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jaNuary 2-8, 2020

T h e F i l i p i n o –A m e r i c A n c o m m u n i T y n e w s pA p e r

Volume 31 - No. 1 • 16 Pages

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Unite vs drugs, corruption, criminality — Duterte by

NestoR CoRRales Inquirer.net

mANILA — President rodrigo Duterte on monday, December 30, urged filipinos to emulate national hero Dr. Jose rizal and protect the country from illegal drugs, corruption, and criminality.

In his rizal Day message, Duterte honored rizal “whose life and legacy have inspired

countless others to dedicate their lives to serve the nation.” “rizal’s ardent love of country and unfettered desire to cultivate not only his intellect but also the intelligence of his countrymen have led to a reawakening of the filipinos’ patriotism and sense of responsibility,” he said. the president urged filipinos to follow the “shining example” of rizal, and emulate him by

USA

DATELINE Free De Lima instead of threatening visa restrictions, US senator says

thinking “of the greater good.” “may the freedom we now enjoy as a people be cherished, be further fortified and be kept thriving through the solidarity that we show in combating the ills of illegal drugs, corruption, and criminality,” he said. he called on filipinos to “keep the embers of nationalism alive as we courageously face the challenges of apathy

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FRIENDLY VISIT. President Rodrigo Duterte interacts with pediatric cancer patients he visited at the Southern Philippines Medical Center-Children’s Cancer Institute in Davao City. Visiting the cancer patients in his hometown is Duterte’s regular activity even when he was still a mayor. In his Christmas message, the President urged Filipinos to help the less fortunate.

Malacañang photo by Richard Madelo

‘Ursula’ is 2019’s deadliest typhoon

by Dempsey

Reyes ManilaTimes.net

from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

the Philippine government should free detained sen. Leila De Lima “or provide her [a] fair, public trial” instead of threatening visa restrictions on visiting U.s. citizens, U.s. sen. Patrick Leahy, who is banned from entering the country, said.

Although there have been procedural delays on her case, De Lima is already being tried at the muntinlupa regional trial Court and the supreme Court has ruled that media should be allowed to cover hearings. “rather than responding by irrationally threatening to deny visas to American citizens, the Duterte government should either release senator De Lima immediately or provide her the fair, public trial she is entitled to,” Leahy said in a statement.

Although the U.s., among many other countries, require filipinos to apply for visas before visiting, Americans currently have visa-free access to the Philippines.

Leahy’s statement comes after a provision he and U.s. sen. Dick Durbin proposed was included in the 2020 state and foreign op-

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The US officially raises the buying age of tobacco to 21 The major public health move follows the national vaping crisis which resulted in lung injuries among vapers the United states now prohibits the sale of tobacco products to anybody under 21 years of age, according to a new minimum age law signed into effect last week by President Donald trump. the new law, called the tobacco-free Youth Act, was a part of a massive $738 billion spending bill that also included funding for the border wall, the newly-formed space force branch of the military and paid parental leave for federal employees. the U.s. food and Drug Administration (fDA) noted on its website on friday, Dec. 27 that “it is now illegal for a retailer to sell any tobacco product — including cigarettes, cigars and e-cigarettes — to anyone under 21. fDA will provide additional details on this issue as they become available.”

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the last typhoon of the year is also the deadliest. the number of deaths from typhoon “Ursula” (international name: “Phanfone”) climbed to 41 on sunday, December 29, more than double the 17 fatalities from typhoon “tisoy” (“Kammuri”), which struck earlier in December.

Ursula blew out of the country on thursday, December 26, 2019, after lashing the Visayas with 150-kilometerper-hour winds and torrential rain.

It also left over P1 billion in damage to infrastructure and agriculture, the National Disaster risk reduction and management Council (NDrrmC) reported on sunday.

This handout photo taken last December 26 and received on December 29 courtesy of Dave Kendall the typhoon disrupted inter-island shows fallen trees and a building damaged by Typhoon Ursula, on the Philippine island of Boracay. shipping in southern Luzon and the ViManilaTimes.net photo

sayas, stranding thousands of travelers during the Christmas holiday. the NDrrmC said 28 were injured and 12 were missing in Ursula’s wake. five of the fatalities were in oriental mindoro, two in occidental mindoro, three in Capiz, four in Aklan, 13 in Iloilo, one in Cebu, one in southern Leyte, five in Leyte, one in Biliran, five in eastern samar and one in samar. five of the injured were in region 4-B (mindoro, masbate, romblon and Palawan or mimaropa), 13 in Western Visayas and 10 in eastern Visayas. the typhoon drove 399,242 families or 1,633,611 persons from their homes in 2,044 villages in mimaropa, Bicol, Western, Central and eastern Visayas and Caraga. the NDrrmC said 265,643 houses were partially or severely damaged in

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Palace: Duterte leadership makes Pinoys hopeful for new year by alexis

RomeRo Philstar.comv

mANILA — malacañang attributed to President Duterte’s leadership and accomplishments the results of a poll which found a huge majority of filipinos saying that they are entering the new year with hope.

A social Weather stations (sWs) survey conducted from Dec. 13 to 16 indicated that 96 percent of filipinos are entering 2020 with hope rather than fear, higher than the 92 percent recorded last year. only four percent said they are entering the new year with fear, a decrease from the eight percent

who gave the same response in 2018, according to the non-commissioned poll, which covered 1,200 adults nationwide. “there are indeed reasons to be confident in the new year under the leadership and administration of President rodrigo roa Duterte,” Panelo said in a statement.

“As we wish each filipino a happy, peaceful and successful 2020, we assure everyone that the best is yet to come. Let us continue to rally behind the Duterte administration as the Chief executive does his best in serving and protecting the filipino people, as well as delivering genuine and meaningful change to our nation,” he added.

Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa warned over the weekend that drug personalities should change their ways or face the “maximum force of the law” in the coming year.

Philstar.com photo by Boy Santos

Drug war tougher Tourism booms: 8 million visit PH in 2020 – PNP chief toUrIsm is booming in the Philippines with more than 8 million visitors coming in 2019, the government said.

“Breaking the 8-million mark is another milestone to celebrate, as it marks the unprecedented growth of the country’s tourism industry,” tourism secretary Bernadette romulo Puyat said in a statement. the Department of tourism (Dot) welcomed on friday, December 27, the country’s 8 millionth visitor — a Japanese. “the momentous occasion is part of the Dot’s tradition of celebrating the arrival of significant number of tourists following the welcoming of the Philippines’ 5 millionth visitor

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in 2015,” Puyat said. she attributed the historic 8-million mark to a number of factors, especially to the coming of Chinese holidaymakers, the refreshed “It’s more fun in the Philippines” campaign, and the reopening of Boracay island resort after a six-month clean up.

Puyat said advocating sustainable tourism also improved air connectivity and hosting of big ticket tourism events. It also helped to promote digital and online marketing, different tourism product portfolios, including culinary tourism and farm tourism, healthy private-public partnerships, international ac-

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by emmaNuel

tupas

Philstar.com

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat ManilaTimes.net photo

mANILA — human rights groups may find it hard to believe, but lately the Philippine National Police has been exercising tolerance in dealing with drug suspects. this, however, is about to change in 2020, according to the PNP officer-in-charge.

Lt. Gen. Archie francisco Gamboa warned over the weekend that drug personalities should change their ways or face the “maximum force of the law” in the coming year. he noted that drug suspects seem to be oblivious to the government’s war on drugs despite the killing of thousands.

“We will give you the maximum force of the law. If it would mean your neutralization in the course of it, hindi kami magdadalawang isip lalo na marami kaming kapulisan na namatay na dahil tolerance kami (we won’t think twice, especially now that many of our policemen have been killed because of our tolerance),”

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january 2-8, 2020 • LaS VEGaS aSIan jOurnaL

From The FronT Page

Drug war tougher in...

PAGE 1 he said.

Gamboa, who is a lawyer, said drug suspects continue to ply their trade as police have been “probably lenient” and careful to avoid casualties.

He directed police anti-narcotics officers not to hesitate to take action in law enforcement operations when their lives are in danger.

pects.

Police have shifted focus from “If there is an immediate threat street peddlers to high-value tarthen by all means we are allowed gets in an effort to further put a dent on to neutralize them in whatever capacity we have,” Gamboa said. the illegal drug trade.

Since July 2016, a total of 8,85 At least 5,552 suspected drug pushers and users have been high-value targets in the drug killed for allegedly resisting ar- war have been arrested, including 297 electrest since President Duterte took ed officials, 347 government emoffice in July 2016.

The PNP, meanwhile, said ployees and 82 members of the more than 50 police officers have uniformed service.

Also arrested were 222 fordied in clashes with drug suseigners and 10 celebrities. The rest were either high-profile leaders and members of drug syndicates, members of private armed groups and drug den maintainers.

Gamboa earlier said the last quarter of the year was a difficult time for the PNP as they grappled with the controversies which hounded former police chief Oscar Albayalde.

Albayalde went on non-duty status after weeks of controversy linking him to “ninja cops” or police officers who recycle illegal drugs.

Gamboa, who took over the PNP’s top post following Albayalde’s departure, has promised to institute reforms to repair the police force’s image.

“We admit we faltered and that’s why I had a very great challenge ahead of me on how we can regain the public’s trust,” he said. n

‘Ursula’ is 2019’s deadliest...

PAGE 1

AARP_Census_Talker_5.6 x 10.55.pdf

1

12/30/19

10:30 PM

Mimaropa and the Visayas regions.

At least 29 health facilities suffered damage as well as 90 public structures.

There was also heavy damage to infrastructure and agriculture in Mimaropa, Bicol and the Visayas.

A state of calamity was declared in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro; Kalibo, Aklan; Libertad, Antique; Sigma, Capiz; Carles and Concepcion towns in Iloilo; Madridejos, Cebu; the whole province of Eastern Samar; and the entire province of Leyte.

Electricity was still being restored in some areas after Ursula knocked down power lines.

Tisoy was less destructive, but it forced the suspension of some of the events in the 30th Southeast Asian Games. n

12 ROUND FRUITS. Shoppers crowd in front a fruit stand in Sta. Cruz, Manila on Sunday (Dec. 29, 2019) as they rush to prepare for the New Year’s tradition of serving 12 round fruits. Longan fruit is a perfect addition to 12 round fruits to welcome the year 2020 or the Year of the Rat in Chinese tradition.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Unite vs drugs, corruption...

PAGE 1 and divisiveness, and triumph over them just like what Rizal

tenaciously did more than 120 and protect our liberty that our years ago.” heroes so unselfishly shed their “Together, let us strengthen blood for,” he said. n

Palace: Duterte leadership makes Pinoys...

PAGE 1 Panelo cited the Philippines’ economic gains including the BBB+ credit rating, the lifting of close to six million Filipinos out of poverty, the “tame” inflation, the 14-year low unemployment rate and the breaching of the P1trillion annual investment target.

House trust ratings Meanwhile, a lawmaker said the high trust ratings Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and the House of Representatives earned recently indicate that they have effectively communicated their nation-building mandate and mission to their constituencies.

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said the House, through its committees and leaders, is now committed to step up a new era of “House for Reforms.”

The House vowed to sustain its commitment to funding Duterte’s key infrastructure and human development priorities, he said.

“We are working on a number of new initiatives that are supportive of the national agenda,” Salceda, House ways and means

committee chair, said.

“To this end, we will keep our push for the passage in plenary of key tax bills our committee had already passed, namely, POGO tax (P300 billion); motor vehicle road users’ tax (P122 billion); mining fiscal regime (P15 billion); tax on single-use plastics (P20 billion), or almost P460 billion resources for widespread prosperity and rapid economic expansion in five years, Salceda said.

He added that his committee is seeking to improve tax administration by studying structural reforms of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs.

“We will likewise try to raise taxpayer morale by studying digital transformation of the revenue collection agencies. We want to make taxpayer experience seamless taxation. The aim is to encourage tax compliance and deter tax avoidance. With few tweaks in taxpayer experience, even if we improve compliance by just 1.0 percent of the

total Bureau of Internal Revenue collections, that is already about P22 billion revenue increase,” he said.

He added that Congress’ most important priority in 2020 would be the passage of the Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act (CITIRA), the most important economic reform.

“I expect the Senate to pass CITIRA within the first two months of 2020. As the first proponent of a governing body for incentives, for me, one of the most crucial aspects of the reform will be the Fiscal Incentives Review Board. No FIRB makes CITIRA meaningless. It’s the people’s seat at the table. We will likely hit P500 billion in tax incentives next year, while still making domestic corporations pay the highest tax rates in ASEAN,” he said.

“We have set three goals to achieve by 2022 – an A-level credit rating, 7-9 percent gross domestic product growth and an upper middle income nation that underpins a safe and comfortable life for all,” he said. n

Tourism booms: 8 million...

PAGE 1 colades and recognitions.

The detailed report of visitor arrivals for 2019 will be released early in January next year.

The Philippines hopes to reach its target of 8.2 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2019, a million

higher than 2018.

China, being its second largest tourist origin, the Philippines has welcomed a total of 1,499,524 Chinese tourists in the first 10 months of the year, increasing 41 percent from the same period in 2018.

Senator Leila De Lima

Every week, more than 300 flights are shuttling between China and the Philippines.

According to the Philippines Statistics Authority, tourism industries contributed 12.7 percent to the Philippine economy in 2018. (ManilaTimes.net)

Senate file photo

Free De Lima instead of threatening visa restrictions...

PAGE 1

erations Appropriations bill that barred officials involved in De Lima’s arrest from entering the U.S. In a statement in Sunday. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra pointed out “that Senator de Lima’s indictment was upheld by the Philippine Supreme Court and that she has been freely exercising all the rights of an accused in a fair and public trial.”

“They also ought to know that Senator de Lima can only be released upon an acquittal, and not at anytime upon pressure exerted by foreign politicians who do not represent the people of the Philippines,” he also said, referring to Leahy and his colleagues in the U.S. Senate.

“The good senator from Vermont, through his spokesperson David Carle, is showing more ignorance and uttering amusing nonsense on a subject matter based on bogus narratives coming from President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s vocal and noisy critics and detractors,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said of Leahy in an earlier state-

ment.

The Palace regularly shrugs off criticism from abroad as being ill-informed.

The Palace has been telling critics of De Lima’s detention that she is getting a “fair public trial as due process requires.”

But De Lima said on Friday that “[t]hose who are genuinely on the side of truth and justice can never be hoodwinked into believing that we have a fair justice system and a strong vibrant democracy.”

Rappler cases Leahy in his statement also pointed to Rappler CEO Maria Ressa, who is currently facing cyberlibel charges. Ressa and Rappler have been on the receiving end of the president’s tirades and of lawsuits, which some media groups say are attacks on press freedom.

The Palace has denies that the cases against Rappler are related to its critical reportage on the administration’s policies.

“The imprisonment of Senator De Lima, and the threats against renowned journalist Maria Ressa, have been criticized around the world, including by the U.S.

Department of State and the United Nations,” Leahy said.

“And rather than try to silence a journalist who has bravely dared to expose official corruption and abuse, it should recognize Maria Ressa as a courageous Filipino exercising her right of free expression.”

Despite the verbal tussle on visas, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr told reportrers this week that ties between the two countries remain “perfect.”

De Lima was jailed in 2017 over drug charges filed by the Department of Justice. She is accused of involvement in the illegal drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison when she was Justice secretary during the presidency of Benigno Aquino III. She has been an outspoken critic of the Duterte administration and tried to investigate the existence of an alleged “Davao Death Squad” while Justice secretary and when she was chair of the Commission on Human Rights. She claims the charges against her are politically motivated and are made up. (Franco Luna/Philstar.com)

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Stockton school to be named after California’s first Fil-Am teacher

The new elementary school will honor Flora Arca Mata, who was also the first woman of color to teach at Stockton Unified School District

by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

A NEW elementary school in Stockton, California will bear the name of Flora Arca Mata, the first Filipino teacher in the Golden State who laid the groundwork for Asian American educators to come.

