010820 - Southern California Midweek Edition

January 8-11, 2020 Volume 30 - No. 1 • 2 Sections - 16 Pages

Following release of drug war report, Duterte calls Robredo a ‘colossal blunder’

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, January 7 dismissed Vice President Leni Robredo’s published report that called the administration’s threeyear war against illegal drugs a “massive failure.”

This comes after the vice president on Monday released her long-awaited report on the situVice President Leni Robredo

Photo from the Office of the Vice President

USA

DATELINE AFP inaugurates US-funded peacekeeping facility FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) inaugurated a US-funded peacekeeping operations training facility in Tarlac.

This facility was funded via the Global Peace Operations Initiative, a US State Department-funded security assistance program focused on strengthening the international capacity and capabilities of partner nations to execute United Nations (UN) and regional peace operations.

During the inauguration, the AFP officially opened the Peacekeeping Operations Center and a dining facility. The center will provide training and administrative services to AFP personnel participating in peacekeeping operations, in support of the Philippines’ inter-

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2020 BUDGET. President Rodrigo Duterte signs into law the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2020 during a ceremony at the Malacañang Palace on Monday, January 6. The P4.1-trillion national budget for 2020 is 9% higher than last year’s P3.76 trillion budget.

Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez

PH Supreme Court nixes plea for same-sex marriage

by TETCH

TORRES-TUPAS Inquirer.net

MANILA — The Supreme Court has dismissed with finality the petition to allow same-sex marriage in the Philippines.

In a two-page notice, the high court on Monday, January 6, said it opts to deny the appeals because “no substantial arguments were presented to warrant the reversal of the questioned deciIn a two-page notice issued by the SC last Dec. 10 and made available sion.” on Monday, January 6, the SC denied “with finality the said motion for “No further pleadings or moreconsideration as no substantial arguments were presented to warrant the reversal of the questioned decision.” Philstar.com photo by Miguel tions will be entertained” on the

Duterte to side with US if Filipinos harmed amid Middle East tension

by FRANCO LUNA Philstar.com

Articles 46 (4) and 55 (6) of the Family Code.

Articles 1 and 2 limited marriages between man and woman while Articles 46 (4) and 55 (6) mentions lesbianism or homosexuality as grounds for annulment and legal separation.

According to Falcis, the Family Code — in limiting marriage between man and woman — is unconstitutional because it deprives him of his right to liberty without substantive due process of law and his right to equal pro-

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commanders.

Iran has vowed to retaliate against the United States and its allies amid international calls for restraint.

“If you will not give justice for the Filipino people, I will get them. There is always a time for reckoning, that time is now,” the presidential mouthpiece said, quoting the chief executive on how the Philippines will react if Filipinos are caught in the dispute.

“The terms will be very different from the previous ones. If they will harm the Filipinos, he will not sit down idly,” Panelo said.

MANILA — Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo at a press briefing in Malacañang disclosed on Tuesday, January 7, u PAGE A3 that President Rodrigo Duterte would side with the United States, the Philippines’ longtime ally and former colonizer, amid rising tension in the Middle East.

Tensions between the U.S. and Iran, as well as Iraq, have been brimming since a drone strike ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump on an airport in Baghdad resulted in the death of one of Iran’s top u PAGE A2 THE Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), through its foreign service posts, is beginning to remind all Filipino citizens overseas to register now as overseas voters for the 2022 Philippine National Elections.

by DELON PORCALLA, ALEXIS ROMERO, PAOLO ROMERO What you need to register: Philstar.com • An accomplished and signed application form (check the website of your local Philippine MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte on ment, to remain driven toward our collective Embassy or Consulate General); Monday, January 6 urged agencies, lawmak- goal of providing a more comfortable life for • A valid Philippine Passport; ers and civil society to be vigilant against our people,” Duterte said. “Together, let us • If you don’t have a valid passport, submit what he described as the “selfish greed” of ensure that every peso in the budget will nevyour NSO birth certificate and a valid Green a few who may seek to use the 2020 national er be used to support the selfish greed of the Card (original and photocopy for both); few, but spent exclusively for the benefit and budget to pursue their interests.

• If you are a Seafarer: a photocopy of your Speaking during the signing of this year’s service of Filipino taxpayers,” he added.

Seaman’s Book or any other document that will P4.1-trillion budget, Duterte said the outlay The President said the passage of the 2020 prove that you are a seafarer should also be sub- would support his administration’s vision of a budget is proof that, with the “invaluable” mitted in addition to “1” and “2” above; and, “more peaceful and progressive Philippines” help of Congress, the government can effec• If you are a Dual Citizen: please submit your as it allots significant amounts to infrastruc- tively work together to enact key measures Dual Citizenship certificate (original and photo- ture development and social services. that will support its development agenda in copy) in addition to “1” and “2” above.

Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado said in a the next two and a half years.

The registration period will end on 30 Sep- text message that the President did not veto He also thanked Congress for supporting tember 2021. his fiscal policies, including the cash budgetany item in the 2020 budget.

Personal appearance is required, since the “As we look forward to another productive ing system and the full implementation of registrant will need to provide biometrics. year for this administration, I ask Congress the comprehensive tax reform program. This Frequently asked questions include: and our civil society partners, as well as my year’s budget is equivalent to 19.5 percent u PAGE A4 fellow civil servants in the executive departu PAGE A4

Filipinos in US urged to register for 2022 PH nat’l elections

matter, said SC Clerk of Court Edgar Aricheta.

SC dismissed the same petition in September 2019 as it pointed out that the issue should be addressed to Congress.

The high court added that the petitioner, Atty. Jesus Nicardo Falcis III, also violated the principle of hierarchy of courts and failed to raise an actual justiciable controversy. The SC likewise said Falcis has no legal standing.

Falcis’ petition was filed in 2015. He wants the high court to nullify Articles 1 and 2 as well as

2020 budget signed: Duterte warns vs ‘selfish greed’

Senator Leila De Lima

Philstar.com photo

by RITCHEL

staff, revealed that the detained senator is making up a “comprehensive” list of officials and private individuals responsible for her “wrongful” detention in 2017. Persons included may be barred from entering the U.S. should the amendment in the 2020 budget signed in December

by U.S. President Donald Trump be implemented.

The provision in the U.S. budget stated that that the U.S. Secretary of State “shall apply subsection (c) to foreign government officials about whom the secretary has credible information have been involved in the wrong-

Palace says De Lima should be on US ban list MENDIOLA AJPress

OPPOSITION Senator Leila De Lima should be included in the list of individuals to be banned from the United States, Malacañang argued.

“She (De Lima) should put herself on the top list plus (former senator and administration critic Antonio) Trillanes (IV) and others who have been peddling lies to the outside world,” said presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo, according to a report by the Philippine Star.

This statement came after Fhillip Sawali, De Lima’s chief of

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A January 8-11, 2020 • SoCal aSIan JOurnaL

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

From the Front Page

Duterte to side with US if Filipinos...

PAGE A1 Duterte told reporters on Tuesday afternoon, however, that the U.S. must ask for permission before using bases in the Philippines as staging grounds for operations.

CNN Philippines quotes the president as saying he will not allow the U.S. to launch missiles

and rockets from the Philippines and that sending Filipino troops to help the U.S. is “out of the question.”

‘U.S. biggest threat to Filipinos’ Leftists groups Gabriela, International League of People’s Struggle Philippines, Kilusang Mayo Uno and Kadamay mean-

while held a protest in front of the U.S. embassy on Monday to condemn what they called American aggression.

Militant group Migrante International Alliance of Filipino Migrant Organizations in a statement condemned Western imperialism and urged the administration to reject the prospect of war.

“Rather than being a passive onlooker in the international community, the Duterte government must present its objection against the U.S. war of aggression on Iran and persuade Trump to permanently pull out U.S. troops in the Middle East to de-escalate conflict and to allow the advent of just peace and stability in the region,” Migrante said.

“The U.S. military has no business remaining in the Middle East other than to stoke bloody hostilities against non-dominated countries like Iran and Syria.”

The national democratic activist movements believes imperialism, particularly by the U.S., has kept the majority of Filipinos poor.

Migrante also called for “offering repatriation enlistment to Filipinos and setting forth longterm reintegration programme for returning OFWs” rather than the administration’s “pretensions of preparedness for mass repatriation.”

‘U.S. started the tension’ Bayan Muna secretary general Renato Reyes in response to Panelo’s pronouncement also tweeted, “Good Lord! It is the US that started and escalated the conflict with Iran.”

“The U.S. is the biggest threat to the safety of Filipinos in the Middle East. Why hasn’t Duterte condemned Trump and his rogue actions that violate international law? Tuta lang?” he added.

KMU also told Philstar. com that “the Filipino people have no interest in this war.”

In an earlier statement, KMU said, “As with all imperialist wars, the one being launched and planned by the Trump regime will victimize the working people in target countries and will use as cannon fodder American youths from working-class backgrounds.”

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PROCESSION OF REPLICAS. Thousands of Catholic devotees join the procession of Black Nazarene replicas along Quezon Boulevard, Manila on Tuesday, January 7. The procession is part of the “Traslacion”, or the celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene, which culminates at the Quiapo Church (Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene) on January 9.

PNA photo by Avito Dalan

Following release of drug war report...

PAGE A1 ation of the anti-drug campaign based on her 18-day stint as the Inter-Agency Committee on AntiIllegal Drugs co-chair.

“For all of these years she has done nothing. She is a colossal blunder. Colossal blunder,” Duterte told reporters at Malacañang, urging her to look at her “record” for the past three years in office.

Of the report, he said, “She can’t lecture me on what to do. She has been there how many days? Seventeen or 18 days.”

In her 40-page report, the vice president claimed that the administration has barely scratched the surface of the Philippines’ drug problem despite all the money and resources put toward the campaign.

She was fired by Duterte from her ICAD post last year for several reasons, including the lack of trust and for allegedly consulting foreign groups about the situation.

“Through the presentation of the findings and recommendations contained in this report, the hope is for our focus to be directed to the true and common enemy: the continued proliferation of illegal drugs that destroys the

lives and futures of many Filipino families,” Robredo said.

If the drug war were an exam, the administration would have scored poorly at 1/100 as only 1% of the total shabu circulating in the country has been recovered between 2017 and 2018, according to the report.

“Supply constriction, as an aspect of the overall strategy against illegal drugs, has been a massive failure,” it added.

Citing data from the Drug Enforcement Group of the Philippine National Police (PNP), drug users consume 3,000 kilograms of shabu per week or 156,000 kilograms per year.

However, Robredo pointed out that the same data revealed the government only managed to seize 1,344.87 kilograms in 2019, 785.31 kilograms in 2018, and 1,053.91 kilograms in 2017.

“PDEA [Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency] only recovered up to 1% of the total shabu supply in the past three years.

That amount of drugs is worth billions of pesos,” she noted.

In a press conference on Monday, Robredo suggested that the campaign focus should be on bigger drug trade players instead of the everyday user.

“If we really want to end the scourge of illegal drugs, we need to run after the big suppliers and not just the small-time pushers,” she said.

Furthermore, the report founded that the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) was only able to recover P1.4 billion of drug assets.

“Three kilograms of shabu (is) worth P25 billion per week, which means P1.3 trillion of shabu are being distributed around the country, but only P1.4 billion was restricted by AMLC, not even 1% of all the money that is revolving in the drug trade,” Robredo said.

She called for a “change in strategy,” which included stopping Oplan Tokhang and releasing a new policy that has clearer objectives and operational guidelines to avoid the abuses associated with the campaign campaign.

Data from the Philippine National Police and PDEA released in December found that an estimated 5,552 people had been killed during government operations between July 1, 2016, and November 30, 2019. However, human rights groups have pegged the death toll to around 27,000 as of last June.

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Dateline USa

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 8-11, 2020

A

Fecal bacteria in California’s waterways increases with homeless crisis

U.S. and Philippine military personnel inaugurated a U.S. funded peacekeeping operations training facility in Tarlac on Thursday, December 12. The center will provide training and administrative services to AFP personnel participating in peacekeeping operations, in support of the Philippines’ international commitments.

Photo courtesy of the Armed Forces of the Philippines

AFP inaugurates US-funded peacekeeping...

