with $120.5 million. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2,â&#x20AC;? previously held both records at $43.5 million for an opening night and $91 million for a Ă&#x20AC;rst day. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Mind-blowingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ticket sales Analysts had long predicted that the seventh instalment of the space saga, which cost Disney an estimated $200 million to produce, could score the biggest opening weekend ever and could even become the biggest Ă&#x20AC;lm of all time.

One of them, longtime movie analyst Paul Dergarabedian, called the staggering box ofĂ&#x20AC;ce numbers â&#x20AC;&#x153;mind-blowing.â&#x20AC;?

As far as all-time box ofĂ&#x20AC;ce sales, two Ă&#x20AC;lms by James Cameron hold the record â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Avatarâ&#x20AC;? ($2.78 billion) and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Titanicâ&#x20AC;? ($2.18). â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Force Awakensâ&#x20AC;? picks up the intergalactic story of good versus evil 30 years on from â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Return of the Jedi,â&#x20AC;? the last episode of the original trilogy.

The trio of heroes who appeared in the Ă&#x20AC;rst of the blockbusters in 1977 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; smuggler Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), leader of the rebel alliance, and her twin brother Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) -- are all back and played by the actors that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Star Warsâ&#x20AC;? Ă&#x20AC;rst made famous. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our sole focus has been creating a Ă&#x20AC;lm that delivers that one-of-a-kind Star Wars experience,â&#x20AC;? Alan Horn, chairman of Walt Disney Studios said in a statement Sunday.

The film is being screened in 4,134 theaters in the United States and Canada, according to industry tracker Rentrak.

From New York to Los Angeles, theaters were packed with many spectators buying their tickets more than a week in advance. In New York, some of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s larger theaters were playing the Ă&#x20AC;lm every hour, beginning at 6:00 am. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Force Awakensâ&#x20AC;? has now been released in nearly every market worldwide except Greece, where it will come out Thursday and China where it hits screens January 9. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To all of the fans around the

Life and Leisure News for Filipino-Americans www.usasianpost.com

world who not only came out in Force to make this such an exciting and astronomical debut but who treated this Ă&#x20AC;lm as their own and helped preserve the experience for their fellow fans by not spoiling itâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;thank you,â&#x20AC;?

Horn said.

Other debuts dwarfed Also debuting at the box ofĂ&#x20AC;ce in the top ten this weekend were four other Ă&#x20AC;lms, whose numbers seemed miniscule compared to the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Star Warsâ&#x20AC;? hauling.

The animated â&#x20AC;&#x153;Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip,â&#x20AC;? came in second place in its Ă&#x20AC;rst weekend, with an estimated $14.4 million across 3,653 screens, according to box ofĂ&#x20AC;ce tracker Exhibitor Relations.

Landing in third and also in its debut weekend was â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sisters,â&#x20AC;? starring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler as two siblings throwing one last party in their childhood home before it is sold.

It earned only $13.4 million. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Hunger Games: Mockingjayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Part 2,â&#x20AC;? the fourth and last movie in the blockbuster franchise that turned Jennifer Lawrence into a Hollywood megastar, earned $5.7 million, falling to fourth place in its Ă&#x20AC;fth week in theaters.

Meanwhile â&#x20AC;&#x153;Creed,â&#x20AC;? a next-generation version of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rockyâ&#x20AC;? series earned some $5.1 million to land in Ă&#x20AC;fth, in its fourth week on the big screen.

Estimates for the rest of the top 10 were as follows: 6. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Good Dinosaurâ&#x20AC;? ($4.2 million) 7. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Krampusâ&#x20AC;? ($4.0 million) 8. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the Heart of the Seaâ&#x20AC;? ($3.5 million) 9. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dilwaleâ&#x20AC;? ($2.0 millionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;debut weekend) 10. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bajirao Mastaniâ&#x20AC;? ($1.8 millionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;debut weekend)

24

Visit www.Balita.com

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

Balita

%X\HU RI DVVDXOW ULÀ HV XVHG LQ 6DQ %HUQDUGLQR WHUURU DWWDFN FKDUJHG

RIVERSIDE, California – Enrique Marquez Jr., a longtime friend of Syed Rizwan Farook, the male shooter in the San Bernardino terrorist attack, was charged today with conspiring with Farook in 2011 and 2012 to commit crimes of terrorism.

Marquez was also charged today with the unlawful purchase of two assault riÁes used in the deadly shooting two weeks ago.

A three-count criminal complaint filed this afternoon additionally charges Marquez with defrauding immigration authorities by entering into a sham marriage with a member of Farook’s family.

Marquez, a 24-year-old Riverside resident, was arrested today by special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and he is expected to make his initial court appearance this afternoon in federal court in Riverside.

