010519 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition by Asian Journal Community Newspapers

JANUARY 5-8, 2019 Volume 29 - No. 1 • 4 Sections – 30 Pages

Military: Sison ‘hallucinating’ over plot to oust Duterte in 2019 here on, any moves by the CPPNPA (New People’s Army)-NDF (National Democratic Front) and A PHILIPPINE military official its allied organizations to oust on Thursday, January 3 said the President will be attributed Communist leader Jose Maria to Mr. Sison,” said Col. Noel “Joma” Sison is “hallucinating,” Detoyato, Armed Forces of the a day after Sison said that oust- Philippines (AFP) public affairs ing President Rodrigo Duterte chief to reporters. He added, “This consultant in 2019 was the “priority” of the is not advising his clients propcommunist rebels. “He must not only be dream- erly,” pertaining to Sison being u PAGE A2 Jose Maria “Joma” Sison Inquirer.net photo ing, he is hallucinating. From by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Dems: Trump remains resolute on border wall, vows to keep gov’t closed “for a very long period of time” House passes legislation to reopen gov’t on the 13th day of partial shutdown AS predicted, the partial government shutdown has trickled into the new year with no clear end in sight, despite the induction of the 116th Congress which includes a Democratmajority House of Representatives. In a meeting with the president on Friday, Jan. 4, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that Trump threatened to keep the government closed until he received the border wall funding. “We told the president [that] we needed the u PAGE A2

Fil-Am Rep. TJ Cox sworn in to represent California’s Central Valley California’s House representatives join 116th US Congress’ most diverse class

THE 116th United States Congress and its freshman class convened on Thursday, Jan. 3, and its ethnic and gender makeup continues to shine a light on the impact of diverse representation in the government. The 2018 midterm election results ushered in the historically diverse crop Congress members, which comprises of 127 women. In the House, 127 women were sworn in, including a record 43 women of color, as reported in this issue of the Asian Journal. The State of California, in particular, welcomed several barrier-breaking members of Congress. Rep. TJ Cox — who is half-Filipino American — beat Republican incumbent David Valadao in a neck-to-neck fight for California’s 21st District. Cox is the first Democrat to represent the u PAGE A3

SERENADED. President Rodrigo Duterte sings along with the guest performer during the birthday celebration of former Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Atty. Francis Tolentino at the Tagaytay International Convention Center in Tagaytay City, Cavite on Tuesday, January 3. Malacañang photo by Valerie Escalera

Duterte OKs Congress resolution ensuring funds for disaster aid by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

A JOINT congressional resolution extending the validity of the maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) and capital outlays (CO) in the 2018 budget has been signed by President Rodrigo Duterte. He signed Joint Resolution No. 3 on December 28, 2018, and it was made public on Thursday, Jan. 3. It extends the validity of Heavy rains brought by Tropical Depression “Usman” ﬂoods Buhi town, these key components in last Camarines Sur. Inquirer.net photo year’s P3.8-trillion budget to Dec.

31, 2019, enabling the government to continue responding to the devastation caused by natural calamities that devastated the country last year. The resolution, which amended Section 61 of the general provisions of Republic Act No. 10964, or the 2018 national budget law, would also allow the use of appropriations that have not been released as well as allotments that have not been obligated, since these will be reverted to the unappropriated surplus of the general fund, as

reported by the Inquirer. ‘For the benefit of the people’ The resolution cited the effects of several calamities in 2018 like Typhoon “Rosita” (international name: Yutu) and Typhoon “Ompong” (international name: Mangkhut) as well as the monsoon rains that caused floods in several regions, and stated that it was “for the benefit of the people and for the welfare of the nation.” Extending the validity of the MOOE and the CO in the 2018 u PAGE A2

UK, Australia warn citizens amid bombing in Mindanao by NATHALIE

ROBLES

AJPress

THE United Kingdom and Australia issued a warning to their citizens, cautioning them not to travel to areas in Mindanao affected by terrorist threats and insurgency due to last Monday’s bomb explosion in Cotabato City. The UK travel advisory stated that visiting Mindanao could pose a risk considering the incidents that transpired in the area. However, it excluded regions such as Camiguin, Dinagat and Siargao islands and included south of Cebu province, Dalaguete and Badian. “The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advise against all travel to western and

central Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago because of terrorist activity and clashes between the military and insurgent groups,” the travel advisory said. The Australian government also expressed its concern to those who plan to visit the said region. In the height of the tragedy that killed two people and injured at least 30 others, the said country advised its travelers to “exercise a high degree of caution in the Philippines overall.” “Reconsider your travel to eastern Mindanao and do not travel to central and western Mindanao due to very high levels of violent crime, high threats of terrorist attacks and PNP chief Oscar Albayalde presents a diagram showing the photographs of the suspects in the killing of Ako-Bicol party-list representative Rodel Batocabe. u PAGE A5 ManilaTimes.net photo by Roy Narra

Batocabe gunman surrenders PNP names 18 “areas of grave by ROY

NARRA ManilaTimes.net

Henry Yuson Photo courtesy of Philippine Informations Agency

THE man who shot and killed AKO Bicol Rep. Rodel Batocabe surrendered to authorities on Thursday, January 3, hours after the Philippine National Police (PNP) tagged Daraga Mayor Carlwyn Baldo as the mastermind. Henry Yuson confessed to the crime when he surrendered on Thursday night, Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde said in a news briefing in Pili, Camarines Sur on Friday, January 4. Yuson admitted being the gunman and pointed to Baldo as the mastermind. Albayalde said Yuson came forward after Baldo failed to give them the promised P5 million reward for killing Batocabe. Yuson apologized to the Batocabe family u PAGE A4

concern” amid 2019 elections by NATHALIE

ROBLES

AJPress

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) recently listed 18 towns and cities as “areas of grave concern” in the upcoming 2019 midterm elections. The said municipalities and cities were concentrated in Luzon and Mindanao. No particular area in Visayas mainland was listed. There are seven places in the list for Luzon while 11 from Mindanao. Among the said places in Luzon are Sudipen and Balawan, La Union in Ilocos Region; Jones, Isabela in Cagayan Valley; Lemery,

Batangas in Calabarzon; Roxas, Oriental Mindoro in MIMAROPA; and Balud and Dimasalang, Masbate in Bicol. Areas in Mindanao include Pagadian City in Zamboanga del Sur; Cagayan de Oro City in Misamis Oriental; Hadji, Mohammad Ajul, Lantawan and Tipo Tipo in Basilan; Marawi City and Sultan Dumalondong in Lanao del Sur; Mamasapano, Shariff Aguak, Shariff Saydona Mustapha and Datu Unsay in Maguindanao. The PNP classified the said places into three categories. Category 1 for places with intense political rivalries, Category 2 u PAGE A3

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From the Front Page Dems: Trump remains resolute on border wall, vows....

PAGE A1 t government open,” Schumer told reporters. “He resisted. In fact he said he’d keep the government closed for a very long period of time, months or even years.” Friday’s meeting showed no progress on the matter as Washington lawmakers struggle to find a way to reopen the government. On Thursday, Jan. 3 — the first

day of session and the 13th day of the shutdown — the House passed legislation that would end the government shutdown without money for Trump’s border wall, for which the administration is asking $5 billion. One of the spending packages would keep the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) open until Feb. 8, and separate bill would reopen the rest of the fed-

eral government through Sept. 30. Emphasizing the partisan nature of this whole ordeal, Pelosi after the House vote called the bills “Senate Republican appropriations legislation to reopen the government.” But the House’s spending packages passed on Thursday night is very likely to be vetoed by the president, the administration stated. In a statement released on Thursday, Trump “cannot accept legislation that provides unnecessary funding for wasteful programs while ignoring the nation’s border security needs.” Before Friday’s meeting, Trump wrote to all members of Congress urging them to pass legislation that would, not only fund the border wall (in his words, a “physical barrier”), but also that would revise statutes and legal barriers that restrict the detention of migrant children. “Americans have endured decades of broken promises on illegal immigration,” Trump wrote. “Now, is the time for both parties to rise above the partisan discord, to set aside political convenience, and to put the national interest first. For now, the partisan impasse between Democratic lawmakers and the Trump administration persists. A border security briefing on Wednesday at the White House yielded no solutions and left Democrats more adamantly opposing the requested border funding. Amid these continued discussions between the Trump administration and Congress concerning the proposed border wall, the affected federal workforce has increased. According to Senate Democrats, roughly 380,000 “nonessential” federal employees have been furloughed and an additional 420,000 must work without pay due to the shutdown. Those categorized as essential include active-duty Coast Guard service members and Border Patrol agents, both of whom are under the Dept. of Homeland Security. But as the shutdown progresses, agencies across the federal workforce will start to lose more funding. As previously reported in the Asian Journal, the shutdown has drastically affected public as-

LANDSLIDE-HIT. Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Joselito D. Bautista (center, in red vest) meets with Sagñay Mayor Evelyn B. Fuentebella (in white shirt), local officials and representatives of various government agencies during his visit to Barangay Patiktian, Sagñay, Camarines Sur on Tuesday, January 1. Bautista inspected the village, which was hit by a landslide triggered by Tropical Depression Usman. Some 25 people were reportedly killed, 15 others were injured, while 22 have gone missing. Photo courtesy of DSWD

Military: Sison ‘hallucinating... PAGE A1 t

the chief political consultant of the National Democratic Front for the peace negotiations and founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). Sison has been in self-exile at The Netherlands for more than 30 years. He said that the NDF, the political arm of the CPP, would still be authorized to keep its doors open for the possible resumption of the peace talks with the Philippine government.

However, Sison said that the whole communist organization’s top priority would be the ouster of Duterte. “The NDFP is authorized to be open to peace negotiations with the current and prospective regime of the reactionary government but its principal work now is to work for the ouster of the Duterte regime,” he said in a statement on Thursday. “The Filipino people expect that this year, 2019, the socio-

economic and political crisis of the ruling system will worsen and that the Duterte regime will not solve or soften but will even aggravate the crisis by imposing heavier taxes and causing the prices of basic goods and services to rise further,” he added. He also reiterated that a de facto or proclaimed nationwide martial law would be used by the Duterte administration to control the midterm elections. n

Duterte OKs Congress resolution ensuring...

PAGE A1 t

budget for another year ensures the implementation of the government’s priority projects. According to the resolution, these projects include humanitarian aid for disaster victims, and the rehabilitation of schools, hospitals, bridges and other public infrastructure. The resolution was approved by the Senate and the House without passing the proposed u PAGE A3 P3.8-trillion budget for 2019.

Minimizing damage All state agencies were ordered by Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno on Thursday to obligate their budgetary requirements but only for the first quarter — operating under the presumption that the government would run on the reenacted budget only in the first three months of the year. “[The Department of Budget and Management] will do what we can to minimize the damage

[from a reenacted budget] to the Philippine economy, particularly public construction,” said Diokno in a statement. “The sooner the 2019 GAA [General Appropriations Act] is passed, the better for the economy and the Filipino people. Ramping up our investments on infrastructure and social services will only be sustainable if the budget is authorized by Congress,” he added. n

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Nancy Pelosi elected House Speaker as 116th Congress becomes most diverse in history by RAE

ANN VARONA AJPress

AS the 116th Congress came into session, Nancy Pelosi was officially elected the new House Speaker on Thursday, January 3, defeating Republican nominee Kevin McCarthy through a total of 220 votes. Having before served from 2007 to 2011, Pelosi’s win also marked her triumphant return as the only female House speaker in U.S. history to date, and made her the first person to take back the job after losing it in more than six decades. “We enter this new Congress with a sense of great hope and confidence for the future, and deep humility and prayerfulness in the face of the challenges

YEAR OF THE PIG. Vendors start to sell lucky charms to usher the Year of the Pig at a public market in Quiapo, Manila. The Year of the Pig occupies the last (12th) position in the Chinese Zodiac and will begin on February 5, 2019. You are a “Pig Chinese Zodiac native” if you are born in one of these years: 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019 . ManilaTimes.net photo by DJ Diosina

PNP names 18 “areas of grave concern”... PAGE A1 t for places with “serious armed threats” by “organized threat groups” — including but not limited to — the New People’s Army (NPA), the Bangsamoro Independent Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) while Category 3 for places with violence involving electoral candidates. In an article from Rappler, the said places all fall into Category 3 classification, however, the PNP claimed that some areas also have Category 1 and 2 conflicts.

Incidents dating back to the filing of the certificate of candidacy up to the present were considered in coming up with the list. The PNP said that all Category 3 areas can be possibly placed under the Commission on Elections (COMELEC)’s control. Thus, all national and local - officials, law enforcement agencies and military officers in the area will report to the election department. As such, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte recommended that Daraga, Albay be placed un-

der the poll body’s control, following the slaying of AKO Bicol Partylist Representative Rodel Batocabe who was vying for a mayoral position in the same town. The killing of Batocabe and his police escort Senior last December 22, 2018 sparked the allegations that the said shooting has something to do with politics. There are seven suspects facing double murder and multiple frustrated murder complaints as the search for the killer continues. ■

Dems: Trump remains resolute on border wall, vows.... PAGE A2 t

sistance programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), both of which provide food and nutrition for low-income families. National park operations run amok The shutdown has affected several government agencies, but the National Park System, in particular, has experienced particularly drastic consequences. Because of the shutdown, many National Park Service em-

ployees have been furloughed, meaning there is no one at entry gates and visitor centers, and no employees to charge the regular entry fees. As a result, national parks across the country have experienced vandalism, illegal camping and massive pile ups trash and human waste around the campgrounds, National Park Service officials said. Officials from the National Park Service have gradually been cutting off access to certain areas of national parks. As reported by the Los Angeles Times, rangers at Yosemite National Park have

put up roadside checkpoints and are only allowing entrance for visitors with lodging or camping reservations. On Wednesday, Jan. 2, the Joshua Tree National Park has closed for health and safety issues concerning the vault toilets (waterless restrooms located across the park), which have nearly overflowed and have caused some visitors to relieve themselves all around the campgrounds. Officials were also worried that the influx of litter could attract and harm more wildlife. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

ahead,” said Pelosi in her speech, which included tributes to former Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. Quoting former President Reagan’s last speech as president, Pelosi said, “If we ever closed the door to new Americans, our leadership in the world would soon be lost.” Though President Donald Trump’s name was not mentioned at all in her speech, Pelosi did say the Democrats would be asking Republicans for help in ending the partial government shutdown that has resulted from Trump’s demand for the U.S.-Mexico border wall. “And in that spirit, Democrats will be offering the Senate Republican appropriations legislation to re-open government later

Speaker Nancy Pelosi

today — to meet the needs of the American people, to protect our borders, and to respect our workers,” said Pelosi. Pelosi vowed to make sure PAGE A4

Fil-Am Rep. TJ Cox sworn in to represent... PAGE A1 t Central Valley district since 1981. “We’ve come to Washington with a divided government and a divided nation. The challenges facing our country are steep — but like so many of us, I am no stranger to tough challenges,” Cox said on Thursday after being sworn into the House. “Now is the time for bold leadership and bold ideas, and to recommit to the values that actually made our country great.” Like many other first-time elected Democrats, Cox ran a progressive campaign based on improving public education and health care, safe and affordable access to drinking water and upholding immigrant rights and providing a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients. “My parents came to this country because they knew that they could build a better life for their children here in America,” said Cox, whose mother, wife and children accompanied him in the ceremonial swearing-in on Capitol Hill. “Our district is defined by folks like my parents — immigrants willing to do whatever it takes so that their children might struggle just a little less, and reach yet a little higher. Arriving in California all those years ago, my parents could never have imagined that their son might one day serve in Congress.” Orange is the new blue

Rep. TJ Cox (center) is joined by his family as he was sworn in to represent California’s 21st Congressional District on Thursday, January 3. “Grateful for my family, grateful to our supporters, and grateful for the opportunity to serve the community I love. We’re ready to get to work,” Cox wrote on Twitter. Photo courtesy of Rep. TJ Cox’s Twitter account

The midterm elections were especially significant down in Orange County, where Democrats gained control of all seven House seats. Democrat Katie Porter of California’s 45th District won against incumbent Mimi Walters in a Cinderella upset that signaled the partisan change in southern Orange County post2016 election. “This campaign was about standing up to powerful special interests. That’s what I’ve done my whole career,” said Porter, who was a consumer protection attorney and UC Irvine professor prior to becoming an elected official.

Just one day after being sworn in, Porter joined her fellow House Democrats in introducing the For the People Act, a sweeping piece of anti-corruption legislation that would end the Citizens United Action Fund and tighten up election security measures to eliminate the risk of hacking, miscounts and unethical election practices. The other newly-sworn in representatives of Orange County include Gil Cisneros of the 39th District, Mike Levin of the 49th District and Harley Rouda of the 48th District. (Rouda is the first ever Democrat to represent this district.) (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

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En route to Congress, California democrats hit wall on ‘Medicare-for-all’ by Samantha

Young Kaiser Health News

WAShINGTON, D.C. — each of the seven California Democrats who flipped Republican congressional seats in the midterm election campaigned for more government-funded health care — with most of them calling for a complete government takeover. So when they join the Golden

State’s delegation this week, they will make it the largest state bloc to support “Medicare-for-all” in the U.S. house of Representatives. And Democrats, of course, will control the house. Despite this political shift, the reality is that there’s probably not going to be much progressive health care legislation coming out of Congress in the next two years — a point on which even Demo-

cratic lawmakers agree. “We need to do the things that are doable — that aren’t pie in the sky,” said U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat and the dean of the California delegation. Democrats will hold 46 of the state’s 53 congressional seats in the house. It’s the largest contingent of Democrats the state has ever sent to Congress, according to membership rosters on the congressional history, Art & Archives website. All but seven of them have publicly supported, at one time, some form of governmentfinanced health care — whether a sweeping Medicare-for-all program that would provide health insurance to all Americans, or an optional “public option” plan for those who want it. California’s Democratic junior senator, Kamala harris, who is contemplating a presidential bid, also supports Medicare-for-all, calling it “the moral and ethical thing to do.” But the U.S. Senate will remain under Republican control, and Republican President Donald Trump has lambasted the idea of more government involvement in health care. Because of that political reality, Feinstein and others have said, the state’s freshman lawmakers who are eager to push forward on Medicare-for-all or a public option ought to refocus. In a midterm election where health care ranked as the No. 1 concern of many voters, congressional newcomers Josh harder, Katie Porter, Katie hill, harley Rouda and Mike Levin won their elections after campaigning for Medicare-for-all, the concept of one government-run health care program made popular by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) during his 2016 presidential bid. Meanwhile, candidates Gil Cisneros and T.J. Cox promoted a public option, which would allow consumers to voluntarily buy in to a government-financed health care plan, such as Medicare or Medicaid. None of the seven freshmen Democrats agreed to an interview to discuss their ideas about health care in the new Congress, nor would they provide a spokesperson. It’s unclear whether they’ll make a big push for the progressive causes they pitched on the campaign trail. In a twist, a mid-December

Screenshots of the ShakeAlertLA app show how users can prepare for an earthquake, get details on recent earthquakes, and find help after an earthquake. This app was developed in partnership with Mayor Eric Garcetti and the City of Los Angeles, and built on the ShakeAlert system developed by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Los Angeles released its own earthquakewarning app, the first in the US by Rae

ann VaRona AJPress

The city of Los Angeles has become the first in the U.S. to come out with a publicly available app that alerts users of when an earthquake is expected to shake. The app, called ShakeAlertLA, has been available for download in app stores since December 31, 2018, but its official announcement came Thursday, January 3 at Los Angeles City hall. “Angelenos should have every chance to protect themselves and their families when there’s a major earthquake,” said Los Angeles Mayor eric Garcetti, whose office partnered with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), AT&T, and the Annenberg Foundation in developing the app. “We created the ShakeAlertLA app because getting a few seconds’ heads-up can make a big difference if you need to pull to the side of the road, get out of an elevator, or drop, cover, and hold on,” said Garcetti. Using a network of seismic sensors distributed through a regional network formed to detect earthquakes, the app sends alerts to smartphones when an earthquake registered with a

magnitude 5.0 or stronger is expected to be felt in the Los Angeles area. In a county where talks of the hypothetical earthquake — often referred to as ‘the big one’ — are common, the app provides some kind of relief to Angelenos when it comes to earthquake preparedness. “earthquakes are a fact of life in Los Angeles, a challenge we’ll always have to face. That’s why early earthquake warnings must also be a fact of life — on our phones and on our tablets the very moment they’re available,” said Wallis Annenberg, Chairman and President of the Annenberg Foundation, which gave a grant of $260,000 for the app’s development in 2017. “The ShakeAlertLA app is an extraordinary breakthrough, an early warning system that’s literally at our fingertips,” she added. “In a natural disaster, one extra second can save a life, and this app can provide that.” The USGS has been developing the ShakeAlert earthquake early Warning (eeW) system for over a decade, collaborating with organizations and institutions across the entire west coast, including the California Governor’s Office of emergency

Services, Caltech, UC Berkeley, the California Geological Survey, and the University of Nevada in Reno. Aside from sending out the warnings, the app also offers maps locating recent local earthquakes, an earthquake survival kit checklist, and other county-specific information on what to do before and after a major earthquake hits. As other countries such as Japan and Mexico have found similar earthquake warning apps to be beneficial in the event of an earthquake, seismologists and the developers behind ShakeAlertLA hope the app will eventually be adopted by the entire West Coast. “The City of L.A. is an important ShakeAlert partner, undertaking the Nation’s first test of delivering USGS-generated ShakeAlerts to a large population using a City-developed cell phone app,” said James Reilly, USGS Director. “What we learn from this expanded pilot in LA will be applied to benefit the entire current and future ShakeAlert system.” ShakeAlertLA is now available on Android and Apple app stores in both english and Spanish. n

Batocabe gunman surrenders

PAGE A1 t for his crime. he said Baldo oru PAGE A6 dered him and the other suspects to plan the lawmaker’s killing. “The mayor wants to permanently sit [as the mayor of] Daraga and he promised us that if he were the mayor, our livelihood will continue and we will continuously receive money from him,” he said in Filipino. however, Yuson said he did not get any financial reward after he killed Batocabe because another suspect, Christopher Naval alias Tuping, took all the money. “I did not get anything at all because Tuping took it all. I really have deep regrets,” Yuson said. Albayalde said another suspect, Jaywin Babor alias Jie, also surrendered to authorities in Taguig City on Friday. Babor was the alleged driver of one of the getaway motorcycles used in the killing. Only two of the six suspects remain at-large: Rolando Arimado alias RR and Danilo Muella alias Manoy Dan. It was Muella who purchased two pistols used in the attack while Arimado served as the lookout and back-up gunman. Yuson, Naval, and emmanuel Rosello alias Boboy executed executed extrajudicial confessions.