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national commitments.

A barracks is also being built under the same initiative and is scheduled for completion in late 2020.

The inauguration, which was attended by Major General Andres Centino, Deputy Chief of

Staff for Operations, Armed Forces of the Philippines, included the ceremonial turning over of keys and the planting of a tree.

Since their signing of the UN charter in 1945, the Philippines has participated in a variety of peacekeeping operations

around the world.

The United States, as a longstanding friend, partner and ally of the Philippines, continues to provide support to the AFP through funding projects, equipment transfers and bilateral exercises. (ManilaTimes. net)

Duterte to side with US if Filipinos...

PRESIDENT Donald Trump, a self-described germophobe, has made no secret of his disgust with California’s growing homeless problem, which he has called a “disgrace” and “inappropriate” and equated to “living in hell.”

“We should all work together to clean up these hazardous waste and homeless sites before the whole city rots away,” Trump tweeted about San Francisco on Oct. 26. “Very bad and dangerous conditions, also severely impacting the Pacific Ocean and water supply.”

San Francisco officials were quick to dispute Trump’s claims.

But some of California’s most prized rivers, beaches and streams are indeed contaminated with levels of fecal bacteria that exceed state limits, threatening kayakers, swimmers — and the state’s reputation as a bastion of environmental protection.

The presence of fecal bacteria in water is usually the result of problems with sewer systems and septic tanks. But water quality officials agree that the source of at least some of the fecal bacteria is California’s growing homeless population, most of whom don’t have reliable access to toilets.

“I’ve carried 5-gallon buckets that were unambiguously being used as toilets,” said David Gibson, executive officer of the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board, describing his experience cleaning up homeless encampments. “They were taking it to the San Diego River, dumping it there, and rinsing it out there.”

Fecal contamination of waterways is a widespread problem and becoming more urgent in states with large homeless populations.

In Seattle, homeless people living in RVs are accused of dumping raw sewage straight into storm drains, which flows directly to local waterways. In Oregon, workers cleaning up homeless camps along the Willamette River in Eugene routinely find feces and needles.

California has the largest homeless population in the nation, estimated at more than 151,000 people in 2019, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. About 72% of the state’s homeless slept outside or in cars rather than in shelters or temporary housing.

The Trump administration has fixated on California’s homeless population in particular as a potent source of pollution.

In addition to Trump’s tweets, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sent a letter to California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 26 alleging that the state’s lack of urgency on homelessness threatens public health by polluting nearby water with untreated human waste. It then issued a notice to San Francisco accusing it of violating the federal Clean Water Act. Jared Blumenfeld, secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency, responded by accusing the federal EPA of retreating on clean water protection, and called the administration’s focus on the environmental impact of homelessness “sensationalized” and “misguided.”

But concerns extend beyond the Trump administration. A record number of Californians — about 1 in 4 — believe homelessness and housing is the top issue facing the state today, up from 1% in 1999, according to the Public Policy In-

PAGE A2 ‘Perfect relations’ Ties between the Philippines and the United States have been strained since the Obama administration raised concerns of possible human rights violations in the government’s “war on drugs” and since the Duterte administration anounced an independent foreign policy that sought warmer ties with China and Russia.

Although Trump has professed admiration for Duterte, the U.S. budget law for 2020 includes a provision in a Senate resolution barring officials involved in the “wrongful detention” of Sen. Leila De Lima, an outspoken Duterte critic.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin downplayed the effects of the provision, saying that U.S.-Philippines ties were still “perfect.”

KMU secretary general Jerome Adonis in a separate text message to Philstar.com said, “Pareho naman kasing human rights violator, murderer, korap si Duterte at Trump kaya hindi po nakakapagtaka na nasa side siya ng U.S. (Both are human rights violators, murderers and corrupt so it is no surprise that he will side with the U.S.).”

Rising oil prices A labor group also said that rising tension between the U.S. and Iran would likely result higher fuel prices that low-

income workers would need a “cushion” from.

“Any increase in prices would be harsh, if not fatal, not only to four-tenths of our labor force that belong to the informal economy but also to those in the formal sector who are already suffering from stagnated and starvation wages,” Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) chairperson Leody de Guzman said in an earlier statement on Sunday.

Adonis said that these prices would affect OFWs as much as it would Filipinos back home.

“Marami tayong mga OFW sa Middle East na maaapektuhan ng gyerang ito (We have many overseas Filipinos workers in the Middle East who will be affeced by this war),” he said.

“Sasamantalahin din ng mga ganid na oil company para itaas ang presyo na ang katumbas ay pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin. Kawawa naman si Juan Dela Cruz (Those who are selfserving oil companies will take advantage of the situation and raise prices. Poor Juan Dela Cruz).”

Filipinos in the Middle East Although data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration documents 679 OFWs in Iran, De Guzman expressed concern that there could be many more undocumented Filipinos in the region.

Sen. Imee Marcos also urged

the administration to pay attention to OFWs in the Middle East at large, and not just Iran and Iraq.

According to the World Bank in 2008, Filipinos made up the fourth-largest group of foreigners in Saudi Arabia.

The latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority also showed that one in four, or 24 percent of OFWs worked in Saudi Arabia, while 15% of OFWs were employed in the United Arab Emirates. Additionally, 5.7% worked in Kuwait while 5.2% were in Qatar.

In total, the PSA said, there were an estimated 2.3 million OFWs working abroad. More than half of them were women.

“Ikinahihiya si Duterte ng mga Pilipino sa pagpanig Kay Trump sa panggigyera sa Iran, Iraq at buong Middle East (Filipinos are ashamed of Duterte for siding with Trump in going to war with Iran, Iraq and the whole Middle East),” said Adonis.

“If Filipinos in the Middle East we’re harmed in the war, it is the wrongdoing of the United States which instigated the war in the first place,” KMU assert- Along a section of the Los Angeles River that runs between Interstate 5 and the neighborhood Atwater Village, camping tents inhabited by homeless people pop up on islets in the middle ed.

Photo by Anna Almendrala/California Healthline But the president did not of the concrete channel. seem to share their thinking, as Panelo said, “If the Filipinos are harmed, he will side with the Americans.” (With reports from Christina Mendez/Philstar. com)

PAGE A1 ful imprisonment of… Sen. Leila De Lima who was arrested in the Philippines in 2017.”

The sub-section refers to the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act that authorizes the U.S. government to slap sanctions on persons tied to human rights violations, including barring them from entering the country.

According to Panelo, De Lima is just trying to make herself “relevant.”

“If I were you, you should ig-

nore her nonsense. She is just using you people to become relevant while in detention. You continue to give her attention and she is very happy about it,” he said.

“As far we are concerned, she is an irrelevant political entity,” he added.

De Lima has accused several individuals behind her arrest and detention, including President Rodrigo Duterte, Panelo, former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, former Justice Secretary Vi-

taliano Aguirre, Solicitor General Jose Calida, Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida Acosta, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office board member Sandra Cam, Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission chairman Dante Jimenez, Rep. Rey Umali, former congressman Rudy Fariñas, and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration deputy executive director and blogger Mocha Uson.

She said the list was reportedly being finalized and is set to be released. n

Palace says De Lima should be on US...

Following release of drug war report...

PAGE A2 The vice president also suggested transferring the chairmanship of the ICAD to the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), which would be “better equipped to plan an overall program.”

Duterte created the ICAD in

2017 under the chairmanship of the PDEA to lead the “effective conduct of anti-illegal drug operations and arrest of highvalue drug personalities down to the street-level peddlers and users.”

“It (drug war) is a failure, there

are so many aspects, and like what we said in the report, there is too much focus in the street level. Even if we do this every day and if we do not pay attention to supply constriction, then the problem would not end,” Robredo said. n

stitute of California.

When it comes to water, scientists look for E. coli and other bacteria to determine levels of fecal contamination. While E. coli is present in both human and animal feces, human fecal contamination is particularly dangerous because it can transmit diseases that affect people, including hepatitis A and cholera.

Most people are not at risk of getting sick unless they drink the water, or if pathogens enter open

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LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (LACMTA) REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL LACMTA will receive proposals for PS67520 - IT Security Engineer Support Services at the 9th Floor Receptionist Desk, Vendor/Contract Management Department, One Gateway Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

A Pre-Proposal conference will not be held. This project is a Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Set-Aside contract. To participate in this RFP, proposers must be SBE certified with LACMTA prior to proposal due date. For information on the Set-Aside Program, visit: https://business.metro.net/VendorPortal/faces/home1/certifications.

All proposals must be received on or before 2:00 p.m.

Pacific Time on Thursday, January 30, 2020 at the address listed above, sent to the attention of Victor Zepeda. Proposals received later than the above date and time will be rejected and returned to the proposer unopened.

For a copy of the Proposal/Bid specification visit our Solicitation Page on our Vendor Portal at https://business.metro.net or for further information email Victor Zepeda at zepedav@ metro.net.

1/8/20 CNS-3328818# ASIAN JOURNAL (L.A.)

Dateline USa

A January 8-11, 2020 • SoCal aSIan JOurnaL

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SoCal Filipina registered nurse helps bargain first contract with nurses union Registered nurses at Methodist Hospital ratify historic first contract that sets nurses workplace protections in stone

by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

THREE KINGS. The three wise men -- Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltazar – during the reenactment of the annual tradition held at the Casino Español De Manila in San Marcelino St. on Sunday, January 5. In the story of the Bible, the three kings brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh after the birth of Jesus Christ. PNA Photo by Avito C. Dalan

Filipinos in US urged to register for 2022...

PAGE A1 1. I already registered as an overseas voter years ago. Do I need to register again?That depends if you voted! If you have voted in the 2016 and/or 2019 National Elections, then you are still registered.However, if you failed to vote in two consecutive elections(2016 and 2019 elections), then COMELEC would have deactivatedyour registration record.

The list is alphabetical by surname, so scroll down to search for your last name (or press CTRL F to search if you are using a computer). If your name appears in the list, then you will need to apply for reactivation at

the Consulate. Please bring the same documents stated above.

2. Do I need to register to vote?

Yes! Filipino citizens need to register in order to vote. This is to protect the integrity of the election process. If you are not registered, then you must register within the registration period in order to receive a ballot.

3. If I fail to register during the registration period, can’t I just take someone else’s ballot?

No, because that will deprive that person of their opportunity to vote. There is only one (1) ballot allocated for every registered voter’s name.

4. When is the next election?The next election is on May 9, 2022.

5. What positions will be on the 2019 election ballot?

In the 2022 National Election, registered voters will be able to vote for President, Vice President, Senators and Party List Representatives.

6. I’m still confused! Who can I ask?

You can contact your local Philippine Embassy or Consulate General. If sending an email, please don’t forget to include your full name, mobile number, and email address. Include as many details as possible regarding your question. n

higher by 23.7 percent compared to the allocation in 2019.

Public works got P581.7 billion while the transportation department was allotted P100.6 billion in line with the government’s plan to boost infrastructure spending.

The defense department received P192.1 billion while the Philippine National Police got P187.3 billion. Some P70.6 billion was allocated to support the needs of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. The education department, state universities and colleges, the Commission on Higher Education and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority were given a combined outlay of P692.6 billion while interior and local government was given P241.6 billion.

Sen. Sonny Angara, chairman of the Senate finance committee,

said the few days’ delay in the budget signing would not have any adverse impact on the operations of the government.

“Our experience with the 2019 General Appropriations Act was regrettable. The delays faced in the approval of the measure proved to be very costly on the people, who were expecting the timely delivery of key services, and on the economy, which grew at a slower pace,” Angara said.

The 2020 GAA could be described as the first legacy budget of the Duterte administration, he added.

House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez lauded Duterte on Monday for signing the budget that he described as pro-poor and which will carry out the government’s massive infrastructure program beyond 2020. n

2020 budget signed; Duterte warns vs...

PAGE A1 of the projected gross domestic product, the country’s largest to date. It is also higher by 12 percent than the 2019 appropriation. The social services sector accounts for the largest bulk of the budget at P1.495 trillion or 36.5 percent. The funds would be used to support capital development programs in education, health and social protection.

