011718 - Los Angeles Midweek Edition

January 17-19, 2018 Volume 28 - No. 7 • 3 Sections - 20 Pages

Duterte on fighting corruption: ‘I’m on a purging spree’ lance/Air Traffic Management Systems, the president warned officials from involving themselves in corruption, saying, “Do not do it during my watch.”

Duterte also warned officials against taking excessive foreign trips.

“And those who are into the wanderlust or are itchy for travel and wasting the many things that you do there without necessarily an impact on the lives of the people, better think of resigning,” he said.

Duterte on Monday, January 15, said he sacked Commission on Higher Education (CHED) head Patricia Licuanan, who an-

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, January 16 vowed to continue his drive to cleanse the government ranks from corruption by dismissing more corrupt officials.

“I am on a purging spree. And I will continue to do this, I suppose, I’ll do it tomorrow. I’ll be firing more people from government,” Duterte said during a speech in Pasay City.

Speaking before the inauguration of new Communications, Navigation, Surveil-

DATELINE

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SECURITY PARTNERSHIP. President Rodrigo Duterte receives the ceremonial key from Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda during the turnover ceremony of the 26 Mitsubishi patrol vehicles to the Philippine National Police (PNP) at the Regional Crime Laboratory Office (RCLO)-11 in Davao City Also in the photo is PNP Director General Ronald dela Rosa. The project is part of Japan’s Grant Aid for the Philippines’ Economic and Social Development Programme which aims to contribute to safety and socioeconomic development, through the provision of local and public counterterrorism and safety-related equipment in the country.

Malacañang photo by Karl Norman Alonzo

SEC moves to shut down Rappler

USA

by RAE

ANN VARONA AJPress

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Trump administration to ask Supreme Court to allow end of DACA

THE Justice Department said on Tuesday, January 16, that it would ask the Supreme Court to overturn a California judge’s ruling in a move it described as a “rare step.”

The overturn would provide a way for the Trump administration to put an end to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which has taken center stage in the country’s most pressing legal disputes.

The administration said it appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, an injunction made last week by San Francisco-based U.S. District Judge William Alsup.

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‘We are not closing; we will fight on,’ say Maria Ressa and Chay Hofilena in a statement at a press briefing at Rappler.

Inquirer.net photo by Grig Montegrande

Despite prod by ACA, tax-exempt hospitals slow to expand community benefits THE federal health law’s efforts to get nonprofit hospitals to provide more communitywide benefits in exchange for their lucrative tax status has gotten off to a slow start, new research suggests. And some experts predict that a recent repeal of a key provision of the law could further strain the effort.

The increased emphasis on communitywide benefits was mandated by the Affordable Care Act. The health law required hospitals that meet federal tax standards to be nonprof-

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says that mass media companies must be fully owned by Filipinos, forbidding any overseas ownership. The SEC claims that Rappler had violated those rules by taking funds from Omidyar Network, a self-described philanthropic investment firm created by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, a non-Filipino.

Rappler argues that the investors provided funding through a Phil-

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SC justice questions paranoia over martial law

by AJPRESS AS the Philippine Supreme Court (SC) this week began its oral arguments on consolidated petitions objecting the one-year extension of martial law in Mindanao, a magistrate questioned petitioners for supposedly being “paranoid” about the military rule.

SC Associate Justice Samuel Martires posed the question following statements from former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay Health Secretary Francisco Duque III revealed that Sanofi Pasteur agreed to pay P 1.1 billion who cited the rampant human to the government for the unused vaccines that the vaccine manufacturer will be retrieving rights violations in the country this week.

Inquirer.net photo Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate. from 1972 to 1986 during the mar-

Sanofi agrees to take back unused Poll: More Filipinos oppose ‘revgov’ Dengvaxia vaccines, pay back gov’t Inquirer.net photo by Ryan Leagogo

Artkwork by Derek Bacon/Ikon Images for Kaiser Health News

PHILIPPINE media outlet Rappler is facing closure after the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) en banc revoked the company’s registration for allegedly violating the country’s Constitution. The watchdog has also accused them of violating the Anti-Dummy Law, the Corporation Code and the Securities Regula-

tion Code.

“The En Banc finds Rappler, Inc. and Rappler Holdings Corporation, a Mass Media Entity and its alter ego, liable for violating the constitutional and statutory Foreign Equity Restriction in Mass Media, enforceable through laws and rules within the mandate of the commission,” read the decision dated January 11, published on Monday, January 15.

The Philippine Constitution

by CATHERINE

S. VALENTE

ManilaTimes.net

MORE Filipinos reject President Rodrigo Duterte’s threat to establish a “revolutionary government,” according to the latest survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The poll, conducted from December 8 to 16, showed that 39 percent of 1,200 Filipino adults surveyed said they disagreed with the establishment of a revolutionary government.

Thirty-one percent agree while the remaining 30 percent were undecided.

Duterte has repeatedly warned that he would declare a revolutionary government if his enemies destabilize his administration.

The SWS said opposition to a revolutionary government was “stronger” among those who were dissatisfied with, or have little trust in Duterte.

Only 16 percent of them agreed with the

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idea, while 60 percent disagreed.

Sought for comment, Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said: “We respect the people’s verdict as being consistent with PRRD’s (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) position that he will resort to it only when the State is threatened.”

Revgov popular in South Duterte’s idea of a revolutionary government got support from his base in Mindanao, which registered a net agreement score of +16.

Other areas were negative. Metro Manila registered –7; Balance Luzon, –16 and the Visayas, –17.

The older population, aged 45 and above, and those with higher education were strongly opposed to a revolutionary government.

Sixty-three percent of respondents believed Duterte wanted to change the gov-

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www.TravelTradeConsumer.com Asian Journal’s series of annual events showcasing tourism, trade, and business opportunities in the USA and Philippines.

by JULIE

M. AURELIO Inquirer.net

THE manufacturer of the Dengvaxia vaccine has agreed to take back its remaining unused vials and to pay back the government for the unused stocks of the anti-dengue vaccine.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III revealed that Sanofi Pasteur agreed to pay P 1.1 billion to the government for the unused vaccines that the vaccine manufacturer will be retrieving this week.

“It was also agreed with Sanofi that the reimbursement will be in about one to two days after retrieval (of the unused vials),” said Duque in a press briefing.

Sanofi Pasteur came to the agreement with the Department of Health after officials from the two

parties met on Tuesday, January 16.

It may be recalled that the reimbursement for the unused antidengue vaccines was the first of the DOH’s demands to the vaccine manufacturer.

But in its demand letter to Sanofi Pasteur, the original demand was for a reimbursement of P 1.4 billion for the unused Dengvaxia vials.

On Tuesday, Duque said they still have around 1,187,815 vials of the Dengvaxia vaccine, “which is equivalent to P 1,187,815,000.”

“First and foremost, Sanofi will retrieve the remaining stocks until Friday this week,” he said.

Duque added: “That is the magnitude of the agreement that was arrived at between Sanofi and

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A January 17-19, 2018 • La MIDWEEK aSIan JOurnaL

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From the Front Page

Duterte on fighting corruption...

PAGE A1 nounced her resignation earlier that day. The president did not cite specific reasons for dismissing Licuanan but he made note of rampant corruption in government when he made the revelation.

Prior to Licuanan, Duterte also remove former Maritime Industry Authority administrator Marcial Amaro III from office. Both Licuanan and Amaro were accused of making excessive foreign trips.

The president went on to say, “Those who made trips more than 20 a year, that’s too much. So I will be asking almost all of them to maybe just step down, unless, of course, I have this commissioned for you to do something for the country and for the people.”

In his speech, Duterte also hit public bidding in the guise of lowest bid as another source of corruption.

He further warned that he will not tolerate winning bidders who failed to finish the public works

projects at specified timetable.

“The highways in the Philippines are clogged with unfinished products and accidents multiply because of the sheer negligence also of the people handling the project. This insanity must stop,” the president remarked.

He went on to say, “If you have the contract and you incur a delay of 30 days, I’ll take over. I’ll give it to another contractor which has the money to continue and I will not pay you, you go to court, then we will fight it out. n

SEC moves to shut down...

PAGE A1 ippine Depository Receipt (PDR) which essentially allow companies to invest in media companies without becoming owners. Many national companies are said to use PDRs. In a response statement published on Rappler’s website Monday, the company described the ruling as “pure and simple harassment” and said, “the SEC’s kill order revoking Rappler’s license to operate is the first of its kind in history — both for the Commission and for Philippine media.”

“What this means for you, and for us, is that the Commission is ordering us to close shop, to cease telling you stories, to stop speaking truth to power, and to let go of everything that we have built — and created — with you since 2012,” said the statement.

Rappler argued that in 2015, the SEC had itself accepted the Omidyar-related documents submitted by Rappler.

“Every year since we incorporated in 2012, we have dutifully complied with all SEC regulations and submitted all requirements even at the risk of exposing our corporate data to irresponsible hands with an agenda,” the statement added.

“Transparency, we believe, is the best proof of good faith and good conduct.”

Other government officials and news agencies were quick to defend Rappler, including Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo and Amnesty International.

Robredo, who has also been critical of Duterte, said, “Yung media, sila ‘yung inaasahan na maging watchdog… Kung wala nang bantay, ano ‘yung makakahadlang

sa pang-aabuso ng mga opisyal ng gobyerno (The media, they are expected to be watchdogs…

Without watching, what will prevent the abuse of government officials)?”

Amnesty International called the ruling “an alarming attempt to silence independent journalism.”

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque denied the move as being an attack on press freedom, but about the compliance of the Filipino ownership rules.

“The issue at hand is the compliance of 100 percent Filipino ownership and management of mass media,” said Roque. “It is not about infringement on the freedom of the press.”

“No one is above the law,” he added. “Rappler has to comply.”

In an interview on Tuesday, January 16, Roque said that the Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ) may file charges against Rappler due to having “legal basis” brought forth by the SEC. “It’s up to the DOJ now. Of course they have the legal basis to do so because the SEC decision is very clear. This is a possible violation of the Anti-Dummy Law,” said Roque.

Those in violation of the AntiDummy Law face imprisonment of five to 15 years.

Rappler’s acting manager editor Chay Hofilena told AFP that Rappler intends to file a court appeal against the SEC’s ruling which is due to take effect in 15 days.

Media confrontation This isn’t the first time media companies have faced confrontation by the Philippine government. In March of last year, Duterte attacked media out-

lets Philippine Daily Inquirer and ABS-CBN, calling them “sons of whores journalists.”

“I’m not threatening them but someday their karma will catch up with them,” Duterte said.

Inquirer said in a following statement that they took exception to his remarks and that they “upheld the highest standards of excellence in journalism.”

Four months later, the outlet revealed that its owners were in talks of selling the publication. Ramon Ang — the country’s tenth wealthiest man according to Forbes — disclosed his plan to buy Inquirer shortly after. Ang was a big supporter of Duterte’s presidential campaign in 2016, including fiscally.

Last year, ABS-CBN was threatened by Duterte to have its operating franchise renewal blocked — the permit requires congressional approval.

But for Rappler, the battle seemed to officially begin in December 2016 when the SEC was ordered by the Office of the Solicitor General to conduct an investigation on Rappler over its PDRs.

By July 2017, the SEC had created a committee to investigate the issue. In a state of the nation address (SONA) that month, Duterte made his first public comment against the news site, calling them out for being “fully owned

by Americans”.

Rappler has since maintained that they are 100 percent Filipino owned, even if PDRs are used. The company has noted that outlets ABS-CBN 2 and GMA 7 also used PDRs. “Philippine Depositary Receipts do not indicate ownership. This

MLK PARADE. U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris served as Grand Marshal for the 33rd Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Kingdom Day Parade in Los Angeles, honoring Dr. King’s 89th birthday on Monday, January 15, and the 50th anniversary of his sacrifice in the name of civil and human rights. Harris also delivered remarks at the Kingdom Day Parade Breakfast, where she highlighted the importance of Dr. King’s legacy and how it lives on through all those who organize and fight to ensure freedom and justice for all today.

Photo from the Office of U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris

SC justice questions paranoia...

ed that the military’s regular powers are the “appropriate tool” for tial law period under late President responding to such threats.

Ferdinand Marcos.

“Why are we not worried about “Why are we so paranoid about terrorism? We are worried about martial law and yet not worried terrorism but martial law is not about terrorism?” Martires asked the answer to terrorism,” Hilbay petitioners during the high court’s added. hearing on Tuesday, January 16.

Martial law in Mindanao was Hilbay is the counsel for former extended for one more year until Commission on Human Rights December 31, 2018 for the “total (CHR) chair Etta Rosales, who is eradication” of pro-Islamic State among the petitioners.

(IS) terrorists and communists rebDuring the hearing, Hilbay els in the area. It was first imposed maintained that threats of terror- on May 23, 2017 after Maute terism do not justify martial law. He rorists seized Marawi City, triggerstressed that the Constitution only ing an armed conflict that lasted allows such declaration an “inva- for five months. sion and/or rebellion when public Martires then interrogated Hilsafety requires it.” bay about any occurrence of civil “That is not enough to justify the liberties being suppressed under imposition of martial law… Many the current martial law. of us experienced martial law and “[Is] there a curtailment of freeit was not a pleasant experience,” dom of speech? Of assembly? he said.

Academic freedom? Just like what While agreeing that threats of happened during the previous terrorism should be addressed, martial law?” Martires asked. that former solicitor general insistHilbay, in response, said he was

not privy to “what the military did” under the present martial law.

The next oral arguments on petitions against martial law are slated to resume on Wednesday, January 17, wherein when the government, through Solicitor General Jose Calida, is expected to argue for the dismissal of the consolidated petitions.

The SC has consolidated four petitions challenging the constitutionality of the one-year extension.

The first and second petitions were separately filed by the socalled “Magnificent Seven” of the House of Representatives, led by Albay Representative Edcel Lagman, and by human rights advocates and cause-oriented groups represented by the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL).

The third petition was filed by Rosales, while the fourth was submitted by a group led by former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman and one of the framers of the 1987 Constitution Christian Monsod. n

roaming somewhere else. But since you are a fake news outlet then I am not surprised that your articles are also fake, “ said Duterte in an interview.

“Sumobra kayo (you went too far), you are not only throwing toilet paper, you are throwing shit at us,” he added. His answers were in response to recent articles published about the Special Assistant to the President Bong Go, which claim Go had been meddling in warship acquisitions.

Formed in 2012, the media com-

pany has grown to become the tenth most visited website in the country, according to Alexa. The company has nearly seven million followers across its social media account and has expanded its local coverage to Indonesia.

The issue of “fake news” has become a burning topic in the recent media landscape, especially in the Philippines where nearly 97 percent of online Filipinos use Facebook which has proven to be a powerful platform for sharing inPAGE A4

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means our foreign investors, Omidyar Network and North Base Media, do not own Rappler. They invest, but they don’t own. Rappler remains 100 percent Filipinoowned,” read a statement following the SONA comment.

Age of “fake news” On Tuesday, January 16, Duterte made his latest remarks against Rappler during a speech for a new air traffic management system’s inauguration in Pasay City.

“For your information, you can stop your suspicious mind from

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A January 17-19, 2018 • La MIDWEEK aSIan JOurnaL

Dateline USa

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Governor Brown secures federal aid to help communities impacted

by Southern California mudslides SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has granted the state’s request for expanded federal disaster assistance in response to the devastating mudslides that have impacted Santa Barbara County and the community of Montecito.

“Our hearts break for the communities first ravaged by fires and now devastated by these mudslides. We will push for every available resource to help Californians recover from these tragedies,” said Governor Brown.

FEMA expanded the recently approved Presidential Major Di-

saster Declaration in the areas affected by the December 2017 wildfires to include damage incurred from flooding and mud and debris flows. This declaration ensures that federal funds are available for emergency response and eligible disaster recovery costs.

The Thomas Fire, in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, is 92 percent contained and has burned over 280,000 acres and destroyed nearly 1,000 structures, leading to dangerous mud and debris flows following recent heavy rains.

In response to the mudslides, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) activat-

Trump administration to ask...

PAGE A1 On Tuesday, January 9, Alsup blocked Trump’s plan to end DACA protections, allowing those previously protected by the program to apply to renew their status. The ruling does not though, require the government to accept new applications.

In carrying out the ruling, Alsup said the plaintiffs “have clearly demonstrated that they are likely to suffer serious irreparable harm absent from injunction.”

“Before DACA, Individual Plaintiffs, brought to America as children, faced a tough set of live and career choices turning

on the comparative probabilities of being deported versus remaining here,” he said in his decision. “DACA gave them a more tolerable set of choices, including joining the mainstream workforce.”

Now, the Justice Department said it will also be petitioning the Supreme Court to intervene the case later this week.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement that the ruling “defies both law and common sense.”