The Stockton Unified School District (SUSD) accepted name suggestions for the new K-8 school, which will be scheduled to be completed in June 2020 and occupied by the following August. The Stockton-based Filipino American organization Little Manila rising campaigned to put Mata’s name in the running and, according to the organization, the Filipina educator “overwhelmingly had the most votes.”

“WE DID IT! The new K-8 school in Quail Lakes will be named after Flora Arca Mata!

Thank you to all of you who filled out SUSD’s naming survey and reposted our campaign,” Little Rising Manila wrote in a Facebook post on Dec. 17. “Thank

you for being such a beautiful community and standing up for one of our own. Your voices matter.”

Born on Dec. 19, 1917, Mata was originally from Honolulu, Hawaii but her family relocated to Stockton when Mata was two years old. Her older sister worked on the farms in the Central Valley to help pay for Mata’s education at UCLA. Mata was the first Filipino American to graduate from UCLA during a time when anti-Filipino sentiment was rampant across the state and opportunities were scarce for Asian Americans. After graduation, she worked as a tutor and as a maid, and then, in 1940, she and her husband moved to the Philippines where they stayed for the remainder of the Second World War. The couple returned to Stockton shortly thereafter and Mata continued to teach, this time at the schools she attended in her youth. She was the first woman of color to teach at the SUSD

and taught for 32 years before retiring in 1980; but, a teacher through and through, she continued to substitute teach into her 80s.

Mata died in 2013 at 95 years old and is survived by her son, Eddie Mata; her daughter Vida Longely-Mata and her 21 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. One of her granddaughters, Sheree Mata, is a kindergarten teacher and said in 2013 that “education has just been a part of our family. I think it runs in the blood.”

In her time, Mata broke many barriers and went above and beyond to become a beloved figure in education and among Asian Americans. But Mata believed that it isn’t enough just to break barriers; rather, it is more important to leave a legacy upon which others can build.

“To be first is not that important,” Mata told the Stocktonbased news organization The Record in 1975. “It’s what you do after that’s important. n

Pope Francis encourages families: Put down your phones, talk during meals ON the Day of the Holy ing meals.

Family, Pope Francis urged In his weekly Angelus mesfamilies to put their phones sage delivered December down and communicate dur- 29, the pope said that Mary,

Pope Francis

Philstar.com photo

Joseph and Jesus, the Holy Family, “prayed, worked... and communicated,” and they helped each other “to discover and fulfil God’s plan.”

He posed this question to the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square: “Do you know how to communicate?”

The pope’s message was streamed by Vatican News.

“Or are you like those boys at the table, with the telephone at the table touching it always?

It seems at the table that there is silence as if we were at mass but there is no communication,” the pope said.

“We need to rediscover in the family—fathers and parents with their children with grandparents but communication as brothers among themselves. This is a task we need to do today, specifically today the day of the Holy Family,” Pope Francis added.

PAGE 5

OLD BUT GRAND. Vintage and classic cars are on display for the annual ‘19 Kopong Kopong’ car show at the Camp Aguinaldo Grandstand in Quezon City on Sunday, December 29.

ManilaTimes.net photo by John Orven Verdote

Suspect identified in 1982 cold case murder of 2 Fil-Ams SAN FRANCISCO — Closure has finally come to the family of two young Filipino Americans murdered 37 years ago as their suspected killer has been identified through DNA and genetic technology.

Cousins Jeffrey Flores Atup and Mary Jane Malatag, both 16, were found dead along roadways on the morning of Dec. 20, 1982, according to Fremont police. They were last seen alive walking home from a movie and a convenience store.

Malatag was sexually assaulted. Their bodies were found eight miles apart at intersections in Fremont and Milpitas, California.

Examination of DNA left the murder scenes, genetic genealogy research, and exhumation of Hudspeth’s remains led to his identity as the most likely killer of the teens.

Hudspeth, aged 31 in 1982, had a criminal history of bank robberies, sexual assaults and attempted homicide, was 31 years old at the time of the crime, police said. He lived a 4minute drive from where Atup’s body was found, according to Undated photo of cousins Mary Jane Malatag and Jeffrey Flores Atup, who were murdered in December 1982.

Photo courtesy of Fremont Police an ABC News report.

Anyone with information can call Det. Jacob Blass at 510- 790-6963. (Inquirer.net)

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10 Filipino WWII vets get US Congressional Gold Medal TEN Filipino World War II veterans were presented the US Congressional Gold Medal (CGM) in recognition of the valor and sacrifice of the Filipino soldiers and recognized guerrillas who fought alongside American troops during the war.

None of the 10, however, were on hand to receive the award.

The Philippine Consulate General in New York, working in close partnership with the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetRep), presented the medals at a ceremony recently held at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center in New York.

The veterans honored were GIFTS FOR OFWS. Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III leads the distribution of Pamaskong Handog to Capt. Juan Bacani, Carlos Casome 800 Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Riyadh and Singapore at the NAIA Terminal 1. The OFWs, regarded as modern day heroes lub, Isidro dela Torre, Pelagio of the country’s economy, received P10,000 each from DOLE and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration. OFWs remit USD32.2 billion to Fariñas, Benjamin Gonzales the government coffers last year.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan Sr., Capt. Enrique S.D. Manaois, Arcadio Nepomuceno, Cirilo Ofilada, Basilio Toledo and

New OFW agency must not overlap with DFA – Locsin

by Bernadette

tamayo ManilaTimes.net

FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. over the weekend said the proposed creation of an agency to focus on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) must not overlap with the functions of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

“A new department of OFWs must be a stand alone department; no overlap with Foreign Affairs. Unless it wants to be a bureau under DFA,” Locsin said on Twitter on Friday, December 27.

Sen. Richard Gordon said the DFA’s major policy thrusts for 2020 should be the following: protect Philippine territorial integrity and national sovereignty; strengthen economic and cultural diplomacy; ensure efficient delivery of consular services; and strengthen services for OFWs and continue working for the promotion and protection of their rights.

For his part, Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go filed on July 2 Senate Bill (SB) 202, or the “Department of Overseas Filipi-

ManilaTimes.net photo

nos Act of 2019,” to improve coordination among concerned offices by putting them under one roof and to avoid finger-pointing in relation to addressing OFWs’ concerns.

Go earlier said President Rodrigo Duterte “would like to put an end to manpower agencies that demand excessive fees from Filipinos seeking jobs abroad and to protect Filipino migrant workers from abusive illegal recruiters.”

He explained the need to streamline functions of government agencies in order to pro-

vide fast, accessible and quality services to OFWs and to aid their families in the Philippines.

This is what the Department of Overseas Filipinos (DoOFW) is all about.

SB 202 proposes that the following agencies be transferred to the DoOFW — Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Commission on Filipino Overseas, International Labor Affairs Bureau of the Department of Labor and Employment and National Reintegration Center for OFWs. n

US agriculture exports to Philippines hit record $3 billion

by Louise

maureen Philstar.com

simeon

THE Philippines continues to increase its dependence on agricultural products from the U.S. as imports are expected to reach a record $3 billion this year, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) said.

According to the latest report of the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), U.S. agricultural exports to the Philippines are expected to reach $3 billion, up 3.4 percent from the $2.9 billion in 2018.

“Despite slowdown in the first three quarters, sales of U.S. agricultural products to the Philippines will reach a record $3 billion by yearend as shipments arrive in time for the holiday season,” the USDA said.

“American culture and trends continue to have strong influ-

ence on Filipinos, supported by our shared history and people-to-people exchanges,” the USDA said.

The U.S. continues to be the Philippines’ largest supplier of agricultural products, with a 28 percent market share. Soybean meal, wheat, dairy, pork and pork products, and poultry are the top five commodities.

The Philippines, in turn, is the U.S.’ 11th largest global market.

It is also the largest market in Southeast Asia for U.S. consumer-oriented food and beverage products.

The USDA said Filipino consumers have a strong preference for U.S. culture, as well as food and beverage products.

There is also a growing demand for “healthy, organic, gourmet, and convenience foods.”

Another factor is the rapid expansion of modern supermarket

chains and quick service restaurant franchises in key provincial cities, which brings increased access to imported foods and beverages.

“The economy as a whole is growing faster than agricultural productivity, creating increased demand for imported foods and beverages. And real steps are being taken to improve the regulatory environment, including through the Ease of Doing Business Act,” the USDA said.

The top 10 high-value consumer-oriented food and beverage products with best prospects for future export growth are pork, cheese and cheese products, frozen and powdered eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables, processed fruits and vegetables, prepared food, wines, craft beer, seafood products, and dog and cat food. n

HHS, Dept. of Education release updated joint guidance on privacy, student education and health records THE U.S. Department of Education and the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released updated joint guidance on Dec. 19 addressing the application of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy Rule to records maintained on students.

The guidance, which was first issued in November 2008, clarifies for school administrators, health care professionals, families, and others how FERPA and HIPAA apply to education and health records maintained about students. The revised guidance includes additional frequently asked questions and answers addressing when a student’s health information can be shared without the written consent of the parent or eligible student under FERPA, or without written authorization under the HIPAA Privacy Rule. New clarifications and examples address: • When can protected health information (PHI) or personally identifiable information from an education record (PII) be shared with the parent of an adult student?

• What options do family members of an adult student have under HIPAA if they are concerned about the student’s mental health and the student

does not agree to disclosures of their PHI? • Does HIPAA allow a covered health care provider to disclose PHI about a minor with a mental health condition or substance use disorder to the minor’s parents?

When can PHI or PII be shared about a student who presents a danger to self or others?

• Under FERPA, can an educational agency or institution disclose, without prior written consent, PII from a student’s education records, including health records, to the educational agency’s or institution’s law enforcement officials?

• Does FERPA permit an educational agency or institution to disclose, without prior written consent, PII from a student’s education records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS)?

“Confusion on when records can be shared should not stand in the way of protecting students while they are in school,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. “This update will provide much-needed clarity and help ensure that students get the assistance they need, and school leaders have the information they need to keep students safe.”

“The Trump Administration has made it a priority to help Americans with substance use

disorder or serious mental illness, and their families, and this resource takes another meaningful step by clarifying how students’ health information can be shared with those in the best position to help them,” said U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar. “This updated resource empowers school officials, health care providers, and mental health professionals by dispelling the myth that HIPAA prohibits the sharing of health information in emergencies,” said OCR Director Roger Severino.

The U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services are committed to ensuring the health and safety of our nation’s students, schools, and communities. This comprehensive guidance document contributes to this important effort by improving the public’s understanding of how FERPA and HIPAA apply to students’ health and educational information and when regulated entities can disclose such information, especially in connection with health and safety emergency situations.

The joint guidance may be viewed at: https://www.hhs.gov/ hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/ guidance/index.html and https:// studentprivacy.ed.gov/resources/joint-guidance-applicationferpa-and-hipaa-student-healthrecords. n

matter how many years have passed.

Taguba travels all over the United States, working closely with the Filipino community and the Philippine consulates to find opportunities to present the award to Filipino veterans.

He emphasized that, with the march of time, it is also imperative to preserve the stories of the bravery and struggles of the veterans, before they all pass and in order for present generations not to forget their sacrifices.

Philippine Consul General to New York Claro Cristobal thanked the veterans’ family members for “braving the cold brought by the first snowfall” and expressed hope that the “patriotic acts of those veterans being honored tonight will bring a sense of warmth and camaraderie to those who are present.” (Pia Lee Brago/Philstar.com)

The US officially raises the buying age...

PAGE 1

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.

Johnson Villanueva.

Of the 10 awardees, Nepomuceno is the only one who is still alive, but because of his advanced age, he could not attend the ceremony. Family members represented all the veterans and received the medals on their behalf.

The grant of the medal was the result of many years of lobbying by the veterans and their supporters. The law granting the award was passed in 2015, 70 years after the end of WWII. In his speech during the ceremony, retired Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba, FILVETREP chairman, recounted the struggle of his father, also a WWII veteran who, after enlistment and after having fought in the war, was given his pay of $22.80.

This unfairness was what drove Taguba to work tirelessly to make sure that the veterans are recognized, no

The new federal law follows that of 19 states that have raised the minimum age of tobacco purchases: Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers — including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Sens Mitt Romney (R-UT), Tim Kaine (DVA) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) — helped push the inclusion of the Tobacco-Free Youth Act in the must-pass spending package in order to avoid a government shutdown.

“Passage of this lifesaving legislation is an enormous victory for the health of our young people,” Kaine said in a statement. “By raising the age to buy

tobacco products nationwide, we can save 223,000 lives and reduce youth tobacco use. This is one of many steps we should take to tackle the youth e-cigarette epidemic that touches every corner of our nation.”

This past September, Trump promised to address the national vaping crisis and to curb the rising levels of vaping among youth, noting that the FDA would announce “some very strong recommendations” for the sale of flavored e-cigarette products.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2019, more than 6 million middle and high school students in the U.S. were current users of tobacco; 1 in 3 high school students and 1 in 8 middle schoolers said they have used some form of tobacco product in the last 30 days.

Advocates for reducing vape

and tobacco usage praised the Trump administration for its efforts to reduce vaping among youth, but Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said in a statement that raising the minimum age “is a positive step” but it will not stop the epidemic in the long-term.

“To reverse the e-cigarette epidemic, policymakers must prohibit flavored e-cigarettes and cannot be limited by what the tobacco industry says is acceptable,” Myers said. “The evidence is clear that flavored e-cigarettes are driving the youth epidemic. Most youth e-cigarette users use flavored products and cite flavors as a key reason for their use. As long as flavored e-cigarettes remain available, kids will find ways to get them and this epidemic will continue.” (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

Pope Francis encourages families...

PAGE 3 ON the Day of the Holy Family, Pope Francis urged families to put their phones down and communicate during meals.

In his weekly Angelus message delivered December

29, the pope said that Mary, Joseph and Jesus, the Holy Family, “prayed, worked... and communicated,” and they helped each other “to discover and fulfil God’s plan.”

He posed this question to the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s

Square: “Do you know how to communicate?”

The pope’s message was streamed by Vatican News.

“Or are you like those boys at the table, with the telephone at the table touching it always?

It seems at the table that there

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january 2-8, 2020 • LaS VEGaS aSIan jOurnaL

OpiniOn

Slowing down

Features

THE projection was that the number of Filipinos would surpass 110 million by 2020. Now the Commission on Population has lowered its forecast amid a reported deceleration in the number of childbirths. PopCom says that by July 2020, there would be 108.7 million Filipinos — 1.2 million lower than the 109.9 million originally projected by the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Editorial

PopCom reported that in the past decade, the country’s population growth has been slowing down, dipping by 0.21 percent from the 1.73 percent between 2010 and 2015 to 1.52 percent in the second half of the decade. Between 2019 and 2020, PopCom is projecting an increase of 1.38 percent, or over 1.48 million added to the population.

While the birth rate is dipping, more Filipinos are living longer and accounting for a greater percentage of the population. By 2020, PopCom estimates that Filipinos 60 years and older will grow to nearly 9.69 million, accounting for 8.8 percent of the population.

PopCom attributes the slower population growth rate to reproductive health and family planning programs gaining acceptance among Filipinos and yielding results. PopCom, however, stresses that the

IT is a colossal deception that the Philippines in 2016 won the arbitration suit against China involving our disputes in the South China Sea and that the country should pursue the “enforcement” of the arbitral tribunal’s “award.”

The arbitral tribunal declared only one feature occupied by China in the Spratlys, Mischief Reef, as within our exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which the superpower cannot claim since as a “low-tide elevation,” or one which sinks to the sea at high tide, it cannot be appropriated by any country.

Even that victory is doubtful because China argues that it claims Mischief Reef not as a separate feature, but as part of its Nansha islands.

Whether China is right or not, that the tribunal declared Mischief Reef as within our EEZ is dwarfed in significance by what we lost as a result of the award, which prompted not a few scholars to conclude that the arbitration ruling was a pyrrhic victory for the Philippines. The term’s origins refer to King Pyrrhus of Epirus who lost so many of his

troops in one victorious battle with the Romans. In this case, the Philippines lost so much in getting the tribunal to rule that Mischief Reef is ours.

