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JANUARY 24-30, 2020 Volume 13 - No. 12 • 16 Pages 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 • 2500 Plaza S. Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, NJ 07311 • Tel. (212) 655-5426 • Fax: (818) 502-0858

Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Duterte to decline invitation to attend US-Asean summit

by KRISSY

AGUILAR Inquirer.net

President Donald Trump with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte at an ASEAM Summit dinner at the SMX Convention Center last November 12, 2017.

Inquirer.net photo

USA

DATELINE US hospitals need Filipino nurses FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

THERE is currently a shortage of 11 million nurses in the United States, an immigration company said on Tuesday, January 21.

U.S. employers are going overseas, including the Philippines, to hire qualified nurses, according to Frony Fortich, chief operating officer of Fortich Permanent Immigration Services based in Quezon City.

“Nurses are a critical part of healthcare and make up the largest section of the health profession,” said Fortich in a release. His company has been recruiting nurses for employment in U.S. hospitals for several decades.

Citing a World Health Statistics Report, there are approximately 29 million nurses and midwives in the world, 3.9 million of which are currently in the United States.

“Estimates of upwards of 1 million additional nurses will be needed by 2020,” Fortich noted.

He also said that there will be more registered nurse jobs available through 2022 than any other profession in the U.S., as stated by the American Nurses Association.

Furthermore, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Sta-

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MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte said he will decline the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump to attend the U.S.-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit to be held in Las Vegas this March.

In an interview with Russian international television network RT, the President shared he also declined to go there when

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DANGEROUS BEAUTY. Taal Volcano’s beauty and dreamy landscape never fail to amaze. Amid the destruction, Taal’s serenity and calm, as seen from Tagaytay City, are captured in this photo on Wednesday, January 22, ten days after the eruption on January 12.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Duterte threatens to scrap El Nido among ‘best VFA if US doesn’t rectify solo travel destinations’ Bato’s visa cancellation to visit in 2020

by DARRYL JOHN

by ROSETTE

ESGUERRA

ADEL

Inquirer.net

Philstar.com

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, January 23, threatened to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) if the United States does not “correct” its cancellation of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s visa.

“I’m warning you. This is the first time.

Kapag hindi ninyo ginawa ang correction diyan [If you do not correct that], one: I will

ONE of the top tourist destinations in the country, El Nido, Palawan is part of this year’s top 50 best solo travel destinations in the world, according to American news website HuffPost.

El Nido made it to the 24th spot of the roster that listed the top destinations desired by travelers for solo trips and “safe” stay. The list was

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Bloomberg campaigns in LA, meets AAPI community leaders

by CHRISTINA

M. ORIEL

AJPress

DEMOCRATIC presidential hopeful Michael Bloomberg held campaign events in Los Angeles over the weekend, including a breakfast meeting with members of various Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities.

In a roughly 40-minute appearance, the former New York mayor visited Paris Baguette in Koreatown on Saturday, January 18, where he addressed attendees and shared his intentions for jumping into the race.

Joined by AAPI supporters, Bloomberg toured a retail “I’m looking for a job in Washington,” Bloomberg complex in Koreatown and had a breakfast meet and greet on Saturday, January 18.

AJPress photo by Noel Ty

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VIP 2020 TOUR LAUNCH. The Philippine Consulate General in New York and the PH Department of Tourism New York launches the Very Important Pinoy (VIP) 2020 Tour earlier this week at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center. The grand eight-day tour will bring guests to Manila, Iloilo and Boracay. Photo shows Charisse Arboleda from Philippine Airlines, Tourism Attaché Francisco Lardizabal and Rajah Tours founder Dading Clemente as they respond to questions from the guests.

AJPress Photo by Momar G. Visaya

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From the Front Page Bloomberg campaigns in LA, meets AAPI...

Duterte to decline invitation...

PAGE 1 he was previously invited by former U.S. President Barrack Obama.

“I’ve just received an invitation to go to the United States where there will be Asean leaders. I haven’t been to the United States. I was invited by Obama, but I didn’t go there,” Duterte said in a video posted Thursday.

“No, no,” Duterte said when asked if he would go.

The president recalled the time when Obama criticized his administration’s war against illegal drugs.

“One time when I was being criticized by Obama in a press conference, he should have realized that I’m also the head of a sovereign state. He should have criticized me in the proper venue,” Duterte said.

“He should have brought the case to the United Nations rather than castigate a president

of another country in a press con. So I got mad. So I said a lot of cuss things. I said, ‘You son of a… You’re a, you son of a…,’” he added.

Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo earlier said the President is still pondering on whether he would accept Trump’s invitation, saying Duterte is mindful of possibly getting denied entry to the U.S. and making some U.S. senators “unhappy” upon seeing him there. n

Duterte threatens to scrap VFA if US...

PAGE 1 terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement. Tapusin ko ‘yan pu**** in*** yan [I’ll end that son of a bitch],” Duterte said in a speech in the province of Leyte.

The president said he is giving the U.S. government one month to reverse its cancellation of Dela Rosa’s visa.

Dela Rosa on Wednesday revealed that his U.S. visa had been canceled and was told he can re-apply to secure a U.S. visa again.

This was a month after rumors circulated about the cancellation of his visa supposedly because of his role in Duterte’s war against illegal drugs and the detention of opposition Senator Leila De Lima.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed last month a spending measure that includes a provision instructing US State Secretary Mike Pompeo to ban the entry of foreign officials who have had a hand in the “wrongful imprisonment” of De Lima, who has

been detained for drug-related charges.

The VFA, which took effect in 1999, covers the conduct of visiting American soldiers in the Philippines and serves as foundation for military exercises between the Philippines and the U.S. According to Duterte, the U.S. refuses to believe that De Lima is a “criminal” and that she was involved in the drug trade in the New Bilibid Prisons when she was still Justice Secretary. n

PAGE 1 said in his remarks to attendees. “I think this country has to change. I’m not a fan of the president.”

Though the press was not allowed to ask him questions or stay for most of his meeting with community members and business leaders, he fielded questions on topics such as immigration, health care, the economy, and the United States’ trade agreement with China.

“Also [I want to] pull this country together. This country has divided itself among ethnic lines and gender lines…though this country has always been a melting pot,” he said, adding “It’s hard to argue that we’re perfect. But I will say, it’s still the country [where] people vote when they want a change.”

Studies over the years have shown that AAPIs are a growing voting bloc nationwide and can be key swing votes in tight races. In a battleground state like Nevada, all of the major Democratic presidential contenders have made it a point to meet with AAPI organizations in Las Vegas over the past year.

However, Bloomberg’s campaign has instead been focusing on states that vote on Super Tuesday, like California.

Largely ignored in the past, California will have a more significant role in the presidential primaries this year as the state’s primary has been moved up to March 3.

AAPI voters could demonstrate their political strength, given that they represent 1 out of every 6 registered voters in the state, according to an October 2019 report by AAPI Data.

Being one of the first candidates in this cycle to sit down with the AAPI commu-

Former New York City Mayor and Democratic presidential hopeful Michael Bloomberg (center) meets with AAPI community members and business leaders in Koreatown on Saturday, January 18.

AJPress photos by Ding Carreon

Jo Moulton, a field organizer for the Bloomberg campaign in Los Angeles, and supporter Zonneth Joanino hold up campaign materials and signs.

nity in Los Angeles — which was largely been overlooked — meant a lot to Jessica Del Mundo, a media and communications professional and Fil-Am community leader.

Though she has donated to other Democratic candidates, Bloomberg’s meeting on Saturday made an impression on her and showed his commitment to reaching out to minority voters.

“I love that he took the time, even this late in the game, to meet with us. I haven’t seen a lot of other [candidates] do that. For me, it’s really about somebody who is representing all of us [and] can do what it takes to win,” Del Mundo told the Asian Journal. “He’s clearly a very smart man and knows what communities he needs to win over. He seems like he’s a great strategist and has a game plan.”

The Bloomberg campaign recently hired Filipino American Eric Salcedo as its national AAPI outreach director.

In Los Angeles, several AAPIs Fil-Am professional and community have joined the campaign as leader Jessica Del Mundo (right) catches field organizers, including a selfie with Bloomberg during his AAPI community meet and greet on Saturday, Fil-Am Jo Moulton, who saw Bloomberg as someone who January 18.

can bring the U.S. “back on track.”

