011120 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

JANUARY 11-14, 2020 Volume 30 - No. 2 • 4 Sections – 30 Pages

US Senate passes resolution condemning PH officials involved in De Lima detention Malacañang calls resolution ‘misguided’

ippine Senator Leila De Lima.

U.S. Senate Resolution 142 argued that De Lima’s detainTHE United States Senate on ment was an infringement on Wednesday, January 8 passed a the “legitimate exercise of her resolution officially condemning freedom of speech” and urged the administration of Philippine the Philippines to release her, President Rodrigo Duterte for as previously reported by the its detention of outspoken Phil- Asian Journal.

by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Philippines shows highest global support for Trump, poll finds DESPITE low ratings from individuals around the world, support for U.S. President Donald Trump remains its highest in the Philippines, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey.

Results from the nonpartisan fact tank’s latest survey found that 77% of Filipinos said they are confident that Trump would do the “right thing” concerning world affairs, while 19% believed otherwise.

The Philippines showed the most positive review for the U.S. president among 32 other countries surveyed, which collectively displayed little support for him. A median of 64% respondents say they do not have confidence in Trump, while only 29% say they do. u PAGE A2

The resolution acknowledges the widely-criticized extrajudicial killings, which were “part of a government-directed antidrug campaign” that resulted in “the foremost human rights challenge in the Philippines,” as a valid concern of the disgraced u PAGE A2

PH gov’t says mandatory repatriation Traslacion shorter, but fervor at fever pitch will remain in Iraq SEA OF DEVOTEES. A throng of devotees follow the “andas” or carriage of the Black Nazarene as the procession crosses Palanca St., Manila on Thursday, January 9. The Manila Police District estimated that more than 220,000 devotees participated in the procession in the morning of Thursday alone.

PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.

by DARWIN

PESCO ManilaTimes.net

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE mandatory repatriation ordered by the Philippine government will remain for Filipino workers in Iraq, but has been lifted for Iran and Lebanon as tensions between the United States and Iran ease, the Philippine Department of Labor and Employment announced on Thursday, January 9.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III clarified that the alert levels for Lebanon and Iran had been lowered, after they, along with Iraq, were previously at the highest alert level of 4, which requires the government to order Filipino workers to return home due to heightened security risks.

“Initially, the level of alert for Iran, Iraq and Lebanon was the same — level 4. Although it was unofficial, I was informed [on Wednesday] that the alert level in Lebanon had been put down to level 2, and I understand that there’s no more alert level in Iran,” said Bello. u PAGE A2

MENDIOLA AJPress

Filipina American becomes first woman of color promoted to full professor at USC English department

u PAGE A4 procession draws millions of devotees nationwide.

FORMER Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has asked the Supreme Court (SC), sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), to re-examine the initial vote recount results in the electoral protest he filed against Vice President Leni Robredo.

In a 809-page memorandum filed before the tribunal on December 19, 2019 and released to reporters on Tuesday, January 7, Marcos asked the PET “to reconsider, review

and re-examine the preliminary appreciation in the pilot provinces of Camarines Sur, Iloilo and Negros Oriental.”

In October, the PET announced Robredo widened her lead over Marcos in the recount of votes in the three pilot provinces, showing Robredo with 1,510,178 votes now compared to her 1,493,517 votes in the chosen areas previously.

With the additional 15,093 votes from the recount, Robredo maintained her lead over Marcos with 278,566 votes. u PAGE A4

LOS ANGELES — A Filipina American this week became the first woman of color to be promoted to the rank of full professor within the University of Southern California’s English department.

Karen Tongson, who was been at the university’s Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences since 2005, announced the news on her Twitter account on Tuesday, January 7.

She previously held an associate professor title, teaching courses in English, gender studu PAGE A4

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Marcos asks PET to review PH economy to outperform poll protest results anew global peers in next 2 years

by RITCHEL

Filipina American Karen Tongson on January 7 became the first woman of color to be promoted as a full professor in the University of Southern California’s English department.

THIS year’s Traslacion finished much earlier than in previous years, but the fervor of the 2 million barefoot devotees who joined the annual procession of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila was at its usual fever pitch.

Swarms of the faithful, wearing maroon t-shirts, lined the shortened route of the procession, but the crowd was thickest on Quezon Boulevard, beside the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene or Quiapo Church.

The procession started earlier than scheduled, leaving the Quirino Grandstand at Rizal (Luneta) Park at 4:16 a.m. instead of 5:30 a.m.

Devotees carry the Black Nazarene to the “andas” or carriage in time for the procession The pace of the procession was from Quirino Grandstand to the Quiapo Church on Thursday, January 9. The annual religious

Former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

ManilaTimes.net photo

by DORIS

DUMLAO-ABADILLA Inquirer.net

THE Philippine economy is likely to outperform its regional and global peers in the next two years on the back of resilient private consumption, monetary policy easing and strong rebound in capital inflow, investment experts from British banking giant HSBC said.

This year, HSBC expects the Philippines to grow its gross domestic product (GDP) by 6.4% and further to 6.5% next year, beating the projected average growth of Asian emerging markets of 5.1% this year and 5.3% next year.

“We anticipate a growth re-accelerating path for the next two years, in contrast with the global downturn that we have seen in other parts of the globe,” Fan Cheuk Wan, HSBC Private Banking chief market strategist for Asia, said in a press briefing on Tuesday, January 7.

For full-year 2019, HSBC expected an average GDP growth of 5.8% for the Philippines.

HSBC sees investment growth

in the country to rebound to 10.7% this 2020 from only 2.3% last year, when the delay in the legislation of the national budget constrained public spending.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is also among the 10 Asian monetary institutions that will likely continue its bias for monetary easing this year. Fan said the BSP would likely cut its overnight borrowing rate twice this year—once in the first quarter and again in the second quarter—to bring the benchmark rate to 3.5% by the end of the year.

Fan added that the BSP would likely slash the reserve requirement ratio on banks by 200 basis points each year this 2020 and 2021, bringing it down to 10% by end-2021.

“It will improve liquidity conditions in the financial system and drive investment growth recovery,” she said.

Inflation, on the other hand, is projected to pick up pace to 2.9% this year, but still within the 2 to 4% target range of the BSP. With the government likely u PAGE A4

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From the Front Page

PH gov’t says mandatory repatriation will...

PAGE A1 t Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, meanwhile, said the mandatory evacuation of Filipinos in Iraq would remain until the government was sure that there was no more danger to them.

“If you have to err, you have to err on the side of safety,” he said.

According to him, the situation

in Iraq remains “unpredictable” and that “anything can happen.”

He also said the worst-case scenario that should be considered in repatriation efforts is an attack on U.S. bases outside Iraq, such as those in Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar.

“We don’t have to wait for these to happen. We have to start

now [by] moving them (Filipinos workers) out while the airports are still open and the roads are clear because if the situation deteriorates, it would be more difficult to get them out,” Cimatu stressed.

On Wednesday, the government ordered thousands of Filipino workers to evacuate Iraq, Iran and Lebanon when the alert level in Iraq was raised to the highest level.

There are 1,190 documented and 450 undocumented Filipino workers in Iraq, more than 30,000 in Lebanon, and less than 1,200 in Iran, according to DFA data.

(However, there have been some conflicting as to how many Filipinos working in Iraq as other government officials have cited up to 4,204 Filipinos.)

Overall, there are around 2.3 million Filipinos working in various jobs, such as domestic care, construction, and nursing throughout the Middle East.

Malacañang, for its part, welcomed the de-escalation in the Middle East.

“Good news! Good news for all of us. If the conflict has de-escalated instead of escalating, then that’s good news for everyone especially for our overseas workers,” said presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo.

“But nevertheless, the move to evacuate and repatriate is still going on,” he added. n

Philippines shows highest global...

PAGE A1 t Participants were also asked about a variety of policy decisions under the Trump administration, such as his U.S.-Mexico border wall proposal and increasing tariffs.

“A median of 68% across the nations polled say they disapprove of the U.S. increasing tariffs on imported goods; a median of 66% oppose the Trump administration’s withdrawal from international climate agreements; and 60% disapprove of Trump’s proposal to build a wall on the border with Mexico,” the survey said.

In terms of immigration, 55% u PAGE A3

NEW OFFICIALS. President Rodrigo Duterte delivers a speech during the oath-taking ceremony of newly-appointed government officials at the Malacañang Palace on Wednesday, January 8.

Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez

US Senate passes resolution...

PAGE A1 t

senator who has been detained since February 2017.

Led by U.S. Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), the bipartisan effort to stand up against the Duterte administration’s treatment of De Lima also urged President Donald Trump to impose sanctions against the Philippine government.

The bipartisan group of senators who backed the bill includes Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jeff Merkley (DOR), Tina Smith (D-MN), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Brian Schatz (DHI), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) and Dick Durbin (D-IL).

Durbin said that De Lima should be given a fair trial, adding that to do so would be an “important test” of Philippine democracy.

In a speech on the Senate floor on Thursday, January 9, Durbin also referenced internationally-celebrated Rappler chief Maria Ressa, who has also been a victim of the Duterte administration for her coverage on the anti-drug campaign.

“In the end, [De Lima’s] freedom and the end of government harassment against journalists like Maria Ressa will be important tests of whether cherished

Sen. Leila De Lima

democratic norms we share with our long-standing Filipino allies will be respected by President Duterte,” Durbin said.

Duterte administration responds Malacanang fired back against the U.S. senators on Friday, January 10, claiming the senators were basing the resolution on “bogus narratives” and relying on arguments promoted by Duterte’s “usual antagonists.”

“While the Philippine government continues to respect the U.S. Senate as an institution, the Palace finds the posture and conviction of its prejudiced members misguided,” Salvador Panelo, presidential spokesperson, said in a statement that also called the U.S. Senate’s “latest actions” as “a form of bullying

Philstar.com photo

on the part of a particular institution of a foreign country.”

“If and when these calls materialize, the Palace considers the same as a direct and shameless affront against the Republic of the Philippines, which has long ceased to be a colony of the United States of America,” Panelo said.

The resolution’s official passing in the U.S. Senate adds another layer to the months-long riff between the two countries regarding the Philippines’ treatment of the Duterte administration’s critics.

Previously, the Philippine Bureau of Immigration announced that U.S. Sens. Durbin and Leahy would be denied entry to the Philippines. This was a rePAGE A4

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A

Facebook bans deepfake videos

by Janvic

Mateo Philstar.com

MISLEADING “deepfakes,” or manipulated videos that use artificial intelligence (AI) to show people saying or doing things they never did, will no longer be allowed on social media platform Facebook.

Monika Bickert, Facebook’s vice president for global policy management, announced yesterday the policy changes that will remove misleading manipulated videos identified as deepfakes in the social media platform.

The ban covers manipulated videos that have “been edited or synthesized – beyond adjustments for clarity or quality – in ways that aren’t apparent to an average person and would likely mislead someone into thinking that a subject of the video said MEETING WITH JAPANESE REPS. President Rodrigo Duterte discusses matters with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, who paid a words that they did not actually courtesy call on the President at the Malacañang Golf Clubhouse in Manila on Thursday, January 9.

Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez say.”

Also banned are media that are products of artificial intelligence or machine learning that merge, replace or superimpose content onto a video, making it appear to be authentic.

Bickert said the new policy is a result of collaboration among is more in the Middle East,” espe- various efforts to improve the Camp Crame. by consuelo Marquez science of detecting manipulated “So mag-profiling kami dito na cially in Iraq and Iran.

Inquirer.net He also cited U.S. President media. kung [anong] pwedeng mangyari “Our approach has several INTERIOR Secretary Eduardo dito (so we will look into possible Donald Trump’s promise to target Año on Wednesday assured the threats that could happen here) 52 sites in Iran if the latter tries to components, from investigating public that American nationals but really the action is more on in attack Americans held hostage at AI-generated content and deceptive behaviors like fake accounts, are safe in the Philippines de- the Middle East particularly Iraq U.S. Embassy in Tehran.

Previously, the Iranian govern- to partnering with academia, spite escalating tensions between and Iran,” Año added.

Año, who is a retired Armed ment also vowed revenge against government and industry to exthe Middle East and the United Forces of the Philippines chief the U.S. after the latter launched posing people behind these efStates.

“Magkakaroon yan ng escala- of staff, said profiling meant they attacks in Iraq that killed Gen. forts,” she said.

She said the new policy does tion (There will be an escalation). will monitor areas and people of Qassem Soleimani, a top Iranian not extend to content that is Ang sabi ng Iranian government interest in the Philippines amid general. n (The Iranian government said) tensions in the Middle East.

Asked if the government can they will do a counteraction and will strike U.S. nationals assets. protect U.S. nationals in the PhilAnywhere, everywhere so pwe- ippines, Año said: “We can secure deng even American nationals in the areas where Americans are our country pwedeng maging tar- frequenting. Security for the indiget ‘yan (they can be a target),” vidual is a case to case basis.”

Año also noted that the “action Año said in a press briefing at

Americans in PH safe despite threats, tension from Middle East

Map shows results from Pew’s Spring 2019 Global Attitudes Survey about confidence in U.S. President Donald Trump and the view of the U.S. Pew Research Center

President Rodrigo Duterte and his partner Honeylet welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump prior to the start of the gala dinner hosted by the Philippines for the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states and dialogue partners at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City last November 12, 2017.

Malacañang photo by Ace Morandante

Philippines shows highest global...

PAGE A2 t of respondents said they disapproved of the administration’s plans to reduce the number of immigrants coming into the U.S. Other countries that showed high confidence in the U.S. president were Israel (71%), Kenya (65%), Nigeria (58%) and India (56%).

Though the ratings for Trump are low in most nations, the view of the U.S. remains largely favorable at 54% compared to 38% unfavorable, the survey found.

Ratings were positive in the Philippines, Poland, South Korea and Israel where “in each about eightin-ten say they view the U.S. favorably,” Pew found. The countries that had the most negative views of the U.S. were Germany, Russia, Turkey and Mexico.

“In some countries, views of the U.S. have become more positive since 2018. This increase in favorable views of the U.S. is especially prevalent among those who favor right-wing populist parties or place themselves on the right end of the ideological spectrum,” Pew said.

A similar survey was last conducted in 2017 — the year Trump was inaugurated — which found that 22% had confidence the president would do the right thing in international affairs.

Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. has

previously said that the Philippines and U.S. continue to share amicable ties, even with certain American lawmakers criticizing PH President Rodrigo Duterte’s human rights record and the latest U.S. Senate resolution to put sanctions on local government officials involved in the arrest and detention of opposition Senator Leila De Lima.

The Philippines also continues to view the U.S. as its most dependable, according to a Pew survey from December 2019.

“Trump is generally more popular among people on the political right. In 18 nations, those who place themselves on the right side of the ideological spectrum express more confidence in the U.S. president,” the think tank noted.

Trump and President Rodrigo Duterte have shown support for one another, with the former congratulating the latter for an “unbelievable job on the drug problem” in the country.

Philippine respondents also rated Russian President Vladimir Putin positively with 61% confidence and Chinese President Xi Jinping with 58%.

The Pew survey released this week was conducted across 33 countries from May 18 to October 2, 2019 using face-to-face interviews among 36,923 respondents. (AJPress)

Inquirer.net photo

parody or satire, or video that has been edited solely to omit or change the order of words.

“Consistent with our existing policies, audio, photos or videos, whether a deepfake or not, will be removed from Facebook if they violate any of our other community standards, including those governing nudity, graphic violence, voter suppression and hate speech,” said the Facebook official.

“Videos that don’t meet these standards for removal are still eligible for review by one of our independent third-party factcheckers, which include over 50 partners worldwide fact-checking in over 40 languages,” she added.

The Facebook official said that photos or videos rated false

or partly false by a fact-checker will have their distribution in the news feed significantly reduced.

Those who would share it will also see warnings alerting them that the content is false.

“This approach is critical to our strategy and one we heard specifically from our conversations with experts,” Bickert said of the policy against removing false content on the social media platform.

“If we simply removed all manipulated videos flagged by fact-checkers as false, the videos would still be available elsewhere on the internet or social media ecosystem. By leaving them up and labelling them as false, we’re providing people with important information and context,” she added. n

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Los Angeles deputy mayor Filipina American becomes first woman of color... takes pride in being Pinoy

by Marc Jayson

cayabyab

Philstar.com

A FILIPINO American who migrated to the U.S. when he was four years old is now deputy to the mayor of Los Angeles, bringing pride to the 500,000 Filipinos living in the city.

Miguel Sangalang, who serves as Mayor Eric Garcetti’s deputy for budget and innovation, recalled walking to SM North EDSA during his childhood in Quezon City where he and his family lived before migrating to the U.S. “It’s kind of like an American story of looking for a land of opportunity,” Sangalang told The Star on the sidelines of the Asia Society and Pumapodcast at the Manila House in Taguig on Monday, January 6.

“My parents, we all lived in one house, and there’s one famMiguel Sangalang, who serves as Mayor Eric Garcetti’s deputy for budget and innovation, ily to a room, very much humble recalled walking to SM North EDSA during his childhood in Quezon City where he and his family beginnings,” he added. lived before migrating to the U.S.

Philstar.com photo

u PAGE A5

PAGE A1 t ies, and American studies and ethnicity.

“As of today, I am the first woman of color to have ever been promoted to the rank of full professor in the USC English dept.

I promise I will not be the last,” she wrote. “Thanks to everyone who wrote for me, mentored me, drank w/ me. It took not only a village, but a world to make it happen.”

The promotion process weighs the contributions the candidate has made in the field of study and that he or she should be considered an expert in the field at a national and international level, according to USC’s website. “Evidence of excellence in teaching and mentoring is expected,” it added.

In an email to the Asian Journal, Tongson said it was a “profound honor” to represent the Fil-Am community at USC and through her work.

“When I’d heard from a senior colleague that I would be the first woman of color promoted to full in our department, I was shocked. Then I paused to reflect a little longer and realized that my situation is not in the slightest bit exceptional, but par for the course in U.S. academia,” she said.

A 2013 study by professors Donna Ginther and Shulamit Kahn found that women of color made up 2.3% of faculty who are on the tenure track and who are tenured nationwide. Meanwhile, data from fall 2016 showed that 21% of USC’s faculty members (male and female) were of Asian descent, 25% of whom were on the tenure track and 15% tenured.

“Because of the fundamental lack of diversity on a majority of U.S. college campuses in gener-

al, students of color, and female students of color, look to us for mentorship and support more frequently and more intensely,” Tongson said, adding that faculty of color are carry a greater obligation because of this.

She continued, “Filipino Americans are also dramatically underrepresented amongst university faculty in general, let alone at the senior ranks.” Fellow USC professor, Rhacel Salazar Parreñas, started gathering other Fil-Am faculty members at the university — there are six Fil-Ams teaching across various disciplines out of 4,000 full-time faculty, Tongson said.

The English professor intends to use her new rank to continue mentoring students and scholars of color at USC and at different institutions.

“I will make sure to fight for the resource and research support they deserve to help them make progress to tenure, as well as to full,” Tongson vowed. “And I will be a powerful advocate for their work, and contributions to departmental and university leadership.”

Though culturally Filipino families tend to push medical, finance or engineering fields, Tongson said that Fil-Am students who want to study the liberal arts should go ahead and do it if they’re passionate about it. “Learn as much as you can about the system and how the process works before committing yourself to this life,” she advised. “Like those other fields favored by your parents, this world has its own rules, and the more you understand them and are prepared to navigate them, the better chances you’ll have at achieving your goals.”

She will still teach the same courses in English, gender stud-

ies and American studies both at the undergraduate and graduate level, including a food politics and culture seminar that allows students to travel around different communities in California and Las Vegas.

As an educator, Tongson comes into her courses with a sense of humor and trust and allows students to have some freedom to be “expressive and creative, with a mix of assignments that aren’t simply formal, but that also tap into the range of their skill sets,” she said.

Tongson published her second book, “Why Karen Carpenter Matters,” in 2019 about her connection to the late singer and growing up in the musical Katindig family of the Philippines.

That same year, she won the Lambda Literary Jeanne Córdova Award for lesbian/queer nonfiction. She is also the author of “Relocations: Queer Suburban Imaginaries” (2011) and co-editor of the award-winning book series, “Postmillennial Pop (with Henry Jenkins)” at NYU Press.

In addition to her new rank, she is working on two books “one on karaoke, queer cultures, and aesthetics, and another on television and its ‘spectacles of normalcy,’” she said. She also plans to launch the second season of “Waiting to X-Hale,” a Gen-X themed pop culture podcast she co-produces and co-hosts with Wynter Mitchell-Rohrbaugh.

Before coming to USC in 2005, Tongson received a doctorate degree in English from the University of California, Berkeley and held a UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship in Literature at UC San Diego, and a UC Humanities Research Institute (UCHRI) Postdoctoral Fellowship at UC Irvine. (Christina M. Oriel/AJPress)

Marcos asks PET to review poll protest...

PAGE A1 t The defeated vice presidential bet asked the PET to “proceed with the Third Cause of Action notwithstanding the pendency of the resolution on the Second Cause of Action,” as well as to order handwriting experts from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to conduct a technical examination of the voters’ signatures appearing on the Election Day Computerized Voter’s List (EDCVL), according to a report by the Philippine Star.

In addition, he asked the tribunal to “conduct another preliminary conference for the Third Cause of Action and thereafter to proceed with the presentation of

evidence.”

Marcos, in his second cause of action, is asking the PET to recount the votes in 36,465 clustered precincts covering 27 provinces in the country, while in his third cause of action he is seeking to nullify the votes of three Mindanao provinces.

The third cause of action is separate and distinct from the Second Cause of Action, which means the dismissal of one cause of action “shall not affect the others,” according to Marcos.

“On the contrary, since the Third Cause of Action for the annulment of the election results is a separate, distinct and

independent cause of action, the same can and must proceed independently of the result from the recount, revision and re-appreciation of ballots,” his camp said.

Meanwhile, Robredo filed her own memorandum asking the PET to dismiss the election protest filed by Marcos after failing to present any substantial recovery in the three pilot provinces.

“With the failure of protestant Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to show any substantial recovery in his pilot provinces, the election protest should be immediately dismissed,” Robredo’s lawyer Romulo Macalintal said. n

PH economy to outperform global peers...

PAGE A1 t to boost spending to support its growth agenda, HSBC forecasts the government deficit to widen to 3.2% of GDP in 2020 and 2021 versus 2.4% last year.

With both the fiscal deficit and current account deficit likely widening this year, Fan said the peso

might see a “mild weakening” to 53 against the dollar by yearend from around 51:$1 at present.

Meanwhile, HSBC maintained a “neutral” view on the Philippine stock market, similar to its view on most equity markets in the region.

“We stick with our neutral po-

sition because Philippines stocks continue to stay at the high end of the valuation spectrum across Asia, so valuation premium would cap the scope for Philippine stocks to outperform from the regional benchmark because the market is already been priced at a premium,” Fan said. n

US Senate passes resolution...

PAGE A2 t

taliation for a ban on U.S. entry

by Philippine officials directly involved with De Lima’s detention.

In addition to the ban on U.S. senators, Philippine officials

also threatened to impose visa restrictions on Americans if the U.S. enforces its ban on Philippine officials.

“There is an easy and honorable way forward,” Durbin said in response to the threats.

“The Duterte regime should stop threatening the travel of Americans and so many others who travel between our nations and instead ensure a quick and credible trial for Senator De Lima.” n

Traslacion shorter, but fervor at...