“We are now taking the rare step of requesting direct review on the merits of this injunction by the Supreme Court so

ed the State Operations Center in Mather, California and is coordinating closely with local, state and federal emergency response agencies to address all emergency management needs.

Multiple state resources have been mobilized in Santa Barbara County, including: urban search and rescue teams and emergency management personnel from Cal OES; high-water vehicles for evacuations and helicopters from the California National Guard; and personnel from the California Department of Transportation and California Highway Patrol, who are working together to reroute traffic and clear Highway ANGELS WALK 2018. Thousands of participants join the Angels Walk for Autism 2018 on Sunday, January 14 at the Mall Of Asia grounds in 101 and other roadways. n Pasay City as the kick-off event of the Philippine National Autism Consciousness Week — an observance made possible by Philippine President Fidel Ramos’ Proclamation 711 of 1996.

that this issue may be resolved quickly and fairly for all the parties involved,” said Sessions.

Sessions had announced the federal protection’s end in September 2017, before giving Congress six months to find a fix. That gives Congressional members until March 5 to make a decision.

The action comes as Capitol Hill approaches a January 19 deadline for avoiding what could be the first government shutdown since 2013. Advocates for the nearly 800,000 (former) DREAMers have been pushing for a DACA fix to be included in the solution.

Filipino Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas,

who outed himself as an illegal immigrant in a 2011 essay in the New York Times Magazine, took to Instagram Tuesday encouraging those that may be affected to take a vacation day from work and get needed paperwork done.

“If you’re an employer, I encourage your teammates to prioritize this (and not have them request a vacation day but just do it),” said Vargas.

“As predicted, Jeff Sessions just provided notice of their intent to appeal directly to the Supreme Court on the CA decision so we have no idea to know if this re-application window will

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PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Despite prod by ACA, tax-exempt...

PAGE A1 its to perform a community health needs assessment (CHNA) every three years, followed by implementing a strategy to deal with issues confronting the community, such as preventing violence or lowering the rates of diabetes.

A study released on Monday, January 15, in the journal Health Affairs shows spending in these areas has remained relatively stagnant.

The research showed average spending by tax-exempt hospitals on community benefits in 2010 was 7.6 percent of total operating costs and bumped to 8.1 percent by 2014. But the bulk of that spending goes toward unreimbursed patient care, such as charity care.

The ACA was trying to spur more spending on broader community initiatives, which have remained below 1 percent of operating costs at the hospitals.

“This is not easy for hospitals to do,” said Gary Young, the study’s lead author and director of the Center for Health Policy and Healthcare Research at Northeastern University in Boston. “By tradition, by the nature of their resources, hospitals have not been oriented to prevention, they’ve been oriented to treatment.”

New efforts by the Republicanled Congress may complicate the effort. The repeal last month of the ACA’s penalties for most people who don’t have health insurance has some experts questioning how some of these hospitals will be able to spend more on community benefits. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that because of that change about 13 million people would give up their coverage by 2027, which could drive up costs for hospitals because there would be more uninsured patients.

“Anything that destabilizes the system and takes money out of the hospitals’ revenue stream is going to negatively impact them,” said Gregory Tung, assistant professor at the University of Colorado’s School of Public Health. “It’s tough for hospitals to be navigating that uncertainty.”

Jill Horwitz, professor of law at UCLA who specializes in health issues, said hospitals have trouble planning community efforts when they are unsure of their finances.

“It’s a very difficult context in which to operate a stable system,” Horwitz said. “One day to the next, it’s hard to know what the rules are, what the reimbursement is going to be and what kind of insurance your patients will have.”

Still, for more than 20 years, California has had a community benefit law, which was the model for the Affordable Care Act. “California’s community benefits programs work well – and have since the 1990s,” Jan Emerson-Shea, a vice president at the California Hospital Association, said in a

statement. Some of California’s community benefit plans include mobile health vans and free clinics in low-income communities and services for homeless patients.

The hospitals’ plans and spending differ around the state, however, based on the community needs. “The needs of inner city Los Angeles are different than the needs identified in a small Central Valley farming community,” Emerson-Shea said.

More than half of the hospitals in the United States are private, nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt.

Lawrence Massa, president & CEO of the Minnesota Hospital Association, said the repeal of the ACA’s individual mandate penalties will change hospitals’ calculations.

“We certainly expect to see our uninsured rate go up as a result of repealing the individual mandate,” he said, “so that’s going to have an opposite type of effect of where we thought the trend was going to be because we changed the rules in the middle of the game.”

But it’s too early to tell how hospitals will respond, according to Massa. Many are still grappling with the new requirements.

The ACA was enacted in 2010, but the provision requiring community-based action did not come into effect until the end of March 2012, and enrollment in ACA marketplace plans didn’t begin until 2014. Hospitals began early investments for assembling the needs assessments in 2011 and 2012, Massa said.

“In the later years, they’ll be using that data and comparing and reporting to the IRS how they’ve changed their community benefits spending as a result of those community health needs assessments,” he said. “If everything stayed the way it was, I think we would know by 2020 whether this had the kind of impact that was anticipated.”

Young and his research colleagues acknowledged in their study that “certainly, more time is needed” to assess the full impact of the law’s requirements on spending for community benefits.

Nonetheless, Young said, many hospitals lack the means to provide greater preventive care in the community.

They don’t have the necessary infrastructure, “the personnel or the knowledge to develop those strategies,” he said. “They don’t have the resources to necessarily invest in those areas.”

Horwitz agreed. “If we’re going to require this high level of spending on community benefits and paying for patients who can’t afford care, something else has to give,” she said. (Vickie Connor/ Kaiser Health News) This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Sanofi agrees to take back...

PAGE A1 DOH.” There will be designated pickup points from which the vaccine manufacturer will retrieve the remaining vials.

Duque explained that some local government units are still conducting their inventory of their stocks of the Dengvaxia vaccine.

“There is an ongoing inventory in some LGU. The Dengvaxia immunization program was not only confined to schools, but also a community-based immunization,” he said.

In November 2017, Sanofi Pasteur admitted that the anti-dengue vaccine may increase the risk of severe dengue in those who had no prior dengue infections.

Dengvaxia is a live attenuated yellow fever virus combined with other four antigens from the dengue virus.

This prompted the DOH to suspend its anti-dengue vaccination program and to conduct close monitoring, surveillance and care for the more than 830,000 children who received the vaccine.

Also discussed was the DOH’s

request for Sanofi Pasteur to conduct a sero-testing of more than 830,000 children who received the vaccine to determine if they had previous dengue infections.

“They said that they will send us a letter explaining the testing kit, NS1 Antigen. There was a brief discussion,” Duque said.

He added: “But for the benefit of everyone, it might be good that we have read the letter of Sanofi Pasteur first and we will resume talks after we read the full text of their letters in response to our request or our demand for testing kits, to be able to differentiate the vaccinees who were seronegative and those who were seropositive.”

Gundo Weiler, the World Health Organization representative to the Philippines, noted that the testing kit was “developed in a research context.”

“We do not have the data at this point in time but Sanofi Pasteur promised to share full data with the DOH. With that data, I think we can discuss what the potential benefit of the test would be,” he said. n

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Dateline PhiliPPines

Opposition senators dispute proposed OVP abolition under federalism

by Dana

SioSon AJPress

Two members of the Senate minority have expressed opposition against the possible abolition of the office of the Vice President (oVP) under the proposed shift to a federal form of government.

This was after a former lawmaker warned that Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo might be ousted before her term expires in 2022 as the current Charter change (Cha-cha) proposal of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) cites the abolition of the oVP. Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, however, said that he will not support any attempts to dissolve the oVP. “That is their proposal. I don’t agree with that. we do not agree with that. The vice president is an important part of our system of governance and the constitutional succession to the president,” Drilon said in a media interview.

Earlier on Sunday, January 14, Bayan Muna Chair and former Congressman Neri Colmenares said the oVP “no longer exists” in PDP-Laban party’s proposed constitution.

“Under the PDP-Laban Con-

stitution, the office of the Vice President will be abolished by 2019 if they succeed in having the new constitution ratified during the 2019 elections,” Colmenares said in a statement.

“Vice President Leni Robredo will be ousted from her office long before her term ends in 2022,” he added.

But even if Robredo is allowed to stay until 2022, Colmenares claimed “she will be a lame-duck vice president who is not even listed in the line of succession to President [Rodrigo] Duterte.”

According to him, the Section 7, Article VII of the PDP-Laban’s proposed constitution states that instead of the vice president, the Senate president and the speaker of the House will succeed the president if needed.

“The vice president is not mentioned at all in the line of succession because, upon ratification of the new constitution, her office no longer exists,” he pointed out.

In a separate statement, Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino stressed that the vice president’s role is necessary in the check and balance system of the Philippine democracy.

SEC moves to shut down...

PAGE A2 formation as evident by both Rappler and Duterte’s administration.

Headlines once linked to a report from Facebook that called Duterte the “undisputed king of Facebook conversations.”

In an in-depth article by Bloomberg, Rappler’s CEo Maria Ressa was quoted being open to the opportunities Facebook offered in politics.

“At the beginning I actually loved it because I felt like this was untapped potential,” Bloomberg quoted Ressa saying.

Ressa and Duterte had once sat across from each other for a question and answer Rappler forum called #TheLeaderIwant that was broadcasted on 200 television and radio stations, and live streamed at viewing parties in over 40 colleges across the nation.

“Duterte’s campaign on social media was groundbreaking,” she

added.

But in the following months, the company found itself under attack for its coverage of the administration’s war on drugs, its social media practices, and general ruling style.

After writing an article titled “Propaganda war: weaponizing the Internet” in october 2016, Ressa said she almost immediately began receiving hate messages, many of which were violent. And armed guard was hired to stand outside her office.

Shortly after, a campaign for unfollowing Rappler was launched, causing the outlet to lose approximately 52,000 Facebook followers.

The campaign was promoted by public figures like singer-dancer turned assistant secretary of the Presidential Communications operations office, Mocha Uson who was personally mentioned in the

“The right of Filipinos to elect a vice president, even from an opposing party, is a protection against dictatorship,” Aquino said.

Robredo’s camp, meanwhile, questioned if the planned abolition of the oVP is meant to push a supposed hidden agenda.

Barry Gutierrez, Robredo’s legal adviser, noted that the only time the Philippines did not have a vice president was during the regime of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

“The office of the Vice President has been a feature of our republic for over 80 years, ever since it was created under the 1935 Constitution. The only time since then that we have had no VP was during the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos,” Gutierrez said.

He continued, “That said, the current proposals to revise the Constitution are supposedly anchored on a drive to promote and institute a federal system of government. The question therefore is, how does abolishing the oVP relate to the establishment of Federalism? or is the abolition already in service of some other, unstated, agenda?” n Rappler piece.

Ressa wrote in an article published last November after the company was recognized by the National Democratic Institute, that she had received more threats since founding Rappler than in the three decades she has worked as a conflict reporter and war zone correspondent.

She also expressed concern over Facebook’s role in monitoring fake news.

“They haven’t done anything to deal with the fundamental problem, which is they’re allowing lies to be treated the same way as truth and spreading it,” Ressa wrote. “Either they’re negligent or they’re in state sponsored hate.”

But now, the priority has shifted heavily on the SEC decision. on a post to the company’s Instagram handle, Ressa said, “we are prepared. Bring it. we will continue to fight it and we will continue to push the government to respect and to maintain the rule of law.” n

DANCING FOR THE SANTO NIÑO. Residents of Pandacan, Manila dance during the Buling-Buling festival to celebrate the feast of the Santo Niño, the district’s patron saint. During the festival dancers parade images of the child Jesus.

ManilaTimes.net photo by John Micah Sebastian

Poll: More Filipinos oppose...

PAGE A1 ernment into a revolutionary one, while almost half or 48 percent of the respondents said a revolutionary government was possible under the 1987 Constitution.

SwS pointed out that there were no provisions for a revolutionary government under the Constitution.

A revolutionary government was established in the Philippines in 1986 by President Corazon Aquino to reinstate democracy and draft a new constitution, after the ouster of strongman Ferdinand Marcos.

Affirmation of approval Ramon Casiple, executive director of the Institute for Political and

Electoral Reform, said Filipinos’ attitude toward a so-called revolutionary government affirmed public satisfaction with Duterte’s performance.

“A real revolutionary government comes with support of the people. why would they support it when they are satisfied with the Duterte performance so far?” Casiple told The Manila Times.

Antonio “Butch” Valdes, who heads the Save the Nation Movement, described the latest survey results as “inconclusive.”

“I think the SwS survey went like this because the President early on pronounced that he does not agree with a revolutionary government… and qualified it

Trump administration to ask...

PAGE A4 close and if yes how quickly,” he added. “Not trying to induce panic, just trying to induce expeditious behavior in a very unknown crazy unfair and cruel period of time.”

According to data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, nearly 5,000 applications from undocumented Filipinos have been approved since 2012 when the program was established by former President

Barack obama.

Trump had rejected last Thursday, January 11, a bipartisan proposal for DACA that was introduced by Democratic Senators Richard Durbin, Michael Bennett, and Robert Menendez and Republican Senators Lindsey Graham, Jeff Flake, and Cory Gardner.

The six said in a statement before the deal was rejected that they had “reached an agreement in principle that addresses bor-

as an extreme measure to save a critically threatened nation state,” Valdes told The Times.

“If he had instead hinted that the option of a revolutionary government is still on the table…. the survey would probably 70 percent in favor… 10 percent against,” he claimed.

The SwS survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults nationwide, with 300 each from Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

It had sampling error margins of ±3 percent for national percentages, and ±6 percent each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. n der security, the diversity visa lottery, chain migration/family reunification and the DREAM Act.” In a succession of tweets posted Friday, January 12, Trump called the proposal a “big step backwards.” He argued that it did not fund the wall, it slackened policies family-based immigration “chain migration,” as well as the diversity visa lottery system. He maintained he wanted a merit-based system of immigration. (Rae Ann Varona/ AJPress)

A6 JANUARY 17-19, 2018 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPINION

Vulnerable targets

FEATURES

THE Philippines has a Data Privacy Act, an E-Commerce Law and AntiWiretapping Law. Yet in Southeast Asia, the country is reportedly the most vulnerable to cyber attacks. Although the Philippines ranks 37th out of 193 states in terms of cyber security preparedness, data from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation also showed that globally, the country ranks 10th in falling prey to cyber attacks.

Apart from weak enforcement of cyber security laws, experts cite the low awareness of Filipinos about practices that increase vulnerability to cyber attacks. These include readiness to click on links and open emails from unknown sources. With Filipinos reportedly spending an average of four hours and 17 minutes daily on social networking sites in 2017, there is greater vulnerability to hacking, phishing and malware.

Filipinos deeply engaged in social networking aren’t the only targets. As the nation has seen, banks and government offices have also come under cyber attack. Around the world, corporate giants and government security and financial agencies are also favorite targets.

Countries that produce many cyber security experts also tend to be favorite targets of attacks. FBI data showed that the top targets of cyber attacks in

2017, ahead of the Philippines, were Canada, India, the United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, China, Japan and Germany. In Southeast Asia, Malaysia and Singapore were among the top 20 victims of cyber attacks in 2017.

The presence of hackers in the country gives greater urgency to tightening the enforcement of cyber security laws. It also calls for greater effort to raise public awareness of what can be done to minimize vulnerability to data privacy breaches. The popularity of social media must be accompanied by information campaigns to make the public aware of the risks, which could include identity theft and losing one’s life savings.

The internet is a powerful took for gaining knowledge, sharing information and social networking.

Like any powerful tool, it must be wielded with a healthy amount of informed caution. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Some Republicans now ask: What has happened to the GOP under the Trump presidency?

AMID the growing par- The Fil-Am tisan divide in President Don- Perspective ald Trump’s chaotic first year in office, any criticism against his ac- GEL SANTOS-RELOS tion, words, policy, and character have been deemed by our Republican kababayans as a personal attack against the president by Democrats and liberals, who could not wait to bring down the Trump presidency because they could not accept that he won and Hillary Clinton lost.

The most recent news about Trump allegedly calling certain African nations “shithole” and disparaging Haiti, among others with while saying the U.S. should have instead people from Norway, with a predominantly white population, emigrate to America just put a spotlight on what people say about Trump’s racist thoughts and attitude translating to national policies.

The problems and concerns have been real, and the Republican Party — which used to embody the values that uphold the truth, rule of law, respect for all people, kindness, fairness, and conscientiousness that I see in my Republican friends — seems to be morphing into a different animal under the Trump administration.

Republican journalist Elise Jordan summed up most of the sentiments privately shared with me by some Republican friends, in an article entitled “I’m a Republican. What on Earth Is Wrong

With My Party?” published

by Time Magazine on January 15, 2017.

Jordan started the article with these words of exasperation: “I am a Republican in the era of Donald Trump, and I am emotionally depleted by the constant cruelty of the President of the United States.”