The tribunal extended its ruling on the Chinese-occupied features to all of the Spratlys, including the features we claim or occupy. It declared: “None of the high-tide features in the Spratly Islands, in their natural condition, are capable of sustaining human habitation or economic life of their own within the meaning of Article 121(3) of the Convention; and that none of the high-tide features in the Spratly Islands generate entitlements to an exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.”

The tribunal reduced the status of all islands in the area as mere “rocks,” under the Unclos definition. It’s a huge loss for us since we have, after Taiwan’s Taiping island, the biggest feature in the Spratlys, Pag-Asa (37 hectares in size) and several relatively big islands such as Likas (19 has.) and Parola (13 has), which, as is the practice with most states, are without doubt considered as islands.

But the tribunal declared that these are only “rocks” in its much criticized interpretation of Unclos provisions, and therefore not entitled to a 200-

AS A WORD war raged over the US ban on selected Philippine officials and the freezing of their assets, President Duterte rejected a standing invitation to visit the White House, barred the entry of two U.S. senators and threatened to require visiting Americans to secure visas.

There are so far no indications, however, that the ordinary Filipino traveler would become collateral damage in the tit for tat that could get out of hand if mishandled.

Only officials involved in the detention of Sen. Leila de Lima since 2017 on drug-related charges are being targeted by a provision in the 2020 U.S. budget law allowing President Trump to ban her persecutors and freeze their assets in the U.S. Denouncing what it said was U.S. meddling in internal Philippine affairs, Malacañang threatened Thursday to require all Americans intending to come to the Philippines to first secure an entry visa.

This knee-jerk reaction could remain just a threat, because it could inflict more harm to the Philippines than to the U.S. if carried out. Also, many of those to be affected are Fil-Ams holding only U.S. passports.

At present, Americans are al-

nautical mile EEZ. The flaw of tribunal’s ruling indeed was starkly demonstrated when it declared that the biggest island in the Spratlys, Taiping–47 has. in size and controlled by Taiwan, which has a garrison with an airport that can accommodate even C-130 planes, and is energy self-sufficient because of its huge array of solar panels–is not an island.

We could have claimed in future negotiations for delimitation of EEZs with other countries, that Pag-Asa island as well as the other islands we occupy and claim are each entitled 200-nautical mile EEZs, each of which is an area of 430 sq km, four times bigger than the entire island of Luzon. This vast area may contain oil and gas wells that we would have the right to look for.

But the tribunal we asked to rule on our dispute with China declared that these are not islands but merely “rocks,” and therefore not entitled to EEZs. The Aquino government’s attempt to shoot down China’s claims of sovereignty in the Spratlys backfired in a huge way on the Philippines, The tribunal’s ruling on what are not islands goes against the current definitions of many countries.

For example, Japan’s Okino-

torishima isn’t eroding into the sea only because the Japanese built an embankment around it. Its 10 sq m of land area is 1/37,000 the size of our PagAsa island. Yet the Japanese claim it is an island which has a territorial sea and EEZ, which gives it a huge 156,000 sq km of EEZ. Japan rigorously patrols that EEZ, protesting every time any foreign ship not on an innocent passage enters it, such as vessels surveying for hydrocarbon deposits..

Not only Japan. Almost all the major powers have “rocks,” which they claim have EEZs. The U.S. claims Howland Island, Baker Island and Kingman Reef have EEZs which gives it huge areas in the Pacific where it vigorously exercises its sovereign right. Australia has McDonald Island, and France, Clipperton Island.

It verges on treason that the Aquino government allowed its American lawyers to argue at great length that our Pag-Asa island is not an “island” by Unclos standards, and to disclose to the world details that should have been confidential as it involved matters of national security.

The lawyers’ written statements disclosed, using the island’s American nomenclature, “Thitu” instead of our Pag-Asa:

“The local population on Thitu, transplanted there and maintained by the Philippine government since 2001, keeps a few animals and grows some vegetables, which is possible only because soil is continually brought from Palawan. The amount of food produced is not enough to sustain even this small community, and supplies are shipped from the mainland by a naval vessel once a month.

The Philippines maintains military and civilian administrative personnel on Thitu, also supplied from outside.”

The lead counsel Paul Reichler of the Washington law firm Foley Hoag LLP in the oral arguments said, in effect announcing to the world that the Philippines was merely putting up a show to make Pag-asa look like an island: “Everyone on Thitu has been transplanted from the Philippine mainland. Human habitation is not naturally sustainable there. Without regular supplies of essentials from Palawan or other major Philippine islands, it would disappear. The conditions are even harsher at much smaller West York Island, which is a sandy cay with more coconut trees than human beings.

Only seven Philippine military personnel are stationed there.

There are no civilians. All sup-

plies are brought in from outside.”

Worse, Aquino-del Rosario through their lawyers lied to the tribunal, and misrepresented the Philippines when they claimed: “The Philippines… claims only a 12 [mile] territorial sea from it. The Philippines considers the feature a ‘rock’ governed by Article 121(3).”

The Philippines has not officially declared, after Unclos took effect in 1994, whether Pag-Asa island and the other islands in the Spratlys generate a 430 sq km EEZ. The Aquino-del Rosario suit has in effect deprived, forever as it were, our government — without consulting with Congress — the right to do so. The tribunal’s ruling is final and cannot be appealed.

The tragedy here is that it is only the Philippines that is bound by the arbitration suit, as China refused to participate in it. Only the Philippines will be losing the right to claim EEZs around its islands in the KIG. Taiwan, whose Taiping island was also ruled as a mere “rock,” will definitely obviously ignore the arbitration’s ruling since it is not a part of it.

Vietnam which has the biggest number of islands, next to us, will ignore it. (ManilaTimes. net)

Duterte drops US visit as visa row heats up

Postscript

Federico Pascual Jr.

Philstar.com photo

We lost our islands with arbitration award

Commentary

RigobeRto tiglao

country still has one of the highest population growth rates in Southeast Asia, with a rising number of adolescent and teenage pregnancies.

From the start of his administration, the full implementation of reproductive health programs has been part of President Duterte’s socioeconomic development agenda. He tried to overcome legal roadblocks by issuing an executive order, but the RH campaign began taking off only when the legal hurdles were lifted.

Today the implementation of the RH program still needs full support from local government units, so the President may need to exert pressure to get the cooperation that is critical to the success of the program. The latest statistics show a downward trend in population growth, but this must be sustained, and there is no room for complacency. (Philstar.com)

lowed visa-free visits of 30 days like the citizens of fellow ASEAN members and other favored nations. Chinese arriving without visas are routinely granted one upon presenting their passports at the port of entry.

Panicking Filipino officials, including senators and congressmen with businesses and assets in the U.S., have started to distance themselves from De Lima’s detention despite their having been active in the campaign against the opposition senator and critic of Duterte.

Many Duterte apologists and trolls in social media have also been lying low since the reiteration of the ban and the freezing of assets of aliens deemed to be undesirable under the US Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said Friday that should a ban from entry into the U.S. be enforced against Philippine officials linked to De Lima’s imprisonment, the government will require all Americans intending to enter the Philippines to apply and secure a visa first.

He added that President Duterte was immediately ordering the Bureau of Immigration to bar the entry of Sens. Dick Durbin (Illinois) and Patrick Leahy (Vermont) who introduced the ban in the U.S. budget law.

Their insertion includes a clause on “Prohibition on Entry” that specified “foreign govern-

ment officials” about whom the (State) Secretary has “credible information” that they have been involved in the “wrongful imprisonment” of De Lima.

Panelo also announced that President Duterte said he would officially decline a standing invitation to visit the United States.

He recalled that the president had told him many times before that he never intended to visit the U.S. in the first place.

The president who turns 75 in March has also said that the longhaul flight (around 15 hours) to Washington would be too grueling for him.

Heads of government routinely invite one another, almost as part of the small talk, when they meet in summits, forums and such gatherings. Trump has been inviting Duterte to the White House since April 2017.

With this jarring turn of events, we think the Duterte administration should try working out things quietly. Braggadocio and empty threats will not work in dealing with the U.S. Panelo claimed that U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim had agreed with him when he said that the State department will only act when it has “credible information” about a Filipino official’s involvement in De Lima’s detention.

He quoted Kim telling him: “I read your statement, it’s a very good statement, I agree with it.

It’s Congress that passed that

law.” The ambassador may want to confirm or clarify what he said before it is mangled beyond recognition.

Rebel exiles still control NPA? Before communist rebel leader Jose Ma. Sison sits down for peace talks with President Duterte or his emissaries, he may have to prove that he and his cabal ensconced in the Netherlands are still in full control of the New People’s Army insurgents back home.

There is no point negotiating with Sison and his group if the self-exiled rebel leaders cannot enforce any agreement reached with the Duterte administration on the ending the five-decade rebellion that has taken tens of thousands of Filipino lives.

The possible disconnect between Sison’s group and the NPA fighters on the ground was raised after the insurgents attacked government forces in Camarines Norte and Iloilo on the first day of a Dec. 23-Jan. 7 ceasefire preparatory to peace talks.

A report from the Joint Task Force Bicolandia said a soldier was killed and six others were wounded when NPA members ambushed troops from the 92nd Division Reconnaissance Co. in Labo, Camarines Norte.

Minutes after the attack, another group of rebels fired at a police vehicle in Tubungan, Iloilo, wounding two policemen.

Sen. Dick Durbin and Sen. Patrick Leahy

Despite his decision in 2017 to stop negotiating with the communist insurgents, Duterte has sent emissaries to Sison in an effort to forge peace with them before his term ends in 2022.

Duterte said he wanted to talk directly with SIson, his former professor in college, promising that he would not be arrested if he returned to the country for the one-on-one.

Sison said he was amenable to meeting Duterte anywhere in Asia but not in the Philippines.

The government, he said, would be in a position to manipulate the talks if held in the president’s home ground.

Photos from U.S. Senate

The founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines said he did not trust individuals and groups moving to sabotage the peace process and that he would only talk to the president alone, without distracting entities.

He claimed that the Duterte administration was “going downhill to hell” and “could not find enough relief from its imperialist masters to overcome the rising revolutionary movement of the Filipino people.” (Philstar.com) *** NOTA BENE: All Postscripts can be accessed at manilamail.com. Follow author on Twitter as @FDPascual. Email feedback to dikpascual@gmail.com.

The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.

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Dateline Pâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I want hiliPPines billionaires in prisonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;: Duterte threatens to jail Ayala, Pangilinan over water deal

YEAR OF THE RAT. Some stores along Ongpin St. in Sta. Cruz, Manila put on display lucky charms, particularly mouse figurines in different sizes, ready to welcome 2020 which is Year of the Rat in Chinese zodiac. In Chinese culture, rat as the first of all zodiac animals is a sign of wealth and surplus. People born under this sign are believed to be very industrious and thrifty, diligent and positive.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Duterte tells ABS-CBN to just sell the network

by Nestor

Corrales Inquirer.net

MANILA â&#x20AC;&#x201D; After threatening television giant ABS-CBN with closure by not renewing its franchise, President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, December 30, gave an unsolicited advice to the network â&#x20AC;&#x201D; put it on sale.

Duterte made the proposal with just three months left until ABSCBNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s broadcast rights expires. It is Congress that is mandated by the Constitution to enact franchise bills pending before it.

If the franchise is not granted, the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest network would have to close down its TV and radio operations by March 30, 2020. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itong ABS, mag-expire ang

contract ninyo. Mag-renew kayo, ewan ko lang kung may mangyari diyan. Kung ako sa inyo ipagbili niyo na â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;yan (ABSCBNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contract will expire. You should renew. I am not sure if something will happen. If I were you, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll just sell the company),â&#x20AC;?

Duterte said in a speech before earthquake victims in Mâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;lang, North Cotabato. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kasi ang mga Pilipino ngayon lang makaganti sa inyong kalokohan (Because Filipinos can now retaliate). And I will make sure that you will remember this episode of our times forever,â&#x20AC;? he added.

Duterte has several times in the past threatened to block the franchise renewal of the Kapamilya network after what he claimed to

be unfair treatment of him during the presidential campaign period.

The president has also repeatedly accused ABS-CBN of estafa for supposedly not providing him the airtime he had paid for during the May 2016 presidential elections.

He has also slammed the network for airing what he deemed to be unfair or slanted reports about him.

The proposed sale of ABS-CBN came on the heels of reports that Duterteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s friend, Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy recently formed the Udenna Communications Media and Entertainment Holdings Corp, which expands his business to media and entertainment sector. n

Chinese nationals top foreign violators in PH by robertzoN

ramirez

Philstar.com

MANILA â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The influx of Chinese citizens in the Philippines has resulted into their getting the top spot in the list of foreign violators in 2019, records from the Bureau of Immigration (BI) showed. The BI said they arrested 2,257 erring foreigners in its various operations

from January to December 2019.

Of the number, at least 1,577 were Chinese. Other violators came from Taiwan (66), Myanmar (45), India (25) and Vietnam (19). The BI intelligence division collared 1,836 of the foreigners while the fugitive search unit arrested 421.

Fortunato Manahan Jr., BI acting intelligence chief, said major-

ity of the Chinese were arrested either for illegally staying in the country, engaging in cyber fraud activities or operating unauthorized online gaming. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some of those arrested were not only illegally working here.

They were also suspected of involvement in terrorism while others are wanted fugitives,â&#x20AC;? he added. n

MANILA â&#x20AC;&#x201D; President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday threatened to jail the owners of the two biggest water utilities in the country, Manila Water chairman Fernando Zobel de Ayala and Maynilad chairman Manuel Pangilinan, for having committed what he described as syndicated estafa against consumers for years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Yung nagtatanong kayo, saan â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;yung big fish? Saan â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;yung mga corruption, saan â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;yung malalaki?

Oh, ideliver ko na sa inyo ngayon.

Si Ayala pati si Pangilinan (To those who are asking where are the big fish in corruption, I will deliver to youâ&#x20AC;Ś Ayala and Pangilinan),â&#x20AC;? Duterte said in a speech before earthquake victims in Mâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;lang, North Cotabato.

Ayala and Pangilinan have earned the ire of Duterte over the 1997 water deal between the government, Maynilad, and Manila Water, which he called as â&#x20AC;&#x153;onerous.â&#x20AC;?

The president vowed to go after those behind the contracts, including the powerful businessmen behind the two firms, whom he accused of â&#x20AC;&#x153;economic plunder.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;That is fâ&#x20AC;Śg contract. On the

other hand, I go after them,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Pag nagkamali yang gagong yan, ipakukulong ko talaga sila.

Huh. Kita mo maski anong insulto ko, hindi na sumasagot. Sigurado swak sila. Syndicated estafa (If they commit another mistake, I will put them in jail. See, even how I will insult them they are not responding. I will jail them for syndicated estafa),â&#x20AC;? Duterte said.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want billionaires inside the prison,â&#x20AC;? he added. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They are just water distributors. But as it turned out, they are the richest and they think they are the owners of water. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why in the contracts they are the only allowed to implement (an) increaseâ&#x20AC;Śnot the government,â&#x20AC;? the president said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We surrendered (our) sovereignty on that,â&#x20AC;? he said, explaining that the contract considered water as a commodity and not part of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s natural resources. He referred to it as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;really crooked way of interpreting a Constitution.â&#x20AC;?

In separate decisions, the Singapore-based Permanent Court of Arbitration ordered the Philippine

government in 2017 to pay P3.6 billion to Maynilad and in November to compensate P7 billion to Manila Water for losses suffered by the water firms due to disallowed water rate increases from 2013 to 2017.

Duterte has said he would never pay the amount, saying the Filipinos were being â&#x20AC;&#x153;milked by the billionsâ&#x20AC;? with the onerous deals.

He cited the firmsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; corporate income taxes, saying that instead of paying the government their tax liabilities, they instead pass it on to the consumers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Since 1997 they have environmental enhancement fee. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (for) water treatment facility that is not exiting until now and they continue collecting. Since 1997 until now that is already worth trillions,â&#x20AC;? the President said.

Maynilad and Manila Water have said they would no longer collect P10.8 billion in compensation.