They claimed that Baldo was the brains in Batocabe’s killing. On Thursday, the PNP filed murder and frustrated murder charges against Baldo and the other suspects. The Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Batocabe filed double murder and six counts of frustrated murder charges before the Albay Provincial Prosecutor’s Office for the death of Batocabe and his security aide, Senior Police Officer 1 Orlando Diaz Baldo has denied being the mastermind, insisting that he was being used as a scapegoat. But Albayalde said the evidence against the mayor was based on the matching statements of the suspects. “We did not teach them. They all executed their statement at different times and different dates. They voluntarily gave their statements and their statements are consistent and all of them are pointing at the mayor,” he said. Interior Secretary eduardo Año agreed that authorities have strong evidence to pin down Baldo. “We have strong evidence against the mayor. Denial is not a ground for good evidence,” he said.

house Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo commended the PNP for solving Batocabe’s killing. Batocabe was shot dead after giving gifts to senior citizens and disabled persons in Daraga, Albay on Dec. 22, 2018. Diaz, his police escort, was also shot dead. “I would like to commend the PNP for solving the murder of our colleague, Ako Bicol Rep. Rodel Batocabe and his police escort SPO1 Orlando Diaz. The house of Representatives deeply appreciates the dedication and hard work our police force have put in to go after the perpetrators of the despicable act in such a short time,” Arroyo said in a statement. “The house of Representatives also appreciates the bravery and loyalty of those in their ranks who are called upon to perform vital escort and security functions, often at the risk of their lives,” she added. “Now that the mastermind and all his co-conspirators have been identified, our law enforcement agencies must ensure that they be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. There should be no let up and stone left unturned until justice is served,” Arroyo said. n

Nancy Pelosi elected House Speaker as... PAGE A3 t Congress would be “transparent, bipartisan, and unifying.” In outlining the agenda for this year, Pelosi highlighted top priorities to be: tackling climate change through efforts like the creation of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, lowering health care costs, furthering LGBTQ rights through passing the equality Act, tightening gun control, and protecting Dreamers. “This house will be for the people! empowered by our mandate, we will pursue our mission,” said Pelosi. 116th Congress most diverse in history Pelosi also in her speech, highlighted the 116th Congress as being the most diverse in history, with over 100 women serving — the largest amount it has ever been. “I am particularly proud to be the woman Speaker of the house of this Congress, which marks 100 years of women winning the right to vote, as we serve with more than 100 women in the house of Representatives — the highest number in history,” said Pelosi. “each of us comes to this chamber strengthened by the trust of our constituents and the love of

our families,” she added. Being the most diverse, the incoming class had numerous historic firsts. Becoming the first Muslim women to join Congress were Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) who became the first Somali-American to be elected to Congress, and the first to don a hijab on the house floor; and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) who donned a traditional Palestinian thobe and became the first PalestinianAmerican woman to be elected. Becoming the first Native American women to join Congress were Reps. Sharice Davids (D-Kan.) and Deb haaland (D-NM) who wore a traditional Pueblo dress. Reps. Veronica escobar and Sylvia Garcia became the first Latina Congresswomen from Texas, and Rep. Ayanna Pressley became the first Black congresswoman to represent Massachusetts. Then there was Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) who at 29 years old, became the youngest woman to ever be elected to Congress. Wearing all white in honor of the suffragette movement, Ocasio-Cortez also on Thursday, dealt with a publicized video of

her dancing in college by posting another video of herself dancing outside her new office. “I hear the GOP thinks women dancing are scandalous. Wait till they find out Congresswomen dance too!,” tweeted OcasioCortez, though the poster of the original video did not state it was connected to the Republican party. After becoming the first openly bisexual member of Congress in 2013, Kyrsten Sinema — Arizona’s first female senator — became the first openly bisexual person in the Senate. While the large majority of women newcomers were Democrat, Rep. Carol Miller (R-W.Va.) was the only Republican woman to join in the freshmen class. As a whole, the 116th Congress also now holds the most Black (55 members), hispanic (39 members), and Asian-American and Pacific Islanders (20 members) in history. Among the new AAPIs is Fil-Am TJ Cox (D-Calif.). “With 3 newly elected #AAPI Members of Congress bringing us to a history high of 20 AAPI Members in the 116th Congress, we couldn’t be more excited (or proud)!,” the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) tweeted. n

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Manny Pacquiao not amused by Floyd Mayweather by abac

cordero Philstar.com

LIKE most fight fans, Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao did not find Floyd Mayweather’s 136second demolition of a Japanese kickboxer entertaining at all. Pacquiao was not amused. “Small guy,” Pacquiao quipped after a morning workout at Griffith Park, referring to Tenshin Nasukawa, who fought Mayweather on New Year’s Eve in Saitama, Japan. It was scheduled for three ROUTE OF TRASLACION 2019. Manila Police District (MPD) Director Senior Superintendent Vicente Danao Jr. (middle) leads the “walk through” rounds of three minutes each ocular inspection on Thursday, January 3, on the route of the Traslacion for the Feast of the Black Nazarene to ensure the safety of hundreds — under boxing rules. But the of thousand devotees expected to join the procession. The Traslacion will be held on January 9 from Quirino Grandstand going back to the fight did not last after the 20Quiapo Church. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan year-old Japanese was floored three times. Nasukawa, who stands five feet four inches, never stood a chance. In the end, he was in tears, saying he underestimated the 41-year-old Mayweather. The Sun, a tabloid newspaper weapon greater speed, range and and resilience of its rails have deby Patricia Lourdes Viray in the United Kingdom, called layed its development. accuracy than conventional canPhilstar.com A report from ABC News stated the fight a “farce.” Others labeled nons, the report read. CHINA appears to have beaten In 2015, the China Aerospace that Washington’s priority re- it as a fix. the United States and the rest of Science and Industry Corporation mains to be the development of Mayweather, a big spender, the world into testing a new gen- announced the development of a hypervelocity projectile that boasted that he earned $9 million eration weapon capable of shoot- the advanced weapon. would enable missiles to fire at for the exhibition match. ing hundreds of kilometers away Pacquiao posted his comment “Railguns use electromagnetic hypersonic speeds. from a warship. The railgun, however, is not on Twitter. energy to attack targets and are Photos of what appears to considered an advanced tech- high on the agenda, U.S. Strate“Here’s an early New Year’s be an electromagnetic railgun nology that offers greater range gic Capabilities Office spokesper- resolution. To continue to only mounted on the Chinese Navy’s and more lethality, while the cost son Chris Sherwood told website fight experienced opponents who Yuting-class tank landing ship is even cheaper than traditional Task and Purpose. are my size or bigger,” said the Haiyangshan surfaced online last guns,” CASIC said. “SCO shifted the project’s fo- 40-year-old WBA welterweight week. Beijing’s testing of its elec- cus to conventional powder guns, champion. Weibo user Haohan-Red Shark, tromagnetic railgun comes as facilitating a faster transition of On Jan. 19, Pacquiao puts his a defense blogger, posted the the Chinese military prioritizes HVP technology to the warfight- belt on the line in Las Vegas photo of the navy ship with the “drilling soldiers and war prepa- er,” Sherwood said. n against American Adrien Broner, weapon on Dec. 29, 2018. rations” as its work focus for the A report from ABC News indi- new year. cated that such weapon could fire In its New Year’s Day editorial, at hypersonic speeds of at least the PLA said they should be “well Mach 5, which is five times the prepared for all directions of milispeed of sound. tary struggle and comprehensively Twitter user Dafeng Cao, an improve troops’ combat response observer of the People’s Libera- in emergencies … to ensure we tion Army, posted similar photos can meet the challenge and win captioned “Long time no see, the when there is a situation.” railgun test ship spotted undergoAccording to U.S. intelligence ing sea trials these days.” reports, China’s weapon could The 119-meter long amphibi- strike up to 200 kilometers away ous assault ship of the Chinese with projectile velocity of 2.5 kiNavy used to carry 10 tanks and lometers per second or 9,000 kiis now being used to carry the lometers per hour, News.au.com electromagnetic railgun. reported. The railgun, still without a warThe report also noted that the ship, uses intense bursts of ener- U.S. Navy has been testing its gy to build a magnetic field capa- own land-based railgun for about ble of throwing out cannon shells a decade but power generation, at hypersonic speeds, giving the size and stability of electronics

China’s ‘next generation’ electromagnetic railgun spotted at sea — reports

UK, Australia warn citizens... PAGE A1 t kidnapping,” the Australian government said as reported by The Philippine Star. “Additional security measures are in place on flights departing from this airport to the UK. You should cooperate fully with security officials. The UK keeps aviation security measures under constant review, in conjunction with international partners and the aviation industry,” the advisory added Both countries believed that the threat to security might escalate to the other parts of the country as well. They noted that everyone must be cautious and security measures must be heightened to ensure the safety of the public. “Terrorist groups continue to plan attacks and have the capacity

and the intent to carry out attacks at any time and anywhere in the country, including in places visited by foreigners, like airports, shopping malls, public transport, including the metro system, and places of worship,” the advisory said. “You should remain vigilant at all times and report anything suspicious to local authorities,” it added. Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Lt. Gen. Benjamin Madrigal Jr. ensured the public that the military forces are taking the travel alert seriously. “We advise our troops to double their efforts to prevent these violent incidents from happening so that we can encourage foreign investments and tourism in Mindanao,” Madrigal said. n

En route to Congress, California... PAGE A4 t ruling by a Texas judge that declared the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional could actually help Democrats. Instead of arguing for Medicare-for-all, they can now pivot to protecting the law and its popular provisions, including protections for people with preexisting conditions. “A conservative judge in Texas may have given new Democratic representatives in California a lot more leeway on health care than they had a week ago,” said Dan Schnur, a University of Southern California professor and former Republican strategist. “There’s a lot of potential health care legislation that’s going to be very popular in their districts.” In the weeks leading up to the election, Harder, who beat Republican incumbent Jeff Denham in the Central Valley, was already tempering expectations about how effective Democrats could be next year. “I think the reality is under a Trump presidency, it’s probably not going to be passed in the next two years,” Harder said about Medicare-for-all. “But we need to be making it very clear what we’re standing up for, and we’re standing up for the fact that every individual needs to be covered.” A day after she won her congressional seat, Porter, who made Medicare-for-all an integral part of her campaign, told supporters it would have to wait. “I think until we pass campaign finance reform, doing anything on health care is going to be a big challenge,” she said. Part of the challenge for Porter, along with the rest of her new

colleagues, is that they hail from swing districts. Each of them flipped Republican seats, and they will need to adopt a more centrist tone if they want to stay in Congress, political observers say. “The reality of advocating for single-payer and the actuality of what it means is sobering,” said Lanhee Chen, director of domestic policy studies at Stanford University. “If you’re vulnerable, on Day One, by the nature of demographics of your district, I think it becomes harder to embrace.” And while California voters ushered in a new class of progressives, they also gave a sixth term to Feinstein, who has openly warned against the cost and feasibility of a Medicare-for-all system. And likely incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) has said she intends to focus on fixing lingering issues with the federal health care law, not push ahead with Medicarefor-all. Other centrist Democrats say Congress ought to work out how to stabilize the health care markets or allow Americans 55 and older to buy into Medicare, which is currently open to those 65 and older. Feinstein, for example, also supports giving Medicare the ability to negotiate the price of drugs. “Let’s build off of the gains we made in the Affordable Care Act,” said Rep. Ami Bera (D-Elk Grove), “but let’s also address some of the things Republicans did to undermine the ACA markets.” This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Manny Pacquiao trains with Buboy Fernandez during his training camp in the Philippines. Photo from Instagram/@mannypacquiao

a 29-year-old former champion in four weight classes. Broner is Pacquiao’s size. Pacquiao, who knocked out Argentina’s Lucas Matthysse last July, is trying to lure Mayweather into a rematch of their recordsmashing 2015 showdown. He’s hoping that an impressive show against Broner might do it. But Mayweather spoke in Saitama, saying he’s retired and is “not looking forward to com-

ing back to boxing. “But, you know, I did this just to entertain the fans in Japan. They wanted this to happen over here in Japan, so I said why not. So, once again, I’m still retired. I’m still 50-0,” he said. Last September, Mayweather announced he was fighting Pacquiao in a rematch. He has changed his mind. “That’s his prerogative to say that,” he told Boxing News. n

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Statue of ‘comfort woman’ in PH removed PH Senate to prioritize endo, amendments to procurement law after Japanese gov’t expresses disappointment by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

onCe the Philippine Senate session resumes on January 14, the senators will have their hands full as they target to pass several priority measures to improve public services like the controversial proposal on the security of tenure and end of contract (endo) system. In an interview on dwIz, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the priority measures will be discussed along with the proposed P3.757-trillion national budget that the Congress was unsuccessful to pass in December. “(The Senate needs) to prioritize endo, amendments to the Procurement Law, Local Government Code, omnibus election Code… plus upgrading penalties to illegal gambling activities,” he said. The proposed measure, which seeks to strengthen the security

of tenure for workers, have seven versions based on records. This was filed by Senators bam Aquino, risa Hontiveros, Joseph Victor ejercito, Grace Poe, Loren Legarda and Joel Villanueva and Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel zubiri. According to Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, the measure cannot be a one-size-fits-all policy in amending the Procurement Law. He said it should take into consideration the fact that different government agencies have distinct and unique needs depending on their mandate and function. “one procurement process or method that works for one government agency may not necessarily work for other agencies,” he said. The Senate also started plenary deliberations on the proposed P3.757-trillion national budget for 2019 on December 4, but

failed to approve it due to lack of time, forcing the government to operate on a reenacted budget for January. zubiri, however, said a new budget must be passed by the Congress as he and other senators met with budget Secretary benjamin Diokno, who discussed with them the repercussions of a reenacted budget in 2019. one of the many effects a reenacted budget is that funds for already completed programs and projects may become prone to corruption. The proposed budget was passed by the House of representatives on the final reading last november 27, 2018, but zubiri said issues such as lump sum allocations and supposed insertions made by some leaders and members of the House must be addressed first before passing the 2019 budget.. n

by Rae

ann VaRona AJPress

A bronze statue depicting a “comfort woman” was taken down on Sunday, December 30, 2018 in the Laguna province after the Japanese government expressed disappointment in its construction. The statue — reported to have been a one-meter tall seated girl with a vacant chair next to her — was unveiled just two days before on Friday, December 28, 2018. “We believe that the establishment of a comfort woman statue in other countries, including this case, is extremely disappointing, not compatible with the Japanese government,” said the Japanese government, as reported by the Manila Shimbun. Salvador Panelo, the Philippine Presidential Spokesperson and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel, responded in a statement and said the statue was not the work of the Philippine government, but of private entities and was thus “freedom of expression.” “The statute subject of this current issue was commissioned using private funds and was built inside private property,” Panelo said in a statement Tuesday, January 1. “This, therefore, forms part of freedom of expression and the government cannot simply delimit or restrain the exercise of such right without a tenable purpose — the aforesaid right being protected by our Constitution,” added Panelo. before being removed, the statue stood in a Catholic-run shelter in San Pedro, Laguna. An inscription on the statue

read, “The monument gives recognition, respect, equal protection and empowerment to women of yesterday, today, and future. It also symbolizes peace and true friendship of all nations in the world.” Comfort women statues “Comfort women” date back to before and during World War II and refer to the women who were assaulted and raped during the Japanese occupation. Most women were from Korea, while others came from other countries such as the Philippines. Though Japan and South Korea made an agreement on the issue late 2015 in which Japan was required to “issue a statement of regret” and compensate the victims, numerous statues remain erected in places including South Korea, Germany, Australia, new Jersey, and California. referring to another statue that was removed from roxas boulevard in Manila last April 2018, Panelo said the removals were made under different circumstances. The statue in Laguna, he said, “appears to be simply dedicated to peace and women empowerment,” as opposed to the one along roxas which was built to “memorialize a dark and internationally sensitive part of our people’s history during the great war.” In saying that the public should commemorate the sacrifices of Filipinos made during World War II, he added that people should “refrain from unduly politicizing an issue which has already been addressed.” “As then remarked by the president, it would only be counterproductive to antagonize Japan, which has since proven itself to

The controversial statue pays tribute to Filipino comfort women kept as sex slaves by Japanese soldiers during World War II. Inquirer.net photo by Niño Jesus Orbeta

be a strategic and reliable ally and partner, by politicizing the issue,” added Panelo. Japan remains among the Philippines’ top allies and remains its top provider of official Development Assistance. “Japan, after all, has paid dearly for its past deeds, which includes giving reparations,” said Panelo. n

Pope Francis appoints a new bishop in Bicol by aJPress PoPe Francis appointed Fr. rex Andrew Alarcon from the Diocese of Daet as a new Philippine bishop in Camarines norte, bicol on Wednesday, January 2. The 47-year-old bishop served as a superintendent of the parish schools and a spokesperson of the Archdiocese of Caceres. He was also a member of the College of Consultants and the president of the Catholic educational Asso-

ciation of the Philippines. Alarcon succeeded bishop Gilbert Armea Garcera who was transferred to Lipa, batangas on February 2, 2017; and became an Archbishop. The See of Daet was vacant for 11 months before Alarcon’s appointment. The newly appointed bishop also served as a director of the Stewardship programme of the Archdiocese of Caceres. He was also a Professor at the Holy rosary Minor Seminary rosary in naga.

Alarcon was ordained to the priesthood in 1996, after which he became an assistant parish priest of St. John the evangelist Parish in naga. From 1997 to 1999 he served as a private secretary to the archbishop. Alarcon obtained his licentiate in Church History at the Pontifical Gregorian University in rome, Italy back in 2001. He studied theology and philosophy in the University of Santo Tomas in Manila and Holy rosary Minor Seminary in naga. n

House panel begins probe into budget ‘anomalies’ under Diokno by aJPress The House on Thursday, January 3, began its probe into the alleged anomalies in the current 2018 budget and the proposed P3.8-trillion budget in 2019 — both of which were prepared under budget Secretary benjamin Diokno. The first public hearing was held at the Avenue Plaza Hotel in naga City, Camarines Sur at 10 a.m. Among the House members who attended the probe were Majority Leader rolando Andaya, Jr., Minority Leader Danilo Suarez, Camarines Sur 3rd District rep. Gabriel bordado Jr., Senior Deputy Majority Leader and Sagip rep. rodante Marcoleta, and Coop natcco rep. Anthony bravo. Consolacion Leoncio, the owner of C.T. Leoncio Construction and Trading, was also present after the House panel issued her a subpoena to appear during the hearing. Leoncio was previously accused by Andaya of cornering billions worth of projects for various agencies across the country. Andaya is firm in his belief that Diokno and a former Cabinet official now seeking an elected post in 2019 are tied to CT Leoncio. The company cornered a total of 30 projects in 2018 in Sorsogon alone, the province whose vice

governor is the mother-in-law of Diokno’s daughter. Subpoenas were also issued by the rules committee to several Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials in the bicol region. engineers Virgilio eduarte, Danilo Verzola, Ignacio odiaman, Wilfredo Flores, Larry reyes, Merla raveche, Jorge Gorimbao, Victor Azupardo, Gil Augustus balmadrid, and noland Claro Guerrero, as well as individuals Malou Lacuna, renato de Vera, and Dr. elenita Tan were the ones summoned. Meanwhile, Minority Leader Danilo Suarez, Senior Deputy Majority Leader rodante Marcoleta, CooP-nATCCo representative Anthony bravo, AKo bicol representative Alfredo Garbin Jr., were present to grill the resource persons alongside Andaya. Billions in anomalous allocations? Andaya and Suarez, before the 17th Congress adjourned its session in December 2018, accused Diokno of supposedly using his influence as Department of budget and Management (DbM) chief to bag billions of pesos in infrastructure projects for Sorsogon and Casiguran, where the mayor is also the father-in-law of Diokno’s daughter. Andaya is “particularly interested” in the P100-billion worth

of unpaid payments that the DbM owes various contractors and suppliers this year. He also quoted budget Undersecretary Catalina Cabral as saying that the amount of pending payables is at P44 billion for DPWH alone. According to the Majority Leader, this is worrisome after Diokno admitted “inserting” P75 billion into the DPWH funds for 2019. Diokno, however, insisted there is nothing anomalous here, as the additional funds were part of the legal budgeting process. The P10-billion infrastructure projects allocated to Sorsogon in 2018 is also being questioned by Andaya, as well as the P325million allocation for flood control projects in Casiguran in the proposed 2019 budget. A resolution was even adopted by the House, urging President rodrigo Duterte to fire Diokno. Still, Malacañang and other Cabinet officials trust the DbM secretary, who have denied all allegations against him. Cabinet members are being urged by Malacañang to leave or skip Congress hearings if they feel they are or will be shown “disrespect.” Andaya said they will no longer force Diokno to attend the House investigation, however, they will still extend an invitation for him to attend. n

2018 ANDRADA CUP. Marco Macalintal returns the ball to third seed Prince Luis Salvacion during the third round of the boys’ 16-under category in the 2018 Andrada Cup Age Group Championships held at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center on Thursday, January 3. PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 5-8, 2019

Agriculture chief relieves NAIA quarantine team for protocol negligence by AJPress

Vice President Leni Robredo inspects on Wednesday, January 2, the extent of the damage caused by landslides at Sitio Igot, Barangay Patitinan, Sagñay, Camarines Sur. Photo from the Office of the Vice President

VP Robredo pledges psychological assistance to landslide survivors by Nathalie

Robles

AJPress

PHILIPPINE Vice President Leni Robredo on Wednesday, January 2, pledged to provide psychological assistance to landslide survivors in Iraya village after tropical depression Usman ravaged their area. “Apart from psychological therapy, they also need help to start over, especially those who lost their parents,” Robredo said according to reports. Robredo visited Barangay Iraya to distribute relief goods and cash assistance to survivors but she said she would be looking for more resources to fund the rehabilitation and rebuilding of the village. “Relief packs are only provisional. What [Buhi] really needs is help for their rehabilitation phase,” she added. Eighteen bodies of landslide victims from the indigenous group Mt. Iraya Agta in Camarines Sur were either retrieved from the

mud or found in other villages across Buhi Lake after floating for days. “Napakahirap dito kasi iyong lugar mismo, ano pa siya, parang natabunan pa ng putik, so napakahirap pa iyong rehabilitation efforts (The situation here is hard, because the place itself is covered by mud, so the rehabilitation efforts will be difficult),” Robredo said as reported by the Manila Bulletin. The vice president brought 800 food packs donated by Angat Buhay partner, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and personally handed cash assistance to 12 families as she assessed the damages the tropical depression caused. As per writing, there were more than 100 people killed in the Bicol region. There were 57 from Camarines Sur, 18 from Albay, 15 from Camarines Norte, eight from Sorsogon and seven from Masbate. Twenty-three people are missing and 53 injured, as of

press time. The Office of the Vice President (OVP) promised to consult the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in identifying which areas could be liveable and which ones are prone to disasters such as landslides and flash floods. “The help that we will ask from DPWH is to provide assistance here in Buhi to identify once and for all the houses which they can no longer occupy,” she said in Filipino. Fourteen lakeside villages were submerged after the water from Buhi Lake, Rinaga River, and Suwong River overflowed. As such, the OVP appealed “not just to government agencies but also organizations that render help.” “I hope when we decide where to allocate government funds, we should think about what would help residents the longest – not only what is being seen, but it is what will be truly felt by everyone,” Robredo said. n

P12.5 million in aid given to Tropical Depression Usman victims as death toll rises to 122 by Rae

aNN VaRoNa AJPress

THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said Friday, January 4 that P12.5 million has been provided to families in the Bicol region that were affected by Tropical Depression Usman.