The criminal complaint Àled in United States District Court charges Marquez with conspiring with Farook to provide material support – including himself, a Àrearm and explosives – for crimes of terrorism; making a false statement in connection with acquisition of Àrearms; and immigration fraud.

“Mr. Marquez conspired with Mr. Farook to commit vicious attacks, as set forth in today’s charges,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “Even though these plans were not carried out, Mr. Marquez’s criminal conduct deeply affected San Bernardino County, Southern California and the entire United States when the guns purchased by Marquez were used to kill 14 innocent people and wound many others.

While there currently is no evidence that Mr. Marquez participated in the December 2 attack or had advance knowledge of it, his prior purchase of the Àrearms and ongoing failure to warn authorities about Farook’s

intent to commit mass murder had fatal consequences. Today’s charges are the result of exceptional work by many prosecutors and law enforcement agencies, and I thank them for their tremendous effort so far in this case.”

The affidavit in support of the complaint provides details into parts of the exhaustive and ongoing investigation into the attack on December 2 that killed 14 people at the Inland Regional Center (IRC). The complaint does not allege that Marquez was involved in the December 2 terrorist attack at the IRC. The complaint does allege that Marquez purchased the AR-15-style riÁes used in the shooting, that Marquez purchased explosive material ultimately used to construct a pipe bomb found at the IRC, and that in 2011 and 2012 Marquez and Farook planned terrorist attacks in the Inland Empire that were not carried out.

“Many dedicated law enforcement personnel have worked around the clock and side by side with their Joint Terrorism Task Force partners to gather evidence and build a solid terrorism case against Mr. Marquez over the past two weeks,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Bowdich of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field OfÀce. “As we will continue to investigate the facts surrounding the terrible shooting in San Bernardino, we will leave no stone unturned in an effort to deliver answers and justice to the murdered victims and the families they left behind.”

According to the afÀdavit, in approximately 2005, Marquez moved to Riverside, where he met Farook, who was his next-door neighbor. After their initial meeting, Farook introduced Marquez to Islam, and, in 2007, Marquez converted to Islam. Farook later introduced Marquez to radical Islamic ideology, which included expressing disdain towards Muslims

in the U.S. military who killed other Muslims, as well as discussing the extremist views of the now-deceased imam and Islamic lecturer Anwar al-Aulaqi. Over the next few years, Farook provided Marquez with radical Islamic materials, and by 2011, Marquez spent most of his time at Farook’s residence listening to lectures and watching videos involving radical Islamic content. Those materials included Inspire Magazine, the ofÀcial publication of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), and videos produced by Al-Shabaab.

In August 2011, Farook informed Marquez of his interest in joining AQAP in Yemen.

In late 2011, according to the afÀdavit, Marquez and Farook started planning to use firearms and explosives to carry out terrorist acts – attacks that Marquez told investigators were designed to maximize the number of casualties that could be inÁicted.

The affidavit recounts a recent interview with Marquez in which he admitted making plans with Farook

to attack the library or cafeteria at Riverside Community College (RCC), where both men had been students.

The plan allegedly was to throw pipe bombs into the cafeteria area from an elevated position on the second Áoor, and then to shoot people as they Áed.

Marquez and Farook also planned to attack eastbound lanes of State Route 91 (SR-91) during afternoon rush hour, the afÀdavit states. Marquez told investigators that they chose a particular section of the freeway because there were no exits, which would increase the number of targets in the eastbound lanes. The plan was for Farook to throw pipe bombs on to the freeway, which they believed would disable vehicles and stop trafÀc. Farook allegedly planned to then move among stopped vehicles, shooting into them, while Marquez shot into vehicles from a position on a nearby hillside. Marquez allegedly said that he would watch for law enforcement and emergency vehicles, and his priority was to shoot law enforcement before shooting life-saving personnel.

2EDPD PHHWV IDPLOLHV RI 6DQ %HUQDUGLQR VKRRWLQJ YLFWLPV San Bernardino, United States | AFP | Saturday 12/19/2015 – President Barack Obama met late Friday with families of the victims of the San Bernardino shooting, saying they represent the strength, unity and love that exists in the United States. Obama, who was accompanied by his wife Michelle, also praised the relatives for efforts to promote tolerance in the wake of the attack.

The mass shooting on December 2 left 14 people dead and 22 wounded in what is being investigated as a terror attack.

Obama stopped in California en route to Hawaii for a family Christmas vacation, spending nearly three hours with those who lost loved ones and Àrst responders who rushed to the scene of the rampage.

“As difficult as this time is for

them and for this entire community, they’re also representative of the strength and the unity and the love that exists in this community and in this country,” Obama said.

“And as we go into the holiday season, even as we are vigilant about preventing terrorist attacks from happening, even as we insist that we can’t accept the notion of mass shootings in public places and places of work and worship, we have to remind ourselves of the overwhelming good that exists out there.”