PAGE A1 t

such that it reached San Sebastian Church for the traditional dungaw, where the image of the Nazarene meets that of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, by dusk.

Organizers were confident that the Nazarene would be back at Quiapo Church by 9 p.m.

In past years, the procession lasted through the night and the early hours of the morning after.

Last year’s procession took 21 hours.

The faster pace was one of the changes introduced in this year’s procession.

Another was the fielding of police officers to clear the path for the andas, the Nazarene’s carriage.

Many devotees resented the presence of the officers, who said they were prevented from getting close to the image.

Some procession participants complained their feet were stepped on by officers who wore combat boots.

Scuffles erupted when some of the devotees tried to break the police cordon and climb the carriage.

Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac told The Manila Times in a message: “If indeed the combat shoes of cops caused it, it was unintended,” “PNP will look into this reported injuries sustained by some devotees,” Banac added.

National Capital Region Police Office chief Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas said combat shoes were part

Hundreds of devotees of the Black Nazarene queue up for the traditional “Pahalik” or the kissing of the image’s feet at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila on Wednesday, January 8.

The Feast of the Black Nazarene is celebrated every January 9 with a series of activities participated in by millions of devotees.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

of the policemen’s uniform.

Sinas vowed to look into the reported injuries.

Aside from the reported injuries, PNP said this year’s Traslacion was generally peaceful.

Sinas said they had no problem throughout the procession except for “wild” devotees.

“Siguro nga (Maybe) it takes time. Pero (But) at least we achieved our partial goal. Having it faster na madala natin dito sa loob ng Quiapo [Church] (Have it brought inside the Quiapo Church faster),” he said.

A total of 13,000 policemen, 2,500 soldiers and 500 security guards were fielded for the Traslacion, Sinas said.

Serafin Lente, 67, a Nazarene devotee for five decades, said he was praying for good health and long life for him to take care of his nephews and nieces.

“Matagal ko nang ginagawa ito, simula pa noong third year high school ako (I have been doing this for so long since when I was in third year high school),” Lente said.

Julie Villanueva, who said she wanted the Nazarene to cure the lumps in her breast, woke up early with his husband to travel from Antipolo, Rizal to Quiapo Church.

Niño de los Reyes, 45, said his children graduated from college through the miraculous power of the Nazarene. He has been a devotee for 14 years.

Kim Noel Yamat, 23, made his annual devotion extra memorable this year by proposing to his longtime girlfriend Mary Joie Flores.

The crowd got wild and cheered them after Flores said “yes” to Yamat and ended it with a kiss. The two plan to marry in March. n

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Americans top BI list of sex offenders

by William

depasUpil ManilaTimes.net

AMERICANS topped the list of 160 sex offenders who were barred by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) from entering the country in 2019.

In a report to Immigration Comissioner Jaime Morente, Port Operations Division Chief Grifton Medina said on Wednesday, January 8, that the number of registered sex offenders (RSOs) who were denied entry last year was slightly higher than the 145 who were intercepted in 2018.

Of the total, Americans were on top with 128, followed by 11 Britons, six Australians, four Chinese, and two New Zealanders. Also listed were a Cameroonian, a Canadian, a German, a Guatemalan, an Irish, a Korean, a Malaysian, a Russian and a Taiwanese.

BI records showed that American RSOs were also on top of the list in the past several years.

During the first six months of 2017, a tota l of 176 RSOs were

barred entry by the BI. Of the number, 131 were Americans, followed by 19 Australians and 19 Britons, three New Zealanders, a Canadian, a Colombian, an Irish, and a Guamanian.

From 2014 to 2016, a total of 514 pedophiles were barred entry. Of the number, 400 were Americans, 80 were Australians, 29 were Britons and the remaining five were of varying nationalities.

Medina said RSOs were immediately booked on the first available flight to their port of origin.

He said the country’s immigration act expressedly mandated the exclusion of foreigners convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude.

RSO refers to a foreigner previously convicted of a sex crime in his country, who has finished serving his sentence or is out on parole or probation. Many are pedophiles charged and found guilty of raping or sexually molesting minors.

In the United States and other Western countries, governments maintain a sex offender registry that allows authorities to trace activities and movements of RSOs. Morente vowed that the BI would continue to ban the entry of RSOs into the Philippines which, he said, would always be off-limits to sex predators “who pose a serious threat to the well-being of Filipino women and children.”

“We are serious in our campaign to eradicate our country’s image as a sex tourism destination,” the BI chief said, adding that these aliens were also known to engage in other immoral acts such as child abuse, child trafficking, child pornography, and marriage for convenience racket.

Morente said the BI has been “continually coordinating with our law enforcement counterparts abroad in identifying sex offenders who might enter our country and threaten the lives and safety of our women and children.” n

More US collegiate offers coming Kai’s way

by John

Bryan Ulanday Philstar.com

SKY’S the limit for prodigy Kai Sotto with another U.S. NCAA Division I school Auburn adding to the young behemoth’s growing list of suitors.

Sotto just had his stop in the Alabama-based school in his U.S. NCAA Division basketball tour.

The 7-foot-2 Filipino teen giant paid a visit to Auburn where he met head coach Bruce Pearl and alumnus Wes Flanigan.

Auburn, which came off an amazing NCAA Final Four run last season, is home to NBA legend Charles Barkley.

Last year, the 17-year-old Sotto visited Kentucky and Georgia Tech. De Paul U also made a pitch for him with head coach Dave Leitao even going to Sotto’s residence in Atlanta for a personal visit.

Son of ex-PBA cager Ervin, Kai has been in the U.S. for almost a year now since leaving the country in a bid to chase his NBA dream.

He has displayed immense improvement since then especially in physique, conditioning and skills owing to the guidance of The Skills Factory which is supervising his U.S. training.

Even without commitment to any U.S. NCAA Division I col-

Kai Sotto

lege yet, Sotto is already a fourstar recruit and currently ranks no. 11 among the big men for the projected 2021 NBA Draft Class.

Prior to his decision to go abroad, Sotto has also received offers from top European ball clubs like Spain’s Real Madrid, Estudiantes and Barcelona following impressive stints with the Gilas Pilipinas youth in multiple

Photo from Instagram/@kzsotto

FIBA events.

Germany’s Alba Berlin has also expressed interest on the former juniors MVP out of Ateneo High School.

Arguably the best teen in Asia today, Sotto is set for a homecoming next week to join the Mighty Sports-Philippines’ training camp for the Dubai International Basketball Championship slated Jan. 23-Feb 1. n

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 11-14, 2020

A

Los Angeles deputy mayor takes...

PAGE A3 t His father worked in an IT company while his mother was a school teacher in Quezon province.

Sangalang visited the Philippines for his wedding in Bohol and took time to build linkages while in the country.

“Let’s create more connections between the Philippines — my homeland — and the places where we go. You can’t have collaborations without connections, and you can’t have connections without conversations,” he said.

Sangalang hoped that the ties between the Philippines and LA would not be affected despite President Duterte’s threat to ban American citizens following the passage of the United States’ 2020 budget, which included a provision that prohibits the entry of Filipinos involved in the detention of Sen. Leila de Lima.

He said Metro Manila should not emulate the increasing density and traffic in LA, which he called an “urban sprawl.”

“One of the things the Philippines should not pick up from LA is urban sprawl.

That’s something we are grappling with which we are trying to solve with public transport technologies,” he said, noting that in Los Angeles, 10 major cities can fit inside its sprawling 1,200-square kilometer space.

He said housing remains a problem for LA residents, noting that perhaps what LA can pick up from the Philippine experience is the country’s culture of extended families and “multigenerational housing.”

A Filipino community was officially recognized in LA as Historic Filipinotown by city hall in 2002, Sangalang said.

His boss, Mayor Garcetti, drafted the resolution creating the Filipino district when he was a council member, paving the way for the creation of the U.S.’s first historic Filipino town.

Prior to his appointment as LA deputy mayor, Sangalang was director of performance management for Garcetti’s predecessor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Sangalang also worked at the LA city hall on innovation, performance management and finance from 2011 to 2017.

He graduated from the University of California with a degree in Japanese, minor in public policy, before venturing into IT. Sangalang said he takes pride in representing the Filipino community in LA. As senior advisor to the mayor, he is the highest ranking FilipinoAmerican in the Los Angeles municipal government.

He said he once met a Filipino who was part of the Mexican-led Delano grape strike

in the 1960s, which earned Filipino grape workers a place in history after the success of the strike led to the passage of the law that gave farmworkers collective bargaining power.

“Los Angeles has one of the largest populations of FilipinoAmericans outside the Philippines,” he said.

“Representation matters. I think we are very humble as a people, but we should also be proud of what we do and need to do,” he added. n

A January 11-14, 2020 • La WEEKEnD aSIan JOurnaL

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How powerful is the Philippine passport in 2020?

Duterte signs salary law for 1.4 million government workers

by GaEa

by ChrisTina

mEndEz

Philstar.com

MANILA — About 1.4 million government workers are expected to benefit from the Salary Standardization Law 5, which was signed by President Duterte on Wednesday, January 8.

Duterte himself will have an eight percent salary increase this year based on the salary adjustments under the new law.

The 74-year-old Duterte, who publicly complained that his salary is not enough to support his two families, enjoys Salary Grade 33, the compensation of the president of the Philippines as the highest position in the government.

During the last tranche of the implementation of the SSL 4 in 2019, Duterte supposedly got an increase of almost P102,000 in his monthly salary.

From P298,083 a month, Duterte’s salary increased to P399,739 last year.

Under the new law, the president gets an eight percent increase of about P31,979 per month and will get P431,718 a month when the final tranche is implemented.

The SSL 5 also covers public

school teachers and nurses.

Upon full implementation, the law said basic salaries would increase by a weighted average of 23.24 percent by 2023.

The law said employees under Salary Grades 10 to 15 would be granted the highest increase ranging from 20 to 30 percent, while those under SG 25 to 33 would have the lowest increase of eight percent.

The vice president, Senate president, House speaker and chief justice enjoy SG 32 while senators, congressmen, associate justices of the Supreme Court and the chairman of constitutional commission are under SG 31.

The executive secretary, department secretary, presidential spokesperson, press secretary, presidential adviser, presidential assistant II, director general of the National Economic and Development Authority, presiding justices of the Supreme Court and the Sandiganbayan, secretary of the Senate, secretary general of the House of Representatives and the UP president are considered equivalent ranks who enjoy SG 31.

Government workers under SG 1 to 10 would get an increased pay from 17.5 percent to 20.5

percent over four years.

Director Gerald Janda of the Department of Budget and Development said the law takes effect Jan. 1 this year.

“And once signed into law, the first tranche of the increase in the salary of government workers will take effect starting Jan.1, 2020,” Janda said early Wednesday at a briefing in Malacañang hours before Duterte finally signed the enrolled bill into law.

“And we have already provided in the 2020 GAA certain amount for the implementation of this under the miscellaneous personnel benefits fund,” Janda added.

Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado said the government is ready to implement the first tranche of the SSL immediately this January as the required funds are already available in the 2020 budget.

“For the first year 2020, about P34 billion is needed and it is already in the just approved national budget,” Avisado said.

Republic Act 11466 or the Salary Standardization Law of 2019 was signed by President Duterte on Wednesday night.

It seeks to raise the salaries of government employees, including nurses and teachers, in four tranches from 2020 to 2023.

Under the law, the minimum basic salary of a first-level government employee (Salary Grade 1) will increase from P11,068 to P13,000 after all tranches.

This is a continuation of Executive Order 201, series of 2016, which also provided four tranches of compensation hike for government and military personnel from 2016 to 2019.

Senate Bill No. 1219, also referred to as the Salary Standardization Law 5, was one of the priority bills of Sen. Christopher Go, in addition to the Malasakit Center Act of 2019 and a bill postponing barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, both of which have also been passed into law.

In previous interviews, Go said that SB 1219 satisfies the president’s wish to ensure a complete and holistic approach to salary

KaTrEEna Philstar.com

CabiCo

MANILA — As we step into the 2020s, the Philippine passport has moved one spot higher but remains in the lower half of the index that measures the world’s most travel friendly passports.

Philippine passport holders can now visit 67 destinations visa-free, making the Philippine passport 76th “most powerful” in the world out of 199 countries on the latest Henley & Partners Passport Index.

The Philippines shares the spot with Azerbaijan.

Henley Passport Index ranks world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without prior visa.

It ranks passports based on data from the International Air Transport Association.

Behind SEA peers While the country moved up one notch, the Philippines still lagged behind some of its ASEAN neighbors.

Singapore placed second in the leaderboard, offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 190 destinations around the globe.

Malaysia (13th), Brunei (23rd), Thailand (65th) and Indonesia (72nd) fared better on the rankings.

Asian countries get top spots While the United States and

File photo shows a man holding a Philippine passport.

the United Kingdom continued their downward trajectory on the passport index in 2020, Asian countries showed their dominance when it comes to passport power.

Japan secured the top spot on the rankings for the third consecutive year. Japan passport holders are able to access 191 destinations without having to obtain a visa in advance.

South Korea tied with Germany in third place, giving their passport holders visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 189 destinations worldwide.

“Asian countries’ dominance of the top spots is a clear argu-

Philstar.com photo

ment for the benefits of opendoor policies and the introduction of mutually beneficial trade agreements,” Christian Kaenlin, Henley & Partners chair, said.

Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the index, with its citizens only able to visit a mere 26 destinations visa-free.

Singapore placed second in the leaderboard, offering visafree or visa-on-arrival access to 190 destinations around the globe.

Malaysia (13th), Brunei (23rd), Thailand (65th) and Indonesia (72nd) fared better on the rankings. n

PNP dared to refute Robredo’s drug war assessment

by EmmanuEl

Tupas

Philstar.com

MANILA — Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año on Wednesday, January 8, challenged policemen to keep pressing forward in the war on illegal drugs to refute Vice President’s Leni Robredo’s assessment that the anti-drug campaign is a failure.

According to Año, police officers should not be affected by Robredo’s findings on the drug war, which he said defies logic.

“I think it’s more of a challenge to the Philippine National Police (PNP) to refute that particular comment and statement of Vice President Robredo,” he told reporters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

He enumerated the accomu PAGE A10 plishments of the PNP to prove that the anti-drug campaign is not a failure, among these are the arrest of 300,000 drug pushers and surrender of about 1.5 million peddlers and users since July 2016.

The government said at least 5,552 drug suspects were killed in alleged shootouts with lawmen in the past three years.

“Around P42 billion worth of shabu were confiscated and you say it’s just one percent,” Año said, referring to Robredo’s rating of the drug war.

On the recommendation of Robredo that Oplan Tokhang should be handled by members of antidrug abuse councils (ADACs) in the localities, Año said it is already being done.

Unlike before where Tokhang operations are done by police officers, Año said barangay chairmen as well as representatives from the community are now part of the campaign.

Año said a lot of adjustments were already made even before Robredo’s brief stint as cochairperson of the Interagency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD).

These adjustments have brought positive results as thee are now lesser shootouts and casualties in the anti-drug campaign.

Vice President Leni Robredo

Año also said that he is not surprised with the result of a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey where eight in 10 Filipinos believe there are “ninja cops” or erring policmen who sell illegal drugs that were seized during drug enforcement operations.

He said the results of the survey was brought by a Senate investigation last year on the lingering presence of ninja cops in the police force.

He was referring to the controversy that hounded former PNP chief Oscar Albayalde, who went on non-duty status ahead of his retirement after he was implicated in the operations of ninja cops who were involved in a questionable anti-drug operation in Mexico, Pampanga in 2013. Albayalde was Pampanga police director when the police operation was conducted.

In reaction to the public’s negative perception of the PNP, Año vowed to intensify operations to get rid of the ninja cops and other police scalawags.

Año did not go into detail but said they already have a list of the ninja cops who are still in active service.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said that President Duterte’s high approval ratings in his third year in office seem to belie the claim of Robredo that the administration’s campaign against illegal drugs was a massive failure.

“The president’s high approval ratings after three years is incompatible with a grand failure accusation,” Sotto told reporters.

Philstar.com photo

“People deterred from illegal drugs do not raise their arms to be surveyed. The truth is found in the stories of families at home and the changes in their neighborhood. Before, people were afraid of drug addicts, now the addicts are ones afraid,” he said.

He said he has been waging a campaign against illegal drugs for the past 31 years and he knows how complex the problem is.

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday slammed Robredo for her very unfair and intellectually dishonest report on the drug war of the Duterte administration.

In an ambush interview during the opening of a Malasakit Center in Taguig City, Cayetano invited Robredo to a congressional inquiry on the findings in her published report that he believed were not supported by facts.

“I think her assessment is very unfair. The conclusions were not supported by facts,” he stressed.

Cayetano said Robredo failed to make a comparative analysis of the drug war of the current administration to the previous one in concluding that it has failed to address the illegal drug menace in the country.

He also questioned Robredo’s criticism of the administration for lack of accurate data on illegal drugs, saying all other countries don’t have exact data on the number of drug users and only use estimates. n

PEACEFUL TRASLACION. National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director, Brig. Gen. Debold M. Sinas (center) declares the holding of Traslacion 2020 as generally peaceful during a press briefing held at Police Station 10 in Kamuning, Quezon City on Friday, January 10. Some 16,000 security personnel from the NCRPO, Bureau of Fire Protection, Metro Manila Development Authority, Coast Guard, and volunteers were deployed to ensure the safe and solemn procession of the Black Nazarene.

PNA photo by Oliver Marquez

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‘I thought he’s a threat’: Police general apologizes for taking GMA reporter’s phone

by Gaea

A previous commitment from the Department of tourism (DOT) to embark on a P480-million improvement of Burnham Park has opened the gates for more commitments of assistance for the redevelopment of Baguio.

Philstar.com photo

Baguio rehabilitation kicks off by artemio

Dumlao Philstar.com

BAGUIO CITY — The government has officially kicked off a multimillion-peso endeavor to redevelop this city and stop its descent into urban decay.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat announced yesterday the forthcoming rehabilitation of the country’s summer capital following a meeting with concerned officials and stakeholders at The Mansion.

She said the project is attuned to the national government’s thrust toward sustainable tourism.

A previous commitment from the Department of tourism (DOT) to embark on a P480-million improvement of Burnham Park has opened the gates for more commitments of assistance for the redevelopment of Baguio.

At the meeting, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año stressed that while Baguio’s rehabilitation would not require closing it to visitors like what was done in Boracay, the process would be in accordance with environmental and zoning laws.

Officials have acknowledged that Baguio’s case is different from Boracay’s as the city government appears to have a clearer development vision for the city.

Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong said they are looking for the best ways to rehabilitate the city based on what he called the 4 Cs: coordination, cooperation, collaboration and communication.

A strategic plan for Baguio’s future for the next 15 years is being threshed out by authorities and other stakeholders, according to the mayor.

With the national government’s backing, Magalong said there will be no more stumbling block to full development of Baguio City.

He stressed rehabilitation efforts would focus on promoting people’s interest and would never compromise human rights.

“There is hope in the horizon (for Baguio),” Puyat said, adding that Baguio should be a “beacon of a shining moment.”

Año, meanwhile, said Baguio’s redevelopment should concern everyone, especially its residents who have to bear with the pressure of rising tourism amid inadequate infrastructure.

He assured Baguio residents they would benefit in the end, although some sectors would have to make adjustments. “We do not want Baguio to be called the highest Smokey Mountain,” he said, referring to the dumpsite in Manila which, before its closure, had been the symbol of

Metro Manila’s urban decay.

Rep. Marquez Go, for his part, said the city should spearhead the development but “supported by the national government.”

Development should not be biased for foreign tourists, he pointed out, adding it should be “people-centric.”

Magalong admitted that while his plans for Baguio might outlive him as the city’s chief executive, he proposed that Burnham Park redevelopment be prioritized as it is the most doable.

Aside from Burnham Park, the city’s sewerage treatment plant (STP) is one of the landmarks in the city that Magalong thinks should be given attention.

Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan and Councilor Lourdes Tabanda expressed full support for Magalong’s vision for Baguio City. “But the details have to be discussed,” the councilor explained.

Environment chief Roy Cimatu, represented by Assistant Secretary Jesus Salazar, has also committed the department’s full support for Baguio’s redevelopment effort.

“Enforcement (of environmental laws) is not an option but a must,” Cimatu stressed in his speech read by Salazar. “We will respect IPs (indigenous peoples) and promote social justice,” he said. n

Keep fighting for same-sex marriage, CHR urges LGBT community after SC dismissal

by Gabriel

Pabico Inquirer.net

lalu

MANILA — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) urges members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual (LGBTQIA+) community to continue pushing for the legalization of same-sex marriage.

CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia issued this statement on Thursday, January 9, in response to the decision of the Supreme Court (SC) to dismiss with finality a petition urging it to allow the union between people of any sexual identity.

“One with the cause, we encourage the LGBTQI community and its allies to press on in spite of this hurdle and continuously find ways to claim the right to be treated justly as humans whose

rights are equal with everyone else,” De Guia said.

She clarified, however, that the CHR respects the decision of the Supreme Court to deny the petition based on a technicality.

“The Commission on Human Rights respects the recent Supreme Court decision in Falcis v. Civil Registrar General on marriage equality,” she said.

“Despite the decision, we find hope that the Court recognized the long history of the struggles of the LGBTQI for equality, including freedom from being discriminated for their choice of relationship,” she explained.

On Monday, January 6, the Supreme Court released a twopage notice saying it had junked the appeal, as “no substantial arguments were presented to warrant the reversal of the ques-

tioned decision.”

“No further pleadings or motions will be entertained” on the matter, said SC clerk of court Edgar Aricheta.

The CHR meanwhile urged both chambers of Congress to file bills that would make same-sex marriage legal — as it would be a way to normalize the existence of various gender preferences in the society and a step to prevent violence towards LGBTQIA members.

“We also call on the government, particularly Congress, to review current laws and policies that apply to this matter and ensure that provisions be free of language that may discriminate and perpetuate violence against specific groups, more so if they are already vulnerable and marginalized under current contexts,” De Guia noted. n

Bongbong wants textbooks about Marcos years ‘fixed’ MANILA — Claiming his family is a victim of what he views as historical revisionism, defeated vice presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. called on Friday, January 10, for the revision of school textbooks that paint the clan as “bad” people.

The two-decade rule of his father, ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos, was marred by plunder of state coffers, human rights abuses, killings, disappearances and media repression, which the Marcoses refuse to acknowledge.

Marcos claimed the accounts about the abuse and corruption done by his family during the martial law years were part of the propaganda of their political rivals.

“Who is doing revisionism?

Nilagay nila sa libro, sa textbook ng mga bata na ang mga Marcos ganito ang ninakaw, ganito ang ginawa (Who is doing revisionism? They put it in textbooks of students that the Marcoses stole this, that they did this),” he said in a press briefing hosted by the National Press Club, members of which were jailed during the martial law years.

He said school textbooks must be revised by history professors and political scientists to fix what he claims as lies being taught to students.

“What we are trying to teach is understanding and an involvement in politics in our young people… Imbes na nangayari ngayon sinasabi, ginagamit lang pampulitika. Tinuturuan sila to hate people (Instead of writing about what’s

happening right now, it’s being used for political agenda. They are being taught to hate people),” Marcos said.

He added the recent court decisions dismissing cases against their family on account of “lack of evidence” show that what has been written about them in history books were untrue.