Programs under this expenditure are the universal access for quality tertiary education (P39 billion), basic education facilities program (P36 billion), universal health care (P172.4 billion), the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (P108.8 billion) and the unconditional cash transfer (P36.5 billion).

A total of P1.2 trillion went to economic services, equivalent to 29.3 percent of the national budget,

LAST month, registered nurses at Methodist Hospital in Arcadia, California ratified their first-ever contract with the state’s largest nurses union to ensure fair and safe working conditions and transparency between nurses and administrative staff.

Methodist Hospital’s historic contract comes after nearly a year of bargaining between hospital administrators and the 650 registered nurses, the California Nurses Association (CNA)/National Nurses United (NNU) said in a release.

The nurses won the right to organize on Nov. 13. 2018 when they “overwhelmingly” voted in favor of joining the CNA/NNU and became the largest group of “non-union nurses in Southern California to join a union in at least five years,” according to the CNA/NNU. The effort to unionize began with a small group of about five nurses who reached out to CNA/ NNU more nurses to rally behind the common cause of ensuring quality patient care through safe workplace regulations and practices, according to Shelly Perks, a Filipina registered nurse at the Methodist Hospital ICU who was a key member in the year-long bargaining process.

Perks noted that hospital management had been ignoring the nurses’ demands for a more equitable, safe workplace, which resulted in many experienced nurses leaving the hospital.

“It really pushed the nurses to finally organize for the fact that management wasn’t listening to the nurses anymore when it comes to implementing plans that impact patient care. We didn’t have a voice anymore and we were losing skilled nurses

and that significantly created an impact on how we deliver safe and quality patient care,” Perks told the Asian Journal in a phone interview.

“We had lost a lot of great mentors, and these were nurses who have been there for a long time who committed their time and effort in working for the hospital and mentoring new nurses,” Perks added.

Staff recruitment and retention were among the most pressing concerns for the Methodist Hospital nurses, but they also made sure, during the bargaining process, to implement safe workplace provisions.

One of those provisions included safe “floating” practices.

Floating is a management technique that reassigns nurses to other units of the hospital floor.

Managers will assign nurses to “float” to another unit in order to cover for an area of the hospital that may be understaffed.

While it can benefit a meager hospital staff, it may put a strain on many nurses who already work long hours in their assigned areas.

The Methodist Hospital nurses contract affirms that nurses are not assigned to units that exist outside their expertise and “need to have the competency to be able to work in units that may have the same competency requirements for nurses, and we wanted to stay true to that to maintain safe and quality patient care that all patients rightfully deserve,” Perks explained.

The agreement also established a Professional Performance Committee (PPC), a board of about eight elected leaders within the nursing pool designed to address issues like staffing and patient safety.

“We are so proud to welcome

these 650 Methodist Hospital registered nurses to the California Nurses Association. We know that advocating for patient care is one of the core functions of nursing, and we know with union protections nurses feel safer speaking out on behalf of their patients,” Malinda Markowitz, a registered nurse and co-president of CNA/NNU. For Perks, the contract is a huge win for nurses. She acknowledged that there “is always room for improvement” but that the nurses would not have “settled” on a contract if they didn’t receive all the provisions for which they asked.

But the win is also a win for the Filipino American community who famously have among the strongest nursing blocs in California.

Perks noted the overwhelming amount of Filipino nurses in, not just Methodist Hospital, but in hospitals around the country; so, this first contract is a personal accomplishment for her as well as a collective goal among her colleagues.

“Everywhere you look, you look forward, you look backward, you look sideways, you look at the schedules and you see Filipino names. It’s what we’re known for right? Tender, love and care,” Perks said with a laugh.

“And it’s not just about the contract,” she added. “We now have this voice to speak up for patient care and we’re able to have conversations with management regarding any kinds of procedures or implementations that will affect how we deliver care to our patients. You get these people at their most vulnerable, and they and their families trust you with their lives. The least we can do is give them the best care that we can.” n

PH Supreme Court nixes plea for...

PAGE A1 tection of the laws, as it violated Section 3(1) Article 15 of the 1987 Constitution.

The SC noted in its decision last year that it “recognized protracted history of discrimination and marginalization faced by the lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender, queer, intersex and other gender and sexual minorities (LGBTQI+) community, along with their still

ongoing struggle for equality.”

But it also said LGBTQI+’s fight for their right against discrimination for their choice of relationships and official recognition of their partnerships “may for now, be a matter that should be addressed to Congress.”

“Legislation ideally allows public democratic deliberation on the various ways to assure these fundamental rights. The process

of legislation exposes the experiences of those who have been oppressed, ensuring that this be understood by those who stand with the majority,” the high court said in the decision written by Associate Justice Marvic Leonen.

“Often public reason needs to be first shaped through the crucible of campaigns and advocacies within our political forums before it sharpened for judicial

Fecal bacteria in California’s waterways...

PAGE A3

cuts or sores, said Richard Ambrose, a professor in the department of environmental health sciences at UCLA. Homeless people face the highest risk because they are more likely to wash or wade in the water and have less access to toilets and showers, he said.

In the city of San Francisco, Trump’s favorite punching bag on the issue, fecal pollution on the streets gets swept into the storm drains after it rains and is routed to the same treatment plants as toilet water, which means Trump’s claims about the city’s water were inaccurate, officials say.

But that isn’t the case for most of the state’s cities and sewage systems. In San Diego, the state’s second-most populous county, dozens of homeless encampments line the 52-mile-long San Diego River, which flows into the Pacific Ocean. Officials have for decades recorded high levels of fecal bacteria in the river that exceed state standards, Gibson said.

Last year, the regional water board ordered San Diego County, several cities and municipal agencies to determine the source of the contamination. In addition to investigating the condition of leaky sewage infrastructure, which fails when it rains, the order requires municipalities to evaluate how homeless people living on riverbanks, in parking lots, trailers and RVs may be contributing to the problem, Gibson said.

Farther north, in Sacramento, regulators have been measuring elevated fecal bacteria levels in the lower American River for more than three years. Located near downtown Sacramento, it is a popular destination for water sports, even as hundreds of homeless people camp nearby.

Some recreational areas, including Tiscornia Beach, where families picnic, BBQ and wade in the river, had E. coli levels so high in the past year that they hit the upper limits of what the water board’s laboratories could measure — more than seven times higher than the state standard, said Adam Laputz, assistant executive officer of the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board.

The board is conducting a threeyear DNA analysis to determine whether the bacteria comes from people, birds or dogs, he said.

“That source could be from a

Large plastic tarps protect dilapidated camping tents on one side of the Atwater Village bike path, which runs alongside the Los Angeles River.

Photo by Anna Almendrala/California Healthline

sewage collection that’s leaky, or it could be from leaky septic systems,” in addition to homeless encampments, he said.

If the source is human, the water board will embark on a new study to determine whether the source is an infrastructure failure or individuals.

In the San Francisco Bay Area and Southern California, which have the largest homeless populations in the state, some cities conduct routine water monitoring.

But the regional water boards, which make key water quality decisions for their regions and take enforcement actions when necessary, aren’t testing to determine if and how homeless encampments affect water quality.

Contamination from homeless camps is so easy to observe — and smell — that there is no “need to monitor to know there’s a problem,” said Thomas Mumley, executive officer of the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, which stretches from Napa County to Santa Clara County.

If there are no bathrooms in or near a homeless encampment, “we can assume there’s a discharge of waste” where there shouldn’t be, he said.

Bay Area regulators are working with some cities that are conducting pilot projects, such as offering free RV dump stations and providing sanitation services for encampments.

The board could one day require municipalities to adopt such projects or face fines, Mumley said.

“We’re cautious about using that authority,” he said. “We want

public dollars going toward solutions, not just paying penalties.”

The Central Coast Water Board has already issued an order to the city of Salinas to map homeless encampments and focus more resources on their sanitation needs.

In Los Angeles, hundreds of homeless people camp within the Los Angeles River channel itself and thousands live nearby.

Along a stretch of the river that runs through Atwater Village north of downtown, one man, who called himself P. Dogg and said he had been homeless for three years, said that he bathes in the river when the water is “clear, not murky.”

Asked if he’s ever gotten sick from bathing in the river, he answered proudly: “Never once.”

While local testing of the Los Angeles River, San Gabriel River and the Ventura River Estuary wasn’t designed to measure the effects of homelessness, results suggest there have been significant impacts in some areas due to homeless encampments, said Renee Purdy, executive officer of the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board.

Purdy is working with area communities that have installed portable toilets and organized trash cleanups with money initially budgeted for water infrastructure maintenance.

“The long-term solution is really to address the societal issue of homelessness,” she said.

This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation. n

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Dateline PhiliPPines

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 8-11, 2020

Dateline PhiliPPines

A

300 Filipinos given temporary shelter as fires rage in Australia

by Christia

Marie Inquirer.net

raMos

MANILA — Around 300 Filipinos have so far been evacuated and given temporary housing as catastrophic bushfires continue to blaze across Australia, an official from the Philippine Embassy in Canberra said.

“Just two to three days ago, we received reports from our Melbourne landing team… and we have an honorary consul in Melbourne. They both recently reported cases of Filipinos who have been affected by the bushfires,” Consul General Aian Caringal said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel on Sunday, January 5.

“There were 300 Filipino resi-

dents of Easy Gippsland in Victoria who have been evacuated to the city of Bairnsdale,” he added.

According to Caringal, the Filipinos who were evacuated were already being attended to by the local government and had been given temporary housing as well as emergency relief.

The bushfires, which have been raging since September, have reportedly ravaged nearly 12.35 million acres, or almost 5 million hectares of land, and burned almost 2,000 homes.

At least 24 people were reported to have died.

Caringal said only two Filipino-owned homes were reported to have been destroyed by the bushfires.

No Filipino was reported to be among the fatalities, he added.

No repatriation request yet Caringal said the embassy had yet to receive a request for repatriation.

There are around 300,000 Filipinos living in Australia, he noted.

“If there would be any request we are ready to attend to the request and repatriate our kababayan [countrymen] as soon as possible,” he assured.

Caringal, meanwhile, advised Filipinos in Australia to “monitor the situation in their respective localities” and keep a list of the contact numbers of Philippine embassies, consulates as well local Filipino community organi- FIRST FLAG RAISING CEREMONY. Newly appointed Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff, Lt. Gen. Felimon Santos Jr. attends the first flag-raising ceremony as AFP chief at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Monday, January 6. Santos urges AFP personnel to adhere to the zations. n

Group of lawmakers seeks quick renewal of ABS-CBN franchise

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Fitch unit flags ‘political risks’ should poor health cut Duterte’s term short ‘Core view’ is that Duterte will remain president until 2022

by DJ

Yap Inquirer.net

MANILA — As the House leadership bides its time in dealing with the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise, a multipartisan group of lawmakers has pledged support for expediting the approval of nine pending bills extending the media giant’s license.

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman on Monday filed a House resolution urging the House legislative franchises committee to “report out without further delay for plenary action” a consolidated version of the bills seeking the renewal of ABS-CBN’s 25-year franchise, which expires on March 30.

At least 10 lawmakers from both the majority and the minority have signified their intention to coauthor the measure “as a show of multipartisan support in upholding the freedom of the press,” the congressman said.

Lagman said they were Deputy Speaker Johnny Pimentel and Representatives Micaela Violago, Joy Myra Tambunting, Doy Leachon, Josy Limkaichong, Emmanuel Billones, Jose Christopher Belmonte, France Castro,

highest standards of excellence and abide by the rules of military discipline to accomplish their mission.

power early and Vice President Leni Robredo, a member of the minority Liberal Party, take over A “POLITICAL gridlock” may Malacañang, such a developerupt in the event that Presi- ment will likely create political dent Rodrigo Duterte prema- uncertainty in the country. turely ends his term due to poor “[W]e would expect policy health, analysts at Fitch Solutions gridlock to ensue and Robredo’s warned Monday, January 6, add- presidency to be a ‘lame duck’ ing that policy continuity could term,” the Fitch unit said. take a hit under such a scenario.

