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JANUARY 25-31, 2019 Volume 12 - No. 14 • 16 Pages

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PH may appeal US ban on Filipino workers

by RAE

ANN VARONA AJPress

FOLLOWING an announcement by the U.S. last week that imposed a one-year ban on new Filipino migrant workers starting this year, the Philippines said that it may ask the U.S. to reconsider the decision if it finds that there is no basis for the ban.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a notification last week that identified foreign countries whose nationals are no longer eligible Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo to participate in the H-2A and HInquirer.net photo 2B Nonimmigrant Worker Pro-

DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Democrats reject Trump’s proposal of temporary protection for immigrants, call it a ‘non-starter’ AS the government shutdown entered its 32nd day on Tuesday, January 22 — the longest its ever been in U.S. history — President Donald Trump’s most recent proposal to offer temporary protection for undocumented immigrants in exchange for border wall funding seems unlikely to succeed.

Lawmakers returned to Washington on Tuesday after the Martin Luther King holiday with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell expected to make a move to vote on the proposal offered by Trump on Saturday, January 19.

But Democrats maintained that they would reject the proposal, and called for the reopening of government to come before further negotiations.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif). said early Tuesday that Democrats were prepared to vote on more bipartisan bills to reopen the gov-

grams starting January 19, 2019 to January 18, 2020.

In listing the Philippines as one of the now ineligible countries along with Ethiopia and the Dominican Republic, the agency reasoned that the Philippines had a high rate of H-2B overstays.

In 2017, the DHS estimated that nearly 40-percent of Filipino H-2B visa holders overstayed their authorized stay period.

H-2B visas allow U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the U.S. to fill temporary nonagricultural jobs, while H-2A visas allow them to bring foreign

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DOT: PH posts 7.1-M recordbreaking tourist arrivals Pacquiao ‘fine’ despite eye injury after win vs. Broner MANILA — The Philippines has set a record-breaking 7.1 million international tourist arrivals in 2018, the Department of Tourism (DOT) reported on Thursday, January 24.

Data from the DOT showed that at least 7,127,168 foreign tourists visited the country, the “highest ever number” in the Philippines’ tourism industry, surpassing the 6,620,908 arrivals in 2017 by 7.68 percent.

“This is a time that celebrates the 7.1 million tourist arrival count — the highest ever in our country’s history, while at the same time championing the cause of an economic activity that can support and transform lives of common Filipinos,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said in a statement The agency boasts that the country’s tourism growth rate has outdone the world average tourism growth and average growth for Asia and the Pacific of 6 percent as identified by the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s World Tourism Barometer.

Consistent as the country’s top source market is

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Trump eyes Fil-Am Utah attorney general and pastor for president’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs

PACQUIAO RETURNS. Senator Manny Pacquiao, shown carrying his son Israel, with his wife Jinky, arrives at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 in Pasay City on Thursday evening, January 24. Pacquiao has successfully defended his welterweight title against Adrien Broner via unanimous decision in Las Vegas on Saturday, January 19.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Tourists and their pets enjoy the waters and sights offered by Boracay as the resort island in Aklan province welcomes visitors after a six-month rehabilitation.

Inquirer.net photo by Marianne Bermudez

by NATHALIE

MANNY Pacquiao’s camp on Monday, January 21, assured the public that the veteran boxer “is fine” after acquiring a reported career-threatening eye injury following his win against Adrien Broner on Saturday, January 19.

The Filipino boxer’s team told the New York Daily News that they were alarmed when the 40-year-old boxer complained of pain and vision loss in his left eye on Sunday morning, January 20. The team found out that Manny Pacquiao was declared the winner via a unanimous decision victory over Adrien Broner the injury was a minor corneal at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas to retain his secondary World Boxing Association (WBA) scratch from the tape on Bronwelterweight title on Saturday, January 19. Pacquiao earned the nod of all three judges with er’s gloves. scores of 117-11, 116-112 and 116-112, improving his record to (61-7-2) and sending Broner to a three-fight winless streak (33-4-1).