Despite the move of Maynilad and Manila Water, Duterte warned of military takeover over the two water concessionaires.

(Nestor Corrales and Jeoffrey Maitem/Inquirer.net)

and are manned by private security guards. So our police visibility there is very limited,â&#x20AC;? Manuel said.

But, he pointed out, the police can control crimes against property.

For a crime to transpire, Manuel explained, three factors should be present: motive, suspectsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; capability and opportunity.

Recent police interventions, he said, aimed to remove the suspectsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; opportunity by adopting a â&#x20AC;&#x153;surgical approachâ&#x20AC;? to police deployment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It all starts with a study of prevalent crimes in the area, where they happen and around what time they happen,â&#x20AC;? Manuel added in Filipino.

Based on previous recorded cases, the MPD has determined that snatching is one of the prevalent crimes that takes place on Recto Avenue and Rizal Avenue in downtown Manila between 5 p.m.

and 7 p.m. and 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. or the â&#x20AC;&#x153;crime clock.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Noong araw, full compliance lang at ide-deploy ang police without knowing na ang dami palang nangyayari sa madaling araw (Back then, we just deployed our police force without knowing that there are a lot of crimes happening at dawn),â&#x20AC;? Manuel said.

As part of police intervention today, he added, the force is deployed to watch the crime clock.

The MPD spokesman urged the public to keep a keen eye on suspicious individuals in their community and report their activities to authorities.

Manuel also appealed to the public to report crooked policemen, assuring that identities of informants will be kept strictly confidential. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In that manner, the public can help us in maintaining peace and order in the community,â&#x20AC;? he said. n

Crime solution rate in Manila improving

by Joshua

Vera Cruz ManilaTimes.net

THERE was a 20-percent increase in crime solution rate in 2019 in Manila compared to the previous year, according to the Manila Police District (MPD).

Lt. Col. Carlo Magno Manuel, MPD spokesman, this week said of the recorded crimes this year, nearly 90 percent were solved compared to 2018â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 70-percent solution rate.

The recorded crimes were those committed against property and against persons.

According to the MPD spokesman, crimes against property rose because of the lack of police visibility inside private establishments such as malls, especially during the onset of the Christmas season.

Crimes against property include burglary, theft, pickpocketing, car theft, shoplifting and vandalism. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have much hold on this since these malls are private

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Chinese envoy vows regular meetings on infrastructure deals

by Mary

Grace Philstar.com

READY, GET SET, BLOW. A child tries a horn at Divisoria in Manila, her way of welcoming the New Year. ManilaTimes.net photo by Enrique Agcaoili

‘Localized peace talks best way to end insurgency’ MANILA — Although the Christmas ceasefire is a welcome development, “localized” peace talks with communist rebels are the best way to end the 51year-old insurgency, presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. said in a statement.

The government has opted for the localized talks, which it calls Local Peace Engagements, to negotiate the surrender of members of the New People’s Army and of local communist militias.

“The LPE approach directly addresses the needs of people and communities and prevents them from being exploited by the insurgents. The government provides basic services, livelihood, and security, among others, as a means of capacitating them,” Galvez said.

The Communist Party of the Philippines has rejected the “localized” peace talks, saying the

reforms needed to end the insurgency must be on a national level.

“Localized talks are a classic divide and rule tactic. The idea is to hoodwink local CPP leaders and NPA commanders into agreeing to local ceasefire arrangements and later on induce them to surrender,” the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, which represents the communist rebels at peace talks, also said in July 2018.

But Galvez said the LPEs have led to mass surrenders “of members of the CPP-NPA Southern, Northeastern, and Western Mindanao Regional Party Committees operating in Regions [Zamboanga Peninsula], [Northern Mindanao], [Davao] and CARAGA.” “Through the efforts of local chief executives, the Regional Task Force – Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-

ELCAC) IX, and the CPP-NPA’s Western Committee, the parties forged an agreement in which they committed to jointly carry out socio-economic programs and projects in their communities,” he said.

Galvez said that he is hopeful that unilateral but reciprocal ceasefires declared by the government and by the Communist Party of the Philippines would be “a step towards finally putting an end to the armed violence” but also warned that peace talks have not prevented rebel attacks.

“As peace talks were being held at the national level, attacks were being carried out by the rebels. In short, there have already been precedents. We have to be prepared and make sure that such incidents are prevented at all costs,” Galvez said. (Philstar.com)

ciary through such actions as fetching them from the airport and processing gun licenses for personal purposes rather than official.

Under Administrative Circular 135-2019, the role of these officers is to coordinate with the airports, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) on behalf of the judiciary.

As such, a new set of officers was designated.

These officers were identified as Dennis Balason, Arturo Ramos and Jardel Musnit, who will be assigned to the airports.

For assistance before the DFA, designated persons shall be Arnel Baldeo, Gilencio Abac and Marisa Hontonares.

For the LTO, the designated protocol officers shall be Cesar Gonzales and Roland Besmonte.

The ones assigned to the PNP to help secure firearms licenses and clearances are Robert Can and Rommel Rique. n

Padin

MANILA — Newly appointed Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian has committed to facilitate the conduct of regular meetings between Manila and Beijing to discuss China-funded infrastructure projects under the Build Build Build program, the Department of Finance (DOF) said over the weekend.

The DOF said Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, during a courtesy visit from Huang, proposed for high-level officials from the Philippines and China to hold regular dialogues to thresh out details of infrastructure projects funded by the latter.

“It would be very helpful if we have a regular meetings regarding these projects. Our suggestion has always been to meet once every three or four months,” Dominguez said.

Huang, who replaced Ambassador Zhao Jianhua as China’s ambassador to the Philippines, welcomed the proposal.

“We will try to make this happen as soon as possible. My suggestion is we need to institutionalize that kind of mechanism. Every three months to take place, every quarter,” Huang said.

The new ambassador said he would support efforts to ensure that projects under the Build, Build, Build program, which are being financed by China are launched “as soon as possible.”

“We hope all these projects will bring real tangible benefits to our people,” he said.

During the meeting with Dominguez, Huang also reiterated China’s commitment to further enhance bilateral relations with the Philippines.

Both officials discussed ways of improving people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries, particularly in the fields of sports, music and entertainment.

Since the start of the Duterte administration in 2016, the two countries have so far signed three loan agreements amounting

to $493.08 million.

These include the $62.09 million loan accord for the Chico River Pump Irrigation Project, $211.21 million assistance for the New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam project, and the $219.78 million loan for the project management consultancy of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) South Long Haul Project.

The Philippines has also secured a total of $430.82 million worth of grants from China since then, the DOF said.

Last October, the Philippines and China signed and exchanged bilateral documents for the conduct of feasibility studies on two big-ticket projects under the Build Build Build program and four other agreements, covering areas of cooperation in trade, customs and communications.

The six agreements were formalized during the official visit of Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua to the Philippines on Oct. 22 to 24. n

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte presents a photo album as token to Resident Ambassador-Designate of the People’s Republic of China to the Philippines Huang Xilian, who presented his credentials to the President at the Malacañan Palace on last December 4, 2019.

Malacañang photo by Toto Lozano

DOH most trusted agency – Pulse Asia Peralta overhauls SC protocol, liason execs

by Joshua

by JoMar

canlas

ManilaTimes.net

Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Diosado Peralta has ordered an immediate overhaul and revamp of its protocol and liaison officers and the judiciary.

According to well placed sources of The Manila Times, Peralta issued the order after receiving vital information that some of the previous officers were courting persons who were not members of the judi-

Vera cruz ManilaTimes.net

THE Department of Health (DOH) came out on top as the most trusted government agency from the December Ulat ng Bayan Report of Pulse Asia Research Inc. Other agencies included in the survey were the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

In the report, the Health department received a trust rating of 80 percent, followed by the AFP at 75 percent and the PNP at 72 percent.

The recent development was a jump from the department’s rat-

ing of 72 percent in September.

“I congratulate the entire DOH workforce, officials and employees alike, for their dedication and commitment,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said.

“Without their untiring and selfless efforts in improving our health services and making these felt by the people, we would not have earned the people’s trust,” he added.

In the same report, Duque earned a 74-percent approval rating, claiming the top spot among other select officials and Cabinet members.

He got the approval rating from an 87 awareness rate from participants.

Those included in the survey were Education Secretary Leonor Briones, Welfare and Development Secretary Rolando Bautista, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez 3rd, Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno.

Duque expressed his gratitude for the positive feedback the department got and said they are exhilarated to deliver Universal Health Care and provide responsive, accessible and quality health services to every Filipino. n

World Bank to focus support on peace-building Mindanao programs Showcase of effective development assistance

by Ben

o. de Vera

Inquirer.net

ğ įōíľ ÀðıÃæµįPçį ʼn æIJįıÀ ØÃĉÃæîÂ ß ğÃqPç qíß߼æÃıŎįĤÀíĽØ ÕæíŊįPdíĽIJĕ If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, email us the details (title, description, time & date, location, etc.) at info@asianjournalinc.com.

And for consideration in our print calendar, please send submissions at least three weeks before the date of the event.

To be included in our online calendar/ e-newsletter, please allow at least two to three weeks' notice.

The Asian Journal would be delighted to list your event in our Calendar of Events.

THE World Bank is planning to ramp up support to programs and projects related to peacebuilding in Mindanao as well as strengthening resilience to natural disasters.

“The period under review saw strong economic performance in the Philippines. Growth has been sustained at higher levels than before and poverty has been reduced. Strong global demand resulted in growing remittances and income from a booming services sector. The Philippines is on track to achieve upper middleincome status in the near future.

These achievements are impressive in the context of recurring severe natural disasters and conflict in Mindanao,” the Washington-based lender said its report titled “The World Bank Group Partnership with the Philippines, 2009-2018 Country Program Evaluation,” which was published on Friday, December 27.

Economic managers had been optimistic that the Philippines would become an upper middleincome country—defined by the World Bank as having a per capita income above $3,956—next year, even as the country would lose by 2022 the access to preferential interest rates it is currently enjoying whenever it borrows from its bilateral partners and multilateral institutions.

“However, higher growth has not resolved many fundamental structural problems. The Philippines still has one of the world’s highest rates of inequality, and productivity in agriculture and manufacturing lags most regional competitors. Despite some improvements in human development, serious gaps remain in family planning, nutrition, maternal mortality and education quality. Infrastructure, particularly in transport and municipal services, is inadequate to meet the needs of the rapidly growing and urbanizing population,” the World Bank said.

While the World Bank has made a “substantial contribution” to the Philippines’ develop-

ment in recent years, the lender admitted that it had a “dilemma” during the Duterte administration—“these long-running [World Bank-supported] programs, although in line with the objectives of the previous two administrations, may be less central to the objectives of the current administration,” it noted.

“The central theme of the administration of President Duterte is addressing the huge gap in national-level infrastructure.

There is no question of the importance of this for enhancing the Philippines’ competitiveness and improving the quality of life in Metro Manila and beyond.

But other development partners are better placed to support this agenda; the government sees them as less costly sources of funding, and these partners have been more active in this area in the past,” it said, referring to the Duterte administration’s ambitious “Build, Build, Build” program.

But given that, in general, World Bank support was still “underused” in the Philippines, the lender said it wanted to “do more with its comparative advantage in disaster risk management and climate change; support for the peace process in Mindanao; enhancing the capacity of subnational governments to provide better services, nutrition and education quality; supporting private sector development and SME [small and medium enterprise] development, and good governance.”

“There is alignment between the World Bank’s comparative advantage and the government’s goal for the country to achieve upper middle-income country status by the end of the current administration. Reaching upper middle-income country status is feasible if the country continues to grow rapidly, but it is necessary to look at more than just the growth numbers. Rapid growth has contributed to greater poverty reduction, but the Philippines still has some fundamental structural issues that need to be addressed. These include a high

rate of inequality; still-high levels of poverty and vulnerability, which leads many of the nonpoor to periodically fall back into poverty; a dependence on the service sector; underperformance of the agriculture and manufacturing sectors; lack of medium-size enterprises (the ‘missing middle’); inadequate quality of education, which limits the access of the poor to better jobs, and gaps in the health care system. The capture of the political system by a dominant elite is both a cause of many of these problems and a constraint in addressing them,” according to the World Bank.

In the case of Mindanao, the World Bank said it was considering to make the newly formed Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as a focal area for World Bank Group support, and potentially a model for in-depth regional engagement and local capacity building.

“Mindanao has the largest concentration of poor in the Philippines and has considerable economic potential. Here is where the World Bank has a comparative advantage, given continued engagement on peace and reconciliation, experience with Mindanao Rural Development Project (MRDP), capacity building at the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA), ongoing Marawi reconstruction and high-quality analytical work such as the Mindanao Jobs Report. Mindanao could be a showcase of effective development assistance in a specific region, which can be scaled up to other regions,” it said.

In its “Philippines Mindanao Jobs Report: A Strategy for Mindanao Regional Development” published in 2017, the World Bank said initiatives supporting the agriculture sector as well as human development were expected to create more jobs in the war-torn island.

For the World Bank, economic progress in the Philippines will depend on the success of development in Mindanao. n

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VEGAS&STYLE Journal

HUMBLED BY ACCOLADE, PRAISE

‘Just Mercy’ author vows to continue social justice work Based on this bestselling book, Just Mercy the movie presents the unforgettable story of Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan) and the case of Walter McMillian (Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx), who was convicted and sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit.

Stevenson, a New York University Law School professor, said it was pretty surreal seeing his life unfold on the big screen.

He describes Michael B. Jordan as an amazing ally. Jordan tackled his role as Stevenson with such intensity that many critics believe he will be in the running for acting awards next year.

“I am so proud of Michael because he did an extraordinary job for the role and he worked really hard for it. He was very dedicated to this project,” he shared.

They both spent time preparing for the movie and it amazed Stevenson that Jordan didn’t just play his role with great skill and care but his dedication to the issue came through his delicate performance.

“With the kind of work that I do, you have to be strategic and tactical and he embraced that through his performance and I couldn’t be prouder. It is exciting because he is incredibly popular and talented and yet he took on this role so I can’t wait to share this with the world,” Stevenson added.

He also believes that regular Photo from Cinemablend.com

churches that give copies of Stevenson’s books to high schoolers and middle schoolers to empower BRYAN Stevenson wears many them to join in the conversation hats. He is a lawyer, a social jus- about social justice. tice activist and founder of Equal For that alone, Stevenson is Justice Initiative (EJI). He wrote both excited and honored. a New York Times bestselling “All over the world there is this book called Just Mercy, based on emergence of fear and anger and his experience as a young law- if we allow ourselves to be govyer dedicated to defending those erned by fear and anger…we have most desperate and in need: the that in America because we gave poor, the wrongly condemned, in. We started putting people in and women and children trapped jail who are not a threat to pubin the farthest reaches of our lic safety. We became indifferent criminal justice system. and that’s how so many innocent Numerous critics have called people ended up in jails and prishis book as one of the best books ons, with some of them ending of the year, for a good reason. on death row,” he told the Asian Stevenson’s dedication to fight- Journal. ing for justice and equality has He is thrilled to hear that more inspired people and created an young people are now being eximpact so strong that Hollywood posed to these issues through his took notice. book and hopefully through the Nowadays, there are some upcoming movie.

By MoMar G. Visaya AJPress

Michael B. Jordan

people, ordinary members of the community, have a role to play to support justice and mercy.

“We all have to learn about what’s happening in our community, we have to get involved.

Whether it is about providing help to people coming out of jails or in helping to get innocent people out, there are many ways,” he said.

For him, there is a need to create a consciousness where we become more determined to eliminate bigotry and discrimination in the society.

“The opposite of poverty is not wealth. The opposite of poverty is justice.” is a quote delivered by Stevenson and he stands by that.

But the question is, how should we change that mindset?

“We’ve created structures and systems that sustain poverty and we only talk about money, we don’t get to that kind of resolution that we need,” he said, defending his argument. “I believe we have to understand these structures and systems. Here in America, we have private prisons that make money. That has to end. We dehumanize people because they are immigrants, because they are different, because of their ethnicity or religion. If we talk more about justice and we commit more to fairness and equality, we can do a lot more to eliminate poverty around the world.”