Speaking at Indian Springs High School, Obama added that despite what they were going through, the families “could not have been more inspiring, and more proud of their loved ones, and more insistent that something good comes out of this tragedy.”

6DQ %HUQDUGLQR VKRRWHU¶V YLVD UHTXHVW ZDV PLVVLQJ NH\ LQIRUPDWLRQ SROLWLFLDQ Washington, United States | AFP | Saturday 12/19/2015 – A member of the US Congress Saturday accused immigration ofÀcials of allowing California attacker Tashfeen Malik into the country despite critical missing information in her request for a Àancee visa.

“After reviewing Tashfeen Malik’s immigration file, it is clear that immigration ofÀcials did not thoroughly vet her application,” House Judiciary Committee chairman Bob Goodlatte said in a statement.

Malik, a 29-year-old Pakistani national, came to the United States last year on a Àancee visa, which Goodlatte said was issued despite a lack of proof that she had ever met her US-born husband, Syed Farook, 28.

Together the two shot dead 14 people and injured 22 at a social services center in San Bernardino, California earlier this month.

The radicalized Muslim couple are believed to have been inspired, if not directed, by the Islamic State terror group.

“The immigration ofÀcial reviewing Malik’s application requested more evidence to ensure the two met in person but it was never provided and her visa was approved anyway,” Goodlatte said.

He added that the only pieces of evidence provided to show that the couple had been in Saudi Arabia at the same time—where they are said to have married—were a statement

by Farook and pages from their passports.

However, the exit month and date on Malik’s passport was illegible, Goodlatte said, citing a translation provided by the Congressional Research Service.

Furthermore, Malik had a visa that was valid for only 60 days, which showed her entering Saudi Arabia in early June 2013 while Farook’s passport indicated he did not arrive until October 1, casting further doubt on whether they were in the country at the same time.

“Even if Farook and Malik were in Saudi Arabia at the same time, this does not provide evidence that they met in person,” Goodlatte said.

The Republican congressman accused President Barack Obama’s administration of refusing to take necessary steps to fully vet visa applicants and said his committee was working on a bill “to strengthen visa processing security and protect national security.”

“Visa security is critical to national security, and it’s unacceptable that US Citizenship and Immigration Services did not fully vet Malik’s application and instead sloppily approved her visa,” he said.

Of the 61 million temporary visitors to the United States in 2013, about 26,000 arrived in the United States on a K1 or “fiancee” visa, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Only 272 were from Pakistan.

Balita Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

Visit www.Balita.com

One dead, 26 hurt as car rams people on Las Vegas Strip Las Vegas, United States | AFP | Monday 12/21/2015 – A woman with a toddler in her car deliberately and repeatedly rammed into pedestrians on the packed Las Vegas Strip Sunday, killing one person and injuring at least 26 others, police said.

“This was not an act of terrorism... we’ve ruled that out,” Deputy Police Chief Brett Zimmerman told reporters.

But he added: “We have determined that this is an intentional act.”

The Las Vegas Strip, lined with casinos and fancy hotels, attracts throngs of tourists from around the world and is usually abuzz with activity.

The incident occurred on the same night that Las Vegas hosted the popular Miss Universe pageant, which saw the crowning of Miss Philippines at a venue not far from where the chaotic scene unfolded.

Witness Rabia Qureshi, a tourist from Wisconsin, told the local NBC station KSNV that the vehicle in question looked like “a bowling ball and the human bodies were like pins.”

“You think it’s a show, because you’re in Vegas,” Qureshi was quoted as saying by NBC News. “But then I saw some people Áy in the air.”

The suspect was in custody, speaking with detectives and undergoing several tests, including for alcohol.

Police – urging more witnesses to come forward – described her as an African American woman in her 20s who was driving a 1996 Oldsmobile with Oregon license plates.

The three-year-old toddler in the car was unharmed, they said.

‘People yelling stop’ “She went up off the street, onto the sidewalk, two or possibly three times,” Las Vegas police Lieutenant Dan McGrath told reporters,

describing the suspect’s actions.

He said the woman was expected to be charged within hours.

Zimmerman told reporters that one person had been killed and another 26 people were taken to area hospitals after the incident.

He said six of those injured and listed in critical condition were now stable.

Police had earlier put the number of people hurt at over 37.

Local media outlet 8 News NOW said the incident occurred shortly after 6:30 pm between Planet Hollywood, where the Miss Universe pageant took place, and the Paris Las Vegas Hotel.

“There were men running after her trying to stop the vehicle. They couldn’t get to her. They were yelling stop, and she wasn’t trying,” one witness told CNN. The suspect initially left the scene, police conÀrmed.