In November 2019, Sandiganbayan affirmed its earlier decision that junked a P1 billion civil-ill gotten wealth cases against the Marcoses and their alleged dummies. In December, the anti-graft court also dismissed the P200 billion civil suit filed by the government against the family.

But the family did not win every corruption case thrown at them.

The Swiss Federal Court in 1990 affirmed a prosecutor’s findings that the Marcoses hid $356 million in Swiss banks during their rule.

The country’s Supreme Court allowed the forfeiture of the family’s Swiss deposits—which had an aggregate amount of over $658 million as of January 2002.

In 2018, Sandiganbayan convicted Imelda Marcos of seven counts of graft related to private organizations created in Switzerland while she was a government official. She was sentenced to up to 11 years for each case but the graft convict was allowed to post bail.

Estimates from the Amnesty International also showed that 70,000 people were imprisoned, 34,000 were tortured and 3,240

were killed during martial law.

Myths Members of the Marcos family and their supporters are also accused of attempting to distort history by exaggerating achievements and portraying the dictator’s rule as the Philippines’ golden age.

Supporters of the family often reiterate the myth that the Philippines was the richest country in Asia during the Marcos years. But the Philippine economy was in a dismal state, worse than it had ever been, in the years leading to the ouster of the Marcos in 1986 through the EDSA People Power Revolution.

Figures from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed that when Marcos came into power in 1965, the Philippine peso was valued at P3.91 per dollar. When he was ousted, one dollar was equivalent to P20.46.

Even nutribun, a bread product of the United States Agency for International Development’s mission in the country, was touted as one of Marcos achievements.

In a conversation uploaded on the Facebook page of the former Bongbong last year, former Senate president told the strongman’s son that no one was jailed or arrested for their political beliefs during the martial law years.

In 2016, President Rodrigo Duterte allowed the remains of Marcos to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. (Gaea Katreena Cabico/Philstar.com)

Katreena Philstar.com

cabico

MANILA — The chief of the Southern Police District who seized GMA reporter Jun Veneracion’s phone during the Traslacion apologized Friday, January 10, saying he mistook the journalist as a threat.

At a press briefing, police Brig. Gen. Nolasco Bathan said what happened between him and Veneracion was a misunderstanding.

“I would like to apologize for what happened at Ayala Bridge during the procession of the Black Nazarene 2020 wherein I confiscated the cellphone of a media personality who was later on identified as Mr. Jun Veneracion of GMA 7 thinking he was someone who possessed threat during the procession,” Bathan said.

The SPD chief said Veneracion has already accepted his apology.

In a Facebook post Thursday, Veneracion said Bathan

“snatched” his phone while he was documenting a commotion between the police and a Black Nazarene devotee.

Bathan added the situation at that moment was “very critical” and his actions “all happened unintentionally.”

“We are just securing peace and order in the area,” he said.

Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas, National Capital Region Police Office acting director, said the Black Nazarene devotee in Veneracion’s video was the alleged leader of the “agitators” in the area.

‘Delete the video’ Bathan was also recorded directing a police officer to delete the video that the journalist took of cops dragging a devotee to the ground.

In the video, Bathan could be heard saying: “Burahin mo, burahin mo kuha ni Jun Veneracion. P******** nagku-kwan eh (Delete it, delete the video taken by Jun Veneracion).”

When asked by reporters

about the recording of him ordering someone to delete the video, Bathan said in a mix of English and Filipino: “I don’t know. It’s a mess there. It was another person who said that.”

Probe The regional Internal Affairs Service will investigate the incident, Sinas said.

“We’ll still have our investigation kay Gen. Bathan as part of the protocol,” he said.

In a statement Friday, the National Union of the Journalists of the Philippines said the Philippine National Police should sanction Bathan.

“Such behavior not only makes a mockery of the policeman’s oath to ‘Serve and Protect,’ if unpunished, it can only add to the worsening impunity that has marked the general breakdown of the rule of law in this country,” NUJP said.

It added: “Anything less can bolster the growing perception that our law enforcers are also the primary lawbreakers.” n

A8 JANUARY 11-14, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPINION

‘Selfish greed’

FEATURES

A WEEK into the new year, President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law the P4.1-trillion national budget for 2020. The one-week wait is a great improvement from the delay of nearly five months last year in Congress’ approval of the 2019 General Appropriations Act. The failure to pass the GAA derailed implementation of the Build, Build, Build infrastructure program and slowed down economic growth last year.

The 2020 outlay was enacted with no provision vetoed by the President, according to the budget secretary. This indicated that the executive saw no allocations that smacked of pork barrel, as one senator has insisted.

In his message at the signing ceremony, however, the President urged government agencies, civil society and lawmakers themselves to be vigilant against the misuse of public funds to serve the “selfish greed” of certain individuals.

The President did not elaborate, but he stressed the need for the judicious use of public funds in his budget message. This should go without saying, but even with numerous repetitions of the message, there are people who choose to ignore the

admonition.

A specific issue that the President mentioned was adherence to his policy against unnecessary foreign travels. He may have to look right in his own backyard for those who use people’s money to satisfy their travel bug.

If he wants civil society and the general public to keep watch on the judicious use of people’s money, there must be an effective mechanism for reporting perceived anomalies in government spending.

Equally important, the government must show that such reports will be acted upon and lead to reforms. The public must also see that anyone who uses people’s money to satisfy “selfish greed” will be held accountable and face appropriate penalties. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

‘Them vs us’: The art of the deal by demagogues to stay in power

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS DEMAGOGUE: a leader championing the cause of the common people in ancient times. This is how the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word, which has evolved to “a leader who makes use of popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power.”

The evolution of the meaning of the term “demagogue” comes from how leaders in different parts of history have used and misused the original intent of leadership, which in its own promise, presents hope to the people in a democracy. They seek a leader who empowers people, thereby fulfilling the very definition of a democracy — a government of the people, for the people, by the people.

But alas! There have been demagogues since Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire.

With the likes of Julius Ceasar to Adolf Hitler to the present leaders like Donald Trump and Boris Johnson, we realize the fine line between the ideals of “populism” to the toxic effect of “demagoguery” throughout the history of democracy.

What is a demagogue? Famous historian and Columbia University Professor Reinhard Luthin described a demagogue as “a politician skilled in oratory, flattery and invective; evasive in discussing vital issues; promising everything to everybody; appealing to the passions rather than the reason of the public; and arousing racial, religious, and class prejudices—a man whose lust for power without recourse to principle leads him to seek to become a master of the masses. He has for centuries practiced his profession of ‘man of the people’. He is a product of a political tradition nearly as old as western civilization itself.”

From a psychological perspective, this is how Saul Levine M.D. wrote about it in “Psychology Today”: You know it refers to a charismatic political leader (or wannabe) whose vociferous words and outspoken opinions are persuasive to many people, but are found to be offensive or threatening by others.

Demagogues tend to be narcissistic and authoritarian, as well as brazen, bombastic and belligerent. Their vitriol appeals to the vulnerable and darker places in psyches and hearts. They fuel emotional fires in their zealous followers with sentiments of

prejudice, bigotry, hate, hyperpatriotism and xenophobia.

While demagoguery is often “homegrown,” it is truly an international phenomenon: A few noted demagogues in the past century include Adolph Hitler (Germany), Joseph Stalin (Russia), Joseph McCarthy (USA), Pol Pot (Cambodia), Benito Mussolini (Italy), Sukarno (Indonesia), Mao Tse Tung (China), Saddam Hussein (Iraq), Juan Peron (Argentina), Roderido Duterto (Philippines), and Islam Karimov (Uzbekistan).

All these men were despots, but we should remember that most of them were voted into office! The angrier and more hateful the demagogues’ words, the more their popularity seems to soar among their acolytes.

Demagogues rail against imminent threats inside and outside their countries from enemies they blame for causing the national misfortunes. People are swayed to join their fiery campaigns against the “knaves and fools” who caused their own and societies’ travails.

Demagogues’ strident opinions engender dark feelings like fear and anger in their followers, who are especially vulnerable during times of personal or social turmoil, or when they feel that they and their families are

Just the two of us: Musings of an 80-year-old

Street Talk GREG B. MACABENTA FIFTY-SIX years ago on December 24, 1963, Gigi and I exchanged marriage vows. We promised to love and honor and care for each other till death parted us. Till then, it would be the two of us facing the future and taking on life’s challenges.

But we soon became more than two. Ringo was born and we became three. Then Christina came and we were four. Then Jojo and Jinky followed. And we were six.

For years, there were six of us.

But then we moved to Maryland.

And on our first New Year’s Eve in America, all the children had their own places to go to and friends to greet the new year with.

In our little chalet in Cambridge, Maryland, Gigi and I found ourselves alone with each other once more. Just the two of us.

It was a harsh realization that, at the end of the day — or of the year or of life — we could only count on the two of us.

Life has been good to us all

these years. Our family has managed to stay together in America.

But we soon needed to go our separate ways. I had to work in California while the kids had to study in Salisbury, in San Francisco and in Baltimore.

Gigi found herself all alone in our little chalet in Cambridge. So she asked to join me in California.

Happily, all the other children decided to join us in the San Francisco Bay Area. And we became one large family again.

But not for long. The children all got married and raised their own families.

First, it was Ringo who got married to Vicky and had one child, Derick. Then Jinky married Kathy and now they have Vegas and Cerise. Jojo wed Anne and they have Sofia and Max. Christina married Jack and they have a son, Lawson or Jack-Jack.

We soon found ourselves counting six grandchildren plus in-laws.

But the children have to raise their own families and live in their own homes. They have to live their own lives.

Jack and Christina and Lawson. Jinky and Kathy and Vegas and Cerise. Jojo and Anne and Max and Sofia. Ringo has decided to go back to our home in Paranaque. His son, Derick, stays with us. Derick’s mom is in Maryland and has remarried. We hardly see Derick because he is always at work or with friends.

On Dec 31, 2019, 56 years and several days from when we were wed, Gigi and I were waiting for the year to end. When I wrote this, it was just a few minutes to midnight.

The children were with their families, celebrating the new year. Derick was with his friends.

Gigi was watching TV, while I nursed a glass of wine, waiting for another year to end and a new one to begin.

When the clock tolled, I would go over to Gigi and give her a kiss. She would smile at me and we would hold hands, resigned to the fact that, at the end of the day, or of the year, or of life, there will be just the two of us.

And then just one. (gregmacabenta@hotmail. com)

U.S. President Donald Trump

threatened.

Those most susceptible to the persuasive skills of demagogues often feel like “have-nots,” deprived and resentful at those who are more fortunate, particularly among the educated, wealthy and governing classes.

When passionate speeches promise to rid their country of enemies and simple solutions to their miseries, they are captivated and swayed. They believe the rhetoric, angry juices flow and passions are inflamed.

The fervent followers feel empowered, that they will finally get action on their behalf. The demagogue is seen as a veri-

Horizons

RICHARD HEYDARIAN SHORTLY before unleashing his million-strong army on European soil, the Persian Emperor Xerxes confidently rebuffed the misgivings of his cautious adviser, Artabanus, who seemed unsure about the viability of the ill-fated second Persian invasion of Greece. Overcome by megalomaniac ambition, the Persian emperor emphasized the value of decisiveness, arguing, “if you were to take account of everything,” you would end up “never do[ing] anything.” It’s always “better to have a brave heart and endure one-half of the terrors we dread than to [anticipate] all of the terrors and suffer nothing [in the actual world] at all,” he said.

Xerxes, the most powerful man of his time, fervently believed in bold leadership—that, ultimately, “[b]ig things are won by big dangers.” However, for ancient historians, Xerxes’ failed invasion of Greece marked the beginning of the end for the world’s first global empire. To critics, Donald Trump is the modern Xerxes, who would spell the end of the American em-

White House photo

table “savior” who will destroy their enemies and bring back the good “old values.”

I cannot stress enough, however, that once committed to the demagogue, the vehement admirers feel better internally about themselves and their personal worlds. Their alienation and demoralization dissipate; their moods improve, they feel more optimistic and even that they are thinking more clearly.

Having known this, I hope we have a better understanding of what is going on in our country and around the world during this and other times of dissatisfaction and frustration in history.

I hope, too, that we learn from the lessons of history, so that we may not have to repeat the mistakes of the past, and make better informed decisions to change how history will unfold now and in the future. *** 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.

World War III?

pire by embarking on misguided foreign policy campaigns based on a hubristic belief in the genius of his negotiation instincts.

In “The Art of the Deal,” Trump nonchalantly boasts: “More than anything else, I think dealmaking is an ability you’re born with.” Both men, the most powerful leaders of their time, belong to what British philosopher Isaiah Berlin characterizes as the “hedgehog” personality type (as opposed to the “fox”), who “relate everything to a single central vision … a single, universal, organizing principle in terms of which alone all that they are and say has significance.”

Berlin’s immortal analogy was inspired by the Greek poet Archilochus’ works, who wrote: “The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.”

In Trump’s case, that “single central vision” is the domination of rivals and opponents. Or, in the acerbic wisdom of Gore Vidal, “It is not enough to succeed. Others must fail.”

But the risk with hedgehogs in charge of empires is that, as leading historian John Gaddis pithily warned, “‘with great power comes great responsibility … but also the danger of doing dumb things.”

Last week, to the shock and consternation of even leading American politicians, Trump, citing “self-defense,” ordered the killing of one of the most powerful military commanders in recent memory, Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

“Reckless” was a common refrain among critics, with leading presidential candidate Joe Biden warning: “President Trump just tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox.” In response, Tehran has promised “severe revenge,” raising the prospect of all-out war in the world’s most unstable region.

Soleimani, who played a central role in mobilizing Iraqi forces to drive out the Islamic State terrorists from much of Iraq, was no ordinary general. Even his rivals, including famed American generals such as Stanley McChrystal, couldn’t help but highlight “his brilliance, effectiveness, and commitment to his country [which] have been revered by his allies and denounced by his critics in equal measure.” Soleimani, said McChrystal, “helped guide Iranian foreign policy for decades—and there is no denying his successes on the battlefield.” In effect, he was also a

u PAGE A10

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Dateline PhiliPPines

Locsin initially challenged the crowd to try to beat him up before giving an assurance that migrant Filipino workers stranded in the Middle East would be brought home.

Philstar.com photo

Locsin challenges activists at DFA picket to try to beat him up MANILA — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Friday, January 10, assured activist groups that the government will bring home migrant workers who may be at risk due to tension in the Middle East back to the Philippines if they want to.

Locsin made the statement after confronting activists picketing the Department of Foreign Affairs and challenging them to beat him up.

“Kahit na wala nang gera (Regardless if there’s no war). In spite of that, there will be a massive repatriation effort to bring our people back home,” he said, adding government funds will be used for the clearances and exit permits that Filipinos who want to be repatriated might have to pay for.

The government has decided to implement mandatory repatriation only for OFWs in Iraq after initially saying Filipino workers in Iraq, Iran and Lebanon would have to come home. A seeming de-escalation of tension between the U.S. and Iran has prompted the government to make repatriation mandatory only for Filipinos in Iraq.

“There are people there in the shelter, we will bring them home,” Locsin said. “If they do not want to come home, we will stay there and we will protect them as much as we can,” he also said.

“Don’t worry we will bring them home,” he stressed.

He also said that there would be a “life for a life” in the killing of Jeanelyn Villavende, an OFW who reportedly died in Kuwait at the hands of her employer last month. He said the government will not accept the payment of “blood money” to withdraw charges and drop her case.

Migrante: Send social workers, health workers instead Locsin made his statement after tense minutes outside the Department of Foreign Affairs as activists led by OFW rights group Migrante protested the government’s plan to deploy two battalions—one from the Army and another from the Marines— to help with the repatriation of Filipino workers in Iraq.

According to a press release on Thursday, January 9, Migrante “sees the deployment of combatants and Duterte’s default pro-U.S. position as adding fuel to the fire in an already conflictridden Middle East region.”

It said the government should instead have sent social workers, health workers and translators to help OFWs in the Middle East.

A video provided by the College Editors Guild of the Philippines shows Locsin trying to grab the microphone from Migrante chairperson Arman Hernando, saying he had heard their demands.

“Sandali lang po, programa po namin ito, gusto po namin pakinggan niyo po muna ang aming mga panawagan (Just a

moment, this is our program.

We want you to listen to our calls first),” Hernando said, prompting Locsin to raise his hands and walk away.

Activists booed and resumed chanting “No to war in Middle East, save our OFWs” as Locsin walked away. He soon returned and told the crowd to “try it, o sige, bugbugin mo ako,” which was not among the calls that the activists were making.

He briefly answered questions from ABS-CBN News reporter Zen Hernandez before turning to the chanting crown and saying: “O bugbugin mo ako, sige.

(Come on, beat me up).”

To which Hernando responded: “Hindi po ito usapin, secretary, ng bugbugan. Ang kailangan po namin ay proteksyon (This is not about beating people up, secretary. What migrant workers need is protection).”

In a statement to reporters Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Ed Menez said “it appears that after the refusal by the protesters to share the microphone, SFA Locsin returned to engage on the issues.”

Menez, noting that some of the placards carried by the activists condemned the United States, also said: “Seems to me from the signs and hashtags they were at the wrong address on Roxas Boulevard.”

The U.S. Embassy is also along Roxas Boulevard. (Philstar.com)

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 11-14, 2020

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A10 January 11-14, 2020 • La WEEKEnD aSIan JOurnaL

Dateline PhiliPPines

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New coronavirus blamed for China mystery illness by mayen Jaymalin Philstar.com

President Rodrigo Duterte greets some of the newly-appointed government officials during the oath-taking ceremony at the Malacañang Palace on Wednesday, January 8.

Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez

Davao businessman named new Customs chief

by William

Depasupil ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is replacing Bureau of Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero with a prominent Davao-based businessman.

The President offered Guerrero’s post to William de Jesus Lima during a dinner in Malacañang on Wednesday night, January 8, which the president hosted for Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian, a highly reliable Palace source told The Manila Times on Thursday, January 9.

“During the dinner, the President offered the post to William Lima. The offer was accepted,” the source said.

Lima, 63, is from Buhangin, Davao City. He is a presidential special envoy to China and holds a business administration degree from the Ateneo de Davao University.

He is president of DC Invest Inc., which is into manpower services, manufacturing, food

and restaurants, distribution and gasoline dealership, among others.

Once Malacañang formally announces his appointment, Lima will be the fourth Customs chief under the Duterte administration. He will also be Duterte’s first civilian Customs head.

Guerrero and his two predecessors, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Director General Isidro Lapeña and Nicanor Faeldon, were all retired military and police officers.

Asked why the President is replacing Guerrero, the source pointed to the bureau’s failure to meet its collection target and rampant corruption, among others.

Despite continuing reforms to stop corruption and improve collection, Customs still fell short of its P661-billion target for 2019

by P16.5 billion.

Customs spokesman and Assistant Commissioner Philip Vincent Maronilla attributed the shortfall to prevalent misdecla-

ration and undervaluation of imported goods, among other forms of technical smuggling, coupled by lower volume of importations and the bureau’s failure to meet the P10 billion collection target from the government’s fuel marking program.

Records showed that the bureau also failed to meet its yearly collection target for eight successive years, from 2010 to 2017.

It only surpassed its target in 2018 under Lapeña.

In September 2018 Lapeña was forced to step down in the aftermath of the controversy over Customs’ failure to detect the entry into the country of P11 billion worth of shabu that were packed inside magnetic lifters.

Maronilla said while the campaign to stop corruption in the bureau continues, improving revenue collection would remain the top priority for 2020.

Guerro was appointed by the President in October 2018 following the forced resignation of Lapeña. n

New ASF cases recorded in Pangasinan by eva

visperas Philstar.com

BINMALEY — The declaration of Pangasinan as African swine fever-free has been deferred after 34 hogs from a backyard piggery in Barangay Linoc in this town tested positive for ASF. “The 34 affected hogs died,” Jovito Tabarejos, acting provin-

cial veterinarian, said.

Tabarejos said the owner of the hogs, Elma Ferrer, reported the problem on Dec. 27, prompting their office to conduct laboratory tests. The results were released on Wednesday, January 8.

Tabajeros said he ordered the setting up of checkpoints within the barangay to monitor the en-

try and exit of hogs.

He said they also conducted tests on other hogs raised in backyard piggeries in the barangay.

He said it has yet to be determined where the virus originated.

Mapandan and Bayambang towns were affected by ASF last year. n

MANILA — A new coronavirus has been identified as a possible pathogen causing the viral mystery pneumonia in China, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Thursday, January 9.

With this development, the WHO has advised against the application of any travel or trade restrictions on China.

According to the WHO, Chinese authorities conducted gene sequencing and identified the coronavirus in a person hospitalized for pneumonia in Wuhan.

The preliminary determination of a novel or new virus will assist authorities in other countries to conduct disease detection and response.

“Preliminary identification of

a novel virus in a short period of time is a notable achievement and demonstrates China’s capacity to manage new outbreaks,” the WHO said.

Subsequent laboratory tests conducted by Chinese authorities ruled out SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, influenza, avian influenza, adenovirus and other common respiratory pathogens, it added.

Coronaviruses, WHO explained, are a large family of viruses with some causing less severe disease such as the common cold and more severe diseases such as MERS and SARS. Chinese authorities have said the mysterious virus caused severe illness in some patients but does not transmit readily between people.

Novel coronaviruses such as

MERS emerge periodically in different areas globally while several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans.

WHO said more coronaviruses are likely to be identified as surveillance improves.

“More comprehensive information is required to understand the current status and epidemiology of the outbreak and the clinical picture in the coming (weeks),” it also said as it added that further investigation is required to determine the source, modes of transmission, extent of infection and countermeasures implemented.

WHO continues to monitor the situation closely and, together with its partners, is ready to provide technical support to China to investigate and respond to this outbreak. n

‘We are welcome in China too,’ PCG says of Chinese Coast Guard visit to Manila by patricia lourDes Philstar.com

viray

MANILA — The Philippine Coast Guard said it will welcome a Chinese Coast Guard ship when it arrives in Manila out of “diplomatic reciprocity.”

A CCG ship is scheduled to arrive in the Philippines on Monday for a five-day goodwill visit.

Adm. Joel Garcia, PCG commandant clarified that the Philippines will not be according “red carpet” treatment to the Chinese vessel.

“Hindi po red carpet ang treatment natin sa Chinese Coast Guard. Ito pong sa diplomatic (language) po ay tinatawag na diplomatic reciprocity (We did not give the Chinese Coast Guard a red carpet treamet. We call this diplomatic reciprocity),” Garcia said in a televised press briefing.

He added that the CCG vessels will be welcomed the same way that the PCG was welcomed by China during a past visit.

Reported harassment by China’s Coast Guard On the several cases of Filipino vessels being harassed by CCG ships in the West Philippine Sea, Garcia said this would be an opportunity for both sides to discuss the issue.

Hundreds of Chinese ships, including coast guard, navy and fishing vessels, were also reported to have been circling the vicinity of Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea last year.

Garcia added that the proper resolution for the two countries is to come up with a “win-win” solution that would ensure the security and safety of Filipino fishermen and public vessels in the country’s waters.

According to the PCG chief, it was the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that approved the CCG’s request to undertake a port visit to the country.

This would be the third meeting between the PCG and CCG

In this Dec. 23, 2019 photo, Philippine Coast Guard commandant Admiral Joel Garcia welcomes former members of the military and police forces to serve the country through the organization as they took oath.

Photo courtesy of PCG

under 2017 memorandum of agreement between the two countries.