“I’ve been looking at all the different candidates and I was leaning toward Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden.

But at the same time, when Bloomberg got into the picture, I knew he had the commitment, experience — being mayor of New York for 12 years — and the resources behind him to kick Donald Trump out of the White House,” Moulton told the Asian Journal. “This event today shows you that he is all about inclusion.”

AAPI communities across the country can expect similar events like the one on Saturday and the formation of groups like “Filipinos for Bloomberg,” Moulton said.

Bloomberg, who was New York City mayor for 12 years and owns his own media company, jumped into the 2020 presidential race late last November. Even if he does not end up being the Democratic pick, he has vowed to spend his own money to support the eventual nominee in order to defeat President Donald Trump. n

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Dateline USa

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PH down one spot in democracy index

by Patricia Lourdes Philstar.com

LINE FOR FOOD. Evacuees fall in line for the distribution of food packs at the evacuation center in Poblacion Central School in Alfonso, Cavite on Wednesday, January 22. Some 1,059 evacuees are staying in the evacuation center since Taal Volcano erupted last January 12.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Puerto Rican and Filipino groups join forces for 2020 Census NEW YORK — For the first time, community organizations in New York and Florida are coming together to ensure Puerto Ricans and Filipinos are correctly counted come Census Day on April 1.

Puerto Ricans and Filipinos had been undercounted in past census efforts, adversely affecting how $1.5 trillion in federal funding had been spent, according to a new study from the GW Institute of Public Policy.

In New York and Florida, there are still hundreds of families living in temporary housing since Hurricane Maria. Many undocumented and documented Filipino immigrants need healthcare services and clinics for their aging Titos and Titas. And in low-response areas, including the Bronx, parents and grandparents want public school funding to reach their communities for the benefit of the next generation.

Census Day is less than three months away. To mobilize these communities, NextDayBetter has launched #WhyWeCount, a storytelling initiative to combat disinformation about the 2020 Census with households who are unfamiliar with how census works and may be vulnerable to fake news online and targeted mailers.

According to NextDayBetter CEO, Ryan Letada, “We need to empower our communities to share stories of #WhyWeCount online and offline. Our personal stories can educate others on how census participation can shape our communities for the next 10 years.”

The campaign launches as a pilot in New York, Florida,

and California with plans to expand this year. NextDayBetter has helped build a coalition of community-based organizations (CBOs) that serve diaspora communities such as the New York Disaster Interfaith Services (NYDIS), Pilipino Workers Center, Damayan Migrant Workers Association, Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPro), the Lower East Side Girls Club; and faithbased leaders that formed Collective Action for Puerto Rico including Middle Collegiate Church, Fort Washington Collegiate Church, and Union Seminary.

“Since Hurricane Maria and the summer of protests against the Puerto Rico governor, the diaspora has stepped up in solidarity, with millions joining in peaceful demonstrations,” says Jorge Fontanez, Head of Partnerships at NextDayBetter. “Filipino Complete Count Commissions have also been formed by advocacy groups in states like California, emphasizing the need for collective action across diaspora communities.” #WhyWeCount offers free diaspora-relevant toolkits, educational story assets, and training to empower CBOs to engage hard-to-count populations. Qualified organizations are encouraged to learn more and request the toolkit at www.whywecount.org. Organizations do not need to have 501c3 status to participate.

“Small, local community organizations often lack the resources that are culturally relevant when working on advocacy issues. The #WhyWeCount campaign gives us turnkey resources and templates

that allow us to easily educate our community and get them engaged in the 2020 Census,” says Ian Jerome Kamus at the Pilipino Workers Center, a Southern California nonprofit that works with domestic workers.

Representing Collective Action for Puerto Rico, Rev. Dr. Damaris Whittaker of Fort Washington Collegiate Church, Vice President of the Collegiate Churches of New York, inspires her diverse congregation and local community in Washington Heights to participate in the 2020 Census.

“When you make yourself be counted, we are saying we are more and we are not afraid. This is how you turn a nation. When you see yourself differently, the contributions immigrants and communities of color make in this country will be viewed differently as well,” says Rev. Whittaker. Like many churches, libraries, and other community spaces across New York City, Fort Washington Collegiate Church is offering its church as a technical assistance center. #WhyWeCount campaign was recently selected as one of 15 projects “Innovating the 2020 Census” at the annual day demo of The Opportunity Project (TOP), a federal initiative of the U.S. Census Bureau.

NextDayBetter demonstrated how, using open data, their culturally-competent digital storytelling campaign can overcome participation barriers and raise awareness about the importance of the 2020 Census to Puerto Rican and Filipino households. n

Viray

THE Philippines slid down one spot to the 54th place in the world on the Ecomomist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Democracy Index for 2019.

The country previously ranked 53rd (6.71 points) in 2018 and 51st (6.71 points) in 2017. The Philippines is among 68 countries that experienced a decline in their total score compared with 2018.

The London-based think tank labelled the country’s regime type as a “flawed democracy” with an overall score of 6.64 points.

The EIU defined flawed democracies as countries that “have free and fair elections, even if there are problems (such as infringements on media freedom), basic civil liberties are respected.”

The Philippines registered its highest score in electoral process and pluralism with 9.17. The country also scored 7.22 in political participation and 7.06 in civil liberties.

The country scored the

lowest in political culture with 4.38 and functioning of government with 5.36.

Norway topped the global rankings with an overall score of 9.87, followed by Iceland with 9.58, Sweden with 9.39, New Zealand with 9.26 and Finland with 9.25.

The Philippines, however, ranked 9th in the Asia and Australasia region, which has an average score of 5.67.

The report noted that the Asia and Australasia region has made progress in improving its standing in the democracy index but continues to lag behind North America (8.59), western Europe (8.35) and Latin America (6.13).

New Zealand (9.26) and Australia (9.09) topped the regional rankings as they are the only countries with a “full democracy” in the group.

Full democracies were described as countries “in which not only basic political freedoms and civil liberties are respected, but which also tend to be underpinned by a political culture conducive to the flourishing of democracy.”

Also in the top five are South

Korea (8.00), Japan (7.99) and Taiwan (7.73), which were also considered as countries with flawed democracy.

The think tank noted that the average global score for democracy fell from 5.48 in 2018 to 5.44 in 2019, the worst since the index first came out in 2006.

“The decline in the average global score in 2019 was driven by a sharp regression in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, a lesser one in the Middle East and North Africa region, and by stagnation in the remaining four regions covered by the Democracy Index,” the report read.

The democracy index was based on the ratings for 60 indicators, which were grouped into five categories — electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties, the functioning of government, political participation and political culture.

“The condition of holding free and fair competitive elections, and satisfying related aspects of political freedom, is clearly the sine qua non of all definitions,” the EIU said. n

El Nido among ‘best solo travel destinations’...

PAGE 1 released last January 10.

Vancouver was hailed the top best solo travel destination.

HuffPost said they sought travel bloggers and other experts to share the solo travel destinations they recommend for 2020.

Travel blogger Lamback of Youmelunch.com said “the Philippines is a great place to travel solo in 2020.”

He cited El Nido’s beautiful beaches as among the things to look forward to.

“El Nido is full of beautiful beaches with endless water sports, boutique hotels, and design-led hostels — perfect for meeting other solo travelers,” the blogger was quoted as saying.

“The island’s famous boat tours are a great place for solo travelers to experience the culture with the comfort of a group,” he added.

This is not the first time El Nido has been cited as a travel destination to visit in the Philippines.

In 2015, the island was voted as the top 5 best island beaches in the world by international travel magazine Conde Nast Traveler.

The following year, it was recognized by travel website for reviewers, Trip Advisor, as

This Nov. 28, 2018 photo shows El Nido, Palawan when Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año conducted a surprise inspection.

Photo courtesy of DOT

among the top destinations on the rise.

The Venue Report in 2018 also said El Nido is an alternative destination to the popular Bali in Indonesia.

El Nido also last year landed in the international Travel + Leisure’s magazine’s list of 15 Best Beach Destinations to visit.

The interagency task force

led by the triumvirate of the Departments of Tourism, Interior and Local Government and Environment and Natural Resources earlier said it would rehabilitate the famous tourist destination, citing that it faces environmental woes like Boracay island.