25

Another local media outlet, KTNV, reported that the University Medical Center, one of three hospitals where the injured were taken, said most of its patients were from Montreal in Canada.

Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval called the incident a “tragic and shocking event.”

Cars were diverted near the Paris Las Vegas hotel, where the Strip was shut down as Àrst responders rushed to the scene, according to CNN. Images from the scene showed a slew of police cars and ambulances against the backdrop of the city’s glitzy world famous hotels.

Authorities said it was likely that the Las Vegas Boulevard would remain closed for most of the night as the probe into what happened continued.

Hours after the incident, live footage showed the usually bustling Strip taped off and eerily still.

Audit shows city spends more to repair vehicles than they cost Los Angeles – Controller Ron Galperin released an audit of Los Angeles’s procedures for disposing of surplus and obsolete equipment and vehicles. The audit found that insufÀcient funding to replace outdated equipment, combined with a decentralized, haphazard approach to the salvage process has led L.A. to spend far more maintaining some vehicles than it would cost to replace them.

In the case of a single Honda Civic hybrid, the City spent $24,000 to buy it in 2004 and $44,000 to maintain and repair it — $4,000 per year, on average. According to the Kelly Blue Book, the current value of the vehicle is in the range of $2,776 to $3,057.

“At a time when tough choices had to be made, the City chose to extend the life of what was often obsolete equipment,” said Controller Galperin. “But looking toward the future,

we need to be cognizant of how this approach can result in excessive repair costs for an aging Áeet.”

Under City guidelines, items that are deemed no longer useful are supposed to be given to departments with a need for them, donated to worthy nonproÀts, or sent to auction.

Auditors who examined the period from FY 2011-12 to FY 2013-14 found that, of the items that were disposed of, most were sent to auction, where they generated about $3 million annually for the City.

During that time, vehicles, including construction trailers, trash trucks, golf carts, fire trucks and police cruisers, made up 40% of the nearly 5,000 lots of equipment the City sent to auction — and accounted for 83% of the revenue generated at auction. The General Services Department (GSD) is tasked with

responsibility for the salvage process.

But the audit highlighted a lack of effective management controls: no City-wide inventory of equipment is available, nor does anyone systematically keep track of what is sold.

According to the Controller’s audit, the City incurred elevated costs for repairing equipment that might otherwise have been disposed of for a number of reasons. First, the criteria by which outdated or damaged equipment and vehicles are evaluated are far less detailed than those of other municipalities. In the case of vehicles, for instance, City guidelines only consider age and usage — other jurisdictions also weigh the cost of repair.

What’s more, according to interviews with GSD Áeet services personnel, when the Ànancial crisis hit in 2008, the City severely cut back

replacement funding. As a result, departments held on to their obsolete equipment. And when that equipment failed, they repaired it — often at great expense.

For example, as of April 2015, auditors found that 41% of the the 1,256 civilian cars maintained by GSD met the City’s criteria for disposal (100,000 miles or ten years of service), but were still in use. The City spent 65% of these vehicles’ collective purchase prices to maintain them. Further, 58 of these vehicles’ repair costs exceeded their purchase prices by a cumulative 21%.

Similarly, auditors found that 70 of 158 street sweepers had outlived their usefulness, according to City policies, but were nevertheless still in use. What’s more, seven had repair costs that exceeded their purchase prices by a cumulative 30%.

26

Visit www.Balita.com

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

MOTORING

Balita

Hyundai Genesis, Tucson earn IIHS Top Safety Pick+ Awards

7XFVRQ

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Dec. 10, 2015 – With added strenuous criteria in one of the industry’s already rigorous testing of vehicle safety, the 2016 Hyundai Genesis and 2016 Tucson earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) 2016 TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards. The IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ award helps consumers pick vehicles that offer the highest level of crash protection.

“Safety is a top priority at Hyundai, so we are pleased to see two of our vehicles on this prestigious list,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president, Corporate and Product Planning, Hyundai Motor America.

“Hyundai’s emphasis on safety continues to shine through with the advanced safety technologies across our vehicle lineup, including autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane

departure warning with lane keep assist as well as emergency brake assist.”

IIHS rates vehicles in a small overlap front crash, moderate overlap front crash, side and roof strength, and head restraint tests, as well as a standard or optional front crash prevention system. Winners of the TOP SAFETY PICK+ award must earn good ratings for occupant protection in all Àve of the evaluations. For the Àrst time, a good rating in the small overlap front crash test is required to earn the award.

“The Genesis is equipped with Electronic Stability Control (ESC), nine airbags and energy-absorbing front airbags, while the Tucson has AEB, helping these vehicles earn our top rating,” said Adrian Lund, IIHS president.