“While unlikely, there is the Duterte, now 74, is the old- potential that a Robredo presiest Filipino to be elected pres- dency is resisted by Duterte supident. He is already halfway porters and her position faces through his six-year term. legal challenges and widespread However, issues about his rejection within the political eshealth continue to hound the tablishment,” it added. hugely popular Duterte’s presiDuterte has a rocky relationdency after he missed several ship with Robredo, who is critisummits and meetings in the cal of his bloody “drug war” and past due to ill health or tired- closer ties with China. ness.

Weeks after appointing her Although Duterte has been as the country’s anti-drug czar, candid about his health prob- Duterte last November sacked lems, the Palace has assured the Robredo. Duterte had said he public that he is not seriously ill. could not trust the vice presiPresidential spokesperson Sal- dent with classified informavador Panelo has described his tion. boss as being “strong as a horse Military intervention possible or as a carabao.”

“An attempt by the powerful In a research note, Fitch Solu- clans to ignore or reject Robretions said should Duterte cede do’s presidency could effectively by ian

Inquirer.net photo

Carlos Zarate, and Eufemia Cullamat.

The resolution appealed to the House leadership to uphold and respect the freedom of the press by “requiring” the House panel chaired by Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez “to act immediately” on the ABS-CBN renewal bills.

Lagman cited the Supreme Court decision in Chavez vs Gonzales and National Telecommunication Commission (NTC), which found that warnings of then Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales and the NTC for radio and TV media not to broadcast the “Hello Garci tapes” under the pain of revocation of their license to have “chilling effect” on press

freedom and constituted “unconstitutional prior restraint on the exercise of freedom of speech and of the press.”

The Garci tapes referred to purported audiotaped recordings of wiretapped phone conversations between then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and former election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano about rigging the 2004 elections.

Lagman argued that the repeated threats by President Duterte against the renewal of the franchise of ABS-CBN due to his personal grievances against the network giant “constitute prior restraint on press freedom in the light of the Chavez ruling.” n

niColas Cigaral Philstar.com

nullify policymaking and throw the political establishment into instability,” Fitch Solutions said.

“In such an instance there could be military intervention if public supporters of competing political clans began to clash,” it added.

“This would result in the most aggressive sell-off of Philippine assets by foreign investors of the scenarios listed, with foreign direct investment inflows collapsing.”

But the Fitch unit said its “core view” is that Duterte will remain president until the 2022 elections and will make a clear choice on who he deems to be his successor.

“While Duterte has suggested that he does not intend to back a specific candidate, we believe his desire to secure his legacy and protect his interests will mean he chooses a successor,” Fitch Solutions explained.

“However, given the various factions within Duterte’s support, there is the potential for challenges from within Duterte’s camp,” it added. n

A6 JANUARY 8-11, 2020 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

OPINION

Ready for evacuation

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

FEATURES

THERE are anti-war protests in the United States, but no one can say if U.S. President Donald Trump is merely mouthing rhetoric when he threatens to launch airstrikes on 52 sites in Iran. Trump issued the threat over the weekend, saying the attacks would be launched if Iran retaliated for the killing of its top military commander, Gen. Qassem Soleimani, in a U.S. airstrike in Iraq.

While U.S.-led economic sanctions have curtailed Iran’s crude oil sales to the world, the fresh tensions could put a strain on oil production elsewhere in the Middle East, tightening global supply and raising prices. The tension is escalating at the same time that fuel excise taxes in the Philippines have increased under the tax reform package, guaranteeing higher pump prices.

Another cause for concern is the plight of the millions of Filipinos working in the Middle East.

There are only about 1,000 Filipinos registered to be living in Iran, and around 10,000 working in Iraq where Soleimani was killed. But armed conflict in one country in the region can spread to neighboring states, affecting the personal safety and jobs of an estimated 2.5 million overseas Filipino workers.

OFWs in the Middle East have enough prob-

lems without the conflict between the U.S. and Iran. Filipinos are still mourning the brutal killing of domestic worker Jeanelyn Villavende allegedly by her female employer in Kuwait. The Philippine government must mobilize its missions in the region to assist OFWs who want to get out of harm’s way in case armed conflict escalates.

It won’t be the first time that OFWs would be evacuated from the volatile region. Similar operations were undertaken during the Gulf War as well as the U.S. attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq following the terrorist strikes in New York and Washington on Sept. 11, 2001. Filipinos have also been evacuated at certain times from Libya and Syria. There is no reason for the Philippines to be unprepared for evacuation and repatriation in the latest conflict in Iran and Iraq. (Philstar. com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Navigating the new year and new decade: A day at a time

The Fil-Am Perspective

and yet we already feel the heavyweight of what is going on in our life, in our country, in our world.

GEL SANTOS-RELOS Maybe you are battling sickness, or are mourning the HAPPY NEW YEAR! death of someone dear to you.

We are just starting the new Perhaps you have a child year 2020 and the new decade, who is off course, a marriage

that is not working, have lost a loved one, or feel betrayed.

Possibly you did not get the break or the promotion you were expecting, or have lost your job and wonder how you can support your self and your family who depend on you.

Or maybe you have been

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

waiting for so long to be reunited with your family in the Philippines, but the current immigration system has made that dream so elusive.

And then your heart bleeds when you see young men and women being sent to harms way, especially if your son or daughter among them, for a war that you could not make sense of, and yet you see some leaders of the world using the lives of people as pawns to satisfy their political and personal interests and wonder how they even got elected to make such consequential decisions that affect the lives of families all over the world.

Your gut hurts when seeing pictures of the inferno ravaging states in Australia, burning millions of hectares of land, destroying thousands of homes, killing people, and extinguishing the lives of helpless animals like kangaroos and koalas.

You hear about the hurricanes, typhoons, floodings, earthquakes, and other natural disasters triggered by extreme climate change, threatening the lives and livelihood of mankind and the life of living things in the planet, and yet we see people in power denying and concealing even more scientific proofs of the climate crisis because they worship money and prioritize their immediate self-interest instead of investing in the lives of the

next generations.

AMID ALL THESE CHALLENGES, do not lose your faith. In both our personal lives and in what is going on around the nation and the world, know that we are not helpless.

Before we allow ourselves to be weary and depressed, we need to remember and make a list of the blessings we still have — our lives, our family, our job, opportunities, and choices we can still make to change a situation we are not happy about.

When we wake up every morning, we are reminded that this is another day to start again. Another day to smoothen our rough edges, make our crooked paths straight, and use our God-given talent to make our dreams come true.

I know how daunting it is to look at the hurdles we need to face because a lot of them are beyond our control. But then again, we need to focus on what we have control over, on what we can do right here and right now.

Break down your goals to yearly, monthly, weekly and then daily plans and “to do list.” Really focus on what you can do, without waiting for others to act because that will just paralyze you.

Every morning aspire to be the change you want to see in the world because the truth is, that is the only thing you can work on — your self. Choos-

ing to do the right thing even when others do not.

Do it faithfully and dutifully every day, giving your best even when it is difficult. Believe that what you do your self will have an effect on others, and will inspire and move them to work on themselves, and this will trigger a domino effect.

And remember the “Lord’s Prayer” that says “give us this day our daily bread…” Have faith that the Lord our God will give us all the grace we need for each day, for tomorrow will be another day, another grace awaits. Do not let the fears or worries of tomorrow keep you from fulfilling what you are entrusted to do for today.

The past is gone, we cannot do anything about it. Today is our gift, make the most of it for it will be the foundation of our future. Today is all that we sure have to work on.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! May all that we do each new day we are gifted with, move to the direction of our prayers. *** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos.

Imagining Filipino futures

On the move SEGUNDO ECLAR ROMERO AMERICAN writer Stewart Brand tells us: “This present moment used to be the unimaginable future.” We have ushered in the year 2020 and the Filipinos’ sense of control over their collective future remains as nebulous as ever.

Individuals and families do try to discern their alternative futures, “back-casting” from career and lifetime goals to the present, identifying those critical milestones and tasks they need to undertake to achieve their preferred future.

But Filipinos in collectives — neighborhoods, villages, communities, barangays, municipalities, cities, provinces, agencies, departments — do not make any serious attempts to map their futures in a similar manner. Without an image of a collectively aspired-for future, there is hardly

any motivation and systemic process for strategic thinking and purposive implementation.

The year 2020 is as good a year as any for individuals and organizations in positions of leadership and in control of critical resources to attempt the conjuring of collective visions.

A good handle is to think of this engagement as “community future problem-solving.” Filipinos have taken to social media to try to participate in national future community problemsolving (West Philippine Sea, China, water and rice crises, natural and man-made calamities, graft and corruption, drugs and crime), but have not habitually initiated or engaged any such problem-solving at their community or barangay level. Why they have to do so is clear — future problem-solving at the national level is seldom fully understandable and directly actionable by citizens.

Local community problemsolving (bottom-up-budgeting, solid waste management,

flooded streets, lack of streetlights, unregulated karaoke singing, drugs and crime, poor or tardy delivery of public services) are within the collective local competence and efficacy of citizens.

How might such future local community problem-solving exercises be undertaken? The work of the Innovations at the Base of the Pyramid in Southeast Asia (iBoP Asia) team I headed at the Ateneo School of Government in 2013 is a good template. The project was undertaken for Metro Manila, using five informal communities as focal areas for drawing informal community participants — central (Welfareville in Mandaluyong), north (Barangay Doña Imelda, Quezon City), east (Banaba, Sto Niño, San Mateo), west (Estero de San Miguel, Manila), and south (Manggahan, Pasig City).

This project, the “Informal City Dialogues,” was a six-city project which the Rockefeller Foundation, on its centennial

year, launched covering Accra in Ghana, Bangkok in Thailand, Chennai in India, Lima in Peru and Metro Manila in the Philippines. The project sought to understand the relationship between the formal and informal in our cities to envision a different, more inclusive and resilient future.

To acquire deep and meaningful insights, the study sought to engage a diverse group of citizens representing public, private, civic, industry, nonprofits, local philanthropies, workers, street vendors, urban poor groups, academe, women and youth to formulate scenarios for the future of the city. The ultimate goal was to surface and encourage innovative solutions that will help cities build on the strengths of the informal city.

The whole process took two days of futures mapping, and two days of innovative community problem-solving workshops participated in by almost a hundred participants. These workshops were additionally

preceded by preworkshop community mapping workshops.

There is a certain level of system and methodology that must be used to make these exercises fruitful. The Scenarios Visioning Process used develops in the participants the realization that while we are unable to predict a single, specific future, we can conjure, anticipate and prepare for multiple, possible futures.

Futures mapping enables us to imagine what changes might take place in the coming decades and use those scenarios to guide strategies. Through futures mapping we can imagine what tomorrow might bring, inducing greater foresight in us today. Scenarios are not predictions; they are best understood as plausible, coherent and challenging descriptions of possible future worlds. They can help understand the shape and impacts of global trends, and inspire organizations or groups of people develop better strategies, and spur solutions — new products, services and processes — to

respond to collective problems and needs.

In the Informal City Dialogues futures mapping workshop undertaken for Metro Manila in 2013, four scenarios were formulated based on what the workshop considered to be the most important drivers that were also the most uncertain over the period 2013-2040.

These two drivers are population growth (slow or fast) and urban planning (effective or ineffective). See the scenarios here: https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/report/the-informal-city-reader/).

Futures mapping is a strategic way of renewing purposive civic participation at the local community level. It is a mechanism for awakening self-help, mutual help, and institutional help to anticipate and solve future community problems. This is one way to reverse the observation, “Filipinos have strategies for individual and family survival, but no strategy for national survival.” (Inquirer.net)

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

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SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 8-10, 2020

Business news

A

Central banking now closer to Filipinos Jollibee opens new US, Canada branches

by Mayvelin

U. Caraballo ManilaTimes.net

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said its promotion of price stability, financial stability and an efficient payment system had brought central banking closer to the Filipino people this year.

In its year-end report, the BSP underscored that the Filipino people are the ultimate stakeholders of the country’s central monetary authority and primary financial system supervisor.

In terms of price stability, it said the average inflation rate of 2.6 percent for the first 11 months of the year is within the government’s 2 to 4% target.

“With low and stable inflation, Filipinos’ strong purchasing power is ensured. It also affords them a sense of security in making other economic decisions such as savings and investing,” the Bangko Sentral said.