Usman made landfall in Eastern Samar last Friday, December 28, 2018, bringing heavy rains across the eastern Visayas and southern Luzon regions, and triggering landslides and flooding to the areas before leaving on Sunday. According to DSWD, which leads the humanitarian re-

sponse in the country, a total of P 12,529,403.50 has been provided by the Field Office for assistance The department added that as of Friday noon, some 12,828 families, or 56,417 individuals were still staying in 112 evacuation centers set up across the Bicol region.

u PAGE A9

The agriculture department’s Internal Administrative Service DEPARTMENT of Agriculture (IAS) will probe and assess if the Secretary Manny Piñol relieved officers responsible from the BAI the entire quarantine team of will be charged with dereliction of the Bureau of Animal Industry in duty. BAI and Bureau of Customs Ninoy Aquino International Airport (BOC) officials are responsible for (NAIA) for failing to follow protocol inspecting checked-in and hand carry luggage from areas with on Friday, January 4. “The whole Quarantine Group ASF. Among those countries are Chiassigned at the country’s main airport of entry, the Ninoy Aquino In- na, Hungary, Belgium, Latvia, Poternational Airport, will be relieved land, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, effective 5 pm today for their failure to comply with an earlier order I issued to institute quarantine protocols to prevent the entry of pork products from areas affected by the African Swine Fever (ASF),” Piñol said. “I will issue the order today even as I am here in the Bicol Region personally assessing the damage of Tropical Depression Usman and ensuring immediately delivery of interventions,” he added as reported by The Philippine Daily Inquirer. The agriculture chief explained that he issued a directive to install foot baths at all entry points so that travelers can disinfect themselves. However, the quarantine team failed to abide by such orders due to procurement issues. “Shortly before the holidays, I ordered Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) Acting Director Ronnie Domingo to ensure that footbaths and other Quarantine measures are established in all entry points of the country as the dreaded ASF, a disease killing pigs in at least 8 countries, was reported spreading in China,” he said. “Upon reading the report, I immediately called up Dr. Domingo and confronted him about it. Dr. Domingo admitted that the NAIA Quarantine Group failed to establish the Footbath facility ‘because of procurement issues’ and it was the only station which failed to implement the directives,” he added as reported by Rappler. However, Piñol said that such problems are not a good enough reason to disregard his directives noting that the team could have come up with other ways to procure the said foot baths. He admitted, “that there are still weak links in the Department which need to be corrected.” “As Secretary of Agriculture who is in charge of the implementation of these measures, I apologize to the stakeholders of the hog industry for this administrative lapse,” he said.

Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Moldova, South Africa and Zambia. Of the 13 countries, the Philippines is said to import only from Belgium, according to Meat Importers and Traders Association President Jesus Cham. ASF is reportedly not harmful to humans, however, it causes hemorrhagic fever in domesticated pigs and wild boar that often lead to death among the said livestock. n

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OPINION

Purge in the judiciary

FEATURES

A FORMER president called them “hoodlums in robes” and promised a crackdown. The president was ousted before he could finish half of his term and was subsequently arrested, jailed and convicted of plunder. And hoodlums in robes, by most indications, are still very much around. Benigno Aquino III lamented corruption in the judiciary apart from “judicial overreach” throughout much of his presidency. Rodrigo Duterte, even before formally assuming power in 2016, had warned corrupt judges against the indiscriminate issuance of restraining orders, which he said hampered the implementation of development projects. He urged the Supreme Court to clean up the judiciary. This new year, Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin has announced a “purge” of “misfits and scalawags” in the judiciary, particularly in the provinces where he says corruption among judges and court personnel is perceived to be rampant. The purge, Bersamin said, would start in his home province of Abra and would have no sacred cows. Bersamin is the brother of former Abra governor Eustaquio Bersamin. Another brother, former congressman Luis Bersamin Jr., was shot dead together with a police bodyguard as they were leaving the Mount Carmel church in Quezon City on Dec. 16, 2006. Former Abra governor Vicente Valera and

two hitmen were convicted of the murders in 2015 and are serving life terms. Nine years is a long wait for justice, but at least the gunmen and mastermind were caught and sent to prison. For others, the wait for justice can last for up to three decades. And for the most unfortunate, there may never be justice, especially if they are up against the powerful, or those who are wealthy enough to buy justice. All that the unfortunate can have is “just tiis” – just bear it. This is supposed to be a joke, but laughing is difficult because injustice is a real and serious problem that undermines many aspects of national life. Corruption in the judiciary, combined with processes that promote delays and inefficiency, can drive people to commit suicide or homicide, or support those who can deliver swift even if extrajudicial justice such as the communist New People’s Army. Bersamin outlined several reform measures to achieve his objectives within the 10 months left in his service. He is up against an entrenched system that has resisted change for decades. If he can achieve even half of his target, it will be a significant accomplishment. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

New Congress makes history in its diversity, vows to focus on checks and balances, health care, income inequality & climate change HISTORY has been made when the members of the 116th Congress were sworn in on January 3, including Filipino-American TJ Cox, representing California’s 21st District. This new Congress reflects the face and energy of America today with a record number of women and people of color elected into office — including a refugee from Somalia, transgender, Native American, Muslim, and the youngest woman to represent her constituents at age 28. Nancy Pelosi also makes history as she reclaims the House Speakership, a post she previously held when she served as the first and so far only female House speaker from 2007 to 2011. “Our nation is at a historic moment,” Pelosi said shortly after she was re-elected. “Two months ago, the American people spoke and demanded a new dawn.” The Democrats regaining the House leadership would now end President Donald Trump’s hold of both Houses of Congress, and the Republicans’ control of the three co-equal branches of government. This development would make the Constitution’s requirement of checks and balanc-

es work again, where no one person, political party, nor ideThe Fil-Am ology would be given unbridled Perspective power. With this, the Democrats in Congress would now be pushing to protect the Mueller probe, investigate Trump’s and GEL SANTOS-RELOS his family’s finance quagmire including his tax returns. Pelosi and the Democratic leadership in Congress also signified their stand that despite the Justice Department guideline that no sitting president should be indicted, there is NO LAW nor provision in the Constitution that says so. With the record number of legal issues Trump is now facing, they say they do not rule out indicting Trump, nor do they rule out the option of impeachment. Nobody, not even the President of the United States is and should be above the law. While the Democrats in Congress have vowed to strengthen the oversight function of the Legislature, they are also pushing their legislative

Top Rhizomes stories in 2018

using my own strength. Then, I learned 10 percent tithing to the Church where I receive God’s word, and that if I turn my back on worldly things, and turn towards the Lord, blessing after blessing [would come.] It was truly overwhelming. Sobrang galing talaga ni Lord (God is all omnipotent).” “For two years, I kept up my tithing, but my take-home income was still at $500 a week. So I asked the Lord – did you not promise an overflowing abundance if I do tithing?” It turns out, as she recounted, “I was not a consistent giver, I

even had a poor attitude in tithing, sometimes I would give $50 a week, other times, I would change it to $30,” she said, then “I turned to the Bible and it gave me this response – The Lord loves a cheerful giver, from then on, my income of $500 became $1000 and then $1,500. Today, I tell my accountant that 10 percent tithing is an absolute expense for my business. Only then did the tremendous blessings pour out that we are so overwhelmed.” Jose Antonio Vargas: From Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist to an American author and immigration reform advocate

How is it that a piece of paper has become a permanent symbol of labeling American citizens as less than, and even making them unworthy except as chattel or slave properties up until the era of Jim Crow? How is it that a piece of paper is presently being denied to eleven million undocumented immigrants because they are labeled falsely as unworthy of becoming American citizens, even if they have led lives more patriotic than others, like serving in the U.S. military to defend American democracy abroad? Who determines who is worthy or unworthy of being called

Jose Antonio Vargas in conversation with Prof. Viet Thanh Nguyen, another Pulitzer Prize winning author, at USC Bovard Hall during the book launch of “Dear America” on Sept. 25, 2018. Photos taken by Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz

MANILA — Another civil case against former first lady Imelda Marcos and her husband, the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos Sr., involving P1.052 billion in alleged ill-gotten wealth, is now up for decision by the antigraft court Sandiganbayan. In a resolution dated Nov. 9, 2018 but released to the media only on Friday, January 4 the court’s Second Division has denied “for lack of merit” the Motion to Defer Decision filed by Marcoses’ co-defendants Bienvenido Tantoco Sr., Bienvenido Tantoco Jr., estate of Gliceria Tantoco and Dominador Santiago. The forfeiture case docketed as Civil Case No. 0008, filed by the Presidential Commission on Good Goverment (PCGG) in 1987 seeks to recover from the Marcoses and their cronies a total of P1.052 billion in alleged ill-gotten wealth, composed of P609.27 million in shares of stocks and P443.05 million in real properties. Americans? The guy in the White House who is now un-indicted co-conspirator of two felonies of paying off two women to hide his affairs and defrauded American citizens as to alter the outcome of the U.S. presidential elections? No wonder the book is entitled Dear America: Notes of An Undocumented Citizen by Jose Antonio Vargas. America, we have been a nation of absurdities. It is time to make our country more wholesome and correct what is wrong and make everyone who is already here — those who have proven themselves as productive citizens for several years apply to get their legal U.S. work permits and ultimately, after several more years, a permanent green card. It might take them two decades to qualify until becoming U.S. citizens, but in the meantime, they can operate without being cut up into pieces daily, because of their fears. Just as American chattel owners of slaves terrorize these slaves to remain as properties, today, our American government continues to terrorize these undocumented immigrants and even the asylum seekers at the Southern border fleeing persecution from gangs in their countries. These undocumented immigrants have been indefatigable, tireless defenders of the American dream and what is right about it; we now have to do what is right by them. America is after all an ideal, an amalgamation of many million immigrants’ dreams who dared cross the shores and oceans seeking better lives, from the Greeks, to the Italians, to the British, to the Irish, to the Spaniards, to the Chinese, to the Japanese, to the Filipinos and over 188 countries now in its borders. Vargas asserts, “Home is not something I have to earn. Humanity is not some box I should have to check. It occurred to me that I’d been in an intimate, longterm relationship all along. I was in a toxic, abusive, codependent relationship with America, and there was no getting out.” For these eleven million un-

The PCGG is also seeking P50 billion in moral damages and P1 billion in exemplary damages. The PCGG said the Marcoses and their co-defendants must also be compelled to pay temperate damages, nominal damages and other judicial costs, the amounts of which shall be determined by the court. In their motion filed in February 2016, Santiago and the Tantocos prayed to defer the decision on the case, claiming that another pending civil lawsuit docketed as Civil Case No. 0142 involves the “same legal issues and parties.” Santiago and the Tantocos said that deciding on Civil Case No. 0008 without resolving first its similarity with Civil Case No. 0142 might be prejudicial to the parties involved. In its ruling, however, the Second Division maintained that the present case “is totally unrelated to Civil Case No. 0142.” “Their inconsistent opinion on the relationship of these two cases cannot be arbitrarily used

by the defendants,” the Second Division said. The court pointed out that Civil Case No. 0142 challenges the validity of the PCGG’s sequestration of the assets of Tourist Duty Free Shops Inc. and the freeze order against TDFSI’s bank accounts with Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) and Bank of America (BA), while Civil Case No. 0008 involves the recovery of the assets of the Marcoses and their co-defendants as well as the imposition against them of damages. The court noted that neither the TDFSI, RCBC or BA is a party in Civil Case No. 0008. Besides, the court said, Civil Case No. 0008 should have already been submitted for decision nine years ago after the PCGG and the defendants submitted their respective memoranda containing the summary of their arguments, testimonies of their witnesses and documentary evidence they presented at the course of trial, which lasted for about 20 years. n

Luchie San Luis Quemuel

documented immigrants, America has become their cage, a huge jail they cannot seem to get out from, a jail they cannot leave to even visit their loved ones overseas and to some, a jail where they will die from, away from their birth nations. Luchie San Luis Quemuel: Her reflections of God’s gilded miracles in her life Luchie met the love of her life, Rod Quemuel and together, they have built several businesses, the last one was a caregiving facility with six beds, and their last client was Julia Roth, Mayor Eric Garcetti’s maternal grandmother, whom he visited regularly and was close to. When Rod and Luchie got married on Dec. 23, 1971, they went on a 37-day honeymoon. Rod asked her to buy boots and coat and she questioned the added expense, thinking they were just going to San Francisco, but off they went to Europe. In the Quemuel family, kids are born after 13 years of marriage. Luchie got married at 30 years old. To have a kid after 13 years meant being pregnant at 43 years old, so she prayed for a miracle and wanted to go to Our Lady of Fatima. But, Rod got sick and was feverish the night before. Not knowing how both of them could proceed to visit Our Lady of Fatima the next day, she prayed

fervently. That entire evening, it rained hard, with thunder and lightning. Could it be the coming of the Holy Spirit at this point? The next day, Rod miraculously got well and even got up early. Luchie kept asking the tour driver if the tour to the Fatima should proceed, given the heavy rains. While inside the tour bus, the rains kept up. But, the moment they alighted the bus, the rains stopped. The sun was bright and the streets were dry. Then and there, she knew she would get the miracle that she prayed for. When they got home, she felt queasy and indeed, the miracle happened, as she became pregnant with Rowell. One more son was to be born five years later, Reggie. *** Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D. writes a weekly column for Asian Journal, called “Rhizomes.” She has been writing for AJ Press for 10 years. She also contributes to Balikbayan Magazine. Her training and experiences are in science, food technology, law and community volunteerism for 4 decades. She holds a B.S. degree from the University of the Philippines, a law degree from Whittier College School of Law in California and a certificate on 21st Century Leadership from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She has been a participant in NVM Writing Workshops taught by Prof. Peter Bacho for 4 years and Prof. Russell Leong. She has travelled to France, Holland, Belgium, Japan, Costa Rica, Mexico and over 22 national parks in the US, in her pursuit of love for nature and the arts.

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 5-8, 2019

SHOWBIZ&STYLE

Journal

Tony Labrusca under fire for allegedly cursing at immigration officers One Facebook post apparently by an immigration officer who was present when the incident KAPAMILYA actor Tony La- happened shared a screenshot of brusca is under the spotlight Tony’s tweet and gave her own once again, this time for alleg- version of the events. “You don’t have a Philippine edly shouting at airport immipassport, not even born in the gration officers. In a now-deleted tweet, Tony Philippines, and not travelling said: “Just landed in Manila and with Filipino parents, but you the Philippine immigration only want the same treatment as gave me 30 days here. LOL. K.” the other former Filipinos. You Screenshots of Facebook even shouted and cursed at my posts by apparent immigration supervisor, bragging that you’re officers have spread online, how- a celebrity. Ang galing mo talaga ever, sharing a different picture umeksena, hindi ka na nahiya sa ibang tao. Sigaw ka ng sigaw sa of what transpired. by Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

harap ng officers,” she wrote on Facebook. Labrusca is an American passport holder. She added that Tony, who was born in the United States, is supposed to only be a tourist in the country as he has no working visa. “The funny thing is, you were so proud to brag that you work here when you’re only supposed to be a tourist here in the Philippines. Tapos may ganito ka pa na post. Palakpakan! For your info, Balikbayan visa is not a working visa. Nakakahiya ka. Period,”

Catriona’s guesting for ‘Live with Kelly and Ryan’ show sold-out by roSette

adel

Philstar.com

Gray is the fourth Filipina to fulfill her Miss Universe duMiss Universe. She flew to ties after spending the holidays New York City on Wednesday with her loved ones.

THE guesting of Miss Universe Catriona Gray for the American morning talk show “Live with Kelly and Ryan” show is already sold-out according to its ticket-selling website. Gray, who just arrived in New York City on Thursday, January 3, to officially begin her reign as Miss Universe, is set to appear on the show on Monday, January 7. This will be her first 2019 television appearance. Entertainment portal website Headline portal said the episode where Gray would be featured would “also welcome ‘Future Man’ star Josh Hutcherson and dietitian Tamara Duker Freuman.” The American talk show is hosted by American actress, dancer and producer Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest who’s known Catriona Gray wears the Mikimoto crown as the 67th Miss Universe. to host “American Idol.” Photos courtesy of Muss Universe Organization

she added. Screenshots also showed Boom Labrusca, Tony’s father, commenting on the post saying: “Hi mam, kung anu man po naging problema, humihingi po ako ng despensa sa inyo... pasensya na po kayo maam, btw nag pm po ako.” Another post which named Tony demanded that he apologize to the immigration officers. “It’s not part of our job to correct the wayward behavior of ill-bred people such as this WIDELY ACCLAIMED AND

HIGHLY HONORED celebrity,” it said. “I strongly believe that he should publicly apologize.” Meanwhile, Boom also posted Thursday on his Facebook page a message about letting cooler heads prevail, seemingly alluding to the incident. “In life, no matter what the situation is cooler heads must prevail,” he said.

Tony Labrusca

Photo from Instagram/@tony.labrusca

B January 5-8, 2019 • La WEEKEnD aSIan JOurnaL

EntErtainmEnt

Kiray Celis excited over ‘new chapter’ in life by Cody Cepeda Inquirer.net

KIRAY Celis is excited and more than ready after flipping over a new leaf as she signed a contract with GMA Network last December. Prior to transferring to GMA, Celis made her name as a child star in ABS-CBN’s

children’s comedy show “Goin’ Bulilit” from 2005 to 2009. She then went on to star in numerous teleseryes such as “Mara Clara” and “100 Days to Heaven.” Celis expressed her excitement over the new chapter in her life via her Instagram on Jan. 3. She shared a photo of

her from the contract signing and expressed her gratefulness to GMA Artist Center for giving her a warm welcome and the chance to continue what she does and loves best. “Excited po ako sa aking bagong kabanata sa aking bu hay,” she wrote. “Salamat sa chance na binigay niyo sa akin Para mas lalo ko maipakita sa mga manunuod kung paano ko pa sila mapapasaya at mapa pangiti.” Celis further shared that she is thankful for the opportunity to showcase a side of her that fans have not yet seen and what she is capable of showing, adding she only wishes to do good work and make people happy. “Hangad ko lang ay trabaho at makapag pasaya ng mga tao,” she said. Celis is slated to guest at various anthologies and series such as “Dear Uge,” “Maynila” and “Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko.” She will also be starring alongside Jennylyn Mercado and Gabby Concepcion in the romantic comedy “Luv U 2.”

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Luis Manzano, Jessy Mendiola air opinions on people disrespecting others on social media by

Katrina haLLare Inquirer.net

LUIS Manzano and Jessy Mendiola have something to say about people being too comfortable on disrespecting others on social media. The couple, who had their own experience of being the subject of social media bashing, shared their respective opinions via the television host’s Instagram photo posted on Thursday, January 3. Manzano’s post read: “Social media has made too many of you comfortable with disrespecting people and not getting punched in the mouth for it.” His post garnered several opinions from his followers including his girlfriend Mendiola. “Unfortunately, they think that it’s okay because they are entitled to their ‘opinion’ and ‘freedom of speech…,’” she shared what she thought why netizens are empowered to bashing. “[But] what these people don’t realize is how much their words can affect one’s life, let alone end one.” Agreeing with Mendiola’s words was a netizen going by @ itsheartsanchez. “[Agree], words are very powerful especially when they use it against other people.” Seeing her concern, Mendiola replied: “Ang daming nagcocomment sakin ‘mamatay ka na’ (I receive many comments saying ‘you should die’). I mean can you imagine?? Where is humanity? I would NEVER wish that on someone else.” While Mendiola got sympathy, Manzano got told by someone going by @joem_redecilla. “Including you by resharing

Jessy Mendiola and Luis Manzano

those vids (videos) that seem funny for you but a shame for those who are on it,” he told the television host, who has had a habit of sharing humorous, and at times embarrassing, videos on his Instagram wall. Manzano did not let the netizen’s comment pass by replying: “while the people in the videos also send me DMs (direct messages) laughing about the post.” “I have had people DM for

Photo from Instagram/@luckymanzano

me to take down a post for one reason or another, I simply apologize and do it,” Manzan went on. “Other people even laugh and thank me for sharing their funny vid or moment.” In a joint guesting on”Tonight with Boy Abunda” in November 2017, Manzano gave a message to their detractors when asked about how they deal with the hate they receive on cyberspace: “Hanggang internet lang kayo (The internet is all you got).”

Kiray Celis Photo from Instagram/@kiraycelis

Bianca Umali

Photo from Instagram/@bianxa

Bianca Umali taps her inner Badjao by Lhar

Santiago ManilaTimes.net

BIANCA Umali literally gets wet as 2019 begins. This is the demand of her character in her new series “Sahaya.” In the story, she plays the role of a Badjao woman who grew up doing the open-sea diving. That is where she, along with other Badjao women, get their livelihood. But as fate would have it, she would leave the place of her birth and go to the big city. In Manila, she experiences new challenges in life, things she never thought would change her views in life. “But even when already in the city, she will never allow her values to be destroyed. She will keep the Badjao values and culture in her heart. Ipaglalaban niya yun,” Bianca revealed. In Sahaya, Bianca will be involved in a love triangle with her loveteam Miguel Tanfelix and Migo Adecer. They have already shot the teaser of the

series and Bianca is happy that she is working with people that she is comfortable with. “Like kami ni Miguel, we have been working together for six years. We already know the working style and habits of each other kaya wala kaming magi ging problema.” Preparing for Sahaya is not easy for Bianca. She will have to learn new things for her to be very believable as a Badjao woman. “I have to enroll in swimming class. Although I have been doing scuba diving for three years, I still have to take up lessons in open-sea diving. Kailangan pu wede akong makatagal sa ilalim ng tubig because ganun ang mga Badjao. Not only that, I also have to learn Badjao phrases. I am also trying to learn a Badjao dance called pangalay. That is why I am super excited for this project.” This year seems to be another banner year for Bianca. Besides her new series, she is also the

female endorser of Ardeur perfume line. She was launched as its endorser before Christmas. “Meron akong favorite scent na akin lang. It’s not sweet or fruity and yet it’s not strong. I don’t share it with anyone but I shared it with Ardeur. Gusto ko kasi pag nagendorse ako ng mga product like perfume, I want it to be very personal to me,” she explained. It’s not only in her acting career that Bianca will be busy this 2019. She is breaking this good news to her fans through Showbuzz: Bianca is now a recording artist! She is the newest member of the GMA Records family as she signed a recording contract with the Kapuso record label. “I will be recording my first song first quarter of this year. They are just choosing the song that I will record and then present it to me. I leave it to my bosses at GMA Records because they are the experts in recording,” she excitedly shared to Showbuzz.