Garcia noted that all issues that will be discussed between the two coast guards have been vetted by the DFA. Asked whether China sees the upcoming port visit as just a visit or sailing on their own waters, Garcia said he does not think the CCG will be coming to the Philippines to show to the world that the disputed South China Sea is theirs.

“The mere fact that they requested for a port visit is a manifestation that this is part of the diplomatic effort being done by China to deescalate the tension,” Garcia said.

Scarborough Shoal In a March 2019 report to the U.S. Congress, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command head Adm. Philip Davidson said Filipino fishermen were being regularly harassed and intimated in the vicinity of Scarborough or Panatag Shoal in the West Philippine Sea. Davidson reported to the U.S. Congress that Chinese coast guard vessels “regularly harass

and intimidate fishing vessels from our treaty ally, the Philippines, operating near Scarborough Reef, as well as the fishing fleets of other regional nations.”

The Department of National Defense (DND) itself reported that a CCG ship blocked Filipino vessels conducting a resupply mission to the Philippine Navy’s BRP Sierra Madre grounded on Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea. In a report to the House of Representatives, the DND indicated that a CCG ship came as close as 1,600 yards from three Philippine civilian vessels on a resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre in May last year.

The DND report also noted that CCG ships have been regularly monitoring Ayungin Shoal since January 2019.

“Notably, China regularly deploys at least one CCG vessel perceived to be monitoring the activities there at, including the arrival of Filipino fishing boats as well as the Rotation and Reprovision mission of the [Philippine Navy],” the DND report read. n

World War III? PAGE A8 statesman who combined the roles of vice president, defense minister and head of overseas security operations in a major Asian country. The American attack marked the apotheosis of a new phase of conflict unleashed

by Trump’s unilateral withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear deal, a landmark multilateral agreement negotiated by the Obama administration and still approved

by European powers, the United Nations and leading global ex-

perts. Such misguided unilateralism hasn’t only led to punishing sanctions against tens of millions of innocent individuals, including children in need of medicine, but has also beckoned war.

Surely, no one wants war, which will ultimately hurt the poor, innocent and defenseless.

But as Barbara Tuchman memorably wrote on the genesis of World War I, never underestimate the likelihood of supposedly rational powers sleepwalking into conflict. “One constant among the elements of [war]

was the disposition of everyone on all sides not to prepare for the harder alternative, not to act upon what they suspected to be true,” she wrote in her classic “The Guns of August” (1962).

All politics is local, it’s said.

Tellingly, Trump, now facing a tough reelection bid under the shadow of impeachment and economic slowdown, had warned earlier this decade: “In order to get elected, @BarackObama will start a war with Iran.” (Inquirer. net)

Duterte signs salary law for 1.4 million...

PAGE A6

increase for government employees.

“The president wants nothing less than a complete and holistic approach to the salary increase.

Meaning, he wants all government employees to receive an increase,” Go said.

The senator filed in his first week of duty SB 200, which served as one of the bases of SB 1219.

Under the newly signed law, the increase in the salaries will be divided into four tranches, starting 2020 until 2023.

Duterte and Go have been supporters of salary increase for government workers, with the president urging Congress to pass the new SSL during his State of the Nation Address in 2019.

The pesident then certified the bill as urgent in December last year, allowing the Senate to proceed to the third and final reading of the bill right after the second reading, bypassing the rule that requires three days to pass between second and third

dence yesterday that the newly signed SSL will be able to upgrade the standard of living of government employees and promote excellence in the bureaucracy.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the enacted measure will rationalize the compensation of all civilian personnel, including those in the legislative and judicial branches of government, as well as of local government units.

Republic Act 11466 “would further promote excellence in the service,” Panelo said, adding that it provides for a performance-based incentive scheme to reward outstanding public servants.

“The Office of the President notes that the law is at the initiative – and has the strong support – of PRRD pursuant to his desire to upgrade the standard of living of government employees,” he added.

According to Panelo, the law is aimed at benefitting those hardworking men and women in government, including teachers and

“The new compensation scheme is competitive with those of the private sector to attract or maintain talented human resources,” he added.

The Palace hopes that this latest round of salary adjustment will motivate everyone in the public sector to work doubly hard and put more dedicated and competent service in their respective jobs, Panelo said.

“The compensation for all civilian government personnel shall be standardized and rationalized across all government agencies to create an enabling environment that will promote social justice, integrity, efficiency, productivity, accountability, and excellence in the civil service,” the law read.

While it covers public school teachers and nurses, the military and uniformed personnel are excluded.

Government-owned and controlled corporations under RA 10149 as well as individuals who are engaged in job orders, contracts of service and consultancy with no employee-employer re-

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SHOWBIZ&STYLE

B

Journal Catching up with Miss Universe Baby talk with Max and Pancho Philippines Gazini Ganados By lhar

Santiago ManilaTimes.net

The 24-year-old beauty queen joined Miss Universe Singapore Mohana Prabha in an exclusive meet-and-greet in Chino Hills

By Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

THE year 2020 is turning out to be a year full of blessings for husband and wife Pancho Magno and Max Collins who found out during the Christmas season that she’s pregnant with their first baby!

While they admit they had planned to wait until 2021 to start a family, Pancho and Max are extremely happy with the surprise calling it their biggest blessing from God. “Somewhat shocked� was how Max described what she felt when she discovered she was on the family way. Then when she broke the news to Pancho, he was just so happy. “Sobrang saya niya, tapos he started to be very protective of me, like, ‘O, wag ka nang magexercise, wag ka masyadong tatakbo o lulundag.’ Paanong gagawin ko eh nasanay na ko sa Miss Universe 2019 contestants Gazini Ganados of the Philippines (front) and Mohana Prabha very active lifestyle,� chuckled

A GROUP of lucky Filipinos and pageant fans in Southern California got to meet Miss Universe Philippines 2019 Gazini Ganados this week before the beauty queen headed back to the motherland after competing in the Miss Universe pageant last month.

Along with Miss Universe Singapore 2019 Mohana Prabha, the 24-year-old Ganados, who hails from Dapitan City in the Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines, met fans at a special meet-and-greet hosted by People’s Care and Tryst Med Aesthetics and Laser Center in Chino Hills, California on of Singapore (back) greet fans ahead of a meet-and-greet event at The Shoppes at Chino Hills Wednesday, January 8.

AJPress photos by Klarize Medenilla “It’s been really, really won- on Wednesday, January 8. derful and I can’t wait to come back,� Ganados, whose biological father is Palestinian, excitedly told the Asian Journal. She added that among her favorite parts of her American trip included hitting the outlet malls, meeting with her Filipino American fans and becoming friends with fellow pageant contestants, like Prabha.

As previously reported by the Asian Journal, Ganados, a graduate of the University of San JoseRecoletos and holds degrees in tourism management and health care services, finished in the top 20 of the Miss Universe competition held on Dec. 8, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Though she didn’t win the top prize, Ganados was crowned the National Costume winner, wearing a decadent silver Cary Santiago design inspired by the Philippine Eagle.

PAGE B2

Pancho Magno with wife Max Collins

Max. Still, no amount of Max’s explaining could convince Pancho she can still train at the gym. “I want to take care of her and our baby. Gusto ko lang maging maingat siya. I don’t want her to do strenuous activities that

Photo from Instagram/@magnopancho

might affect her pregnancy.

May kasabihan, prevention is better than cure so gusto ko lang maging maingat siya,� Pancho reasoned out.

Max is now on her third month, and together, husband PAGE B2

Rayver not ready to marry gf Janine By allan

PolicarPio Inquirer.net

RAYVER Cruz doesn’t see himself settling down in the near future.

But should he eventually find himself making such decision, it would be for the better, he surmised, if he could have everything in place, before taking the plunge—just like how his elder brother, Rodjun, did it. “I was in awe of how they planned their future,� he said of Rodjun, who recently tied the knot with Dianne Medina, his girlfriend of 12 years. “They had a long engagement because they wanted to make sure that everything was in place. They waited until they had built a home and all.�The 30-year-old Fans got the chance to chat and take photos with the two beauty queens before they headed actor, who’s currently dating back to their respective home countries.

Rayver Cruz with Janine Gutierrez PAGE B3

Photo from Instagram/@rayvercruz

Detoxing: Ultimate Body Tune-Up

By Grace O

When I was growing up, my aunt taught me the value of cleansing my body from toxic substances to prevent illness and help in the healing process. Today we know that uric acid can build up in our joints, pesticides from nonorganic foods.

We can overwhelm our liver and its ability to pull toxins out of our body, yeast and parasites can inhabit our bowels, and secondhand smoke and air pollution can affect our lungs. So, about once every few months, or whenever I’m not IHHOLQJ ZHOO , JR RQ D GHWR[LÀ FDWLRQ UHJLPHQ , like to cleanse my whole system through herbspiked liquids, healing foods, and nutritional supplements.

One naturally cleansing spice is turmeric, a member of the ginger family. Turmeric is a source of the FoodTrient curcumin, which helps SUHYHQW GLVHDVH WKURXJK LWV DQWL LQà DPPDWRU\ and antioxidant properties. You can make turmeric juice from the turmeric root and mix it with orange juice for extra Vitamin C—and GHWR[³EHQHÀ WV Certain foods can also help your body rid itself of unwanted chemicals. I’ve already mentioned the power of citrus fruits. Garlic, like citrus, helps the liver produce detoxifying HQ]\PHV 2NUD LV NQRZQ IRU LWV DELOLW\ WR à XVK RXW WKH LQWHVWLQHV &KLD VHHGV DQG à D[VHHGV KDYH a similar bowel-cleansing effect because they DUH ORDGHG ZLWK QDWXUDO À EHU DQG 2PHJD RLOV that absorb toxins in the intestinal tract and help eliminate them from the body.

Fresh watercress, cilantro, and parsley are good for detoxifying the kidneys and liver because they contain chlorophyll, which also helps protect against certain cancers. Cilantro can even pull metals like mercury, lead, and aluminum out of the body. Most every salad can

EHQHĂ€ W IURP D KDQGIXO RI IUHVK UDZ ZDWHUFUHVV cilantro, and/or parsley.

Pure water may be the ultimate detoxifying Ă XVK IRU NLGQH\V OLYHU OXQJV DQG ERZHOV EXW green tea is also excellent. The catechins in green tea are great for helping the liver work and for purifying the blood. Plus, green tea is XVXDOO\ VHUYHG DV D EHYHUDJH /LTXLGV GHĂ€ QLWHO\ help pull poisons out of the body, so be sure to drink plenty of them. Whether you make your green tea hot or cold, use clean, fresh water. You can incorporate green tea into the foods you eat as well. My easy cookbook recipe for Green Tea Noodles shows you how you can use green tea in place of water when you cook noodles.

Incorporate these simple ways to naturally cleanse your body and eat whole foods that are free of pesticides and preservatives—they help promote a healthier you!

ABOUT GRACE O

GRACE O is the creator of FoodTrients, a unique program for optimizing wellness and longevity. She is the author of two award-winning cookbooks—The Age Gracefully Cookbook and The Age Beautifully Cookbook, which recently won Gourmand’s ‘Best in the World’ Award for Innovation. She is a fusion chef with a mission to deliver delicious recipes built on a foundation of anti-aging science and her 20 years in the healthcare industry.

Visit FoodTrients.com to learn more. Email us at info@FoodTrients.com

B january 11-14, 2020 • La WEEKEnD aSIan jOurnaL

Judy Ann Santos

EntErtainmEnt

ABS-CBN photo

Judy Ann on ‘Starla’s’ short run by mArinEl

r. Cruz

Inquirer.net

ACTRESS Judy Ann Santos, whose drama series “Starla” will air its final episode tonight, said the show was originally meant for just one season, regardless of whether or not it was going to do well in the ratings.

The series, about a star-intraining (Jana Agoncillo) that grants the wishes of the Dichaves family, only aired for 16 weeks. “At the time ‘Starla’ was presented to me, people were saying they were already tired of teleseryes that are long-winding.

This was because networks have a habit of extending shows that do well. This happened to my programs a lot of times in the past,” Judy Ann told reporters.

“I asked if they were sure of the show’s length because I’ve noticed that once a show gets extended and the extension does not rate well, it’s not the production that gets questioned but the actors and their ability to draw

viewers in,” she explained.

In jest, Judy Ann said she was pleased that when she first asked about the story, she was told that “there was no lost diary or necklace to look for,” just like in her soap series “Mara Clara,” which aired over a thousand episodes for five years in the ‘90s.

“Star lang daw, so OK na ako,” she said, laughing. “That’s the only focus of the show, although the story still has a lot of potential for expansion.

The story was already complete when they presented it to me. It already has an ending.”

Judy Ann said that apart from the chance to bond with her coactors, she would miss being able to work with a competent team.

“Starla” also features Joel Torre, Joem Bascon, Meryll Soriano and child actors Enzo Pelojero and Jana Agoncillo.

“Since there was no cell phone signal in the area where we shot most of the series, we had no choice but to really talk

with each other,” Joem said.

Joel, meanwhile, said he loved “Starla” because it was so wellwritten. “You know that each character was so well-thought of, that each one is an important part of the ensemble. We all got equal treatment—there was no superstar,” he pointed out. “Also, I noticed that since our cell phones were useless on the set, there was more interaction. People opened up to each other.”

Joel, who portrayed Judy Ann’s father in the series, also hoped that more inspirational drama stories like “Starla” would find their way to the small screen.

Jana, who played the title role, said she would miss acting out her character even though she usually just played her part at the dubbing studio. “Playing human, even for just a short while, had been exciting. I was able to learn from actors I’ve never worked with before,” she said.

The Black Eyed Peas return with a new single by

mArk BonifACio ManilaTimes.net

SIX-time Grammy Award winning group Black Eyed Peas is back with a new single dubbed “RITMO (Bad Boys for Life),” a cool collaboration with reggaeton superstar J Balvin. Released on December 20, the up-tempo track nods back to the Corona ‘90s hit, and lyrically mixes Spanish and English verses.

“Really proud of the record.

Proud of how it’s performing. It samples a dance classic from a Brazilian act and we obviously flush it up Black Eyed Peas sound.

Our own rendition of reggaetón,” will.i.am declared at a roundtable interview hosted by Sony Music Philippines.

“Really, really happy with the production and our interpretation of the sample. To have a record that is also one of J Balvin’s highest performing records this year is great as well. So we take his fans, he takes our fans, and [the song] keeps on playing by DJs, and all dancers keep dancing to it,” he added.

“It is a very festive song as you know we love dancing so it’s a great song to do routines [with],” group lead and ever proud Filipino-American apl. de.ap joined in.

The song is also the group’s first release under their new record label Epic Records, a division of Sony Music.

“We also thank Sony, our new home for giving us an amazing home to be a part of,” Taboo said

The group performed new single ‘Ritmo’ and other hits a the closing ceremony of the SEA Games in December.

Photo from Instagram/@apl.de.ap

of the debut project of sorts.

“We’re already starting off with our new home, Sony, in the classic way the Black Eyed Peas loves to — work, travel the world, performing for folks and bringing joy,” will.i.am added.

Now that they’re under a new label, fans should expect the same Black Eyed Peas energy they always bring with them wherever go.

“The good times, the positive and festive music that people would love to dance to, work out to, athletes love to play in sporting events or play games. It’s music for everybody. It’s an international frequency,” noted Taboo.

“We’re also proud of all the great concerts that we got coming out in 2020. We are excited to get back on that whirlwind of international touring as well.”

The track by the way will also be featured in the “Bad Boys For Life” original motion picture soundtrack album.

“It’s an honor to be part of that franchise,” Taboo continued.

As of this writing, the band has finished a tour of Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and China, and ended their current run at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in the Philippines last December 11.

They performed RITMO live at the closing ceremonies as everyone knows.

So how did apl.de.ap (Allan Pineda Lindo), a FilipinoAmerican who migrated in the United States, convince his fellow members to perform at the SEA Games?

“When I heard about the SEA Games, I just wanted to do the torch run. Because will did it in the UK and I wanna do that for my country. Then I was asked to do the opening ceremony. And then going back and forth in the SEA Games, I was asked, ‘Do you think the whole Black Eyed Peas could do the closing ceremonies?’ I’m PAGE B4

Baby talk with Max and...

PAGE B1 and wife declare they’re in this together all the way.

“We are pregnant,” Pancho quipped. “We go through this pregnancy na magkasama. I want Max to feel that I am here with her every step of the way.

Physically, she’s the one carrying the baby but I’m with her through all of it. Kung mahihirapan siya, kasama niya ako. I want to make everything easy for her in this pregnancy.”

Of course, Max is so thankful for Pancho’s attitude, and confirms that as early as now, her husband is very hands-on in taking care of her.

“I’m just so blessed to have him as my husband. Siyempre, this is my first time and just thinking that he’s with me makes me feel good and secure. Ngayon nga, he always asks me how I feel, what I want to eat… Ganun siya ka-attentive,” said Max. By profession, Pancho was actually a nurse before he ventured into acting. But he clarifies he has no plans of using any of his knowledge for the duration of their pregnancy.

from pagiging nurse ko. Ang ginagawa ko, nagtatanong ako sa mga nasa practice. I also ask our doctor. I don’t know but mas nagtitiwala ako sa kanila because I stopped my practice when I got into showbiz,” he explained.

Max on the other hand is very thankful her pregnancy hasn’t been difficult lately. She can move with ease and the morning sickness isn’t too bad.

“It was only during the first two months that I had some discomfort. Every morning talaga, suka ako nang suka. ‘Yun talaga mahirap. Pero I only had those in the early stage. Ngayon wala na. Normal na normal lahat kaya puwedeng-puwedeng mag-trabaho,” she said proudly.

She agreed to stop going to the gym for now and is eating more, admitting she has cravings all the time. “I want to eat pizza.

Palagi akong nagke-crave. I also want ‘yung maaasim like manggang hilaw. I always ask Pancho to buy for me basta manggang hilaw,” she laughed.

And whatever Max craves for, whatever she eats, Pancho

quipped. “Sabi nila dapat daw ganun — kainin n’yo pareho kung ano yung pagkaing gusto ng pregnant so I’ll be with her all through this important journey in our life as husband and wife.”

Meanwhile, Showbuzz learned that Pancho’s mom, GMA Network Entertainment Group Vice President for Drama, Redgie Magno, is also as excited for the arrival of her new grandchild.

“Kinontrata na nga kami,” Pancho chuckled. “Sabi niya, basta pag may trabaho raw kami, sa kanya maiiwan ang baby. Ganun siya ka-excited at sobra rin siyang maalaga kay Max.” With everything going smoothly and happily for the pregnant couple, Max is happy to continue working as she tapes regularly for a special role in “Anak Ni Waray vs. Anak ni Biday.” She and Pancho have also just finished an episode for “Magpakailanman.”

“I’ll keep working even if my tummy gets big. Hangga’t kaya pa, go lang. Even on the day before I give birth, basta’t kaya,

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

Part V: A pilgrimage to Central Europe

by Emil

PErito

ONE of the most awaited highlights of our pilgrimage was the visit to Wadowice, the hometown of Pope John Paul II. Pope John Paul II is one of the three most famous venerated Saints of Poland. The other two are Maximilian Kolbe and Faustyna Kowalska.

On our way to Wadowice, we stopped by Auschwitz for a halfday tour. Auschwitz is the most well-known Nazi concentration camp and a place of genocide in the World during World War II. As a tourist, our visit to the place not only gave us the opportunity to see the place but brought us back in time when history unfolded. The horrifying experience the victims suffered made us nostalgic and emotional.

Undoubtedly, Auschwitz is the symbol of inhumane atrocities,

the Holocaust, and death.

After the Auschwitz tour, we were back on the road again heading to Wadowice. Our first stop upon arrival was the museum at the heart of the town where Pope John Paul II memorabilia — starting when he was a child until he became Pope — were on display and the family’s former possession such as oven, table, tableware, a laundry basket, bed, a shelf were all exhibited. Pope John Paul II was born in 1920 as Karol Wojtyla during the time of the Nazi occupation in Poland. Despite the danger, it did not stop him from pursuing his vocation for the priesthood. His sharp intellect and practical understanding led him to his fast promotion in the Catholic clergy.

Next to the museum is the Baroque Catholic church of the

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary where he was baptized and later in his younger days became an altar boy. Still standing in the church is the baptismal font of the baby Karol. Next to the church is the school where he finished high school. By the time we finished the tour, it was already past noon. We took our lunch in one of the restaurants around the square where we able to eat the favorite cream cheese pastry popularized by the young Karol. Then we returned to our hotel for our one last night in Krakow.

Established in 1995, Air Plus Travel specializes in religious travel. We have our next Central Europe Tour in July 27-August 6, 2020. For more information, please contact Air Plus Travel at (562) 863-0624. Or visit www. airplustravel.net.

(Advertising Supplement)

Yeng posts bail for cyber libel

by DEni rosE m. AfiniDAD-BErnArDo Philstar.com

SINGER-actress Yeng Constantino has posted bail after she has been issued a warrant of arrest by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Dapa, Surigao del Norte for a cyber libel case filed against her by a doctor last year.

According to a statement

by Yeng’s legal counsel, Joji Alonso: “Our client Ms Yeng Constantino-Asuncion, has posted bail and an Order approving the same has just been signed.”

Alonso added in the statement that they will be “addressing the charges in the coming days” after they receive a copy of the complaint.

A P30,000 bail was set for Constantino.

Surigao del Norte 1st District Representative Bingo Matugas posted a copy of the arrest order issued last December 12. The order, forwarded to the Quezon City Police, stated that Constantino has been accused of violating the Cybercrime Prevention Act or Sec 4 (c)(4) of Republic Act 10175, which stipulates “the unlawful or prohibited acts of libel as defined in Article 355 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended, committed through a computer system or any other similar means which may be devised in the future.”

The complaint was filed after Yeng posted a vlog last July about her husband Yan Asuncion’s cliff-diving accident in Siargao’s Sugba Lagoon.

According to the new actress, who just got her first acting award as Best Supporting Ac-

Yeng Constantino

tress from the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) last December, Yan temporarily lost his memory after diving, so she took him to Del Carmen Hospital, where they were told to transfer to Dapa Siargao Hospital, which has more medical equipment.

The singer then slammed one of Dapa Siargao Hospital’s doctors, and even repeatedly mentioned the doctor’s name and showed the doctor’s photo, in the video.

When the video was released, Constantino was then criticized on social media for alleged “doctor-shaming.”

Since then, the video has been taken down and the singer apologized to the doctor and the hospital staff last July 22, saying: “Whatever concerns I had should

Photo from Instagram/@yeng

have been coursed through the proper forum. It was unfair to call her out on social media and I’m taking down the posts and the vlog immediately.”

In an interview with Philstar. com last 2017, Yeng shared her passion for video blogging or vlogging.

“Gustong gusto ko po talagang shine-share sa mga followers ko ‘yung mga nangyayari sa life ko bukod sa nakikita nila sa telebisyon. Even ‘yung mga nasa bahay, nagma-makeup ako o nagpe-prepare, nagwo-workout, anything na gusto ko I-share sa kanila that I think adds value to their life na makakatulong sa kanila or makaka-inspire sa kanila in any way,” shared the singer behind the hit song “Hawak PAGE B4

Catching up with Miss Universe...

PAGE B1 “It was a big, big honor to model [Santiago’s] design, and I was so grateful to win the Best National Costume award.

It was such a gorgeous piece,” remarked Ganados, who won the title of Miss Universe Philippines 2019 after winning the Binibining Pilipinas 2019 competition this past June.