It also said manageable inflation also boosted the government’s efforts to pump-prime the economy, redounding to more jobs and opportunities for all Filipinos.

With this positive policy environment, the BSP said it had cut the policy rate by a total of 75 basis points (bps) and banks’ reserve requirement ratio (RRR) by a cumulative 400 bps, bringing down the RRR for universal and commercial banks to 14 percent beginning December 6.

“A lower RRR promotes a more efficient financial system by lowering financial intermediation costs. The adjustment in RRR is also aimed at increasing domestic liquidity in support of credit activity in the economy,” it added.

Meanwhile, the financial system remains robust and well-capitalized, according to the central bank.

As of the first half of the year, the banking system’s total assets rose to P17.24 trillion as of end-June, 9.8 percent higher than the yearago level, on the back of robust lending and investment activities, with stable deposits and bond issuances as funding sources.

The share of banks’ total assets to annualized nominal gross domestic product stood at 95.8%.

Under the Basel 3 framework, the universal and commercial banks’ risk-based capital adequacy ratios, on both solo and consolidated bases, increased to 15.3%

by iris

Gonzales Philstar.com

Manilatimes.net file photo

and 16%, respectively.

2019 is also marked by the passage of milestone laws under the BSP’s legislative agenda.

The Bangko Sentral said amendments to its charter, the law strengthening the country’s gross international reserves and the Islamic banking law had enhanced its capability to carry out its mandate.

The central bank also said it continued to strengthen the country’s payment system by introducing policies and financial technology solutions attuned to the dynamic market landscape.

This year, it issued Circular 1033, which streamlines the process of securing licenses to engage in electronic payments and financial services, doing away with the tedious approval process of requiring conditional and final approval.

In line with this, the BSP’s policy-making Monetary Board approved the applications of seven new non-bank electronic money instruments (EMI) in 2019, bringing the total number of non-bank EMIs to 19.

The Bangko Sentral also approved blockchain-based remittance platforms that “empowers Filipinos, particularly those living in rural areas, to transfer funds by simply going to their local rural and community banks at a more affordable rate.”

It also greenlighted the onboarding of other government agencies and other payment system providers to its automated clearing house PESONet to digitize government collections.

The BSP also issued this year the adoption of a national quick response (QR) code standard in the country to transform the fragmented QR-driven payment services into interoperable payment solutions, eliminating the need

for merchants and customers to maintain several accounts.

This led to the launch of the National QR Code Standard in November, which unifies the various domestic cashless payment schemes use the code as a form factor.

Looking ahead, BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said the central bank would continue to promote price stability, financial stability and an efficient payment system.

“The important thing that we can do is to really keep inflation low, because the most affected by higher prices are the poor. Also, in the aspect of financial stability, if you are an investor, you don’t want uncertainties like high prices,” he said.

Diokno also vowed to improve the country’s payment system by increasing the share of cashless transactions to total financial transactions.

“My plan is [that] by the end of 2020, 30 percent of all financial transactions are already digital — that’s the major goal. And at the end of my term, at least 50 percent are digital payments,” he said.

Earlier, a United Nations (UN) body commissioned by the central bank reported that the Philippines made progress in digital payment transactions last year.

In its “The State of Digital Payments in the Philippines” report, UN-based Better Than Cash Alliance (BTCA) estimated the share of digital payments to be 10 percent by volume and 20 percent by value in 2018.

“This is nearly 20 times the estimated total monthly volume of digital transactions in 2013,” it noted.

In 2013, BTCA revealed that electronic payment transactions in the country only stood at 1% of the total. n

JOLLIBEE, the flagship brand of Filipino-owned Asian food conglomerate Jollibee Foods Corp., has expanded anew in the global market with openings in Chandler, the first in the state of Arizona in the U.S. and Regina, the first in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada.

The two openings bring Jollibee’s total store count in the U.S. and Canada to 50, and are part of the brand’s accelerated North American expansion plan.

JFC plans to grow its North American network to 250 stores or 150 branches in the U.S. and 100 branches in Canada.

As with other international Jollibee openings, eager customers had lined up days ahead for a first-hand experience of Jollibee in their countries.

“I waited in line for a long time for my son and niece because they have never experienced Jollibee. My mom and dad usually took me to Jollibee when I was younger, and I want my son to experience it. I’m very ecstatic, and with Jollibee, I feel like I’m back home again,” said Irene Ballesteros-Shields, the first customer of

Jollibee ended the decade with an opening in Regina, the first in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada, where thousands of people lined up amid extremely cold temperatures. Jollibee photo

Jollibee Chandler, Arizona, who lined up three days prior to opening day, JFC said in a statement.

The Arizona line set a new record for Jollibee U.S. openings as even non-Filipinos lined up.

Jason Marx, a Canadian, was first in queue in Jollibee Regina, Saskatchewan and lined up for 19 hours before the opening.

“I’ve known about Jollibee for a while, but without any stores in Canada at that time, it was hard for me to try it,” Marx said.

JFC is now one of the world’s largest and fastest growing Asian restaurant companies with more than 5,800 stores across 15 brands in 35 countries.

In 2019 alone, the brand more

than doubled its store count in Canada. For 2020, the brand’s expansion in Canada will focus on Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec.

At the same time, the brand’s areas of focus in the US will be in Florida, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Texas, Nevada, California and Hawaii JFC North America president Beth Dela Cruz thanked the customers who lined up for the new openings.

“Jollibee is a family brand so it means the world to us that members of the community linked up with their loved ones to come to our store and share in the joy that Jollibee brings.” n

PAL to pursue US network expansion by riChMond

MerCUrio Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) is proceeding with its plan to expand its U.S. network this year.

PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna in a social media post said the airline would launch a Manila to Seattle service starting May. Seattle has long been in PAL’s pipeline for potential new services to other destinations in North America.

PAL last year said it continues to review and consider possible expansion of new routes in its U.S. network, after think tank CAPA-Center for Aviation in a June report said it dropped plans for expanding its U.S. network.

Aside from Seattle, PAL was also previously considering launching services from Manila to Chicago, Houston, and San Diego, as well as potentially resuming Cebu to Los Angeles route which it briefly

Philstar.com file photo

served in 2016 and 2017.

PAL has said that its non-stop U.S.-Manila flights remain highly popular for business and leisure travelers and Filipino balikbayans.

PAL is the only airline flying non-stop between the Philippines and the U.S. mainland, Hawaii, Canada and London.

The flag carrier operates 57 weekly long-haul frequencies to North America, specifically to Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Vancouver, Honolulu and Toronto, and five weekly flights

between Manila and London Heathrow.

Overall, PAL has a network covering more than 30 domestic and 40 international destinations with a young fleet of 98 advancedtechnology aircraft.

As the country’s only four-star global airline, it is ranked as the 30th Best Airline in the world, having been awarded the World’s Most Improved Airline honors for 2019 by Skytrax and the 4-Star Major Airline award from the U.S.-based Airline Passenger Experience Association. n

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cover story The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - January 8, 2020

Anticipated 2020 book releases

by Filipino & Fil-Am authors

by AJPress WITH the new year upon us, a top resolution that individuals continue to promise is: read more books. Luckily, like 2019 — which was a stellar year to accomplish the goal as there were over a dozen new releases by Filipino and Filipino American authors across genres — 2020 is shaping up to be another good year with more literature choices to come. Here are a few must-read titles on the Asian Journal’s radar set to be released later this year.

Wicked As You Wish by Rin Chupeco

The Vanished Birds By Simon Jimenez

“The Vanished Birds” by Simon Jimenez (January 14) Author Simon Jimenez makes his novel debut with “The Vanished Birds,” a mindbending adventure that defies space and time. A mute child with a special musical ability gets taken in by Nia, a solitary female ship captain drifting through time. “Soon, these two outsiders discover in each other the things they lack. For him, a home, a place of love and safety. For her, an anchor to the world outside of herself.

For both of them, a family. But Nia is not the only one who wants the boy,” says the description by publisher Del Rey.

“How to Make Friends with the Sea” by Tanya Guerrero (March 31) “How to Make Friends with the Sea” is Tanya Guerrero’s debut middle grade novel about 12-year-old Pablo and his mother who move around every few months. Her job as a zoologist has now brought them to the Philippines, where she soon fosters Chiqui, an orphaned Filipina girl with a cleft lip. With the constant changes, Pablo has been grappling with anxiety, but soon realizes that he must be strong for Chiqui and face certain fears, like the sea.

“Any Day with You” by

“Wicked as You Wish”

by Rin Chupeco (March 3) Launching the “A Hundred Names for Magic” series, Rin Chupeco’s “Wicked as You Wish” is an alternative history fairy tale about found family, modern day magic, and finding the place you belong. Prince Alexei, the sole survivor of the Kingdom of Avalon’s royal family, is exiled to a town where magic doesn’t work and few know his true identity. His friend Tala, however, knows but is keeping a secret of her own as a spellbreaker. When Avalon’s most powerful weapon, the Firebird, reemerges after decades in hiding, Alex, Tala and a group Any Day With You by Mae Respicio of friends band together to Mae Respicio (May 5) reclaim the magical kingdom.

12-year-old Filipina American Kaia is the main character in Mae Respicio’s forthcoming middle grade book, “Any Day With You.” When her greatgrandfather Tatang, who has lived with Kaia and her family in Santa Monica all her life, decides that he wants to go back to the Philippines, Kaia devises a plan to make him stay by working on a short movie inspired by the Filipino folktales that he used to share and entering it in a contest at her summer camp. She learns How to Make Friends with the Sea - Tanya more about his past, including Guerrero

how he fought on the U.S. side in World War II, and his early years in America. Kaia begins to see how his sacrifices enabled her family’s present life, and what winning really means.

A Bay Area resident, Respicio’s debut novel, “The House That Lou Built,” received the Asian/Pacific American Library Association Honor Award in Children’s Literature and was an NPR Best Book of the Year.

“Fairest” by Meredith

Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles

Fairest by Meredith Talusan

Talusan (May 26) This coming-of-age memoir by award-winning author and journalist Meredith Talusan chronicles the journey of precocious boy with albinism in the Philippines who would migrate to the United States, study at Harvard and transition to become a woman.

Navigating through race, class, colorism and belonging within the gay community, “Talusan shares poignant and powerful episodes of desirability and love,” according to publisher Viking. “Her evocative reflections will shift our own perceptions of love, identity, gender, and the fairness of life.”

“Where Dreams Descend”

by Janella Angeles (June 2) In “Where Dreams Descend” — the first book in Fil-Am writer Janella Angeles’ Kingdom of Cards fantasy duology — readers will be transported to a city covered in ice and ruin where a group of magicians embark on a series of games in search of the next headliner of the Conquering Circus. There’s romance, secrecy and unseen danger along the way as we meet Kallia, a powerful showgirl out to prove she’s the best no matter the cost; Jack, the enigmatic keeper of the club and more than one lie told; and Demarco, the brooding judge with a past he can no longer hide.

“The Groom Will Keep His

Name” by Matt Ortile (June 2) The debut collection of essays covering topics, such as dating, identity and sexuality, comes from Matt Ortile, managing editor of Catapult magazine.

Releasing this June by Bold Type Books, an imprint of Hachette, “The Groom Will Keep His Name” CCHARTS Ortile’s journey moving from Manila to Las Vegas and the experience of being bullied for his skin tone, Filipino accent and femininity.

The essays explore the idea of social media personas and ultimately, lead to a realization of “radical self-love.”

“Amboy: Recipes from the

Amboy: Recipes from the Filipino-American Dream

Filipino-American Dream” by Alvin Cailan and Alexandra Cuerdo (August 25) Famed Fil-Am chef Alvin Cailan — founder of popular breakfast sandwich purveyor Eggslut and host of online series “The Burger Show” — has teamed up with “Ulam” documentary director Alexandra Cuerdo for a cookbook illustrating the dual identity as an “amboy,” a Filipino growing up in America.

Set to be released by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in late summer, this cookbook is narrates Cailan overcoming “cultural traditions and family expectations to find his own path to success.” Expect Filipino comfort classics from the lens of a Fil-Am upbringing and anecdotes about Cailan’s rise as a chef.