What makes it easy for Jak and Barbie to keep relationship strong by

oLiver M. puLuMbarit Inquirer.net

ACTOR Jak Roberto will work alongside real-life girlfriend Barbie Forteza in the coming Kapuso series, “Kara Mia.” How, exactly, would the dynamic be between the former “Meant to Be” costars, now that the show will likely depend on the believability of their offscreen romance? “I’m very excited,” Jak, whose character in “Meant to Be” ultimately didn’t end up with Barbie’s, told the Inquirer. “It’s been a while since we did ‘Meant to Be,’ where there were four of us actors who were being paired with her.” Making viewers believe that they’re together in the new show PAGE B3

Barbie Forteza and Jak Roberto

Photo from Instagram/@jakroberto

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 5-8, 2019

Heart Evangelista’s dog impresses with expensive Hermes scarf by

Katrina haLLare Inquirer.net

A JOURNEY THAT FELT LIKE GOING “TO HELL AND BACK” REACHES A HAPPY CONCLUSION WITH ATTY. MICHAEL J. GURFINKEL’S HELP. Roselyn (center) married her U.S. citizen husband and acquired her green card. Unfortunately, their love did not last forever, and Roselyn left her abusive husband. Unknowingly, she became involved in felony forgery – a crime that made her subject to deportation. When she applied for citizenship, it was denied because of this past crime. After hiring three other attorneys and consulting with Atty. Gurfinkel at least four times, Roselyn decided to finally retain leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel. Watch this success story on how Roselyn retained her green card, terminated her deportation, and paved the way for her naturalization in an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)

Kylie Padilla all set for acting comeback by Lhar

Santiago ManilaTimes.net

THE year 2019 signals Kylie Padilla’s comeback to starring in primetime series. She has started taping for the rom-com “TODA One I Love,” which pairs her once again with one of her favorite leading men, Ruru Madrid. Doing a rom-com series is something new for Kylie since she has always been assigned to doing heavy drama projects. “When I was told that I will be doing a light romantic-comedy series, I got so excited. I have been wanting to do something like this. Gusto ko na medyo kakaiba naman, yung hindi masyadong heavy and this series is the answer to my wish,” Kylie told Showbuzz. She plays the role of a tricycle driver in the series. Having been exposed to hardships in life, her character has learned to be tough, some kind of street smart. “I love my character. She’s really down-to-earth. Hindi siya reyna. I’m kinda like that in real life, sobrang down-to-earth, hindi rin madaling sumuko. I really identify with my character in that aspect. Masaya lang talaga gumanap sa ganyang type ng character,” she said. Being reunited with Ruru is very much welcome for Kylie too. Their strong chemistry was proven in “Encantadia.” “I’m happy that I’m working again with Ruru. I like working with people na comfortable ako and Ruru is one of them. Maganda siyang katrabaho, very professional. Dito sa TODA One I Love, I’m sure we will have a great time working.” Now that she is married and

Kylie Padilla

has a baby, Kylie’s priority has changed. Family comes first followed by her career. “I will always have my family, specially baby Alas on top of my priority list. Now that I am starting a new series, Aljur and I have agreed that there should always be a parent who will look after Alas. Pag may work ako, he will take care of our baby. If he’s the one who’s working, I will be the one to stay with Alas,” Kylie enthused. What makes Kylie happier is the fact that her dad Robin Padilla and her husband Aljur A br e n i c a a r e n o w i n go o d terms. She can now heave a sigh of relief. “I want everything sa buhay namin ni Aljur na maayos. I will continue fighting for it. I want a

PAGE B2 would feel like witnessing a new tandem altogether, he said: “It took time before she and I were put in a show together again, and that’s in ‘Magpakailanman.’ We felt the clamor of the viewers that we should work together again. The episode rated well. So, this time, I know they’re very excited to see us again.” Maintaining a romantic bond between them was easy, apart from the fact that they’re both celebrities, Jak said. “There’s trust and respect. Photo from Instagram/@kylienicolepadilla I’ve always believed in those, to peaceful life with him. We are make a relationship last,” conso happy with our life together fided Jak, who also appeared this especially now that we have year in the drama “Contessa” Alas. Family is number one for me,” Kylie said firmly. This 2019, Kylie will have her hands full. Now that she is back to making regular series, she will be very busy with its promotion. She already has scheduled mall tours, radio and TV guestings, press conferences and interviews. “I really expect my schedule to be fuller this year but I’m not complaining. I’m actually happy with how things are turning out. Masaya ako sa career ko, masaya ako sa family ko. No reason to complain but have every reason to be thankful,” she shared with that familiar sweet smile.

Ogie Diaz asks netizens about John Lloyd Cruz, Ellen Adarna’s rumored wedding MiLo Severo Philstar.com

KAPAMILYA host Ogie Diaz asked his followers about the rumored wedding of on leave Kapamilya actor John Lloyd Cruz and his girlfriend Ellen Adarna. In his Facebook account, Ogie said he’s happy for his former co-actors in the sitcom “Home Sweetie Home” if the rumor that the couple tied the knot last December 23 is true. “Ikinasal na daw sina Ellen

Heart Evangelista with her dog Panda

around 20,000 likes and 14,000 shares as of this writing. This was not the first time the actress’ fashion choices made the rounds on social media. Previously netizens spoofed their

Photo from Instagram/@iamhearte

own “outfit of the day” (OOTD) when going out for errands after Evangelista chose a Martin Bautista blue gown as her outfit to buy corned beef at a grocery store.

What makes it easy for Jak and...

According to previous reports, Ogie Diaz played “cupid” in the blossoming romance of John Lloyd Cruz and Ellen Adarna on the set of “Home Sweetie Home.” Photo from Instagram/@ogiie_diaz

by Jan

HEART Evangelista is known not only for being fashion-savvy but also for her immense love for dogs. And it appears that the actress passed on her love for all things fashionable to her furry friends, one of which was seen sporting an expensive scarf on Instagram on Thursday, January 3. Evangelista shared a photo of herself and one of her dogs, an Aspin named Panda, whom she affectionately called as her “mini-me.” “We are really starting to look alike!” the actress said. The photo showed Panda donned a blue top, a brown collar and a colorful silk scarf. However, one netizen pointed out that the dog’s accessory was like no other, as it was from the luxury brand Hermes. A certain Myrtle Mydel Cahayon made her own research and found that Panda’s scarf has a high price tag, selling for $780 or P40,560 (around P40,973 in today’s conversion, as of this writing.) “Ito na naman si Mareng Heart para ipamuka satin na mahirap tayo (Here’s Heart again making us feel poor),” Cahayon joked about Evangelista’s accessory choice. “Gusto ko din maging puppy (I want to be a puppy too).” The netizen’s post garnered

at JLC nung Dec. 23 kasabay ng binyag ng anak nila? True ba? #HappyForThem. #IfTrue,” Ogie wrote. According to previous reports, Ogie played “cupid” in Ellen and John Lloyd’s blossoming romance on the set of the said sitcom. The veteran host was John Lloyd’s boss in the show. Since John Lloyd filed an indefinite leave from showbiz in October 2017 and left the sitcom, Ogie’s character was also omitted. Last Christmas, netizens were

looking for John Lloyd in Ellen’s family photos because the actor was noticeably missing in them. John Lloyd and Ellen have been in showbiz hiatus for over a year now and are yet to release a statement on a possible comeback. Ellen gave birth to their son last June as confirmed by her lawyer. She is still facing a child abuse and cybercrime case filed by the mother of the teenage girl she accused as a “paparazzi.”

and the fantasy series “Super Ma’am.” “We have many things in common. We don’t go out at night. We both like movies and dining out, with her parents. I’m so happy that we’re in one project, since we’ll see each other more often.” When asked about his favorite career milestone so far, Jak, who cohosted “Walang Tulugan with the Master Showman” in 2011, responded, “Maybe when I was given the nickname ‘Pambansang Abs.’ It’s a big thing for me. Not everybody is given that ‘title.’ And I’m lucky to have one. And because of this, I have shows now.” Known for that moniker for

over two years now, the 25year-old actor has gotten used to being shirtless onscreen. But, keeping those abdominal muscles in top form is a steady challenge, he shared: “I always make it a point to visit the gym regularly. Even when there are many tapings, I’d find the time [to work out]. Other than that, I do boxing to maintain my physique.” Despite the rigorous fitness sessions, he is allowed a break from them, from time to time. What food does he enjoy during his “cheat days”? “Ramen and Japanese buffet,” Jak unhesitatingly disclosed.

B4 JANUARY 5-8, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Health@Heart PHILIP S. CHUA, MD, FACS, FPCS ONE of the major factors or enhancing conditions in disease formation is tension/stress. This could be emotional or psychologic stress, or stress from an unhealthy lifestyle, exposure to chemicals, radiation, or other toxic agents in our environment. Stress, induces thickening of blood and predisposes a person to clot formation in arteries and veins, which increases the risk for heart attack, stroke, and thrombophlebitis in the legs that could send blood clots to the lungs, a life-threatening condition called pulmonary embolus. Stress, just like lack of physical exercise, believe it or not, stress is also a significant factor in the development of cancer. For one thing, stress produces hormones that aggravate and magnify stress itself, reduce the level of happy hormones in us, and weakens our immune system. This lowers our resistance to prevent and fight diseases. Living a healthy lifestyle, which includes relaxation and stress reduction strategy, is like taking good care of any household appliance or electronic gadget, or of our vehicles with regular tune-up and oil change, to reduce stress and premature wear and tear and break-down. Severe emotional stress could lead to mental breakdown. When I was a teenager in Quezon City, I knew of a 30-yearold female neighbor who was severely heart-broken when her American boyfriend left her because her parents rejected him. She literally went crazy and became insane and had to be institutionalized. Indeed, stress could be seriously harmful to our body. We live in a complex, hurried and stress-laden society. The carousel of life spins so fast we sometimes can’t get off and get confused with our priorities and goals. In this world of instant this and instant that, of split-second email, express grocery checkout counters, drive-up fast food, pharmacy and banking, people give high fi ves instead of the old-fashioned handshake, and friendly conversation is reduced to “Hi!” and “Bye.” Everyone seems to be in a hurry. People can’t even say “Just a second, please.” They now say “Just a sec,” to save a split second of time. Everything is now, now, now. I have been so guilty of this

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myself, they call me “Dr. Karon” (Dr. Now) in Cebu. Instead of mailing handwritten letters, we now transmit email messages with lightning speed, domestic and international. The whole world has shrunken smaller and it seems even the hour has been reduced to less than 60 minutes, and the minute to less than 60 seconds. We are all in a rat race. Sometimes, no time for visiting our parents, friends and other loved ones. No time for exercises or R & R. No time for contemplation and soul-searching. No time to appreciate and smell the flowers along the way. No time to commune with nature. Simply no time, except for the wild and dizzying ride in the fast lane of today’s society. For Christmas, a husband and wife colleagues of mine in Cebu gave me four books, among other gifts, when I left for the United States to spend the holidays with my family almost 20 years ago. One of these books was entitled “STOPPING.” Reading that book while on my international flight opened my mind and my eyes, and provided me a wiser perspective in life, one that I never had the time to stop for and realize. Looking back, from the time I stepped out of high school and the 18 years of college, medical schooling, internship, residency training and fellowship that followed, and then the hectic medical practice thereafter, I was always on the expressway of my life. Somehow, the speedy lane was the only path and direction I knew. I was caught in the vicious cycle of work, work and work, unwittingly sacrificing the beauty of life itself. It now seems that part of my life had passed me by as I was whirling away, barely noticing it. Not experiencing every minute of our life and savoring its beauty and wonders is really missing it all. And it would indeed be a great pity if, in the twilight years of our life, we woke up one morning and wondered “where have the all years gone by? Did I enjoy life to the fullest, or did I miss it all?”

the habit we have developed over the years had conditioned our mind and body to “full speed ahead,” and reducing the pace only leads to a poor compromise. What we have to do is to just STOP as I have just learned from that book. At least to reorient our bearings in life and review our priorities. Stress is a natural force in life. There is no one exempt from stress. It is how each of us handles it that makes the difference on its impact. Dealt with properly, stress could be positive; it could be an inspiration for us to be better persons or drive us to perform more efficiently to achieve our best. This double-edged sword could certainly be used positively, wisely. Stopping the vicious cycle of work, work, work does not mean quitting work altogether. All we simply have to do is to punctuate at a pre-scheduled intervals this unending circle of work with “nonwork-related, fun-filled, pure-play” activities we have always wanted to do alone, or with our loved ones, “if we only had the time.” Time management is not limited to our job, even in this mega-trendy times. It also applies, and more appropriately so, to our life and to our happiness. After all, we are here on earth to be fulfilled and to be happy. And happiness is not the destination in life. Happiness is the journey itself. Let’s enjoy it to the fullest. Savor Life Let us not hurry to our graves by casting recklessly our fate. Not much time to abuse and waste, let all the empty gravesites wait. Savor life’s overflowing cup and every second we have left. Time pauses not for any man Mortals can’t amend God’s plan. (PSC Houston 1972) ***

BY MONET

THE time has come when stripes and sheer fabrics were “a thing of the past” — or the past year (2018), so to speak. As we welcome the year 2019, we look forward to the latest fashion trends and forecast that soon to invade the fashion scene. In this week’s column, I’d like to take a moment to share with you what I believe is going to be so “in” in 2019. Futuristic and fl ashy materials are set to make a debut this year. One example would be refl ective sportswear. The material that was reserved nighttime bikers and runners is now a major fashion statement. Fashion photographers have spotted Bella Hadid and Gigi Hadid wearing athletic suits with an iridescent hue. Sequins are also in this year. There is a multitude of ways to wear them, but I suggest you opt for a more gently beaded style. And since we are on the subject of seeing much of these patterns and materials this year, I thank the fashion gods for allowing cycling shorts and/or short shorts to say farewell – about time! This year, sensible (meaning: looser) shorts will be stealing the show. Taking a cue from cycling shorts that are making its way out in 2019, skinny jeans are also set to be a thing of the past. Now, after mom and straight-leg denim reigned 2018, wide-leg silhouettes are making their way to the forefront. The tie waist details are also very trendy lately. While seatbelts on tops and dresses aren’t new, the tie waists on trousers, skirts and denim feel fresh and chic. They are easy to style with crop tops and tucked-in blouses. Paper bag waists are a key detail as well. The flirty ruffled skirts as well as wrap style miniskirts and Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac pencil midi styles that feature Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and ruffles, tiers, and flounces will chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to also be making a scene. The Stopping is the way to get 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, more details, the better. Oh, back to the right track in life and where he holds the title of Physician and puffed shoulders and pleats to have a life. Although in a zip Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, are back! and zoom modes, we sometimes Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American Looks like bold is the way have to put the brakes on, even if College of Surgeons, the Philippine College to go because bold and bright the inertia throws us overboard of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley colors are now invading us like and wakes us up. Stopping the Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the never before. The fearless hues vertiginous circus, in order to chairman of the Filipino United Network live again, seems to be the saner – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation and healthier way. For many of in the United States. For more data, visit us it might be difficult to simply philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail. “slow down” gradually, because com by MYLAH DE LEON

MOONLIGHTING

Change in lifestyle tops celebs’ priorities for the New Year by

Fashion forward: The trends of 2019

Tension and diseases

MARY ANN BAUTISTA Inquirer.net

ALONG with the New Year come new beginnings, a new hope and, for others, a fresh start. We asked some celebrities what their resolutions are for 2019. Ruru Madrid: I will focus more on my career, work harder and take better care of myself. I’m already 21, so I need to be more fit, healthier and eat what’s good for my body. Sophie Albert: My New Year’s resolution is to be wiser about the way I spend my time and try harder to live a positive and meaningful life in 2019. Joyce Pring: This 2019, I want Devon Seron to manage my time better and also, to start packing light. My everyday bag weighs a ton because of all the stuff I carry around on a regular basis, so I want to be able to organize that. Devon Seron: I want to be more productive, exercise more, eat healthy food, read books and spend more time with my loved ones. Inah De Belen: My New Year’s resolution is to be a better version of myself. I want to make better decisions in my life, work out again and sleep early. I also want to explore more aspects of my craft, which is acting, and prepare for the projects I will be Inah De Belen doing soon. Jackie Rice: I will try my best not to eat pork or, at least, lessen its consumption. For health reasons na din. Although may patikim-tikim pa rin, kasi masarap ang chicharon, lechon, especially during the holidays, kaya isa siya sa challenges para sa akin. Paul Salas: I will try to sleep early and practice being a morning person. I’d like to be able to do more for the day. And I know waking up early is also good for the body. Pauline Mendoza: I want to welcome the New Year with a fresh start. My resolution is to love and take care of myself more. I will enjoy life, and be more contented and appreciative of what I have and of what I will receive. Joyce Pring

GMA photo

Jackie Rice

IN every wish there will be glimpses of kind virtues, to encourage and console. It could be something modest or even mundane, something fantastic or utterly practical. It can take you to the other side of the world or a walk around the corner. Wishing makes it easier to believe in happiness than pain – be it from daydreams, fantasies or castles in the air to aspirations which drive us forward and impel us to make things happen. It can also be from recognizable goals to grand pipe dreams, and everything in between. Looking into our record of wish lists, we realize how they reveal a lot of ourselves. Our wishes come straight from the core — it is about who we are or who we can become. An energetic wishlist propels us to go after our happiness, whether in doing something

Sophie Albert

will be a trend in 2019 and are expected to grow and glow throughout the year. Also, be on the lookout for vertical stripes and pastels (yes, in that combination), they will be out there in your favorite neighborhood boutiques! Spring/summer is the season of stripes, more specifically, vertical stripes. When teamed with the aforementioned ruffles and tie-waist details, it creates a fun, embellished look for summer. Color trends are all over the map, but one major theme stood out. I spotted a wide variety of pastels including mint, lavender, blush, mauve, banana, lilac, and peach and neon! I yes, you read that right - NEON! As I’ve said earlier, these vibrant hues and bold patterns are back with a bang! I wouldn’t want to break the momentum, so I just have to say it one more time that more colors are set to conquer 2019. A perfect example would be the colorful camouflage prints that are bound to be in our closets for a foreseeable future. While florals, stripes, and gingham are standard spring/summer print staples, camouflage is emerging in colorful and embroidered versions for a modern take on the military-inspired style. To contrast that, a throwback of tie-dye designs is also taking on the trend this year. Fashion staples such as cowboy boots, woven bags, oversized hats and fashion flats are also showing off in 2019. Cowboy boots are a must-have.

Whether you go all out with the knee-high version or swap out your ankle boots for a pair like Jaime King’s, you’ll show your fashion prowess with this celebloved trend. Jacquemus La Bomba hats and the likes of it are looking to be a cult status in 2019. Woven Straw Bags and the straw/acrylic handbag craze launched by Cult Gaia’s ubiquitous Ark bag in 2017 continue with new styles that include round shapes, ring handles, and picnic-inspired silhouettes. And before I forget, fancy stiletto heels will be bidding us goodbye for now, because, the flats are here to stay – yes, finally! There you have it, my dear readers: a list of things you are most likely to be wearing this year – me, included. And while these are merely predictions and suggestions, I still recommend the best fashion statement of all time – and that is to wear what brings out the best in you. Happy fashionable 2019 to everyone! May you all have a fruitful year ahead. *** Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, awardwinning celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of Monet Salon salons across Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Ultimately, Monet is known as an all-around artiste who produces sold-out fashion and awards shows as well as unforgettable marketing campaigns. Monet is also the founder of the revolutionary all-natural beauty products such as Enlighten, your solution to discoloration . To contact Monet, please visit www.monetsalon.com or email him at monetsalon@aol.com

The 2019 wishlist

generous or something for yourself. It sets our goals from January 1st to our achievements to December 31st. There’s the wish to accept my life for what it is and to embrace it; live within my limitations; identify what really is my mission in life. To experiment with life by mixing ingredients and trying new formulas, accepting that pain and disappointment are parts of life but don’t diminish it. To acknowledge my weakness as I try to lower my life’s expectations. To stop being judgmental, overcoming all the sorrows life may have in store for me; to stop rudeness when I see it or when I do it. I wish I could write my novel before I’m 80 and win respect for what I am and not for what I’ve done. As I try to see things through the images of those around me. I’ll concentrate on the substance of their inner quality, conquer and put my faith in reason—if I could ask God one important question. I wish I could speak more eloquently, with my actions more than the intelligence of words. I wish I

could repair one’s broken heart, overcome the difficulty in a relationship and leave a legacy of good feeling. I wish I could mind my own business, overcome my impudence, know that I can overlook by creating rather than complaining. I wish for clear judgment before the allure of words, to beat my deadline and not to give grief to my editor. I wish I could look good without makeup, confront anxiety with grace and humor, and do laughing medications. I wish I could not just meet but exceed expectations of people I love. Your wish list is the accumulated profile of your changing views of happiness, your own evolving values and your own fulfillment. I wish all my wishes could come true — careful of what I wish for. But if there’s something very clear about New Year’s, we can all look on the brighter side and celebrate hope, and the lengthening of each day from this point promises the vital return of spring. *** E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl@ aol.com

GMA photo

Paul Salas

GMA photo

A collage of some fashion trends we’ll see in 2019.

GMA photo

Ruru Madrid

ABS-CBN photo

GMA photo

Pauline Mendoza

GMA photo

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Moira dela Torre calls out heckler: May you learn to love yourself by Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

KAPAMILYA singer Moira dela Torre cried foul on a rude spectator who called her names during a yearend concert held at Marikina Sports Center. In her Twitter account, Moira shared her experience with a male concert-goer who was shouting at and calling her ugly and fat. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To the rude kuya shouting â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ang taba mo laki mo moira panget tabaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; while i was performing last night..i was so tempted to look at you & give you a piece of my mind. But i didnt want anyone feeling how you made me feel. Even you,â&#x20AC;? the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Malayaâ&#x20AC;? singer wrote. Moira added that â&#x20AC;&#x153;women are beautiful whatever size and may i be the last person you disrespect like that.â&#x20AC;? She also wished the heckler a good year ahead of him and that he may learn to love himself. â&#x20AC;&#x153;May you learn to love yourself enough that you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to bring people down just to feel â&#x20AC;&#x153;funnyâ&#x20AC;? or important. If ur reading this, i hope next year show-

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL â&#x20AC;˘ JANUARy 5-8, 2019

Maine Mendoza a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;brave, strong role modelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Lang Leav by Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

Moira dela Torre

ers you love. Happy new year,â&#x20AC;? she said. In another post, Moira said sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happy with how the concert turned out despite the incident. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But anywaaaay, i got to meet

Photo from Instagram/@moirarachelle

69,999 amazing people last night! Our biggest show to date and we had so much fun. Maraming maraming salamat MarikeĂąos! Thank you for ending 2018 w us!!!â&#x20AC;? she wrote.

NOVELIST and poet Lang Leav described Kapuso actress Maine Mendoza as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;braveâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;strong role model for all women.â&#x20AC;? In Maineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New Year post on Instagram, the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Eat Bulagaâ&#x20AC;? host said 2018 was one of her memorable years yet as she quoted the Cambodian-Australian novelist and poet, â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stay where you are needed. Go where you are loved.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; - Lang Leavâ&#x20AC;? Lang commented on Maineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s post, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Such a brave, strong role model for all women. Sending you lots of love Maine. Happy 2019. Keep shining.â&#x20AC;? From being an online sensation with her dubmash videos to being paired with Alden Richards in the hit noontime show, Maine has taken a solo career. Maine said she â&#x20AC;&#x153;took all the lessons learned from my mistakes and difficult times last year to make 2018 one of the best, most memorable years yet.â&#x20AC;? The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Phenomenal Starâ&#x20AC;? said sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s glad to have finally moved on from toxic energy and people who used to drain her.