It was Prabha’s first time visiting the United States, and for the 24-year-old graduate of biomedical science, getting to know all the contestants and forging friendships was the highlight of her trip.

“Meeting all the girls was very exciting because it’s really cool to have individuals from 90 different nations all in one place and to also know that we’re all here to help each other out.

There was never any negativity around us and no backstabbing among the girls,” said Prabha, who completed her pageant training in the Philippines and was crowned Miss Universe Singapore in October 2019.

Ganados and Prabha are particularly close as they flew from Manila to Atlanta for the Miss Universe pageant, even

Miss Universe Philippines creative director Jonas Gaffud is also a consultant for the Miss Universe Singapore Organization and organized pre- and post-Miss Universe pageant events for the two beauty queens.

Though one of the most highly coveted jobs in the world, the day-to-day life of being a beauty queen can be anything but glamorous. The amount of preparation that goes into preparing for arguably the most prestigious beauty pageant in the world is immense, but both Ganados and Prabha said that keeping one’s mental health in check is crucial.

“When you’re competing out there, you’re not just competing with other girls — you’re competing with yourself,” shared Ganados, who is also an advocate for quality elder care. “You may ask yourself if you’re enough or if you’re worth it and you cannot help but compare yourself to others. And of course, there are people who’ll try to tell you what to do and how to do certain things, but you know yourself better than anyone else. You’ve got to trust yourself.”

nados and Prabha know the hard work it takes to achieve Miss Universe status. The world of beauty pageantry can be a difficult one to navigate, but as long as you know yourself and understand that winning the top prize isn’t the most important thing, you will be OK. “Accept yourself first before [you] seek anything else because it’s easy to destroy yourself in a minute,” Prabha said. “So in order to advance, you’ve got to love yourself and appreciate the flaws as much as the strengths. We all have flaws, and it’s important to embrace all parts of ourselves.”

Ganados added that anyone who aspires to become a beauty queen must have the confidence to “take up space,” mirroring the sentiments of Miss Universe 2019 winner Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa.

“As women, we can secondguess ourselves so much and we often don’t trust ourselves, even women who may be at the forefront of their careers. So you have to make space for yourself, and there is enough space for you in this world,” Ganados said, proudly dubbing 2020 the

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

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 11-14, 2020 B

Joshua praised for donating to Australia bushfire fundraiser by

Ratziel San Juan Philstar.com

ACTOR Joshua Garcia has been applauded by fans for pledging $500 (around P25,000) to the fundraiser of Paulo Avelino’s girlfriend Jodie Tarasek for wildlife affected by the Australian bushfires.

The proceeds of the said fundraiser will be directed to the WWF-Australia in order to help injured wildlife and restore their habitats.

An estimated one billion animals have been killed in the months-long bushfires that have ravaged Australia, said to be heightened recently by climate change.

Jodie and boyfriend Paulo both publicly thanked Joshua for his donation.

Without publicizing his act, Joshua proved he’s just as much an onscreen and offscreen hero.

The actor plays the lead role alongside Julia Barretto in the upcoming zombie film “Block Z,” set to hit theaters nationwide on January 29.

The zombie flick is helmed by “Dead Kids” director Mikhail Red and also stars Dimples Romana, Ian Veneracion, and Maris Racal, among Joshua garcia other talents. photo from instagram/@garciajoshuae

Rayver not ready to marry gf Janine

PAGE B1 Janine Gutierrez, related that many of his friends have actually been teasing him that he should follow suit as soon as possible.

“Marami na ngang humihirit.

But I’m not in that position at the moment. Malayo pa ’ko!” he told reporters after the pilot episode of GMA 7’s new noontime variety show, “All-Out Sundays.”

“I will just let Rodjun enjoy his married life, while I focus on work … But I’m excited about my future nephew or niece.”

The said wedding was bittersweet in a way—sad because the death of the siblings’ mother, Beth, last year is still fresh in their minds; and heartwarming, because Rodjun and Dianne were surrounded with so much loved.

“My kuya is a very happy, energetic person. But he’s also mature and full of wisdom. When I need someone to talk to, he gives me advice. He knows the

right things to say. He’s not just an older brother, but a father, almost,” Rayver said. “Dianne is like a sister to us, too.”

One of Rodjun’s groomsmen was actor Matteo Guidicelli, who’s engaged to pop star Sarah Geronimo who, on the other hand, is Rayver’s ex-girlfriend.

When the press started prodding about the wedding guests, Rayver laughed, his facial expression as if saying: “I knew it!”

“I can see that you guys are itching to ask about that!” Rayver quipped, adding that he has already congratulated Matteo about his engagement to Sarah.

“I will be invited [to their wedding] for sure—si Matt pa! If he invites me, I will attend.”

Unknown to some people, Rayver and Matteo are friends and have known each other even before the latter entered show biz. “We recently worked on the series ‘Bagani.’ But I already

knew him when he was still a kart racer,” he related.

And so, despite what other people think, there’s actually Bahala na Mother took her tiMe in petitioning her Makulit daughter. nanay rosita (2nd from right) went to the u.S. in 1984, no awkwardness between the leaving behind her children. it was in 1994 when she finally got her green card, and she was able to get all her children, except for apet two. “Never,” Rayver stressed. (left) who aged out at that time. nanay became busy juggling two jobs, so she kept putting off the petition for apet, even when apet “You can ask him.”When an- kept hounding her mother. at apet’s urging, nanay finally reached out to leading u.S. immigration attorney Michael J. gurfinkel (right) other show biz writer brought in 2005 to consult and sign up, but it took nanay another two years before she completed the forms and sent the necessary documents. up the fact that he was Sarah’s Meanwhile, apet was anxious and wanted to expedite the process, so she wrote to the national Visa Center (nVC) without the knowledge first boyfriend, Rayver, in an of the law offices of Michael J. gurfinkel, when the visa was not even available, creating confusion with the nVC. after follow-ups and attempt to change the course monitoring by atty. gurfinkel and his team, they were able to reunite apet and nanay rosita in the uS, and were also able to bring in of the interview, jested: “Naku, apet’s daughters, tracy and nicole (2nd from left). Watch this family reunion, years in the making, on a brand-new episode of CitiZen pinoY – on Sunday at 6:15 pm (pSt) on tFC. (advertising Supplement) we’re here for ‘All-Out Sundays!’

That was a long time ago; we were young. They’re (Sarah and Matteo) set to get married.”

Meanwhile, he maintained that there’s no issue between him and his former colleagues in “ASAP,” despite him now being part of a competing show.“They’re my longtime family; I knew them since I was 15. They’re happy that I’m still NANAY Rosita left her children in 1984 to find the years, and in 2017 when it was getting close able to pursue what I’m passiongreener pastures in the U.S. She took various to her priority date, she joined a Facebook ® chat ate about,” he said. “Our show jobs while she was TnT, until she finally got her group that where people were giving her advice, has a different theme—it has green card in 1994. She then was able to petition and she even wrote the National Visa Center withdance, music and comedy.” her younger children, but was unable to bring out consulting with the Law Offices of Michael J. her older daughter, Apet, to the U.S, as she had Gurfinkel whom they have retained as their legal counsel. already aged out.

Atty. Gurfinkel emphasizes that nothing is Apet was devastated and kept asking her mother when she can follow, to start working on the peti- more important than family and he reiterates that, “Parang may pinagdadaanan tion for her. But work kept Nanay Rosita busy, so “There’s always an excuse not to do something, din ako sa life ko na parang na- she kept postponing. but when it comes to your family, forget the exhihiwalay ko na yung singer na Finally, after much prodding from Apet, Nanay cuses and do something. See an attorney who can Yeng, simula po nung nag-asawa Rosita reached out to leading U.S. Immigration evaluate the case and see what the options are.” ako, parang nagkaroon sya ng Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel and retained him in Watch how the Law Offices of Michael Gurfinkel hati, na I know yung ginagawa 2005. However, Nanay was not able to fill out the was able to reunite the family on a brand-new ko sa labas, it’s a part of me na necessary forms and send in the required docu- episode of CITIZEN PINOY – this Sunday 6:15 pm magperform, na artista ako, pero ments because she was busy juggling two jobs until PST/EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite once I go home, tatanggaling ko 2007 when she finally filed the petition. providers). yung makeup, I’m a wife.”

Meanwhile, Apet was getting anxious through (advertising Supplement)

Yeng posts bail for cyber...

PAGE B2 Kamay.”

She explained that the “Vlogger Yeng” is the Yeng that you can see in her daily private life.

More than a singer, she’s a house cleaner, a friend and a wife. “’Yung vlogger na Yeng I think dun nakikita ng mga tao ‘yung pambahay na Yeng. Si

Katulong na Yeng kasi minsan mukha akong katulong sa vlog ko. Parang may certain truth na alam kong hindi nakikita ng mga tao so I think ayun talaga ako.”

The singer admitted that sometimes she experiences burnout, so she made a point to separare the “Public Yeng” to the “Wife Yeng.”

Lessons learned: Family should always come first on a brand-new episode of Citizen Pinoy!

B4 JANUARY 11-14, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

The Black Eyed Peas...

PAGE B3 like, ‘Let me run it to them.’ will’s got a very busy schedule and it took me about a month to get a yes,” recalled apl who performed solo at the opening ceremonies.

Happy to be back together after focusing on individual projects and Taboo beating the Big C, will then exclaimed, “Individual projects? That’s not what I signed up for. ‘Scream and Shout’ with Britney and ‘#thatPOWER’ with Justin Bieber, they were all suc-

cessful but it didn’t feel like that’s what I want. Every night I go on stage I was like, ‘I miss my group’ and ‘I miss my group again.’ You know that’s not what I want. I want to be with my group. This is family. This is a brotherhood. It makes you feel like you are part of something.”

As for Taboo, he recalled, “So five years ago, I battled cancer.

I did chemotherapy and I was down and out battling cancer. I always say this in interviews but

one of the most important things that kept me fighting was first of all, my wife and my kids and also knowing that I can be on the stage with my best friends [pointing to will.i.am and apl.de.ap] again.

“While I was going through my battle, all I could think about was the joy and happiness that being with apl since I was a teenager brought to my life and [that] gave me life. So that spirit and camaraderie kept me fighting on. So that living which initially allowed me to beat cancer because I had to take my mind off the trauma I was experiencing.

“I always say at one point like, ‘Yeah, I wanna do the solo thing!’ but I don’t ever wanna do the solo thing. That’s not my thing. I love being on stage with my boys.

There are other things I can do but being a solo artist is really not my thing. I love being a Black Eyed Pea. I love the opportunity that we can be to provide the service but also start companies, brands and things that we can branch out and do. But being a solo artist is not my thing.”

“Even with our side projects, we were still very well involved. will was and is still involved.

You know, he’s the one who pushed me to do ‘Bebot.’ My crew made me believe in myself. They pushed me to represent my culture. It ain’t nothing like it without them,” apl.de.ap added.

The group likewise has nothing but good praises for the Filipino member who also revealed he will be back as coach for “The Voice” this year after doing two seasons on ABS-CBN. “It’s important for everybody to know that apl.de.ap has an amazing opportunity to be such a great ambassador and inspiration to his people, the Philippines.

And he inspires us. Sometimes when he’s feeling a little down and out and he doubts himself, we have to be, ‘Nah, look at this.

This is what you have and this is a great opportunity that you can bring to your people.’ That something I learned about ap is that he’s such a humble guy. He doesn’t really allow it to get to his head and that’s the special thing, that bond, that we have as Black Eyed Peas. He keeps us centered and humble,” Taboo said of his buddy.

To be sure, 2020 will be another big one for Black Eyed Peas. Just as major as they ended it right here at the SEA Games in the Philippines.

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Sonata for fatherless daughters MOONLIGHTING

by MYLAH DE

LEON

THIS week marked the 36th year since their father left us.

He left me a houseful of very young and adorable daughters with the world on their side. In the face of adversity, we are not permitted to ask “why me?” You can ask but you won’t get an answer.

Through the years, I’ve learned the hard way why some poems don’t rhyme, why some stories don’t even have a clear beginning, middle and end. That life is a delicious ambiguity of not knowing, having to change; just taking the moment and making the most of it without knowing what is going to happen next…in gratitude to destiny.

The past years came and went with hair raising fears and loneliness, joy and pride that tumbled in every widow’s brain. As an imaginer by trade, and a weaver of tales, I’ve tried to create a vision of life for them in my mind.

I thought of four lawyers, four doctors, four owners of beauty parlors and boutiques, four writers and God forbid, four spinsters!

You see, your children are either the center of your life or not. The rest is commentary.

Having helped in making them mine, I remember their arrivals that still produced grave guilt in one’s motherhood because we have ached for sons instead. I have hatched them, till they’ve flown. I watched them grow from babies whose moves toward independence were baby steps excruciatingly oh so slow. They were little children who became young adults — from diapers to cap and gown for that law degree for Milkah, the eldest who taught everyone kindness modeled respect and sereneness, and always looked rich and polished; through scrapes and scratches, indomitable they hurdled: one with a mass communications degree, another an economics degree. Still, my fondest hopes were a pool of reporters that would outscoop me, abundantly an improvement on the mother.

Raisha stumbles out of the door like one of the coloratura sopranos singing Neapolitan love songs that arise upbeat, positive, polite and intrepid.

Years back, they were little women that I caught falling into the fierce tentacles of first

The author and the four girls who were left.

love. 10-year-olds’ hearts were breaking, sending convulsion that shook the whole house, weeping like Victorian heroines in immeasurable anguish, despair and desolation. I remember walking to the front door, instead of their father long gone, to shake the hands of their first dates…young men crippled with shyness.

Soon, I was walking them down into the wedding altar, only to step aside while out-sobbing the Niagara Falls.

Like a gypsy reads tea leaves, I saw them merge into an unmanageable ceaseless demand, always banging on the bathroom.

When I was inside, bouncing on my bed when I was sleeping, there was Natasha, the Christmas baby, carrying on her father’s legacy of being pleasant, thoughtful and generous. Veruschka, the source of my joy and numerous excesses, always interrupting when I phoned in my stories. They could occupy themselves to time’s end with friends, computers, malls, plays and concerts, husbands and work.

And just when I’m feeling grateful with some peace that indeed there is mysterious depth in my fatherless daughters that I need to fathom, someone erupts with MOTHERHOOD!!!

Their memoirs of their good father, them perched on his lap; and a kiss that cures broken legs, bruised egos, strength on the dentist’s chair, and one who can veto their mother’s disciplinary impositions.

He had that uncanny way of saying just the right word and to whom. His expectations, hope and commitment to us were high. He gave us love, taught us reason and

intelligence, made us feel certain we will succeed in any family endeavor, having instilled in us qualities that are timeless, along with brains and courage.

Along with dignity, strength, courage, dedication, wisdom and compassion, our marriage survival kit was simply a balanced life. It was genuine love, adaptability, flexibility, kindness and the imagination to read minds and to anticipate each other’s needs, yet I should have known growing old with him was too much to ask.

On Father’s Day, it was a day of appreciation, respect and memories.

I can’t think of any other daughters on God’s green earth who deserve it more than those who had to give a father back. *** E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl@aol. com.

Seeing into the future Life Coaching in a Different Perspective STARGAZER AS an anchor/psychic of the number one radio/TV station in the Philippines, I do yearly forecasts or predictions for the country and internationally.

Last year’s predictions had a batting average of 95%. My visions highlighted the church bombing, Anak Krakatoa’s eruption, the discovery of an important artifact that changes man’s early beginnings, earth splitting in Mindanao and many, many others.

How do I do it?

There is a specific place near Caleruega in Nasugbu, Batangas where I usually sit down and gaze into the mountains. I breathe in slowly and let my eyes feast first on the lush greens and serene hills. I look at the birds and enjoy listening to their chirping.

I sit there and stay quiet, clear my mind, pray, do shielding with the white light and then let the visions come. It is like watching television with your eyes closed.

Different scenes cross my mind and the vision jumps from one scene to the next without transition.

I have to be quick and write blindly, on a piece of paper, what I see with my eyes closed. Visions of people, situations, grief, happiness, jubilation and all sorts of emotions are seen in the different scenes.

A little side story on my predictions. It was December 23 in 2018 when I aired the predictions for 2019. I kept on repeating “Krakatoa, Krakatoa keeps on coming into my mind. I don’t know what it means.” Then hours after airing it on my early morning program, Anak Krakatoa erupted in Indonesia.

Again on December 22, 2019, I aired my predictions for 2020.

Some of the predictions were “unrest in the Middle East, planes deployment and missiles in the

Embassy was attacked in Iraq thus paving the way for planes deployment and missiles in January.

These are my visions.

Part I of my 2020 predictions were originally written on Dec. 11, 2019, and I shared them on “Magandang Buhay” on ABSCBN, taped Dec. 20 and aired Jan. 1, as well as on “Pinoy Vibes” on DZMM (Dec. 22 and 29); “Magandang Morning” on Dec. 29 and “Todo Todo Walang Preno” on Dec. 22.

There may be a lot of challenges but they are meant to be surpassed. The strength, the love and the will to go on are far stronger.

In the Philippines: On a certain day, people will cry out and fight for something. This will be a surprise to many. A dialogue will be opened. A unification of some sort will happen to fight a cause; a high-ranking female government official will be controversial. She must be careful about what she will do or say in public; politicians E and R must be careful with their health; a madam must also be careful with her health; Worsening of health for a very public figure. This may spell something very serious; a medical doctor will bring us glory; a lot of earthshaking will still be felt, mostly in the Visayas and Mindanao and a few in northern Luzon; discovery of a new fish species in the Philippines; unrest in the far southern part of the Philippines; a big politician will have a sudden heart attack; shocking revelations will continue on drug issues and it will have a big impact on the Filipino political circle; another big bombing may occur if it will not be foiled in time; a veteran actress with the letter R must really be careful; more diseases to livestock and poultry. We have to be careful of imported food.

There will be more honors in the field of directing, singing and acting. ports will also shine. The robotics and debating team will bring us honor. Also, genius kids in science and math will earn us glory. There could be a tornado in Mindanao. In the arts, a young actress may get pregnant; a Filipino director will make it big internationally; a Filipino film will win an

tor will win an award; and online businesses will prosper.

Internationally: Planes deployment; big train disaster; something about the Amazon; discovery of a new tribe in South America; discovery of a new plant species; unrest in the Middle East; a new breakthrough in medicine, specifically surgery; big reversal of events in the U.S.; the Hawaiian islands and Haiti will be in the news; something big in Poland as well.

The second part of my predictions was written on Dec. 20, 2019 and aired on “Pinoy Vibes” on Dec. 19 and 26 and “Todo Todo Walang Preno” on Dec. 31.

The Philippines will break a record in sports. An unusual sea occurrence will take place in the southern part of the Philippines.

There will be a controversy enveloping a veteran actor, while an actress/celebrity will be engaged.

There will be a big break up in showbiz. Talks will continue with insurgents.

Internationally, a mutated animal will come to the surface.

There will be a change in British policies. One Asian country’s government will see a big shift.

Moscow will make the news. An important discovery will be made that will affect the earth’s atmosphere. Meanwhile, there will be collisions and missiles in the air.

Riots will escalate. Controversial decisions will be made regarding uprisings.

The predictions 2019 and 2020 can be viewed on my website www.stargazer.ph or my Facebook page, Stargazer Philippines.

*** Stargazer is a life coach, aura reader, psychic/clairvoyant, and lecturer on the paranormal. She uses the aura, energies & vibrations as focal points of her psychic readings. Using several techniques involving the psychological, spiritual, paranormal and her own experience of the intricacies of life, Stargazer makes one get in touch with his inner and understand life in a positive manner. Faith in God and belief in self is what Stargazer emphasizes on. Currently, Stargazer is a radio anchor of DZMM Teleradyo, the radio arm of ABS-CBN. Her show “Pinoy Vibes” has been airing every Sunday morning since Sept.

2007. She can be reached at stargazerphils@ gmail.com. For more information, please visit

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 11-14, 2020

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The Los Angeles Philippine Women’s Club, the oldest organization in Southern California for Filipina women, celebrated its holiday gathering last December 29, 2019, which was attended by its officers, board of directors, VIP guests from the Philippine government and Consulate, and community supporters.

Oldest organization for Filipina women in SoCal welcomes Philippine Senator Cynthia Villar Philippine legislator was honorary guest of the LA Philippine Women’s Club The ladies of the Los Angeles Philippine Women’s Club gathered to celebrate their efforts in 2019 and usher in exciting opportunities for the year ahead during a recent holiday luncheon.

The LAPWC event was held on December 29, 2019 at the Community Auditorium of the Church of Scientology of the Valley in North Hollywood, California.

President Trinity Foliente welcomed esteemed guests, representing businesses and organizations across Southern California, along with other officers and board members of the LAPWC. The honorary speaker was Philippine Senator Cynthia Villar, who made an exception of speaking at this event during her personal holiday vacation.

Consul General Adelio Angelito S. Cruz and his wife Catherine were present to share updates from the local Filipino American community and be the bridge between Los Angeles and the Philippines. Consul General Cruz introduced Villar as one who won the national Senate race with 25 million votes, the most votes in election history, and was re-elected for a second term in 2019.

Villar is chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food and the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. She worked for the establishment of 1,955

farm schools all over the country supported by The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). In June 2018, she received an honorary doctor of laws (honoris causa) from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) for her work in agricultural development, poverty alleviation, education, and the welfare of women and children.

Other distinguished guests included Philippine Ambassador to Denmark Leo Herrera-Lim, accompanied by his wife Fides.

Herrera-Lim was previously the Consul General of Los Angeles before Cruz’s tenure.

Guests were treated to two luscious buffet spreads of handmade sushi and Filipino food as they enjoyed performances by Christine Love, Chenza Puno, LAPWC Dancers, young singer Zac Lewis, Joni Feliciano and Becca Godinez, emceed by Annie Nepomuceno.

The officers of the Women’s Club are Trinity Foliente (President), Cora Aragon Soriano (1st Vice President), Alicia de Aragon (2nd Vice President); Rosalie Caratao (Membership); Chelsea Boling (Recording Secretary); Bettie Villanueva (Treasurer); Bernadette Atienza (Assistant Treasurer); Arnie Agarin (Corresponding Secretary); Lucina Palco (Financial Secretary); Lisa Castillo (Assistant Financial Secretary); and Lolita Tokar (Financial Reviewer/Auditor).

Board of directors are: Fidela Suelto (Education); Caroucel Chuateco (Fundraiser); Cecilia Berango (Gerontology); Melette Lampino (Hospitality); Elissa Chow (International Affairs); Cora Oriel (Philanthropy); Emma Perez (Protocol); Elisa Trasoras (Parliamentarian); and Minda Tan (Historian).

Considered the oldest organization in Southern California for Filipina women, the LAPWC was founded on February 1, 1961 with the main objective of bringing together women to promote education, cultural and philanthropic activities.

Early on, the LAPWC made its mark in Los Angeles with a fashion fair, which generated net proceeds of $5,000 that were put toward the fund to build the Music Center in Downtown LA. Dorothy Chandler, the chairman of the Music Center Building Fund Committee, made the LAPWC an associate founding member of the Music Center.

The organization’s name is engraved on the granite wall of the Music Center, as well as two brass plates of the name of the club engraved and placed on the back of the two chairs at the Founder’s Circle.

In the past year, the LAPWC provided a donation to the livelihood of the indigenous coffee farmers in the Philippines’ Cordillera region, and supported the Ronald McDonald House Charities and Los Angeles Rescue Missions.