The Groom will Keep His Name by Matt Ortile

Showbiz predictions, vibes and visions for 2020

by Arlo

custodio ManilaTimes.net

Aga Muhlach

WHAT will happen to ABSCBN stars when the network franchise expires on March 30 and more…

Although unpublished, spirit questor-psychic Nick Nangit fearlessly declared days before the Binibining Pilipinas 2018 coronation night that three of the new queens will win in their respective contests.

It was not to doubt his abilities then, but The Manila Times waited for the fulfillment of his prediction to establish his credibility.

First to compete was Anne Curtis Kris Aquino Michele Gumabao in the Miss Photo from Instagram/@annecurtissmith Photo from Instagram/@krisaquino Globe contest in Albania on October 22. She finished Top 15. Eva Patalinjug followed on October 25, unplaced in the ABS-CBN photo Miss Grand International held in Myanmar. On November 9, Ahtisa Manalo almost became the seventh Filipina Miss International when she placed First Ganda. If he can be convinced Runner-Up in Japan. On December 9, Jehza Huelar ended to do a good comedy film or in Top 10 in the Miss Supranaa remake of a classic film like tional pageant in Poland.

“Ang Tatay Kong Nanay” by With four down and only the late Comedy King Dolphy, where he can show that he can Manalo in the winning circle, act, as in really act, then there the attention was on Catriona Gray. Auspiciously, with her is hope for redemption. beauty, poise and intelliSince he only makes one gence, the Filipino-Scottish, movie a year and he has a lot Australia-born, model-singer of time to prepare for the Debecame the fourth Filipina Miss cember filmfest, then he can Universe on December 17 in Maine Mendoza Piolo Pascual really scout for a good script Thailand.

Photo from Instagram/@mainedcm Photo from Instagram/@piolo_pascual and a good director.

On Jan. 27, 2019, Karen There is no harm in trying Gallman became the first something new. Maybe his Philippine bet to win the Miss fans have grown tired of his Intercontinental pageant after antics. Maybe his fans also 46 years on home soil. want him to do something The win of three of the else, not the usual stuff that Vice Ganda gives them during 2018 Binibini queens cemented Nangit’s stock as a reliable the festival. seer.

Now that his myth of One of the predictions he invincibility has been shattered also shared that time was the — by someone more iconic, death of veteran actor Eddie no less — will Vice Ganda Garcia – not by sickness but embrace the fact that he is as caused by something else, he human as everybody else and said. On June 8, Garcia tripped needs to go down from his on a cable wire while taping a imagined pedestal?

Is he wise enough to realize teleserye for GMA Network.

The accident made him comathat? Or is he still blinded by fame and continues to believe tose and he died several days later on June 20. that he is still up there, safely Vice Ganda Sarah Geronimo and Regine Velasquez ensconced at the top?

Photo from Instagram/@praybeytbenjamin Photo from Instagram/@reginevalcasid Continued on Page 4

Aga is box office king!

indeed topped the filmfest.

The icon that he is, Aga has wrested the “crown” from THE 2019 Metro Manila long-time title holder, Vice Film Festival officially ends Ganda. on January 7 and barring any What does this developuntoward incident, a new box ment tell Vice Ganda? There office king will be crowned in is a saturation point, he can’t Aga Muhlach. be number one all the time.

His movie, “Miracle in Cell He can’t give his audience No. 7,” has emerged as the the same kind of movies of frontrunner in the box office rehashed jokes year after year. race. It continues to lure in His audience has grown tired movie audiences. Never mind of his antics and shenanigans. if it did not win any award, It’s about time he levels up. although it earned a Best Actor As for Aga, he may have nomination for Aga. lost the Best Actor awards For the longest time, Aga to Allen Dizon (who won for has not had much success at “Mindanao”) but he won the the box office. His last two hearts of the public. He will movies laid big, fat eggs but get his just reward in due time. he certainly scored a jackpot As of this time, the Box Office and redeemed himself as he King title is more than enough. made his version of the popuBesides, he has nothing to lar Koream movie the current prove anymore, acting-wise. box office champion of MMFF As for Vice, it’s about time 2019. he goes back to the drawing “Miracle in Cell No. 7” board. It’s time to reassess his has toppled “The Mall, The career and where it is going.

Merrier” from the number one It’s time for reinvention and slot. While the MMDA has yet innovation. He can’t afford to to release the total amount just rest on his laurels and be earned by any of the entries, content with the thought that unconfirmed reports on social he can always be number one. media indicate that Aga has There is still hope for Vice by ricky

cAlderon ManilaTimes.net

entertainment

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - January 8, 2020

Nadine shuts down breakup rumors with James, calls out reporter over article

by Christia

Marie Inquirer.net

raMo

ACTRESS Nadine Lustre has broken her silence amid speculations that she and boyfriend James Reid have already split up.

Lustre shut down the breakup rumors in an Instagram story Sunday as she called out entertainment columnist Ricky Lo over an article he wrote on the couple’s supposed split.

“First off, that was so low @therealrickylo @philippinestar,” the actress wrote.

Lo had earlier written an article saying that a report by the Philippine Entertainment Portal—which claimed that the couple had parted ways due to “irreconcilable differences”—was “true, and not fake news.”

Lo, quoting an unnamed source, wrote that Reid “is handling the breakup with care to cushion the impact on Nadine who has admitted grappling with mental illness.”

He also made mention of the death of the actress’ brother in the printed version of his article, which has been edited in the version that was published online.

Nadine Lustre

“Second, none of what you said was true & it is NEVER okay to use someone’s mental situation/tragic past just to prove a point. Mental Illness is a very sensitive matter,” Lustre’s Instagram story further read. “(And) last, you think you know so much (about) me, you can’t even get my last

Inquirer.net photo

name right. ANU NA, 2020 NA!!” she added.

The couple, who was first paired up for the movie “Diary ng Panget” in 2014,” confirmed their relationship during the end of their concert “JaDine in Love” in 2016.

Reid revealed last March that he and Lustre live together.

‘I’m so sorry’: Bretman Rock on dancing to Philippine national anthem

by Jan

Milo severo Philstar.com

INTERNET sensation Bretman Rock has apologized for his controversial video showing him dancing to the tune of the Philippine national anthem.

A Twitter user posted a screenshot of a conversation between her and Bretman.

“I just want to inform y’all, the video of Bretman singing and disrespecting our national Continued on Page 4 Bretmn Rock Photo from Instagram/@bretmanrock

entertainment Catriona to unveil own wax figure in Manila

Showbiz predictions...

From Page 2 Nangit, a CPA-lawyer who graduated from the University of the Philippines, said that he was born with psychic abilities. He honed these further by becoming a spirit questor, under the mentorship of Tony Perez in 2004. He was elected MISS Universe 2018 later to the group’s Council Catriona Gray has her image of Elders. When this group of immortalized in Madame Tusyoung psychic volunteers was sauds Singapore. disbanded, he continued to Her wax figure will wear represent and render its public a replica of the iconic lava service on the occult, paranorgown, inspired by Albay’s mal and divination.

Mayon Volcano, especially Besides his profession and designed by Mak Tumang, avocation, Nangit is also a claswhich she wore when she won sical concert pianist and radio the Miss Universe 2018 title host. in Thailand.

For this issue, Nangit shares “I am so excited to see his vibes and visions for the the final figure and be a year, focusing on the enterpart of this special event! To tainment industry in general unveil the figure in my home and showbiz personalities in country with my fans watchparticular. ing is another dream come Quality in the movie industrue,” Catriona shared on try in general will stagnate in Instagram. the coming Year of the Metal “The Philippine market Rat because the themes that continues to be one of our will be mostly presented in strongest markets and has theaters may become munbeen very important to our dane and boring, not blending attractions in Asia and we had with the year’s element. seen an increase of travelers Metal represented by to Madame Tussauds in Bangmoney will circulate that will kok, Hong Kong and Singaonly make a few happy but not pore. We believe that by havthe source. Viewers will still be ing Catriona’s wax figure, it duped into watching feel-good will definitely be a huge draw films without realizing they are and create the platform for fed nonsense. Risks that a Rat her fans to get up-close with is known for may be taken. her in 2020. Her figure will be Their benefit will come only, if in Madame Tussauds Singanew and unusual indigenous pore for a limited period of stories are told with twists and time. Thereafter, her figure turns that excite the cunning will be going to Madame attitude of the Rat. Tussauds Bangkok and Hong Unknown personalities and Kong,” Asia (excluding China) pairings may rise. The time for regional general manager Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray holds record as the first Filipino personality with wax figure in boldness has come again.

Susan Ang said.

Madame Tussauds Singapore.

Photo from Instagram/@catriona_gray There will be a lot of “We are constantly bringmovement by the ABS-CBN ing in more fun to cater to wax figure in Madame TusMadame Tussauds,” Madame stars after its franchise exvarious markets and we look sauds Singapore. Besides Tussauds Singapore general pires on March 30. A few will forward to welcome Catriona her figure Catriona also manager Alex Ward noted. go streaming or transfer to who will be the first Filipino filmed something special for (ManilaTimes.net) other media outlets, but their programs will be difficult to sustain. Many will lie low or move to other platforms or new endeavors just to save (NHCP) reminded the public understanding, I can promise From Page 3 their downhill careers. It will be that such an activity actually anthem on his story was 3 mos you it will never happen again, a time of freezing fire for their violates the Republic Act No. I take full responsibility and I ago. and he deleted it immecelebrities whose signs are 8491 or the Flag and Heraldic truly am so sorry,” Bretman diately and HE APOLOGIZED presumably correct.

Code of the Philippines. commented.

IMMEDIATELY. I HOPE U Vice Ganda, being a The NHCP also said that The Hawaii-based Filipino CONSIDER THAT,” the Twitter Dragon, may make a sudden makeup artist and vlogger was the national anthem should user wrote. turnaround. be respected at all times, and criticized recently for dancReplying to the post, BretAnne Curtis, a Monkey, will that it shall not be played for ing and twerking to “Lupang man thanked the user, saying focus on love and family but mere amusement and enterHinirang.” he will take full responsibility will feel low during the Venus tainment purposes, with a few and Mars Retrogrades.

National Historical Comfor his action. exceptions. mission of the Philippines “Thank you so much for Coco Martin, a Scorpio The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - January 8, 2020

‘I’m so sorry’: Bretman...

Coco Martin

Rooster, may go behind the scenes but will find ways to make it big again with his ideas of grandness and travel.

Regine Velasquez, a Dog, may pair with other younger singers to still be in the loop.

Sarah Geronimo, another Dragon, may tie the knot soon and enter a quiet life of motherhood, while lying low in the music industry.

Piolo Pascual, also a Dragon, may be involved in another controversy. There is much movement for him on all sides.

Kris Aquino, a Pig, will fare better than last year, but will lose luster with her series of irrelevance. She will always try to make a comeback, but her attempts will likely flop.

GMA stars will feel happier than their ABS-CBN counterparts, but with so much fish in the ocean, many of them may resort to treachery or get into the flesh trade just to survive.

Maine Mendoza, a Pig, may feel sad with having to choose between love and career. It may be sadder for Arjo Atayde who could be feeling lost and immobile.

Ai-Ai delas Alas, a Dragon as well, will fare better and should be given more serious work that will bring out her full potential. Her kindness will have immense rewards.

Vic Sotto, a Taurus Horse, is admonished to take care of his health and avoid long travels.

Jennylyn Mercado, a Rabbit Taurus, may feel her career and finances standing still, but her family’s love will strengthen her. She will survive.

Dennis Trillo, a Rooster,

ABS-CBN photo

may try other more challenging endeavors that may also involve some scandals.

There could be a fulfillment of a wedding this year for Tom Rodriguez, a Libra Rabbit and Carla Abellana, a Gemini Tiger.

They both already enjoy being together without further need of having a piece of paper in between. If they proceed, it will be fun with only a few closest to them in attendance.

Aga Muhlach, a Rooster, will embark on a new journey with family by his side.

Deaths will be among the females of advanced age.

Illness looms among a few of them. A series may happen before death strikes the men.

Yin before yang.

Accidents involving water and travel by land are in the horizon toward the second quarter onwards.

Two Filipinas will win in international beauty contests, but their chances will be dimmed if they are not true to their nature.