“Both earned a required good

rating in the small overlap front crash evaluation and a superior- or advanced-rated front crash prevention system with automatic braking capabilities, a key criteria to qualify for a TOP SAFETY PICK+ award.”

The 2016 Genesis is equipped with many advanced safety technology options, including ESC, Lane Departure Warning System, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, Brake Assist and Electronic Brake Distribution, Lane Change Assist and a rearview camera. In addition, the Genesis includes Sensory Surround Safety Technologies that help driver alertness and focus on total occupant safety, and even the safety of other drivers nearby.

Multiple advanced safety technology options are also available on the 2016 Tucson, including AEB with pedestrian detection, Lane

Departure Warning System, Blind Spot Detection, Rear Cross-TrafÀc Alert, Lane Change Assist, Backup Warning Sensors and a standard rearview camera.

Whether you prefer a Sonata or other Hyundai vehicle, Hyundai is one of America’s sought-after car brands.

And if you would like to check out why Hyundai is among the best selling cars, call our kababayans Jun Milan or Jay Trinidad, Filipino Sales & Leasing professionals at Win Hyundai of Carson at 1-888718-7473. Better yet, drive down to Win Hyundai and feel the luxury of Sonata Àrst-hand.

Win Hyundai is conveniently located at 3462 N Peck Road, El Monte, CA 91731 in San Gabriel Valley.

Or, if you prefer a different brand, just because you desire an American vehicle, call Freddy Salaguit at 1-888-484-4804. Win Chevrolet is also located at 2201 East 223rd St. in Carson, CA 90810.

7KH /H[XV 689 ZLWK 689 ZLWK VXE ]HUR FRRO

Monday December 21 2015 (Relaxnews) – For many drivers, a car’s wheels are its coolest feature, but the unique rims on this Lexus NX take things to another level.

Instead of being cast or milled from exotic aluminum and magnesium compounds, these fully functional wheels have been sculpted from ice.

Created by London-based Hamilton Ice Sculptors, the wheels required three months’ research, development and testing and each rim took four sculptors 36 hours to produce, even the tire tread has been faithful recreated to within a millimeter of detail.

Flashing LED lights were cast inside each ice wheel and to make absolutely certain that they could take the weight of the SUV when it hit the road, acrylic insets were added for strength.

Richard Balshaw, Lexus Director, said: “Projects such as our hoverboard, the origami-inspired cardboard car and now a dazzling set of fully functioning ice wheels, demonstrate how we use advanced technologies and the best craftsmanship traditions to achieve outstanding results. That’s not just for eye-catching one-off projects, but for the cars we deliver to our customers, too.”

And although they roll just as well as normal alloy wheels, Lexus needed to put the car and its wheels in the deep freeze at a temperature of -30° for Àve whole days before it was able to hit the street on a test drive. That could hinder day-to-day usability.

Balita Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

Visit www.Balita.com

27

28

Visit www.Balita.com

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

Balita

Honda Ridgeline looking to pick up attention in Detroit Monday December 21 2015 (Relaxnews) – Honda is debuting an all-new midsize pickup truck at January’s North American International Auto Show The fourth completely reimagined or refreshed light truck from the Japanese car maker within the last two years, Honda has very high hopes that Ridgline will make a huge impact on the US market despite the immense competition in the segment from the likes of the Ford F 150 and Chevrolet Silverado.

“We developed this new Honda Ridgeline to offer something new and fundamentally better suited to the way many buyers use their truck,” said Jeff Conrad, senior vice president and general manager of the Honda Division. “Ridgeline will deliver everything you’d expect in a Honda from incredible packaging and fuel-efÀciency to top safety technologies and innovative, segment-Àrst features. We’re honored to once again debut the Ridgeline in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show.” Set to make its global debut on Monday January 11, the Ridgeline, designed, developed and built in the US will go on sale this spring.

Meanwhile, following its world debut at January’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the all-new 2017 Honda Ridgeline is set to debut on television to well over 100 million viewers on Sun., Feb. 7, during the 3rd quarter of Super Bowl 50. Honda will execute activations across several platforms, screens and Internet properties to promote the ad and the 2017 Honda Ridgeline.

“The big game is the largest and most coveted stage to show the world that Honda is back in a big way with an all-new Ridgeline truck,” said Jeff Conrad, senior vice president and general manager of the Honda Automobile Division.

“Super Bowl 50 is the right time and the right venue to communicate Honda’s continued leadership in light trucks. The multiplatform approach will enable Ridgeline to come out of the gate strong in 2016.”

The all-new 2017 Ridgeline television spot marks the Honda brand’s Àrst ofÀcial Super Bowl commercial since 2014’s “Hugfest” promoting Honda safety, which generated signiÀcant social engagement during and after the big game.