AJPress photos by Robert Macabagdal

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PH economy grows 6.1% in Q4 2018, misses full-year target MANILA — The Philippine economy grew slightly faster in the final three months of 2018, but failed to meet both the government’s full-year target and market expectations, the country’s statistics agency reported Thursday.

Gross domestic product — or the value of all finished goods and services produced in the country — expanded 6.1 percent in the fourth quarter against the downwardly revised 6.0 percent in the preceding three months.

TWO Filipino-Americans are among the 12 individuals President Donald Trump intends to appoint to his Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), the White House announced on Thursday, January 17.

A White House press release revealed the names considered for the commission, including Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes and Herman Martir, a pastor from Texas.

Reyes, whose father is of Filipino and Spanish descent, has been attorney general of his state since 2013 — during which he became the first ethnic minority to hold that position or any statewide office in Utah.

Martir, a pastor at Nations Worship Center in Fort Worth, Texas, is the president of the Asian Action Network and the Asian Prayer Network.

He also founded Emerging Leaders International, “a coalition of leaders working together to bring transformation in the seven spheres of society (church, family, government, education, media, entertainment and business),” Rep. Salvador Leachon of Oriental Mindoro 1st District (left), chairman of the House Committee on Justice, with Speaker

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ROBLES

AJPress

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, during the House deliberations on lowering the age of criminal responsibility.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Roger Rañada

The October-December print was slower than 6.5 percent posted in the same period in 2017.

For the entire 2018, GDP growth stood at 6.2 percent, below the state’s 6.5-6.9 percent goal for the year and the weakest in three years. But the Philippines is still as one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia, just next to India, Vietnam and China.

The Philippines experienced a rapid increase in consumer-price growth last year amid food supply

bottlenecks, higher excise taxes on certain goods and surge in the cost of oil imports.

In a bid to fight capital outflow and keep inflation in check, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has lifted its policy rate by a cumulative 175 basis points since May 2018.

But red-hot inflation and surging borrowing costs have sapped consumer spending, which has traditionally been the driving

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PH House changes proposed age of criminal responsibility to 12 years old MANILA — The House of Representatives on Wednesday, January 23, swiftly approved on second reading the bill that seeks to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility in the country after only two days of plenary deliberations.

The bill breezed through the lower house through viva-voce voting.

The approved bill now lowers the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 15 years old to 12 years old, instead of nine. The amendment was done last minute at the plenary.

Under the controversial House Bill 8858, children as young as 12 years old who commit serious crimes with discernment would be mandatorily

confined at Bahay Pag-asa — youth care facilities mandated by law to offer rehabilitation and intervention to children in conflict with the law.

The approval of the bill on second reading came only two days after it was passed by the House justice panel on Monday, January 21.

The proponents of the measure stressed that the bill was filed with the intention to reform children in conflict with the law and not to punish them, and to protect them from being used by criminal syndicates.

But some lawmakers and groups — especially those advocating a more “restorative” handling of children in

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january 25-31, 2019 • nEW yOrK anD nEW jErSEy aSIan jOurnaL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426

From the Front Page

PH may appeal US ban on...

PAGE A1

nationals to fill temporary and seasonal agricultural jobs.

According to U.S. State Department statistics, the Philippines accounted for the majority of the visa types issued for Asia in 2017. Of the total 992 H-2B visas issued for Asia, 767 were for the Philippines. Of the total 95 H-2A visas, 64 were for the country.

Philippine Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said on Tuesday, January 22 that while Malacañang Palace respected the U.S. government’s directive, it would seek to appeal the decision should the U.S. fail “to prove that there is basis to impose the ban.”

While he did not mention why the U.S. may not have had basis for its decision, he said that the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) would be in charge of working with the U.S. in addressing the issues and filing the possible appeal.