The DOT, however, said it would not shut down the island to tourists. n

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 24-30, 2020

OPINION

FEATURES

Virus control PERHAPS the boy would be cleared of the novel coronavirus, like the three other Chinese travelers who were allowed to proceed with their vacation in Boracay. Unlike the three who had no history of visiting Wuhan in China, however, a five-year-old Chinese boy now being monitored in Cebu came from Wuhan, the epicenter of the novel CoV outbreak for which there is still no cure.

The Department of Health said the boy had a fever, cough and throat irritation before arriving in the Philippines, and had tested negative for the known CoV strains of SARS and MERS. The DOH had sent samples to Australia for testing on the type of coronavirus, and the results are expected on Jan. 23.

In China, where SARS also originated, the deaths from the novel coronavirus continue to rise, as health professionals confirm that human transmission is possible in cases of 2019nCoV. The World Health Organization is still convening in Geneva, Switzerland to determine

5

the appropriate response to the spread of the new coronavirus in Asia. Japan, South Korea and Thailand have also reported possible cases of 2019-nCoV – mainly people who have visited Wuhan.

From 2002 to 2003, SARS or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome killed 349 people in the Chinese mainland and another 299 in Hong Kong. Two deaths were reported in the Philippines in 2003: a Filipina nursing assistant who was visiting from Canada, who infected her father.

The coronavirus is easily transmitted through coughing or sneezing, so it can spread rapidly. With numerous reports of the virus spreading from Wuhan, the government should have imposed more stringent controls on the entry of travelers from Wuhan. If the Chinese boy tests positive for the novel coronavirus, its spread could become as difficult to place under control as African swine fever. Greater effort is needed to prevent this from happening. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Let your voices be heard and fight for democracy: Support the petition to renew the franchise of ABS-CBN The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS “A TRULY free and independent press is a vital component of any healthy democratic society. [...] the prime value of journalism is that it imposes transparency, and thus accountability, on those who wield the greatest governmental and corporate power.” — Glenn Greenwald, Laura Poitras and Jeremy Scahill.

This is the vital role a free and independent press plays in a democracy. For many journalists, whether in the Philippines and elsewhere around the world, this is a sacred function worth fighting for to defend democracy.

This is also at the heart of the petition spearheaded by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) to the country’s House of Representatives and published through change.org for public support.

If watching the news, documentaries, teleseryes, variety shows, drama anthologies and comedies delivered by The

Filipino Channel here in the United States is important to your life here in America, and more importantly — if you are concerned about the impact on Philippine democracy of the Duterte administration’s public threat and declaration to shut down ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation by not renewing the franchise set to expire on March 30, 2020 — then you have to make a stand and let your voices be heard.

“We call on Congress to do what is right and immediately pass the bill to renew ABSCBN’s franchise. The quo PAGE 10

Philstar.com photo

Facing a new virus threat from China ously known strains of coronavirus MERS-COv (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) and SARS-COv (Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus).

When the Taal Volcano REYNALDO O. ARCILLA erupted a couple of weeks THE was a presscon called ago, someone texted me that

by Department of Health Cebu City should send face (DOH) Secretary Francisco masks to Batangas… howDuque III in Manila the oth- ever I texted him back that er day that revealed that the Cebuanos are quietly getting DOH is now investigating the their own face masks in case case of a five-year-old child the wind direction changes from Wuhan City in China, south and we’d get affected who is currently admitted in by the ash cloud spewed by a hospital in Cebu City, after Taal Volcano. Fortunately that testing positive for a non-spe- didn’t happen, however with cific pan corona virus. Sec. the possibility of Cebu City Duque also said that the child having a potential SARS like tested negative of the previ- virus, many Cebuanos would

Commentary

certainly be wearing N-95 facemasks.

The present case in Cebu City was immediately reported to the Regional Epidemiology & Surveillance Unit of Central Visayas Center for Health Development and the child was endorsed for admission. Meanwhile we read in the news the other day that the DOH was also monitoring three individuals with flu-like symptoms upon entering the country via the Kalibo International Airport from China.

For us in Cebu which has a very strong tourism industry with so many foreign airlines coming to the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MICA), PAGE 10

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

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Dateline PhiliPPines

Robredo to Bongbong: Accept poll results Senator urges Mamasapano probe reopened after court clears Purisima, Napeñas

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

Former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” marcos has to accept the 2016 election results if he plans to run for a national post in the 2022 elections, Philippine Vice President Leni robredo said on monday, January 20.

“If he wants to run again, he can. That’s his right,” she said in Filipino during an interview.

She added, “But if he runs again, he just has to make sure that he will accept the election results because if he can’t accept the results of the election, he will just drag down all the institutions.” marcos filed an electoral protest before the Supreme Court (SC), sitting as the Presidential electoral Tribunal (PeT), after he lost to robredo in the 2016 vice presidential election. robredo’s lead over marcos increased by almost 15,000 votes, after the PeT’s revision and recount of ballots from the pilot provinces – Camarines Sur, Iloilo and Negros oriental – marcos chose.

Following this, robredo has asked the tribunal to dismiss the electoral protest filed by marcos.

The former senator, on the

by chRistia

MaRie Inquirer.net

Former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Vice President Leni Robredo Philstar.com photos

other hand, asked the tribunal to annul the votes in the provinces of Lanao del Sur, maguindanao and Basilan due to alleged election violence, regardless of the test recount results.

He previously announced that he plans to run for a national post in 2022.

“I can be a congressman, I can be a senator. If I retire, I can be governor in Ilocos Norte,” marcos said.

In response, robredo advised: “everyone who will run for office should accept the results of the elections.

If you lose and you won’t accept it, it would be better not to run anymore.” robredo also laughed off marcos’ notion to revise

history textbooks after he claimed that his family was treated unfairly in the history books.

According to him, the history books were full of “propaganda” forwarded by their political rivals to besmirch their reputation.

“That one is slightly hilarious,” robredo said in Filipino.

“I agree that there is (something) lacking in our education system, in the sense that our students were not taught well on the effects of the dictatorship before.

Because if it’s effective, the things that happened during those days should no longer be happening now,” she added. n

SWS: Duterte satisfaction rating reaches new record high

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

PHILIPPINe President rodrigo Duterte received a record-high satisfaction rating in the fourth quarter of last year, according to a new Social Weather Stations survey released Tuesday, January 21.

Based on 1,200 respondents, 82% of adult Filipinos were satisfied with Duterte’s performance. on the other hand, 10% of the respondents were dissatisfied, while the remaining 8% were undecided, resulting in a net satisfaction rating of excellent +72.

This new rating surpassed Duterte’s previous record of “very good” +68 in June 2019.

It is also seven points above the very good +65 registered in September 2019.

SWS also noted that public satisfaction with Duterte rose in almost all geographical areas.

Duterte’s net satisfaction rating hit a new record +66 in Balance Luzon in December 2019, up by 12 points from +54 in September 2019.

It stayed excellent in the Visayas, at a new record +79 in December, up by 4 points from the previous record +75 in September, as well as mindanao, at +81 in December, up by 5 points from +76 in September.

In metro manila, Duterte’s rating stayed very good at +66 from September 2019 to December 2019.

A c ro s s s o c i o e c o n o m i c classes, Duterte’s net satisfaction rating rose from very good to excellent in class e, at +71 in December 2019,

up by 14 points from +57 in September 2019.

It also rose from very good to excellent in class D, at +72 in December, up by 6 points from +66 in September, and stayed excellent in class ABC, at +76 in December, up by 6 points from +70 in September.

The SWS’ latest survey also asked respondents about Duterte’s promises and which among those promises they think will be fulfilled, to which 52% said they are expecting “all or nearly all/most” of Duterte’s promises to be fulfilled.

The SWS survey was conducted from Dec. 13 to 16, 2019. It has a margin of error of ±3 percent for national figures, and ±6 percent for metro manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and mindanao. n

RaMos

mANILA — A “totally devastated” Senator richard Gordon is eyeing the reopening of the mamasapano incident investigation following the dismissal of charges against two former police officials for their roles in the botched operation.

Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, January 22, Gordon said he was “severely disappointed” and “totally devastated” by the dismissal of usurpation of authority and graft charges against former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima and former Special Action Force (SAF) head Getulio Napeñas. “mamasapano is one of the great injustices of our time. We sent people who are simple folks who became soldiers and policemen to their deaths,” he said.