Stevenson has been to multiple

Bryan Stevenson

screenings of the film across the country and among his biggest takeaway from the experience so far is the fact that people who have seen it, regardless of their color and gender, are blown away by the film’s message.

“It has been so humbling to see people react with such enthusiasm. People seemed to be really moved by the film and what it tells me is that if people saw the paintings that I see, they would want the same response, they would want more hope, more mercy, more justice and this film provides an opportunity for them to see what I have been seeing through the course of my career,” he said.

The cast led by Jordan, Jamie Foxx, Brie Larson and the ensemble all delivered wonderful acting and magnificent performances, giving justice to the compelling and powerful story.

Jordan reflected Stevenson’s steel determination and grit, and highlighted his intelligence and

Photo from CEHD

moral conviction, providing a brilliant and moving story that is one for the ages.

The film showed how important faith is, since it fuels the fire in Stevenson’s bones to end death penalty and heal the wounds of oppressive racism.

Foxx recently told Good Morning America that Just Mercy is the “most important film I’ve ever done” while Jordan has called Stevenson as “the superhero of our times”.

Such accolades are humbling, Stevenson told the Asian Journal.

“I am just so honored to be in the company of such extraordinary people. Jamie is one of the great actors of our time and he is unbelievable talented and skilled and Michael is just an extraordinary human being who is obviously at the top of his game. To spend time with these remarkable people and have them say such generous and gracious things about me is incredibly energizing and also humbling,” he said.

Fil-Am’s short film qualifies for Oscars Memorable celebrity quotes of 2019

by Dolly

anne CarVajal Inquirer.net

by GeorGe

Vail Kabristante ManilaTimes.net

LOURDES “Lou” Duque Baron is a Filipino-American artist based in Los Angeles, California. As a philanthropist she comes in and out of the country to do humanitarian projects with the margins of society throughout the archipelago as part of her advocacy.

Apart from this, Lou Baron is an actress, singer, author and is the first Filipina to win the Breakthrough Album of the Year Award in the 2014 LA Music Awards under the production of multi-platinum and Billboard Award-winning music producer Andrew Lane.

She is also the winner of both the Impact Docs Award and the Telly Award for her Hope For the World Foundation Documentary.

Lou is also the CEO of Timeless Entertainment Inc. and co-owns the U.S.-based online channel Telli-Pino Network.

Recently, she produced and acted in a short film titled “Tombstone Pillow” shot at the Manila Cemetery. Previous to this she also starred in a local indie film titled “Butanding” with Asia’s Princess of Songs Emma Cordero directed by Edd Palmos.

To Lou, said short film is a breakthrough project because it was a serious venture whose content or subject matter also made a statement about the disregarded sector of the Filipino society.

The film poignantly calls attention to socioeconomic disparities in one of the most impoverished neighborhoods in the world — the slums of Manila Cemetery.

The filmmakers’ primary purpose is driving social awareness to this issue. Through stark characterization and impactful imagery, this film reveals how, in one of the darkest corners of the world, compassion still conquers all.

The film handles the subject of extreme poverty with a heightened level of unexpected subtlety.

AS 2019 comes to a close, let me share 19 quotes from some celebs I featured in this column.

Thank you to the stars for trusting me with their stories and to my readers for “Dollywooding” with me. May the new year give us 20/20 vision of our plans and goals “para bentang-benta ang bente-bente” (so 2020 will be solid).

Sarah Geronimo: I’m a perfectionist and an idealist. That’s why I have a tendency to get disappointed. I have to remind myself that nobody’s perfect. We all keep evolving. I always want to outdo myself in every performance.

Love Poe: I’m not for annulment nor am I against it. I believe in fighting for a relationship until you can. Although some things can be hard to fix. Sometimes, it’s better to love people from afar.

Christian Bables: Being known is just part of the job. The real job is to stay diligent and hungry as an actor. You’re only as good as your last work. Fame is just a

bonus. There’s more to being an actor than fame. Even if you’re already famous, you must feel like a beginner who’s open to learning new things.

Boy Abunda: Even liars have rights. I am an interviewer, not a judge.When I sense that my interviewee is lying, all I can do is probe more incisively and fiercely, then I let my audience decide.

John Arcilla: Passion and being aggressive can be mistaken for arrogance in the absence of di- Sarah Geronimo plomacy. My portrayal of Heneral Photo from Instagram/@justsarahgph Luna taught me the importance of restraint and moderation … that sincerity is different from truth and intention.

Bela Padilla: I don’t have dramatic relationships. I’ve only had two boyfriends, and the breakups from both were very maturely dealt with. I can safely say that if I bump into them and their girlfriends now, I wouldn’t have trouble saying hello.

Paolo Ballesteros: I’ve always had a positive outlook in life. I hardly dwell on the problems. Instead, I look for solutions—changing the mind-set on how to deal Christian Bables

LOURDES “Lou” Duque Baron

The Manila Cemetery has been home to impoverished families since the 1950s, and “Tombstone Pillow” authentically illustrates how 6,000 people currently live in the shanty towns built atop graves and mausoleums.

Here, Lou Baron plays Olivia, an heiress whose distant and unfeeling demeanor contrasts sharply with the kindness displayed by Maria, one of the children who lives in the slums.

The film was made possible through the collaborative efforts of directors Bayou Bennet and Daniel Lir who founded the Dream Team Directors in 2007.

With Lir in the Philippines making his actors of said film move on the set, Bennet was in Los Angeles using Facebook to co-direct the

short film remotely.

“We aim to put a spotlight on situations where there is injustice.

Our goal is to use our art to raise awareness and fight for people who don’t have a voice. We want to open our audiences’ eyes to things they haven’t seen before,” Bennet says.

“Tombstone Pillow” was included in the list of films selected by the LA Shorts International Film Festival, and was screened John Arcilla at the opening night of the NYC Photo from Instagram/@johnarcilla International Film Festival at the Lovie Poe Photo from Instagram/@loviepoe Dolby Theatre where it won Best Drama. Finally, the film has qualified for LA Shorts for the Oscars in February.

Let’s see to that. A short film produced and acted by a Fil-Am multi-media artist making it at the

Photo from Instagram/@christiaaan06

with it. With that said, my biggest Calvary was, and will always be, the Calvary of the heart. That’s because you can never tell your heart whom to love.

Mark Bautista: As a bisexual, I am happy that in this day and age, we don’t need to explain our choices in life. We can be whatever we want to be.

Jaclyn Jose: The best part of being Jaclyn Jose is winning acting awards. That gives me staying power. There’s nothing really tough about being me. I always make it a point to be true to myself and respect everyone’s individuality.

Liza, James named among 2019’s most beautiful, handsome faces list by ian

bionG Inquirer.net

ACTRESS-model Liza Soberano is included once again in the Top 100 Most Beautiful Faces list, just a year after being inducted to the list’s prestigious Hall of Fame.

Soberano claimed the 10th spot for 2019, slipping down just a few ranks from 2018‘s 4th spot. She topped the list back in 2017.

This is Soberano’s fifth appearance on the annual list, and is joined by fellow actress Jessy Mendiola, who claimed the 93rd spot, as shown on a YouTube video posted by TC Candler last Friday, Dec. 27.

Singer-actor James Reid meanwhile grabbed the 42nd spot for this year’s Top 100 Most HandLiza Soberano Photo from Instagram/@liza James Reid ABS-CBN photo some Faces, his third appearance on the list, as shown on a separate Daniel Matsunaga, who landed at respectively. video posted by TC Candler.

Film critic TC Candler and The the 50th spot.

Reid ranked 21st last year, K-pop stars Tzuyu of girl group Independent Critics have been while his highest appearance on Twice and Jungkook of boy band publishing the annual list since 1990. Over 40 countries are reguAuthor-singer-actress-humanitarian Lourdes Duque Baron collaborates with dream team Directors Daniel Lir and Bayou Bennett in the socially the list was also in 2017 at the BTS topped this year’s most larly represented on the list. relevant film “Tombstone Pillow.” The script was written by London based writer Fraser Scott. Photos courtesy of Timeless Entertainment 4th spot. He is joined this year by beautiful and handsome faces list,

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Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette aDeva Maglaya 2020 presents to us all a new lease on life — a fresh slate, a clean paper, what the Greeks call tabula rasa, on which you can start writing your new story.

Or if you use a computer, click on a new blank document and chase the cursor until the rest of your life story for this new year unfolds.

How does one use this new lease on life?

Most people lucky enough to be given a second chance, will quickly realize that this new lease can just be an extra few months or years, and in the most blessed scenarios, a decade or two or even more.

Each day beyond that critical turning point is a bonus, every single moment, a gift. Sometimes, God mercifully knocks some sense into us through drastic means by throwing us a curve ball to bring us down on our knees so that we have no choice but to look above and beyond our own petty, selfish concerns and total self-involvement in order to grasp the concept of our own mortality and to know that we are here for a purpose.

We’re not here to merely consume resources or take up space.

Neither are we here to remain tethered to our smart phones texting, taking selfies or getting suckered and absorbed by the greatest ego bloater of our time, posting and reading about ourselves and others on social media.

Consider the fearsome dinosaurs. Grazing the earth for millions of years, that is essentially what they did — consumed resources and took up space.

Not by intelligence but by sheer size and numbers, they had dominion over all other species for millions of years, until one day, as scientists try to explain their extinction, a rogue asteroid about 7 miles long, possibly got unhinged off its orbit in the asteroid belt, hit the earth with such impact, setting off a series of volcanic eruptions that covered the

Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS Are stomach ulcers caused by bacteria?

Yes, a very common cause of peptic ulcer (stomach ulcer) is a bacteria called H. Pylori. In the past, it was thought that peptic ulcers were caused by high acids in the stomach. The two scientists who originally reported their thesis that a bacteria (H. Pylori) was the cause of peptic ulcer were ridiculed by the medical community for their “preposterous assertion” that these ulcers were caused by an infection due to this bacteria. It has always been accepted that the etiology of peptic ulcers was chemical in nature (hyperacidity due to stress, spicy food, alcohol, etc).

Since that new revolutionary report came out, independent investigators all over the world have confirmed beyond doubt that, indeed, peptic ulcers are caused by a bacteria, the H. Pylori bug. This obviously altered and dramatically improved the treatment of peptic ulcers, using antibiotics in proven cases of H. Pylori, instead of antacids.

Vindicated and honored were Dr. Barry J. Marshall, 54, and Dr. J. Robin Warren, 68, who were awarded the 2005 Prize for Physiology/Medicine for their discovery of the Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacterium and its role in gastritis and peptic ulcer disease.

Is drinking wine bad for diabetics?

Unless the patient has another medical condition where wine is contraindicated, wine in itself (a glass with dinner) is not bad for patients with diabetes. The only caution a diabetic has to remember is the extra high calories wine adds to the diabetic diet of these patients. The additional calories from the wine must be subtracted from the total calories the diabetic patient is prescribed to take per meal or per day. This should be discussed by the patient with the physician managing the diabetes.

Is Viagra useful for women as it is for men?

Preliminary reports from research studies show that Viagra (Sildenafil) is not as effective for the females as it is for the males. The action of the drug is to open up the blood vessels in the clitoris in females (in the penis in males), allowing it to fill up and engorge with blood, which fullness heightens the sexual stimulation in females and

11

A New Tabula Rasa

WGU kicks off 2020 with $1.5 million in scholarships

“…Purpose does not come as clear as the light of day. We have to seek it out…”

New Year Scholarship will enable 750 working adults will go back to school

atmosphere with ash far above the stratosphere, so that sunlight could not penetrate through the haze for years, killing off the plant life, upsetting and destroying the food chain balance and effectively starving and wiping the dinosaurs off the face of the earth 65 million years ago.

Here is earth’s tabula rasa story — starting on a clean slate, a new lease on life. When the reptiles died, mammals, of which we are classified under, began their ascent. Human beings with purpose came to be.

Yet each man’s purpose is nebulous and not always obvious. Purpose does not come as clear as the light of day. We have to seek it out. Either by choice or circumstance, some exceptional ones find their purpose early enough and proceed to fulfill it. Sometimes, it is as simple as blooming where God planted us.

But the great majority of people on the bell curve don’t have the nose to sense their true north.

Most of us of the garden variety meander about our lives trying different things until we finally stumble upon it by trial and error.

The annals of history are rife with such stories.

St. Paul played a critical role in the beginnings of the early Christian church through his numerous travels. But he didn’t start out that way. He was just as passionate about persecuting Christians before he was tapped from above to do what he did.

Edwin Hubble, the great astronomer who lived in the nineteen twenties and for whom the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is named for his outstanding achievements in expanding our view of the universe, tried different things before finding out what he was meant to do. In college, he played championship basketball and even tried boxing. After fighting in World War I, he studied law, tried lawyering for a year and obviously didn’t like it.

Something must have hap-

pened because he went back to college to study astronomy and finally found his footing and his purpose in life.

That’s what most of us do. We try different lives until we find the one that matches heaven’s purpose. Just don’t run out of time. No one wants to leave with unfinished business.

If our stations in life allow us the luxury of choice, then more than likely, we will be meandering too and trying different things before coming on board to the ship that will likely bring us to the port of our purpose. Try reading all or portions of Rick Warren’s “The Purpose Driven Life.” Warren, who has just gone through some difficult personal trial, is the pastor of Saddleback Church in Orange County, California.

We don’t really have to wait for something dramatic, traumatic or tragic to happen to get us on track to finding that purpose. But do go to the right source. Nix the harebrained ideas coming from most of the media about what that purpose might be.

When it comes to things that matter, most of the mainstream media has proven itself to be unworthy of trust. It pushes its own agenda of acquiring power that comes from profit.

Tune out of the external world and dive deep within. If you pray hard enough and long enough and live in the silence for a little while, chances are, you’ll find it.

You can then begin rewriting your own story on a new document page — your own life story, at least for the year 2020, which might get heaven’s stamp of approval. For your part, you might get that deep sense of satisfaction and that precious peace that surpasses all understanding.

HAPPY, HEALTHY, PROSPEROUS AND PURPOSEFUL 2020!!! *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

Viagra, ginseng, liposuction sustained erection in men, where it is more effective. More studies are still ongoing.

Is snoring bad for our health?

Snoring has been popularly known to cause social or marital problems, with the spouses and roommates as its victims and complainants. In the United States, snoring could be a ground for divorce. For the snorer, this annoying condition leads to impaired and restless sleep, fatigue the following day, due to lack of oxygen. More importantly, sleep apnea (prolonged breath holding) is due to blockage in the air passage. The apnea could be more than 100 episode a night and deprives the person of oxygen, increasing the risk for heart attack, stroke, and even cancer.

While not all snorers have sleep apnea, it is prudent for snorers to seek for medical advice, because today we have CPAP as a most effective treatment for confirmed sleep apnea patients.

Do coffee/cigarette cause heart irregularity?

Coffee, medically considered a health drink, can occasionally cause cardiac arrythmia (heartbeat irregularity), tachycardia (fast heartbeat, higher than 100), atrial fibrillation (skipped beats), and palpitation (heart pounding) in some sensitive individuals.

Adjusting the amount could help prevent this side effect o caffeine.

Cigarettes and vaping products, on the other hand, are much worse and most unhealthy. These two could be deadly.

Is Liposuction safe?

Liposuction (the removal of fatty tissues from the body by pressure withdrawal ---“hinihigup”) is effective in removing fatty tissues, just as cutting the out using a surgeon’s scalpel would. But it is not effective as far as the avowed (advertised) goal of the procedure is concerned.

The fats that are sucked out grow back in no time. More concerning is the fact that patients have died from fat embolism, etc. during or immediately after the liposuction. There is no excuse for these deaths, since the procedure in itself is controversial and not scientifically proven to achieve the health objective it is supposed to accomplish. It makes sense to stay away from this costly and potentially deadly procedure. The best way to reduce the fats in our body is to eat fish, vegetables, fruits, and stay away from red meats, eggs, etc., and to exercise for at least half an hour at least 3 times a week, maintaining an acceptable weight.

What is OPCAB heart bypass?