“If that is the law in the U.S. and if there were violations, then we have to respect if they have basis for that. We will only react if our workers are being mistreated, maltreated or being discriminated against. And if they violated the law of the U.S., then they have to face the music,” said Panelo.

In its notification, the U.S. agency went on to cite the issue of human trafficking as a reason

to warrant the removal of the Philippines from the visa programs.

The agency said that the U.S. Embassy in Manila issues the greatest number of T-derivative visas, which are reserved for family members of certain victims of severe forms of human trafficking.

In reviewing the status of T-1 recipients whose spouses were issued T-2 visas in the same period, the agency said approximately 60 percent were found to have been trafficked to the U.S. on H-2B visas.

It said the DHS and the U.S. Department of State “are concerned about the high volume of trafficking victims from the Philippines who were originally issued H-2B visas and the potential that continued H-2B visa issuance may encourage or serve as an avenue for future human trafficking from the Philippines.”

The same concern was also found for the H-2A visa program as applications to the program increased fourfold from 2015 to 2018.

In response to the DHS’ and DOS’ concerns, Panelo said there was not much the Philippine government could do if the concerns were based on conducted investigations.

“When you say human trafficking, the U.S. government must have conducted investigation on that. If their investigation yields

that there was a violation, oh I don’t think pwede tayong makialam doon (we can interfere),” said Panelo.

He said that in the meantime, the Philippine government would look into its own anti-trafficking measures.

“What we can do is to do our own controls here para hindi nakaka dating doon iyong mga trafficking na nanggagaling sa atin (so that trafficking victims here don’t reach there),” said Panelo.

Only few Filipino workers affected by ban The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said that a few Filipino workers are likely to be affected by the ban on on hiring of temporary non-agricultural and seasonal agricultural workers.

It added that the agency is ready to assist overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who will be affected by the ban.

“We will try to assist these OFWs in finding employment in other markets abroad. We will remind our OFWs who are onprocess that they cannot be deployed there yet due to the ban,” POEA Administrator Bernard Olalia said in a television interview.

Olalia noted that they are now coordinating with other concerned government agencies regarding the possibility of appealing the order. n

PH House changes proposed minimum age...

PAGE A1 conflict with the law — said the bill is an act of violence against children and appealed for a strengthened implementation of the current juvenile justice law.

In the upper chamber, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III filed a bill seeking to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility to “above 12 years old,” while Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon wants to lower the age to 12 years old. (Gaea Katreena A group of children stay along Manila Bay while a woman washes clothes in its polluted waters.

Philstar.com photo by Edd Gumban Cabico/Philstar.com)

TODA SUMMIT. President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his speech during the Tricycle Operators and Drivers’ Association (TODA) Summit at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City on Wednesday, January 23. TODA Summit 2019 is the first assembly of its kind in the last decade, which aimed to tackle various problems and concerns confronting the sector, including the operation of colorum units, traffic accidents, better access to affordable housing and financial programs, health care and social security, need for training programs, scholarships for dependents, access to other sources of livelihood and other matters that will help them achieve improved financial security. Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez

Pacquiao ‘fine’ despite eye injury after win...

PAGE A1 Pacquiao’s camp said that the boxer is feeling better after he was seen without his eyepatch during the NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center on Monday night, where the boxer once again ran into Floyd Mayweather.

The boxing champion is scheduled to return to the Philippines later this week to see an eye specialist after defending his World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight title via a unanimous decision over Broner at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The scores were 117-111 and 116-112 twice.

Boxing’s only eight-division champion Pacquaio – who was fighting for the first time as a 40-year-old, and the first time in the United States in more than two years – used effective jabs and sustained bodywork in his 70th professional fight that was watched by an announced attendance of 13,025 fans, including the retired Mayweather.

“I proved in my last fight against [Lucas] Matthysse and now I proved it again: The Manny Pacquiao journey will still continue,” Pacquiao told reporters after his win.