The all-new Ridgeline is slated to launch in the Àrst half of 2016 at

1HZ 5LGJHOLQH 3LFNXS VHW IRU JOREDO GHEXW DW WKH 1$,$6 +RQGD

Honda dealerships nationwide, and will join Honda’s expanded lineup of innovative light truck models, including the HR-V crossover, the CR-V and Pilot SUVs and the Odyssey minivan.

Honda is on track to earn a new alltime record for light truck sales in 2015, with sales up 11.8 percent to nearly 600,000 units through the end of November.

The Ridgeline is being developed

by Honda’s North American design and engineering teams in Ohio and California, and will be produced at its Lincoln, Alabama, auto and engine plant, alongside the Pilot and Odyssey.

Honda introduced the award-winning first-generation Ridgeline in 2005 and earned high praise for its unique features and capabilities, including the industry’s Àrst In-Bed Trunk and Dual Action Tailgate, as well as its superior on-road manners and spacious, Áexible interior. The original Ridgeline was named 2006 Motor Trend Truck of the year and

2006 North American Truck of the Year and topped J.D. Power and Associates’ Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) study in the midsize pickup segment for three consecutive years.

Like the Àrst generation Ridgeline, which also debuted at NAIAS in 2005, the all-new Ridgeline was designed and developed by Honda R&D Americas, Inc., in its Torrance, California design studio and Raymond, Ohio, research and development center.

The Ridgeline and its engine will be producedi by Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, Inc., in Lincoln, Alabama.

Diamond Honda of Glendale is

7KH 'LDPRQG +RQGD GHDOHUVKLS 'UHDP 7HDP

located at 138 S. Glendale Avenue, Glendale, CA 91205. Its toll-free number is 1.866.237.7092 and look for Tito Adriosula or Orly Roque.

FOR MORE NEWS AND INFORMATION VISIT OUR WEBSITE

Close end lease for 2015 Nissan Altima 2.5S for $149 per month plus tax for 36 months on above average approved credit. Payment net of $1950 Nissan Lease Cash Rebate and $500 Nissan Customer Bonus Cash Rebate. $2999 cash or trade equity, plus plus tax, license and registration fees due at lease signing. No security deposit. 12,000 miles per year, 36k total miles with 15 cents per mile thereafter. Subject to availability and charges for excess wear and tear. Not all lessees may qualify, higher lease rates apply for lessees with lower credit ratings. Offer expires 12/31/15.

Balita Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

Visit www.Balita.com

29

30

Visit www.Balita.com

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

Balita

Balita Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

Visit www.Balita.com

31

IIHS awards top safety designations to key Nissan models for 2016 2016 Maxima, Murano Awarded IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus; 2016 Rogue, Sentra Recognized as IIHS Top Safety Picks NASHVILLE, Tenn. Dec. 10, 2015 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Today the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recognized four Nissan vehicles with Top Safety Pick Plus (TSP+) or Top Safety Pick (TSP) designations for 2016. These latest announcements underscore Nissanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to continuous improvement to passenger safety across its entire lineup.

IIHS awarded the all-new 2016 Nissan Maxima a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Top Safety Pick Plusâ&#x20AC;? (TSP+) safety rating, which is the groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highest designation. The 2016 Nissan Maxima joins the previously announced 2016 Murano with the TSP+ rating. The Maxima scored â&#x20AC;&#x153;Goodâ&#x20AC;? in all Ă&#x20AC;ve TSP categories and earned TSP+ status with a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Superiorâ&#x20AC;? rating for front crash prevention for those models equipped with Forward Emergency Braking.

The 2016 Nissan Sentra joins the 2016 Rogue in earning an IIHS â&#x20AC;&#x153;Top Safety Pickâ&#x20AC;? rating. The 2016 Sentra, which goes on sale in January, will offer Forward Emergency Braking.

Once that system is tested by IIHS the Sentra has the potential to be upgraded to a TSP+ rating. Nissanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top selling 2016 Altima will undergo IIHS testing next month with the possibility of achieving a TSP+ rating as well. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nissan is proud to again have our core vehicles recognized by IIHS for vehicle safety,â&#x20AC;? said Pierre Loing, vice president, Product Strategy and Planning, Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA). â&#x20AC;&#x153;The new Maxima, like the Murano, is setting high standards in its class for styling, performance and interior reĂ&#x20AC;nement. The 2016 Nissan Rogue and Sentra demonstrate Nissanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to high quality and safety standards, and we are gratiĂ&#x20AC;ed that these outstanding

Manuel Lava of Nissan of Mission Hills

Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC), Blind Spot Warning (BSW), class-exclusive Predictive Forward Collision Warning (PFCW), Forward Emergency Braking (FEB), ,,+6 DZDUGHG WKH DOO QHZ 1LVVDQ 0D[LPD D Âł7RS 6DIHW\ 3LFN 3OXV´ 763 VDIHW\ UDWLQJ ZKLFK and Rear Cross TrafĂ&#x20AC;c Alert LV WKH JURXSÂśV KLJKHVW GHVLJQDWLRQ 7KH 1LVVDQ 0D[LPD MRLQV WKH SUHYLRXVO\ DQQRXQFHG 0XUDQR ZLWK WKH 763 UDWLQJ (RCTA).