Elise Jordan wrote this piece to remind her party about the soul of America that the Republican Party has fought so hard for before the era of Trump: “While Trump spoke of ‘American carnage’ in his Inaugural address, Ronald Reagan ended his second one by describing what he called the American sound: ‘hopeful, big-hearted, idealistic, daring, decent, and fair.’”

“These are values that all Americans used to proudly champion, no matter the political party. Other Republicans still can, if they can summon the courage to state the obvious.”

She went on to give a rundown of headlines that have been making her and other Republicans like her feel so frustrated and worried about how the President has been misrepresenting the true values of the Grand Old Party (GOP): “My heart hurt when Trump went out of his way to attack Myeshia Johnson, the pregnant widow of a fallen soldier he sent to the battlefield. I recoiled in disgust when he slanderously (and laughably) insinuated that Senator Kirsten Gillibrand was willing to prostitute herself to him for a political donation. When the President offered that among the white

supremacists who killed a peaceful protester, there were ‘some very fine people,’ it felt like an alternate history, one where the Citizens’ Council ascended to power instead of ignominy. Then there’s his support for Roy Moore, even after multiple women accused Moore of preying on them when they were teenagers and he was in his thirties.”

Elise Jordan’s concern goes beyond Trump because she sees how much of the Republican spirit that made her gravitate toward the party seems to be lost among Republican members just to accommodate and work with Trump: “The GOP’s journey from embracing compassionate conservatism to accepting Trump’s unparalleled capacity for casual cruelty cannot be dismissed as craven politics; it’s a threat to our security when the President taunts a nucleararmed rogue dictator on social media.

There was a time not so long ago when Republican presidents — not to mention other Republican leaders — cared about America’s standing in the world, as a matter of principle and peace. The previous Republican president George W. Bush made compassion a literal domestic policy priority by funding what he called ‘armies of compassion’ through faith-based initiatives. This Republican president seems hell-bent on stripping any semblance of compassion from the national and global conversation.”

Jordan also wrote about how the Trump presidency seems to isolate the United States from other countries all over the world, losing our allies’ respect, trust and support for the U.S. leadership in international relations, providing his-

torical context on how previous Republican presidents have valued these relationships in the past.

She writes, “Trump believes there’s no need to fill diplomatic appointments — there’s still not an Ambassador to South Korea — because, as he puts it, ‘the only one who matters is me.’ His strategy of demeaning the homes of the men and women of an entire continent and a neighboring island and country is as cruel as it is irresponsible.”

“In 1953, in response to the CIA’s pressure to overthrow the elected leader of Iran, President Dwight D. Eisenhower wondered aloud in a National Security Council meeting if perhaps we couldn’t try “to get some of the people in these downtrodden countries to like us instead of hating us?” Though Eisenhower would end up taking the CIA’s destructive advice to overthrow Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh, in general the former Supreme Commander of Allied Forces during World War II belabored the importance of alliances during the war and his presidency. ‘There is no strength equal to the strength of an enduring friendship,’ Eisenhower said, reflecting his belief that military might was meaningless without relationships based on mutual respect.”

“President George H.W. Bush was another World War II hero who leveraged human connection for the national interest. By practicing exhaustive personal diplomacy, Bush organized a financial and military coalition that forced Iraqi tyrant Saddam Hussein’s withdrawal from Kuwait. A hypothetical question: how many world partners

Censuring Trump, silencing Rappler

Opinion

FRANCISCO TATAD THE conflict between government and the press is no longer simply about the proper appreciation of the facts on various issues, but rather about who is telling us the truth and who is feeding us with b.s., or fake news.

In the United States, the toxic exchange between the White House and the mainstream media has grown to alarming proportions following President Donald Trump’s alleged profanities against “shithole countries” that have populated the U.S. unwanted immigrants.

In the Philippines, the Duterte government has moved to shut down Rappler, an independent online news platform based in Manila, with a bureau in Jakarta, for allegedly violating the constitutional provision on the ownership and management of mass media.

Trump and the mainstream liberal press have accused each other of peddling fake news, and the toxicity of the exchange threatens to breach the limit of the ethically

permissible following Trump’s 90-minute meeting with US congressmen at the White House last week, where he allegedly asked, “why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here? Why not from Norway instead?” He was reportedly referring to Haiti, El Salvador and African countries.

Haiti is one of the world’s poorest countries in the Western hemisphere; it is still recovering from the last deadly earthquake that hit it on January 12, 2010.

Norway on the other hand is one of the world’s richest countries, with a GDP per capita of 62,510 PPP (purchasing power parity) dollars in 2017, according to the IMF. The Times vs Trump In one of the longest and more trenchant New York Times editorials I have ever read (Donald Trump flushes away America’s reputation, January 13, 2018), this flagship of the world’s liberal establishment press minced no words to show its contempt of Trump. This is an extensive quote: “Never mind that Norwegians are not clamoring to leave what is rated as the happiest nation on earth, and setting aside ques-

tions about Mr. Trump’s fitness, the flip-flop (on immigration) left the issue…more confused than before.

“Where to begin? How about with a simple observation: The President of the United States is a racist. And another: The United States has a long and ugly history of excluding immigrants based on race or national origin.

“Mr. Trump seems determined to undo efforts taken by presidents of both parties in recent decades to overcome that history.

“Mr. Trump denied making the remarks on Friday (January 12), but Sen. Richard Durbin, Democrat of Illinois, who attended the meeting, said the president did in fact say these ‘hate-filled things, and he said them repeatedly.’

“Of course he did. Remember, Mr. Trump is not just racist, ignorant, incompetent and undignified. He’s also a liar…

“The current turmoil over immigration conflates several special issues. One is DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which has provided temporary work permits and reprieves from deportation for undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children. These are the so-called

Dreamers who number about 800,000.

“Another issue is the Temporary Protected Status program under which undocumented foreigners who were in the United States when disaster or conflict struck their homeland are allowed to remain in the United States. In November, the Trump administration ended the protection for about 60,000 Haitians, and on Monday the administration lifted it for almost 200,000 Salvadorans, most of whom have been in the United States for two decades.

“A third issue is the future of the roughly 11 million undocumented immigrants who have come to the United States over decades and have effectively integrated into American life.

The Trump administration has ordered a broad immigration crackdown against them.

“And finally there’s President Trump’s imagined wall.

“What is concerning is not the wall, or the word ‘shithole’ or the vacillation on the Dreamers or the Salvadorans. It’s what ties all of these things together: the bigoted worldview of the man behind them.

“Anyone who has followed Mr.

could Donald Trump enlist to join him for a cause?”

“In the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, other nations did join with us against al-Qaeda. But although we must learn from our failures in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya, the solution isn’t to withdraw from the world—or, worse yet, actively insult and alienate it.”

Jordan finds it hard to come to terms with how supporters let Trump get away with words, behavior, policies that run against the principles her party used to uphold: “Trump’s most ardent supporters will continue to praise him for ignoring the social mores of political correctness.

While I resent the stifling of free speech in an increasingly hypersensitive world, Trump is not a brave truth-teller; he’s the figurehead of our nation whose first year in office is most notable for his destructive casual cruelty.”

“It is not hypersensitivity to be offended by blatantly racist, misogynistic and war-mongering statements from a man who refuses to exercise an ounce of self-control. Republicans used to believe that individuals were responsible for exercising self-control. Why does the Commander-in-Chief get a pass?”

Does Trump represent the true Republican values you hold dear? *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos

Trump over the years knows this.

We knew it in the 1970s, when he and his father were twice sued by the Justice Department for refusing to rent apartments to black people. We knew it in 1989, when he took out a full-page newspaper ad calling for the execution of five black and Latino teenagers charged with the brutal rape of a white woman in Central Park. (The men were convicted but later exonerated by DNA and other evidence, but Mr. Trump never apologized, and he continued to argue as late as 2016 that the men were guilty.) We knew it when he built a presidential campaign by demonizing Mexicans and Muslims while promoting the lie that America’s first black president wasn’t born here. Or when, last summer, he defended marchers in a neo-Nazi parade as ‘very fine people.’

“Just last month, The Times reported on an Oval Office meeting on immigration during which Mr. Trump said that 15,000 Haitians now living in the United States ‘all have AIDS,’ and that Nigerian immigrants would never ‘go back to their huts’ in Africa once they have seen the United States. See a pattern yet?

“Donald Trump is by no means America’s first racist president.

But he ran a campaign explicitly rooted in bigotry, exclusion and

white resentment. To his diehard but ever-shrinking base, comments like those he made recently only reaffirm his solidarity with the cause. The Daily Stormer, a neo-Nazi website, certainly saw it this way. ‘This is encouraging and refreshing, as it indicates Trump is more or less on the same page as us with regards to race and immigration,’ the site wrote in a post.”

The editorial does not end there.

Here we see Trump being pounded to a pulp on the NYT op-ed page. But whatever he may want to do in return, there isn’t very much he can likely do to threaten The Times with possible closure, or any of its editorial writers with possible imprisonment. He, rather than The Times, is on the receiving end. Not so in the case of the Philippines’ Rappler Inc. The case vs Rappler The decision of the Securities and Exchange Commission to revoke Rappler’s incorporation papers, for allegedly violating the foreign equity restriction in the ownership and management of mass media—although not yet final and executory, according to SEC spokesman Armand Pan— sends out a most alarming signal not just to the national press, but

u PAGE A7

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A

12,000 flee as lava oozes from Mayon

CAMALIG, Albay — Thousands fled from their homes as lava oozed out of a rumbling Mayon Volcano on Monday, January 15 in what volcanologists described as a “quiet eruption,” warning it could lead to a hazardous explosion within days.

Lava was slowly flowing out of the Mayon volcano’s crater along with a spectacular 1,000meter ash plume rising into the sky, the nation’s volcanology institute said.

More than 12,000 people have been ordered to leave a sevenkilometer danger zone around the crater, as cials warned them of potentially destructive mudflows and toxic clouds.

“Technically, the volcano is erupting but the eruption is fairly quiet. It may escalate into a hazardous eruption,” Paul Alanis, science research specialist at the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), told Agence France-Presse.

A hazardous or explosive eruption means a lava fountain or a spray of hot rocks and gases that could move as fast as 60 kilometers per hour, Alanis added.

Local disaster officials also warned of volcanic mudflows known as lahar.

“Because of continuous rains in past weeks, debris deposited (on) the slopes of Mayon could lead to lahar flows.

If rain does not stop it could be hazardous,” Claudio Yucot, head

of the region’s office of civil defense, said.

Mayon, a near-perfect cone that draws thousands of tourists, even during minor eruptions, rises 2,460 meters (8,070 feet) above a largely agricultural region some 330 kilometers southwest of Manila.

It is the considered the nation’s most active volcano.

Steam-driven eruptions and rockfalls began over the weekend, and the crater began glowing on Sunday evening, in what Phivolcs said was a sign of the growth of a new lava dome.

‘Rolling thunder’ Lava last flowed out of Mayon in 2014 when 63,000 people fled from their homes.

In an interview with The Manila Times, Phivolcs chief Renato Solidum said lava from the country’s most active volcano would likely generate a pyroclastic flow or a fast current of volcanic matter.

In the last quarter of 2017, Mayon’s ground formation from its upper slope exhibited greater pressure, which easily led to phreatic or steam-driven eruptions this January, he said.

Solidum warned that once Mayon emits a pyroclastic flow, casualties are highly possible.

“Once the ash with hot rocks and gases falls down the slope [at a fast rate], more than 60 to 80 kilometers per hour, people can be killed and be buried di-

rectly by the pyroclastic flow.

That is why we evacuate people before actual eruption could happen,” he said.

“We think the lava now is more fluid than in 2014. This means the flow can reach further down (the slopes) at a faster rate,” Solidum said.

The Philippines is part of a “Ring of Fire” of islands in the Pacific that were formed by volcanic activity, and has to contend with 22 active volcanoes.

Mayon has a long history of deadly eruptions.

Four foreign tourists and their local tour guide were killed when Mayon last erupted, in May 2013.

In 1814 more than 1,200 people were killed when lava flows buried the town of Cagsawa.

An explosion in August 2006 did not directly kill anyone, but four months later a typhoon unleashed an avalanche of volcanic mud from Mayon’s slopes that claimed 1,000 lives.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) raised its alert status to “blue” following the series of “phreatic” eruptions of Mayon Volcano.

NDRRMC Executive Director Ricardo Jalad means all concerned agencies under the NDRRMC should render duty at the operations center on a 24hour rotational basis. (ManilaTimes.net)

HONORARY JERSEYS. President Rodrigo Duterte (second from right) and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez (second from left) receive honorary jerseys from Davao Aguilas football player Phil Younghusband (right) during the speaker’s birthday celebration at the New Tagum City Hall in Davao del Norte over the weekend.

Malacañang photo

Censuring Trump, silencing...

PAGE A6

to Philippine society as a whole.

Rappler is the first Asian website, and the only truly independent news platform operating today in Duterte’s Philippines. It has performed a critical role at a time when the national media, with but a few exceptions, have tended to turn a blind eye on many execrable things happening before their very eyes.

Indeed, the Constitution provides that “ownership and management of mass media shall be limited to citizens of the Philippines, or to corporations, cooperatives or associations, wholly owned and managed by citizens.”

But given the cavalier regard the administration has shown for the most sacred constitutional issues, like the separation of powers and the people’s right to choose their own leaders, I suspect not many Filipinos would mind a foreignowned news platform trying to supply some balance in the lopsided news reporting.

Isn’t this, in fact, the case of all the foreign wire service agencies operating in the Philippines?

But is Rappler, in fact, foreignowned?

The controversy appears to center on Rappler’s issuance of Philippine Depositary Receipts GLOWING IN THE DARK. Lava glows on top of the cloud-covered Mayon Volcano, as seen from Legazpi City, Albay, during a quiet eruption early (PDRs) to Omidyar Network Fund on Monday, January 15. The government has raised the alert level for the country’s most active volcano twice in 24 hours, meaning that a LLC, a fund created by eBay hazardous eruption is possible within days.

ManilaTimes.net photo founder and entrepreneur Pierre

Omidyar. A PDR is defined as “a security that grants the holder the right to the delivery of sale of the underlying shares, but not ownership.” Media giants like ABS-CBN and GMA Channel 7 are known to have issued their own PDRs to certain foreign fund providers.

But here’s the rub. In 2015, the PDRs issued by Rappler to Omidyar were approved by the SEC itself, without an iota of suspicion the Constitution was being violated. Has the SEC’s understanding of it changed just because President Duterte ordered Rappler’s true ownership investigated during his last State of the Nation Address?

Assuming the SEC had erred before, and Omidyar PDRs are now to be construed as giving Omidyar ownership or management control of Rappler, wouldn’t it be more fair and just to simply cancel those PDRs, which the SEC itself had erroneously approved, without revoking Rappler’s right to operate its website? After all, why should Rappler be punished for the SEC’s obviously “honest mistake”?

I am assuming, of course, that the silencing of Rappler altogether is not the real non-negotiable official objective of this government move. But is it?

Silencing Rappler solves nothing I am afraid DU30’s minions

might yet succeed in silencing an entity like Rappler, but it would be at the cost of provoking a mighty and extended roar of angry lions from various corners of the world. I personally saw this and had to deal with it for years when Marcos’ martial law silenced the freewheeling national media in 1972; I would not want to see PDU30 inflict the same injury upon himself.

While we are on the subject, a truly sensible and far-seeing move which those seeking to reform the Constitution may want to consider is the scrapping of the present provision barring foreign ownership and/or management of all mass media establishments. This ban serves no useful purpose except to protect the monopolistic interests of media oligarchs who want to use the mass media for their own extractive ends.

The revolution in communications technology, which has given us a digital economy, has abolished all barriers to information from various parts of the world. Through the Internet and television, people of all ages are now able to share knowledge of everything with everyone else.

The ban on foreign ownership merely prevents foreign capital and intellectual expertise from entering the country at a time they are sorely needed. (ManilaTimes.net)

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Cash remittances ‘likely slowed’ in November

by Mayvelin

U. Caraballo ManilaTimes.net

REMITTANCE growth likely eased in November, HSBC said ahead of the release of official data, adding that the full-year result will still be positive given a yearend rally. “We expect remittances to grow 4.7 percent year-on-year in November, which is a deceleration from the previous month’s reading,� the banking giant said in a forecast.

The estimate is a sharp moderation from the 8.4 percent cash remittance growth recorded in October. “This is partly driven by base effects, as remittances were unusually high in November 2016,� HSBC added.

Official November data was scheduled to be released on Monday, January 15 by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Cash remittances posted 18.5percent growth in November last year.

December could see a spike, the banking giant said, despite remittance growth for the year so far coming in below the pace seen in 2016. “We expect 2017’s average remittance growth to at least match 2016’s pace (5.4 percent average per month), which calls for higher remittances at the end of the year,� it added.