The boxer turned senator also

AJPress photo by Robert Macabagdal

expressed his plans to challenge Mayweather after his 2015 defeat that became the richest oneday sporting event in history. He urged the undefeated champion “to come back to the ring and we will fight.”

“I’m willing to fight Floyd Mayweather again if he’s willing to come back to boxing,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mayweather, who was also in attendance on Saturday, was asked prior to the sixth round about a possible rematch against the Filipino boxer.

“You keep asking me about Manny Pacquiao,” Mayweather said, adding, “And right now I’m living a happy and healthy life.”

Pacquiao’s LA house robbed

The Filipino boxer’s triumph was interrupted when his family reported that their house in the Hancock Park neighborhood in Los Angeles was robbed the Las Vegas fight was taking place.

Police said that the break-in of the $2.17-million mansion was reported on Sunday afternoon and was found ransacked.

“A citizen contacted authorities to report the burglary on the 500 block of N. Plymouth Boulevard in the Larchmont area at approximately 4:15 p.m., according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Pacquiao and his family are staying elsewhere while the investigation on the burglary continues. n

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Dateline USa

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL •

JANUARY 25-31, 2019

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UCI conducts investigation following tragic death of Fil-Am student The fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon suspended at UCI

by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

STAMP EXHIBIT. Postmaster General Joel L. Otarra (2nd right), leads the ribbon cutting ceremony during the launch of the 2019 Year of the Pig stamp and opening of the Philippine Philatelic Federation Stamp Exhibit, in partnership with the Pilipinas Philately, at the Manila Central Post Office on Monday, January 21. With him are Alfredo Roxas of the Philippine Philatelic Federation, Inc. (right); the federation’s president Reynaldo de Jesus (center); and other officials.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Democrats reject Trump’s proposal of temporary...

PAGE A1 ernment, but were being hindered by the shutdown.

She said in a morning tweet that President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (RKy.) “need to stop holding Americans hostage.”

“Stop blocking these bills, and #EndTheShutdown now,” Pelosi added.

Trump too sent out a tweet, exclaiming “No cave!” while accusing Democrats of playing “political games.”

In the proposal announced Saturday, Trump said he would offer temporary legislative protection of three years for some 700,000 Dreamers — recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program — who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children. The Trump administration ended the DACA program late 2017.

Trump also offered an extension of the Temporary Protected Status program that blocks the deportation of eligible immigrants affected by armed conflict or natural disasters in their own countries.

Roughly 300,000 under the program face expiration.

In exchange, Trump asked for $5.7 billion in funding for a wall on the Southern Border. He also requested funding for humanitarian assistance and drug-detection technology for securing ports of entry, additional border agents and immigration judge teams to address the backlog of 900,000 cases, and a system through which Central American minors may only apply for asylum in their own countries.

“This is common-sense compromise both parties should embrace,” Trump said.

But Democrats were quick to reject the proposal and continued to call on Trump to first address the government shutdown, which Trump did not do in his proposal announcement.

Since the government entered a partial shutdown last year on December 22, 2018, an estimated 800,000 furloughed federal em-

ployees have stopped receiving paychecks and many have picked up part-time jobs elsewhere as a result.

In response to reports of Trump’s proposal, Pelosi responded ahead of his speech and called it “a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives, each of which is unacceptable and in total, do not represent a good faith effort to restore certainty to people’s lives.”

“It is unlikely that any one of these provisions alone would pass the House, and taken together, they are a non-starter,” Pelosi said in a statement. “For one thing, this proposal does not include the permanent solution for the Dreamers and TPS recipients that our country needs and supports.”

Senator Dick Durbin, D-Ill, also called on Trump to reopen up the government before heading with negotiations.

“First, President Trump and Senate Majority Leader McConnell must open the government today. Second, I cannot support the proposed offer as reported and do not believe it can pass the Senate. Third, I am ready to sit down at any time after the government is opened and work to resolve all outstanding issues,” said Durbin.

But not all voicing disapproval of Trump’s proposal were Democrats.