“Ang dami-daming namatay. Forty-four yung namatay, pagkatapos walang responsible? dereliction of duty yan (Many were killed.

Forty-four died, and then no one would be held responsible? That’s dereliction of duty),” he added.

As chair of the powerful Senate blue ribbon committee, Gordon said he can reopen the mamasapano investigation motu proprio or on his own initiative.

“I’ve always been trying to open up mamasapano (investigation). To my mind, mukhang nagkulang ang prosecution na naman (I’ve always been trying to open up the Mamasapano investigation. To my mind, it seems that the prosecution have been lacking),” he said.

“Pwedeng i-reopen sa tingin ko even here in Congress. Kausapin ko muna si Senator (Grace) Poe…I will talk to the Blue ribbon. I’ll

talk to the Committee on Justice, most importantly I will talk to the other senators (It can be reopened I think even here in Congress. I just need to talk to Senator Poe first. I will talk to the Blue Ribbon.

I’ll talk to the Committee on Justice, most importantly I will talk to the other senators),” he added.

It was Poe who led the Senate committee on public order in 2015 in investigating the botched “oplan exodus” where 44 Special Action Force (SAF) troopers died in an ambush in mamasapano, maguindanao.

It was discovered in the mamasapano investigation that then President Benigno Aquino III had allowed Purisima to take part in oplan exodus despite being suspended as chief of the Philippine National Police at the time of the operation.

According to the Senate’s PAGE 10

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Let your voices be heard and fight for ...

PAGE 5 warranto petition the Office of the Solicitor General reportedly plans to file before the Supreme Court for the revocation of the network’s franchise is proof that this government, in a supremely undemocratic act, is out to silence a media outfit because of the animosity of one man, the president of the Republic.

While we are dismayed at Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano’s brazen conflict of interest when he admitted having a personal beef with the network whose franchise the chamber he heads is supposed to deliberate on, we continue to hope that you, the elected representatives of the people, can rise above your leader’s petty vindictiveness and strike a blow in defense of freedom of the press and of expression.

At the very least, if the president is really hell-bent on shutting down ABS-CBN, let him bear full responsibility by passing the bill renewing the network’s franchise and let him veto it if he dares to.

Do not be accomplices in the rape of democracy. #NoToABSCBNShutdown,” the petition reads.

As reported by Rappler, the online news organization that has also fallen from grace under the Duterte administration, there are at least nine bills filed with Congress seeking a renewal.

The report further says ABS-CBN’s television broadcast arm would have to cease operations if the renewal is not granted on time. The network, though, may reportedly still be able to operate by distributing its content onto other media platforms, such as online and through the company’s publishing and movie production arms. However, it will be the end of ABS-CBN programming on free TV as we know it.

Duterte calls ABS-CBN and newspaper the Philippine Daily Inquirer “bastos (rude)” for allegedly reporting unfair news about him and writing in favor of the interests of the owners. He says that one day, “karma will come” to them.

He says the Inquirer is “bullsh8t” and that ABS-CBN “published trash.” Duterte calls the Prietos and Lopezes, the respective owners of the companies, “oligarchs and elites.” In response, Inquirer says it has “upheld the highest standards of excellence in journalism” since its founding in 1985.

The timeline as published

by Rappler: March 31, 2017: The Na-

tional Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) calls out Duterte for lashing out against the media, saying it was a “brazen abuse of your immense power as chief executive of this land and only shows how little, if any, appreciation you have of democracy and governance.”

April 6, 2017: ABS-CBN Chairman Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III says that the administration’s anger triggered by the reports is “part and parcel” of the work of a media institution. ABS-CBN maintains that the company has observed “fair and balanced” reporting.

April 27, 2017: Duterte accuses ABS-CBN of “swindling,” claiming that the network did not show his political ads during the 2016 campaign although they were already paid for. These comments come just a few days after Duterte renewed the franchise of GMA Network, ABS-CBN’s rival, for another 25 years. Meanwhile, HB 4349 remains at the committee level. Duterte tells Congress, “No need to renew it.”

May 19, 2017: Duterte says he will file charges of “multiple syndicated estafa” against ABS-CBN, in a speech at an event launch of housing designs for the military and police. “Kawalang hiya ninyo, kapal ng mukha ninyo, putang-ina ninyo, leche kayo (You have no shame, your faces are too thick, you sons of b*tches),” he says, addressing ABS-CBN chairman Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III. “Gabby Lopez, I paid ABS-CBN P2.8 million...You accepted my money, you never bothered to show my propaganda (political advertisements). After the elections, you didn’t return the money,” he adds. He says other candidates such as his running mate Alan Peter Cayetano and vice presidential candidate Francis Escudero experienced the same.

August 3, 2018: The president repeats his threat to block ABS-CBN’s franchise in a speech at the inauguration of a drug rehabilitation facility in Bukidnon. He challenges ABS-CBN executives to let him slap them if records show he has less than P40 million in his bank accounts.

June 12, 2019: The Philippine Star reports that the House of Representatives froze HB 4349. A lawmaker, who requested anonymity, says no action on any bill seeking to renew the ABSCBN franchise would be taken as long as the network still has issues with the president.

ABS-CBN later says it is unable to comment on or clarify this report.

July 1, 2019: HB 4349 lapses after 17th Congress adjourns, but its same sponsor Representative Micaela Violago refiles the first bill in the 18th Congress to extend ABS-CBN’s franchise.

October 29, 2019: House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano announces they are set to deliberate on the franchise renewal. At this point, there are at least 5 bills filed that seek to renew ABS-CBN’s franchise.

December 3, 2019: In a speech before new Malacañang officials, Duterte says he is still angry with ABS-CBN, telling the network, “If you expect that (the franchise) will be renewed, I’m sorry. I will see to it that you’re out.”

This is the third time Duterte reiterates this threat.

December 4, 2019: Cayetano says they will no longer tackle the franchise renewal bills for the remainder of 2019, saying there will be “more than enough time” for deliberations in 2020. Although Cayetano said earlier he has a “personal complaint” against ABS-CBN for “unjust meddling” in the 2016 elections, he gave assurances there will be “fair” deliberation in the House. House Minority Leader Bienvenido Abante Jr says the majority congressmen “might perhaps toe the line” with Duterte, which would make it “almost next to impossible” to renew the franchise.

December 30, 2019: Duterte tells ABS-CBN it would be better to “just sell” the network, remarking that Congress renewing the franchise is unlikely.

January 2, 2020: House Committee on Legislative Franchises Chair Franz Alvarez promises his committee would deliberate on the franchise renewal bills. He tells ABS-CBN that securing a franchise from Congress is “not a right, but a privilege.”

WHAT IS YOUR STAND? Whether you are for or against the petition to renew the franchise of ABS-CBN, you have to speak up and speak out. *** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos.

Dateline PhiliPPines

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Senator urges Mamasapano probe...

PAGE 7 Mamasapano report, Purisima violated the preventive suspension order issued by the Ombudsman when he participated in the planning and execution of Oplan Exodus.

It was Napeñas, meanwhile, who led the SAF troopers in Mamasapano in an attempt to capture Malaysian terrorists and bomb-maker Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan.

“I have to respect Senator Poe, kung gusto niya we can join together. Maybe we can see something that was not presented before (I have to respect Senator Poe, if she wants we can do it together.

Maybe we can see something that was not presented before),” Gordon went on.

“Aaralin ‘yan, hindi basta…kailangan makita natin.

When I would take it, I have

Former SAF chief Getulio Napenas and former PNP chief Alan Purisima during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs on the massacre of Special Action Force cops on January 25, 2015, in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, by MILF and BIFF rebels.

Inquirer.net photo

an idea how to write the report para talagang hard-hitting para mahirap hindian. I think that’s a very easy case.

Very clear case of injustice yun (That needs to be studied. It can’t be be done hap-

hazardly. When I would take it, I have an idea how to write the report so that it will be hard-hitting. I think that’s a very easy case. That’s a very clear case of injustice),” he added. n

Facing a new virus threat from...

PAGE 5 we need to be extra careful in admitting foreign tourists who may also have a fever or is coughing on the plane before landing in Mactan. Remember the time there was a Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Hong Kong that killed 299 people and in 2003 SARS killed 340 people in mainland China… creating a global pandemic especially here in Cebu.