Marco Gumabao in his own pace

Actor shares thoughts on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Aurora,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; transfer to Viva and co-star Diego Loyzaga by

arlo CuStodio ManilaTimes.net

MARCO Gumabao decided to transfer management from Star Magic to Viva simply because he wanted to explore and get a harder push on his acting career. Auspiciously, he immediately got a big project from his new outift via the Metro Manila Film Festival 2018 entry, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Aurora,â&#x20AC;? starring Anne Curtis. While waiting for his and costarsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; turn to ride their Aurora float at the festivalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Parade of Stars, the 24-year-old actor sat down with The Manila Times and proudly introduced his movie. Gumabao said he already saw Aurora twice, but appreciated the chills and the depth of the story on his second viewing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Masarap ulit-ulitin, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a totally different experience every time

you watch it, and the more you watch it mas nagiging together ka with the movie,â&#x20AC;? he shared with a hint of pride. Relating to his role as Ricky, ex-boyfriend of Leana (Curtis), the hunky son of Dennis Roldan (Mitchell Gumabao in real life) said that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also helpful like his character. Not much into the bounty to find dead bodies from the shipwreck that ran aground and hit the rocky shore near the house of Leana, his character did what he was asked to do as pay back for his debt of gratitude to Leana. Agreeing that the horror is muted, Gumabao said that Aurora is a mixture of suspence, thrill and drama sans the shouting, loud sounds or wailing. Besides working on a refreshing type of horror offering for MMFF, Gumabao told The Ma-

nila Times he is thankful for the chance to work with Curtis. Both artists starred in the 2013 TV drama â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kailangan Koâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;y Ikawâ&#x20AC;? but were never able to share a scene together. Five years later, they spent ample time together shooting their scenes along with other cast members in idyllic Batanes. Sad for Diego Loyzagaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;demiseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Without directly answering the issue of what really happened on the reported suicide attempt of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Los Bastardosâ&#x20AC;? co-star Diego Loyzaga, Gumabao only mustered that they are sad to have lost one brother in the teleserye. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In fact the scene that we shot for his â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;burialâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; has already been aired. We just wish him the best,â&#x20AC;? he said. It could be remembered that in separate interviews during the earlier promotion of the movie,

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Marco Gumabao Photo from Instagram/@gumabaomarco

Gumabao related how he found the news through his make-up artist. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was 2 a.m. when I called my other brothers [Jake Cuenca and Albie CasiĂąo]. We were all worried, we were scared what could happen. Lima kaming magkakapatid at mababawasan kami ng isa. It was really hard to accept na wala na talaga yung isang kapatid namin,â&#x20AC;? he related. The fifth brother is newcomer Joshua Colet. He further shared that they miss Loyzaga on the show and

Novelist and poet Lang Leav Photo from Instagram/@langleav

Kapuso actress Maine Mendoza Photo from Instagram/@mainedcm

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am happier now than I have ever been and am incredibly blessed with so many wonderful things - from the very start of the year until today. Couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be more grateful for everything! I am just so so glad to have finally moved on from the toxic energy and people that used to drain me - the best

realisation and resolution still,â&#x20AC;? she wrote. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cheers to a great year! And may we always find the courage to let go of whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weighing us down. Hoping 2019 is even more exciting and fruitful for all of us. Happy New Year, everyone!â&#x20AC;? she added.

that they all want to reach out to him. Now that the son of Cesar Montano and Teresa Loyzaga is going through a rough road, he is sending out the message that they are always around for him. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been friends for long. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m here for him and I wish him well,â&#x20AC;? he said. Relating to his personal challenge â&#x20AC;&#x201D; his dad was convicted for kidnapping for ransom and is currently in prison â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Gumabao said that he handles his problem by drawing strength from God. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I always go to church and pray whenever I have problems. I actually told Jake that when everything is already okay with Diego, I will invite all of them to church,â&#x20AC;? he said. Gumabao was supposed to visit his dad at the New Bilibid Prison on the day of this interview but had to put it off until after the holidays due to the demands of promoting the movie, which as of this writing is said to be running third in gross receipts after â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fantasticaâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jack Em Popoy.â&#x20AC;? Grateful to Star Magic Finally, sharing with The Ma-

nila Times updates on his career, Gumabao said he will always be grateful to Star Magic, which handled his career for the past five years. Initially hesitant to leave the talent management arm of ABSCBN, he averred that it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the pace he wanted. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I told them, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I have to try new things, under a new management siguro,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; and they understood naman. I will always be thankful to Mr. M (chairman emeritus Johnny Manahan), Mariol Alberto, my handler and everyone at Star Magic for what they have done to me. Umalis ako na walang bad blood [between us], and everything is fine with us,â&#x20AC;? he said. He reitarated that he believes in step-by-step process, not wanting to have overnight success. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I believe in the traditional â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;step one, step two, step three.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Mahirap if from step one, you jump so high, baka mabigla ka, baka youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not ready whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s given to you next. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m now happy with the pace of my career, and I hope and pray na magtuloy-tuloy ito,â&#x20AC;? he concluded.

B January 5-8, 2019 • La WEEKEnD aSIan JOurnaL

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 5-8, 2019

COMMUNITY Journal

New Year wishes for families Stock market benchmark indices THE holidays are a time for being with family. I was reminded of that recently when I accompanied a client to his interview for his green card. When I asked him if he had plans for the holidays, his face lit up. “Oh yes” he replied, “I’m going home to be with my son and my grandchildren”. His eyes shown when he talked about the presents he was going to bring his grandchildren and how they would come running to greet him. He smiled when he talked about being able to enjoy having them sit on his lap. I returned his smile, happy to be able to have brought such happiness to my client on the eve of the holidays. I thought about how many families travel great distances at this time of year to be together. Families feel the pull to be together at this time of the year more than at most other times. They want to share their religious observances. They want to feel united. They want to greet the new year together and share their hope that the next year will be better than the last. Then I thought of the families who cannot be together for the holidays this year. I thought of the U.S. citizens who face a draconian choice resulting from the denial of their spouse’s waiver for using someone else’s name to come to the U.S. These people are forced to choose between separating from a loving and loved spouse in order to remain in the United States and care for an old or sick parent or leaving that parent in order to accompany their beloved spouse to her country of birth. I thought of the immigrants who made a mistake years, or even decades ago, that resulted in a criminal conviction, and are now facing removal even though they have been good and responsible citizens since they paid their debt to society. I thought of the people who have been waiting for years for the priority date on their family or employment petition to become current so that they could

“ We are a nation of immigrants. We value families and recognize the benefit of family reunification. We acknowledge that those who flee their country of birth seeking refuge and safety on these shores value freedom and liberty to a degree that those born here do not always do. We understand that immigrants bring skills and a desire to improve their lives and that, in bringing that desire to fruition, they create businesses and more jobs and opportunities for other immigrants and citizens.” obtain status and live legally in the U.S. with their families. I thought of the people who went home for an immigrant visa interview and are trapped by bureaucratic red tape or incorrect interpretations of laws. I also thought of those who are living in fear of what the future will bring. We are a nation of immigrants. We value families and recognize the benefit of family reunification. We acknowledge that those who flee their country of birth seeking refuge and safety on these shores value freedom and liberty to a degree that those born here do not always do. We understand that immigrants bring skills and a desire to improve their lives and that, in bringing that desire to fruition, they create businesses and more jobs and opportunities for other immigrants and citizens. We recognize that, while some non-citizens may occasionally misstep, the vast majority of those who come to this country are a true benefit to America and we are lucky to have them. We must work together to improve the lives of those living in this land. Reuniting families, keeping families together and ensuring opportunity for all must be the overriding priority of all immigration laws. It has always been RILG’s goal to help families legally live to-

gether in the United States. We are pleased that our firm has been able to help as many people as we have. However, we recognize that more needs to be done. The laws passed by Congress and the policies brought forth from the Executive Branch must reflect a recognition that this country has always benefitted by welcoming immigrants. All of us at RILG pledge that, in 2019, we will continue to work to help reunite families in the United States. Best wishes for a Happy, Healthy New Year for families everywhere. *** REEVES IMMIGRATION LAW GROUP is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration fi rms in the United States with offi ces in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manila and China. For more Information please call (800) 795- 8009 or visit www.rreeves.com. Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com Website: www.rreeves.com. *** The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case. (Advertising Supplement)

(Medjugorje, Zagreb, Poland, Budapest, Hungary, Prague CZ) Medjugorje, Black Madonna, Croatia, Budapest, Hungary, Kalwaria, Krakow, Divine Mercy, Czestochowa, Auschwitz, Wadowice, Legnica, Prague, CZ Sept 14 to 26, 2019 Spiritual Director: Rev Chin van Dang will visit the new museum of St. John II. Wadowice site is connected to St. John Sept 14, 2019 (Sat) Day 1 Our Pilgrimage begins with a transatlantic journey from Los Angeles Internation- Paul II. The first obvious choice is the house of 7 Koscielna Street where the future Vicar of Christ was born and raised. The Place has been turned to a mual Airport to Split, Croatia seum and the exhibits comprises of Wojtyla Family’s former possessions such Sept 15, 2019 (Sun) Day 2 - Split, Croatia/Medjugorje, B.H as an oven, a shelf, a table, tableware, a laundry basket, family pictures as well We go through Immigration protocol, Collect our luggage, meet our guide. Coach as personal belongings of Father Wojtyla, a rucksack, a cape, a prayer book, etc. is waiting for us, with our guide, to take us to Medjugorje for Dinner/overnight You will find photos from three (3) visits to Wadowice as the Pope, in an exhibit. The building is situated in the town, near the baroque Church of the Presentation Sept 16 & 17, 2019 (Mon & Tues) Day 3 & 4 - Medjugorje, B.H We will have daily breakfast and dinner at our hotel. every morning at 10:00 of the Blesed Virgin Mary at the Central Square. Possibly even more important am. We will assemble at St. James Church to attend Holy Eucharist celebrated is the nearby church itself as the future John Paul II grew up in its shadow, in English. After Mass will meet with our local guide ,to discuss our daily activi- was baptized a Catholic and later confirmed in it, served as an altar boy and ties. Will climb the Apparition Hill (Mt Podbrdo) to see the places marked by the prayed daily here ,before its miraculous picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. crosses where in June 1981 Our Lady was first reported to appear to the children. The church’s Gothic chancel dates from 15th century while the late-Baroque The next morning we will climb the steep Holy Cross Mountain (Mt Krizevac) nave and aisles were built in the 1790’s. The left aisle contains a baptismal font for devotions and take in the Panorama of Medjugorje below. Free Time to join where the baby Karol Wojtyla was baptized. Also, the high school where young the nightly adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Confession with multiple Priest Karol Wojtyla was educated has remained in place. Next, we will continue to see during the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Please avail yourself to receive this the infamous former Nazi concentration camp in AUSCHWITZ BIRKENAU, as well as its on-site museum. The site remains a chilling reminder of the holocaust. Sacrament. Transfer to Czestochowa. Dinner and overnight Czestochowa. Sept 18, 2019 (Wed) Day 5 - Zagreb/Budapest, Hungary Early morning, we leave for Zagreb , will have early lunchbreak continue visit Sept 24, 2019 (Tues) Day 11 - Czestochowa/Legnica/Prague,CZ Marija Bistrica, it is a town in central Croatia, located in the slopes of the Med- After Breakfast, we attend the Holy Eucharist at JASNA GORA, a monastery vednica Mountain. There is an Old Marian Shrine of Black Madonna visited by in Czestochowa which withstood the repeated onslaught of overwhelming hundreds of thousands of Pilgrims. We will celebrate Mass and after the Mass Swedish Forces, during the religious wars of the 17th Century. Since then , its BLACK MADONNA has been venerated as the “Queen of Poland”. We Celebrate we will continue to Budapest. Holy Eucharist in the Black Madonna Chapel, Fully Escorted visit of the treasury Sept 19, 2019 (Thurs) Day 6 - Budapest, Hungary Museum and other part of the Monastery .Then, we drive to Legnica, city in the Spend the day with a local expert, who will explain the history and sights of southwestern Poland. The Bishop of Legnica, Zbigniew Kiernikowski, announced the liveliest and the most cosmopolitan cities of this part of Europe. Start in on April 17 that a reported “bleeding Host” that “has the hallmarks of a Eucharistic ideal location, Castle Hill, in the heart of Buda (the portion of Budapest on the miracle” was approved for veneration in Poland. According to his announcement Danube’s western bank). From the lacy lookout towers of Fishermen’s Bastion, “On 25th of December, 2013 during the distribution of the Holy Communion, we can enjoy a panoramic view of the sprawling city, home to more than onea consecrated Host fell to the floor and then was picked up and placed in a fifth of the Hungarian population. Visit the 13th- Century ST. MATHIAS CORONAwater-filled container (vasculum). Soon after, stains of the red color appeared”. TION CHURCH, the Citadel on Mount Gellert, and HEROES’ SQUARE are also on the The former Bishop od Legnica created a commission to study the occurrence. agenda. We’ll celebrate Holy Eucharist in St. Matthias Church. In the evening, In February 2014, a tiny red fragment of the Host was seperated and put on take a dinner/cruise at the Danube River. Overnight in Budapest.(BB,D) a corporal. The commission ordered to take samples in order to conduct the thorough tests by the relevant research institutes. The final medical statement Sept 20, 2019 (Fri) Day 7 - Budapest/Kalwaria, Poland After breakfast,leave Budapest for Kalwaria Poland, is a long drive, relax and by the Department of Forensic Medicine found: “In the histopathological image, the fragments were found containing the fragment parts of the cross enjoy the beautiful sceneries on our way to Kalwaria. Drops of blood flowing from the eyes of Our Lady Of Calvary were noticed on striated muscle.” The test also found that the sample “is most simlilar to heart the painting to the Bernardine Fathers in 1641. The veneration of the Weeping- muscle with alterations that often appear during agony. The genetuc research Madonna quickly became widespread. After the Partitions, the sanctuary at indicated the human origin of the tissue.” Saying the Host “has the hallmarks Kalwaria Zebrzydowska united the Polish nation whose country had been di- of a Eucharistic miracle,” Bishop Kiernikowski explained that in January 2016 he presented the matter to the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the vided before. We will continue to Kalwaria and will celebrate Mass at the chapel of the weep- Faith. In April, in accordance with the Holy See’s recommendations, he asked parish priest Andrzej Ziombrze “ to prepare a suitable place for the Relics so ing Madonna. Transfer to Krakow. Dinner and Overnight. that the faithful could venerate it. Celebrate Holy Eucharist, then after, spend Sept 21, 2019 (Sat) Day 8 - Krakow/ Divine Mercy sometime praying and venerating the new Eucharistic Miracle. We continue to W e start the day with a visit in the SANCTUARY OF LORD’S MERCY and the con- Prague. Dinner/Overnight Prague gregation of Our Lady of Mercy. Holy Mass at the Sactuary of Lord’s Mercy in the city’s Lagiewniki District. Built upon the convent where St. Faustina received the Sept 25, 2019 (Wed) Day 12 - Prague, Infant Jesus of Prague messages and image of the Divine Mercy. The 19th century convent of the sisters We will celebrate Holy Eucharist at Our Lady Victorious Church, home of the of Our Lady of Mercy has now become a part of the vast sanctuary. Pope John Infant Jesus of Prague then after venerate the Icon. We will do some sightseeing Paul II consecrated the new Basilica in 2002. The original image of the Divine tours that reveals why Prague is considered one of Europe’s most attractive Mercy and St. Faustina’s relics are now housed at the altar of the new basilica. capitals. On our tour, we will visit 1,000 – year-old HRADCANY CASTLE, ST. VITUS There are frequent Masses held daily in both the convent church and new Basil- CATHEDRAL, the Old Town, the Jewish ghetto, and the city’s famous Astronomica along with the chaplet of Divine mercy which is prayed daily at 3 pm in both ical Clock, which was once the envy of all Europe. Afterwards, we will see and locations. (BB,D)Overnight Krakow walk in Charles Bridge. Its construction started in 1357 under auspices of King Charles IV and finished in the beginning of the 15th century. Charles Bridge was Sept 22, 2019 (Sun) Day 9 - Krakow, Poland the most important connection between Prague Castle and the city’s Old Town We will have a sightseeing tour of Krakow (for centuries, the residence of Polish and adjacent areas. The “solid-land” connection made Prague important as a th Kings). We will vist the Market Square, the 14 Century Jagiellonian Univeristy, trade route between Eastern and Western Europe. The bridge is 621 m long and ST. MARY’S CHURCH, and also visit WAWEL ROYAL CASTLE. In the afternoon. We nearly 10 m wide, resting on 16 arches shielded by ice guards. It is protected by will visit the Wieliczka Salt Mines, one of the largest tourist attraction in Poland, the bridge towers, two of them on the lesser Quarter side and the third one on registered on the UNESCO list and visited by over a million of tourist every year the Old Town side. Overnight in Prague (BB, D). (BB,D). Overnight Krakow Sept 26, 2019 (Thurs) Day 13 - Prague/USA Sept 23, 2019 (Mon) Day 10 - Wadowice/ Auschwitz Transfer to the airport in Prague and departure to the USA. After breakfast we will go to Wadowice the birthplace of Saint John Paul II. We End of our Wonderful Pilgrimage!!

IF you plan to trade stocks, it helps to get an understanding of basic terms that are mentioned frequently on TV, radio, and social media. There are three major indices: • Dow Jones Industrial Average • S&P 500 • Nasdaq Composite 1. Dow Jones Industrial Average is the oldest index, dating back to 1896. It tracks the movement of 30 large public US companies. It represents “large-cap” (very big companies) like Johnson & Johnson, McDonalds and Coca-Cola. Although the companies within the Dow Jones represent only about 25 percent of all stocks, the DJIA is widely accepted as the leading indicator of market health. Today, the index is not really as industrial as it used to be. Many of the companies included in the index such as Goldman Sachs, Visa, or McDonald’s focus their business in other categories such as finance or consumer goods. The Dow is popular because companies in this index represent a huge chunk of the U.S. economy. While there are thou-

Tax Tips Victor Sy, cPA, MBA

sands of publicly traded companies, these big firms are large enough to represent all other large caps. Companies listed in Dow Jones Industrial Average include Exxon, Home Depot, Dow DuPont, Johnson & Johnson, and Procter & Gamble. 2. S&P 500 is composed of 500 large companies. Founded in 1923, it is now considered one of the best overall indicators of the US stock market. “S&P” stands for “Standards and Poor’s,” the name of a market research firm. Companies listed with S&P 500 include Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, Berkshire Hathaway and Boeing. 3. Nasdaq Composite represents 3,000+ technology and high-growth companies. Founded in 1971, the Nasdaq Compos-

ite has grown popular because it’s commonly accepted as an indicator of tech-sector and innovative companies. Listed companies include Adobe, Altaba, Cisco, and Microsoft. We also have The Russell 2000 that tracks 2,000 of the smallest players in the stock market. You can also check out its sister index, the Russell 3000 that tracks larger, more representative snapshot of the tech sector. *** Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE with a BBA and from Indiana State University with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV - Andersen Consulting) and Ernst & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy Corporation in Pasadena, California. *** He has 50 years of experience in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, FTB, EDD, BOE and other governmental agencies. He is publishing a book on his expertise - “HOW TO AVOID OR SURVIVE IRS AUDITS.” Our readers may inquire about the book or email tax questions at vicsy@live.com. (Advertising Supplement)

God’s manifestation of love and fidelity

The Prophetic Voice reVerend rodel G. BAlAGtAS IT was the second time this first week of the year that I joined my friend in his visit to his 86year-old mother. Sick with bad flu, his mother could not come out of her room to talk to us. She was too weak to get out of bed. But her two daughters, who much appreciated our visits, compensated for their mother’s inability to engage with us. Both showered us with attention. They kept serving us homemade food and hot tea while they shared with us news and memories about other family members. They gave us warm blankets while we sat in the living room

watching movies on television. As I enjoyed their warm familial hospitality, I marveled at the long years that I have known my friend’s family. I first met them in the ‘80s when I was a theology student. Even then they would make me comfortable in their home and treat me like a member of the family. For many years now even as a priest, I would often join my friend when he visits his family. They have become a second family to me. Indeed, one thing is evident in our relationship: our enduring friendship marked with a consistency of care for each other. It’s a cherished gift that comes only through years of fidelity.

Isn’t this the way that God relates with us? His love for us endures, his care for us remarkably exceeds, and his loyalty persists. At times we wonder if he’s ever with us, but when we reflect on the years that have gone by in our respective lives, many of us cannot deny his continuing friendship, presence, and love. Should this be the light—the wisdom—that we need to recall each day as we begin the year? That God would never abandon us? That his love and friendship endure? Should we not keep building this personal relationship with God? It’s the best way to face every challenge and difficulty in life.

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FOOT STEPS OF JESUS (Tiberias, Ceasarea, Haifa, Meggido,Magdala, Nazareth, Cana, Mt Carmel, Capernaum, Mt Beatitude,Bethany, Mt.Tabor, Mount Zion, Mt. of Olives, Old Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Qumran, Masada,Jericho , Dead Sea) Sept 15 to 25, 2019 Spiritual Director: FR. RobeRt FloRiDo Sept 15, 2019 (Sun) Day 1 - LAX TO TEL AVIV, ISRAEL Trans-Atlantic flight from LAX to Ben Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv, Israel. (Meals served in-flight) Sept 16, 2019 (Mon) Day 2 - Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv/Tiberias After we clear Immigration and Customs, we will meet our local guide, who will be with us during our stay in Holy Land. enjoy the panoramic view of the Mediterranean. We will spend our first night in Tiberias. Dinner and overnight (D). Holy Eucharist @ Mount Carmel Church Sept 17, 2019 (Tues) Day 3 - Tiberias/ Meggido/ Nazareth/ Cana /Mt Tabor We will have short stop in Meggido and the Plains of Armageddon, known in Hebrew as Meggido, a giant fortress and City built by King Solomon. In the New Testament book of Revelation, it is referred as the sites of the “final battle”. From there, we will continue our drive into Nazareth, where we will have Holy Eucharist celebration at the Church of the annunciation, explore the church upper and lower floor See the Cave of the annunciation. We continue to Cana of Galilee, where Our Lord performed His first miracle: changing water into wine at the wedding feast. We will invite couples to Bless their marriage vows. Continue to Mount Tabor ,site of Jesus Transfiguration Afterward, we will head to Tiberias. Dinner and overnight in Tiberias. (B/D). Gai Beach Hotel. Sept 18, 2019 (Wed) Day 4 - Tiberias/Mount Beatitude/ Multiplication/Primacy/Capernum/Boat Ride / Magdala “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” Early AM departures to Mt Beatitude Visit the site of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus preached to the people., Will have Eucharistic Celebration. Enjoy a scenic boat ride across the Sea of Galilee, visit the ancient boat, then to Capernaum, home of Our Lord during his ministry. After visiting the Synagogue where he taught, proceed to Tabgha, the site of the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Then to the Church Primacy of St Peters. MAGDALA, Israel – 2009 Discoveries from a new archaeological dig are creating excitement in the area where Jesus began his ministry. The village is called Magdala (Migdal in Hebrew), and it’s the home of Mary Magdalene.”She lived here and she met Jesus here and she continued with Him. Yes, it’s that place The most important discovery in Magdala has been a synagogue dating back to the time of Jesus. According to archaeologists, it’s the first one discovered in the Galilee. Overnight Gai Beach (BB, D) Sept 19, 2019 (Thurs) Day 5 - Jordan Valley/Jericho/Bethany/ Jerusalem Mass at the Church of St. Lazarus After breakfast, we head to Jericho, the oldest inhabited city in the world. View the Mount of Temptation, where Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the desert. We will visit the ancient ruins of the wall. We will continue to Bethany and will have mass to celebrate Holy Eucharist at the Church of St. Lazarus. Continue the visit at Baptismal site in River Jordan. Upon arrival in Mount Scopus meaning Mount of the Watchmen/Sentinels, is a mountain in northeast Jerusalem. Enjoy the first view of Jerusalem. At the end of the day’s tour, we will check in at our hotel in Jerusalem (B/D) Sept 20, 2019 (Fri) Day 6 - Jerusalem (Old City)/Via Dolorosa/ Mount Zion Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

“And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha.” (John 19:17) We will enter the Old City of Jerusalem and will follow the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) and do the Station of the Cross to the holiest shrine in Christendom, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, visit Golgotha and the Tomb of Our Lord. After mass, we return to the hotel for breakfast. After breakfast, we will enter the Old City, sing a hymn in the Church of St. Anne and view the Pool of Bethesda. Then we will visit the Chapel of Flagellation, Lithostratos (where the soldiers played the Game of Kings) and the Arch of the “Ecce Homo”. Dinner/Overnight Sept 21, 2019 (Sat) Day 7 - Jerusalem Holy Eucharist at the Church of St Peter in Gallicantu “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us...” (John 1:14) We will walk to view the Dome of the Rock from the outside, and visit the Western Wall,( Wailing Wall ) the only part of the Herodian Temple still standing and the most sacred place in the world for Jews. Then, we will drive to Mt. Zion, to visit the Upper Room, revered as the site of the Last Supper, then survey the Dormition Abbey, and the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, the site where Peter denied Jesus three times. After the day’s tour, we will return to our hotel for dinner and overnight. Jerusalem (B, D) Hotel Sept 22, 2019 (Sun) Day 8 - Mount of Olives/Gethsemane/Bethlehem/ Ein Karem Mass at the Church of Nativity “O mountain of God, receive me, a mother, with my child.” (Protoevangelium of James 22:3) We will arrive at the Mount of Olives, to enjoy another view of Jerusalem, visit the Chapel of Ascension, Pater Noster Church and the Dominus Flevit (“God wept”) sanctuary. Next, we’ll walk the Palm Sunday Road to the Garden of Gethsemane, and visit the Rock of Agony and the Church of all Nations. In the afternoon, we’ll drive to Bethlehem, a city whose name is recognized around the world. After celebrating Mass at the Church of Nativity, we will see the Manger; visit the Church of St. Catherine, the Grotto of St. Jerome and the Shepherds’ Fields. Up next is a trip to Ein Karem, birthplace of St. John the Baptist. Visit the Visitation Church, where Mary proclaimed her famous “Magnificat”. We will end our day by returning to our Hotel. (B/D). Sept 23, 2019 (Mon) Day 9 - Jerusalem/Dead Sea/Qumran/ Masada Mass at the Church of all Nations After breakfast, we will celebrate mass at the Church of all Nations and then we will drive to Dead Sea, the lowest spot on earth. Visit Qumran; see the caves where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered. Continue to Masada, visit Herod’s fortress and the Jew’s last stronghold against the Roman. Return to Jerusalem for dinner /overnight Sept 24, 2019 (Tues) Day 10 - Jerusalem/ Samaria/Jacob’s well/ Mt Ebal/Mt Garizim Today , we drive to the West Bank to Nablus(ancient Samaria)to view Mt Ebal and Mt Garizim. We stop at Jacob’s well inside the Orthodox Church where Jesus spoke to the Samaritan Women. Return to the Hotel , after dinner around 8:00 PM transfer to the airport in TLV for the return flight back to the USA, EL AL flight leaves at 1:20 AM Sept 25, 2019 End of our wonderful Pilgrimage to the Homeland of Jesus !!!