Conservative commentator Ann Coulter described Trump’s latest move as “amnestying millions of illegals.

“Trump proposes amnesty. We voted for Trump and got Jeb,” tweeted Coulter.

Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) who was recently removed from his House committee assignments following racist views, criticized the tradeoff and tweeted, “Amnesty is traded for $5.7 billion (1/5 of a wall), wouldn’t be enough illegals left in America to trade for the remaining 4/5. NO AMNESTY 4 a wall!”

But McConnell, in announcing his intent to put the offer up for a vote in the week back from the MLK holiday, called Trump’s of-

Trump eyes Fil-Am Utah attorney...

PAGE A1 according to his bio on the AAPI Conservative Leadership Caucus’ website.

Both Martir and Reyes were part of Trump’s AAPI advisory committee during his 2016 presidential campaign.

The National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) commended Trump on appointing Reyes and Martir to the commission.

“We are proud that President Trump has selected two exceptional Filipino American leaders to represent our vibrant community on his AAPI Advisory Commission,” said NaFFAA National Chairman Brendan Flores in a statement.

“Attorney General Reyes and Pastor Martir are dynamic leaders of our community, equipped with a unique understanding of the issues and policies that affect the more than four million Filipinos and Filipinos Americans that call the United States home.”

The President’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs, which was established by former President Barack Obama, seeks to work with all the agencies of the federal government to improve the health, education and economic status of AAPI communities.

Trump signed an executive order in September 2017 to re-establish the commission.

Earlier that year, 10 members resigned from the commission, citing their disapproval with the Trump administration’s policies.

Four existing members still remain, including Fil-Am entrepreneur Billy Dec of Chicago.

Others eyed for the commission according to Thursday’s release include Michelle Park Steel of California, Paul Hsu of Florida, Jennifer Carnahan of Minnesota, David B. Cohen of California,

Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes

Herman Martir, a pastor from Fort Worth, Texas

Grace Y. Lee of Michigan, George Leing of Colorado, Jan-Ie Low of Nevada, Prem Parameswaran of New York, Amata Coleman Radewagen of American Samoa, and Chiling Tong of Maryland. Upon appointment, Steel and Hsu would be designated as co-chairs of the commission.

The announcement also stated that Trump intends to designate Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao to co-chair the White House Initiative on AAPIs. The White House Initiative on AAPIs was first created by President Bill Clinton in 1999 and was renewed by subsequent presidents. (AJPress)

fer a “bold solution to reopen the government, secure the border, and take bipartisan steps towards addressing current immigration issues.”

Acknowledging the situation for the affected furloughed employees, McConnell said it wasn’t looking “any brighter and the crisis at the border isn’t improved by show votes.”

“The president’s plan is a path towards addressing both issues quickly,” said McConnell. (Rae Ann Varona/AJPress)

A FRESHMAN at UC Irvine died following a party in the early morning of Saturday, Jan. 12.

Eighteen-year-old Noah Domingo — a Filipino-American who was studying biological sciences — was found unresponsive early Saturday morning following an off-campus house party.

A 911 call released on Wednesday, Jan 16 revealed that the caller said that Domingo had gone to sleep but that “he just drank. He drank too much.”

The Orange County coroner found that the young freshman died about six hours before the 911 was made that Saturday morning.

The cause of Domingo’s death has not officially been determined as the results of a toxicology test are still pending as of press time.

UC Irvine is also conducting an investigation on Domingo’s tragic death, the university announced this week.

“Our hearts go out to the student’s family and community of friends who have been impacted by this incident,” wrote UC Irvine student affairs Chancellor Edgar J. Dormitorio in a campus-wide email.

“We will also closely examine the larger context in which this tragedy occurred,” Dormitorio wrote, adding that the university “will be working with the Greek

community to help ensure that they are engaging in behaviors and practices that are in alignment with university policies and their own values.”