The separation of Miss Universe Philippines from Binibining Pilipinas Charities will be good, but filled with intrigues and troubles, typical of a Rat year.

Manny Pacquiao, a Horse, may be overwhelmed by the challenges he will face, but he will be helped by the love of his mother Dionisia and family. He should take care of his head and spine.

President Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio will be a very good tandem. An Aries for new beginnings and a Gemini for planning will do wonders for the country.

5

community

Minding Your Finances

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - January 8, 2020

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond monette AdevA mAglAyA THE ability to get things done remains a critical survival skill.

At a certain point, the planning phase has to give way to actually rolling up one’s sleeves, putting one’s shoulder to the wheel and focusing on fleshing out the details and tweaking the final output.

It is ironic but it has often been said that if you want anything done, give it to a busy person. That may very well be true, but only up to a point.

One’s carrying capacity can be maxed out.

The truth is that anyone who is both efficient and effective has mastered many times by trial and error over some length of time that fine blend of mixing the art and science of planning his work and working his plan.

How? By thinking things through, prioritizing, sequencing and when necessary, improvising to stay within timetables and resources, one can really get things done. By keeping a laser-like focus on the goal, the motivated doer can move mountains.

Nowhere is this life skill more put to the test than here in America where a person’s worth, whether we like it or not, is measured by his productivity, his creativity, and ultimately, his results. It is a skill needed to navigate a person’s day-to-day life.

The unprecedented major strides in technology have enhanced man’s capability to multi-task. Picture the modern version of Everyman running on a treadmill fulfilling multiple roles. No matter how much you want to buck the system, there is no way you can get around the fact that in order to thrive, let alone survive at this time and in this place, the life skills one needs to acquire and develop some level of competence in, are in the areas of planning the work and working the plan.

You know what a delight it is

EMPLOYMENT

The secret of getting things done “O Lord, Thou givest us everything, at the price of an effort.” —Leonardo da Vinci to work on a project that has been well conceived and well planned. And when a plan comes together in seamless fashion, everything is as smooth as silk.

On the flip side of the coin, you know how aggravating it is to be involved in one that is a mess from the beginning conceived by one who seems to be running around like a headless chicken.

History bears out that most of the great leaders of all time, whether in politics, in industry and in business are supreme planners. And contrary to common belief, these planners see the big picture but do not feel that it is beneath them to roll up their sleeves and work on the nitty-gritty themselves.

Even God paints his canvass in broad brush strokes and is not beyond minding, knowing and working on the tiniest details. Picture the vastness of the universe and the delicate, amazing intricacy of man’s DNA. Planning helps you to see the goal very clearly. Planning makes it possible to signal your intentions to others so adjustments can be made in the early stages of the project. In freeway driving, it is not only courteous to signal your intention when changing lanes to let other drivers either speed up or slow down to make room for your move, it is the safe and prudent thing to do. Planning, like your left and right turn signals on your car, is a communication tool that gets feedback from within the team.

Henry Ford, whose assemblyline technique revolutionized production methods once said, “Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.”

As you flesh out the details of a project, the number of subtasks and the sequence with which these smaller tasks need to be done becomes clearer.

Assigning who does what further breaks down the job to smaller and manageable bite sizes.

Of course as the overseer, your task is to monitor progress of each component of the project and see that each one contributes to the overall goal.

Ultimately, the value of planning brings you full circle as it helps you stay focused on the goal and get the job done on time and within budget.

Here’s a caveat. Lest we think that planning is foolproof, remember that “…the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Even with all the seemingly perfect planning that scientists at NASA do and even with the use of cutting edge technology, the agency still experiences monumental failures — from time to time.

Things may not work out as planned — perhaps, to keep humanity’s hubris in check and keep us humble and realize our puny stature in the cosmic scheme of things. That way, we don’t take ourselves too seriously. There are absolutely no guarantees that something will work out because of a great plan. In some cases, there will be flukes, curveballs, unpredictable factors and totally unforeseen circumstances that will prevent something from happening.

When things don’t work out as planned, ACCEPT IT. Perhaps, there is a much better plan, most probably from a Higher Authority who knows better. However, it has been proven that unless mighty cosmic forces are conspiring against something from happening, chances are stacked heavily towards transforming an idea to reality because of the simple act of planning and tenaciously working the plan.

May the plans you have to create good blessings for yourself and others for 2020 and beyond come true. May the good you do make you happy *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

EMPLOYMENT

Atty. RAymond BulAon BEING served with a lawsuit by a creditor can be one of the scariest things that you can experience in your life Most people get paralyzed with fear and instead of doing something about it right away, they do the opposite. They ignore it until the last minute and then they begin to panic.

I’ve had people come to my office and show me a copy of the summons and point out a court date that is still several months down the road. Wrong! The date that they see is misleading because they think that they still have plenty of time to deal with the lawsuit. In California, however, that date is the date set for a case management conference provided that you respond to the lawsuit. So if you do not respond, that court date means nothing.

The question is: How much time do you have to file a response? Answer: 30 days from the time that you are served the summons. That’s right- only 30 days. If you don’t respond within

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth uRsuA Reyes THERE is never the perfect time to think about who you would like to inherit from your estate in case you pass away or at least who among your closest friends (BFFs) and family members are even deserving of inheriting from your estate. In doing so, you should also think about which vehicle you plan to use in implementing your estate plan. One of the best vehicle in implementing your estate plan is a revocable living trust. Five major benefits of establishing a revocable living trust are: Your estate can avoid the time, cost, and hassle of going through the probate court process.

If you pass away without a will (intestate) in California, one of your close family would have to file a petition in probate court to probate your estate. Your estate will be divided and distrib-

Served with a lawsuit and don’t know what to do?

30 days, the creditor can move for a default judgment against you.

That means you will lose- and you will owe the money that you are being sued for.

Once the creditor obtains a judgment against you, you are now fair game to the judgment creditor. What does that mean?

Well, now that they have a judgment against you, they can now use all collection tactics at their disposal to get your money.

If you are working, the judgment creditor can garnish your wages (up to 25% of your net income every paycheck until paid in full). They can levy your bank account and wipe you out up to the judgment amount. If you have a home, the creditor can put a lien on your house. Additionally, the judgment earns the legal rate of 10% every year. In California, a judgment is good for 10 years and then it can be renewed for another 10 years after that. That means that the creditor can have up to 20 years to collect from you!

I have people consulting with me all the time who have old judgments from 10 years ago.

Five benefits of establishing a revocable living trust uted according to the California probate code rules of intestate succession. Even if you have a will when you pass away, your family would still need to file a petition in probate court if your estate is worth over $150,000 and go through the probate process. This can become a circus if certain beneficiaries contest the validity of the Will or the distribution of the estate. Your estate will pay for attorney’s fees, probate referee fees, appraisers and other experts, CPA fees, etc.

If people contest the case, your estate would end up paying legal fees to defend the estate in litigation. The entire process can take anywhere from 9 months to years depending on the contentiousness of the probate case.

With a revocable living trust, your trustee or successor trustee if you were the initial trustee, would administer the trust and distribute the estate according to the trust document without having to open a probate court case.

EMPLOYMENT

SERVICE

Continued on Page 6

The debt amount started small.

But after adding legal fees, collections costs and the 10% interest accrued over the years, the debt amount has more than doubled. This is what happens when you ignore a judgment just because you think that the creditor has nothing to get from you at the moment. That may be true if you are currently unemployed and have no assets. But things change all the time. When your financial circumstances change for the better and you least expect it, that old judgment will usually come out of nowhere and will catch you by surprise. I see it happen all the time.

If a judgment lien has been placed on your home, you will not be able to sell your home without paying the judgment amount in full, plus all that interest that has been added. Just the other day, I got a call from someone who is trying to close escrow for a refinance but could not do so because a title search showed that there was an outstanding judgment for $18,000. This person has forgotten about it. He said Continued on Page 7

If the trust is funded with all your assets, it is possible to administer and distribute the trust assets without any Court involvement at all. This process is a lot faster than going through probate.

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

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

You can dictate who will inherit from your estate.

If you pass away without a Will, your estate will be divided Continued on Page 7

Seniors need CHP 13 as they retire; senior’s business needs CHP 7 while she needs CHP 13 SENIORS are husband and wife aged 70 and 65 – wife is a young and healthy 65; husband is a healthy 70 and still looks strong. Both are still working with good income. The husband grosses about $100K a year.

The wife grosses about $70K a year. With $170K gross for the household, there should be no financial problem, right? Wrong, but why? They owe $110K of credit card debt, which uses up about $4K of their monthly net income for minimum monthly payments! They have been servicing these credit cards for, believe it or not, 20 years. From $20K, it grew yearly to $80K, then to $110K. They never paid off all the balances despite their good income. I guess you just don’t think about the future and take the easier way out of monthly minimum payments.

Let’s say the cards stood at $110K for the last 10 years because it certainly looks like that from where we stand right now.

That’s $48K a year for minimum monthly credit card payments x 10 years. That’s a cool half a million dollars right there that they transferred over to their credit card masters! And how much do they owe right now after paying half a million dollars to MasterCard since 2008?

They still owe the very same principal of $110K! Now what have they been thinking, really?

That it’s ok to keep on paying $48K a month forever, until they die? Makes no sense whatsoever. Even Chairman Kim Jung Un knows that there this is a bad deal for them. Indeed, this is a very bad deal. It’s time to nuke these cards to where they belong, 6 feet under.

If clients had wiped these cards out in 2008, they would have $500K in their wealth portfolio right now, instead of $110K of credit card debt. But when push comes to shove, clients realize now at their age that these accumulated debts are sucking them dry. Fortunately for them, they also both have hefty retirement accounts to rely on.

But even hefty retirement accounts won’t be enough to solve their financial problem.

Their combined retirement accounts are close to $700K. The rule of thumb is you can use 4% of that taken from income generated, without diminishing

Debt Relief

Atty. lAwrEncE yAng the principal and still make the $700K grow yearly because the track record of the stock market is yearly growth of 7% annually in the last 100 years despite stock market crashes in 1929 and 2007 when the market lost 50% of value. Those who did not liquidate but hung on to their equities came roaring back in the next couple of years to recover the losses and go beyond them. Four percent of $700K is $28K of extra money for clients when they retire. The husband will be getting $2K of S.S., while wife will be getting $1500 of S.S. So, clients will be retiring with $24K from S.S. for husband, plus $18K for wife for a total of $42K a year from S.S. plus $28K income from their retirement portfolio of $700K. Clients will be quite comfortable when they retire with $70K of gross income yearly, or almost $6K a month. Their house mortgage is $2,500, leaving them a balance of $3,500 a month for the rest of the necessary monthly expenses of $2K. So, even in retirement, they will be saving $1,500 a month, or $18K a year, which they can add back into their retirement portfolio, right? So their retirement portfolio will keep growing until it reaches $1.0 M soon enough where they can draw $40K from a year. That’s really not bad, not bad at all.

But with the $110K of credit card debt, they will need $4K monthly for debt service. Even if their retirement income is $6K a month, credit card debt service wipes out almost 70% of their income! That doesn’t sound good… no sir, it doesn’t sound good at all.

Clients seek Chapter 7 wipe out of the $110K when husband retires in one month. But they also own a home with $300K of equity. This means that after their homestead exemption of $175K, there is still non-exempt equity of $125K. So, Chapter 7 is out of the question. In Chapter 7, clients will lose their house

even as they realize $175K of cash. Even Chairman Kim Jung Un knows that Chapter 7 will be a bad deal for clients. So, the clients must use Chapter 13 instead to handle the $110K of cards without incurring any risk of losing their house. A Chapter 13 plan will allow them to pay off their credit cards debts over 60 months without any interest.

In 5 years, they will owe zero of credit cards so they enjoy their entire retirement income of $6K a month without having to worry about paying another cent to MasterCard or visa.

The next client is 66. She just bought a house with $200K down but owes $400K mortgage on it. The problem is that she owns two businesses that are losing tons of money. She is very worried that suppliers will start suing the company for unpaid debt. Well, that’s easily solved with Chapter 7 for each company. The second problem is that she personally guaranteed the lease of the warehouse for $10K a month and there is 3 more years on the lease. How many times must I tell readers that they should never personally guarantee businesses leases or business debts?