Maxima offers Around ViewÂŽ vehicles have been recognized for mental front air bags with seat belt and occupant classiĂ&#x20AC;cation sensors; Monitor (AVM) with Moving Object excellent design.â&#x20AC;?

For this year, IIHS has tightened front seat-mounted side impact sup- Detection (MOD) system that feaits standards by requiring a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Goodâ&#x20AC;? plemental air bags; roof-mounted tures four small superwide-angle or better rating in all five of the curtain side impact supplemental cameras mounted on the front, sides crashworthiness categories to earn air bags with rollover sensor for front and rear of the vehicle that provide a a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Top Safety Pickâ&#x20AC;? and making an and rear-seat outboard occupant â&#x20AC;&#x153;birdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eyeâ&#x20AC;? virtual 360° view around available front crash prevention head protection; front seat belts the vehicle. It provides additional sesystem mandatory for all awards. with pre-tensioners and load limiters lectable split-screen close-ups of the To earn the IIHS â&#x20AC;&#x153;Top Safety Pick and adjustable upper anchors; and front, rear and curb views, helping Plusâ&#x20AC;? designation, a vehicle must LATCH System (Lower Anchors and the driver maneuver the car in or out of tight spots. earn a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Goodâ&#x20AC;? or better on all Ă&#x20AC;ve Tethers for CHildren).

Every Maxima also offers child If you have been desiring to own crashworthiness categories and also receive an â&#x20AC;&#x153;Advancedâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;Superiorâ&#x20AC;? safety rear door locks; Zone Body a new Nissan vehicle, come down to construction featuring front and rear Nissan Mission Hills and check out rating for front crash prevention.

All-New 2016 Nissan Maxima crumple zones and occupant zone; our kababayan Manuel Lava of NisNissan Immobilizer system and an- san Mission Hills.

Safety and Security Features Call now toll-free 888-588-7635.

Standard safety and security ti-theft alarm system.

Maxima offers a variety of adFor more information on Nissan of features on all 2016 Maxima trim levels include the Nissan Advanced vanced technologies that are stan- Mission Hills call or visit www.nisAir Bag System (AABS) with supple- dard on three trim levels include sanofmissionhills.com

32

Visit www.Balita.com

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

J

Balita

B MARKET

For adver tising, call (818) 552-4503

402

&$5(*,9(56

&$5(*,9(56

&$5(*,9(5 )XOO RU SDUW WLPH H[SHULHQFHG PDOH RU IHPDOH FDUHJLYHU QHHG HG IRU ERDUG DQG FDUH IRU WKH HO GHUO\ LQ 1RUWKULGJH 'D\ RU QLJKW VKLIW /HDYH D PHVVDJH

&$5(*,9(56 1(('(' &DUH IRU VHQLRUV Z PHQWDO SK\VLFDO SUREOHPV 'LDSHU FKDQJH VKRZHUV KRXVHNHHS LQJ FRRNLQJ 0XVW KDYH Ă&#x20AC; H[LEOH VFKHGXOH %HG IDFLOLW\ 0QJU &RUULQH ZZZ WKHYLOODKRPH FRP 0LQ ZDJH SG VLFN OHDYH

â&#x20AC;˘

Fax (818) 550-7635

â&#x20AC;˘

email: adver tising@balita.com

Balita The leading source of News and Information for the Filipino American Community

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Mag

Tayo!

For more news & information, VISIT OUR WEBSITE

www.usasianpost.com

!

"

"

#

$

%

"

advertising@balita.com

INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO PLACE CLASSIFIED/JOB MARKET ADS

BY PHONE

BY FAX

818-552-4503

818-550-7635

Please have this information ready: Company Name, Contact Person, Address, Phone # and Fax #. Payment is made using a credit card.

BY SNAIL MAIL OR E-MAIL 520 East Wilson Ave. Ste. 210 Glendale, CA 91206

Faxed ads should include this information: advertising@balita.com Company Name, Contact Person, Address, Phone Check or Money Order should be made payable to # and Fax #. Payment is made using a credit card.

Balita Media Inc.