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Dealing with sexual harassment Break the shackles of debt in 2019 Debt and retaliation at work Relief

AMBER Brown worked for Silverton and Essence at their vineyard and winery located in Temecula, CA. After nine months of working there, Carlos Pineiro was hired as General Manager of the winery. Brown claimed that Pineiro made many sexually inappropriate comments to her while at work, flirted with her, attempted to block her path, and inappropriately touched her. He also became drunk at work, screamed at Brown, threatened to harm her if she complained, and grabbed her by the wrist causing her to fall down the stairs. Megan Meadowcroft was hired by Pineiro after he started working at the winery. Pineiro also made many sexually explicit comments to her, made sexual gestures, took photos/videos of her rear while bending forward at work, touched her rear and genital from behind while she leaned forward to collect dishes, pushed her against a wall in a shed and told her that he would make her a manager if she had sex with him. Pineiro nearly hit her with a work vehicle after getting mad and throwing things inside the winery. Pineiro also called her numerous times that same night and she feared for her life and the safety of her children. When Meadowcroft complained to management about Pineiro, she was no longer added onto any new work schedules. Both Meadowcroft and Brown complained about Pineiro’s conduct to different people in management. After receiving complaints about Pineiro’s sexual harassment and being drunk at work, he was fired. However, two months later, he was re-hired to the same position. Brown complained to the employer about this but was ignored. Because Pineiro’s conduct towards her was so bad, she was forced to obtain

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe sAyAs, Jr.

a restraining order against him. This resulted in Brown not being scheduled to work again. Both women filed a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit against their former employers. During trial, various witnesses testified that Pineiro engaged in sexually inappropriate conduct toward Brown, Meadowcroft, and other customers and employees. Brown contended that

environment. Even if there is no threat of termination, the manager’s inappropriate conduct is enough to create either an offensive working environment or affects the co-worker’s job performance or both. If the employee’s efforts to curb sexual harassment by reporting the perpetrator to management resulted in suspension or termination, management’s conduct may be retaliation. This conduct amounts to retaliation if all of the following are present: 1) The employee engaged in “http://www.workplacefairness.org/generalwhistleblowing” protected activity. In this case, reporting the harassment is a protected activity; 2) The employer knew that the employee engaged in such protected activity; 3) The employee was suspended, demoted or fired for engaging in the protected activity; and 4) The employee’s protected activity caused the employer to take adverse action, which can be demonstrated by the employer’s negative reaction such as threats or warnings. Sexual harassment and retaliation cases are taken seriously by the courts and the juries as shown by the verdicts. More importantly, it shows that when this unlawful conduct occurs, all hope is not lost. Legal remedies are available to protect the aggrieved employee. *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at nocost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www.joesayaslaw.com or our Facebook page Joe Sayas Law. [C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is an experienced trial attorney who has successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is the recipient of PABA’s Community Champion Award for 2016.] (Advertising Supplement)

“ A hostile environment is created when unwelcome sexual conduct unreasonably interferes with an individual’s job performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment. Even if there is no threat of termination, the manager’s inappropriate conduct is enough to create either an offensive working environment or affects the co-worker’s job performance or both.” she suffers from panic disorder, anxiety, panic and depression as a result of her post-traumatic stress disorder. Meadowcroft also argued she suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. After a month-long trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the two women, awarding them $11 million, which included $1 million in past non-economic damages for Brown and Meadowcroft, and $1.5 million in future non-economic damages for Brown and Meadowcroft, and $3 million in punitive damages for Brown and Meadowcroft. A hostile environment is created when unwelcome sexual conduct unreasonably interferes with an individual’s job performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working

'ŝů s͘ 'ĂƌŝŶ͕ ĂŐĞ ϴϰ͕ ƉĂƐƐĞĚ ĂǁĂǇ ŽŶ dŚƵƌƐĚĂǇ͕ ĞĐĞŵďĞƌ Ϯϳ͕ ϮϬϭϴ͘ ,Ğ ǁĂƐ ďŽƌŶ ŽŶ ƵŐƵƐƚ ϯϭ͕ ϭϵϯϰ ĂŶĚ ŝƐ ƐƵƌǀŝǀĞĚ ďǇ ŚŝƐ ǁŝĨĞ͕ ^ĂůůǇ͕ ŚŝƐ ƚǁŽ ƐŽŶƐ͕ ĐĞ ĂŶĚ ĞĞƚŚŽǀĞŶ ĂŶĚ Ɛŝǆ ŐƌĂŶĚĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶ͕ : ;ĂŶĚ ŚŝƐ ǁŝĨĞ :ƵůŝĞͿ͕ ƐŚůĞǇ͕ >ǇŶĚƐĞǇ͕ ƵƐƚŝŶ͕ dƌŝƐŚĂ͕ ĂŶĚ :W͘ ,Ğ ĨŝƌƐƚ ĐĂŵĞ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ hŶŝƚĞĚ ^ƚĂƚĞƐ ŝŶ ϭϵϱϳ ǁŚŝůĞ ǁŽƌŬŝŶŐ ĨŽƌ dƌĂŶƐŽĐĞĂŶ ŝƌůŝŶĞƐ͘ Ƶƚ ǁŚĞŶ ŚĞ ĐĂŵĞ ďĂĐŬ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ WŚŝůŝƉƉŝŶĞƐ͕ ŚĞ ĞŶĚĞĚ ƵƉ ŐĞƚƚŝŶŐ ŵĂƌƌŝĞĚ ƚŽ ŚŝƐ ĨŝƌƐƚ ǁŝĨĞ͕ dĞƌĞƐŝƚĂ͕ ĂŶĚ ŚĂĚ ƚǁŽ ƐŽŶƐ͘ /Ŷ ϭϵϲϴ͕ ŚĞ ŵŽǀĞĚ ďĂĐŬ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ hŶŝƚĞĚ ^ƚĂƚĞƐ ǁŝƚŚ ŚŝƐ ǁŝĨĞ͕ dĞƌĞƐŝƚĂ͘ KŶ ŚŝƐ ĨŝƌƐƚ ĚĂǇ ŽĨ ĂƌƌŝǀĂů͕ ŚĞ ĚĞĐŝĚĞĚ ƚŽ ůŽŽŬ ĨŽƌ Ă ĨƌŝĞŶĚ ǁŚŽ ǁŽƌŬĞĚ Ăƚ dĞŵƉůĞ ,ŽƐƉŝƚĂů ŝŶ ŚŽƉĞƐ ŽĨ ĨŝŶĚŝŶŐ Ă ũŽď͘ ,Ğ ƐƵĐĐĞĞĚĞĚ ĂŶĚ ƐƚĂƌƚĞĚ ƚŚĞ ŶĞǆƚ ĚĂǇ ĂƐ Ă ĚŝƐŚǁĂƐŚĞƌ͘ ,Ğ ĨŽƵŶĚ Ă ƐĞĐŽŶĚ ũŽď ƉĂƌŬŝŶŐ ĐĂƌƐ ĂŶĚ ĞǀĞŶƚƵĂůůǇ ƐĂǀĞĚ ĞŶŽƵŐŚ ƚŽ ďƵǇ Ă ĐĂƌ͘ ĞƚĞƌŵŝŶĞĚ ƚŽ ŚĂǀĞ Ă ďĞƚƚĞƌ ůŝĨĞ͕ ŚĞ ǁĞŶƚ ďĂĐŬ ƚŽ ƐĐŚŽŽů Ăƚ >ŽƐ ŶŐĞůĞƐ ŝƚǇ ŽůůĞŐĞ ĂŶĚ ŐƌĂĚƵĂƚĞĚ ĂƐ Ă ƉƌĂĐƚŝĐĂů ŶƵƌƐĞ͘ ,Ğ ǁŽƌŬĞĚ Ăƚ 'ŽŽĚ ^ĂŵĂƌŝƚĂŶ ,ŽƐƉŝƚĂů ďƵƚ ĚĞĐŝĚĞĚ ƚŽ ǁŽƌŬ Ă ƐĞĐŽŶĚ ũŽď ĂƐ Ă ƐĞĐƵƌŝƚǇ ŐƵĂƌĚ ĚƵƌŝŶŐ ŚŝƐ ŽĨĨ ŚŽƵƌƐ Ăƚ hŶŝǀĞƌƐĂů ^ƚƵĚŝŽƐ͘ ƚ ƚŚŝƐ ƚŝŵĞ͕ ŚĞ ĨĞůƚ ŝƚ ǁĂƐ ƚŝŵĞ ƚŽ ďƌŝŶŐ ŚŝƐ ƐŽŶƐ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ hŶŝƚĞĚ ^ƚĂƚĞƐ͘ ,Ğ ĂůƐŽ ĨŽƵŶĚ ƚŚĂƚ ŚĞ ĚŝĚ ŶŽƚ ůŝŬĞ ŶƵƌƐŝŶŐ ŵƵĐŚ ĂŶĚ ĚĞĐŝĚĞĚ ƚŽ ŐŽ ďĂĐŬ ƚŽ > ƚŽ ƐƚƵĚǇ ƉŚŽƚŽŐƌĂƉŚǇ͘ ĨƚĞƌ ĐŽŶƐŝƐƚĞŶƚůǇ ǁŝŶŶŝŶŐ ƉŚŽƚŽŐƌĂƉŚǇ ĐŽŵƉĞƚŝƚŝŽŶƐ͕ ŚĞ ƌĞĂůŝǌĞĚ ŚŝƐ ĐĂůůŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ ĞǀĞŶƚƵĂůůǇ ŽƉĞŶĞĚ ŚŝƐ ŽǁŶ ƉŚŽƚŽŐƌĂƉŚǇ ƐƚƵĚŝŽ͘ ,ŝƐ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ŐƌĞǁ ĂŶĚ ďĞĐĂŵĞ ŝŶ ŚŝŐŚ ĚĞŵĂŶĚ ĨŽƌ ǁĞĚĚŝŶŐƐ͕ ƉŽƌƚƌĂŝƚƐ͕ ĂŶĚ ũŽƵƌŶĂůŝƐŵ ƉŚŽƚŽƐ ĨŽƌ ŽǀĞƌ ϯϬ ǇĞĂƌƐ ƵŶƚŝů ŚŝƐ ǁŝĨĞ dĞƌĞƐŝƚĂ ƉĂƐƐĞĚ ĂǁĂǇ͘ ,Ğ ďĞĐĂŵĞ ǁĞůů ŬŶŽǁŶ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚŽƵƚ ƚŚĞ ǇĞĂƌƐ ŝŶ >ŽƐ ŶŐĞůĞƐ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚǇ͕ ƚŚĞ >ŝŽŶƐ ůƵď͕ ĂŶĚ ƉŚŽƚŽŐƌĂƉŚǇ ŝŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĞƐ ĂŶĚ ƌĞĐĞŝǀĞĚ ŶƵŵĞƌŽƵƐ ĂǁĂƌĚƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƉƌŽĐĞƐƐ͘ ,Ğ ƌĞŵĂƌƌŝĞĚ ĂĨƚĞƌ ŚŝƐ ƌĞƚŝƌĞŵĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ĞŶũŽǇĞĚ ƚŚĞ ƌĞŵĂŝŶŝŶŐ ǇĞĂƌƐ ǁŝƚŚ ŚŝƐ ĨĂŵŝůǇ ĂŶĚ ĨƌŝĞŶĚƐ͘ Gil Garin’s dream was to give his ĨĂŵŝůǇ Ă ďĞƚƚĞƌ ĨƵƚƵƌĞ ĂŶĚ ŚĞůƉ ƚŚŽƐĞ ĂƌŽƵŶĚ Śŝŵ͘ DŝƐƐŝŽŶ ĂĐĐŽŵƉůŝƐŚĞĚ͘ Ƶƚ ďĞĨŽƌĞ ŚĞ ĚŝĞĚ͕ ŚĞ ǁĂŶƚĞĚ ƚŽ ůĞƚ ĞǀĞƌǇŽŶĞ ŬŶŽǁ ƚŚĞ ƐƚƌƵŐŐůĞ ŚĞ ĞŶĚƵƌĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƉƌŽĐĞƐƐ͘ ,ŝƐ ĨĂŵŝůǇ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚǇ ŶŽǁ ŬŶŽǁƐ͘ dŚĂŶŬ ǇŽƵ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ ďŽƚƚŽŵ ŽĨ ŽƵƌ ŚĞĂƌƚƐ͘ dŚŽƐĞ ǁŚŽƐĞ ůŝǀĞƐ 'ŝů 'ĂƌŝŶ ƚŽƵĐŚĞĚ ĂƌĞ ŝŶǀŝƚĞĚ ŽŶ͗ &ƌŝĚĂǇ͕ :ĂŶƵĂƌǇ ϭϭ͕ ϮϬϭϴ ;sŝĞǁŝŶŐͿ ϱ͗ϬϬͲϵ͗ϬϬƉŵ ;ZŽƐĂƌǇ Ăƚ ϳƉŵͿ 'ƵĞƌƌĂ 'ƵƚŝĞƌƌĞǌ DŽƌƚƵĂƌǇ ϱϴϬϬ ͘ ĞǀĞƌůǇ ůǀĚ͘ >ŽƐ ŶŐĞůĞƐ͕ ϵϬϬϮϮ ^ĂƚƵƌĚĂǇ͕ :ĂŶƵĂƌǇ ϭϮ͕ ϮϬϭϴ ;&ƵŶĞƌĂůͿ ϭϬ͗ϬϬĂŵ ^ƚ͘ ^ƚĞƉŚĞŶ ϯϮϬ 'ĂƌǀĞǇ ǀĞŶƵĞ DŽŶƚĞƌĞǇ WĂƌŬ͕ ϵϭϳϱϰ

BEST wishes and Happy New Year to one and all! Do you want more debt, less debt or zero debt for 2019? Why do we say, ‘break the shackles’ of debt? Because debt ties the debtor to the creditor in a slave master relationship until the shackles of debt are broken for good. No one wants to be a debt slave. A debt slave uses all of his or her disposable income to pay debt, daily, monthly, yearly and forever, and even until death, debts have a claim on the estate of the deceased! The client is 60. His wife is 62. They’re about to retire sooner than later. What happens when they retire? Obviously, their household income goes down because they stop working and start relying on social security. The average social security for Americans in 2018 is about $1,400 a month. So, the client gets $1,400 and wife gets $1,400, or a total of $2,800 a month of social security. While working, clients make $50,000 a year, and the wife makes $40,000 a year, or a total of $90,000. That’s about $7,500 a month of income. When they stop working, instead of getting $7,500 a month gross, they will get, let’s say $3,000 a month as combined social security benefits. That’s a 60 percent reduction in client’s household income. I have another client who is 68 and he continues to work and make a salary of $4,000, plus his social security of $1,600. However, his wife who is 69 has stopped working and draws social security of $900. She used to make $2,500 a month when still working as a cashier at a supermarket. So, even in that case, where one spouse continues working, there’s a reduction in household income. As they say, “you gotta do what you gotta do.” Once the household income drops, the first problem that rears its ugly head is debt service. The client

Atty. LAwrenCe yAng owes $30,000 of credit cards. They need $1,000 a month to keep those cards current. That’s paying minimum interest only. They’ve been paying $1,000 a month on this very same $30,000 of credit cards for the last 20 years. So they’ve paid a total of $240,000 to keep $30,000 of credit cards current for the last 20 years! How much do they still

Yes, your credit score increases yearly after bankruptcy and you do get new credit cards and new credit lines. I just suggest that you pay off the cards completely every month. Don’t leave any balance outstanding. Otherwise, the balances start accumulating again, and you’re on the hook again. Your credit score will be good enough to buy a car immediately after bankruptcy, just bring the discharge order to the dealer. That’s all they look for. In three years from filing bankruptcy, your credit score is good enough to buy a house, albeit at higher interest than one with perfect credit. In year six or seven, your credit score is over 700, and in year 10, your credit score is perfect once more. It’s over 800. No matter what your age is, if you have accumulated significant credit card debt that you are not able to significantly pay down and you just keep making minimum payments on these cards, you really are a slave to debt. That’s your life. You are shackled to debt for the rest of your life. That’s not a good idea, is it? Being a debt slave for life is a bad idea. You will be living in darkness. Your family will be living in darkness. If you don’t agree with me, go ahead and add to your debt and see what happens. Each year that goes by, these accumulated credit cards will become bigger and bigger and demand more and more of your household income. If you need debt relief, call our office to set an appointment. I will analyze your case personally.

“ Yes, your credit score increases yearly after bankruptcy and you do get new credit cards and new credit lines. I just suggest that you pay off the cards completely every month. Don’t leave any balance outstanding. Otherwise, the balances start accumulating again, and you’re on the hook again.”

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes THINKING about one’s demise is not something people want to spend time thinking about. However reality is that we all have to face this one day. It is just a matter of whether you depart this world prepared or unprepared. If you pass away with at least $150,000 in gross assets and you do not have a living trust (even if you have a will), your beneficiaries would have to open up a probate case before title to the assets can pass to them. When I say gross asset, I mean regardless of how much debt you owe on them. For example if you own a house valued at $350,000 at the time of your death, it does not matter that your mortgage balance is $300,000, a probate case has to be opened in order to pass title to that property. The same is true with other types of assets such as owning a business, a professional practice, bonds, equities, etc. This is a very low threshold to exceed specially in California where real estate prices, even after the economic crisis, remains in the upper end of the curve among the 50 states. Commencing a probate case is expensive and a very slow process. Someone qualified will have to file a Petition with the probate court to have someone appointed as executor or administrator. The Petitioner’s attorney gets paid a statutory rate for attorney’s fees commencing with 4% of the gross estate. The probate referee will have to be paid for appraising the assets of the estate. If it is necessary to post bond, the premium on the bond would have to be paid as well. There is also the cost of administering the estate such as selling some of the assets to satisfy the estate’s obligations and to divide the estate according to the will or the intestate line of succes-

owe now after paying $240,000? They owe the very same $30,000. It’s really a big deal because the client has transferred $240,000 of the household’s hard earned money, that’s a quarter of a million dollars in the last 20 years, just to keep $30,000 of credit cards current. Isn’t that just plain dumb? They could have filed a Chapter 7 15 years ago and gotten rid of the $30,000 of credit cards. What would they have now if they did that? They would have $180,000 of savings, which probably would be about $300,000 now if wisely invested in equities, notwithstanding the present wild stock market gyrations, they would have no debt, and their credit score would be perfect if they handle new credit in a timely manner.

*** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy, business, real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S. Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, Building A-1 Suite 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803. (Advertising Supplement)

How important is it to have a living trust? “ This means you retain control of all your assets the same way as if you never had a trust. For revocable trusts, you can later on, at any time during your lifetime, revoke the entire trust if you change your mind.” sion if there is no will. The entire process could take up years specially if certain beneficiaries and creditors file certain claims. The probate court file would be public record. On the other hand if you have a living trust, your estate can avoid the entire court system and court supervision. In certain situations, the process may also save you estate taxes which may be substantial if your assets exceed a certain threshold. Basically, you and/or your spouse can be named as the initial trustee of the trust while you are alive. The trustee is the person who manages the trust. This means you retain control of all your assets the same way as if you never had a trust. For revocable trusts, you can later on, at any time during your lifetime, revoke the entire trust if you change your mind. The assets held in your living trust will be managed by the trustee and distributed according to your directions without court supervision and involvement when you pass away. This can save your heirs time and money. Since the trust would not be under the direct management of the probate court, your assets and their value and your beneficiaries’ identities would not become a public record. Your heirs and beneficiaries would still have to be notified about the living trust and advised, among other things, of their right to obtain a copy of the trust.

If you are contemplating setting up a trust or have an existing trust that needs to be updated because your family circumstances have changed over the years, you should set an appointment with an experienced attorney that understands and can competently advise you in the law. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail HYPERLINK “mailto: kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com” kenneth@ kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com (Advertising Supplement)

God’s manifestation of love...

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Shouldn’t God reveal to us his loyalty to us, especially in times of sickness and old age? Then we’d feel secure about the present and the future and be steadfast in dealing with any obstacle that comes our way. On this Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, it’s important to keep in mind God’s fidelity to us. Let’s keep in mind that every day is a manifestation of his presence, care, and love. Let’s always remember that he’s there to guide us in our journeys as he did with

the three magi when they looked for the infant Jesus. Let’s embrace the wisdom he brought us, the Word Made Flesh, in his Son, Jesus Christ! Then as Isaiah relates in the First Reading this Sunday, we would rise in splendor for the glory of the Lord shines upon us. We would walk by the light of Christ and be radiant like the stars. Our hearts would throb and overflow with the richness of God’s grace. Our mouths would praise God with songs and like Mary would proclaim His great-

ness all the days of our life. *** From a Filipino immigrant family, Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas was ordained to the priesthood from St. John’s Seminary in 1991. He served as Associate Pastor at St. Augustine, Culver City (1991-1993); St. Martha, Valinda (1993-1999); and St. Joseph the Worker, Canoga Park (19912001). In 2001, he served as Administrator Pro Tem of St. John Neumann in Santa Maria, CA, until his appointment as pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Los Angeles, in 2002, which lasted 12 years. His term as Associate Director of Pastoral Field Education at St. John’s Seminary began in July 2014.