Cash remittances — money sent home by migrant workers via banks — totaled $23.05 billion as of the first 10 months of the year, up 4.2 percent. n

Subic Freeport seen ‘more robust’ in 2018 by reielene Joy iGnaCio ManilaTimes.net

Super consortium in NAIA bid eyes Changi as partner Industry sources said the super consortium of mammoth conglomerates is getting Changi as its technical partner. Members of this consortium are the Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Ayala Corp., Alliance Global Inc., Lucio Tan Group, Filinvest Land Inc., JG Summit Holdings Inc. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp.

File photo by Philstar by iris

Gonzales Philstar.com

THE super consortium of conglomerates seeking to develop the congested Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is planning to partner with Changi Airports International (CAI), the group behind Singapore Changi Airport, touted as one of the world’s best.

The Megawide-led group, which is also looking to develop NAIA, meanwhile, is maintaining its Bangalore-based partner, GMR Infrastructure Limited, for its NAIA bid.

Industry sources said the super consortium of mammoth conglomerates is getting Changi as its technical partner. Members of this consortium are the Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Ayala Corp., Alliance Global Inc., Lucio Tan Group, Filinvest Land Inc., JG Summit Holdings Inc. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp.

The super consortium is looking to submit its unsolicited proposal within the first quarter, sources said. The group is seeking to develop NAIA into a world-class airport that is at par with the world’s best gate-

ways.

CAI is a leading consultant, manager and investor in the global aviation market. It designs integrated solutions that enable its clients and partners to fulfill their potential of being world-class airports.

Its Singapore Changi Airport has been named World’s Best Airport by aviation research advisor Skytrax for the fourth year in a row in 2007. Changi airport connects customers to over 200 destinations worldwide, with 5,000 arrivals and departures a week by

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Global airline industry ‘in a good place’ –IATA by reiCelene Joy iGnaCio Photo from panoramio.com

BUSINESS activity at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone is expected to be “more robust� this 2018 due to increasing investments and activities in the Freeport area, a top official of Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC) said on Friday, January 12. “The Subic Freeport Zone is bustling with activity from vari-

ous logistics and trading firms and we project growth will continue due to the infrastructure program of the administration,� SBITC President Roberto Locsin said in a statement.

SBITC is a subsidiary of Enrique Razon Jr.-led port operator International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI).

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ManilaTimes.net

THE global airline industry “is in a good place� at the beginning of 2018 after posting 8-percent growth in November, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said. “The airline industry is in a good place entering 2018. November’s strong demand gives the industry momentum. The number of unique city-pair connections now tops 20,000,� IATA Director General and CEO Alexandre de Juniac said in a statement. “Passengers not only have more travel

Buenos Aires, Argentina and Lima, Peru and Machu Picchu 0D\ WR 0D\ would go to pick it up himself. That was the news May 21 (Monday - Day 1) Los Angeles/Buenos Aires, Argentina (LA 601 agent Bergoglio phoned when he was elected as the Pope to cancel Newspaper delivery.

LAXLIM 2130 -0750) Finally we will visit San Ignacio de Loyola church, the first adobe church and the most ancient one in May 22 (Tuesday - Day 2) Buenos Aires, it was built by the Jesuits in 1675 and Buenos Aires (LA 7901 0931 1556) Meet our tour escort, panoramic tours on the way to a declared Historic Monument in 1942. He assumed the position of Superior in this Order until he was elected restaurant for Lunch, at EL Porteno Restaurant, located overlooking the river in Puerto Madero then as the Pope. to Hotel. (D) Tango Show with dinner this evening.

May 24 (Thursday - Day 4) Buenos Aires/Lujan Visit the Basilica of Lujan with Lunch Private Services May 23 (Wednesday – Day 3) Buenos Aires Half day city tour of Buenos Aires, will give us an idea with English Speaking Guide - Full Day (8hs 120 kms) about the Demographic,Architectural and Historic Depart from hotel toward the city of Lujan, situated 68 km. from the city of Buenos Aires. This locality, characterisitics of Buenos Aires.

Sightseeing includes the Principal spots of the City, considered sacred, developed around the Sanctuary Like Plaza De Mayo,La Rosada,The Cathedral,Avenue of the Virgin of Lujan, and always a center of 9 of July, Theater Colon, Obelisco, National Congress, pilgrimages. Each year in October, there takes The Neighborhood of “La Boca� with its traditional and place an important pilgrimage of the young in the colorful “Ciminito Street�,Plaza San Martin, Recoleta direction of the monumental church, the Basilica of Our Lady of Lujan, which faces the Plaza Belgrano.

Cemetery And the Gardens of Palermo.

Afternoon tours recreates the life and work of Pope The actual cathedral, with gothic lines, began Francis,during this tour we will discover the real Jorge construction in 1889 but was concluded in 1937.

Mario Bergoglio also known as Pope Francis. He has It’s an impressive architectural example as much always been focused on the simplicity of his way of for its facade as for its interior design. Aside from living .He was born in 1936 in the middle or lower appreciating the majestic cathedral, during the tour class neighborhood like Flores, son of italian worker, expect to visit the Historic Colonial Museum, located in the old church that contains a valuable collection his father was a railroader, a humble man.

Our first stop is at the neo classical San Jose De of arms and uniforms, objects of art history, colonial Flores Church, where he used to pray as a teenager. silversmithing, indigineous and gaucho arts and the Nearby this Church we can find the house where the Museum of Transport that presents a vast collection of Pope and four siblings grew up with their Parents, carriages, airplanes and the first steam locomotive of the country, named “La Portena.� During the course Regina Maria Sivori and Mario Bergoglio.

In this area we will also admire Maria Auxiliadora of the visit, there will be lunch at a local restaurant.

Basilica and San Carlos Borromeo Church where the In the afternoon begin the return toward the city of Pope was baptized Christmas of 1936, here you can Buenos Aires and finally the hotel. (B,L,D) appreciate the font. In the 70th Anniversary of his baptism, the church hung a frame with the copy of May 25 (Friday - Day 5) AM departure Buenos the record of the parish book, where you can see his Aires to Lima, Peru (2428 EZELIM 0750 1050) sacramental record (you will be able to see it during Arrive in Lima. A transportation Service with a guide the evening mass). A curious thing about this church will pick us up from the airport and transfer us to is that Carlos Gardel frequented this church and was our Hotel Lunch, will be in a local restaurant, try the part of the choir at the beginning of the 20th century, delicious Pollo a la Brasa.

After Lunch will start the tour en route to downtown. you can see a memorial plaque.

The Image of Maria Auxiliadora is also important, for We will first go to the Birth house of San Martin De San Lorenzo because Lorenzo Massa was inspired Porres, currently an institution of Social Assistance to by the blue cape of the Virgin to design the team´s the underprivileged that bears his name. t-shirt. This t-shirt was worn by Los Forzosos del There is a small Museum dedicated to St Martin, the Almagro, the first name the team received. These chapel located in the room where he was born and colors have identified the club through history. Then then the dining room, where lunch is served free to the elderly.If you wish to bring any donations, it will be we continue to San Antonio Church.

Heading downtown, the tour passes by the Jesuit very appreciated and welcome.

College of El Salvador, where Bergoglio taught We will visit the Saint Rose of Lima Church. Visit Santo literature and psychology in the 1960s, and Salvador Domingo Convent ,where the first Peruvian Saints are University which he later oversaw. We will also pass Buried: Saint Martin De Porres and Saint Rose of

by Santa Catalina church, which was the first women Lima. Dinner then return to the hotel.

Monastery in Buenos Aires City and one of oldest and May 26 (Saturday - Day 6) Lima Fly to Cusco most prestigious convent.

The tour ends at Plaza de Mayo where we will walk (LA 2043 LIMCUZ 1455-1612) around the area and see Buenos Aires Archbishopric After breakfast, guided tour of both the colonial and where Bergoglio lived until he was elected pope, the modern sections of Lima, City of Kings�. Colonial Metropolitan Cathedral, which looks more like a Lima includes a visit to the Main Square, located in the classical Greek temple than a typical Catholic church. heart of downtown to view the Government Palace, There, Bergoglio eventually presided as the City’s the Town Hall, The “Desamparados� Train Station ,the archbishop. Inside the imposing building there is the old streets with their vice royal mansions and Moorish tomb of the South American independence hero Jose style balconies, the Bishop Palace with its beautiful de San Martin. A new Museum will be set up in one of balconies and the Cathedral of Lima. (Its outstanding the halls to the left of the central nave of the temple, features are the choir stalls, the Churrigueresque the name will be “Jorge M. Bergoglio Cardinal� .The Chapel of the Immaculate, the main altar and a Christ exhibit will include personal and liturgical objects that made of carved ivory). Then walk towards the Aliaga he used during the archbishopric, like ornaments, House – viceregal house delivered by Francisco cassocks and a pastoral staff that the bishops wear Pizarro to one of his captains (Jeronimo de Aliaga) as a representation of their pastoral function. Here you when the city was established – a jewel of colonial will also find the ring that identified him as a cardinal, architecture currently inhabited by family members.

Continue your tour by visiting San Francisco with he decided to give it away to the Cathedral.

Then we will pass by Roverano Passage, the first one its convent (considered to be the most important in the City and where we find Romano Hairdresser’s, religious monument of Lima, built in 1542 in Baroque the one that the pope frequented during 20 years. A style and consecrated in 1673) and the museum short distance away we find the news agent’s where of colonial art, cloisters and catabumbs. Your drive he daily bought the newspaper, and on Sundays he through Lima will pass by several Colonial squares,

churches and mansions, and then you will continue to the Modern Districts of San Isidro and Miraflores, for a glimpse of life in this huge city, as well as its beautiful parks, modern buildings and great ocean views. After lunch transfer to the Airport for the flight to Cusco.

Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel.

In the evening you will be transferred to local restaurant for Dinner show.

Accommodation at Hilton Garden Inn – Superior Room Meals included: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner May 27 (Sunday - Day 7) Lima - Cusco (Pls Schedule Sunday Mass) Early morning, transfer to Sunday Mass.

Rest of the morning Free time. Take the remainder of the morning to nap or relax as you adjust to Cusco high altitude.

In the afternoon your guided tour of the Inca Royal City of Cusco starts in the very impressionable Plaza de Armas, which is surrounded by a beautiful stone arcade. In the Plaza is the Cathedral, with outside façade in Renaissance style is in contrast to its Baroque and plateresque style of its interiors.

The Convent of Santo Domingo was built above the most important Inca Temple, the Temple of the Sun, or Koricancha. Near the City of Cusco, you will visit the Inca Fortress Sacsayhuaman, made up of three gigantic terraces, superimposed in a zigzag form.

Qenqo, was a religious centre formed by a singular flowering of calcareous rock. It has underground galleries and a semicircular amphitheater with a series of stone seats.

Nearby is a Tambomachay, well known as Baths of the Incas, a place dedicated to the cult of the water, formed by aqueducts, channels.

Stop at Pisac Market for a display of colorful native craftsmanship, enjoy Lunch in Urubamba and head for temple of the sun.

Accommodation at Hilton Garden Inn – Superior Room Meals included: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner May 28 (Sunday - Day 8) Cusco - Sacred Valley Your tour will start en route to the Sacred Valley, Where you will visit Awanakancha, a farm of South America camelids and showroom of textiles, where local families show the entire traditional process of weaving and making garments. You will then visit the Pisac citadel, a town shaped as a partridge, which is known for two reasons: for the craft market established between colonial buildings and for housing one of the most impressive complex of agricultural terraces of the valley. The market has scores of stands that exhibit and sell products manufactured by the residents of the area.

You will then have lunch at the agreed restaurant and will arrive in Ollantaytambo, a typical example of the urban planning of the Incas, whose residents still live in accordance with their old traditions. Pachacutec (1438-1471) conquered the town, destroyed it and built a new one, absorbing it as part of his empire.

The Ollantaytambo fortress is a huge archaeological complex which, although it bears the name of fortress, it was actually a tambo, a leisure city used to accommodate the delegations that traveled long distances. Without a doubt, it is one of the most monumental works of the Inca Empire.

Accommodation at Casa Andina Private Collection Urubamba – Superior room.

Meals included: Breakfast at the hotel, Lunch *Important – Tonight, please pack an overnight bag for your journey to Machu Picchu. Due to luggage restrictions aboard the trains to/from Machu Picchu, passengers may only take 1 small bag weighing no more than 5 kg (11 lbs.). The rest of your luggage will be taken to Cusco city and will be stored at your selected hotel. You will retrieve your luggage on May 30

choices than ever, [but also]the cost of travel in real terms has never been cheaper,� he added. “Along with delivering great value to consumers, airlines are rewarding their shareholders with normal levels of profitability.

We expect 2018 to be the fourth year in a row when the industry’s return on invested capital will exceed the cost of capital. In sum, we begin the New Year with confidence,� de Juniac added.

IATA reported that passenger traffic rose by 8 percent in November, considered the fastest growth rate in five months and up from a 7.3-percent year-over-year increase

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Marian Pilgrimage France, Spain & Portugal

6HSW WR 6HSW ĹĄ 6SLULWXDO 'LUHFWRU 5HY -RKQ 'X\ 1JX\HQ the sisters of charity of Nevers. St Gildard convent Sept 8 - (Saturday - Day 1) USA/PARIS Transatlantic flight from USA to Paris (CDG )Meals is her final resting place. After she was blessed with the apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Lourdes, serve on board.

St. Bernadette retired in Nevers. She received her religious habit in 1866. Continue to Paray-Le-Monial Sept 9 - (Sunday - Day 2) Paris (CDG) Arrived Paris CDG, Then after we clear immigration for Dinner & Overnight (BB, D) and collect our Luggage,. you will proceed to your hotel and have mass and dinner. Overnight in Paris. Sept 13 - (Thursday - Day 6) Paray-Le-Monial (D) After Breakfast, you will tour Paray-Le-Monial. Your first stop is the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and Sept 10 - (Monday - Day 3) Paris Paris is one of the most popular tourist destinations here you will celebrate Holy Eucharist. Then you will in the world, also known as the City of Light. Full day tour and admire the Romanesque basilica and see touring with local guide, including visit of the Eiffel the Chapel of Apparitions. After the Basilica, you will tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, Basilica of Sacre proceed to the Monastere e la Visitation. Visit the Coeur, The chapel of the Miraculous Medal in Rue de reliquary of Saint Margaret Mary of Alocoque at the Bac is the site of Marian Apparitions and contain the Chapel of Visitation. Still to see and visit after lunch reliquaries of St. Catherine Laboure and St. Louise De is the Park of the Chaplain and the Chapel of St. Marillac. The shrine of St. Vincent the Paul is within Colombiere. Dinner & Overnight (BB, D) walking distance, a few blocks from Rue De Bac, visit the chapel which houses the relic of St. Vincent the Sept 14 - (Friday - Day 7) Paray-Le-Monial / Lourdes Paul. Overnight in Paris (BB/D) After breakfast you will continue your pilgrimage to Lourdes. Lourdes, celebrating 160 Years of Sept 11 - (Tuesday - Day 4) Paris/Lisieux After breakfast, Full day in Lisieux, home of St apparitions of Blessed Virgin to Bernadette. Still one Therese, who at age 15, entered the convent and of the great pilgrimages shrines in the world, visited became Carmelite nun, she took the religious name by thousands of pilgrim’s. Arrive in Lourdes in the of St Therese of the child Jesus and the Holy face. late afternoon, orientation to the shrines and spends The spirituality of her little ways was not about some time in the sanctuary. Dinner & overnight. extraordinary things, but rather about doing simple (BB, D) things of life well and with extraordinary love. She believed and taught that “Everything is Grace�, God’s Sept 15 - (Saturday - Day 8) face and presence could be experienced in every Lourdes person and situation of our lives, if we just attend You will have early morning bath at the healing water with love and expectancy. She died at the age of 24 of Lourdes. Then return to the hotel for breakfast. believing that her life was really the beginning for There after attend Holy Mass at the Grotto. continue God, promising to spend her heaven doing good on the day with a walking tour of the shrines and earth, her promised� shower of Roses� began and places associated with the life of St. Bernadette. have become a torrent in the church ever since. Spend some time meditating on the passion of our Return to Paris, Dinner in a restaurant near the hotel. Lord through more than life size exotic way of the sacrament and prayers. Afternoon will be free time for Overnight in Lisieux (BB, D) private devotion. Dinner/overnight (BB, D) Sept 12 - (Wednesday - Day 5) Sept 16 - (Sunday - Day 9) Lisieux / Nevers / Paray-Le-Monial After Breakfast, Continue your drive to the Lourdes / Zaragoza picturesque Loire valley to Nevers, visit the convent After Breakfast, you’ll continue your drive towards of St. Gillard, where St. Bernadette’s incorrupt body Zaragoza, Spain. Visit the shrines of Our Lady of miraculously preserved since her death in 1879. Pillar, the 2nd most popular pilgrimages sites in At the conclusion of the eighteen apparitions of Spain. See the Magnificent altar in the Basilica, built the Virgin Mary in Lourdes, St. Bernadette lived on site where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to for 12 years as a member of the congregation of the apostles St. James, before her assumption into May 29 (Tuesday - Day 9) Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu After Breakfast Board the Vistadome train and travel through the sacred Valley of the Incas on the way to Aguas Calientes, then Hop on the Bus headed to the Citadel, explore Machu Picchu with a Guided tour and admire the seven Wonders of the World, enjoy exploring the sites.