Last Sunday when Pres.

Rodrigo Duterte joined the Sinulog Festival at the Cebu City Sports Center he talked about helping the traffic congestion in Cebu. Mind you, all presidents were supported by the local government units (LGUs) but only two presidents…. Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo helped Cebu City when she approved the South Reclamation Project (SRP) and now Pres. Rodrigo Duterte is proposing to solve Cebu’s traffic congestion.

Mind you, then Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña supported then Pres. Benigno Aquino III with Sen. Mar Roxas, but in their six years together, they did not even

support the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) that Mayor Osmeña wanted to bring to Cebu.

Anyway, I reminded Pres.

Duterte not to forget his campaign promise to come up with a political infrastructure that would change the political landscape of the Philippines. Then I read in the news that apparently, there were members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Constitutional Reform (Task Force CORE) in a media briefing last Tuesday who told the media that they have gathered at least 22,469 signatures of Filipinos pledging support for amending the Charter, including 256 local chief executives across the country. This means the dream of Pres. Duterte has not faded into oblivion but continues in Congress.

Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said “We urge the Senate come 2020 to begin their own series of public hearings and public consultations. As soon as we are called by the Senate, we will submit to them the pledges of support, we will submit to them the signatures we have gathered, and

US hospitals need Filipino...

PAGE 1 tistics projected 11 million additional nurses are needed to avoid a further shortage.

“Employment opportunities for nurses are projected to grow at a faster rate (15 percent) than all other occupations from 2016 through 2026,” Fortich said.

He pointed out that lack of potential educators, high turnover, and inequitable distribution of the workforce are some of the reasons why the nursing profession continues to face shortages.

Fortich also commended the Filipino nurses who have stepped in and helped the

we will submit to them the packages of reforms which we earlier submitted to the House.”

At this point in the game what is needed is an information campaign that would be held in more areas this year and next year, including Metro Manila, and the task force hopes senators would also do their part. Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said the House of Representatives is expected to pass the proposed amendments at the committee level this week, followed by an approval at the plenary.

The proposed amendments include political and electoral reforms such as strengthening the political party system through provisions setting up campaign funds and prohibiting political turncoatism. Under the proposal, the Commission on Elections will manage a democracy fund for the parties, while Congress could also approve of a political party development fund coming from government money. It also says no to turncoatism. (Philstar. com)

shortage of nurses in the U.S. hospitals.

“Certainly, Filipino nurses, many of whom are already working in the U.S., help alleviate the shortage,” he said.

According to him, he has vacancies for 1,000 nurses to work in the U.S. for 2020.

(AJPress)

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 24-30, 2020

COMMUNITY Journal

11

February 2020 priority dates

Immigration Corner

The Priority dates for the Philippines are as follows: FAMILY CATEGORY:

Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ

First Preference

Each month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family and employment based categories. a priority date is a person’s “place in line” for a visa, meaning immigrant visas (or green cards) would be available for persons whose priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed below.

If your priority date was “current,” but later retrogressed (or “moved backwards” and became unavailable) before your immigrant visa was issued (or before you adjusted status in the U.S.), you would have to wait until it becomes current again.

Beginning in October 2015, the format of the Visa Bulletin changed, in that a new column was added, called the “application Filing Date.” If a person’s priority date is earlier than the application Filing Date, they can already file for adjustment of status and work authorization (provided they are otherwise eligible and UScIS indicates on its website it will use the application Filing Date for that month).

This could allow people to obtain work authorization much sooner than before, where they had to wait for the priority date to be current (in the Visa Issuance or Final action Date column) in order to both file for adjustment and be eligible for a green card.

Unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens (over 21 years of age)

Application Filing Date

Visa Issuance Date

October 01, 2009

April 01, 2009

(2A) Spouse and Second Preference minor children (below December 01, 21 years old) of green 2019 card holders

Current

(2B) Unmarried sons November 01, and daughters (21 years old or older) 2009 of green card holders

May 01, 2009

Third Preference

Married sons and daughters of US Citizens

November 01, 1999

May 01, 1999

Fourth Preference

Brothers and sisters of US Citizens

January 01, 2000

July 01, 1999

Application Filing Date

Visa Issuance Date

LABOR CERTIFICATION:

Second Preference

Advanced Degree (Masters)

Current

Current

Third Preference

Professional/ Skilled Workers

January 01, 2019

June 01, 2018

Other Workers

Non-Skilled Workers

January 01, 2019

June 01, 2018

*** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty,

guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter.

No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/ GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @ GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)

James, Nadine clear Issa Pressman from cheating allegations

By Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

KaPaMILYa love team James Reid and Nadine Lustre responded to Yassi Pressman’s statement defending her sister Issa Pressman, who was accused of being the third party in James and Nadine’s breakup.

PAGE 13

James Reid and Nadine Lustre

Philstar.com photo by Kat Leandicho

WHY AM I BEING HELD FOR QUESTIONING, AND MY PASSPORT AND GREEN CARD BEING TAKEN EVERY TIME I ENTER THE U.S. EVEN IF I AM A PERMANENT RESIDENT? THIS QUESTION AND MORE WILL BE ANSWERED ON CITIZEN PINOY: YOUR TANONG, MY SAGOT! The fourth and final batch of Kapamilya who came to the Citizen Pinoy taping in Virginia get the chance to have their questions answered this Sunday. Find out if someone is able to acquire her work permit if there is an employer willing to sponsor, even if her B1-B2 visa already expired a year ago. And get to know what the best option is for someone who filed all necessary paperwork for humanitarian reinstatement after their father died, but the documents were misplaced by the USCIS. Get answers to these and more on an encore episode of --- CITIZEN PINOY, this Sunday at 6:15 pm PST/EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers).

(Advertising Supplement)

12

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Visit Auschwitz and swear never to take your life for granted (First of 3 Parts)

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA ONCE long ago when I was probably 9 or 10, while scouring through my aunt’s bookshelf, I came across a tattered pocketbook. I can’t remember the exact title of the book but it had the words “6 million” on the cover.

Leafing through the pages, I saw black and white captioned pictures. In one photo, there were images of skeletal men and women with sunken, sad eyes staring at the camera wearing black and white striped uniforms with tattooed numbers on their left forearms. There were barbed wires around brick buildings in this place called Auschwitz in Poland.

The haunting images were seared in my mind. In the intervening years, life happened. Although I would occasionally pick the book and browse through it, I knew that book showed me the darkness of the human soul. It forced me to grow up. That book showed me pure horror.

Fast forward to 2018, more than 50 years later, …

A side trip to Poland from Rome gave me the chance to see Auschwitz up close.

The complete name though is Auschwitz-Birkenau to include another camp in the area. In fact, there were 3 Auschwitz camps, designated I, II and III as Nazi Germany thrived on forced labor. The tour bus drive from beautiful Krakow, where we were staying, was a little less than an hour.

It was a bright day but the tall stand of verdant, mature weeping willow trees with their bowed heads of drooping leaves at the entrance of the Auschwitz Memorial set the somber tone for the day.

There were a good number of visitors and sure enough, there were stringent security procedures. These days, tightened security measures are signs of our time. Then as now, things Semitic seem to trigger hatred among the evil ones that boils over to insanity, rage and cruelty.

Pure hatred for the Jews moved Adolf Hitler and Nazi

Edmund Burke once wrote, “Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it.”

I would like to add, “One must learn from it as well.

Otherwise, the whole cycle repeats itself.”

Germany at the height of its power in World War II to murder brutally and systematically 6 million Jews.

I listened intently as our expert guide told us the story of how a million Jews were murdered in that place. I had to keep up because there was so much to take in. We walked between the barracks where the prisoners were kept. Auschwitz Camp I had 20 barracks initially. I felt as though silent ghosts were still looking out from behind bars after 73 years since the last living prisoner left hell on earth for freedom in the winter of 1945.

In 1939, Germany invaded Poland and much of Europe’s neck was under its boots.

Auschwitz, a part of Hitler’s final solution to exterminate the Jews in Europe, was kept a secret from the world for 2 years in the beginning of the war. It was located in South Poland on 15 acres. It was chosen for the main railroad that went through Poland and Germany. The death camp was converted from a complex of Polish military barracks. Crematories, gas chambers and warehouses were added. There was housing for the camp commandant, Rudolf Hess, and the brutal SS guards.