The organization continues to uplift and support other Fil-Am community events, such as the Filipino Priests’ Association of Los Angeles’ “Pista Sa Nayon” dinner dance, the Philippine Emergency Disaster Relief Organization gala, the Simbang Gabi of Incarnation Church in Glendale and the visit of Filipino healing priest Fr. Nelson Osorio. During the holiday season, members held its annual Christmas gift giving at three local nursing homes, participated in food distribution programs to seniors and homeless individuals across the city, and volunteered during the Angel City Celebration, the largest rotary service project in greater LA that gifts toys and brings health and wellness checkups to underserved families in South LA. The women’s club held the installation of the officers and board of directors last July, which featured Philippine Senator Grace Poe as its guest speaker. Though the organization is primarily based in Los Angeles, one of its missions is to help other women back home in the Philippines and create linkages between the Philippine Senator Cynthia Villar was the guest of honor and keynote speaker at the LAPWC’s holiday gathering on December 29, 2019. two countries.

Continuing the momentum of 2019, the organization plans to have a scholarship fund for students in Southern California and livelihood assistance for local domestic violence victims as well as female farmers in the Philippines.

Consul Cruz and Sen. Villar discuss updates about the Philippines

Sen. Villar with LAPWC President Trinity Foliente

LAPWC President Trinity Foliente addresses attendees during the holiday luncheon and shares the organization’s strides for 2019.

Philippine Consul General Adelio Cruz, Catherine Cruz, Fides Herrera-Lim and PH Ambassador to Denmark Leo Herrera-Lim

Sen. Villar meets with LAPWC officers and luncheon guests.

Sen. Villar with local businesswoman Princess Robertson

AJPress photos by Ding Carreon

B january 11-14, 2020 • La WEEKEnD aSIan jOurnaL

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 11-14,2020

COMMUNITY Journal

FACCGLA inducts new executive officers on January 12 AFTER a productive twoyear run under President Ellen Samson, the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Los Angeles (FACCGLA) will be announcing its new officers to serve for the next two years: President and Marketing Chair Annie Nepomuceno; Vice President for Events, Lois P. Klavir; Vice President for Membership, Connie Mapue; and Secretary Evangeline Tabberrah.

The Board will be rounded out by incumbent Members Gerry Palon (President Emeritus), Vivian Lim and Gemma Bergstrom.

Joining the roster are Henry Chen, Fatima Bustos-Choy, Dory Baghallian, and Celeste Monderin. The inducting officer will be Philippine Consul General Adelio Angelito S. Cruz.

The Induction will be one of the ceremonies on January 12, 2020 at the Hilton Woodland Hills. Guests are urged to arrive in their dazzling best to the “Shining Shimmering Splendid Gala,” the annual fundraiser of FACCGLA. Doors open at 6 p.m. to live jazz piano, with well-timed ceremonies interspersed with a sit-down dinner, superb vocal performances, dancing, and valuable raffle packages.

Jazz pianist Tateng Katindig on a grand piano will set the mood during the first hour with cash bar service. Guests will be encouraged to bid on the songs which Sal Malaki of the LA Opera (formerly of the Philippine Madrigal Singers) should perform after he and vocalist Annie Nepomuceno perform the National Anthems.

After the sit-down dinner, FACCGLA will honor three recipients of the Entrepreneur of the Year. Prizes will be raffled off before the dance floor opens.

Sponsors and donors will be the first to receive the second edition of Fil-Am Entrepreneurship, the annual publication of FACCGLA which serves as a journal of the Chamber’s activites. For 2019, FACCGLA participated in 21 events, including 1 Gala, 11 Monthly Mixers, and official partners in events of affiliated organizations such as the

Annie Nepomuceno - President and Marketing Chair

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GANAP Singers warm hearts of Fil-Am community in debut LA concert

Connie Mapue - Vice President for Membership GANAP Singers in concert on Saturday, January 4.

Lois P. Klavir - Vice President for Events

Evangeline Taberrah - Secretary

United Chambers of Commerce of the San Fernando Valley and the Valley Economic Alliance.

The Asian Journal is the media partner of FACCGLA. Silver Sponsor is World Remit, and Bronze Sponsors are The Filipino-American Franchise Trade Mission, American Geriatric, Patrick Sia of ServPro Property Restoration, Darryl Crutchfield of the Community Business Coalition, Gaia Flow Consulting Services and Reeves Immigration Law Group. In-kind sponsors are OfficeZilla, Celeste Monderin of Saladmaster, Karate Families, and Esthetique by Grace M.

Magazine Sponsors include Lay Bare Waxing Salon, Western and Southern Life, Surf City College, Lilian’s Pastries, Varsobia Enterprise, Homesmart Evergreen Realty, Escochecks, GMM Financial Services, Regal Realty and Music Arts Events Inc. Everyone is welcome to attend. Tickets are $85, available at www.faccgla.org with sales closing on January 11. Contact info@faccgla.org for more information. Valet parking is $8 with validation. The Hilton Woodland Hills is located at is 6360 Canoga Ave, Woodland Hills, CA 91367.

Doors open at 6 p.m. n

AJPress photos by Ding Carreon

Conductor Agoy Patacsil leads the bow of the GANAP Singers following their debut concert in Los Angeles on Saturday, January 4

FILAM Arts Program Director Giselle Tongi-Walters could not hold back her tears as the GANAP Singers performed the closing anthem “One Day More” from the broadway musical “Les Miserables.”

Concertgoers at the Community Auditorium of the Church of Scientology of the Valley last Saturday, January 4 were treated to an eclectic mix of songs, performed with aplomb by the sing-

ers. The GANAP Singers choir’s sound was so enthralling that the church’s President Kathy Morrill stayed for the entire concert and connected with the singers post-show. Other members of the church brought their families and called their friends as well. Church event coordinator Hagit Raviv-Ron even commented that the choir was one of the best sounding ones she had ever heard.

Performed were sacred selections, such as “Oh, Gloria” arranged by Gerard John Dela Peña, international songs such as Spanish song “Eres Tu” arranged

by Robert Delgado, the popular “The Prayer,” and “Munting Sanggol” by Philippine National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab.

The first part was closed by baritone soloist Greg De Leon with “This Is The Moment” as a paean

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C JANUARY 11-14, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Tax & Stock Tips Victor Sy,

cPA, MBA (retired)

• YES, taxpayers whose Individual Tax Identification Numbers (ITIN) expired and who expect to file a tax return in 2020 must submit a renewal application.

• ITINs with the middle digits 83, 84, 85 or 86, 87 (For example: 9XX-83-XXXX) must be renewed even if the taxpayer used it in the last three years.

• ITINs with middle digits of 70 through 82 that have previously expired can still renew at any time.

• The IRS will send notices to renew your ITIN to be included in your U.S. tax return filed in

Tapat Sa Batas Atty. rheA SAMSon UPANG makakuha ng employment-based green card, karaniwan ay may tatlong yugto para dito. Ang unang yugto ay ang PERM Labor Certification, kung saan ang US employer ay magpapakita sa US Department of Labor (DOL) na walang kwalipikadong US worker para sa posisyon/trabaho na inaalok sa dayuhang empleyado. Pagkatapos maaprubahan ang the PERM Labor Certification, ang pangalawang yugto ay ang filing ng I-140 Immigrant Petition, kung saan ang US employer ay magpapakita sa USCIS na ito may may kakayahang magbayad ng offered wage sa dayuhang empleyado.

Dito, kailangan ding ipakita ng dayuhang empleyado na siya ay nagtataglay ng edukasyon, karanasan at pagsasanay para sa inaalok na posisyon/trabaho sa kanya. Ang pangatlo at huling yugto ay ang pag-file ng I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.

Ito ang tinatawag na Green Card Application.

Ang pagpalit o paglipat sa ibang employer pagkatapos maaprubahan ang I-140 Immigrant Petition ngunit bago makuha ang green card ay karaniwang nangangailangan ng bagong I-140 Petition mula sa bagong US employer. Subalit ang bagong I140 Immigrant Petition ay hindi kailangan kung ang I-485 alienbeneficiary ay nakatugon sa job portability requirements ayon sa American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act (AC 21).

Sa ilalim ng AC 21, ang I-485 alien-beneficiary ay maaaring lumipat o mag-”port” sa ibang US employer para sa posiyon/trabaho na may “same or similar occupational classification” sa posisyon/trabaho na nasa PERM Labor Certification.

Kailangan ding ang I-485 Application ay nakasalang na ng mahigit na 180 araw sa USCIS ayon sa AC21.

Upang magkaroon ng determinasyon kung ang dalawang posisyon/trahabo ay nasa “same or similar occupational qualification”, sisiyasatin ng USCIS ang

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrSUA reyeS THERE seems to be a misconception in the general public that you can only obtain a divorce in California if your spouse will sign the divorce papers. I get this question a lot from our family law clients. The fact is that California is a no fault state and you do not need your spouse’s signature in order to get a divorce. What is more important is being able to properly serve your spouse with the divorce petition and satisfy the jurisdictional requirement of the Court by showing that either you or your spouse resided in the State for at least 6 months prior to filing the petition and in the County for 3 months prior to filing the petition.

When you file a divorce petition, you have to serve your spouse with the summons and petition. Your spouse then has 30 days to file a response after being served with a divorce petition. If your spouse fails to file and serve you with a response, you can file a request for default against your spouse after 30 days. You can also file a proposed judgment for the court to approve. The default procedure can be done even if there are issues of property division, custody, visitation, and support. However, the Court will still review your proposed judgment and property division to make sure it conforms to the policy towards equal division of community property. Mean-

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Should you renew your expired ITIN? 2020.

• Taxpayers who receive the notice after starting the process to renew their ITIN do not need to take further action unless another family member is affected (see below).

Family option remains available • Taxpayers with ITINs that have middle digits 83, 84, 85, 86 or 87, as well as all previously expired ITINs, have the option to renew ITINs for their entire family at the same time.

• Those who received a renewal letter from the IRS can choose to renew the family’s ITINs together, even if family members have an ITIN with middle digits

that have not been identified for expiration.

• Family members include the taxpayer, spouse and any dependents claimed on the tax return. *** Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE with a BBA and from Indiana State University with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV - Andersen Consulting) and Ernst & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy Corporation. *** He retired after 50 years of defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, EDD, BOE and other governmental agencies. He published a book on “How to Avoid or Survive IRS Audits.” Readers may email tax questions to vicsy@live.com.

The Prophetic Voice reVerend rodel G. BAlAGtAS LIVE the moment! This is my advice to all of you this new year!

It’s the attitude of living in the present and paying attention to God’s graces and actions in our lives and the world.

It’s having a Marian heart--always grateful for God’s blessings and being humble in accepting God’s plans for us. It’s trusting in God’s providence and protection in good and bad times.

It’s is consciously showing our

My new year’s message “ It’s trusting in God’s providence and protection in good and bad times.” care, concern, and affection to our loved ones because life is too short. It’s being present to them and being sensitive to their longings and wants.

It is living a life of purpose, planting seeds of kindness, and leaving a legacy of service to God, fellow men and women.

For those who those who have spent years of service to God and country, it’s forming our youth to seek the fulfilling values of giving and serving.

Let’s always live the moment!

Let’s keep marveling at God’s actions in our lives, being more conscious of His power, and always responding to Him in love and generosity.

Let’s keep praying for peace in our country and the world!

Blessings to all! *** Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.

Young client has $1-M judgment Job changes after approved against him, needs bankruptcy relief I-140 immigration petition

mga sumusunod: (1) ang DOL Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system, na nagbibigay ng mga grupo at klasipiskasyon sa mga trabaho bilang distinct occupational categories; (2) ang mga tungkulin ng 2 posisyon/trabaho; (3) ang karanasan, edukasyon, pagsasanay, at lisensya na kailangan para sa bawat posisyon/trabaho; (4) ang sahod para sa dalawang posisyon/trabaho; at (5) iba pang may katuturang ebidensya na ibibigay ng I-485 alien- beneficiary.

Ang alien-beneficiary ay kailangan ding magpasa ng Form I-485J Supplement, Confirmation of Bona Fide Job Offer or Request for Job Portability under INA Section 204(j), kasama ang mga dokumentong magpapatunay na ang bagong posisyon/trabaho ay nakakatugon sa portability requirements ng AC 21. *** There are usually 3 stages in order to obtain an employmentbased green card. The 1st stage is the PERM Labor Certification where the US employer must establish with the US Department of Labor (DOL) that no US worker is qualified for the position being offered to the alien employee. After the PERM Labor Certification approval, the 2nd stage is the filing of the I140 Immigrant Petition with the USCIS, where the US employer has to show that it has the ability to pay the offered wage to the alien employee. Here, the alien employee has to show that he meets all the education and work experience requirements for the position offered. The 3rd and final stage is the filing of the I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.

This is also called the Green Card Application.

Changing employers after an approved I-140 Immigrant Petition but before receiving the green card usually requires the alien to obtain a new I-140 Petition based on the new employer.

However, a new I-140 Immigrant Petition is not required if the I485 alien-beneficiary meets the job portability requirements pursuant to the American Com-

petitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act (AC 21). AC 21 allows an I-485 alien- beneficiary to transfer or port to another employer for a position that is in the “same or similar occupational classification” as the one in the underlying PERM Labor Certification if the I-485 Application has been pending for more than 180 days. AC 21 permits lateral moves, career progression, and self-employment.

USCIS considers several factors when deciding whether the two jobs are “in the same or similar occupational qualification” such as: (1) the DOL Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system, which groups and classifies jobs and occupations into distinct occupational categories; (2) the job duties of both positions; (3) the skills, experience, education, training, licenses or certifications specifically required to perform each job; (4) the wages associated with each position; and (5) other relevant and credible evidence submitted by the alien-beneficiary. The alien-beneficiary must submit Form I-485J Supplement, Confirmation of Bona Fide Job Offer or Request for Job Portability under INA Section 204(j) along with supporting evidence to prove that the new job meets the portability requirements under AC21. *** ATTY. RHEA SAMSON is the principal of SAMSON LAW FIRM, PC. She has been a member of the State Bar of California for over 15 years and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines for over 20 years. Atty.

Samson received her Legal Management degree from the Ateneo de Manila University and her Juris Doctor degree from the Ateneo Law School. She was a Professor for over 10 years, teaching Obligations and Contracts, Labor Laws and Social Legislation and Taxation Law. Atty Samson is the author of The Law on Obligations and Contracts (2016), Working with Labor Laws-Revised Edition (2014) and Working with Labor Laws (2005).

SAMSON LAW FIRM, P.C., 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1710, Los Angeles, CA 90010; Phone: (213) 381-5710; Email: info@samsonlawfirmpc.com.

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Can I obtain a divorce if my spouse refuses to sign? ing, you have to propose a division of community property that is pretty much equal between the spouses. If your proposed property division is one sided such as distributing all community property to you and giving all the community debts to your spouse, the Court would probably not grant your judgment.

The Court would probably set a hearing for you to explain why this is an equal division of community property.

The only time you may need your spouse’s signature is if your spouse files a response to your divorce petition. This is called “contesting” the divorce.

If your divorce is contested by your spouse, you can resolve the case either by “settlement” or by “trial.” However, you do not have to settle all the issues in the case at once. Under the concept of divisible divorce, you can settle some of the issues and set the other issues which you and your spouse cannot agree on for trial.

Our office try to resolve cases through settlement because it is more cost effective and the parties are usually happier with the outcome. In that situation, the parties may avoid the cost and uncertainty of going to trial by executing what is called a stipulated judgment which is in essence an agreement as to all the issues in the divorce case.

For issues which you and your spouse cannot agree on, you will have to go through the litigation process which involves obtaining discovery, exchanging declara-

tions of disclosures, and preparing the case for trial. Ultimately, you will obtain your divorce at trial in addition to adjudication of the distribution of community assets and debts amongst other issues. It is in the best interest of the party to retain the representation of competent counsel who will assert his or her rights under the family code. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice.

The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information.

This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed.

The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com (Advertising Supplement)

THE client is 38 years old and single. He is a professional with a license and makes about $100,000 gross a year. He rents a room near his workplace, where he stays on weekdays; on the weekends, he stays at the family residence, which he pays $1,800 a month for, with his parents and a younger brother.

He has $60,000 of credit cards.

But the big gorilla in the room is that 10 years ago, the client was involved in a business. He apparently was the CEO of the business but was not actually involved in running the business. A business deal turned bad, and the business and client were sued for a $1-million breach of contract.

The client never filed an answer, so a default judgment for $1 million was obtained against him.

Ten years later now, the creditor has tried to enforce a judgment of $1 million by levying on his bank account, hereby obtaining $5,000 in cash from the client.

The client filed a Chapter 7 petition a couple of months ago.

A default judgment can still be litigated as an adversarial case regarding dischargeability if fraud was part of the complaint.

If an answer was filed and so the case was litigated and there was a finding of fraud by the state court, all bets are off. This judgment will not be dischargeable.

The client also owes the IRS $26,000 in income taxes for the year 2006. In addition, he has $40,000 of credit cards which are all current.

Debt Relief

Atty. lAwrence yAnG Let’s assume that the $1 million judgment is dischargeable because it’s based on a breach of contract cause of action. If no answer was ever filed and it was, in fact, a default judgment for $1 million, then we look forward to litigating the dischargeability of this million-dollar judgment in federal court if the judgment creditor objects to its discharge.

Is the $26,000 owed to the IRS dischargeable? Yes, assuming conditions for discharge are met. What are the conditions?

There are time requirements.

The return must at least be three years old, and the IRS must have made an assessment at least 240 days before the bankruptcy was filed. Another requirement is that there must have been no fraud involved. There are other requirements but I would say that the client would have no problem complying with the discharge requirements for the $26,000.

If the IRS objects to discharge, then the correct response from the client would be an adversary proceeding against the IRS in the Chapter 7 case to have the trial judge determine if the $26,000 is dischargeable.

All of the $40,000 credit cards

are dischargeable. So, a discharge order, in this case, will wipe out the following for the client: 1) $1 million judgment; 2) income taxes of $26,000 for 2006; and 3) $40,000 of credit cards.

The discharge gives the client a fresh start without any debt at the age of 38. It’s a great deal of course. Who wants a $1 million judgment hanging like a heavy yoke around your neck anyway?

I mean, the client now earns $100,000 a year but if he has to pay the $1.0M back, what kind of life would that be for him? Not much fun to say the least.

Looking back, it would have been better for the client to do his Chapter 7 petition at the age of 28. That would have wiped out the judgment 10 years ago. By now at the age of 38, he would have a perfect 800 credit score again and no record of the bankruptcy. Well, this happens when the person refuses to face the problem head-on and resolve it at the right time. The problem remains and festers and becomes bigger and bigger like a snowball going down a hill. Ignoring it doesn’t solve the problem or make it go away. Judgments can be renewed every 10 years for another 10 years.

In other words, as long as the creditor renews the judgment before it expires on the 10th year, the judgment is still in effect in perpetuity. It can be valid for the entire lifetime of the debtor and even after death. After death,

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New 2020 minimum wage increase for California workers WHAT is the new minimum wage?

Effective January 1, 2020, the minimum wage in California will be $12.00 per hour for employers with 25 employees or less. For employers with 26 employees or more, the minimum wage is now $13.00 per hour. Most employees in California are entitled to be paid at least the minimum wage. This new rate also affects overtime pay. Employees who are paid the minimum wage of $12 per hour and work overtime must be paid $18 per hour for all work beyond 8 hours per day up to 12 hours (“time-and-ahalf”), and $24 per hour for all work beyond 12 hours per day (“double-time”).

What is the difference between the state and federal minimum wage?

The current federal minimum wage rate is $7.25 per hour.

Employers who are subject to both the federal and state minimum wage laws must follow the law that is more beneficial to the employee. Since California’s current minimum wage rate is higher than the federal minimum wage, the state minimum wage rate must be paid unless an exemption applies.

What kinds of employees are affected by the minimum wage increase?

Aside from hourly (or “nonexempt”) employees, the increase in minimum wage also boosts the pay of most employees legally “exempt” from the overtime rules. True exempt employees (Executive, Administrative, or Professional employees) must be paid a salary rate that is at least twice the state minimum wage for full-

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights ATTY. C. JOE SAYAS, JR. time monthly employment. The minimum monthly salary for most exempt employees is now increased to $4,506.67 per month (or $54,080 annually).

May an employee agree to work for less than the minimum wage?

No. The minimum wage is an obligation of the employer and cannot be waived by any agreement, including collective bargaining agreements. Laws enacted for the protection of employees may not be avoided by agreement between the employer and employee.

Is the minimum wage the same for both adult and minor employees?

Yes. The law does not make a distinction between adults and minors in the payment of the minimum wage.

Can a restaurant use the tips received by a waiter/waitress as a credit toward its obligation to pay the minimum wage?

No. An employer may not use an employee’s tips as a credit toward its obligation to pay the minimum wage.

What can I do if my employer doesn’t pay me at least the minimum wage?

You can file a lawsuit in state or federal court against your employer to recover the lost wages or you can file a wage claim with the Labor Commissioner’s Office. Additionally, if you no

Calendar of Events across

longer work for this employer, you can make a claim for waiting time penalty. If your claim is filed in court, you may also recover the minimum wage violation penalty ($100 for each underpaid employee for first pay period of violation and $250 per employee for each subsequent pay periods) interest, costs, and attorneys’ fees.

What can I do if my employer retaliates against me because I complained about not being paid the minimum wage?

If your employer retaliates against you in any manner (for example, by firing, suspending, demoting or assigning to a less advantageous position) because you complained about not being paid the minimum wage, or because you filed a claim or hired an attorney to file a claim for minimum wage violations, you may file a claim for retaliation in state or federal court against your employer. Consult with an experienced lawyer if you believe your rights are violated in the workplace. *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at no-cost.

You can contact the office at (818) 2910088 or visit www.joesayaslaw.com. [C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is an experienced trial attorney who has successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is a Presidential Awardee for Outstanding Filipino Overseas in 2018.]

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America

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

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

JA N UA RY 1 2

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

JA N UA RY 1 6

Filipino cuisine pop-up with Parsnip and BOSFilipinos in Boston, MA Parsnip’s Executive Chef Jeffrey Salazar, of Filipino heritage, is partnering with the BOSFilipinos community for a one-night only Filipino feast. The spotlight for this Pop-Up dinner is Filipino cuisine, still a rarity in Boston, and a move towards building better intercultural relations, removing boundaries, and creating a global community. Please email info@bosfilipinos.com if you have any questions.

JA N UA RY 1 9

33rd year anniversary of Feast of Santo Niño in Los Angeles Santo Niño Cruzada USA is inviting all devotees of Santo Niño to come and join us in the 33rd year anniversary mass celebration of the Feast of Santo Nino, the Divine Infant Jesus, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, on Sunday, January 19, 2020 at 3:30 p.m. The principal celebrant is Bishop Alex D. Aclan. Please come early since the pre-liturgy will start around 3:00 p.m. Participants include the Knights of Columbus - Los Angeles District, Precious Blood and St. Kevin Church Choirs, Southern California Sinulog Dance Co and other dance groups and religious organizations. This mass will also be offered to honor the late Cebu Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, who gave the Santo Niño statue that is used to celebrate the annual feast, to Los Angeles Archbishop Emeritus Roger Cardinal Mahony and Monsignor Kevin Kostelnik several years ago. For more information, please contact Romy & Tess Esturas at (213) 387-6982.