Upon arrival at Machu Picchu’s Aguas Calientes Station, you’ll meet your guide and will take a 30-minute shuttle-bus ride to Machu Picchu, the “Lost City of the Incas�. The ruins are located in a lush jungle and are believed to have been built in the mid-15th century by Inca Pachacutec. Lost in history, it was not discovered until 1911 by the merican explorer Hiram Bingham. Enjoy a guided tour of the fabled ruins.

Now Recognized as a member of the new 7 Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu is a marvelous and famous citadel which combines the visual and spiritual force of magnificent natural scenery with the natural diversity of a historic sanctuary. Machu Picchu is recognized as a Cultural and Natural Patrimony of the World which rises to an altitude of 7,900 feet above sea level between the Huayna Picchu (young peak) and Machu Picchu (old peak). It lies within the spectacular framework provided by the exuberant vegetation of nearby jungle and the rugged landscape. The ruins are situated on the eastern slope of Machu Picchu Mountain in two separate areas – agricultural and

urban. The latter includes the civil sector (dwellings, canalizations) and the sacred sector (temples, mausoleums, squares, royal houses).

Although the constructions show different levels of architecture, the religious buildings exhibits a high degree of perfection. The construction was generally in stone and the roofs were built of tree trunks and thatched with ichu or straw. The walls lean slightly inward to protect against earthquakes.

Later, board the bus down to Aguas Calientes for lunch.

Overnight at Casa Sel Sol boutique Hotel – Standard room.

Meals include: Breakfast at the hotel, lunch and dinner.

heaven. Dinner/overnight Zaragoza (BB, D) Sept 17 - (Monday - Day 10) Zaragoza / Salamanca After breakfast you will embark on a trip to Salamanca. You will have a short stop and panoramic tour of Avila. Upon arrival in Salamanca, you will visit the Old Cathedral and tour the city. Dinner /overnight Salamanca (BB, D) Sept 18 - (Tuesday - Day 11) Salamanca / Fatima After Breakfast, you will spend the first half of the day touring Salamanca. You will visit the new cathedral with a short stop at Plaza Mayor for lunch. After lunch you will continue to Fatima, the famous Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. Upon arrival you will have a short orientation tour of the Sanctuary. Attend the nightly Candlelight procession at the Shrine. Dinner and Overnight Fatima (BB, D) Sept 19 - (Wednesday - Day 12) Fatima Breakfast, then Visit the Museum dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary followed by Mass at the Apparitions chapel, Full day Guided tours includes the Shrines ground, visit of the tombs of Francisco and Jacinta in the Basilica, In Aljustrel and Valinhos, you see the two homes of the shepherds, site of Our Lady’s fourth apparitions. Stop at the Parish church where the seers were baptized, and the cemetery where Francisco and Jacinta were once buried. You will do the station of the Cross. We encourage everyone to spend some time in the Blessed Sacrament, which is open every day. Dinner/ overnight Fåtima. (BB, D) Sept 20 - (Thursday - Day 13) Fatima / Lisbon After breakfast ,you will proceed to Lisbon with stops at Santarem to visit the church of the Holy Miracle containing the Glorious 13th century Eucharistic Miracle of Santarem .Then you will do a panoramic city tour of Lisbon, with a visit to the Basilica of St Anthony de Padua, St Jeronimo’s Monastery and the famous Belem Tower. Dinner/Overnight Lisbon (BB, D) Sept 21 - (Friday) Early AM transfer to Lisbon Airport for flight home to USA Full of wonderful memories of Our Pilgrimage

meters in the middle, on which they placed two large wooden boards. Thus, the Incas could isolate the city and protect themselves by removing them.

Later take the bus down to Aguas Calientes, head to the train station and board the Vistadome train Ollantaytambo station. On arrival, you will be transferred to your selected hotel in Cusco city.

Accommodation at Hilton Garden Inn – Superior Room Meals included: Breakfast, dinner at the hotel *Important – The visits to Huayna Picchu have a restricted access to 400 passengers per day – 200 at 7:00 a.m. and 200 at 10:00 a.m. This entrance is subject to availability and the guests have to choose and inform their preferred scheduled with time in advance. Guests’ information such as complete May 30 (Wednesday - Day 10) Machu Picchu name, passport number, nationality, date of birth and pre payment are required to purchase the to Cusco After having breakfast today, you will meet your guide entrance fee. Entrance fees to Huayana Picchu and at the lobby of the hotel and will enjoy a second visit Machu Picchu are non refundable/non endorsable. to Machu Picchu.

You may climb the Wayna Picchu (entrance fee May 31, 2018 (Thursday - Day 11) End of the included), which means “Young Mountain� as opposed tour, flight schedule as below to Machu Picchu. Its ascent takes approximately an 6:10 am Transfer to airport to board your flight to Lima hour and its top attraction is the “Temple of the Moon�, Cusco - Lima- Lax (LA2054 CUZLIM 0840 1010) a complex of underground constructions probably Upon arrival, connect with your international flight used for the elite. You may finally go to the Inca Bridge, LAX ( LA600 LIMLAX 1220 1900) an amazing stone construction which served to enter Welcome Back home to USA or exit the citadel that has an empty space of several

B JANUARY 17-19, 2018 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

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

BSP greenlights Overseas Filipino Philippines stays out of US piracy list Bank opening in February

by Lawrence

agcaoiLi Philstar.com

THE Overseas Filipino (OF) Bank is expected to open early next year after the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) gave staterun Land Bank of the Philippines the green light to acquire Philippine Postal Savings Bank (Postal Bank).

BSP Deputy Governor Chuchi Fonacier said the central bank has approved the acquisition of Postal Bank by Landbank. “It has already been approved actually.

It was approved two weeks ago,” she added.

The transaction, she explained, involved the almost full

acquisition of Postal Bank by Landbank.

Fonacier said the transaction would still have to be approved by the PCC. Likewise, she added the application to set up the OF Bank was already been filed and is now being evaluated by the central bank prior to the approval by the Monetary Board.

BSP Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. said the OF Bank would likely be operational by February. “I think they are targeting to start operations by February,” Espenilla said.

Philippine Competition Commission chairman Arsenio Balisacan said the body is now

reviewing the documents submitted involving the acquisition of Postal Bank by Landbank.

Under the first phase, PCC would have to act on the application within a period of 30 days.

“Now we have the process in place, we’re expecting this next year. The documents have just been submitted so we can review. Hopefully the process can move quickly,” he told reporters.

Balisacan said PCC is mandated to scrutinize transactions involving mergers and acquisition valued at least P1 billion and make a decision within 90 days.

“Our rules require us to make a decision in a maximum of 90 days,” he said. n

Permanent residency through marriage to US citizen spouse

One traditional way of obtaining permanent residency for most immigrants is through a petition by a US citizen spouse AS a spouse of a US Citizen, an alien is considered an immediate relative and entitled to immediately apply for a green card inside the United States. This is usually done by simultaneously filing an I-130 Petition for Alien Relative and an I-485 Application to adjust status. However in order to do this, the alien spouse must have been inspected when the alien entered the United States or if not inspected must be grandfathered by section 245(i) of the immigration and nationality act. Being inspected means that the alien entered using a valid visa, paroled inside the United States, entered using the visa waiver program. The alien is grandfathered by section 245(i) if a family petition or a labor certification has been filed for the benefit of that alien prior to April 30, 2001. If the alien was not inspected nor grandfathered under section 245(i), such as if the alien crossed the border illegally, the alien cannot obtain his or her green card inside the United States. Then it becomes a catch 22 situation because if the alien spouse leave the US, the alien spouse becomes subject to the 3/10 year unlawful presence bar. The alien spouse may apply for a provisional waiver of the 3/10 year bar inside the US which will give the alien spouse

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes some assurance that he or she may be able to come back the US if he or she interviews at the US embassy overseas for the immigrant visa.

Along with the application and petition, the alien is also required to take a medical examination by a physician designated by the USCIS. The result of that physical examination is reported in a USCIS form and sealed in an envelope submitted with the Petition and Adjustment Application.

The alien spouse may also apply for a work authorization card with the Petition and Adjustment application. The work authorization card will allow the alien spouse to work legally in the United States, obtain a social security card, and a driver’s license while that person is waiting for his or her green card interview.

Work Authorization card are usually issued in about1 to 2 months from filing the application.

The green card interview is usually set in about 5 to 6

months from the time the Petition and Application is filed. The green card interview is the most important step in the process. It is through this process that the USCIS officer usually determines whether the marriage, which forms the basis of the Petition, was entered in good faith. The adjudicating officer usually asks detailed questions about the marriage relationship between the US Citizen spouse and alien spouse. If the couple do not have children, the marriage are usually subject to closer scrutiny. Along with this inquiry process, the USCIS would usually request for certain documents that proves a bonafide marriage.

Some of these documents may be in the form of pictures, joint utility bills, health insurance documents, and many more. If everything goes well, the USCIS officer will approve the case and a green card will be mailed to the alien’ address within a reasonable time period. If the couple has been married for 2 years or more, the alien spouse will recieve a permanent greencard.

If the couple has been married for less than 2 years, the alien will receive a conditional green card. The alien spouse will have to file a petition to remove the condition 3 months prior to the

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THE Philippines has managed to stay out of the U.S. list of “notorious markets” for piracy and trademark counterfeiting for the sixth straight year.

Results of the 2017 out-of-cycle review of notorious markets by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) showed the Philippines maintained its clean record of not hosting physical marketplaces that reportedly “engage in, facilitate, turn a blind eye to, or benefit from substantial piracy and counte The Philippines was taken out of the list in 2012 after the USTR recognized the Philippine government’s significant enforcement actions that have reduced the number of counterfeit and pirated goods available for sale.

Prior to its removal in 2012, the Philippines was a regular in the list for six years with areas like Greenhills, Divisoria, Quiapo, Makati Cinema Square, Binondo, and Baclaran being cited as hot spots.

Part of the 2017 notorious markets list for physical marketplaces are China (Silk Market and Hongqiao Market in Beijing, Shenzhen Jindu Garment Wholesale Market in Guangdong Prov-

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA (Continued from last week’s issue) YOUR postings at all social networking sites define who you are and delineate your character to the world. Your thoughts, your ideas and comments, your images, even your choice of words give an insight to your personality and character traits. They reflect your values, give a hint of your weaknesses and vulnerabilities and can be a measure of the size of your ego. Taken altogether, they paint a composite picture of you, either flattering or not.

Even the amount of time you spend on online games is a sliver of insight into your interests and how you spend your free time.

It may be indicative of whether you are near the brink of obsessive-compulsive behavior or a candidate for the nuthouse.

Unfair? Of course it is. It is a flat and one-dimensional picture of who you are. You are a far more complex person than what your Facebook and Twitter postings give you credit for. But based on available information that you yourself provided, that’s how you want the people that orbit in your universe see you.

Take heed from a phrase that police officers read to suspects, “ …

Anything you say (and in social networking, what you post) can and will be taken against you…”

If you have posted something offensive, ranting and raving at someone or something as a gut reaction to a situation that angers you, you would get the instant gratification of venting your ire.

But do think about the far-reaching consequences of being hauled off to court and wasting your time and money defending yourself.

A recent story is told of a CFO of a pharmaceutical firm earning $200,000 per year and with stock options worth $1 million.

A few years back, he decided to take advantage of the free water offered in a Chick-fil-A drive thru as a ruse for his hidden agenda to film himself berating the staff who served him the water so he can attack the corporation’s

What’s New Arlene Al-os, CPA, MBA 2017 versus 2018 tax rates: individual income tax rates in 2017 in percentage are 10, 15, 25, 28, 33, 35, and 39.6. The 2018 rates in percentage are 10, 12, 22, 24, 32, 35, and 37 and will expire on 2025, under H.R.1 “The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act”.

The corporate maximum tax rate is 35 percent in 2017 and 21 percent flat rate in 2018.

• Personal excemptions: $4,050 and is gone in 2018.

In 2017 phase-outs for personal itemized deduction and personal exemption begins at: single $261,500, head of household $287,650, married filing joint and surviving spouse $313,800, and married filing separate $156,900.

• Standard deuctions: If your combined itemized deductions for interests, taxes, medical and contributions are less than the following amounts, use the following standard deductions: A. Single: $6,350 (2017) to $12,000 (2018) B. Married filing jointly:

ince, as well as Jinxiang Foreign Trade Garment Market, Jinshun Garment Market, and Zhanxi Area Markets in Guangzhou), Argentina (La Salada, Buenos Aires), Canada (Pacific Mall, Markham, Ontario), India (Tank Road, Delhi), Indonesia Results of the 2017 out-of-cycle eeview of notorious (Mangga Dua, Jakarta), markets by the Office of the US Trade Representative Italy (Mercato dei vener- (USTR) showed the Philippines maintained its clean di, Ventimiglia), Mexico record of not hosting physical marketplaces that (El Tepito in Mexico City reportedly “engage in, facilitate, turn a blind eye to, and Mercado San Juan de or benefit from substantial piracy and counterfeiting.

File photo by Philstar Dios in Guadalajara), Paraguay (Ciudad del Este), Spain because the scale of infringing (Els Limits de La Jonquera, Gi- activity in these marketplaces rona), Turkey (Grand Bazaar, can cause significant harm to Istanbul), UAE (DragonMart and U.S. intellectual property (IP) Ajman China Mall), and Vietnam owners, consumers, legiti(Nin Heip Market in Hanoi and mate online platforms, and the Tan Binh Market in Ho Chi Minh economy. Some of the identiCity). fied markets reportedly host a “A goal of the list is to motivate combination of legitimate and appropriate action by owners, unauthorized activities. Othoperators, and service provid- ers openly or reportedly exist ers in the private sector of these solely to engage in or facilitate and similar markets, as well as unauthorized activity,” it added. governments, to reduce piracy A broader analysis of intellecand counterfeiting,” USTR said. tual property protection and en“USTR highlights the follow- forcement in particular countries ing marketplaces because they or economies is presented in the exemplify global counterfeit- annual Special 301 Report pubing and piracy concerns and lished every year. (Philstar.com)

Think before you post (Part 2 of 2)

“You are free to post whatever you like. You are not free of its consequences however.” stand on traditional marriage.

He recorded himself saying some awful words to the staff member who was stunned but remained gracious under fire despite the unwarranted attack. The guy then gleefully posted his video on youtube. Upon returning to his office, his secretary was in shock because of the overload of emails sent to him by people who took umbrage against his action.

To make a long story short, the married father of four was fired from his job, lost his home and his possessions reducing his status to live on food stamps.

He found another job but when it was discovered that he was the author of that video, he was fired again. He has since then apologized to the staff member but maintains his position. No job offers seems to be forthcoming though. He has written a book about his experience and hopes that his book sells.

In the internet, karma can be swift and unforgiving. Not only do we now live in a suehappy, highly litigious environment, we also have to deal with unpredictable backlash. Your posts are evidentiary proof.

You are free to post whatever you like. You are not free of its consequences however.

So if you’re angry, try venting the old fashioned way. Punch a bag. Break some plates. Or sweat it out. Write if you have to vent as a form of release but give yourself a week or two to cool down and pull yourself together. Write it, then trash it.

Think of posting to the public as ripping a pillow filled with countless goose down feathers to the four winds. Damage is beyond repair. Someone once said that you can’t take something off the internet. It’s like peeing in a pool.

It is quite easy for professional internet sleuths to find out where a message posting comes from even if you try to cover your tracks with bogus identities. 9 out of 10, you will be unmasked. Like it or not, transparency has become the nature of this wired world.

Of course, as it is playing out on the political stage at the moment, a noted political figure has wiped her internet server clean to erase all emails and proof of possible wrongdoing. Is there a technology out there that can undelete deleted emails? How about recipients of those emails who have their own servers?

This drama bears watching if only to see if it is really true that emails can be wiped out clean.

For now, you will be held accountable and may have to plead temporary insanity to free yourself from the sticky mess of your own doing. Increasingly, the justice system has come to rely on words in documents, images in photos and videos on the internet and DNA matches, as irrefutable evidentiary proof.