The surgery is called Off Pump Coronary Artery Bypass (OPCAB), which is done on a beating heart, without the use of the heart-lung machine. Coronary Bypass surgery to prevent a heart attack, by bypassing blocked heart arteries, is not new. It has been with us since 1967. But the conventional technique is includes arresting (stopping) the heart, with the patient connected to the heartlung machine that provides the oxygenation of blood which is recirculated to the patient to keep him/her alive, while the cardiac surgeon works on the non-beating heart. We have used this revolutionary OPCAB in our practice in the United States and have introduced this technique at the heart center of the Cebu, Doctors University Hospital in Cebu, Philippines, in 1998. While OPCAB is more demanding on the heart surgeons, it is medically most advantageous and physically easier for the patients. Today, we have robotic heart surgery.

Is Ginseng a sex stimulant?

There are lots of products in the market today that claim to be “sex enhancer” or “sex aids,” or aphrodisiacs, but today only Viagra, Cialis, Levitra are proven to help men to maintain erection and have successful sex. But even these three are not an aphrodisiac and does not increase libido. There is no approved drug todate that could qualify as the “Libido Pill.” Ginseng, from roots found in the Orient and some in North America and Europe, has been known to man and has been used for centuries for its good effect on creating a sense of well-being in man. It is an antioxidant and also claimed to prevent blood clots and to be good for the circulation. It is also supposed to be good for the heart and the body as a whole, and with “no” bad effects, if taken as directed. However, unlike western medications, crude Ginseng does not carry the official seal of approval of the US Food and Drug Administration, although used by tens of millions of people around the world, including physicians and nurses. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States.

Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

LAS VEGAS — In its largest scholarship offering to date, Western Governors University (WGU) will award $1.5 million in scholarships to busy adults who would like to earn a college degree on a schedule that fits their lives, $150,000 will be awarded in Nevada.

The New Year Scholarship, valued at up to $2,000 per student and open to new students enrolling in any of the more than 60 bachelor’s and master’s degree programs offered at WGU, is designed to help more Americans build better lives for themselves and their families through higher education. Degree tracks include programs in business, information technology, education, and health professions. The application deadline is March 31, 2020.

“I had been working in industry for 25 years already and had so much knowledge and experience I was bringing to the table, so I was able to move through the program at a comfortable pace and take as many courses as I could handle at one time without changing the price of tuition,” said Gina Mastromarino, WGU Nevada graduate 2014 with a Master of Business Administration (MBA). “WGU was a great value and based on my fantastic experience, I would recommend it to anyone thinking of going back to school.”

The scholarships will be applied at the rate of $500 per sixmonth term, reducing already-low tuition by about 15% for the average undergraduate degree.

Recipients may renew their award

up to four terms. Multiple scholarships will be awarded through a competitive program based on a candidate’s academic record, financial need, readiness for online study, current competency, and other considerations.

“One of the many advantages of WGU Nevada is the ability for a student to go at his or her own pace, allowing each student to be one step closer to attaining their goals,” said Chancellor Spencer Stewart of WGU Nevada. “The New Year Scholarship is an added incentive for students looking to go back to school to make that decision to go back to school in order to enter the careers they want.”

Designed to meet the needs of adult learners, WGU’s competency-based education allows students to take advantage of their knowledge and experience to move quickly through material they already know, so they can focus on what they still need to learn. Students complete their programs by studying on schedules that fit their lives and advancing as soon as they demonstrate mastery of the subject matter.

WGU faculty members work oneon-one with students as mentors, offering guidance, support, and individualized instruction. While WGU’s degree programs are rigorous and challenging, competency-based learning makes it possible for students to accelerate their progress, saving both time and money.

To learn more about WGU’s New Year Scholarship or to apply,

visit wgu.edu/NY2020.

About WGU Nevada WGU Nevada is an online, nonprofit, competency-based university established to expand Nevadans’ access to higher education throughout the state.

Formed through a partnership between the state of Nevada and nationally recognized Western Governors University, WGU Nevada is open to all qualified Nevada residents. The university offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the high-demand career fields of business, K–12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). WGU’s Teachers College programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and its nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)*.

In addition to WGU Nevada, there are five other WGU statebased, state-endorsed universities: WGU Indiana, established in June 2010; WGU Washington, established in April 2011; WGU Texas, established in August 2011; WGU Missouri, established in February 2013; and WGU Tennessee, established in July 2013. For more information, visit the WGU Nevada website, www.nevada.wgu.edu, or call 877-214-7005.

Why Maja finds role in ‘The Killer Bride’ her most challenging so far

by Marinel

r. Cruz

Inquirer.net

I DON’T feel like it,” said actress Maja Salvador about her being called a TV superstar, adding that she even “auditioned” for the lead role of her latest teleserye, “The Killer Bride.”

“It’s a known fact that I was supposed to work on a different TV show. It was me who asked management if I could do ‘The Killer Bride’ instead,” the actress told reporters recently. “Yes, they keep saying that word, ‘superstar,’ but why don’t I feel like it? I also don’t know how to react to being called as such; although I’m grateful that the work I do is being appreciated.”

The success of “The Killer Bride” came on the heels of the victory of her previous drama series “Wild Flower,” which aired over 250 episodes for a year starting February of 2017.

“Yes, they’re both heavy drama, but the story and depth of characters I portrayed are very different.

I’m not picky with my projects. I accept what’s being offered to me especially if it’s something new in terms of concept. I don’t mind doing comedy if that’s the project that my bosses would give me next,” she pointed out.

She said Camilla, her character in “The Killer Bride” is something that she hasn’t portrayed before.

“She’s the most challenging character I’ve done so far. I’m required to show different emotions in different levels with Camilla,” she

shared with reporters.

Maja cited examples: “Like when it was revealed that Luna (Alexa Ilacad) is my real daughter. I had to show the audience that Camilla was in denial. She couldn’t be completely happy.

She couldn’t just accept Luna, even though she has searched for her missing child for a very long time.”

Camilla also felt hurt and regret when she faced Emma (Janella Salvador), especially since she already knew the truth about Luna. “Camilla felt like crying because she treated Emma like her real daughter. In her mind, she was saying, ‘sana ikaw na lang.’ Emma grew up with her,” Maja Salvador Maja explained. “It was also difPhoto from Instagram/@iammajasalvador ferent when Camilla would deal with Favio (Mico Raval, Emma’s to have gotten along really well father) because she never loved while working on the TV series. him in a romantic way. But Favio Maja confirmed this and said and Emma were her family. She the two clicked because they wouldn’t have survived without have similar personalities.Janella, the two of them. She owed them meanwhile, is Maja’s niece, “but she’s not allowed to call me Tita!” her life.”

Vito (Geoff Eigenmann), mean- she said.

Janella said she felt nervous while, is Camilla’s greatest love, Maja pointed out. “A love like when she first started doing the that never goes away. But do they show. “It helped that Ate Maja still have a chance after all those was so helpful all throughout. She years of being apart? Camilla has would always guide me, espealready given up on that love,” cially in the most difficult scenes.

Maja added. “I’m also excited She was really like a big sister to about the scenes I’ve made with me. Also, she enjoyed feeding Joshua (Garcia as Elias). Our con- me—that’s my favorite part,” said nection to each other will soon be the younger Salvador.Joshua, meanwhile, said the workshops revealed.”

Maja was also asked to talk he attended with Janella helped about the connection between him feel comfortable around the Joshua and Janella, who seemed actress.

Calendar of Events across

America

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS JA N UA Ry 1 1

Feast of Infant Jesus of Prague in LA The public is all invited to a Special Celebration of the Feast of Infant Jesus of Prague on Saturday, January 11, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (555 West Temple Street, Los Angeles. CA 90012). Bishop Alex Aclan will be the main celebrant. Bring your Infant Jesus Statue to touch the Holy Robe that the Holy Infant wears in the Shrine of Prague. The history of the devotion to the Miraculous Infant Jesus of Prague dates back more than four hundred years when the statue of the Holy Infant in the guise of a king was brought to Prague, Czech Republic. Miraculous healings were attributed to the Child Jesus, as was the protection of Prague when it was laid siege to by the Swedes in 1639. The mass event is sponsored by the Holy Trinity Ministry Fellowship.

JA N UA Ry 1 2

FACCGLA’s gala in Woodland Hills, CA The ‘Shining Shimmering Splendid Gala’ is the annual fundraising event of the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Los Angeles (FACCGLA) on January 12, 2020 at 6 p.m. at the Hilton Woodland Hills. Everyone is welcome to attend to enjoy good food, music and dancing plus raffle prizes and other entertainment. Installation of the new President and Board precedes the merriment. Tickets are only $75 for all this enjoyment ($85 after Jan. 5), available online atwww.faccgla.org, select ‘Events’ and select the Jan12 event. Sponsorships available. Venue address is 6360 Canoga Ave, Woodland Hills, CA 91367. Emailinfo@faccgla. org for inquiries.

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, please email us the details at info@asianjournalinc.com or calendar@asianjournalinc.com

12

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678

january 2-8, 2020 • LaS VEGaS aSIan jOurnaL

Yeng calls Siargao incident Joem making the most out of being single ‘lowest point’ in career

by Ma.

by Cody

Inquirer.net

WORK-wise, the year 2019 has been a good one for actor Joem Bascon, who did four movies and landed a prominent role in a primetime soap.He can’t say the same for his personal life, however. After eight years, he and his girlfriend, vlogger Crisha Uy, have called it quits.

“I’m just focusing on work.

I’m happy that, despite what happened, I did get (career-related) blessings. You can’t ask and have everything … Perhaps it was just how things balanced out,” he told reporters at a press conference for his Metro Manila Film Festival entry, “Write About Love.”

Asked if he’s ready to find new

Cepeda

Inquirer.net

YENG Constantino looked back on husband Yan Asuncion’s traumatic cliff diving accident while they were in Siargao last July, calling it the “lowest point” in the 13 years of her career.

Constantino made the revelation during her guesting on “Tonight with Boy Abunda”, a clip of which was uploaded on YouTube, Dec. 26, where she also admitted to TV host Boy Abunda that her husband did not agree about her vlogging their experience.

At the time, Constantino faced public criticism for doctor-shaming when she named a doctor on her vlog for “kakulangan ng malasakit” (lack of compassion). She eventually took down her vlog and apologized to the doctor.

“I think that was the lowest point na naranasan ko in 13 years ng career ko,” said Constantino.

“I felt like at that time the world was against me and I have to open my eyes to really see clearly kung sino yung mga taong nandun para s’akin to not feel sobrang awang awa sa sarili, yun yung natutunan ko… (I had to open my eyes to really see clearly who are the people there for me so I do not have to feel too sorry for myself. That was what I learned.)”

“To tell [you] honestly hindi siya agree sa ginawa ko, but ako parang ano ako eh, parang… mother bear, parang sobrang gusto kong may ipaglaban kahit minsan, alam mo yun, may nagagawa tayong mali dahil sa may gusto tayong ipaglaban (To tell you honestly, my husband did not agree with what I did. But I felt like a mother bear, I wanted to fight for something just once.

You know that? How sometimes we do something wrong because we want to fight for something),” she added.

Constantino also said that her husband told her he wanted to stop her, but at the same time, he wanted her to have the freedom to do what she wanted. She also explained that because of what happened, their relationship now has a better dynamic and matured more, and that she can now feel free to ask for his support to restrain her, if he thinks she might be off to do “something stupid “‘Hawakan mo ‘ko, okay lang ‘yun,’” she recalled saying. (Hold

Rosebelle RobeRto

love next year, Joem said he’s still going through the post-breakup process. “I can’t answer for sure.

I’m focusing on myself … loving myself—ang show biz ng answer!

I want to enjoy myself. Maybe I will be able to go out more,” said Joem, who also starred in the films “Culion” and “Utopia,” and is part of the series “Starla.”

Now that he’s single again, Joem plans to spend more time with his family for the rest of the holiday season—something he hasn’t been able to do the past few years.

“Usually, I would just drop by and eat lunch with them. And then I head out with my girlfriend.

But it’s a different setup this year.

They’re just as excited as I am.

We want to make the most of our Joem Bascon time,” he said.

Photo from Instagram/@basconetti

Daniel, Karolina reportedly split due to infidelity

by Jan

Milo seveRo Philstar.com

Yeng Constantino

me, that is ok).”

Abunda listened to Constantino intently and shared his own experience after he lost his mother, Licerna Abunda, on Dec. 1. As per Abunda, he dealt with many caregivers, nurses and doctors during the time his mother was in the hospital for 63 days. Abunda said he requested for a family-con upon the suggestion of one of his mother’s doctors, where doctors, the family and everyone else involved in caring for his mother were gathered.

Abunda recalled that they explained to him a lot of things he did not understand, but that he was given a chance to speak from the heart. “(I said the families of patients in the) ICU are at their lowest, are at their most irascible,” said Abunda. He noted that they can be illogical, angry, sad, uncertain and insecure because of extreme fear of losing a loved one.

He recalled, but did not mention from where, an article about compassion he had read that was written by an intensivist or a physician specializing in care for critically ill patients. Abunda seemed to be talking about an article similar to a TEDx Talk delivered by Dr. Stephen Trzeciak on June 5, 2018 called “How 40 Seconds of Compassion Could

Photo from Instagram/@yeng

ACTOR and model Daniel Matsunaga has reportedly split from girlfriend Karolina Pisarek of Poland.

According to Polish websites, the two reportedly called it quits due to Daniel’s alleged unfaithfulness.

“Karolina Pisarek is single again. The participant of “Top Model” parted with her boyfriend - according to gossip media, because of his infidelity,” Polish website Kultura.onet.pl alleged in a report.

Save a Life.”

Abunda noted that compassion, empathy and sympathy from a caregiver or doctor has a physical effect on the patient. He also explained that a loved one who displays extreme emotions and behavior should not be deemed overacting because one simply wants to make sure that the caregivers are doing the right thing.

And so, looking back on Constantino’s experience, Abunda said that she had a point and that he saw himself in her.

“I am not saying that it is right to disrespect caregivers,” he said. “Pero gusto ko lamang maunawaan ng mga doctor at ng mga caregivers na you are not in your normal self. Hindi ka normal. Naranasan ko yun…(I just want the doctors and caregivers to understand that you were not your normal self. I experienced that).”

“Buhay ‘yun eh, mahal ko, compassion. Galit talaga ako (That is a life, a loved one. Compassion.

I was really angry),” he added.

“Do I make sense? Hindi, pero buhay ‘to ng asawa ko, buhay ito ng nanay ko (No, but this is the life of my husband, the life of my mother), so I understand where you’re coming from because you didn’t know whether Yan was go- Daniel Matsunaga and Karolina Pisarek Photo from Instagram/@dandanmatsunaga ing to survive it or not.”

Internet users also noticed that the Polish model and the Filipino-Japanese actor have not been posting sweet pictures or messages for each other during the holidays, unlike what they used to do. Daniel just commented “Merry Christmas” on one of Karolina’s posts, while they just exchanged emojis for love and prayers in another post.

Karolina’s last post with Daniel was last November, to greet the actor on his birthday.

“Happy birthday to my baby @dandanmatsunaga that always put smile on everybody’s face that always take care of the family and people around,” Karolina wrote. “(He) is so humble, always happy and appreciative with all that God gave him in life.. My love! I just want to say thank you for everything that you are doing! For showing me love, for the wonderful relationship with GOD IN THE CENTER. I remember,when I met you.. You were just 28 today you are turning 31! And I’m so happy to be the part of your life! We both are growing together,” she added.

“Today I can say-i am more like you l, you are more like me.

God teaches us so much! Anything I’ve been going through with you just made me stronger.

More mature. And a BETTER PERSON. Thank you for who you are! In my eyes you are the most special in the world! May God bless you with anything you

dream about in life! You totally deserve all of it! I love you forever! Your piekna.”

Last October, Daniel told Philstar.com in an interview that he does not let distance become a hindrance in his relationship with Pisarek.

Daniel admitted that being in a long distance relationship may be hard, but he can give his all for the one he loves.