(818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 • http://www.asianjournal.com

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 5-8, 2019

People & Events Clippers to host annual Filipino AAPA mentorship program Heritage Night with special guests accepting applications Manny Pacquiao and Apl.De.Ap

THE Asian American Professionals Association (AAPA) is now accepting applications for its 12month mentorship program open to professionals at junior, mid, and advanced career levels who seek career mobility and inclusion in management and leadership pipelines. The AAPA Mentorship Program develops mentees into more capable leaders. These mentees

are better equipped to deliver more added-value, provide diverse perspectives, and bring greater talent to their companies and organizations. The program runs from January to December each year with events held in Rosemead and Pasadena, CA. Everyone is encouraged to apply. AAPA will not discriminate due to an applicant’s race, color,

religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin and veteran or disability status. The program rate is $500 for applications received between January 1, 2019 and January 31, 2019. An introductory session will be held on January 24, 2019 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. For more information, please visit https://aapamentoring.com/ plans-aapa-memberships/.■

APIA Vote internship program

ON Tuesday, January 8 as the Clippers face the Charlotte Hornets at the STAPLES Center, the team will host its annual Filipino Heritage Night, supported by Cedars-Sinai, for a game dedicated to celebrating Filipino culture. The festivities will include special guests: Philippines Senator Manny Pacquiao (boxing’s only eight-division champion), a halftime performance by Apl. de.Ap of Black Eyed Peas ft. Jessica Reynoso, in-arena host Liane V., Jasmine V. performing

the National Anthem and more. Pre-game Festivities start at 7 p.m., while the Clippers face the Hornets at 7:30 p.m. Post-game (approximately 9:30 p.m.) will be a Filipino Heritage Night on-court basketball game. Fans who purchase tickets at www.clippers.com/filipinoheritagenight using promo code FILIPINO will receive an Apl. de.Ap Bobblehead and a portion of the ticket sales will be donated to the Apl.de.Ap Foundation. In addition to the Filipino-themed

elements throughout the night, other Filipino influencers in attendance and participating in the post-game basketball game on the court at STAPLES Center include:Don Benjamin, P-Lo, Alex Wasabi, Brian Puspos, Jules Aurora, Dante & Dion Basco, DJ E-Man, Icy Ice, E-Rock and many more. The Apl.de.Ap Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to giving back to communities and children in the Philippines via arts and technology. ■

East West Players announces Ovation Awards nominations for “Allegiance,” “Kaidan Project: Walls Grow Thin,” and “Soft Power”

EAST West Players (EWP), the nation’s longest-running professional theater of color and the largest producing organization of Asian American artistic work, is pleased to announce its nominations for the 29th Annual Ovation Awards, which will be held on Monday, January 28, at The Theatre at Ace Hotel. The annual Ovation Awards “are the only peer-judged theatre awards in Los Angeles, created to recognize excellence in theatrical performance, production, and design in the Greater Los Angeles area,” according to LA STAGE Alliance, which administers the awards. “East West Players’ 52nd anniversary season was the largest in our history. We are so thrilled to see three of the shows from this season (Allegiance, Kaidan Project: Walls Grow Thin, and Soft Power) receive a total of 21 nominations,” says Snehal Desai, EWP Producing Artistic Director. “A big thank you to all that took part in these landmark productions, especially our coproducers the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, Rogue Artists Ensemble, and Center Theatre Group.” East West Players’ received four Ovation Awards nominations for the Los Angeles premiere of “Allegiance,” co-produced with Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, during EWP’s landmark 52nd season, The Company We Keep: • Lead Actress in a Musical: Ele-

na Wang, Allegiance • Featured Actor in a Musical: Eymard Cabling, Allegiance • Sound Design (Large Theater): Cricket Myers, Allegiance • Video/Projection Design (Large Theater): Adam Fleming, Allegiance EWP opened its 52nd season with the world premiere of Rogue Artists Ensemble’s “Kaidan Project: Walls Grow Thin,” co-produced with EWP, which garnered six Ovation Awards nominations, as well as Ovations Honors in the categories of Music Composition for a Play and Puppet Design: • Best Production of a Play (Intimate Theater): Kaidan Project: Walls Grow Thin • Lighting Design (Intimate Theater): Karyn Lawrence, Kaidan Project: Walls Grow Thin • Scenic Design (Intimate Theater): Keith Mitchell & Dillon Nelson, Kaidan Project: Walls Grow Thin • Sound Design (Intimate Theater): Gillian Moon & Stephen Swift, Kaidan Project: Walls Grow Thin • Costume Design (Intimate Theater): Lori Meeker, Kaidan Project: Walls Grow Thin • Video/Projection Design (Intimate Theater): Matthew Hill, Kaidan Project: Walls Grow Thin • Ovation Honors for Music Composition for a Play: Adrien Prevost, Kaidan Project: Walls Grow Thin • Ovation Honors for Puppet Design: Greg Ballora, Sean Cawelti,

Christine Papalexis, Jack Pullman, Morgan Rebane & Brian White, Kaidan Project: Walls Grow Thin In addition, the world premiere musical “Soft Power” by David Henry Hwang, produced by Center Theatre Group in association with EWP, received 11 Ovation Awards nominations. For the 28th Annual Ovation Awards, held at The Theatre at Ace Hotel on January 29, 2018, EWP won four Ovation Awards for its production of Next to Normal: Best Production of a Musical (Large Theater), Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Isa Briones), Best Lead Actress in a Musical (Deedee Magno Hall), and Direction of a Musical (Nancy Keystone). At the ceremony, Hana Kim, the Set/Projection Designer for Next to Normal, was also honored with the Sherwood Award, which includes a $10,000 prize. As the nation’s premier Asian American theatre organization, East West Players produces artistic work and educational programs that foster dialogue exploring Asian Pacific Islander (API) experiences. Founded in 1965, at a time when APIs faced limited or no opportunities to see their experiences reflected outside of stereotypical and demeaning caricatures in the American landscape, EWP not only ensures that API stories are told, but works to increase access, inclusion, and representation in the economy. ■

ASIAN and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) is a national nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that encourages and promotes civic participation of Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) in the electoral and public policy processes at the national, state and local levels. APIAVote envisions a society in which all AAPIs fully participate in and have access to the democratic process. The APIAVote Internship Program strives to encourage and cultivate young AAPI student leaders to explore a career in the public sector or the political arena. This internship program will also provide hands-on experience and training on how to organize and implement voter activities to increase the participation of AAPIs in the electoral process. For the summer of 2019, APIA Vote is offering both paid and unpaid internships based in Washington, D.C. If you are interested in remote, unpaid internships throughout the year, please ap-

ply as well. Our spring, fall, and winter internships are unpaid. Applications are taken on a rolling basis. The Summer Internship Deadline is March 8, 2019. The internship program is tailored per organizational needs and intern skills. Interns may work on any of the following areas: • Communications/Technology (new media and traditional). Graphic Design, Field (working with APIAVote partners to mobilize for elections),Research and Policy (research and advocate for policy recommendations),Trainin g (Norman Y. Mineta Leadership Training Institute), or Youth (engaging and organizing our youth coalitions) In addition, applicants selected for these internships will collectively work on the implementation of APIAVote’s YouthVote campaign. This will include identifying, recruiting, and training student organizers to implement voter engagement activities and

developing campaign materials for 2019. Paid summer internships receive a stipend of $2,500. The internship must be held for 10 weeks, but with a flexible start date. Requirements: College or graduate student; Leadership abilities; Oral and written communication skills; Dedicated to promoting civic participation of AAPIs in the electoral and public policy processes • Applications must include: • Submission of online application form • In the online form, submit a 500-word essay on the question: “Why are you interested in the APIA Vote internship program and what are tangible steps or ideas you can do to increase AAPI youth civic engagement?” • Resume including Education, Work Experience, Political Experience, Extracurricular Activities, Awards/Honors • Two letters of references To apply online, visit http:// www.apiavote.org/jobs. ■

C4 JANUARY 5-8, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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Riverwalk Workday in Glendale Cerritos Senior Center celebrates 25th anniversary on January 29

JOIN the January Workday on Saturday, January 19, as participants weed and maintain the landscaped areas along the L.A. River in the City of Glendale. Participants are asked to wear sturdy shoes, protective clothing, long pants, sun

protection and a hat. Tools, gloves, drinks and snacks, will be provided, but if possible bring, gloves, water bottle and hand clippers. Families, individuals, groups, clubs, and students needing service hours are encouraged to attend. Groups of

10 or more, please call (818) 5483795 to RSVP The workday will take place from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Glendale Narrows Riverwalk (West Entry: 300 Paula Avenue, Glendale, California 91201) ■

ON Sunday, January 20, 2019 at 3:30 pm, the Santo Niño Cruzada USA will sponsor a mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels to be presided by its Pastor, Fr. David Gallardo, and to commemorate its 32nd year anniversary of the solemn Feast of Santo Niño, the Divine Infant Jesus. Participating are the choir of St. Paul the Apostle Church from Chino Hills, The Southern California Sinulog Dance Co., The Saint Junipero Serra Province Knights of Columbus, and various religious organizations. We also offer the mass to the late Cardinal Ricardo Vidal of Cebu who gave the Santo Nino statue that we use for this event to Cardinal Roger Mahony and Monsignor Kevin Kostelnik. Although the devotion to Santo

Niño has roots in Europe, Filipino immigrants brought their Santo Nino images to America for spiritual recourse and assistance celebrating their fervent devotion religious and civic festivities. Our path to success is through the dedication and commitment of officers and members whose goals are to promote devotion to Santo Niño, provide individual sanctifications, be united with other Santo Niño groups, support religious vocations and give assistance to those in needs. We celebrated the first Feast of Santo Niño in 1988 at then Saint Vibiana’s Cathedral in downtown Los Angeles. For more information on this celebration, please contact any of the following members:

Romy & Tess Esturas (213) 219-0590; Rey & Tess Edpao (818) 469-7292; Carmen Estrada (213) 413-2881; Fe Montano (323) 218-1587; Lilia Figuracion (626) 341-3373; Fe Reyes (213) 413-5286; Cherry Montenegro (213) 747-6508; Tessie Cruz (213) 361-0937; Vicky Samia (818) 8512262; Cherry Nicodemus (323) 304-6195; Lourdes Cronin (310) 880-6069; Purita Prather (626) 641-1619; Belen Chavez (213) 500-3502; and Cecille del Rosario (213) 387-6982. Let us keep the faith, share the love and show compassion to one another. “There is a child in each and every one of us. Let the spirit of Santo Niño be with us throughout 2019” ■

Feast of Santo Niño on Jan. 20, 2019

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Fil-Am Chamber of Commerce of Greater LA hosts Gala in Burbank, CA Enjoy the glitz, glamour and allure of Hollywood at the Gala Night of the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Los Angeles (FACC-GLA) on Saturday, January 5. Come dressed to the nines inspired by your favorite Cinema icons for a fun evening in an evening of dancing, good food and camaraderie for only $65 at the renovated Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport (2500 N Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505). FACCGLA members bring your friends and family, non-members welcome! Doors open at 6 p.m. Prefer to be a VIP donor? Sponsorship packages available at faccgla.org.

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Santo Nino Celebration at St. Catherine Laboure Church in Torrance, CA Most Rev. Bishop Oscar A. Solis will celebrate the holy sacrifice of the Mass on Friday, January 18 at St. Catherine Laboure Church (3846 Redondo Beach Blvd. Torrance, CA 90504) at 7 p.m. The Novena prayers and Chaplet will follow after the Mass. The parish has an exact replica of the Infant of Prague (Santo Nino) clothed in a relic of the Holy Robe that adorns the original statue in the shrine at Prague. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own statues; the devotion of touching them to the Holy Robe will conclude the celebration. For more information, please contact Lorna Arceo at (310) 345-4637, Maria Quan (310) 714-6537 or Vicki & Romy Balliyut at (310) 406-6575.

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Sto. Niño celebration at St. Finbar Church in Burbank, CA Please join us for Sinulog on January 19, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Finbar Church (2010 W Olive Ave, Burbank, CA 91506). Bring your statues of the Infant Jesus. Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m.

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Feast of Sto. Niño at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in LA

THE Cerritos Senior Center at Pat Nixon Park celebrates its 25th anniversary on January 29. Since 1994, the beautiful Cerritos Senior Center at Pat Nixon Park has provided a welcome space for Cerritos seniors to socialize, participate in educational programs, receive social services and enjoy recreational activities. In an effort to serve those citizens who had first settled in the City’s new subdivisions and were now over the age of 50, the City opened the $3.5 million, 22,500square-foot Senior Center on January 29, 1994. Prior to that, the City’s Dial-A-Ride service, a food program at St. John Lutheran Church and the Gadabouts social club were offered to this important group, however, seniors lacked a dedicated City facility. The City selected Pat Nixon Park as the location for the Senior Center, as it was an attractive site and centrally located. Wolff, Lang, Christopher Architects Inc. was chosen to design the facility, which featured a craftsman-style lodge appearance with natural river rock and wood trellises around the exterior, and detailed wood framework on the windows and doors. Inside, the facility offered two comfortable lounges and ample space for classes, arts and crafts, billiards, computers and other activities. There was room for art and special exhibits, and a large multipurpose area with a stage and kitchen. A park for outdoor activities surrounded the building and included a patio with barbecue area, pond and grass activity area. Near it was a planter filled with rosebushes, which was once the foundation of the house where First Lady Pat Nixon lived during her youth. Nixon is one of the City’s most famous one-time residents, and the site of her childhood home and her family’s truck farm was the perfect location for the Cerritos Senior Center. In 1975, the City honored Nixon by dedicating the Pat Nixon Home and Museum at 12364 South Street. The five-room house was restored and authentically decorated, set on four acres of rolling lawns at Pat Nixon Park. The home Nixon lived in from 1914 to 1931 was situated on the corner of South Street and Ely Avenue. Pat Ryan (the future First Lady) spent her childhood in Dairy Valley, walking the dirt roads to school, carrying out neighborhood babysitting duties

and making friends. Among her closest friends were Myrtle Franz (née Raine) and Louise Raine, and they became known as “the Three Musketeers.” The Raine family was another early Dairy Valley clan who owned 10 acres near today’s Cerritos Senior Center. Myrtle Franz spent the majority of her life in Cerritos, remaining active in the City and at the Senior Center through her 90s. Before her passing in 2012 at the age of 96, Myrtle Raine commented, “This city has changed so much, you wouldn’t realize it’s the same place. I tell people I live in Cerritos, and they’re so impressed. It’s grown into a beautiful city. I’m very proud of it.” The City of Cerritos bought the Nixon property from the family in 1967, but the home was destroyed by fire in 1978. In April 1996, the Cerritos City Council approved installing a “life-size, full-body” bronze statue of Pat Nixon in the rose garden of the Cerritos Senior Center. Artist Ivan Schwartz, who had sculpted statues of 10 world leaders for the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, was selected as the statue’s sculptor. The statue was dedicated on March 1, 1997. The bricks used in the existing memorial at the site are from the original home’s fireplace and chimney. As a gift to the community for the City’s 50th Anniversary, a 5,000-square-foot expansion of the Senior Center was completed in 2006, which included a new wellness/fitness center designed specifically with the community’s active seniors in mind. The $2.4 million project included cardiovascular and weight training equipment, a conference room for wellness and health screenings, a public counter, locker rooms and restrooms. Today, services provided at the now 27,500-square-foot Cerritos Senior Center include health screenings, exercise classes, tax and legal assistance, health and fitness workshops, a fitness center, excursions and special events. This past year, the façade at the Senior Center was enhanced with the completion of maintenance to the wood features. Since the Cerritos Center opened in 1994: Approximately 527,000 nutritional lunches have been served. More than 287,000 home de-

livered meals have been provided to homebound seniors. Nearly 54,000 information and referral questions have been answered. Approximately 22,500 seniors have attended special event dances. More than 1 million seniors have attended exercise classes. Over 512,000 workout visits have occurred since the completion of the Fitness Center expansion. Senior Center volunteers have contributed close to 216,000 hours of service. The interior and outdoor areas of the Senior Center have been the site of approximately 3,000 private weekend reservations, hosting more than 470,000 guests. These events have included wedding ceremonies/receptions, anniversary celebrations and milestone birthday festivities. Designed to meet the special needs of the City’s growing senior population, the Cerritos Senior Center continues to provide a focal point for their community involvement. The City looks forward to many more years of serving the senior community of Cerritos. Cerritos residents can receive a free subscription to the quarterly “Senior Connection” newsletter by calling the Senior Center at (562) 916-8550. Non-residents can receive the newsletter for $8 a year by subscribing and paying in person at the Senior Center. The newsletter is mailed directly to homes. The Senior Center, located on 12340 South Street, is open 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Fridays. —Bring a used oil filter and get a new one for free The City of Cerritos will hold a used motor oil filter exchange event on Saturday, January 26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Pep Boys on 11944 South Street. In exchange for used motor oil filters, residents will receive vouchers for free new motor oil filters while supplies last. There is a limit of two vouchers per Cerritos resident. Filter vouchers are valued up to $12 each. The event is funded by CalRecycle. For more information, contact Kevin Sales at (562) 9444766. Used oil collection centers can be located by calling 888CLEAN-LA, or visiting cleanla. com.■

4th Homeless Service Professionals Job Fair in LA

On Sunday, January 20, 2019 at 3:30 pm, the Santo Niño Cruzada USA will sponsor a mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels to be presided by its Pastor, Fr. David Gallardo, and to commemorate its 32nd year anniversary of the solemn Feast of Santo Niño, the Divine Infant Jesus. Participating are the choir of St. Paul the Apostle Church from Chino Hills, The Southern California Sinulog Dance Co., The Saint Junipero Serra Province Knights of Columbus, and various religious organizations. We also offer the mass to the late Cardinal Ricardo Vidal of Cebu who gave the Santo Nino statue that we use for this event to Cardinal Roger Mahony and Monsignor Kevin Kostelnik. For more information of this celebration, please contact Romy & Tess Esturas at (213) 219-0590.

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St. Finbar Church in Burbank, CA celebrates its 9th Annual Valentine Dinner Dance Come and celebrate Hollywood glamour on February 9, 2019 from 6:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. For information contact Marian at (818) 562-6819 or send an email to minobleza@yahoo. com.

F E B R UA RY 1 5

Franchising Retail & Trade Conference in Cerritos, CA The Coalition of Filipino American Chambers of Commerce (COFACC) hosts this highly anticipated business event at the Cerritos Sheraton located at 12725 Center Court Drive South, Cerritos, CA 90703. Attendees will have access to opportunities in business match making & referrals, roundtable discussions, entrepreneurship training programs, and networking & business connections with participants representing both the United States and the Philippines. Business owners, entrepreneurs, corporations, and the general public are all invited to attend. The Philippine Retailer Association (PRA) and the Philippine Franchise Association (PFA) will be present to network with the US business community. Also present will be local franchisor and franchisee business owners, the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA), the National Asian American Coalition (NAAC), the National Diversity Coalition (NDC), the Asian Pacific Islander Small Business Program, the Philippine Consulate Los Angeles Office, Philippine Dept. of Trade & Industry (PTIC) Los Angeles, and the Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA).Basic entry is only $10 but can and will vary depending on the participation experience desired. Registration for the Conference is simple and is processed online at by going to https://cofacc.org.

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MAYOR Eric Garcetti, the LA Homeless Services Authority, the County of LA Homeless Initiative, Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson, United Way of Greater LA, Workforce Development Systems, and LA Southwest College invite you to the fourth Homeless Service Professionals Job Fair on Thursday, January 17 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Over 30+ employers will be in attendance, who are looking to fill hundreds of positions throughout the greater LA area — everything from case managers and outreach

workers to housing navigators, supervisors and executives. Join us for our job fair and learn about the incredible impact you can have to help people get all the support they need to start a new chapter. You can help change lives. Types of Positions: Direct Service / Entry Level: case managers, outreach workers, housing navigators, employment specialists, administration, finance, and more; Management / Supervisory Level: supervisors, coordinators, program managers and directors, and similar positions; Profession-

al Level and Executive Level: with advanced degrees such as MSW, MPP, MPH, LCSW, certifications; senior management. On-site resources available: Resume review and editing; Interviewing preparation and tips; and Connections to more local services. Please RSVP at: HSPJobFairLa. eventbrite.com. The job fair will be held inside the Thomas G. Larkin Fitness and Wellness Center at Los Angeles Southwest College (1600 W. Imperial Hwy., Los Angeles, CA 90047). ■

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If Republicans are ‘Inflation to average below 6% in 2018’ ‘pro-immigration,’ why are they so against it?

Immigration Corner ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ ONE of the main talking points of Republicans is that they are not “anti-immigration,” but instead are “anti-illegal immigration.” They speak about how it is unfair that people come to the U.S. by crossing the border or overstay, break our immigration laws, and expect to be rewarded with legalization. They emphasize that the people who “play by the rules,” wait their turn in line, etc., are the ones who are deserving of legalization. What I have found is that even when people follow the rules, the USCIS has several policies and procedures reflecting a bias against legal immigration and those trying to follow the rules. For example, when a person has already obtained an approval of an H-1B visa, and files for an extension, there is no assurance the extension will be approved, even if the person fully complied with the terms of his visa. Officers have been instructed to dig and investigate, sometimes serving requests for evidence (RFE) that are several pages long, requiring a mountain of documents and other proof, even though the original H-1B petition had already been approved. In other situations, when a person is applying for a green card, and the case is denied for some reason, even on a technicality

such as a missing document that was inadvertently left out, the case could be denied without an RFE, and USCIS could already place the person in deportation/ removal by issuing a notice to appear (NTA). A person who is a mere overstay and is seeking to legalize his or her status, is now considered an “enforcement priority,” along with felons, gang members, terrorists, etc. So, it appears everyone is an enforcement priority. Many years ago, the mission statement of INS was to try to find ways to approve cases. Since USCIS took over INS’ functions, the attitude seems to be to suspect and investigate, and look for ways to deny cases if possible. That is hardly a “proimmigration” attitude. Immigration judges have been instructed to quickly process deportation/removal cases. Their performance reviews are based on quotas for the number of cases they can process. Judges are instructed to not continue cases (even if a person may be seeking a continuance because an immigration benefit is in process, and if approved, the person could get a green card), or they should reopen cases that had been previously administratively closed. That is why it is important that whenever a person is applying for an immigration benefit, they should seek the advice of an at-

torney, who can evaluate their case and situation, and possibly assist them in applying for benefits, because even though we’re being told the administration is pro-legal immigration, it appears they are tough with both those who are illegal as well as those trying to get legal. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-4873465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINE (Advertising Supplement)

Business Quote of the Week “Whatever you do, be different – that was the advice my mother gave me, and I can’t think of better advice for an entrepreneur. If you’re different, you will stand out.” —Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop

Manilatimes.net ﬁle photo by MAYVELIN

U. CARABALLO

Manilatimes.net

THE Philippines’ headline inflation rate likely averaged below 6 percent last year on account of stabilizing food and energy prices, an economist said on Wednesday, January 2. In a report, ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Antonio Mapa said “index heavyweights food items and energy-

related sub-indices are seen to pull inflation below the 6-percent handle, as supply chains normalize and global energy prices plunged faster in November and December than they rose from September to the 2018 peak in October.” The figure was higher than the 2.9-percent average inflation rate in 2017 and the 2.0-4.0 percent target range of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

Mapa noted that the fourthquarter harvest season and grain imports had helped stabilize the supply and price of most food items. Citing a government bulletin, he emphasized that in the second week of December, rice inflation hit 10.03 percent, compared with 14.46 percent a month earlier. “Meanwhile, domestic pump prices have tracked the freefall PAGE D2

Philippines hopeful on starting free trade talks with US by LOUELLA

DESIDERIO Philstar.com

THE Philippines is hopeful talks for a free trade agreement (FTA) with the U.S. could start as it awaits the latter’s formal notification to its Congress, which could be made this month. “We are just waiting for U.S. side to formally notify their Congress which may happen early part of this year,” Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo told reporters. He said there is a need for the Office of the U.S .Trade Represen-

tative (USTR) to formally notify the U.S .Congress of its intent to pursue talks for a bilateral trade agreement with the Philippines in line with procedures under the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA). Under the TPA, the U.S. administration would have to give Congress 90 days notice before it can start negotiations for trade agreements. TPA’s procedures ensure the USTR develops negotiating positions which include Congress’ views. Last July, Reuters reported that U.S. Trade Representative Robert

Lighthizer said before the U.S. Senate appropriations subcommittee that the U.S. would want to have a trade deal with the Philippines. Rodolfo said earlier the U.S .and Philippines are ready to work on enhancing the bilateral trade relationship further as the parties have resolved issues under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) in October last year. In particular, both parties have agreed to work together on greater access of agricultural products to PAGE D2

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Gov’t still hopeful on tax package approval Oil price hikes, rollbacks leave consumers reeling by JOrdeen

B. Lagare Manilatimes.net

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III by Ben

O. de Vera Inquirer.net

EVEN as the remaining months leading to the 2019 midterm elections in May will likely keep legislators running for reelection busy, the Department of Finance (DOF) is hopeful that Congress can still pass the remaining tax reform packages, especially the second batch aimed at reducing corporate income tax while rationalizing the fiscal incentives being enjoyed by investors. “The current Congress still has several remaining session days in the first half of 2019 before a new set of lawmakers gets elected in May, providing them some time to tackle the proposals under the Duterte administration’s comprehensive tax reform program, and hopefully approve them,” Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said in a statement. But given that the May elections are fast approaching, Dominguez admitted that the upcoming polls “could dim hopes on getting the tax reform packages approved in the current Congress.”