As they often say in the movies, but no longer as empty bluster these days, “You can run, but you can’t hide.” The ease with which we send and receive information is matched only with the ease with which messages are traced and tracked back to the original source. This is the reason why terrorists and kidnappers revert back to the old fashioned, slow way of communication — coded messages by couriers on beasts of burden, for fear of being traced.

Your postings and when you log on to Facebook, particularly during work hours, can get you fired. Employers are exercising their right to be picky when there are millions out there who are qualified to take your job.

As in anything, balance, good old common sense and a smidgen of humility should guide us all while social networking. Since we still live in a physical world, what is real still trumps what is merely virtual.

Or you can just log off, canoodle with a loved one or go fly a kite with your kids. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

Federal tax update part 2: 2017 and 2018 H.R.1 $12,700 (2017) - $24,000 (2018) C. Married filing separately: $6,350 (2017) - $12,000 (2018) D. Head of household: $9,350 (2017) - $(2018) • Child tax credit: maximum credit amount is $1,000 in 2017 and $2,000 in 2018, refundable and non-refundable.

• Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) exemption amount increased. The AMT exemption amount is increased to: A. Single: $54,300 (2017) to $55,400 (2018) B. Married filing jointly: $84,500 (2017) to $86,200 (2018) C. Married filing separately: $42,250 (2017) to 43,100 (2018) D. Head of household: $53,300 (2017) to $55,400 (2018) • State and local taxes: In 2017 all deductible. In 2018 maximum deduction is $10,000 (includes property taxes).

• Mortgage interest: In 2017 limit is $1,000,000. In 2018 limit is $750.000.

• What is new with social security tax?

A. Maximum earnings: $127,200 (2017) to $128,400 (2018)

B.Social security tax rate: 6.20 percent, same for both 2017 and 2018 C. Maximum social security tax: $7,886.40 (2017) to $7,961 (2018) D. Maximum FICA self-employment tax: $15,772.80 (2017) to $15,922 (2018) E. Social security income before age 66 earning limit: $16,920 (2017) to $17,040 (2018) F. Social security income in the year you turned age 66 earning limit: $44,800 (2017) to $45,360 (2018). *** Disclaimer: Any accounting, business or tax advice contained in this communication is neither intended as a thorough, in-depth analysis of specific issues, nor a substitute for a formal opinion, nor is it sufficient to avoid taxrelated penalties. *** Al-os & Associates Accountancy Corporation provides accounting and tax services to individuals, corporations, LLCs and business entities. The Firm has a niche in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS and other governmental agencies.

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Debt Relief

ATTY. LAWRENCE YANG

THE client is 74. Her husband passed away two years ago. Her only source of income is social security of $2,000 a month, which was her husband’s social security. Her own social security was $1,500 a month. So how come she only has $2,000 of social security and not $2,000 plus $1,500?

Because when you are married to each other, the widow or widower, gets to keep only the higher of the two. Since her social security was $1,500 and her husband’s social security was $2,000, when her husband died, she got to keep the $2,000. However, her own social security disappears! Sad but true — it sucks.

That’s the unfair way that it works.

The client and her deceased husband owned a house with $100,000 of equity. It had a fair market value of $450,000 and a first mortgage balance of $350,000. The mortgage payment was $1,600 a month. So you can see immediately that there’s a problem. Since client inherits the higher social security benefit of $2,000 but loses her own social security benefit of $1,500, after paying the mortgage of $1,600, there’s only $400 left for expenses. The other problem is the client owes $40,000 of credit cards. She needs $1,300 a month of minimum payments to keep these cards current.

Well obviously, she wanted to keep living in the house. So right after husband died, she tried to get a reverse mortgage. A reverse mortgage pays off the balance of your mortgage like a refinance, but unlike a refinance, she would not have to pay a monthly mortgage payment. She gets to live in the house until she dies.

The balance of the mortgage gets bigger every month because even though she doesn’t have to pay the monthly mortgage, the unpaid mortgage payment is added to the outstanding balance of the loan. If she actually did get a reverse mortgage, she would not have to pay $1,600 a month for mortgage, she can pay zero every month and she can live in the house until she dies.

The problem of getting a reverse mortgage is that there is a maximum limit that it will pay off. That maximum limit is about $300,000. Since client owes $350,000, she is over by $50,000.

BUSINESS NEWS

Senior needs bankruptcy relief. But Chapter 7 or 13?

This is resolved by paying down the $350,000 to $300,000. In other words, she has to get $50,000 from somewhere then pay down the mortgage to $300,000. After that, the reverse mortgage will pay off the $300,000. It is quite easily done when you are able to get $50,000 from somewhere, however, it is impossible to do when you have no sources to resort to. The client was not able to produce $50,000 so she couldn’t get a reverse mortgage.

So why not sell the house and rent a room for $500 a month?

She doesn’t want to do this.

She’s lived in the house with her husband and children for most of her life, so she wants to live the rest of her life in the house.

Since the client is still perfectly healthy at 72, she may still live to 90, another 20 years. So what does she do? A relative who lives out of state wants to buy a house in California as an investment. She is willing to sell the house to the relative for $100,000 below market and in exchange, the relative agrees to let her stay in the house without paying rent for as long as she wants, or until she passes on.

This is a good deal for the client because she gets to live in the house without having to worry about a mortgage or rent payment. Just as a caveat, if you are thinking of this kind of arrangement, make sure that you create a life estate and record it with the recorder’s office. A life estate is a right to live in the house until you die. Whoever buys the house cannot evict you because of the life estate. The client did not create a life estate but merely relied on the goodwill of the relative who purchased the house. What happens if the relative sells the house? Since there is no life estate, the client will most likely have to start paying rent to the new owner. But let’s hope this never happens until after the client has left this world and spend the rest of eternity with Jesus, God the Father and God the Holy Spirit in heaven.

In Heaven, she can live in a mansion for free because Jesus said that in His Father’s house, there are many mansions where she can stay for free: “In my Father’s house there are many mansions, and if not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” John 14:2 Our problems on the earth are so many and myriad. Even a place to stay and live is a problem.

In heaven, our loving God provides us with everything for free!

Now that client has lived in the house rent-free for a year, she’s getting tired of using $1,300 from her $2,000 of social security benefits. In the last 12 months, $16,000 from her $24,000 of social security to keep her $40,000 of credit card debts current. Is this a financially sound thing to do for the rest of her life? I don’t think so. She just paid $16,000 in one year, yet she owes the same $40,000 of credit card debt.

If she lives another 20 years, she would have paid her credit card masters $320,000 yet she will still owe the same $40,000!

She’s thought the whole thing over and wants to get rid of the $40,000 cards with a Chapter 7 petition. I would certainly file a Chapter 7 for her to discharge the $40,000, but its really not that simple. The problem is that she sold her house to the relative for a lot less than market value. This is a red flag in Chapter 7. In Chapter 7, the trustee can sue the relative to get the house back. It’s a big problem.

The alternative is a Chapter 13 with the lowest plan payment possible, maybe $250 per month for 60 months. After paying $15,000 of principal, no interest in Chapter 13, the balance $25,000 would be discharged.

She can still have $1,750 of social security left for what she wants to do after the plan payment. Maybe she can take a cruise in Southeast Asia. That’s a good thing to do and enjoy when you’re 72 and still healthy.

If you need debt relief, set an appointment to see me. I will analyze your case personally.

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” Psalm 145:18

legal advice to any reader. There is no attorney-client relationship established by this article with the reader. If you want to discuss your situation, you have to set an appointment to consult with the attorney. The first general consultation is free. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy, business, real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S. Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, Building A-1 Suite 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803 or at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789.

the Phil American Society of CPAs, Pangasinan Brotherhood-USA, the Historic Filipino Town Rotary Club and many others.

Please come and witness the launching of our first GK e-Rotary Annual Fil-Am and their Friends Young Professionals Ambassador Tour to the Philippines in July, that will also a part of the official Phil Government Ambassador Tour that is being done annually for many years now.

For more information, please contact the Project Chair, Jhenny Evans at (714) 598-6446, or e-mail at jhenny_evans@yahoo.com; or Ernie Delfin at (714) 746 3088 or e-mail him at ernie.gkerc@gmail.com.

Expanding a movement: The Gabriella Foundation transforms new communities through the power of dance THE Gabriella Foundation’s everybody dance! program is reaching more underserved Los Angeles youth than ever. In February, its headquarter offices will move to South Los Angeles – near Santee Alley and the Fashion District – to the second floor of a light manufacturing warehouse formerly occupied by the Century Spring Corporation (222 E. 16th Street, Los Angeles 90015). With large windows, brick walls, and two newly built-out dance studios, the organization’s new “Santee” site will serve the South Los Angeles community with highquality after-school dance education in ballet, tap, jazz, modern, hip hop and break dancing.

With in-school dance education newly offered

by The Gabriella Foundation (“TGF”) in South Los Angeles at Gabriella Charter School 2 and Dr. Maya Angelou Community High School, TGF’s new Santee site will provide low-cost after-school dance education for students who want to master specific dance forms beyond the last school bell. TGF will further extend its in-school reach in South Los Angeles through a new partnership with LAUSD that will bring the organization’s awardwinning everybody dance! program to elementary and middle schools with low Arts Equity Index scores (1, non-existent; 2, basic).

Throughout expansion, TGF will maintain and continue growing its presence at current sites in the MacArthur Park and Watts areas, with inschool programming already launched in fall 2017 at eight new school sites. In total, TGF will serve nearly 3,700 students at 18 sites with 277 hours of weekly dance instruction during the 2017-2018 dance season.

TGF’s award-winning everybody dance! afterschool program helps underserved youth reach their full potential in life by fostering a culture that promotes high expectations and performance, community building through parental involvement, and sequential, long-term training.

Everybody dance! in-school, a pathway to the after-school program, provides a creative outlet for students during the school day and uses dance as a tool for learning by incorporating movement

PAGE B1 t

80 international airlines.

The NAIA consortium believes that the NAIA would continue to be a strategic gateway for the country and a key hub of airline operations for many more years.

The consortium would work with foreign technical partners with proven world-class track records and experiences in airport operations to improve, upgrade, and enhance the operational efficiencies of NAIA covering both landside and airside facilities, it said.

The consortium also aims to upgrade NAIA so it can accommodate an additional 11 million passengers from the current 39.5 million.

It also proposes increase NAIA’s hourly aircraft movements (landing and take-off) from 40 movements per hour to 48 movements per hour.

Meanwhile, the consortium of Megawide and state-run Social Security System (SSS) will maintain its partnership with GMR. GMR is Megawide’s partner in

the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, which they took over operations in 2014.

GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corp (GMCAC) president Louie Ferrer said the group has a proven track record in Cebu when they significantly improved airport operations and made the whole process more efficient.

NAIA, which traces its history to as early as 1948, was built to handle 30 million passengers but is currently handling nearly 40 million passengers.■

Global airline industry ‘in a good...

PAGE B1 t in October.

Capacity, meanwhile, went up by 6.3 percent, and load factor rose 1.2 percentage points to 80.2 percent.

Despite the growth, de Juniac said challenges in the industry remain.

“Security threats continue. Infrastructure issues persist. Fees and charges are a growing part of the cost base.

And in many cases airports and air traffic management struggle to keep pace with demand and technology advancements,” he said.

“These and other challenges can only be addressed in partnership with governments. And doing so requires governments to recognize the enormous value that aviation—the business of freedom—provides to their economies and the world,” the IATA chief added. ■

Subic Freeport seen ‘more...

PAGE B1 t

“2018 will be an exciting year for the Subic Bay Freeport Zone as various international firms have recognized the potential of Subic Bay as a strategic gateway in the Asian market,” Locsin added.

Earlier, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said it aims to make the Freeport more

competitive in international trade and will push for its full development by 2022.

“Our priority is to make Subic a more open and competitive Freeport in international trade.

With additional investment prospects in the works, Subic Bay is moving forward with positive momentum,” SBMA Administra-

tor Wilma Eisma said.

SBITC has opened a container barge service for inter-island trade with Cebu and Cagayan de Oro. The service connects Subic to Bacolod, Iloilo, Samar, and Leyte through the Cebu port, while the Cagayan de Oro port connects Subic to the island of Mindanao. ■

Permanent residency through...

PAGE B2 t

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

Calendar of Events across

Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. 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 kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com.

(Advertising Supplement)

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 2 0

Dinner for GK e-Rotary Club for PH incoming governors in Westminster, CA The 6-year-old GK e-Rotary Club will be hosting a dinner for two incoming Rotary District Governors from the Philippines — Gov. Mar Reyes from QC D3780 and Gov. Nisce from La Union D3790 — on Saturday, January 20, at the new Luxe Buffet Restaurant at 2008 Westminster Mall, Westminster, California (restaurant is in the 2nd floor of the mall, along Bolsa Ave. at Godldenwest, just off the 405 freeway).

Invited guests include Consul General Adelio Cruz, presidents and officers of several Filipino-American organizations, like the Fil-Am Chamber of Commerce of OC, the PressClub of California, the Phil American Society of CPAs, Pangasinan Brotherhood-USA, the Historic Filipino Town Rotary Club and many others.

Please come and witness the launching of our first GK e-Rotary Annual Fil-Am and their Friends Young Professionals Ambassador Tour to the Philippines in July, that will also a part of the official Phil Government Ambassador Tour that is being done annually for many years now. For more information, please contact the Project Chair, Jhenny Evans at (714) 5986446, or e-mail at jhenny_evans@yahoo.com; or Ernie Delfin at (714) 746 3088 or e-mail him at ernie.gkerc@gmail.com.

JA N UA RY 2 1

31st anniversary of the Feast of Santo Niño in Los Angeles Santo Niño Cruzada USA, with the participations of the Filipino Catholics Choir of St. Paul the Apostle Church, The Saint Junipero Serra Province Knights of Columbus and The Southern California Sinulog Dance Co., is inviting everyone to attend the holy mass of its 31st year anniversary celebration of the Feast of Santo Niño, the Divine Infant Jesus, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, on Sunday, January 21, 2018 at 3:30pm. The main celebrant is Monsignor Kevin Kostelnik to be concelebrated by various priests from different parishes. We also offer this mass to honor the late Cebu Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, who returned to our Creator on October 18, 2017 in Cebu, Philippines. The Santo Niño image that we use to celebrate the annual feast was given by Cardinal Vidal to Los Angeles Archbishop Emeritus Roger Cardinal Mahony and Monsignor Kevin Kostelnik several years ago. For more information, please contact any of the following officers and members: Romy and Tess Esturas (213) 387-6982; Tess and Rey Edpao (818) 469-7292; Carmen Estrada (213) 413-2881; Fe Montano (323) 218-1587; Ester Paredes (213) 864-1149; Lilia Figuracion (626) 394-2661; Fe Reyes (213) 413-5286; Cherry Guerrero (323) 747-6508; Cherry Nicodemus (323) 304-6195; Vicky Samia (818) 851-2262; Tessie Cruz (213) 361-0937; Purita Prather (626) 798-4674; Lourdes Cronin (310) 880-6069; Maria Oclarino (213) 427-0353; Jun Panlaqui (213) 413-2881; Flora Ferrer (323) 556-4855.

JA N UA RY 25

Immigration forum in Anaheim, CA into academic curriculum. In both models, TGF hires professional dance instructors who inspire students to achieve their very best in the dance studio, teaching beyond technique by imparting life skills and instilling confidence, commitment, creativity and community. Over 90% of everybody dance! students surveyed report higher levels of self-esteem and self-efficacy, enhanced physical fitness, and an improved sense of being supported by family and the community.

About The Gabriella Foundation: The Gabriella Foundation was founded in 1999 by Liza Bercovici in memory of her daughter, Gabriella, a 13-yearold who loved to dance. The Mission of the Foundation is to transform the lives of underserved youth in Los Angeles through high-quality dance instruction.

In 2005, Liza founded Gabriella Charter School, with dance integral to the curriculum, believing that the same rigor dance provided could be carried over into the classroom. Today, The Gabriella Foundation and Gabriella Charter Schools continually seek to strengthen their historic partnership through strategic collaboration and cooperation – working in concert to deliver the highest quality dance and academics. ■

B3

Super consortium in NAIA bid...

expiration of the conditional greencard which is good for 2 years. *** 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 infor*** Disclaimer: The foregoing is an expres- mation. This article is not intended to sion of opinion and is not meant to be cover all the issues related to the topic

People and Events Dinner for GK e-Rotary Club for PH incoming governors on Jan. 20 THE 6-year-old GK e-Rotary Club will be hosting a dinner for two incoming Rotary District Governors from the Philippines — Gov. Mar Reyes from QC D3780 and Gov. Nisce from La Union D3790 — on Saturday, January 20, at the new Luxe Buffet Restaurant at 2008 Westminster Mall, Westminster, California (restaurant is in the 2nd floor of the mall, along Bolsa Ave. at Godldenwest, just off the 405 freeway).