“LDR is not a monster like people really think it is. Basically, trust is must be there, God must be there in the relationship. Time management is very important. But at the same time, we make ourselves comfortable with our spaces but at the same time, we talk to each other every day, video calls every day,” the actor shared.

“She’s very busy but we’ve been two years together,” he added.

The actor-model hoped that his Poland-based celebrity girlfriend is already the one for him.

“I love Karolina to the fullest and I give all I can, my time, everything I do, I do think of her before anything else. I’ve been praying a lot with our relationship and hopefully she’s the one,” he enthused.

Daniel met Karolina when the Polish model visited the Philippines for an ad campaign.

The couple has not released an official statement regarding the rumored breakup.

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 2-8, 2020

(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com

13

From vegan to paleo: How making Filipino food classics under modified diet lifestyles is still possible

by Christina

M. Oriel

AJPress

With the new year, most people see it as a fresh start and will make a list of resolutions, mainly centered on self-improvement.

A common resolution revolves around being ‘healthier,’ whether that means a more active lifestyle, eating better or losing weight. in the weeks following, many tend to report that they have not stuck to their goals because of factors like losing motivation, being too busy, or not having support.

Experts will agree that the best approach is to start small with simple swaps and focus on one change at a time as to not get overwhelmed and discouraged, according to the American Psychological Association.

For those considering a lifestyle change — whether to a vegetarian or keto diet — there are a lot of tips and resources available in order to start and sustain it. And for those who think it’s not possible to eat Filipino food under new circumstances, the Asian Journal spoke to several Fil-Ams who share insights that prove otherwise. (With any health-related change, it’s advised to consult a doctor before modifying your diet.)

Vegetarian A vegetarian diet is defined as

Meryienda’s gluten free ube bars

eating vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts and sometimes eggs or dairy products depending on one’s personal level of strictness. the common misconception of Filipino food is that it is all meat based and that it’s difficult to just find plant-based dishes.

Chef, food educator and advocate Aileen Suzara told the Asian Journal in a previous interview that the unhealthy perception of Filipino cuisine is relatively recent as the roots of the food culture have been plant-based and unprocessed. “Our people were among the world’s most skillful vegetable farmers, and our traditional foods reflect this agrarian heritage.i think of this when i hear comments that ‘Filipinos don’t eat vegetables,’” she said.

For those who are thinking of going meatless (or at least plan to eat more vegetables) but are scared of how it will taste like, Suzara has a few ideas. “if people are unfamiliar with ingredients, or have had them poorly prepared, it can seem like these foods must be bland or boring. Luckily, vegetables can be just as — and sometimes even more than — flavorful and creatively prepared as meat. i’d recommend people try an approach of ‘more’ vs ‘elimination,’ she said and continued, “For example, ‘how can i focus on bringing in more colors, textures,

and varieties of vegetables into my daily meals, vs focusing on what to take away?’”

She suggests dark leafy greens, like kamote greens, kangkong and bok choy, because of the taste, nutritional value and can cook quickly. Adding seasonings like calamansi or lemon, chilis and garlic help add to its flavor profile. “Making small steps is [the] important thing to getting started! having a buddy system — a friend or family members — can be motivating and make the process fun,” Suzara said.

Vegan Veganism goes beyond the traditional vegetarian diet by abstaining from eating or using animal products altogether. there are many reported benefits of going vegan, such as eating more greens which can reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer or a personal way of helping better the environment. having vegan Filipino food is easier now with restaurants like Nick’s in the Bay Area preparing adaptions of tradition dishes and educating the community that it’s possible to still enjoy the cuisine without animal products. For those who still want Filipino ice cream, there’s also Los Angelesbased Cheeri Cheeri, which has flavors like buko pandan and puto bumbong.

“My advice for my fellow FilAms is not to be intimated to make the switch. You will be surprised at how easy it is to veganize our traditional dishes!” Reina Montenegro, who started Nick’s with business partner Kenny Annis, said. She aims to debunk the misconceptions that being vegan means that we all just eat salad, it’s expensive, we don’t get enough protein and it’s very hard to do.” the restaurant offers dishes from vegan kare-kare to ampalaya (bitter melon) with Just Egg scramble to sisig using grilled mushrooms and tofu in a soy vinegar sauce.

Dash Nye, a Fil-Am outreach strategist at PEtA, added, “there are far more vegan options available today than many people realize. Most grocery stores boast brands like vegan ‘meats,’ from Gardein, Beyond, and Morningstar; vegan cheeses and dressings from Daiya; dairy-free yogurts and ice creams from SoDelicious; and good old tofurky deli slices.”

Nye recommends a blog like AStiG Vegan, which contains dozens of recipes from vegan lechon paksiw that uses jackfruit to dinuguan substituting pork with tofu and mushrooms, or PEtA’s Vegan Mentor Program that “pairs individuals with a oneon-one personal vegan coach who can answer questions and offer guidance on shopping, cooking, eating out, nutrition, and more,” he said.

Gluten-free A popular lifestyle shift in recent years has been a glutenfree diet, which many believe is healthier and can lead to weight loss. it is a necessary change for those with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder triggered by consuming gluten, a protein found in grains like wheat, barley and rye. With celiac disease, eating gluten causes “the body’s immune system [to] attack the small intestine, damaging finger-like projections called villi, which are important for absorption of nutrients from food,” according to Medical News today. those who have a gluten sensitivity also make the modification to avoid adverse health effects as even tiny amounts of gluten contamination can cause a reaction.

Filipina American Elvira Acosta switched to a gluten-free lifestyle about 15 years ago when she learned that she was diagnosed with celiac disease. Back then, gluten-free options were not as accessible and trendy as they are today, leading Acosta to experiment with recipes and to start Meryienda, an online gluten-free bakeshop with cookies, bars, brownies, cakes and Filipinoinspired treats from ube bars to food forthe gods.

Some studies have shown that a gluten-free diet does not have definite health benefits for people without celiac disease, though it is not necessarily harmful to remove gluten from one’s diet either.

Acosta’s biggest piece of advice is to “give it a try, if you feel better by going gluten free, then continue with it, but if it’s not for you and you don’t have to do it for health reasons, that’s okay too.”

Acosta advises three things: “Everything that’s gluten free isn’t necessarily healthy. Many GF packaged foods contain just PAGE 14

Paleo ukoy by Alexis Jacinto Rivera (aka PaleoRookie)

Paleo Rookie’s Filipino Ukoy

Serves 6-8 Ingredients: • 2 bags of shredded carrots • 1 cup frozen baby shrimp, roughly chopped (excess water removed) • 3-4 green onion stalks, thinly sliced • Enough arrowroot powder to coat ingredients evenly Instructions: • Pull out frozen shrimp from the freezer and set aside for about 10 to 15 minutes or rinse under cold water 1-2 minutes. take a paper towel or cheese cloth and squeeze the excess water from the frozen shrimp.

You can do this with clean hands too! Roughly chop.l your shrimp.

• Combine shredded carrots, shrimp, chopped scallions, 2-3 tbsp. @bobsredmill arrowroot

powder or until everything is lightly coated, toss together.

• Preheat large skillet with plenty of avocado oil, about 1/2 inch from the bottom of the pan.

Grab a small handful and gently drop it in the oil and shallow fry (can probably fit three at a time).

Suggested to fry on mediumhigh heat but adjust burner if they brown too quickly. turn occasionally to crisp evenly. Drain on paper towel or cooling rack and immediately sprinkle with sea salt.

Dipping Sauce aka sukang sawsawan: • 1/3 cup @bragglivefoodproducts ACV • 1 garlic clove, pressed • 1 sliced serrano pepper or 2-3 labuyo peppers • Cracked pepper and pinch of sea salt

Vegan and gluten free chicken adobo Recipe from SweetSimpleVegan

Ingredients: • 2 heaping cups soy curls* • 4 cups Vegan chicken broth (or vegetable broth of choice) * (see notes) • ¼ cup liquid refined coconut oil* (or cooking oil of choice) • 5 bay leaves • ½ teaspoon black peppercorns • 5 cloves garlic, finely minced • 1 small (1 ½ cups) white onion, finely diced

• 2 small (2 cups) potatoes, peeled and cut into mediumsized pieces • 1 medium (1 cup) carrot, peeled and cut into mediumsized pieces • 1 cup reduced sodium tamari (or soy sauce if not glutenfree) • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar* • 1-inch fresh ginger, sliced (optional) • 4–5 tablespoons light brown sugar PAGE 14

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january 2-8, 2020 • LaS VEGaS aSIan jOurnaL

Dateline USa

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678

Pokwang slams early pullout of ‘Culion,’ ‘Mindanao’ in cinemas

by Ryan aRcadio Inquirer.net

POKWANG expressed her dismay over the early pullout of movies such as “Culion” and “Mindanao” in some cinemas just days after this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) began.

“Nakakalungkot naman ang asal ng karamihan ng sinehan sa pinas!! (The behavior of majority of the cinemas in the Philippines is saddening).” the actress-comedienne, whose real name is Marietta Subong, said in her Facebook post.

Pokwang also appealed to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, the film festival’s organizer, to have an agreement Metro Manila Film Festival 2019 Best Actress Judy Ann Santos and Best Actor Allen Dizon, who played the lead roles in the movie “Mindanao,” with cinemas. She asked the pose with their trophies during the Gabi ng Parangal at the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City the other night. Right photo shows the film’s government agency to give pridirector Brillante Mendoza accepting the Best Director award.

Philstar.com photos by Miguel De Guzman ority to films like “Culion” and “Mindanao” and to not pull them out early just so they could earn

‘Mindanao’ rules MMFF awards

by Ricky Lo Philstar.com

BRILLANTE Mendoza’s “Mindanao” bagged 10 of the one dozen awards in the ongoing Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) given on Friday, December 27, during the Gabi Ng Parangal.

Besides Best Picture and Best Director, “Mindanao” won for Best Gender Sensitivity, Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award, FPJ Memorial Award for Excellence, Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, Best Actress for Judy Ann Santos, Best Actor for Allen Dizon and Best Child Actress for Yuma Tangog. “Mindanao” also won for Best Float.

It was Judy Ann’s second award for the movie, after winning in the recent Cairo International Film Festival for her performance as the mother taking care of her cancer-stricken daughter (“Tangog”) while waiting for her husband (Dizon) to come home The second big winner with seven trophies was TBA Studios’ “Write About Love”: Second Best Picture, Best Musical Score (for Jerrold Tarog), Best Best Original Song, Best Editor (for Vanessa de Leon), Best Editing, Special Jury Prize for Full-Length Excellent Film (for director Crisanto Aquino), Best Supporting Actor (Joem Bascon) and Best Supporting Actress (Yeng Constantino) for their performance as lovers on the brink of breaking up.

Third Best Picture was the horror thriller Sunod that also on Beat Production Design and Best Cinematography (Myko David).

The movie’s lead actress, Carmina Villarroel, was named Female Star of the Night and Aga Muhlach as Male Star of the Night. Muhlach, star of the much talked about comedydrama “Miracle in Cell No. 7,” went home empty-handed but consoled by the fact that his movie, produced by Viva Films, is reported to be the No.2 moneymaker among the eight MMFF official entries. “Culion” won Best Performance by Ensemble.

Also recognized during the awards night were the Hall of Famers: Actors: Anthony Alonzo (posthumous), Cesar Montano and Christopher de Leon; Actresses: Nora Aunor, Vilma Santos and Maricel Soriano; Supporting Actresses: Eugene Domingo and Cherie Gil; Directors: Marilou Diaz-Abaya (posthumous), Joel Lamangan and Jose Javier Reyes; Screenplay: Roy Iglesias, Ricky Lee and Jose Javier Reyes; Editors: Vito Cajili, Manet Dayrit, Jess Navarro and Edgardo Vinarao; Sound Engineers: Ditoy Aguila, Michael Idioma and Rolly Ruta; Musical Score: Dionisio Buencamino, Von de Guzman, Jaime Fabregas and Jessie Lasaten; Visual Effects: Roadrunner Network, Inc.; Art Directors: Rodel Cruz and Joey Luna; and Cinema-

tographers: Rudy Lacap, Carlo Mendoza, Romy Vitug and Lee Meily. The MMFF will last until Jan. 7, 2020.

Summer MMFF Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced Friday that there will be two Metro Manila film festivals next year.

During the awards night at the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City, MMDA chairman Danilo Lim in his speech lauded the country’s filmmakers for their craft.

He formally announced that a summer film festival will be held in 2020 in addition to the annual film festival during the Christmas season.

Lim said adding a summer film festival will encourage more filmmakers to hone their craft and contribute to the Philippine film scene.

“I am happy to announce that there will be a second edition of the MMFF next year, which will be called the Metro Manila Summer Film Festival. I am certain that this will help improve the Filipino film industry,” Lim said.

The MMDA last July announced the conduct of a summer Metro Manila film festival from April 11 to April 21, 2020.

The MMDA executive committee approved the proposal of Sen. Bong Go to hold two film festivals annually.

more. “[W]ag [niyong] alisin at burahin sa isipan ng henerasyon ngayon ang kwento ng ating lahi! (Do not remove and erase the stories of our race from the minds of today’s generation!)”

She stressed.

The two films focus on the lives of people in Palawan and Mindanao. Pokwang noted that she was not trying to act smart, but simply wanted to point out how she felt sorry for these films that producers worked hard on.

She also suggested that malls in the country should give these films at least one cinema each, and that those who do not follow should not be allowed to show “strong” movies.

In addition, Pokwang hoped malls would treat all entries to the film festival equally, stressing it happens only once a year. “[K]onting sakripisyo naman

Pokwang Photo from Instagram/@itspokwang27

para sa kwento ng bayan hindi ng inyong kaban!! (A little sacrifice for the stories of the nation, not your coffers)!” She stressed.

Pokwang did not specify which cinemas have already removed the said movies from their lineup.

This year’s MMFF kicked off last Wednesday, Dec. 25, and will run until Jan. 7.

GMA Network seeks reversal of P890K fine on Eddie Garcia case

Eddie Garcia

GMA Network said it submitted an appeal to reverse the 890,000peso fine meted by the Department of Labor and Employment over the death of veteran actor Eddie Garcia.

In a statement, the network said it received the copy of the order from DOLE National Capital Region office dated Dec. 2, 2019.

“In response, the network submitted an appeal with the Secretary of Labor within the allowed period seeking to annul and reverse the said Order,” the network said.

The network added that it would Philstar.com photo “proceed with the necessary steps

as soon as the DOLE resolves its appeal.”

Garcia passed away in June days after falling into coma after an accident on the set of “Rosang Agimat”, a TV series since shelved.

DOLE earlier said the network committed three violations.

The first is failure to file a work accident or illness report under 24 hours while the second is failure to “employ or designate a safety officer.” The third is the failure to employ or designate a certified first aid responder at the location of the shooting. (Rosette Adel /Philstar.com)

From vegan to paleo: How making...

PAGE 13 as much sugar, refined flour, unhealthy fats, and other fillers.

Gluten free isn’t a weight loss diet, cutting out gluten doesn’t automatically help you lose weight. As with any diet, weight loss depends mainly on the amount of calories consumed. Consuming too much of the foods that contain gluten can lead to weight gain, but this is also true of gluten-free foods.

Eating a lot of anything can make you gain weight. Gluten isn’t only in flour and grains. It can also be found in soup, sauces/mixes, soy sauce, salad dressing, meat substitutes, protein/energy bars, and potato chips.”

For making Filipino classics, Acosta has made adobo with Tamari sauce and jackfruit, pancit with buckwheat or rice noodles and fresh lumpia with a rice/cassava flour wrapper, for example.

Luckily, there is a long list of foods naturally don’t contain gluten, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, lean meats and chicken, which helps in planning out meals.

It also doesn’t mean forgoing rice and grains as there are options like quinoa, brown rice, wild rice, millet and buckwheat.

Paleo The Paleo diet has become a trend in recent years, as the premise is to mimic eating habits similar to what human huntergatherer ancestors ate thousands of years ago. This means eating meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and healthy fats and oils; but avoiding processed foods, sugar, soft drinks, grains, most dairy products, legumes, artificial sweeteners, vegetable oils, margarine and trans fats.