Inquirer.net file photo

As such, “we will discuss again with them (legislators) and see how we can push the tax reform packages,” Dominguez said. The 17th Congress will return to session from its Christmas break on Jan. 14, after which it will again adjourn on Feb. 9 ahead of the May polls. Congress will resume on May 20 before the sine die break on June 8, paving the way for the 18th Congress in July. Five more tax packages are pending in Congress, including the second package or the Tax Reform for Attracting Better and High-Quality Opportunities (Trabaho) bill. While the proposed Trabaho bill already passed in the Lower House, it stalled in the Senate as senators wanted to ensure that it would not lead to job losses. “The DOF is urging the Congress to place Package 2 in the frontburner as this is projected to generate some 1.4 million jobs, mostly in small and medium enterprises (SMEs), over the next decade and create a business environment conducive to inclusive growth. Under the current cor-

porate taxation, a select group of big businesses, many of them on the elite list of Top 1,000 corporations, pay preferred tax rates ranging from 9-13 percent while the rest, including SMEs, pay the steep 30-percent corporate income tax, which is the highest in the region,” it said. Also pending congressional approval are a portion of package 1B calling for higher Motor Vehicle Users’ Charge (MVUC) and package 2+ that will further jack up excise taxes on “sin” products such as alcohol and tobacco. According to the DOF, “package 2 plus, which will help fund the universal health care (UHC) program, is estimated to yield an additional P60 billion in the first year—that is, if the DOF proposal to raise tobacco excise taxes to P60 per cigarette pack in 2019 and by 9 percent thereafter, and the schedular excise tax increases on fermented liquors, distilled spirits and wines, to P40 per liter and P40 per proof liter, and 10 percent, respectively, starting 2019 are adopted by the Congress.” n

Philippines hopeful on starting free trade talks with US PAGE D2 t the U.S. and continued acceptance of vehicles meeting U.S. safety standards in the Philippines. In addition, the parties agreed to continue discussions on the National Retail Payments System and other measures related to electronic payments, as well as on the Philippines’ request for relief from U.S. safeguard measures on

solar cells and tariffs on steel and aluminum. Both countries will also work on expanding the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program which eliminates tariffs on certain items from beneficiary countries like the Philippines, to include travel goods. The Philippines counts the U.S. as among its biggest trade partners

as total bilateral trade reached $27 billion in 2016. Of the total bilateral trade value, $18 billion was accounted for by trade in goods, while nearly $9 billion was in services. As the Philippines is a beneficiary of the U.S. GSP, about $1.5 billion of the country’s exports enter the U.S. market duty-free per year. n

FILIPINOS got what would turn out to be the first in a series of oilrelated jolts in 2018 when the first package of the Duterte administration’s Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP) took effect at the beginning of the year. This package — Republic Act 10963, or the “Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion” (TRAIN) Act — saw personal income taxes lowered and excise taxes on automobiles, coal, fuel and sugarsweetened beverages raised. Under this law, the excise tax for diesel grew to P2.50 per liter and for gasoline to P7 to liter. Accompanying these increases was an upward adjustment in pump prices. Oil companies raised the price of diesel, gasoline and kerosene by 65 centavos, 20 centavos and 75 centavos per liter, respectively. These prices kept rising so much at one point that the Duterte administration was forced to implement several measures to help soften their impact on Filipinos while closely monitoring the global oil market. In May, Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella announced that the government was planning to import 240 million liters of diesel from Russia, as proposed by the Philippine National Oil Co.-Exploration Corp. (PNOCEC), in an attempt to lower pump

prices. The Department of Energy (DoE) ordered PNOC-EC to import low-cost oil, specifically diesel, and distribute this to independent dealers and individual consumers to spur competition and curb price hikes. Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi had said that once the state-run firm began importing, it would become easier to determine the components of the fuel price, including the earnings of oil companies. This was in line with his department’s plan to issue a cir-

cular requiring firms to unbundle the base prices of petroleum products, which he said was “one good measure to really help bring down the price of oil.” In August, the DoE mandated oil companies to offer Euro-2 compliant diesel to help ease the impact of rising global petroleum prices, which it said could result in savings of 28 to 30 centavos per liter. But since this order was issued, which drew mixed reactions from other government agencies, PAGE D3

PAGE D2 t seen in Dubai oil prices, with gasoline prices now below pre2018 tax-reform levels, with diesel not far behind,” the economist added. Mapa explained that the November-December plunge prompted the minimum transport fare to be rolled back to P9 from P10 for the first four kilometers, although the government had decided to implement the second tranche of its fuel excise tax adjustment—both gasoline and diesel—of P2 this year. 2019 outlook “With these supply-side oriented bottlenecks mitigated or removed, we can expect inflation pressures to dissipate quickly and the overall headline print to slide in 2019, barring any return of these supply issues,” Mapa said. According to him, risks to the inflation outlook now appear

more tilted to the downside, given that the rice tarrification measure is just waiting President Rodrigo Duterte’s signature and that oil prices are sliding to levels last seen in mid-2017. Still, the economist noted that upward pressure looms with possible extreme weather conditions, with El Niño predicted in the first half of 2019, while surprise supply cuts from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) can cause crude oil’s recent plunge to reverse. “Should inflation continue to trend lower and move within target as early as 2Q (second quarter) 2019, the BSP could move to unwind some of its aggressive hike cycle to help buttress forecasted slower GDP (gross domestic product) growth for the year,” he said. Rising inflation, which breached the 2.0-4.0 percent tar-

get in March and hit a nine-year high of 6.7 percent in September-October, prompted the BSP’s policymaking Monetary Board to raise key interest rates five consecutive times beginning May. Mapa pointed out that cuts to the central bank’s policy rate are expected, even with its widely expected slash in banks’ reserve requirement ratio (RRR) as early as the first quarter. The Bangko Sentral had refrained from doing this in the second half of 2018, but said it would resume doing so this year as inflation was expected to return to target. The RRR is the proportion of current deposits that banks need to keep with the central bank against the sum they can loan out to borrowers. One-percentagepoint cuts to the ratio, currently at 18 percent, were ordered by the Monetary Board in February and May last year.n

A gasoline attendant pumps gasoline on a motorcycle at a gas station on T.M. Kalaw St., Ermita, Manila. Manilatimes.net photo by J. Gerard Seguia

‘Inflation to average below 6% in 2018’

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Gov’t to audit beverage makers’ tax Cybercrime threat growing – Kaspersky payments after collection shortfall by lisbet

K. esmael Manilatimes.net

by ian

niColas Cigaral Philstar.com

THE Department of Finance on Thursday, January 3, blamed sugary beverage manufacturers who “might not be paying the correct taxes” for the P10-billion shortfall in the government’s excise tax collection. The excise levies on sugarsweetened drinks is one of the provisions under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act that seeks to offset projected foregone revenues from personal income tax cuts. TRAIN, which took effect in January last year, mandates a P6-per-liter excise tax on beverages using caloric and non-caloric sweeteners and P12 per liter on beverages using high-fructose corn syrup, or HFCS. Milk and 3in-1 coffee mixes are exempted from this tax. According to DOF Undersecretary Karl Kendrick Chua, the excise tax collection target on sugary drinks as of October 2018 was set at P40 billion, but the Bureau of Internal Revenue has so far collected only around P30 billion. “My hunch is that those that are supposed to pay the P12 tax are only paying P6,” Chua was quoted as saying in a DOF statement. Citing data from the Depart-

ment of Health and the Food and Drug Administration, Chua reported that as of October, only one company — Coca-Cola — has secured approval to convert its sweetener from HFCS to sugar or other caloric or non-caloric sweeteners, which is charged a lower tax of P6 per liter. Other companies that have been determined to be using HFCS as beverage sweeteners still have to apply for FDA approval, which is a requirement before they could shift to caloric or non-caloric sweeteners with the lower tax rate of P6, Chua said. “The FDA approved only the conversion for Coke, and that was just last August. So I think many are paying P6 when they should

CYBERCRIMINALS will target the booming digital economy next year, a cybersecurity firm warned. In its financial cyberthreats forecast for 2019, Kaspersky Lab said new cybercriminal networks were expected to emerge in the Indo-Pakistan region, Southeast Asia, and Central Europe. “The activity of cybercriminals in these regions is constantly growing: the immaturity of protective solutions in the financial sector and the rapid spread of Philstar.com file photo various electronic means of payment among the population and Kaspersky also said cybercrimbe paying P12. That is our concompanies in these regions are inals would move towards online cern. I suggest that the BIR concontributing to this,” it said. payment platforms. duct an audit [on these companies],” Chua said. “They cannot just change the content per the FDA,” he added. DOF data showed excise tax PAGE D2 t Transportation Franchising and collections on sugar-sweetened as well as oil industry players and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to inbeverages from large taxpaygroups, the department has made crease the minimum jeepney fare ers amounted to P29.74 billion the reintroduction of such diesel from P8 to P10. It also granted a for the first 10 months of 2018, fare hike of P1 for public buses in optional. while another P184.4 million was Later, the DoE turned to Con- Manila for the first five kilometers, collected from the rest of sugary gress to facilitate a way to stop although no upward adjustment drink manufacturers, for a total of higher taxes from being imposed was made for succeeding kilomeP29.92 billion. ters. No hike was approved for the on fuel products. The Finance department said “We are…going to the JCPC first five kilometers for ordinary the BIR has started checking the (Joint Congressional Power Com- provincial buses, although the tax payments of beverage manumission) and [seek a] hearing and agency approved a P1.55 increase facturers and sending deficiency probably ask for an amendment for succeeding kilometers. assessments to correct the “disAn increase of 15 centavos was [to] TRAIN because otherwise, crepancies.” n we will have to wait for three also approved for air-conditioned months…before you can suspend provincial buses, ranging between the effectivity of the second round P1.75 and P2.40 per kilometer. The LTFRB recently slashed the [of fuel tax hikes],” Energy Pulido minimum jeepney fare from P10 come up with the guidelines in 3rd said in October. Under TRAIN, the government to P9 for the first four kilometers respect with the frequency of calls in the island and also the can postpone the scheduled tax for central and southern Luzon kind-- the number of cruise pas- increases if the three-month aver- and the National Capital Region sengers that will be allowed in age of Dubai crude hits $80 per following successive fuel price decreases. There were no fare adbarrel. Boracay,”Bengzon said. That time, the government justments for buses. The Department of Environment Between the first week of Januand Natural Resources(DENR) seemed to heed calls to defer the earlier commissioned a study on implementation of the second ary and second week of December, the carrying capacity of Boracay, tranche of fuel tax hikes. That industry players imposed more which found that the island and its same month, the country’s eco- fuel price hikes than rollbacks. swimming areas can only support nomic managers recommended Firms raised the price of diesel 29 55,757 people per day. This is to Duterte its postponement be- times; gasoline, 30; and kerosene, 27. But they also reduced prices composed of 36,542 of residents cause of rising inflation. This led to the president, of diesel and kerosene 20 times and workers and 19,215 tourists, with 6,405 tourists allowed to en- through Executive Secretary Sal- each, and the price of gasoline by vador Medialdea, signing in No- 18. ter the island per day. This translates to the price of The Philippines is aiming to vember a memorandum approvdiesel climbing by P19.50 per lidevelop its cruise tourism prod- ing the postponement. But the government retreated ter, gasoline by P18.60 per liter uct with the implementation of the National Cruise Development from that move after Finance Sec- and kerosene by P19.25 per liter. retary Carlos Dominguez III an- On the other hand, the price of Strategy (NCTDS). Under the NCTDS, the country nounced that the second tranche diesel dropped by P18 per liter, aims to have 656,635 cruise pas- would be implemented this year, gasoline by P18.65 per liter and sengers from 300 ports of calls citing substantial drops in crude kerosene by P18.17 per liter. Decline seen prices as the reason. by the end of 2022. Given this, government officials Rising, falling jeepney fares In 2017, the Philippines welThe volatility in local and global believe that crude prices are set to comed 140 port of calls for a total of 114,437 cruise passengers. n oil prices also prompted the Land decline in 2019.

More sustainability challenges ahead for tourism by Catherine

talavera Philstar.com

THE Philippine tourism sector is expected to encounter more challenges in terms of sustainability of destinations this year, which could also stem from the potential of the rising cruise tourism market. “There will be more challenges next year as we take stock of the sustainability issues in the other destinations – Palawan, Bohol, Siargao, etc,”Fernando Roxas, executive director of the Asian Institute of Management Andrew Tan Center for Tourism, earlier told The STAR. Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat earlier said that DOT will continue its push for sustainable tourism this year as it will focus on promoting alternative tourist destinations. “But we will continue rehabilitating all the other tourist destinations especially those that do not follow environmental laws,” she added.

Roxas cited the cruise tourism market as a sector that the government must pay attention to in terms of sustainability issues. “The economics of cruise ships ferrying Chinese tourists to other destinations within the country is so attractive,” Roxas said. “Cruise tourism will alter the magnitude of sustainability challenges to our frail archipelagic geography,” he added. Roxas said the government must consider not just the marketing aspect of attracting these tourists. “Sustainable operations will be key,” he said. Tourism Undersecretary and spokesperson Benito Bengzon Jr. earlier said they are currently coordinating with the local government unit of Boracay to determine protocols needed to be introduced in the cruise tourism market due to the carrying capacity in the island. “Once we’ve sorted it out with the local government then we’ll

Manilatimes.net file photo

In the Philippine scene alone, a number of data breaches had PAGE D5

Oil price hikes, rollbacks leave...

Cusi said Dubai crude oil, used as one of the major benchmarks for global oil prices, was expected to drop below $50 per barrel in the coming months. “The projection of [oil] price will be somewhere between $50 and $60 per barrel next year… unless there will be some sort of disturbance, then prices could spike substantially,” he told reporters last month. According to Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) economist Emilio Neri, fuel prices would not decline significantly unless global crude prices do. “As long as the peso continues weakening and oil prices don’t go down, then we don’t expect [a] reversal in oil prices anytime soon,” Neri had said. “Inflation always started going down when there were substantial declines…” he added. PTT Philippines Trading Corp. General Manager Danny Alabado is expecting prices to weaken this year. “Weakening of oil prices is to continue in the current situation, but anything can change tomorrow, because there are three major variables affecting oil prices especially international prices,” he told reporters recently. One is the shale oil production of the United States, which he said was hitting a “record high” of more than 11 million barrels per day. Another is the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries’ (OPEC) decision on oil production to boost the market, as well as the perception of the global economy slowing down on account of the ongoing U.S.-China trade war. n

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BSP to banks: Step up info PH manufacturing slid to drive for digital payments 3-month low in December by MayveLin

u. carabaLLo Manilatimes.net

by Lawrence

agcaoiLi Philstar.com

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has instructed banks to step up the information campaign as the deadline to increase the level of cashless transactions to 20 percent from only one percent nears. BSP Deputy Governor Chuchi Fonacier issued Memorandum 2019 – 001 directing BSP-supervised financial institutions to establish effective mechanisms to ensure that all frontline personnel at the head offices, branches, and other banking offices possess adequate information about PESONet (Philippine EFT System and Operations Network) and InstaPay. Both automated clearing houses (ACHs) were launched as part of the National Retail Payments System (NRPS) aimed at establishing a safe, efficient, affordable, and reliable e-payments system. The PESONet involves the fund transfer from one account (payer) to one or several accounts (payees) maintained in different banks. The fund transfer or payment instructions are processed in bulk and cleared at batch intervals. On the other hand, InstaPay allows customers to transfer peso funds almost instantly between accounts of participating banks. The service is available 24x7, all year round. Fonacier said frontline person-

Philstar.com file photo

nel should be able to properly apprise customers and the public regarding these fund transfer facilities and services. She said banks and financial institutions should post materials containing pertinent information about PESONet and lnstaPay in the premises of their offices as well as their websites to enable customers to have sufficient knowledge about these fund transfer facilities Furthermore, Fonacier said banks should provide with prominent visibility in the their website the links to the PESONet and InstaPay websites that would be maintained or directed by the Philippine Payments Management Inc. (PPMI). According to Fonacier, banks should be able to comply with all the requirements as required under Circular 980 not later than

March 31. For one, Fonacier said BSP supervised financial institutions are required to submit to the PPMI within the month all the actions they have taken or to be taken to comply. The PPMI, she said, is tasked to monitor and lead its members towards compliance with the NRPS framework. PPMI was also directed to submit updates on the status of compliance of the banks with the memorandum to the BSP Payment System Oversight Department regularly. The regulator is now evaluating the compliance of banks in an order requiring them to make fund transfer available through their electronic channels by Nov. 30 as required under Memorandum M-2018-026. n

creased oil production in the United States and rising oil stockpiles. Higher oil prices had squeezed margins for airlines around the world through 2018, including carriers based in the Philippines. In September, the Philippines’ Civil Aeronautics Board approved a fuel surcharge mechanism, which airlines typically pass on to passengers, to help airlines offset fuel costs. Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific announced they would tap the mechanism to cushion losses. IATA said favorable economic growth and lower oil costs would usher in profitability in the airline industry for a 10th straight year. Taken together, the global industry will post a net profit of $35.5 billion, up almost 10 percent year-on-year. It said all regions, save for airlines in Africa, were expected to earn this year. Carriers in Asia

Pacific, in particular, are forecast to post a net profit of $10.4 billion, up from $9.6 billion in 2018. “Lower fuel costs, low levels of fuel hedging and strong regional economic growth are supporting profitability in 2019 in this region,” IATA noted. The strongest financial performance will come from U.S.based carriers, IATA said, with profits amounting to $16.6 billion, up almost 13 percent. Demand through the year will also remain healthy, with IATA forecasting a 6-percent growth in passenger traffic for the year. “Air travel has never been such a good deal for consumers. Not only are fares staying low, the options for travelers are expanding. Some 1,300 new direct links between cities were opened in 2018. And 250 million more journeys by air occurred in 2018 than in 2017,” De Juniac said. n

Airlines seen staying profitable due to oil price drop by MigueL

r. caMus

Inquirer.net

THE global trade group of the world’s airlines is expecting oil prices to drop in 2019, helping fuel another year of profitability. The International Air Transport Association (IATA), in its year-end forecast, said the average oil price this year would be lower by 10.9 percent to an average of $65 a barrel, which will help support demand for air travel. Iata said jet fuel prices, in particular, would drop by 7.2 percent to an average of $81.30 a barrel for the year. “We had expected that rising costs would weaken profitability in 2019. But the sharp fall in oil prices and solid GDP (gross domestic product) growth projections have provided a buffer,” Alexandre de Juniac, Iata’s director general and CEO, said in a statement. Iata attributed the decline to in-

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THE Philippine manufacturing sector declined in December, with the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) dropping to a three-month low, according to the latest IHS Markit/Nikkei survey. Results released on Wednesday, January 2, showed that the seasonally adjusted indicator eased to 53.2 from 54.2 in November. The figure is the lowest since the 52 recorded in September. The PMI takes into account new orders, output, employment, suppliers’ delivery time and stocks. Readings above 50 signal an expansion; below that, a contraction. In a statement, IHS Markit economist David Owen said the December survey results “confirmed a strong end to the year for Filipino manufacturers.” He acknowledeged that, despite dipping from November, growth in output and new orders remained solid, fueling an increase in job numbers. According to the survey, manufacturers further expanded their output last month, despite easing to a three-month low. On the other hand, demand conditions were said to have remained solid, as inflows of new orders remained robust, albeit at a slower pace from November’s 12-month high. Survey data also suggested that domestic markets played a primary role in driving demand amid soft international sales. It indicated that new export orders fell for the fourth month in orders fell for the fourth month in December. The pace of contraction, however, was generally marginal. With higher sales, firms expanded their workforce to keep up with the increase in workloads. Employment rose to its strongest

Women stitch garments at Hamlin Industrial Corporation, a garments factory in Cavite. Photo from UNPA

in four months in December, albeit still marginal. “Anecdotal evidence suggested [that] firms’ efforts to increase operating capacities contribute to jobs growth,” IHS Markit/Nikkei explained. Meanwhile, Owen said “a notable waning in input cost inflation to the weakest seen in over two years” was “also encouraging.” The survey also showed that manufacturers raised output charges modestly in December, partly because of a slower rise in costs. Output price inflation was the weakest since July 2017. Though solid, cost inflation was the softest in over two years. “Likely helped by the fall in oil prices, firms also reported an easing of recent cost pressures, such as the exchange rate and the TRAIN laws,” Owen said. Formally known as Republic Act 10963 or the Tax Reform for Ac-

celeration and Inclusion Act, TRAIN provided income tax exemptions for those earning P250,000 and below. It made up for the revenue loss by imposing new excise taxes on automobiles, coal, fuel and sugarsweetened beverages. The measure — the first package of the Duterte administration’s Comprehensive Tax Reform Program that was implemented at the start of 2018 — has been blamed for stoking inflation, which blew past the 2.0-4.0 target in March and hit a nine-year high of 6.7 percent in September. Owen also said easing cost pressures “saw firms raising factory gate prices modestly, offering a calmer and confident outlook for the sector in 2019.” Reasons for optimism included higher sales projections, new products, plans to expand operating capacity and the May midterm elections, according to the survey. n

Cybercrime threat growing...

PAGE D3 t been recorded in 2018, involving online shopping sites of fast-food chains and a broadcast giant. Wendy’s Philippines in May informed the public about the hacking activity, with over 82,000 records of personal information of its job applicants and customers exposed. Homegrown fast-food giant Jollibee, meanwhile, was mandated by the National Privacy Commission (NPC) to temporar-

ily suspend its delivery website given “serious vulnerabilities” in the platform, serving as a threat to around 18 million individuals on Jollibee’s database. The latest company who suffered from online crime was ABSCBN. The media firm decided to temporarily take down its online shopping sites University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and ABS-CBN Store, with fears that data of its 213 custom-

ers were compromised. Stephan Neumeier, managing director at Kaspersky Lab Asia Pacific, told The Manila Times in September the country was “very vulnerable” given its young population, or the millennial market, that is “easier to attack.” Digital payment provider PayPal said in its report last June Filipino shoppers would spend P185 billion by 2020, an double growth from last year’s P92.5 billion. n

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