Invited guests include Consul General Adelio Cruz, presidents and officers of several FilipinoAmerican organizations, like the Fil-Am Chamber of Commerce of OC, the PressClub of California,

LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 17-19, 2018

There will be an immigration forum on Thursday, January 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Brookhurst Community Center (2271 Crescent Ave., Anaheim, CA 92801). RSVP is a MUST to attend. No registration fee required. Please contact (714) 657-7460 or admin@globallawcenters.com. The immigration forum is about employment-based immigration information regarding FAST TRACK Work Visas ( H-1B1, TN, E-3), green card by marriage, family-based immigration employment sponsorship for green card and work visas after graduation. Candidates with H-1B, TN, F-1, OPT & other visas issues are encouraged to attend for a FREE immigration consultation & immigration assistance. As you have already seen there are many changes happening in the field of immigration with regards to the new executive administration and their agenda. Global Law Centers strives to inform the immigrant community of its rights and make sure it is knowledgeable about what immigration processes might be available. The forum will also update everyone about new and recent changes which may affect immigrants and their families.

Asian American Professional Association intro session in Rosemead, CA Join the Asian American Professional Association (AAPA) introductory session on Thursday, January 25! Hear from Paul Park, Founder and CEO at American Dream Builders Now Inc. As a “Gold Miner” Paul’s mission is to search and help develop hidden potential, inspire, and motivate others to dream big. He believes “If you can dream it, you can do it. Build your dream and it will build you.” During the second half meet and interact with AAPA Mentors!

Registration begins at 5:30 p.m., with the program from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. It will be at Southern California Edison, GO-1 Employee Lounge at 2244 Walnut Grove Ave., Rosemead, CA. It is free and open to all professionals. To RSVP, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ aapa-introductory-session-tickets-40791228663.

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

B JANUARY 17-19, 2018 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

A beauty queen turned lawyer A BEAUTY queen in her own right is now a lawyer. Certainly a pride of Dagupan City, Pangasinan, Joy Antonette B. Diaz, recently passed the recent California Bar Examination, one of the toughest in the United States.

Jonette, as she is fondly called, is the youngest child of three siblings of Joel and Maritone Diaz and the granddaughter of community leader Ads Diaz of Northridge, who is also past president of Pangasinan Brotherhood-USA. Jonette — who is also the grandniece of former Philippine House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. — finished her bachelor of arts in political science with a minor in sociology, and was on the honor dean’s lister at University of California, Irvine (UCI). Thereafter, she obtained her juris doctor degree (cum laude) in May 2017 at Chapman University, Dale E. Fowler School of Law in Orange County with full merit scholarship where she also took her oath with the rest of the university’s alumni Bar passers. She ranked in top 5.3 percent of her class.

While she was at UCI, Jonette was a member of Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity and Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity and one of the editors of Chapman Law Review and Academic Chair of the Student Bar Association, among others.

The 26-year-old statuesque beauty queen at 5’9” was a former Miss Greater Dagupan City Association of California, a former Miss Philippines-USA and a Binibining Pilipinas beauty contestant in Manila before she took up her law studies.

After passing the California Bar, Miss Diaz

EMPLOYMENT

was hired by Sacramento County’s Public Defender Office as a certified legal research assistant representing indigent clients to make sure that they obtain fair trial and their constitutional rights are respected.

Among her duties are: to appear in court for intake clients, participate in detention hearings, draft pre-trial motions, perform detailed discovery summaries and assist with the Stand Down program to help provide veterans with legal assistance. (By Dan E. Nino) n

EMPLOYMENT

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

Business tax reform, streamlining development, & accelerating transportation projects lead VICA’s 2018 legislative priorities VAN NUYS, California – The Valley Industry and Commerce Association (VICA) has released its 2018 Legislative Priorities, the top ten local and state policy issues that will shape VICA’s advocacy efforts this year.

VICA’s 2018 Legislative Priorities come from a broader list formed by the group’s policy committees, which was reviewed by the board of directors and voted on by VICA general membership.

“The cost of doing business in Los Angeles has become incredibly expensive, and the regulatory environment has become extremely onerous,” said VICA President Stuart Waldman.

“These 10 priorities reflect our committment to advocating for policies that will improve the business climate in the San Fernando Valley and produce more jobs for the region.”

In 2018, VICA will: 1. Push to reform and streamline the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

2. Lead the effort for business tax reform in the City of Los Angeles, including implementation of the Business Tax Advisory Council’s recommended plan to halve rates within five years and eliminate onerous tax altogether within 15 years.

3. Work to support acceleration of all Measure M-funded Transportation Metro projects.

4. Work to ensure the Los Angeles Community Plan and General Plan Update positively impact the San Fernando Valley and includes plans for the development of more housing.

5. Work to ensure legislators keep the promise of SB 1 and only use new funds for road maintenance, infrastructure improvement and transportation projects.

6. Will call for reinstatement of the flexible work week that allows individual employees to request deviation from the eighthour, five-day state mandate.

7. Will support education initiatives that create experiential

EMPLOYMENT

FOR RENT

SCHOOL

career learning opportunities.

8. Will work to increase existing and identify new funding sources for clean air programs that protect health while supporting business growth, including incentive programs that support AQMD’s 2016 Air Quality Management Plan.

9. Will encourage the allocation of additional staffing for the Los Angeles City Planning Department to expedite the review and permitting processes developers face.

10. Will work to ensure the state definition of ‘High Quality Transit’ is sensitive to Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, and reevaluated to include Metro’s Orange Line.

The mission of the Valley Industry & Commerce Association (VICA) is to enhance the economic vitality of the greater San Fernando Valley region by advocating for a better business climate and quality of life. Visit www.vica.com for more information. n

B5 JANUARY 17-19, 2018 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

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cover story The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - January 17, 2018

‘Adventures in Ticoland: Where the Magic of Animals Never Ends’

A story of imagination and innocence by

A

Christina M. Oriel / AJPress

FTeR his first book, “Half My Life: The Testimony of a Father and His Special Needs Child,” about the challenges a father is facing with a son diagnosed with autism and diabetes, author Joseph Lim is now equally proud to share his new book, “Adventures in Ticoland: Where the Magic of Animals Never ends.”

“It’s a children’s book based on a fictitious world and original animal characters created by my daughter, Ashley, when she was 7 years old,” said Joseph in an email interview with the Asian Journal. ‘Tico’ is a nickname I gave her at age 4, and she named ‘Ticoland’ after herself.” explaining that Ticoland is a fairytale world of animals living their lives, learning lessons, and having fun; the book is also the realization that his daughter won’t be that innocent little girl forever.

“As I witnessed my daughter create several dozen animal characters, draw and color them, describe them, and even tell some stories about them, I was impressed by her creativity and wild imagination.

“Then it dawned on me, she’s going to grow up one day. She’s not always going to be a seven-year old little girl.

One day, she will lose some of that childhood innocence and carefree spirit that so defines her character. So I decided to

Joseph Lim’s daughter Ashley and her drawings that inspired the characters in “Ticoland.”

‘capture her imagination,’ so to speak, while she is still young.

So that when she eventually grows up, she can see this book as a reminder of a really fun and innocent time in her life,” he said. even when he has successfully published two books, Joseph admits that his first book, “Half My Life,” has a different purpose than “Ticoland.”

He said, “With that first book, I wrote it for the purpose of bringing forth greater awareness and compassion towards the special needs community.

So I’ve been busy spreading the word about it. This second book, on the other hand, has a completely different purpose. It is simply a gift for my daughter – nothing fancy, just a simple gift. But if it does well also, that’s icing on the cake, because it has obvious sentimental value.”

Joseph also added he does feel that he is an accomplished author, but then again, for him, it’s not just checking the box and claiming a goal.

“Because there is so much more sentimental value in these books than I can ever really describe in a few short sentences.

These books are for my beloved children, the first for my son, and the second for my youngest daughter,” he said. “It’s not important for me to be an accomplished ‘author’ unless I am also an accomplished ‘father.’”

Joseph also wants to emphasize that a portion of the proceeds from the sales of “Ticoland” will be donated to selected charities such as the Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), St. Jude Children’s Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House of Charities.

He also wants to invite everyone to his YouTube channel, “Autism and Diabetes Dad.” His video blogs aim to impart his experiences and knowledge as a parent of a special needs child.

As an author, Joseph shared that he hopes to inspire other Filipinos — in the Philippines, the United States and all over the world — who are thinking of being a writer, to go for it. “everyone has a story to tell, challenges that they’ve overcome, and causes they want to support. Writing is a great way to share their message. For me personally, I know

there are many Filipinos with special needs loved ones who I hope can relate to the experiences I share in my first book, and in my YouTube videos.

Also, I hope all children will find the stories in “Ticoland” to be fun and entertaining, while learning valuable lessons at the same time,” he said.

“Adventures in Ticoland” is available on Amazon by clicking www.amazon.com/AdventuresTicoland-Where-Magic-Animals/dp/1640289062.

To view Joseph Lim’s YouTube channel, “Autism and Diabetes Dad,” go to: www. youtube.com/watch?v=dKvtY9n Hibg&feature=youtu.be.

Gladys & Chris’ formula for solid marriage: 3 P’s by riCky lO Philstar.com

IN a field where lasting unions are the exception rather than the rule, Gladys Reyes and Christopher Roxas should be commended for surviving the trials and temptations of showbiz.

On Jan. 23, Jean-Christophe Sommereux (his real name; he’s French in case you don’t know) and Gladys are celebrating their “25 years of togetherness,” blessed with four children: Gian-Christophe (Best Man), Gianna-Aquisha (Maid of Honor) and Grant-Carlin and

Gavin-Cale (Ring Bearers).

Upon receiving an invitation, I texted Gladys, “Congratulations on your 25th year of marriage,” and Gladys promptly corrected me, “25 years of togetherness po, not as married couple.”

Both Gladys and Christopher are members of Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC). The renewal of vows will be done in INC ceremony at Fernwood GardensTagaytay in Tagaytay City, with silver and mint as motif. Unlike in similar occasions, nobody from showbiz is part of the entourage.

Asked what their “formula” is for a happy “togetherness,” Gladys said, “Three P’s – Prayers, Patience and Partnership.”

Printed on the invitation is this: The best of friendship through the years/Souls entwined by unselfish love and faith/A love that stood the tests of time/Now, a lifetime vow and a lasting commitment.

The friendship between Gladys and Christopher started when they were in their teens, even before they joined showbiz.

Tackling love and justice in ‘Asintado’ ABS-CBN opens 2018 with a new action-drama about a ruthless fight for love and justice in “Asintado,” which stars Shaina Magdayao, Paulo Avelino, Aljur Abrenica, and Queen of Daytime Drama Julia Montes. The series begins airing this week on the network’s “Kapamilya Gold” timeslot.

Montes’ return to television marks her portrayal of another fearless character named Ana (Julia), a woman who is part of a rescue team and aspires to give her adoptive family a good life. Despite being tough, her heart longs for her sister, whom she lost in a fire that killed their parents.

Dedicated to duty, she meets Gael (Avelino), the son of an influential family, who hires her as his personal nurse after she saved him from a mining incident. After spending time together, they get to know more about each other and eventually fall for one another.

However, their budding romance is cut short with the return of Gael’s ex-girlfriend Samantha (Magdayao), a fa-

Christopher and Gladys with children Gian-Christophe, Gianna-Aquisha and Grant-Carlin and Gavin-Cale.

Maja Salvador: Non-showbiz boys are better lovers

by Jan

MilO severO Philstar.com

New team-ups for daytime drama: Aljur Abrenica, Julia Montes, Paulo Avelino and Shaina Magdayao.

ABS-CBN photo

mous jeweler who does what it takes to win the love of her life back, even if it means putting matters in her own hands.

Blinded by obsession, Samantha then plots to kill Ana in order to get her out of Gael’s life.

But Samantha’s evil ploy does not go as planned because Ana survives the attempted murder with the help of Xander (Abrenica).

And then Ana wakes up to the most shocking news — Gael and Samantha are getting married — and seeks vengeance to destroy the both of them.

Also part of “Asintado” are Lorna Tolentino, Cherry Pie Picache, Lito Pimentel, Agot Isidro, and Nonie Buencamino.

It is under the direction of Onat Diaz and Lino Cayetano.

(ManilaTimes.net)

Photo from Instagram/@iamgladysreyes

Maja Salvador

DeSPITe her busy schedule, Kapamilya actress Maja Salvador admitted she still has time for romance and she is now dating a non-showbiz guy.

“Kung masugid naman ang love life mo, wala namang problema dun. Kasi meron at merong time,” the hit afternoon teleserye “Wildflower” star said during her press conference for “Maja On Stage.”

For Maja, it is better to date non-showbiz guys because of the difference between each other’s worlds.

“Ang maganda dun is nakakausap mo kung ano nangyayari sa mundo niya, nangyayari sa mundo ko, maraming napaguusapan.

Fifteen years na magkaibigan so kabisado ang isat-isa.”

“Lily Cruz” also noted that great relationships come from solid friendship as foundation. “’Yung sa akin ngayon is 15 years ko na kakilala. Barkada ko kahit dati pa. So okay kasi iba yung foundation. Yung friendship, buong-buo.”

With only weeks left in her top-rated teleserye, Maja will return as a performer this 2018 with “Maja On Stage,” her concert tour around the country and abroad.

Maja’s much-awaited concert tour kicks off at the IeC Convention in Cebu this coming February 4, then she is heading to the The Big Box east Jurong in Singapore on February 18, and will be back in Manila at the KIA Theater on March 23.

“Nung sinabi na may plans about concert and ano magiging title, sinabi ko lang na parang sa buong 2017, nagpaka-actress ako, nag ‘Wildflower’ ako the whole year diba? So parang sa 2018, sasampa ulit ako ng stage,” Maja said.

According to her, if there is another thing she loves besides acting and her current boyfriend, it is performing live. “Forever love ko ‘yon, forever love ko ‘yong pagso-show kaya hindi man kami magsama, magkahiwalay man kami ng ilang taon, babalikABS-CBN photo balikan ko siya!”

entertainment 3

Robin Padilla calls for patriotism amid ‘racist’ allegations

by Jan

mIlo severo Philstar.com

aFter being slammed by netizens for forcing a Korean contestant to speak in tagalog in an episode of “Pilipinas Got talent” on Saturday, January 13, robin Padilla said he stands by his words and is not sorry for what he said.

Speaking with members of the media during the launch of his new teleserye “Sana dalawa ang Puso Ko,” in which he stars with Jodi Sta. Maria and richard Yap, robin explained that whenever he goes to other countries, he makes sure to learn the language there, so the Korean contestant he scolded, magician Kim Jiwan, has no reason not to learn Filipino.

“Wala akong pinagsisisihan.

Kasi ako pumupunta rin ako sa ibang bansa at ‘pag pumupunta ko sa ibang bansa, pilipilit kong malaman kung ano ‘yung salita don kasi bisita ka don eh. Ikaw ang makikibagay. Kung pupunta ka dito sa Pilipinas at uutusan mo kami at iinglisin mo kami sa banyagang pananalita, ay baka nagkakamali ka kasi bayan ko ‘to.

Handa akong mamatay anytime

siya marunong mag-Tagalog.”

Nonetheless, robin clarified that his words were just like a father speaking to his son and he did not want to make a controversy out of it.

“Hindi ko naman siya inaway.

Sinabihan ko lang siya na parang tatay niya. Meron akong kilala ditong Korean, si ryan bang.

Ang galing mag-Tagalog, mas magaling pa sa akin.”

For netizens who are reacting violently for the incident, robin said they should love Korea instead.

Robin Padilla ABS-CBN photo “Ganon talaga. Eh ‘di mahapara sa bayan ko,” the “bad boy lin nila ‘yung Korea kung gusto of Philippine Cinema” said. nila. Wala naman problema sa Comparing to last year’s Ko- akin ‘yun eh. Magpakamatay sila rean contestant who robin did sa Koreano kung gusto nila.” not force to speak in tagalog, “Kung tayong mga Filipino robin said that it is a different ay hindi patriotic sa bansa natin, matter now because this year’s ‘wag tayong humingi ng pagcontestant is already 10 years in babago. Kung tayo ay mananathe Philippines. tiling alipin ng dayuhan, eh kayo “Kaya kung sasabihin mo na lang. Hindi ako magpapaasa akin na sampung taon ka na lipin sa dayuhan. Sa bansa ko? dito at hindi ka pa rin marunHindi mangyayari ‘yun. Ako ang ong mag-Tagalog, aba eh may hari dito dahil nasa bansa ko problema ka. Hindi mo sa’kin ako. Ngayon kung nasa Korea pwedeng sabihin na mahal mo ako, hehe, eh ‘di ganon tayo,” ang Pilipinas. Sabi niya mahal he explained while posing a niya ang Pilipinas eh, may girlheart fingers made popular in friend siyang Filipina, pero hindi Korea.