There was, alongside the camp, an industrial complex of factories that systematically fed off the camp’s slave labor for a host of companies that was building Nazi Germany’s war machinery. In many parts of Europe, these companies supported Hitler. Most were German companies but a few were from England, like Barclays, from Switzerland, like Nestle and even from the US, like Chase.

Complicit with the war effort at the time are globally recognized names. They included Deutsche Bank, Siemens, Daimler Benz of Mercedes Benz, Audi, BMW and Bayer.

Hundreds of thousands of slave labor were used, particularly in the auto-

motive industry. Hugo Boss manufactured the smart looking, sleek German uniforms.

There are many other companies that continue to thrive globally to this day, 75 years later.

Sadly, billions of people today remain largely unaware or ignorant of these companies’ involvement in various capacities in the holocaust.

Some of these companies were forced into cooperation by expediency or the need to survive but most were clearly in for the pure profit motive — humanity be damned.

After the war, there were recriminations and sanctions.

There were political apologies and largely unknown and undisclosed monetary reparations made to the Jewish nation through the years that followed.

But if there was genuine contrition and complete change of heart, only God knows for certain. With the passage of time and our collective human tendency to refuse to learn from the past, anti-Semitism is percolating and heating up once more.

True and final reckoning is yet to come.

Walking through the exhibits, I was riveted by the display of the mountain of empty canisters which contained the gas Zyklon (Cyclone, an insecticide) used for the gas chambers. The exhibits showed the mountains of luggage, shoes, and personal effects — of eyeglasses, pipes, canes and myriad others. There was a huge mound of hair cuttings.

These drew gasps among the visitors.

The black and white photos of the prisoners along the corridor walls of one of the barracks put a face to the numbers. Each photo staring out of the walls told a tragic story.

(To be continued …) *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com.

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Health@Heart PhiliP S. ChuA, Md, FACS, FPCS WHAT is the usual type of gastric cancer?

The most common variety of gastric (stomach) cancer is adenocarcinoma, usually found in the body of the stomach and in the area between the esophagus (food pipe) and the stomach. The word adeno stands for “glandular” cell type as seen by the pathologist in the microscope.

How prevalent is gastric cancer?

This varies among countries and by sex. Per 100,000 Japanese population, for example, it is about 80 men and 30 women; white American men, 11, white American women 7; British men, 18 and British women, 10. There has been an impressive decline in incidence in North America, New Zealand and Australia since 1930 but the reduction has been slower in Europe. The incidence also seems higher among those with Type A blood. In the United States, cancer of the stomach is relatively more common among Japanese American and Hispanic groups. The death rate in the U.S. for gastric cancer is between 14,000 to 15,000 a year. Sixty to 70% of total cases of these are men. Stomach cancer among the people in Japan appears to be “milder,” as compared to stomach cancer in the U.S. Is this cancer related to stomach ulcers?

Lifelong stomach ulcer caused by infection with Helicobacter pylori appears to be strongly associated with cancer of the stomach, and so with poor intake of antioxidant vitamins A, C and E, (and folic acid and calcium also), and vegetables and fruits. The chronic inflammation in H. pylori infection may also be a contributing factor in the formation of gastric cancer among patients.

What are the other etiologic factors?

Smoking is strongly related to cancer of the proximal portion of the stomach.

This is one unhealthy habit people should stay away from because cigarettes are deadly, killing hundreds of thousands slowly and “softly”. This type of gas-

On Gastric Cancer

tric malignancy is also associated with obesity, gastro-esophageal reflux, high fat intake, and seen more among the more affluent people. Those in the lower socio-economic bracket are seen to be more prone to distal stomach cancer.

How about eating smoked or salted fish?

Eating dried salted fish and smoked foods (or the nitrates in them) have been suspected to increase the risk of stomach cancer.

There seems to be a higher incidence in Asia, particularly in Japan. Currently, however, we find no absolute proof in the medical literature that confirms this, but I would still advise caution here. As far as a good daily dietary regimen is concerned, there is nothing better and safer than fresh fish, vegetables, fruits, high-fiber foods, and abstaining from red meat and eggs, which are high in cholesterol and fats and low in fiber. Red meat has been implicated as a causative factor in colon cancer and other cancers.

What are the symptoms to watch for?

They vary from person to person. Most do not even have obvious symptoms before they are discovered.

The symptoms could be a sense of indigestion, upper stomach discomfort, gassy bloating feeling, loss of appetite or pain on eating, loss of weight, tarry (blood in) stools, anemia, weakness and fatigue, depending on the stage of the cancer. But any of these symptoms may also be caused by other illnesses, which may not be as serious and are curable. This is the reason why a regular medical check-up and seeing the doctor early are important practices to prevent serious illnesses. If in doubt, consult your physician.

What is the survival rate?

In the United States, the 5-year survival rate (the number of patients alive after 5 years) is 90% (nine out of ten) among those where the tumor is confined to the mucosa (stomach lining only) and 20% (one in five) among those with large tumors and lymph node spread.

What is upper GI endoscopy?

This is an examination of

the food pipe and stomach using a flexible fiberoptic lighted and magnified scope (about the caliber of the little finger), that is passed through the mouth, down the throat, the esophagus and to the stomach to view any pathology, and do a biopsy, if needed.

Endoscopic Ultrasound is another recent diagnostic tool and is very helpful in assessing the condition of the esophagus and stomach, and also for any lymph node or regional spread of the cancer.

What is the treatment?

When stomach cancer is diagnosed, complete surgical excision is the best option, if maximum survival rate is to be achieved. But this is not always feasible, depending on the stage and anatomy of the disease. Subtotal gastrectomy (removing part of the stomach involved in the cancer) has been found to have the same survival rate benefit compared to removing the entire stomach. No difference in the 5-year survival rate or postoperative mortality.

How about chemotherapy?

Current clinical evidence has shown that adjuvant chemotherapy (surgery plus chemotherapy) versus surgery alone significantly increases survival rate. In other words, it is not any better than surgery alone.

It also found that those who had adjuvant chemotherapy had much more postoperative complications. There are various current chemotherapeutic agents that have not been fully evaluated. But ongoing research continues.

Hopefully, someday soon, the “perfect” regimen will come along. Better yet, a vaccine to prevent gastric cancer. In the meantime, let us stay away from unhealthy habits and prevent diseases from coming our way, especially deadly cancers. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Nor thwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/ author, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: FUN8888.com and philipSchua. com Email: scalpelpen@gmail. com

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 24-30, 2020

Julia willing to play lesbian role with Liza

13

By Ian

BIong Inquirer.net

JC Santos with Bela Padilla

Photo from Instagram/@shairaluna

JC, Bela together again — on screen BELA Padilla and JC Santos, two gifted actors who continue to earn praises for their individual works, first proved their chemistry in the 2017 film “100 Tula Para Kay Stella.”

In it, Santos played a stuttering student who tries to make 100 poems dedicated to winning a rock star’s heart, played by Padilla.

Their tandem was such a huge hit that there was a clamor to see them paired anew.

Heeding this call, the pair starred in the 2018 movie “The Day After Valentine’s.”

This time, they played the roles of Lani (Padilla), who took it upon herself to help the brokenhearted and selfdestructive Kai (Santos) to fix his problems.

Both movies participated and did well in the annual Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino.

Triumphant as these movies were, both, however, left hopeless romantics brokenhearted not to see Padilla and Santos’ characters end up together.

Question is, will their characters in their upcom-

ing film “On Vodka, Beers and Regrets” meet the same fate?

Opening on February 5, the movie follows the story of Jane Pineda, a washed up actress and former child star whose career hits rock bottom.

Struggling to get movie roles and trying to escape from a big scandal, Jane seeks comfort in alcohol.

Then one drunken night at a bar, she meets Francis, vocalist of a band. Suddenly, things started to change for Jane. She now finds comfort in Francis’ company.

For his part, Francis, who’s with Jane drunk or sober, is more than willing to love her. But will his love be enough to keep Jane or will his love fall short and in the end, he will lose her?

For their third film together, will Padilla and Santos’ lovesick fans finally get the happy ending they want to see for two? Or will there be another collective sigh of dashed hopes and broken hearts?