Balita Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

Visit www.Balita.com

33

CLASSIFIEDS For adver tising, call (818) For advertising, call 552-4503 (818) 552-4503402 402

â&#x20AC;¢â&#x20AC;¢

Fax (818) 550- â&#x20AC;¢ email: advertising@balita.com Fax (818) 550-7635

6(59,&(6

)25 5(17

)25 5(17

-&$3,675$12 3/80%,1* &RSSHU UHSLSLQJ UHSDLU WDQNOHVV ZDWHU KHDWHU FHQWUDO KHDWLQJ D F WRLOHW PDLQ VHZHU K\GUR MHWWHU URRWHU JDV HOHFWULFDO FDU SHQWU\ URRI URRP DGGLWLRQ NLWFK HQ UHPRGHO EDWK UP 0DEXKD\

678',2 (DJOH 5RFN :DONLQJ GLVWDQFH WR (OHPHQWDU\ 0LGGOH DQG +LJK 6FKRRO 3DUNLQJ JDUDJH VH FXUHG EXLOGLQJ QLFH QHLJKERU KRRG &DOO

:(67 /$ 5220 $YDLO QRZ %LJ URRP LQ D KRXVH )LO LSLQD SUHIG 6HPL IXUQLVKHG FORVH WR EXV VWRS IUZ\ WUDLQ VWDWLRQ PDOO )DLUID[ :LOVKLUH %O PR IUHH XWLOV &DOO 0DULD KRPH RU OY PVJ

MEMORIES THAT WILL LAST FOREVER.

35$<(56 35$<(5 72 7+( +2/< 63,5,7 +RO\ 6SLULW 7KRX ZKR PDNH PH VHH HYHU\WKLQJ DQG VKRZ PH WKH ZD\ WR UHDFK P\ LGHDO <RX ZKR JLYH PH WKH GLYLQH JLIW WR IRUJLYH DQG IRUJHW WKH ZURQJ WKDW LV GRQH WR PH DQG ZKR DUH LQ DOO LQVWDQFHV RI P\ OLIH ZLWK PH , LQ WKLV VKRUW

PROFESSIONAL PHOTOJOURNALISM STYLE PHOTO COVERAGE. BLACK AND WHITE AND COLOR. Â&#x2021; WHGGLQJV Â&#x2021; &RPPXQLW\ (YHQWV Â&#x2021; %LUWKGD\ 3DUWLHV Â&#x2021; 5HXQLRQ Â&#x2021; $QQLYHUVDULHV Â&#x2021; 'HEXW Â&#x2021; $VVRFLDWLRQ 3DUWLHV Â&#x2021; %DSWLVPDO Â&#x2021; )XQHUDO Â&#x2021; 6OLGHVKRZV Â&#x2021; 3KRWR 5HVWRUDWLRQ

GROUPONE PHOTOGRAPHY 909.610.5847 GURXSRQH #JPDLO FRP

GLDORJXH ZDQW WR WKDQN <RX IRU HYHU\WKLQJ DQG FRQ¿ UP RQFH PRUH WKDW , QHYHU ZDQW WR EH VHSDUDWHG IURP <RX QR PDWWHU KRZ JUHDW WKH PDWHULDO GHVLUHV PD\ EH , ZDQW WR EH ZLWK <RX DQG P\ ORYHG RQHV LQ <RXU SHUSHWXDO JORU\ $PHQ A person must pray this for three consecutive days without stating his wish. After the 3rd day the wish will be granted, no matter how di௻cult it may be. Promise to publish this as soon as your favor has been granted. Grateful Thanks 0DULH

35$<(56 35$<(5 72 7+( +2/< 63,5,7 +RO\ 6SLULW 7KRX ZKR PDNH PH VHH HYHU\WKLQJ DQG VKRZ PH WKH ZD\ WR UHDFK P\ LGHDO <RX ZKR JLYH PH WKH GLYLQH JLIW WR IRUJLYH DQG IRUJHW WKH ZURQJ WKDW LV GRQH WR PH DQG ZKR DUH LQ DOO LQVWDQFHV RI P\ OLIH ZLWK PH , LQ WKLV VKRUW GLDORJXH ZDQW WR WKDQN <RX IRU HYHU\WKLQJ DQG FRQ¿ UP RQFH PRUH WKDW , QHYHU ZDQW WR EH VHSDUDWHG IURP <RX QR PDWWHU KRZ JUHDW WKH PDWHULDO GHVLUHV PD\ EH , ZDQW WR EH ZLWK <RX DQG P\ ORYHG RQHV LQ <RXU SHUSHWXDO JORU\ $PHQ A person must pray this for three consecutive days without stating his wish. After the 3rd day the wish will be granted, no matter how di௻cult it may be. Promise to publish this as soon as your favor has been granted. Grateful Thanks -RPV

34

Visit www.Balita.com

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

Balita

Balita Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

Visit www.Balita.com

35

36

Visit www.Balita.com

Weekend Balita, Sat.-Fri., Dec. 26, 2015 - Jan. 1, 2016

Balita