Pagulong Philstar.com

a 22-year-old belgian-born Filipina from antwerp was crowned Miss belgium 2018 on Saturday, January 13 at a gala show at the Plopsaland theater in de Panne. angeline Flor Pua will represent belgium in the Miss Universe or Miss World competition. according to the flandersnews.be website, Pua is in her third year at the Flying academy and dreams of becoming a pilot.

She loves to travel and has interests in sports and baking.

“I never expected this and still cannot believe it is true…

I am so incredibly happy,” the student pilot said.

On her Filipino heritage, Pua was quoted in the article as saying, “It’s certainly something new for a Miss belgium, but I really feel belgian. I was born here.”

In 2016, she won the Miss

National Artist for Fashion Pitoy Moreno passes away at 87

by Iza IglesIas ManilaTimes.net

Celebrated fashion designer Jose “Pitoy” Moreno, one of the earliest advocates of the Maria Clara, died on Monday, January 15, at the age of 87.

His grandson Paul Jason Cruz first confirmed the news with GMa Network’s prime time newscast “24 Oras” without giving further details on the cause of death. the last time Moreno’s health had been reported was in 2014 when he was hospitalized for pneumonia.

Hailed as asia’s fashion czar, Moreno last appeared in public at a grand fashion tribute for him at edsa Shangri-la Manila in 2011. It was in this decade that the designer slowed down running his atelier in Malate owing to poor health.

With an illustrious career that spans over 50 years, Moreno’s fashion designs had been exhibited at the World’s Fair in Seattle, Washington and New York City. His work appeared on the pages of fashion magazines such as Vogue, Harper’s bazaar, Holiday, and le Figaro, where he introduced the words jusi, piña and lepanto to world fashion.

Prominent personalities who admired and wore Moreno’s creations which bore inimitable beadwork, embroidery as well as hand-paintings included beauty queens, most first ladies of the Philippines and the United States — Nancy reagan and Pat Nixon — and Miss Belgium 2018 Angeline Flor Pua is flanked by first runner-up Zoé Brunet and second runner-up Dhethe world’s royalty such as nia Covens in the pageant held at the Plopsaland Theater in De Panne, Belgium last Saturday, January Queen Sirikit of thailand, 13. Pua, born and raised in Belgium, is a student pilot-in-training.

Miss Belgium Organization photo Queen Margarretta of bulgaria and Princess Margaret of britFilipina europe title and in 2018, Filipina. ain to name a few.

Pua was born on april 17, she was crowned Miss antwerp, Moreno will also be re1995. which gave her the opportunity membered as the first presiZoé brunet from Jemeppeto compete in the Miss belgium dent of the Philippine Couture sur-Sambre won as first runnerpageant this year. association, the very first up, while dhenia Covens from according to missosology.

Vremde was named the second association of fashion designorg, her father is of Chinese ers in Manila. runner-up. descent while her mother is a

Filipino student pilot crowned Miss Belgium

by CharmIe Joy

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - January 17, 2018

Pitoy Moreno

In 2009, former President Gloria Macapagal-arroyo declared Moreno the second National artist for Fashion design after ramon Valera in 2006. However, awarding on this batch—which included theater proponent Cecile

Inquirer.net photo

Guidote alvarez and filmmaker Carlo J. Caparas—was met with protest and controversy that the Supreme Court was forced to issue a temporary restraining order (trO) on the conferment. the trO has not been lifted up to now.

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entertainment The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - January 17, 2018

GMA’s sexiest stars in a story of exes, love and friendship by iza igLesias ManilaTimes.net

GeTTInG over an old love is never easy. And when a second chance comes along to make things right, you finally understand what people have been saying all along.

That love is truly a battlefield where the players go wild and crazy, kick and scream, and do anything just to calm a beating heart.

This 2018, GMA network starts the year with a bang as it eagerly unveils “The One That Got Away” (Totga)—a sexy, romantic comedy series that aims to entertain its viewers, while persuading them to have faith in love, family and friendship, despite all the madness that come with relationships. headlining this primetime soap are three of network’s sought-after and sultry leading ladies—Rhian Ramos as Zoe, Max Collins as Darcy and Lovi Poe as Alex—with no less than multi-awarded actor Dennis Trillo as object of their affection. All three women are exes of Trillo’s handsome Liam.

The girls his first ex-girlfriend is Lovi Poe—Alexandra Rey “Alex” Makalintal. She is beautiful, independent, family-oriented and incredibly career-driven.

She and Liam fell madly in love, and everything was perfect until Alex’s career goals got in the way. She rejected Liam’s marriage proposal and they parted ways.

Max Collins is the second ex-girlfriend—Darlene “Darcy” Sibuyan. She and Liam met after Liam broke up with Alex.

They became good friends who eventually fell for each other. But when an opportunity

Dennis Trillo

Lovi Poe, Max Collins and Rhian Ramos

to work abroad came along for Darcy, she took it and the long distance relationship soon broke them apart.

The third ex-girlfriend is Rhian Ramos—Sophia elizabeth “Zoe” Velasquez. She is a swimwear designer and blogger who is always out for fun. her parents separated when she was young, which is why Liam became her pseudo-family. however, Zoe’s possessive tendencies and Liam’s busy schedule just didn’t work out and, yes, they too broke up.

The boy Dennis Trillo is William Dominic “Liam” Ilustre or Alex, Darcy, and Zoe’s ex-boyfriend. he is the ideal boyfriend— handsome, smart, loving, and a true gentleman. he manages his own organic farm and dreams of a big, happy family. he eventually meets a fatal accident and wakes up from coma to find his three exes together in his hospital room.

Unique rom-com According to Trillo, he is excited to star in light teleserye for a change since has been doing mostly heavy dramas these past years.

“I missed the romanticcomedy genre, like what I did in ‘Juan happy Love Story’ with heart evangelista. Cool lang at walang masyadong stress sa character,” he said.

“When it comes to working with my three equally beautiful and sexy leading ladies naman, I just feel so blessed na makasama sila. I got to work with Lovi in the movie ‘My neighbor’s Wife’ and ‘Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow;’ with Rhian in the film ‘I.T.A.L.Y;’ and now Max, for the first time. napaka swerte ko lang talaga na mabigyan ng magagandang projects at makasama ang magagaling at

For Sylvia, playing mom is piece of cake

by Ricky Lo Philstar.com

When she showed up for the presscon of Mama’s Girl, her maiden 2018 starrer for Regal Films, Sylvia Sanchez pleasantly shocked the movie press with her very revealing dress that showcased her rich natural resources. What!?! Was Sylvia projecting a bold image as a new Year resolution?

It turned out that Sylvia was just “in character” as part of the promo for the movie directed

by Connie S.A. Macatuno.

“My character in Mama’s Girl is a loving mom, cool, groovy, gusto palagi magpasexy,” Sylvia told Funfare during a post-presscon one-onone. “Compared to the mother roles in my other movies and TV shows, this role is very me, Sylviang-Sylvia ang dating. Like me, my character also loves GMA photos to cook at siempre, sino bang magagandang artista, kaya I’m babae ang ayaw magpa-sexy? very blessed,” Trillo continued. hehehe!!! The only difference is that my character is sick at The trio of lead actresses, meanwhile, laughed off the ru- ayoko ng sakit na yon (ailment mor that there is rivalry among not mentioned).”

And she plays a single mom them, adding how they easily (to Sofia Andres) while in real bonded together. life, Sylvia has five children Pia, Of the storyline, they Arjo, Ria, Gela and Xavi. Only agreed that while the show is two of them, Arjo and Ria, have of a mature, sexy and fashionjoined showbiz. able rom-com, viewers would “Like in the movie with Sofia still learn valuable lessons from as Mama’s Girl, in real life all my their characters. children are Mama’s Boys and “The One That Got Away Mama’s Girls. In the movie, I’m is very light, yes. Sexy-romanprotective of my daughter; and tic-comedy siya. Sa ilang taon like me in real life, the type of ko na sa industriya, this is my first teleserye na magaan lang. mom na kahit saan magpunta Lahat ng ginawa ko puro heavy never bibitiwan ang mga anak.”

Sylvia related a funny drama so this is something incident about Sofia who is a new for me,” Poe began. deadringer for Ria. “For sure, this is not really “On the set, I told her that completely about showing skin or anything like that–it’s about she looked like my daughter friendship and love. Of course Ria. I said, ‘Tatlo pala kayong magkaka-mukha. Ikaw, si Ria at there are moments na mag‘yung Sofia Andres daw.’ Napapa-sexy yung mga girls but then the most important thing pangiti lang si Sofia. At home, I told Ria about the incident and here is kung paano magiging Ria said, ‘Duh…yuck! Kasama magkaibigan ang mga exes,” mo si Sofia sa cast!’ OMG, I she added. didn’t know na si Sofia na pala Collins, meanwhile, is up ‘yung kausap ko sa set! The Totga’s challenge, both physinext day, I apologized to Sofia. cally and mentally. According now, close na kami, like mother to the newly married actress, and daughter. Ako kasi, mahina she was inspired by Poe and ako sa names and birthdays but Ramos’ ultra-fit physiques and worked out very hard to shape not sa faces.”

Playing a mother is easy for up for the show.

“Nahirapan ako kasi I kept thinking about yung abs nila Lovi and Rhian so sabi ko kailangan ko talaga lumaban YOU won’t be seeing her kasi ang payat at ang sexy on the big sceen anytime soon. nila! I really had to prepare earlier. Plus, I also prepared for That was what Regine Velasquez told The Times last week, my role acting-wise because even as she confirmed how this story is different from I’ve Viva entertainment’s Boss Vic done in the past. Of course, Del Rosario has an offer on the everyone will relate to at least table. one of the characters here,” “Yung interes ko kasi talaga Collins said. nasa recording, but he wants to On the other hand, Ramos meet me and he’s convincing talked about how she and me to make a movie this year,” the girls connected over the short period of taping the pilot related Asia’s Songbird.

She also admitted she beweek.

“I’ve made so many friends lieves movies are trickier these days since viewers’ preference kahit sandali pa lang kami have changed. nagta-tape. We mesh so well, “Alam ko naman that para kaming barkada kaya my audience is different but there are no rivalries in here,” nowadays, they make films na Ramos confirmed. semi-indie at iyon ang tinaFor the hurtful and hurt tangkilik.”

Imbibing the theme of Actually indies are exactly Totga, the four lead stars were asked for their advice to those what Boss vic is encouraging Regine to try. But the singer who were left by the love of their lives, and those who left a who has several box office titles to her name expressed, girlfriend or boyfriend.

“Masyado siyang demanding “Parang I never had some[indies] para sa akin, and pagka one that got away from me. I yung mga ganon ay drama, am the Totga! Just kidding,” Poe laughed. “But seriously, sa hindi iyon ang strength ko and mga nang iwan, I’m sure you’re my audience knows that.”

But fret not Reginians begoing to find the rights path for you, and para doon sa mga cause your idol is actually open naiwan, it’ll get easier in time.” to teleseryes.

“Yung soap is different and Ramos’ advised, “Don’t lose hope and in fact, kung hindi talaga mag work out, maari pa namang magbago ang Totga mo and malay mo by eiReen gomez yun na ang mag work out.”

Philstar.com Collins said in agreement, AWARD winning veteran “Makakahanap din kayo ng actor Spanky Manikan, who had Dennis Trillo ng buhay niyo, been battling lung cancer, died there’s a lot of fish in the sea on Sunday, January 14 at the as they say.” age of 75.

Besides Trillo, Collins, Poe his wife, Susan Africa, said in and Ramos, “The One That a text message to her manGot Away” features a roster ager ed Instrella that Manican of talented actors, namely “peacefully joined his Creator at Jason Abalos in his very first 11:41 today (Sunday).”

GMA project, Ivan Dorschner, “Please pray for his eternal Migo Adecer, Bembol Roco, Snooky Serna, Luz Valdez, ervic peace and happiness. Thank you for everything,” Africa added.

Vijandre, Ayra Mariano, nar Manikan suffered from stage Cabico, Ashley Rivera, Sophie four lung cancer. he was in and Albert, Jason Francisco, Patricia Ismael, Dea Formilleza and out of the hospital because of various complications resulting euwenn Aleta.

Under the direction of Mark from his illness.

In August, fellow actor De La Cruz with Conrado Peru, nanding Josef wrote on social “The One That Got Away” airs media that Manikan “has been tonight right after “Kambal, hospitalized four times already Karibal” on GMA Telebabad.

Sylvia with her real family: children Arjo, Gela, Xavi and Ria, and husband Arturo Atayde.

Sylvia -— you know, piece of cake. She has played all kinds of mothers in Kapamilya dramas: A loving one in ningning (with Ketchup eusebio as her son); a martyr mom afflicted with Alzheimer’s Disease in “The Greatest Love”, maltreated by her children; a supportive mom in “Be Careful with My heart”; and a devoted mom who would do anything, including accidentally killing somebody, to get the money for the hospital bills of her son (played by Arjo) in “hanggang Saan.”

“I was tomboy in the movie ‘The Trial,’” added Sylvia who, with Vince de Jesus as her also-gay husband, played the parents of John Lloyd Cruz as a mentally retarded accused of raping a girl (played by Jessy Mendiola). “I love that movie,” said Sylvia who won an acting award for her easy-does-it performance, so credible and so convincing that you would suspect she was one in real life.

What else is she like in real life?

“When I was a new mom, I would say I was tough. ‘Yan sina Ria at Arjo, pinaluluhod ko ang mga ‘yan sa as in when they committed mistakes.

One time, pinasok ko sa sako si Arjo. I didn’t like it when he answered back; ayokong sumasagot-sagot siya, especially with the maids. I thought I should break his horns (balibaliin ang sungay) while he was young. Tumino naman siya. I used the technique my own mom would use on me and my five siblings when we were

Philstar.com photo

young.

“Arjo is very much like me.

Ugaling Sylvia. Matapang.

Grabe ang pagiging Sylvia niya! Si Ria matapang din pero malambot at malambing. I’m happy that they grew up to be well-behaved. I cannot use the same technique now that they are big,” adding with a laugh, “malalaki na sila baka hatawin na ako. hahaha!!! I encourage them to speak their minds but still, when they become disrespectful and their voice grows louder than mine, I remind them, ‘Uy, kaibigan n’yo ako pero hindi n’yo ako barkada.

Nanay n’yo ako kaya you better tone down your voice.’ They listen naman.”

But when it comes to her older children’s love life, Sylvia keeps her hands off.

“Only when I notice something disrespectful kung sino man ang karelasyon nila, that’s when I speak up. Let’s admit it, we want our children to be with somebody who not only loves them but who also respects them.”

Incidentally, “Mama’s Girl” marks Sylvia’s homecoming to Regal where she started playing supporting roles (“Student Body,” “Tora Tora Bang Bang,” etc.) until her acting talent was recognized in “Isang Gabi Tatlong Babae,” leading to a meatier role in “Mahalin Mo ang Asawa Ko.” “‘Mama’s Girl’ is a feelgood family movie,” said Regal producer Roselle Monteverde, “so it’s the perfect opening salvo for the new Year.”

Regine Velasquez says goodbye to movies for now

Regine Velasquez

it’s free TV and naka-kontrata talaga ako sa kailangan ko gawin.”

Regine will also be very busy this early part of 2018 with a Valentine’s concert together with her husband Ogie Alcasid, Martin nievera and erik Santos titled “#PaMORe” on February 10 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“Iba ito kasi ako lang ang babae ngayon. Parang exciting

GMA photo

‘yung mga songs na puwede naming gawin. We want to do songs that we all grew up listening to so iba-iba pa rin siyang genre.”

Before #paMORe, however, Regine is headed t Waterfront hotel Cebu on January 20 for a concert titled “Three Stars, One heart” show with fellow GMA network artists Christian Bautista and Julie Anne San Jose. (ManilaTimes.net)

Actor Spanky Manikan loses battle with cancer ater career with the Philippine educational Theater Association (PeTA) in the production “halimaw” in 1972. Since then, he has acted with Dulaang UP, Manila Metropolitan Theater, Bulwagang Gantimpala and Tanghalang Pilipino of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).

In films, Manikan is best known for his roles in “Maynila sa Kuko ng Liwanag,” “Bona,” Spanky Manikan Philstar.com photo “Broken Marriage,” and “himala,” for which he was which has drained family savnamed best supporting actor ings.” at the 1981 Metro Manila Film Several friends of the Festival. veteran actor organized the Manikan was also cited Best “Sunday for Spanky” fund-raisActor (non-Musical) by the ing campaign to help him with Aliw Awards for his portrayal of his medical expenses.

Zacarias Monzon in Tanghalang Manikan has three children Pilipino’s “Mga Ama Mga Anak” — eli, Mika and Miguel. in 2014.

Manikan began his the-

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - January 17, 2018

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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - January 17, 2018