Santo Niño Feast Day in Long Beach, CA All are welcome to the Sto. Niño Feast Day on Sunday, January 19 at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Long Beach, CA. The event begins at 2:30 p.m. with the procession; 3 p.m. mass; and 4 p.m. reception at Msgr. Gualderon hall (just across the street). Please bring your Sto. Niño images for blessing at the mass. For more information, please contact Beth Silva at (562) 7564201 or Tony Silva at (562) 822-5803. The church is located at 540 W. 6th Street, Long Beach, CA 90802.

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

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GANAP Singers warm hearts of Fil-Am...

Mirelle Anne Enrique plays the piano and is supported by younger brother Niel.

Baritone soloist Greg De Leon

Cellist Neil Dan Enriquez

PAGE C1 t of GANAP. Siblings from the musical Enriquez family, Neil Dan on Cello and Mirielle Anne, on the piano performed “La Vie En Rose” and Cayabyab’s “Araw Gabi” (Day and Night) as little brother Niel served as their adorable page-turner.

Opening the second part, with singers emerging from varied places, was “Ordee” composed

by Lester Delgado, followed by folk favorite “Paruparong Bukid” (Field Butterfly) by Bay Area arranger George Hernandez and OPM Songs “Tayo’y Mga Pinoy” (We are Filipinos), “Bituing Walang Ningning” (Star with no light), and “Paraiso” (Paradise).

The program closed with American pop and Broadway songs, and a medley of iconic Filipino music arranged by GANAP’s Artistic Director and Conductor Dr. Alexis Jan “Agoy” Patacsil.

Patacsil, formerly of the famed

Emcees Annie Nepomuceno and FilAm Arts program director Giselle Tongi AJPress photos by Ding Carreon

University of the Philippines Concert Chorus, commented that he embarked on this journey to inspire these talented individuals to rise from their hardships in life.

The quality of their performance has brought support to their nonprofit organization, where the performing arts enable the participants to sustain themselves, and see the world.

Most of the group were firsttimers to the U.S., while some had participated in choral festivals in Singapore and Taiwan.

Touring as the GANAP Singers this 2020 are Karl Daniel Canlas, Jan Michael P. Romano, Stephanie Fate T. Longkino, Ivy Magno, Lawrence Figueroa, Mary Melody Connie Reyes, Lovely Kate Enriquez, Lorenzo Nilo, and Cyrus Caliwara.

The choir is one of the offshoots of the GANAP Performing Arts Program. GANAP is actually an acronym for “Galaw” (movement),

“Awit” (song), “Ngiti” (smile), “Arte” (arts) and “Palakpak” (applause). The Performing Arts Association, Inc. was established in 2016, then known as GANAP Quezon City Polytechnic University.

It is envisioned as an avenue for enhancing the potential of young and talented scholars of Quezon City, molded to be ambassadors of culture and the arts, to bring honor and glory to the Philippines.

FilAm Arts and Philippine Patrons of the Arts USA, represented by co-emcees Giselle Tongi-Walters and Annie Nepomuceno, respectively, urged the audience to donate at this worthy event. The proceeds were split between the touring needs of GANAP and the relaunch of FilAm Arts’ Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture (September 2020), as well as the improvement of the Erehwon Center for the Arts facilities in Quezon City, the home base of the GANAP Performing Arts Foundation. ■

C4 JANUARY 11-14, 2020 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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People & Events

APAICS accepting congressional fellowship applications until Jan 24 THE Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) is accepting applications for its Congressional Fellowship program until January 24, 2020, 5 p.m. EST. The Fellowship program dates are from September 2020 to June 2021.

APAICS Congressional Fellowship is designed for young Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) professionals looking to increase their experience in public policy and service. The full-time, paid, nine-month long program provides Fellows with opportunities to build their leadership skills, encourages political engagement, and fosters interests in public service careers. Fellows are placed in congressional offices and serve as part of the legislative team.

If accepted, APAICS Congressional Fellows will receive the following benefits: a grant of $22,500 for the duration of the nine-month Fellowship (equivalent to a $30,000 annual salary), domestic roundtrip transportation to Washington, DC, professional development funds and health insurance reimbursements of $200 a month. Fellows will also be provided invaluable work experience in Washington, DC and access to leadership development program, networking and APAICS alumni network, among others.

Applicants must have completed their undergraduate degree and/or have at least five years of

The Feast of Santo Niño on January 19 in Los Angeles

Photo courtesy of apaics.org

public service experience prior to the program start date, and must be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents or individuals who are legally authorized to work fulltime without restriction for any U.S. employer and who possess lawful evidence of employment authorization.

Fellows are required to work 40 hours a week at placement site, attend a one-day orientation, participate in all APAICS-sponsored activities, develop and execute a policy briefing to promote public policy issues of importance to AAPIs, and comply with APAICS policies regarding work performance and personal conduct.

Meanwhile, APAICS also announced that it is accepting applications to its Congressional Internship program until February 27, 2020.

The Internship is designed for AAPI undergraduate age students looking to increase their experience in public policy and service.

The paid, eight-week summer program places interns in con-

gressional offices and provides them with the opportunity to develop their leadership and professional skills, encourages political engagement, and fosters interests in public service careers.

Internship program dates are from June 2020 to August 2020.

Successful applicants will receive, among others, a $2,500 grant (to be paid in two installments) and domestic roundtrip transportation to Washington, DC. Interns are required to work 40 hours a week at placement site, attend a one-day orientation, complete weekly journals, submit a program evaluation at the end of the internship and participate in APAICS orientation and training programs, and comply with APAICS policies regarding work performance and personal conduct.

For a more information about the APAICS Congressional Fellowship and the Congressional Internship programs, visit www. apaics.org. ■

Young client has $1-M judgment...

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the judgment becomes a claim against the assets of the debtor.

So spare your descendants the headache of having to deal with your debts when you die by getting your fresh start by wiping out all your debts while keeping all if not most of your assets while you are still alive and kicking because in 10 years, there is absolutely no record that you ever filed, and your credit score becomes perfect again as long as you handle new credit on a timely basis.

Please note that Walt Disney filed for Chapter 7 twice before his business, Disney — which includes theme parks worldwide,

Marvel, and movies and is worth billions of dollars — became wildly successful. Milton Hershey of Hershey Chocolates also filed for Chapter 7 before his chocolate business became a worldwide business also worth billions.

I mean, I don’t think you can say that you’re smarter than Walt Disney or Milton Hershey, right?

So, a fresh start under bankruptcy law is not just something good, it’s something very good.

Even Orange County filed for bankruptcy relief about 15 years ago. It still looks pretty good over there next door, doesn’t it? What’s Forever 21 doing now? It’s under bankruptcy reorganization. What

did Pres. Trump’s businesses do in the 90s? They filed at least four bankruptcy reorganizations.

If you need debt relief, please set an appointment. 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.

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SANTO Niño Cruzada USA is inviting all devotees of Santo Niño to come and join us in the 33rd year anniversary mass celebration of the Feast of Santo Nino, the Divine Infant Jesus, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, on Sunday, January 19, 2020 at 3:30 p.m. The principal celebrant is Bishop Alex D.

Aclan. Please come early since the pre-liturgy will start around 3:00 p.m. Participants include the Knights of Columbus - Los Angeles District, Precious Blood and St. Kevin Church Choirs, Southern California Sinulog Dance Co and other dance groups and religious organizations. This mass will also be offered to honor the

late Cebu Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, who gave the Santo Niño statue that is used to celebrate the annual feast, to Los Angeles Archbishop Emeritus Roger Cardinal Mahony and Monsignor Kevin Kostelnik several years ago. For more information, please contact Romy & Tess Esturas at (213) 387-6982. ■

living descendants of pioneers who witnessed this miracle of the dancing sun and personally share what their great grandparents saw at orientation meetings attended by travel guides in Fatima.

From 1916 to 1918, children of Portugal were dying from flu or pneumonia and even after a stay in the hospital, Jacinta came home with an open wound, and later, her early death. Science then had not found adequate cures for these common respiratory illnesses that 75% of the population perished, as shown by a chart documenting the population’s health conditions

one big Universe. Could this Big Bang be also the Higher One up above?

Monument to the navigators and Portugal’s globalization identity as pioneers Neither did I expect to appreciate the Portuguese navigators, e.g. Ferdinand Magellan, who circumnavigated the world in search of new lands, spices and new routes. Magellan was a fallen Portuguese as far as the Filipinos were concerned, having read from history books that Lapu Lapu killed him in 1521 in Cebu.

I failed to appreciate the bravery and courage shown by Ma-

oped in Portugal to explore the West African Coast into the Atlantic Ocean.

At the height of Portugal’s empire building, the monument included a priest, a poet Luis Vaz de Camoes, Vasco da Gama as well as other navigators, painters, mathematicians, cartographers, and kings, such that the “Portuguese were the first fearless men that crossed the Cape of Good Hope, and of course, the recognized first navigators of the world,” the website A View on Cities cited.

This is where globalization started, our tour guide Manuela Diaz astutely shared her insight.

From a map of the world, we traced by our footsteps Portugal’s colonies, which included Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea, India, Macau, Malacca, Morocco, Mozambique, Timor, Uruguay, and West Africa, and acknowledged the unfortunate enslavement of Africans during this period.

It opened my eyes that Portugal’s identity as a country is so much linked to its past, including what they regarded as their golden 15th and 16th centuries, the earthquake of the 17th century and the rebuilding after.

Recall the Carnation Revolution that was started by a military coup on April 25, 1974, against the authoritarian Estado Novo regime? A shrine to that effort is the 25th of April Bridge in Lisbon, a suspension bridge that spans the Tagus River (near the Monument to the Navigators) and is a spitting image of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

Would you have persisted in your beliefs as a miracle witness?

Each time I sought answers as to why I was drawn to the Fatima Square, the more details I knew about the three shepherds and how they were prepared by the Angel of Peace on how to pray, “Pray thus. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary are attentive to the voice of your supplications,” it remained a mystery.

“Because God is a mystery, two crucial principles of theological aesthetics can be articulated. First, God’s incomprehensibility belongs to God alone.

Second, such incomprehensibil-

ity does not cease with the vision of God. Someone becomes known in mystery even as mystery makes us realize how little we know. Similarly, the beautiful allows Beauty to be felt even as Beauty itself slips, in the end, past the grasp of our affection,” Alejandro Garcia-Rivera wrote in his book, “The Community of the Beautiful.”

Yet, the unknowable mystery is replaced by the awe of God’s infinite wisdom in sending the angels and the Blessed Mother to convey the messages to these three shepherds.

First, the visions of hell, the sea of fire underneath the earth where demons and souls in human forms were floating in burning flames, with clouds of smoke with the appearance of the Our Lady of Fatima, “otherwise I think we would have died of fear and terror,” Lucia wrote in her memoirs.

The second secret was “The war is going to end. When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that this is a great sign given you by God that He is about to punish the world for its crimes, by means of war, famine, and the persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father. To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the Consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays.”

Recall the First Friday devotions reported by St. Mary Margaret Alacoque in the 17th century whose remains and relics we also visited in September’s Marian Pilgrimage in 2019?

For a long time, the third message of Our Lady of Fatima was kept a secret as requested by the Virgin of Fatima from Lucia, who had senses of hearing, seeing and talking with the Virgin of Fatima and whom the Virgin requested to go to school to learn how to read and write. Francisco could only see the Virgin of Fatima while Jacinta could see and hear the Virgin but could not talk directly with her, as Lucia did.

The third secret was given to Lucia on July 13, 1917, by Our Lady of Fatima and was disclosed in three phases. When Lucia got sick, she was ordered by Bishop of Leiria in 1943 to write down

Fatima: ‘A window onto a new inner world with the light of Heaven within’

by PROSY

ABARQUEZ-DELACRUZ, J.D. AJPress

Part 2 of 2 “In the presence of a miracle, faith is never washed away,” 60 Minutes’ Scott Pelley reported from Lalibela, Ethiopia.

Two hundred thousand pilgrims visit Lalibela for an 11 church-pilgrimage in the northern highlands of Ethiopia around Christmas, celebrated during the first week of January.

These churches were built from a single rock, and many believe that angels built them, carved in precision and in darkness while inside a big stone.

They tunneled in the darkness that enables pilgrim/believers to worship today in the light, prayers, and music.

Angels also preceded the onset of a century-old pilgrimage to Fatima, a city in the municipality of Ourém in Portugal, named for a 12th-century Moorish princess.

Portugal, for me, has been in the back of my mind, not the top of my mind.

Why? Ferdinand Magellan was killed by Lapu Lapu for colonizing the Philippines. Being born into the colonized country left me with a subdued feeling of bias towards Lapu Lapu and a feeling of somewhat angst of being in Portugal.

Yet, as a natural American citizen who has resided in the U.S. for close to half a century, my visit to Portugal made me begin to examine these lingering thoughts. Should they be replaced? Can we truly understand the people of Portugal and why Magellan carved a new route to explore the world?

Can we be guided by the stories of the Angels and the Apparitions of the Queen of Peace, which seem to have so much relevance today as we read about the launched missiles on U.S. bases recently by Iran and how U.S. guided drones led to the death of Iran’s second high ranking military official? Are we on the cusp of another world war or should we factor in our beliefs about Our Blessed Virgin Mary, also known as the Queen of Portugal and the Queen of Peace?

Upon visiting this holy site, we learned that the Angel of

Peace and the Angel of Portugal preceded the century-strong pilgrimages to Fatima, Portugal, following the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1917.

Our Lady of Fatima and to believe beyond what we see These three shepherds were Lucia dos Santos (born 1907), Francisco Marto (born 1908) and Jacinta Marto (born 1910) and lived in this town of Portugal whose communities were into agriculture and sheep herding.

They sought refuge from the rains, as they tended to their family’s flock of sheep. They were cousins who reveled in each other’s company, “illiterate and sent to work at a young age, saw almost no one else between morning and evening. The terrain consisted of a high valley interspersed with olive groves, oaks, holm oaks, and pines, leading up some hills. The sheep would graze on parcels of land the families owned, while the little shepherds played games, prayed the rosary, and girls danced while Francisco played his flute, or they sang popular songs,” Andrew Housely wrote in “A Pilgrim’s Guide to Fatima” (2017).

They were ages 7, 9 and 12, yet the mother of Francisco and Jacinta could not protect them from the community’s detractors to the point that she encouraged them to retract and reject what they saw to stop the shunning.

But, these young shepherds persisted. Their pure hearts could be relied on.

Our Lady of Fatima reportedly visited them six times. The seventh would be at noon on October 13, 1917, gathered around the chief priest and witnessed by 70,000 folks. All had their umbrellas, seeking cover from the rain. The three shepherds arrived at 11:30 a.m., with Lucia and Jacinta donning a crown of flowers. Lucia ordered those gathered to close their umbrellas and all promptly obeyed.

From once gray clouds, the sun came out, without the cover of the clouds, and 70,000 witnessed the sun to have spun around, like a ring of fireworks.

Today, it is described by the

Volunteer pilgrims carry the statue of Our Lady of Fatima from the sacristy through the Chapel of Apparitions and around the prayer area.

AJPress photo

during that time, as well as headlines of newspapers of that period, when the shepherds stayed with the Ourem Administrator in his house, between August 13 to 15, 1917. Folks then resorted to their faith more. Unlike today that most of these serious ailments are cured by hospital stays, respirator assist and antibiotics.

Now, we find faith and science converging. Although they are on parallel paths, as one philosopher notes, they seem to converge to the Source, the “theory of everything.” Even the world’s genius physicist Stephen Hawking considered the Big Bang Theory as accounting for the gravitational forces in this

gellan to reach this island, as much as the bravery of Filipinos who fought against these colonizers.

In contrast, the cold dreary winds and the gray skies heightened my appreciation for the sun-dappled Monument to the Discoveries, also known as the Monument to the Navigators of the golden 15th and 16th centuries, when Portugal commanded the world’s colonies that controlled half, while Spain controlled another half.

Thirty-three heroes are memorialized here, led by Infante d.

Henriques, also known as Henry the Navigator, on the edge of the replica of a caravel, the small maneuverable sailing ship devel-

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Fatima: ‘A window onto a new inner world...

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rains be a convergence of grace from Above, sprinkling us all wet as we prayed, just as Our Lady of Fatima had asked of the three shepherds, over a hundred years ago, in 1917? It was raining then, yet, each time, it would clear up, much like how we were submerged in the healing waters of Lourdes, and as soon as we got outside of the tub of these waters, we were dry without using a towel and a resurgence of lightness, an uplifted sense of well being, without weariness, aches or pains.

How can that simple request of Our Lady of Fatima gain a following of a pilgrimage church, visited by 20 million tourists each year?

When I held the hand of Sister Lucia’s niece, Maria dos Ajos, now 98 years old, during both Sept and Nov. 2019 pilgrimages, I was seeking clarity about what my senses were picking up. My senses were in hyper mode alertness: looking, observing, watching, listening, and of course, praying.

But I could not gain clarity singularly from my mind, a human mind capable of recognizing symbols, metaphors, and even make abstractions. I had to resort to my heart, opening it more to recognize that what I was feeling was true, quite humbled in witnessing grace from God. The question to you, my dear readers, would your heart and mind’s interior world, as it is now, be ready to accept a miracle or series of miracles that befall on you?

What did I see: the rosary in Maria’s hands, her wrinkled face, yet with broad smiles, the picture of the three shepherds taken after the first apparition of Our Lady of Fatima, near a large holm-oak tree. This is where, Sister Lucia described in her own words, “we beheld a Lady all dressed in white. She was more brilliant than the sun, and radiated a light more clear and intense than a crystal glass filled with sparkling water, when the rays of the burning sunshine through it. I too sensed a fragrance coming from a bouquet of flowers, the warmth of her heart and the lightness of her energy.

In Lucia’s words, she described her own witnessed miracle: “Our Lady spoke to us: “Do not be afraid. I will do you no harm.”

“Where are you from?”

“I am from Heaven.”

“What do you want of me?”

“I have come to ask you to come here for six months in succession, on the 13th day, at this same hour. Later on, I will tell you who I am and what I want. Afterward, I will return here yet a seventh time.”

It reminded me of “what the artist and photographer Carrie Mae Weems said about the power of images and the art of looking: It’s in that looking that you discover the multiplicity of a simple thing and the depth of a certain thing. And not only of a certain thing, but your relationship to that thing, and your relationship therefore with yourself is deepened,” I once learned from hearing Jason Parham relate about a fellow artist in 2018.

When you replace that thing with God, and your relationship with God deepens, your relationship with yourself also deepens.

That is perhaps beyond the metaphor of sight, delving into the metaphor of mystery, and perhaps even believing beyond what you see with your naked eyes. It is also with renewed beliefs that prior miracles and new miracles unfold before our very eyes.

After all, shedding bias is also a miracle of the mind, when I shed my bias towards Lapu Lapu and made an effort to understand Magellan who came from Portugal and even appreciate that his courage led to us being connected as nations in this world.

It is like listening to Fado music, a genre of melancholic music developed by Portuguese in the 1980s, that contains the sentiment of nostalgia, longing, and aspiration. Might that be a spiritual hunger, to be closer to God, a feeling of ‘saudade’ by millions who aspire to be united with Our Lady of Fatima, her son, Jesus “Padrão dos Descobrimentos,” translated as Monument of the Discoveries, is dedicated to Christ, the most powerful Holy Portugal’s age of exploration during the 15th and 16th centuries.

Spirit and God Himself? n

this third secret, which was in a sealed envelope and given to the Bishop for safekeeping. In 1957, the Vatican ordered all of Lucia’s writings be transferred there.

Pope John XXIII read the contents possibly with his confessor and the contents were resealed again. It was not until the bloody assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican on May 13, 1981 that the Pope on March 25, 1984, consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The third secret was about “Our Lady and little above her was an angel with a flaming sword in his left hand, flashing, giving out flames, that died out when in contact with the splendor that Our Lady radiated towards him from her right hand. The Angel cried out: Penance, Penance, Penance.

We saw the immense light that is God…a Bishop dressed in white (we had the impression it was the Holy Father). Other bishops, priests, men, and women were going up a steep mountain, at the top of which there was a big Cross of rough-hewn trunks as of a cork tree with the bark before reaching there the Holy Father passed through a big city half in ruins and half trembling with halting step, afflicted with pain and sorrow, he prayed for the souls of the corpses he met on his way; having reached the top of the mountain, on his knees at the foot of the Big Cross, he was killed by a group of soldiers who fired bullets and arrows at him, and in the same way there died one after another the Bishops, Priests, men and women Religious, and various lay people of different ranks and positions. Beneath the two arms of the Cross, there were two Angeles each with a crystal aspersorium in his hand, in which they gathered up the blood of the Martyrs and with it sprinkled the souls that were making their way to God,” A Pilgrim’s Guide to Fatima noted.

Pope Francis’ 2017 visit confirmed that the third secret and blood came from Pope John Paul II’s assassination.

As gratitude for being saved by Our Lady of Fatima, Pope John Paul II donated the papal ring that he received as a gift at the start of his papacy in 1978, as well as the assassin’s bullet retrieved from his operation. The bullet fits exactly at the center of the crown placed on the statue of Our Lady of Fatima, crowned as Queen of Portugal and as Queen of Peace and the world.

Seeing the papal ring made me recall a bucket list wish of mine: to see Pope Francis in person inside the White House during Pres. Obama’s tenure. Here I was, September 23, 2015, in Washington D.C., along with 500 media representatives from around the world, covering the Papal visit for the Asian Journal’s readers.

It was a wish that I thought was impossible, yet by God’s miracle, I was praying the rosary at 3:15 a.m., finding my way to the White

House, closed off by barricades.

I am now realizing as devotees of the Virgin Mary in a Catholic elementary school, that I was actually there in Fatima, where before it was just a pipe dream, as my limited faith could not visualize it. Pinching myself several times, as I sat amongst thousands of pilgrims in Fatima, who spoke in many languages: Portuguese, Tagalog, English, Korean, Taiwanese, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, French, Japanese, Ethiopian. I realize that my elementary school dream came true not just once, but twice.

For the Nov. 2019 pilgrimage, Manuela Diaz was our travel guide, courtesy of a well-curated trip by the Association of Commerce, Industry, and Services of Ourem (ACISO)’s Isabel Machado. This trip was exceptional in blending what Smithsonian Journeys often describe their trips as: “unique blend of enriching insights, exceptional quality, intellectual camaraderie and personal attention,” a four-pillar feature of well-curated pilgrimage with not a failed moment to speak of.

The first time I got to Fatima was in Sept. 2019 when a holy priest, Fr. Joel O. Bugas, led it. I regard him as holy as he kept the focus on our spirituality, paying attention to the Holy Spirit, and led us to a renewal of committing our lives to God and by his actions, promoted group’s reverence to God, Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, the angels, the Saints, the Holy Father, his fellow priests, including a pleasant surprise of a mass concelebrating with Cardinal Gerald Cyprien Lacroix. It was during a 14-day pilgrimage that allowed us to go to medieval churches, see the French countryside, visit fourteen saints, go from the south to north, from Portugal to Spain to France, ending in Paris.

The allure of the Eiffel Tower in Paris was the clinching factor for me to join this multi-city pilgrimage only to realize later it was actually the spiritual magnetism of having a personal relationship with Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Lourdes in France and a visit to St. Therese of Lisieux on her feast day, which gave me these unforgettable experiences.