On January 3 the movie’s producer Viva Films posted on their Facebook page the

teaser trailer for “On Vodka, Beers and Regrets” and in just 3 hours, the teaser had more than 900,000 views and was shared by over 30,000 people.

As of press time, the teaser already earned almost 4 million views, 106, 000 reactions and 104,000 shares, proving that fans still anticipate the reunion of the duo in another heavy romantic film.

Moreover, fans will be delighted to find out this movie is written and directed by Irene Emma Villamor, the same creative responsible for a string of box-office hits like “Sid & Aya: Not a Love Story,” “Meet Me in St. Gallen” and “Camp Sawi.”

Adding a fresh dose of excitement to the movie, VIVA’s rising star Raphiel Shannon was asked to sing the movie’s soundtrack “Mundo,” the 2018 hit song

by IV of Spades.

All in all, fans can prepare for a heady mix of love and, who knows, maybe a hint of heartbreak yet again, that only Padilla and Santos can serve on-screen. (ManilaTimes.net)

James, Nadine clear Issa...

PAGE 11 In Yassi’s Instagram post defending her sister, James commented on the post, saying sorry that Issa was dragged into the issue.

“Sorry you girls got dragged into this. There are some messed up people out there,” James commented.

He then commented with

three heart emojis.

Nadine, on the other hand, also commented on Yassi’s post, clearing Issa from fans’ allegations.

“Love you both,” Nadine commented, tagging Yassi and Issa.

James and Nadine announced on “Tonight With Boy Abunda” last Monday

that the rumors of their breakup is true.

On Tuesday, fans of the couple accused Issa on different social media sites of being the supposed third party in the breakup after a video surfaced allegedly showing James and Issa kissing behind Nadine’s back.

JULIA Barretto seems to be willing to experiment with roles as she revealed that she is ready to play a lesbian if partnered with fellow actress Liza Soberano.

After some fans proposed to film outfit Black Sheep that they should create a movie starring the two actresses as a lesbian couple, Barretto expressed that she will oblige if it happens.

One Twitter user @erikabengzon first tweeted a proposal to make a lesbian movie for Soberano, tagging Black Sheep and filmmakers Dan Villegas and Antoinette Jadaone.

“LESBIAN MOVIE FOR @ lizasoberano PLEASE HEAR ME OUT @Black_SheepPH @danvillegas @tonetjadaone,” she said on Twitter yesterday, Jan. 22, accompanying her post with a series of photos of Soberano wearing a cap.

Netizen @creselsantillan

Julia Barretto with Liza Soberano

meanwhile supported the idea, quoting the said tweet with an additional suggestion: “Yes pls!!!! @Black_SheepPH and sana si @BarrettoJulia yung leading lady nya.”

The 22-year-old actress took notice and simply answered: “I’ll dooooo it.”

Fans are unsurprisingly liking the actress’s sentiment and have expressed their support for such a movie to be made.

“I love you J,” @creselsantillan said in reply, sharing an intimate photo collage of the

Photo from Instagram/@lizasoberano

friends Soberano and Barretto.

“OMG bet, something new and as early as now pls take my money for this,” Twitter user @nextchapter_JB meanwhile said.

Barretto is set to appear in director Mikhail Red’s zombie film “Block Z”, which will premiere on Jan. 29. Soberano is currently starring in the lead role with partner Enrique Gil in ABS-CBN’s new television series “Make It With You”, which debuted on Jan. 13.

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people events arts culture entertainment

‘aswang’,‘Overseas’toscreenatDoc Fortnight2020:MoMa’sInternational FestivalofNonfictionFilmandMedia

O

abroad.

by

MoMar G. Visaya / AJPress

NE is a documentary about the war on drugs in the Philippines, focusing on the lives of a group of people who has been caught up in these events, and the other is about a group of Filipinas training to become domestic workers or nannies

The two docu films – aswang and Overseas, respectively, are part of this year’s Doc Fortnight 2020, the 19th edition of The Museum of Modern art’s annual showcase of outstanding and innovative nonfiction film.

This year’s festival, which runs from February 5 to 19, 2020, includes over 28 documentary features and short film pairings, 12 world premieres, 17 North american premieres, and 14 uS premieres from 38 countries.

Directed by alyx ayn arumpac, aswang follows a group of people whose lives have been caught in the midst of Duterte’s drug war: a journalist who tries to make a stand against lawlessness, a coroner, a missionary brother who comforts bereaved family members, and a street kid with parents in prison and friends in the cemetery.

This is the documentary filmmaker’s debut feature and it aims to examine the impact

a still from ‘Overseas’

of the government’s war on drugs.

The 85-minute documentary, a co-production among the Philippines, France, Norway, Qatar, and Germany, made its world premiere in the Netherlands last November and was selected as an entry for the International Documentary Film Festival amsterdam (IDFa) Competition for First appearance 2019, a festival considered by many as the Cannes of documentary filmmaking.

The team behind “aswang” received grants, including 40,000 euros from Europe: International Co-production from the IDFa Bertha Fund, which supports developing countries by co-funding their documentary projects, along with additional support from aide aux cinémas du monde – Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée/Institut Français, Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program, Berlinale World Cinema

Photo courtesy of Iota Production

Filipino President Manuel L. Quezon (Raymond Bagatsing), who risked it all to rescuemorethan1,200imperiledJewsduringfromtheHolocaustatatimewhen most countries were turning refugees away. PhotoscourtesyofStarCinema

WHaT TO WaTCH

CriticallyacclaimedFilm Quezon’sGameshowing inu.S.theatersthisweek Largely Forgotten, True Story of Holocaust Heroism Saved 1,200+ Jewish Refugees; Film’s Release Marks 75th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz (Jan. 27)

by MoMar

Stills from ‘aswang’

Photos courtesy of Cinematografica Films

Fund, National Commission for Culture and the arts (NCCa), and Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), among others.

“The FDCP and NCCa helped us through their filmmaker travel assistance program which paid for our flights for some of the development workshops and pitches. This was very important for us and we are very grateful for this,” said arumpac, according to adobo Magazine. The director also served as the film’s producer together with armi Rae S. Cacanindin for aCC Cinematografica Films.

In its review of the film, CineEuropa wrote, “Overall,

the film is a shocking and rare account of Duterte’s dictatorship and its perverse machinery of death. It is both a valuable, informative piece of work and a brutal punch to the stomach for the international audience, which is generally not aware of the current dire situation in the asian country.”

While aswang is a debut feature for the Filipina filmmaker, Overseas is the second feature of Brussellsbased Korean director Sunga Yoon.

The director focused on a “training center” dedicated to domestic work, following PaGE 15

G. Visaya /AJPress

JuST in time to commemorate the landmark 75th anniversary on Jan. 27 of the liberation of auschwitz, the Nazi’s mostnotorious concentration camp, is a Filipino film about the Philippine connection to the Holocaust.

Quezon’s Game, criti-

cally acclaimed during its multi-award-winning festival run and successful May 2019 theatrical release in the Philippines, will begin its u.S. and Canadian theatrical rollout this Friday, Jan. 24. In New York, the film will be screened at the PaGE 15

The Quezon’s daughter, Baby (Kate alejandrino), distracts newly arrived Nazi SS officer,Lt.CommanderEbner(KevinKraemer),toallowherfathertospeakprivately with German ambassador Kaiser (Ham Mcleod).

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Quezon’s Game, Critically...

PAGE 14 AMC Empire 25 on 42nd Street and Regal Midway in Queens and at AMC Jersey Gardens, AMC Clifton Commons and Bergenfield Cinemas in New Jersey.

The film tackles the true story of Holocaust heroism during World War II in the Philippines by Filipino President Manuel L. Quezon, who rescued as many persecuted Jews as Oskar Schindler at a time when most countries were turning their backs. Quezon’s Game tells the incredible tale that has been once forgotten to history, of what just one man can accomplish when defeat isn’t an option ... a miraculous feat of human triumph.

A Star Cinema/ABS-CBN Film Productions production in association with iWant and Kinetek, Quezon’s Game is the feature film directorial debut of Matthew Rosen (also serving as cinematographer) who has directed television, music videos and more than 700 commercials over 25 years, winning more than 50 international awards.

“My first feeling is that naturally I’m so ecstatic to know that it’ll be screened in many cities around Northern America. And to know it opens in the AMC at 42nd Street, I couldn’t help but feel giddy!” the film’s screenwriter Janice Y. Perez told the Asian Journal. Perez lived in New York for ten years before moving back to the Philippines in 2012.