Alexis Jacinto Rivera, who runs the Instagram account @ paleorookie, did her first Whole30 — a 30-day elimination diet that removes all soy, dairy, grains, alcohol, legumes, and added sugars — to kickstart her wellness journey after having her first child.

Through that experience, she learned about the “very ancestral way of preparing Filipino dishes,” such as swapping MSG sinigang packets for organic tamarind paste. Since then, she’s adopted a paleo lifestyle and shares a breadth of recipes on her account to help others in their journeys as well.

“Give yourself time to adjust to a paleo lifestyle. It won’t be overnight or in 30 days but finding a healthy lifestyle that best supports YOU and your needs is a journey worth traveling. Create space for yourself to go through the changes and don’t rush the process,” Rivera shared.

One of the biggest questions she gets is whether she misses Filipino food and how to preserve one’s culture while making a lifestyle change.

“When we eat ‘healthy,’ we tend to water down our food, eat what is expected of us and really doing it as a chore rather than an act of self-love. A lot of Filipinos will ask me, ‘Don’t you miss Filipino food?!” And at first the answer was yes. When I first started eating paleo, I ate a lot of salads, plain grilled meat and roasted veggies.

As delicious as that was, it wasn’t Filipino food. That’s why I started developing paleo Filipino dishes,”

Vegan sisig from Nick’s in the Bay Area

Vegan and gluten free chicken adobo Recipe from SweetSimpleVegan

PAGE 13 Instructions: • Prepare the soy curls. Add the broth to a small pot and bring to a boil. Remove the pot from heat.

Add the soy curls into the pot and use a spoon to mix and make sure that every piece is covered. Allow the soy curls to rehydrate for 10 minutes.

• In the meantime, set a medium sauté pan over medium heat and add in the oil. Once heated, add in the bay leaves and black peppercorns, and cook for 1 minute.

• Next add in the minced garlic and continue cooking until golden brown, being sure not to burn it. Add in the white onion and cook for 1 minute more, then add in the potatoes and carrots and mix until well combined.

Adjust the heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Allow the vegetables to cook through for about 5 minutes.

• After 5 minutes, mix the soy

curls (with the broth) into the pan along with the soy sauce, vinegar and ginger. Push the mixture to the side with a cooking utensil and mix 4 tablespoons of brown sugar into the liquid portion until mostly dissolved, then mix through.

• Bring the mixture to boil over medium heat, cover the pot again and allow it to simmer over medium heat. If you used water for the soy curls (and did not add the extra liquid to the pot), simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through.

Adjust seasoning to taste. We added in 1 more tablespoon of brown sugar.

• Remove from heat and cool before serving. If you would like, you can remove the bay leaves and peppercorns as best you can, but my family leaves them in and we just eat around them.

• Serve with brown or white rice and enjoy!

Rivera said.

On her Instagram account, you can find recipes like ukoy using shredded carrots, shrimp and arrowroot powder and a deconstructed lumpia bowl that contains the same ingredients without the outside wrapper.

She also suggests that rice, a staple in Filipino cuisine, doesn’t have to be omitted completely and can still be enjoyed moderately.

“Rice will always be there when you want it. It’s all about listening to your body in the moment and what it currently needs. If you’re suffering from high blood pressure or diabetes and you need to cut back on the sugar, you can still enjoy your beloved Filipino dishes with a little creativity and patience,” she said.

Keto In the past year, you may have heard people talking about being on the ‘ketogenic’ diet, a low-carb, high-fat and moderate-protein diet. The goal is to enter a state of ketosis during which the body uses fat instead of carbohydrates to fuel weight loss. To get started, check your macros to see what your daily intake of carbs, fat and protein should be.

With this diet, you can eat different types of meat, fatty fish, eggs, butter, cream, cheese, health oils, and low-carb vegetable. Cauliflower, for example, is

considered a low-carb vegetable and can be shredded as a substitute for rice. But it’s advised to avoid foods with high sugar, grains, fruits (except for small portions of berries), beans, legumes, and root vegetables and tubers as they can throw the body out of the desired ketosis.

“While [the] ketogenic diet encourages you to eat more fat, it doesn’t mean that you should stuff your mouth with the not-so-good fats. Choose the healthy kind of fats from avocado, salmon, olive oil, nuts instead of canola oil, fast food, soybean, etc.,” wrote Pinay Jema Ng on the Pinoy Fitness site after doing a 30-day keto challenge.

There may be some initial side effects when adapting to this diet, also known as the ‘keto flu.’

Symptoms include poor energy, increased hunger, and decreased exercise performance. However, some studies and personal testimonies have shown that keto can lower blood sugar and insulin levels and help with weight-loss.

“Join Keto Facebook Groups to find keto food hacks, learn about keto approved sweeteners, get inspired and motivated by other people’s success stories. You can also ask questions and other members will be more than happy to reply to your questions,” Ng said.

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 2-8, 2020

(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com

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My Unforgettable Camino Experience by I want readers to imagine and reflect on a world devoid of suffering. absolutely no suffering, just a perfect world to live in. a world where sacrificing in the name of love for another does not exist. a world where there is no pain nor adversity, where the possibility of learning and growing a family without overcoming obstacles would be denied. would you consider living in that world? I would not live in such world. we have and still experience situations that cause us to suffer, but the benefits of finding real meaning in suffering remain. Sometimes we have to endure pain and suffering, which in turn translates into a joy that we might not have otherwise felt. no one likes to suffer.

But it helps us grow and mature as a person. I also believe that suffering is an important part of any journey.

Exerting a great deal of effort, every pilgrim experiences difficulties, both physical and emotional. Some overcome extreme knee pain and excruciatingly painful blisters on their feet, while others get knocked out as they navigate through rocks and crevices in bad weather.

For many, just catching their breath and feeling their lungs about to implode while struggling to scale new heights that appear to endlessly torment them can be among the many forms of sacrifices. These are some of the most common experiences shared by thousands of pilgrims of the Camino de Santiago.

Known in English as the way of St. James, it is a network of pilgrim’s ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the Cathedral of the Santiago de Compostela where tradition has it that the remains of the saint are buried. This is the biggest and most important pilgrimage known to the Catholic faith as it draws 250,000 pilgrims from all over the world annually. Many follow its route as a form of purification or retreat for their spiritual growth.

If millennials have a powerful symbol in “YOLO or You Only Live Once,” this group of talented baby boomers (55 to 75 years old) comprising golfing buddies affiliated with the Cebu Country Club have their own version, “wwC,” a symbolic cry that stands for “while we Can!” They are collectively known as the “Caminoans,” highly successful entrepreneurs and C-level executives that recently completed their annual Camino pilgrimage in Europe (their fifth year in a row). I joined this group, got inducted and the experience blew me away. after walking the equivalent of a third (80 kilometers in three days) of what my fellow Caminoans went through, I experienced a life-altering en-

counter that will forever change the way I view life. By walking an average of six to eight hours daily, I placed myself in deeper seclusion, enabled me to contemplate about my personal life journey minus all the distractions. when you meditate, it gives you a lot of introspection and provides one the opportunity to discover oneself. as you reflect, you begin to notice the things that really matter most in life are those that come from your heart like being a good parent, a spouse or a sibling. I am sure I was not the only pilgrim that felt this longing for a meaningful existence.

My interest started when Gothong Southern Shipping founder Bob and Joy Gothong shared a movie of “The way,” an inspiring film about a father (Martin Sheen) that walked the Camino de Santiago with his son’s ashes. His estranged son had died

while traveling the “El Camino” from France to Spain. what piqued my curiosity further was when Finisterre Memorial and anseca Group Chair Jun Selma regaled me with remarkable stories of the Caminoan’s past experiences.

On Being a “Caminoan” Finisterre Memorial and anseca Group Chair Jun Selma casually asked me late July if I can squeeze a few days off to join him in Europe for a visit to a mystical place called Finisterre, a rock-bound peninsula on the west coast of Galicia, Spain. In Roman times, the place was believed to be the end of the known world. Jun explained to me that he was completely awed during his first visit that it inspired him to mount and develop an exciting project in Minglanilla, Cebu called Finisterre Memorial Gardenz in honor of his late and beloved mother, narding Selma. after a couple of weeks, Jun excitedly followed it up with a formal invitation for me to join their annual pilgrimage walk in September. He told me that I will be joining distinguished fellow “caminoans” headed by Cebu Country Club President Bob Gothong, Joe Soberano, nonoy tirol, Vic Yuvallos, Ramon Villordon Jr., Kim Kwang Seok, Shean Bedi, and Fr. Joe Quilongquilong (JQ). I was also told that this was an all-male pilgrimage as an all-female group led by Joy Gothong were also en route to Europe to do their Camino walk. naturally, I was honored but I felt it would take a miracle for me to clear

Prof. EnriquE Soriano, Family Business Coach my schedules as my calendar for 2019 and half of 2020 have already been booked for engagements in asia. Despite the constraints and what looked like an unseen hand working to clear my schedule, everything fell into place and I was given the green light to join the group.

In the weeks leading to the El Camino walk, I was impressed by the commitment and devotion of the “caminoans” going about their assigned tasks. Their send-off and get together event hosted by Jun on the eve of their departure to France plus the way the two-week event was thoroughly organized was a pleasant surprise. and to top it off, if not for the constant bugging of top John Hay Golf executive Shean Bedi, a colleague during my property days a decade ago, I our desire on being the most would not have made it. He was successful chief executive offithe quintessential project man- cer (CEO) in our industry. ager, making sure all logistical Sadly, I became a victim of all these material obsessions more than 20 years ago. These fixations happened early on in my corporate career and I paid dearly for it. I suffered a complete depletion of energy and had to retire at a relatively early age of 40.

Ominously, it happened when I was at the peak of my corporate career either as country CEO, president and or a member of the board of directors of market-leading organizations. all throughout our life journey, we always think we cannot live without them. But in reality, we really have a lot of things that we don’t need. In fact, these material desires distract us and slow us down. Ultimately, they take out the happiness and love issues were covered.

There were moments where for family.

In my years coaching famiI ask myself, how can this band of successful individuals un- ly-owned businesses in asia, I characteristically subject them- have witnessed how founders selves to the grueling walk for and business owners callously two consecutive weeks? Clear- drive their children to excel in ly the group’s enthusiasm and business, but regrettably and their willingness to go through woefully failing to inculcate pain and suffering moved me. good old-fashioned family valThe most authentic moments in life are not the comforts that we all experience in our daily lives but what happens once we have been tested and after enduring and overcoming a crisis.

In essence, real life is the real pilgrimage and it actually began even before we started the walk. to my mind, there is no such pilgrimage without experiencing setbacks and difficulties. and there is no pilgrim that will embark on a journey without a purpose or goal. Our respective journeys in life is our authentic pilgrimage and I believe the Camino de Santiago walk is meant to inspire and re- ues such as good parenting, mind us that our sacrifices are love, family unity and stewnothing compared to what the ardship. applying these valpilgrims went through more ues will determine the kind of family and business we all have than a thousand years ago. long after the senior leader has We Can Live Without Them In the days leading to the passed on. when parents do Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, not express real love towards I constantly asked myself, “Do I their children, family harmony is threatened. In the end, real need everything I have?”

The insignificant load that we wealth is all about simplicity actually carry take up so much and real happiness comes from space in our hearts starting the heart. as St. Ignatius once with the way we live our lives, said, “Happiness does not dethe compulsion to have more pend on how many things you wealth by working so hard at have but on how much we love the expense of family time, our God and others.”

Our problems are nothing penchant to have an extravagant During my Camino de Sanlifestyle, our insatiable craving to keep up with the Joneses and tiago walk, there were times I wanted to stop, but for as long as my wobbly legs could still manage to hold up, even if I fall one more time, I knew I will rise up and walk. It was my desire to continue walking. Just as in life, you just can’t quit. whatever curveball is thrown at you, you just can’t stop. You can pause but you just can’t say I’ll stop as life’s challenges will keep coming at you. I can’t do this anymore was never an option.

Though my days were limited, all the sacrifices I went through during the walk and the brutal climb at the Pyrenees (the mountain range that separates the Iberian Peninsula from the rest of Europe) was a test of my faith and endurance. and being a first-time Caminoan, I felt like I was experiencing my own

calvary. Overall, the exhaustion we felt during the journey was a striking resemblance to the sacrifices that millions of pilgrims experienced in their Camino journey during the past 12 centuries. as Joe Soberano, a fellow Caminoan and founder and CEO of listed firm Cebu Landmasters, said, “Everytime I embark on this pilgrimage, I am constantly reminded that I am nothing compared to the thousands of pilgrims who have suffered and endured more adversities.”

So true. Our problems are just a shred compared to the challenges of others.

Suffering Passes The first time I came in contact with pain and suffering during the Camino de Santiago walk, it was really traumatic. But the realization that you can still continue despite pains felt from all over your body, that you can’t wait for the pain to subside before taking the next step the following day is in itself a lesson. For some pilgrims, having horrible blisters during the walk was an ordeal.

Thankfully, I did not suffer any but the pain and exhaustion were so difficult to bear. when faced with pain, there is a temptation which leads us to become self-centered. It’s a situation where you always think about yourself and indulge in self-pity.

I considered the last day, the scenic St. Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles (navigating the scenic but very brutal route napoleon) the most difficult part of my pilgrimage (I only joined the group in the last phase but still managed to log in almost 80 kilometers). The morning started with a really steep climb of 1,450 meters and downhill of 500 meters. Midway into the walk, one can easily get lost as the road becomes narrow, rugged and very muddy. There was a point where the high altitude became so torturous and my lungs were ready to surrender.

But meditation and introspection and pulling myself into a state of silence made the walk more bearable. I then found my rhythm and stayed focused.

For the distinguished Caminoans who braved the 10-day, 206 kilometers walk, it is just but fitting to recognize their own journey of pain and sacrifice. Congratulations to Jun Selma, Bob Gothong, Jose Soberano III, nonoy tirol, Vic Yuvallos, Ramon Villordon Jr., Kim Kwang Seok, Shean Bedi, and Fr. Joe Quilongquilong (JQ). to Caroline, our skill-

Day 1 - 08 kilometers Day 2 - 19 kilometers Day 3 - 24 kilometers Day 4 - 18 kilometers Day 5 - 23 kilometers Day 6 - 18 kilometers Day 7 - 18 kilometers Day 8 - 22 kilometers Day 9 - 26 kilometers Day 10 - 30 kilometers ful French guide and driver Stephan, thank you! You all have my respect and admiration!

Suffering passes, but having suffered remains In our life journey, we do encounter difficult and tense moments because of personal tragedy, family conflict or a reversal of fortune. But whatever pain and suffering that we are all going through must never defeat us. The expression “whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger” is completely true.

The way a person deals with emotional pain or any type of pain shows a person’s true c h a r a c t e r.

How an individual overcomes these challenges with hope will define his or her resiliency and strength in the face of mounting adversity.

I can forget many things about the pilgrimage, but I will never forget the masses or rosaries on the bus, while walking on uneven roads, on top of a mountain or in several Romanesque centuries-old churches. It was an experience like no other!

It dawned on me that the masses are really special as it puts ourselves in deeper seclusion because we distance ourselves from all distractions.

The purpose of the pilgrimage is not to get to Santiago, the real purpose is all about self-discovery and an encounter with someone. I have noticed that the goal we seek happens during the Holy Mass officiated by our spiritual advisor, a well-loved Jesuit priest and theologian Fr. JQ as he connects our daily Camino of life. Summarizing the regular homilies and trying to make sense of our daily physical struggles, Fr. JQ contextualized a pilgrim’s journey by connecting all our sacrifices to our life journey, constantly making us realize that “suffering passes, but having suffered remains.” His messages are personal and really hit home! to those who are contemplating on embarking on this Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, do it. It is an opportunity of a lifetime. It is like a vitamin for your soul. as fellow Caminoan, Jun Selma would forcefully say, wwC (while we can)! BUEn CaMInO!

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january 2-8, 2020 • LaS VEGaS aSIan jOurnaL

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