The client is on the hook for $360K on the personal guaranty of the lease. Fortunately for her, she can do a Chapter 13 to handle that. In Chapter 13, she will have to pay $25K of the personal guaranty over 60 months without any risk of losing her house. That is a great financial reorganization for her.

She wipes out $335K of the personal guaranty if she completes 60 payments of $500 a month to the trustee. The bankruptcy court will enter an order discharging the $335K soon after completion of plan payments.

If you need debt relief, set an appointment to see me. I will analyze your case personally. *** 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 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803.

(Advertising Supplement)

community 6 The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - January 8, 2020

The Metamorphosis

ErniE D. DElfin AS people around the civilized world start another year, it is traditional for many people to have some kind of New Year’s Resolution, a Dream List, to serve as a true-north compass to guide them towards a better, more peaceful and prosperous new year.

As one who has lived a reasonably good seven decades of life, I always try to do some kind of New Year’s resolution.

Ever since I knew how to dream, I never stopped dreaming that better things are yet to come, until now especially, for the sake of my children and two granddaughters.

In many ways, our society is a better world, yet, there are also potential dangers and warning signs that it may not continue to be, if the dark elements causing havoc, divisions, and the great chasm of many people based on color, creed, national origin or economic status continue to exacerbate.

One who is not blind and numb can see, read or hear this disturbing phenomenon, especially those emanating from the seats of power in Washington, DC and many parts of this planet.

2020 is an election year in the USA and the politics of too much partisanship has never been this pronounced, when loyalty to one’s party or leader is paramount, disregarding truth and reality. Selfish interests and political survival almost always become the guiding rule for many leaders’ actions over what is for the common good.

Amidst the noisy political circus and heated partisan politics in Washington, however, life has to go on, and each one of us can still do some concrete actions to cause some positive change.

Everyone’s good and moral actions can have a positive ripple effect around us. The world is replete with many examples that one action, one event, one person, one idea has made the world better. George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Ma-

One man’s dream for 2020 and beyond

“Where there is no vision, the people perish… but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” - Proverbs 29:18” hatma Gandhi, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., Mother — now Saint — Teresa, and many saints with their collective works and examples left this world a better place.

Pope Francis in his papal announcements continues to warn world leaders that the poor must be given a chance to live with dignity, and be given just opportunity to provide for themselves and their families.

The mega-wealthy cannot continue to wallow in their affluence while millions are suffering from hunger and poverty. As another pope has said, there will be no peace without justice. Therefore it behooves all of us, citizens of the world to work towards social and economic justice to ensure a better future.

As one who is concerned about the future of his grandchildren, I am working harder and smarter to contribute my God-given time, talent and treasure to hopefully help build a better future for them. The last couple of decades, I have seen some positive results of our small advocacies of inspiring and empowering hundreds of people and families to have a better future through our involvement in non-governmental organizations — NGOs; now called Community Based Organizations (CBOs) — which has encouraged, helped, and empowered many socially disadvantaged people to upgrade their living conditions. I have worked with many like-minded individuals and organizations that are MAD (MakingADifference) and this 2020, we have renewed to continue much bigger goals to widen, deepen and help more people by not only giving poor people hope but mentoring or “teaching them to fish (and providing some tools) rather than just giving them to fish to eat for the day.”

Like my hero when I was a teenager, Pres. John F. Kennedy, who dreamed and had a vi-

sion to put a man on the moon, and also the martyred civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, Jr., I too have a dream that one day, my grandchildren will be known and respected for who they are, regardless of their physical stature nor color of their skin nor the beauty of their Asian eyes, but the size of their minds and the strength of their character.

These dreams of mine still inspire me to aspire higher in my life.

Towards these lofty objectives, I am spearheading and my networks of fellow dreamers are embarking to go beyond our local communities to broaden our market so we can help others help themselves. We, at Phil Eagles Network (PEN) Foundation, Gawad Kalinga and Rotary organizations and other civic or religious groups where I have some influence, are forming cooperative efforts to cross-pollinate and maximize our resources to have wider and stronger ripple effects that last. It is high time to realize that each person has to work in all facets or quadrants of his life in equilibrium to be a happy and healthy human being. He must both consciously and unconsciously work in his physical quadrant (TO LIVE), mental quadrant (TO LEARN), social quadrant (TO LOVE) and spiritual quadrant, (TO LEAVE A LEGACY).

With that as our guiding principles, PEN has identified a few areas of needs where we can focus our passions and collective resources to see some quantifiable results in our lifetime: Entrepreneurship, Environment & Ecology and Health and Education and the Teaching and Empowering women who are victims of domestic violence. We have passionate chairpersons to lead, and God willing we will start implementing in 2020 and beyond. And like any ambitious advocacies, we need more disciples and workers in the field, to PAGE B7

One man’s dream for 2020...

From Page 6 help plant the seeds and water them till harvest time.

Specific projects that we can realistically start, pilot or implement this coming year are: ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPING FOR SOCIAL ADVANCEMENT (EDSA Project): We will be “partnering” with Gawad Kalinga’s SEED (School for Experiential Entrepreneurship Development) plan to have our own “center” in Pangasinan to teach, mentor and coach economically challenged young men and women to undergo a 18-24 month TESDA-approved Entrepreneurship Course to enable the successful scholars become self-employed entrepreneurs who will become employers along the way. Through scholarships and proven fundraising activities, our scholars, like those in the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) will be able to study without the worries of where to get money for their tuition, board and lodging and all school expenses. To start this EDSA project, we hope to send a few scholars this 2020-2021 school year to SEED in Bulacan next school year. In conjunction with this EDSA Project, the Community and Social Services Coordinator of the GK Namnama Villages can and should be giving actual current needs/ developments in the villages so that the economic, livelihood issues of the GK Village residents are taken into consideration in this entrepreneurial projects.

ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY: We will be helping Father Benigno Beltran SVD’s pet project, the ONE Billion Bamboo challenge by 2030, in collaboration with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources or DENR. We will also be helping him come to speak and challenge thousands of Filipino Americans and their friends in the U.S. to garner wider and deeper support educationally and financially. Taking care of the environment is also a part of God’s divine plan to become active true Stewards of His Cre-

ation, to treat and preserve it and not to destroy denigrate it.

HEALTH AND EMPOWERMENT OF VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Being fine-tuned right now is a longdreamed project to start housing, training, mentoring and empowering women who are victims of domestic violence (like battered wives). Atty. Alma Luna Reyes-Natividad, having been an actual victim of domestic violence for over 20 years herself, has written and spoken about this topic and now ready to spearhead advocacy under our PEN Foundation. This is an exciting and overdue project that needs to have wider support. So please contact us and pitch in what you can reasonably contribute.

Corollary to this advocacy is another very important health issue of so many women having breast cancer because of poor diet and lack of education. It has been found and proven that food intake is one of the major reasons of these maladies especially among women. This is another advocacy of Father Benigno Beltran SVD, and he has piloted an organic WOW (WelfareOfWomen) Restaurant near his parish church in Kamuning, Quezon City. We at PEN commit to support this entrepreneurial business not only to help the organic farmers but also all the people involved from farm to the kitchen to the waiters that service restaurant customers and buyers of their bakery goodies.

EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL BALIK KULTURA PHILIPPINE ADVENTURE for second or third generations FilAms. Patterned after the successful Group Study Exchange of Rotary International (www.rotary.org) as well as MAD travel experiences (www.madtravel. org), PEN Foundation will also pilot in 2020 the first annual cultural, educational and professional adventure in the Philippines especially designed for young Filipino Americans and their friends. The program is

Served with a lawsuit...

From Page 5 that more than 8 years ago, he was sued after his car got repossessed. But he ignored the lawsuit and the judgment. Now, it has come back to haunt him. He needs the money badly from the refinance to take care of other financial needs but this judgment is stopping him from being able to complete the transaction.

If you’ve been sued by a creditor, it doesn’t make sense to ignore the lawsuit hoping it will just go away because it won’t. If you owe the debt and have no defense to the lawsuit, filing a response may also be pointless and can just be a huge waste of time and money on lawyer’s fees.

In some cases, it may be possible to negotiate a settlement with the creditor’s attorney. Payment can be made in a lump sum but usually for a reduced

amount, or, if you don’t have the cash to do that, perhaps an installment agreement. If neither one is possible, perhaps it’s time to consider filing bankruptcy. If you’ve been sued, you have very little time to act and the sooner you do something about it, the better off you will be.

For more information and to schedule a free case analysis, please call Toll-Free 1-866477-7772. Let us evaluate your situation and recommend possible options. We have offices in Glendale, Cerritos and Valencia. *** None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped thousands of clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1 (866) 477-7772.

(Advertising Supplement)

people & events 7

to select motivated second or The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - January 8, 2020 third generation Fil-Ams, based upon an essay and interview why they are interested to go to the Philippines as an “ambassador.” These Balik-Kultura From Page 5 scholars will learn to learn by liv- and distributed in Probate Court ing with a well-chosen Rotarian following the rules of intestate host family that is in the same succession in the California proprofession, career or business bate code. Certain relatives will as the scholar guest. be entitled to a share of your This first 2020 column briefly estate even if you feel they are identifying our ambitious proj- not deserving. By establishing ects and dreams of this writer a revocable living trust, you can and our PEN advocates is meant designate who you want to into arouse interest from readers herit from your estate. You can to contact and support us. As designate what and how much in any project, these ideas and each one will received from your a successor trustee if you are the This article is not intended to cover all plans are works in progress and estate after you pass away. The initial trustee. The trustee will the issues related to the topic discussed. will evolve into something more assets distributed to each ben- be administering (managing) the The specific facts that apply to your practical, logical and imple- eficiaries does not have to be trust after you pass away without matter may make the outcome different mentable in the near future. We equal. The people you desig- a need to open a probate court than would be anticipated by you. This believe that it is much better to nate as beneficiaries of your liv- case. This allows for continuity in article does create any attorney client implement it this year, with an ing trust does not even have to operating the trust and the effi- relationship between you and the Law imperfect plan rather than wait be close family members. You cient and cost effective distribu- Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This for another decade with a “per- can designate anyone as a ben- tion of estate assets. If you are article is not a solicitation. *** fect plan” as that perfect plan eficiary, with certain exceptions, concerned about whether you can trust any family members as Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a may never come! of your estate.

Lastly, it is my 2020 prayer You can structure your estate your trustee, you can appoint an Certified Family Law Specialist. He was institution as a professional trust- President of the Philippine American Bar that some readers will contact to minimize estate taxes us and to ask how they can also If your estate is valued above ee to carry out the terms of the Association. He is a member of both bring their ounce or pound of the estate tax exemption, estab- declaration of trust. These type the Family law section and Immigration time, talent or treasure to help lishing a trust can allow you to di- of trustee services are often of- law section of the Los Angeles County us realize this dream to make vide up your estate into smaller fered by banks, financial institu- Bar Association. He is a graduate of a world a little bit better than sub trusts to minimize the overall tions, wealth management firms, Southwestern University Law School how we found it. estate tax effect on your estate. and business management firms in Los Angeles and California State HAPPY NEW NEW YEAR! It allows you to set up a vehicle for a reasonable fee. This mini- University, San Bernardino School May you all have a more pros- for certain charitable giving mizes conflicts within the fam- of Business Administration. He has perous, healthier and peaceful which carries tax advantage and ily and prevents negligence and extensive CPA experience prior to law wrong doing by inexperienced practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH 2020. Let us all have a clearer asset protection.

REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire 2020 vision!

You can choose who will ad- family members.

Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. *** minister your estate after your *** Please note that this article is not legal Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@ death Email: ernie.delfin@gmail.com When you establish a revocable advice and is not intended as legal advice. kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Websites: www.gkerc.org trust, you can appoint someone The article is intended to provide only Kenreyeslaw.com www.pagudpudsands.com (Advertising Supplement) www.kannaway.com/5236768 else as trustee or you can appoint general, non-specific legal information.

Five benefits of establishing...

“With a revocable living trust, your trustee or successor trustee if you were the initial trustee, would administer the trust and distribute the estate according to the trust document without having to open a probate court case.”

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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - January 08, 2020