With no nap, I had limited energy, yet the sight of at least 5,000 pilgrims, and lighted candles carried by folks of various ethnicities, inside the Chapel of Apparitions in Fatima, we became part of the twenty million pilgrims who come here from around the world to form a million-strong pilgrimage church each year. They come here from May to October, except August, each year.

On May 13, 2017, Pope Francis was welcomed by millions who witnessed his announcement that Jacinta and Francisco are now canonized saints, as the Vatican has verified the miracles, and healing has been stable for over a decade, traceable to the shepherds’ prayers.

Could the persistent strong

The entrance of Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity perfectly frames the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary in the Sanctuary of Fatima

Nightly candlelight procession at the Sanctuary of Fatima.

Inside Casa de Lucia, the childhood home of Lucia in the town of A marble floor map shows some of Portugal’s expeditions, including Aljustrel. Lucia, who was one of the children visited by Our Lady, Macau in China and Malacca in Malaysia. became a nun later in life.

Belém Tower that served as a ceremonial gateway into Lisbon, Portgual

Ponte 25 de Abril, known as the 25th April Bridge, in Lisbon is the longest suspension bridge in Europe. It was renamed after the Carnation Revolution on April 25, 1974 that ended António de Oliveira Salazar’s dictatorial regime.

A group of statues in the garden of Lucia’s childhood home depict the apparition of Our Lady of Fatima visiting young Jacinta, her brother Francisco, and their cousin Lucia.

View of a heart sculpture in Fatima

AJPress photos

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Changing visa categories and priority dates DTI: Travel ban vs US senators might

WHEN a petition is filed for a family member, the beneficiary (the person being petitioned) is assigned a “priority date,” which is their “place in line” for a visa.

They can apply for their immigrant visa or green card only when their priority date is current (or visa is available), which can take many, many years.

Some people mistakenly believe that the circumstances that existed at the time the petition is filed should apply throughout the entire process. For example, if they were petitioned as single, but later got married, they should still be processed as single. If they were under 21 when the petition was filed, but later aged out, they should still be considered a minor. If the petitioner was alive when the petition was filed but later died, they should still be entitled to a visa without humanitarian revalidation, since the petition was filed while the petition was alive.

This viewpoint is not correct. It is not the circumstances that existed when the petition was filed that apply to a person’s petition or case, but instead the circumstances that exist when the visa becomes available. If there are certain changes or developments, it could result in their petition being reclassified into a different category and either make the waiting time for a visa faster or longer.

The following are some changes in circumstances that could affect a person’s visa category and/or priority date: • F-1 petition (single child of U.S. citizen) converts to F-3 (married child of U.S. citizen) upon the beneficiary’s marriage, and they are subject to the F-3 priority dates.

• F-3 petition converts it to F-1

Immigration Corner ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ upon the termination of the beneficiary’s marriage (by divorce, annulment, death of spouse, etc.), and the beneficiary is subject to the F-1 priority dates, which are much faster. (I have previously written articles that if a person is under an F-3 petition but their marriage is effectively “over,” because their spouse abandon them, disappeared, or there’s no more love, they may want to consider terminating the marriage rather than staying in the longer F-3 category.

• Immediate relative petition of minor child of U.S. citizen (IR) converts to F-3 if the child marries before their visa is issued.

• F-2B petition (single adult child of green card holder parent) is automatically void and terminated if the beneficiary marries before the petitioner naturalizes or visa is issued. It does not matter that the beneficiary was “single” when the petition was filed. If they get married before visa issuance (or before the petitioner naturalized), the petition becomes void as of their wedding day. If the F-2B beneficiary marries after the petitioner naturalizes, the petition converts to F-3.

• Unless eligible for benefits under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA), minor child who turns 21 years of age (ages out), results in an IR child converting to F-1 (unless he was under 21 years of age when the petition was filed) , F-2A converting to F-2B, or a derivative

beneficiary falling off their parent’s petition.

• Naturalization of the petitioner results in an F-2A petition converting to IR (if the beneficiary is still under 21 years of age), or an F-2B petition converting to F-1 (unless the beneficiary elects to remain in the F-2B category).

I realize the laws concerning visa categories, conversion of petitions, and priority dates can be very complex and confusing. If there have been any changes in a person’s circumstances that may affect the waiting time on their visa, they may want to consider consulting with an immigration attorney, who can evaluate their case and determine if they are in the proper visa category and/or eligible for a faster visa category. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-4873465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES

affect free trade agreement talks

by TYRONE JASPER

C. PIAD

ManilaTimes.net

THE travel ban ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte against two American senators last month might affect the planned Philippines-United States free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations this year, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, in an interview with The Manila Times, said the ban had become a “possible part of the equation,” adding that it could weigh on the countries’ relationship.

Last December, Duterte denied U.S. Senators Dick Durbin of Illinois and Patrick Leahy of Vermont entry of to the Philippines.

The two lawmakers have supported a law banning Philippine government officials involved in the imprisonment of Sen. Leila de Lima from entering the U.S. The Palace had said “any form of pressure that is deemed or tantamount to an interference into our established justice system or other processes shall be reciprocated.”

Should the U.S. implement

the ban, President Duterte said his administration might require American citizens to secure a visa to enter the country.

“I don’t know if they would want to mix politics with trade, we don’t know that,” Lopez said.

But the Trade chief remains optimistic, saying this would not stop the DTI from pushing for an FTA deal.

“We will continue with what we have to do,” he said. “As far as we are concerned, we would like to treat it differently, separately [from the] FTA.” Both Lopez and American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Executive Director Ebb Hinchliffe recently said they were looking forward to launchPAGE D2

How the Philippines felt the impact of US-Iran tension

MANILA, Philippines — Climate of terror reigned supreme in the past days after tensions between the U.S. and its archfoe Iran quickly escalated following the assassination of a top Iranian general.

Iran promised to avenge its (Advertising Supplement) influential commander, Qasem Soleimani, stoking war fears.

On Wednesday, January 8 Iran retaliated and fired missiles at two Iraqi bases used by the U.S. military.

“Attend as many events as possible and do your research beforehand.

But the dust appeared to have settled for now, with Iran’s forKnowing who you’ll be meeting with and understanding how they may eign minister saying the Islamic be able to help you is vital. With preparation, you are instantly set up republic did not “seek escalafor a productive and efficient conversation once you’re face-to-face.” tion or war” and U.S. President Donald Trump announcing fresh — Kegan Schouwenburg, founder of Sols sanctions on Iran and hinting

Business Quote of the Week

Philippine Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez ManilaTimes.net file photo

Washington would not immediately take further military actions.

The recent developments sent shockwaves across the globe, and here’s how the Philippines felt them.

Financial markets The looming spectre of war frayed investors’ nerves in the past days, rattling Philippine financial markets.

After Iran’s first retaliation, Philippine equities sank 1.33% on Wednesday as investors ran to safer haven assets like gold.

The Philippines’ regional peers also suffered losses.

Meanwhile, the Philippine peso on Wednesday managed to get support from remittance in-

flows, closing almost flat against the U.S. dollar amid risk-off sentiment arising from tensions in the Middle East.

Both Philippine shares and the local unit recovered Thursday as anxiety over the U.S.-Iran situation eased.

Economy The tit-for-tat assaults between the US and Iran sent world oil prices up, threatening net oil importers like the Philippines.

On Wednesday, global oil prices immediately jumped on the news of Iran’s counterattack, with the benchmark WTI (West Texas intermediate) spiking more than 4.5% to $65.54 a barrel before receding slightly, AFP PAGE D2

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DOJ: File money laundering charges vs Jollibee bares planned offering Philrem for $81-M Bangladesh Bank caper by daxim

L. LuCas

Inquirer.net

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice has ordered the filing of charges for four counts of money laundering against the owners of local remittance firm Philrem Service Corp. in connection with the $81-million Bangladesh Bank cyber heist in 2016.

In a 23-page resolution dated December 12, 2019, Justice Undersecretary Adrian Ferdinand Sugay reversed an earlier department ruling dismissing the charges against the remittance firm’s owners.

He said Philrem – a covered institution under the Anti-Money Laundering Act – failed to report to the Anti Money Laundering Council (AMLC) the series of suspicious transactions that paved the way to conceal money stolen from the central bank of Bangladesh almost four years ago.

Upholding AMLC’s position, the Justice department said there is more than sufficient evidence to charge Philrem owners Salud and Michael Bautista and the firm’s compliance officer Anthony Pelejo “for knowingly transacting with money that represents, involves or relates to the proceeds of an illegal activity which facilitated the offense of money laundering.� “Since Philrem Service Corp. is a covered institution under Republic Act No. 9160, as amended, its officers are and should be

Inquirer.net file photo

charged with full knowledge of the corporation’s legal obligations,� the resolution said. “That [their] suspicious transaction report said so little despite what the law very clearly required betrays an attempt on the part of the corporation’s responsible officers to conceal, what is, in truth, a very irregular, if not downright illegal, transaction,� it added.

Meanwhile, the same resolution upheld an earlier recommendation by government lawyers to dismiss the charges against casino junket operators Kam Sin Wong and Weikang Xu for insufficient evidence.

It stressed that there’s not enough proof or corroborating evidence to establish their participation or knowledge in the laundering operation and the

nature of the subject funds.

It will be recalled that in February 2016, still unidentified parties used fraudulent orders executed on the Swift electronic payments system to steal $81 million from the Bangladeshi central bank account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The money was sent to fictitious accounts at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.’s Jupiter St. branch in Makati City, then found its way into the casino industry in the Philippines via Philrem.

Last year, the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 149 found former RCBC branch manager Maia Deguito guilty of eight counts of money laundering in connection with the heist and sentenced her to a jail term ranging from 32 to 56 years. The case is currently on appeal. n

The Jollibee mascot poses with a bucket of Chicken Joy and a large Red Ribbon mango cake during the grand opening of the country’s North American headquarters in West Covina, California on November 19, 2019.

AJPress file photo by Noel Ty

coordinators for the transaction.

These firms, along with Credit JOLLIBEE Foods Corp. is look- Suisse and Mizuho Securities, ing to raise funds through the is- are also appointed as joint lead suance of U.S. dollar-denominat- managers and bookrunners “to ed senior guaranteed perpetual arrange a series of fixed income capital securities. investor meetings in Hong In a disclosure on Thursday, Kong, Singapore and London January 9, the listed food giant commencing on Jan. 13, 2020.� said that proceeds from the posJollibee’s issuance of the said sible offering will be allocated securities will depend on the to refinance the short-term debt market conditions. arising from The Coffee Bean In September last year, Jol& Tea Leaf (CBTL) buyout and libee announced that it had a general corporate matters. completed $350-million transacIts wholly owned subsidiary, tion to fully acquire U.S. specialJollibee Worldwide Pte. Ltd., ty coffee and tea brand CBTL. has tapped Citigroup Global Considered as Jollibee’s bigThe Philippine Embassy in Markets Singapore Pte. Ltd. and gest business acquisition so far, Iraq has issued Alert Level 4, JP Morgan Ltd. as joint global the transaction would increase calling for evacuation or mandatory repatriation in the country.

Meanwhile, the Labor department has been talking with other enjoying zero or reduced tariffs countries such as China, Rus- PAGE D1 t on over 5,000 goods or 48% of sia, Canada, Germany and Japan ing trade talks this year.

Lopez said it would like to add the 10,600 U.S. tariff lines under for possible redeployment of OFWs from the Middle East. The more export products to the U.S. the U.S. Generalized System of agency is also working on live- enjoying zero-tariff perks, citing Preferences (GSP).

The GSP privilege is effective lihood programs for returning footwear and garments among until December 31 this year.

OFWs who wish to stay in the them.

Hinchliffe said earlier that ne- Without the trade deal, the PhilPhilippines.

The estimated number of gotiations between the two coun- ippines would have to renew documented Filipinos in Iraq is tries, which he intended to bring GSP status to keep its preferenat 1,600 while there are 1,000 up to Congress early this year, tial status.

As of end-September, Philipin Iran. (Ian Nicolas Cigaral/ would not take too long, as both Philstar.com with reports from countries have clear agendas al- pine shipments to U.S. reached $8.57 billion, up 7.4% from the The STAR, BusinessWorld and ready.

Currently, the Philippines is previous year’s $7.98 billion, acAFP) n

by Tyrone Jasper

C. piad

ManilaTimes.net

How the Philippines felt the impact...

PAGE D1 t reported.

But Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno downplayed the impact of the US-Iran conflict on the economy, saying the government has the tools to keep inflation in check.

On remittance front, Diokno said most Filipino workers abroad are deployed in Saudi Arabia and not in Iran or Iraq.

Robert Dan Roces, economist at Security Bank, said an escalation of the tension between the US and Iran is not good for the Philippines. “What’s worrisome at the onset is the effect to remittances if our overseas Filipino workers get demobilized from the region,

given that the Middle East is the second largest deployment zone for our countrymen. Second, given that we are net importers of oil, we are sensitive to price shocks,� Roces told The STAR. Saudi Arabia was the major source of remittances from overseas Filipinos with $1.78 billion. Remittances from Iran only reached $409,000 and from Iraq, $259,00 in the first 10 months of 2019.

Labor migration The unrest in the Middle East prompted the Philippine government to send two battalions of soldiers, along with air and naval assets, to assist in the repatriation of Filipino workers in Iraq and Iran.

its global system-wide sales, total store network, worldwide sales contribution by 14%, 26% and 36%, respectively.

CBTL is seen to account for 14% of Jollibee’s worldwide system sales following the transaction.

Jollibee saw its net income in the first nine months of 2019 drop by 25.5% to P4.53 billion from the year-earlier P6.09 billion due to losses from Smashburger and Red Ribbon. Revenues and system-wide retail sales, however, grew by 9.1% to P127.21 billion and 11.7% to P171.07 billion, respectively.

Jollibee shares dropped P3.20 or 1.52% to end at P207 apiece on Thursday, January 9. n

DTI: Travel ban vs US senators... cording to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

U.S. imports, meanwhile, declined by 3.3% to $5.80 billion in the first three quarters of 2019 from nearly $6 billion year-onyear.

Currently, the Philippines’ only bilateral free trade agreement is with Japan under the Philippines-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement. The country is also working to conclude FTA negotiations with South Korea by the first half of this year. n

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PH ended 2019 with biggest ever $87.8-B dollar stash

by Daxim

PH factory output down for 12 consecutive months until November 2019

L. Lucas

Inquirer.net

The Philippines ended 2019 with the highest dollar reserves on record, thanks to the central bank’s income from foreign exchange operations, overseas investments and inflows from the government’s borrowing program, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said on Tuesday, Jan. 7.

In a statement, the BSP said its preliminary data showed that the country’s gross international reserves rose by $1.63 billion to $87.86 billion as of end-December 2019 from $86.23 billion as of end-November 2019.

This marked an increase of almost 11% over the $79.1 billion in dollar reserves recorded at the end of 2018. A large buffer of dollar reserves helps insulate the local economy from volatility caused by sudden exit of capital as it helps stabilize the peso against foreign currencies like the US dollar.

Inquirer.net file photo

The BSP said the dollar inflow was offset partly by outflows for foreign debt payments.

It said the end-December 2019 level of dollar reserves provided ample liquidity buffer for 7.7 months’ worth of imports of goods and services and payment of primary income.

The dollar level was also equivalent to 4.3 to 5.5 times the Philippines’ external debt.

Net international reserves, or the difference between the BSP’s stash and short-term liability, increased by $1.62 billion to $87.83 billion as of end-December 2019 from the end-November 2019 Photo shows production inside a factory in the Philippines. The output of PH-based factories overall dropped for the 12th consecutive month in level of $86.21 billion.

November 2019, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Inquirer.net file photo Previous to the full year 2019 VoPI was the biggest in three (VaPI) likewise slid for the 12th level, the country’s all-time high

by Ben O. De Vera months, or since August 2019’s consecutive month, contracting Inquirer.net record of dollar reserves was 10% drop. by 5.8% in November 2019, also $83.8 billion reported at the end The output of Philippine facThe PSA said declines in the fastest year-on-year drop in of 2012. n tories fell for the 12th straight output in eight major industry three months. month in November 2019 as the groups dragged down overall The PSA said two-digit decountry produced fewer pieces factory production. clines were reported in five key of furniture, equipment and maOutput in furniture and fix- industry groups—basic metals chinery, as well as metal and pe- tures fell 41.2%, basic metals by (36.2%), petroleum products troleum products.

29.5%, miscellaneous items by (25.6%), miscellaneous (20.7%), The Philippine Statistics Au- 22.1%, petroleum products by transport equipment (20.6%) and thority’s (PSA) latest initial 21.8%, transport equipment by electrical machinery (16.6%).

Monthly Integrated Survey of 16.7% and electrical machinery Value produced by these secSelected Industries (Missi) re- by 13%, the PSA said. tors also fell last November—texport released on Tuesday, Jan. 7 The same set of data, however, tiles, wood, furniture and fixtures showed that the volume of pro- showed production gains in these and paper. duction index (VoPI) declined industries—food manufacturing, PSA officials on Tuesday said 6.1% last November. printing, machinery, chemical that the agency will tweak its VoPI—a proxy for manufactur- products, footwear and apparel, Missi methodology to reflect ing output—has been declining fabricated metal, beverage, to- a more recent base year—the year-on-year since December bacco, leather products, paper, year-on-year growth rates were 2018. wood, rubber and plastics. currently being measured comThe contraction in November’s The value of production index pared with the year 2000. n

Improved infrastructure, connectivity seen to boost tourism by richmOnD

mercuriO Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Department of Tourism (DOT) have forged a collaboration for enhanced tourism infrastructure and increased connectivity to ensure sustained growth of the country’s tourism industry.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat signed Wednesday the establishment of the Institutionalized Leveraging Infrastructure Program for Airport Development (iLIPAD), a program which aims to promote sustainable tourism through the productive utilization of airport assets of the country. iLIPAD seeks to synchronize efforts of both agencies to boost airport and route development programs.

It likewise serves as the tourism industry’s platform for consulting the aviation sector as part of the mid-term review of the strategic actions on airport infrastructure and travel facilitation programs under the National Tourism Development Plan 2016-2022.

PLDT ready to face new competition Philstar.com file photo

Puyat said the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), which is the DOT’s implementing agency and infrastructure arm, is working with the DOTr on the possibility of funding several airports in the country to equip them with night-rating capabilities.

Puyat said a P1 billion funding is set for approval by the TIEZA Board in its next board meeting.

“We must make sure that it’s not only more fun in the Philip-

pines, but much safer too,” she said.

“This gesture is very encouraging, because believe it or not, the capacity of all commerciallyoperating airports in the Philippines has and have to be nightrated in order that they make sense and the efficiency desired can be achieved,” Tugade said.

Puyat also underscored the relationship between tourism and transportation for sustaining economic growth in the country. n

by riichmOnD

mercuriO Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — Telecommunications and digital services provider PLDT Inc. is ready for the arrival of a new industry competitor this year, according to its president Al Panlilio.

“Obviously Globe is not sleeping. We’re also aggressive to make sure we do better than them. Yes, we need to worry about the third player coming in,” Panlilio said.

Panlilio said the company is

not inclined to react to something that is not there yet. Instead, he said the group is preparing “just in case something happens.”

“We can’t be premature, but we have to be preemptive. We have to be ready when truly that’s what service they give. If they are there, then we will be ready,” he said.

“Honestly, are they going to be ready by 2020? I’m not sure.

Maybe 2021. We just have to focus on what we need to do. We need to make our customers happy, give them better service.

That’s the only way you can compete, have the better service in the market,” Panlilio said.

The official pointed out that it is not easy building a network, citing Smart’s experience of having spent 25 years to build its network nationwide.

“So if they can do it faster, then it’s good for them. We want to see first what they can bring to the table. But obviously we’re not gonna sit on that, and we want to make sure that at the very least our customers are happy with PAGE D5

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MassMutual approves $1.7 billion estimated 2020 policyowner dividend payout Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) announced last November 4 that its Board of Directors has approved a $1.7 billion estimated dividend payout in 2020 to eligible participating policyowners and members.

While dividends are not guaranteed, MassMutual has paid policyowner dividends every year since 1869. With the 2020 estimated payout, the company will have paid more than $15 billion of dividends over the past decade.

“Being a mutual company enables us to take a long-term approach to doing what’s best for our customers – from the investments we make, to the solutions we offer, to the experience we provide,” said Roger Crandall, MassMutual Chairman, President and CEO. “But more than anything else, our annual dividend payout has been one of the most enduring benefits of doing business with MassMutual. Four years after the Civil War ended, we began paying a dividend annually to our participating policyowners, and each payout has come with the strength and stability our policyowners can count on. We look forward to continuing to put these qualities to work to help millions more secure their future and protect the ones they

love.”

The 2020 estimated dividend payout reflects a dividend interest rate1 of 6.20 percent for eligible participating policies, illustrating MassMutual’s ability to maintain a leading competitive position in a prolonged and unprecedented low interest rate environment.

This is underscored by the company’s strong financial foundation, including record total adjusted capital of more than $25 billion2, its ability to maintain among the highest ratings of any company in any industry3, and its diverse mix of high performing businesses, including its non-participating insurance businesses, as well as its ownership interests in global asset management and other strategic investments.

“For more than 150 years, our policyowner dividend has been a tangible part of delivering on our company’s purpose,” added Crandall. “I am thankful for the leaders before me who helped establish that long-standing commitment, and especially proud of our financial professionals and employees who work each day to help our customers live their lives with greater confidence, dignity and security.”

About MassMutual MassMutual is a leading mutual life insurance company that is

run for the benefit of its members and participating policyowners.

MassMutual offers a wide range of financial products and services, including life insurance, disability income insurance, long term care insurance, annuities, retirement plans and other employee benefits. For more information, visit www.massmutual.com.

1. The dividend and dividend interest rate (DIR) are determined annually, subject to change and are not guaranteed. Dividends for eligible participating life insurance policies primarily consist of investment, mortality and expense components. The DIR is used to determine the investment component of the dividend.

It is not the rate of return on the policy and should not be the sole basis for comparing insurers or policy performance.

2. Estimated as of Sept. 30, 2019.

3. Financial strength ratings for MassMutual and its subsidiaries, C.M. Life Insurance Company and MML Bay State Life Insurance Company are as follows: A.M. Best Company, A++ (Superior); Fitch Ratings, AA+ (Very Strong); Moody’s Investors Service, Aa3 (High Quality); and Standard & Poor’s, AA+ (Very Strong). Ratings are as of November 4, 2019, and are subject to change.) n

PLDT ready to face new competition PAGE D3 t our service,” Panlilio said.

Third telco player Dito Telecommunity, a consortium composed of China Telecom and Dennis Uy’s Udenna Corp. and Chelsea Logistics and Infrastructure Holdings Corp., has committed to cover 37 percent of the population and provide 27 Mbps minimum average internet speed in year one of its five-year commitment period.

The company will launch commercial operations this year, aiming to capture 30 percent of the market within its “first few years of operations.”

“At the end of the day sometimes it’s not just the speed (that matters). There’s the impression that we’re giving you 27 Mbps, but you’re still buffering. At the end of the day, what is your actual experience? When you watch a movie, do you buffer or not? That’s more critical point,”

Philstar.com photo

Panlilio said.

Accordng to Opensignal Philippines Mobile Network Experience Report, Smart provides the best video experience, download speed experience, upload speed experience and latency experi-

ence.

The latest assessment from international mobile analytics firm also said that Smart customers were getting superior 4G availability in both rural and urban areas. n

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