“Above all, I’m just really thankful that a story like this is coming out, especially in times like these when there’s so much hatred and racism going on.

It saddens me that antiSemitism is back on the rise there in the States, and I’m hoping that if this film goes out to more places, it can help people realize that we can never go back to that kind of treachery,” she explained. “Compassion and acceptance should be the way.”

Rosen—a British national residing in the Philippines since 1986—and his Filipino wife, Lorena “Lori” Rosen, who co-produced the film, heard the little-known story of the film from members of the Jewish Association of the Philippines in 2009 and instantly realized they need-

Newly appointed to the Philippines, German Embassy Chief of Security, Nazi SS officer Lt. Commander Ebner (Kevin Kraemer) confronts Jewish businessman Alex Frieder (Billy Ray Gallion) with disdain as Filipino President Manuel L. Quezon (Raymond Bagatsing) and U.S. Colonel Dwight D. Eisenhower (David Bianco) attempt to diffuse the situation.

Photo courtesy of Star Cinema

Janice Y. Perez and her Quezon’s Game co-writers Anthony Macarayan and Dean Rosen.

Contributed photo

ed to retell this extraordinary and moving story on the big screen.

“I am a Jew who grew up in England and have experienced bigotry, but after 37 years in the Philippines, to this day, I have never come across prejudice, dislike or distrust because I am White or Jewish,” Rosen said.

“I’m Pinoy at heart and this was truly a passion project for me. The story behind Quezon’s Game remains a reflection of the Filipino people today, a warm and welcoming culture.

Janice met the Rosens through her boyfriend, RJ Aquino (who also edited Quezon’s Game) since RJ has worked with the Rosens for a while.

When Perez first heard about this story from Matt Rosen, she could hardly believe it because she did not learn about it in her Araling Panlipunan classes in grade school, or even history classes in high school and college.

“In a time of war, when the rest of the world was in despair and apathetic,” Rosen continued, “the Filipino people—who were suffering their own hardships—shed a light on justice and morality to lead others. Quezon fought a lonely battle for what was

right up until his untimely death. The message of this amazing story, which was largely forgotten, is more important than ever to in today’s growing climate of intolerance—and my wife, Lori, and I wanted to tell it.

It’s my ‘thank you’ to the Philippines.”

As history buffs, Matt and Janice got along so he knew that she’d be fascinated by anything World War 2. The Rosens had originally conceptualized the story with another writer, but that writer had to bow out of the project for family reasons, so Lori reached out and asked Janice if she’d be interested to work on it. “I couldn’t pass up the chance of course,” she quipped.

“It truly blew me away as a screenwriter and as a Filipino to know that this happened in our own history, and I wish we dig up more stories like this because it’s stuff like this that our kids need to know so we can stop history from repeating itself,” Perez said.

Perez was the head screenwriter and researcher, and it was Matt and Lori’s eldest son Dean Rosen and her who put the story elements together in screenplay format, along with many discussions with Matt. He also scored the

‘Aswang’, ‘Overseas’ to...

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PAGE 14 a group of trainees who are getting ready to face both homesickness and the possible abuses lying ahead once they get their jobs abroad.

This group of women is about to leave the country, their children and their families, to throw themselves into the unknown of a new life overseas. During role playing exercises, they alternatively play both the roles of the employee and that of the employers.

An excerpt from the documentary film’s synopsis reads: “Bordering on fiction, Overseas brings to light the question of modern servitude in our globalized world, while emphasizing these women’s determination, their sisterhood, and the strategies they find to face the ordeals that awaits them in the near future.”

Overseas as a project came about when Yoon discovered Asuncion FresnozaFlot’s book, Migrant Mothers Without Borders, which analyzes the immigration of female Filipino domestic

workers in France, from the angle of family separation.

Yoon did her research and met with experts such as Fresnoza-Flot who is a Filipino sociologist in Belgium, and Julien Debonneville, a sociologist from Switzerland who was writing a PhD on the same topic.

She travelled to the Philippines three times before the shooting and that allowed her to meticulously observe the whole training process and the procedures required of any Filipino woman who wishes to leave the country to work as a domestic worker.

In its review of the film, Hollywood Reporter described Overseas as “The most sympathetic, illuminating study of domestic labor since Roma” and “a cleverly constructed and briskly edited glimpse into the tough realities of a semi-invisible profession.”

Doc Fortnight 2020 opens with the New York premiere of Crip Camp, a portrait of Camp Jened—a camp for disabled teenagers near Woodstock, New York, that thrived

in the late 1960s and ’70s— which established a closeknit community of campers who would become pioneering disability advocates. The film is codirected and produced by Nicole Newnham and James Lebrecht, who attended the camp.

The closing-night film is the New York premiere of Lance Oppenheim’s Some Kind of Heaven. This eye-opening account of the world’s largest retirement community, in central Florida, follows four protagonists struggling to find happiness and meaning in the “Disneyland for Retirees.”

Catch Aswang, Overseas and a host of other documentary films at the Doc Fortnight 2020: MoMA’s International Festival of Nonfiction Film and Media happening from February 5–19, 2020 at MoMA’s The Roy and Niuta Titus Theaters. Aswang’s screenings are February 7 and 15 while Overseas will be shown February 9 and 13. Visit https://www.moma. org/calendar/events/6382 for details.

film and acted as one of the Jews.

Along the way they brought in Anthony Macarayan who helped the small team with the Tagalogheavy dialogue and scenes as neither Dean nor Janice are native Tagalog speakers.

Looking at history As WWII loomed and the 1930s drew to a close, desperate Jewish refugees seeking to flee German/ Austrian ghettos and the escalating atrocities of the Nazi regime found little help from countries around the world.

More than 10,000 miles away, over weekend poker games at the Malacanañg Palace, prominent Jewish businessman, two-for-anickel cigar maker Alex Frieder (Billy Ray Gallion), implored his friend “Manny,” Filipino President Manuel L. Quezon (Raymond Bagatsing), to assist him in establishing asylum for refugees in the tropical, island country.

Also helping devise the dramatic rescue plan was American diplomat Paul V. McNutt (James Paolelli), who labored to overcome oppressive U.S. objections to the plan, imperiling his own political career and presidential aspirations.

Willing to risk it all, it was a moral obligation the Filipino leader was determined to fulfill ... despite astronomical obstacles, the Philippines struggling, U.S.-reliant economy and his own gravely failing health due to a relapse of tuberculosis.

Instrumental as well was an ambitious, young U.S. Army Colonel, future president Dwight D. Eisenhower (David Bianco), then chief aide to General Douglas MacArthur, serving in the Philippines, a U.S. territory at a time when Filipinos (even diplomats and officials), like African-Americans, were required to use “colored” bathrooms at the White House.

Although Quezon’s intent to rescue 10,000 Jews was abruptly curtailed by the Dec. 8, 1941 invasion and three-year occupation of his country by the Japanese, he, his wife, Aurora (Rachel Alejandro), and daughter, Baby (Kate Alejandrino), succeeded against all odds to welcome more than 1,200 refugees, initially housing them on his own family’s property, Marikina estate. Yet in his final days in 1944, as president in U.S. exile, he regretfully turned to Aurora and asked, “Could I have

done more?”

As a result of the moral courage displayed by the leader of the Philippines and his people, regardless of the consequences, Israel long ago instituted an open-door policy with the country, which permits visa-free visitation

by Filipino tourists to this day—and, in 2009, erected an “Open Door” monument in Tel Aviv in commemoration of this act of humanity.

Today, the Jewish diaspora in the Philippines remains a vibrant and welcoming community, with the descendants of refugees rescued by Quezon numbering around 8,000, according to a 2017 estimate by the Israeli Embassy.

Quezon’s Game was directed by Matthew Rosen and written by Janice Y. Perez and Dean Rosen from an original story by Matthew Rosen and Lorena H. Rosen. Supervising Producer was Marizel S. Martinez and Creative Producers were Enrico C. Santos and John Paul E. Abellera.

Executive Producers were Carlo L. Katigbak, Olivia M. Lamasan, Linggit TanMarasigan and Lorena H. Rosen. Director of Photography was Matthew Rosen.

Original music by Dean Rosen.

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