Domingo — who grew up in La Crescenta, California — began his studies at UC Irvine in the fall of 2018, and, following his older sister Brianna (a fellow UC Irvine student), decided to join Greek life, their father Dale Domingo told the LA Times.

The father said that he was worried about the excessive drinking culture associated with university and Greek life, pondering whether his youngest child’s death could’ve “been prevented.”

“As a family, we’re hurting, but we’re also concerned,” Domingo said. “Could it have been prevented? Is there something we, as a family, can do to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again?”

News of the bright young student cast a shadow over Domingo’s family, friends and the UCI community. A GoFundMe fundraiser was set up on behalf of the Domingo family and it has so far generated $32,537 in three days, more than triple the $10,000 goal.

As a biology major, Domingo had aspirations in sports medicine with the ultimate dream of becoming a team trainer for the Los Angeles Lakers. An avid sports fan and athlete, he had been a decorated member of the

Noah Domingo was a freshman at UC Irvine, who passed away on Saturday, January 12.

Contributed photo

varsity boys basketball team of Crescenta Valley High where he attended before heading off to UC Irvine.

“It is with a heavy heart and much sadness that I write this.

I’m sorry to tell you that we lost a great Falcon this weekend. Noah Domingo, CV Class of 2018, passed away yesterday while at college,” Crescenta Valley Boys Basketball booster club President Torie Carlson wrote on Facebook. “Noah was a four-year basketball and football player at CV. Last year, at the CV Boys Basketball Awards Banquet, he was a co-recipient of the Booster Club scholarship award for best exemplifying the attributes of being a CV Falcon - Pride, Tradition

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january 25-31, 2019 • nEW yOrK anD nEW jErSEy aSIan jOurnaL

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Dateline USa

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Robles

AJPress

PH Ambassador briefs Wharton Club of DC on the Philippines wASHInGTOn, D.C. – The Philippine embassy hosted a briefing and reception for the wharton Club of DC at the Philippine Chancery Annex building on wednesday, January 23.

Led by their President Alan n.

Schlaifer, around 50 club members coming from diverse backgrounds and affiliations, including the US government, private sector, financial institutions, and multinational and marketing companies, attended the event.

Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel G. Romualdez met with the members prior to delivering a comprehensive presentation on the Philippines highlighting its strong economic performance, foreign policy, as well as PhilippinesUnited States alliance, people-topeople ties, and trade relations.

“I can describe the current state of our relationship in seven words: stable and moving in the right direction,” Ambassador Romualdez said.

“The friendship between our two nations could only be reinvigorated and made stronger with the recent return of the Balangiga bells to the Philippines. Their homecoming represents hope,

Ambassador Romualdez greets the Wharton Club of DC President Alan Schlaifer

resilience, and respect. Because of the significance of their journey home, the bells provide both the Philippines and the US yet another opportunity to deepen their long-standing ties based on shared values, goals, and most importantly respect,” the Ambassador added.

Ambassador Romualdez also highlighted the country’s strong economic performance as evidenced by its strong and consistent GDP growth rates in the past year, as well as the current administration’s Comprehensive Tax Reform Program and Build

Ambassador Romualdez greets Mr. Sonny Busa (left) while Dr. Bambi Lorica (center) looks on.

Build Build infrastructure development policy. “with growth rates of 7-10 % projected for the next decade and an HSBC Global Research Report predicting the country to be the 16thlargest economy in the world by 2050, the Philippines is an attractive investment destination,” he remarked.

At the Q&A session, Ambassador Romualdez addressed several questions pertaining to the status and prospects of small- and medium-sized businesses in the country, current infrastructure projects, Filipino remittances, current US immigration policies, local technological advancements, and Philippine relations with China.

The Philippine embassy served wine and Filipino hors d’oeuvres during the reception. The annual VIP Tour 2019 was also promoted during the event.

The wharton Club of DC is one of the largest and most active business school clubs in the United States. Members of the wharton Club occupy leading positions in business, finance, government, associations, and non-profit organizations. n

PH economy grows 6.1 percent in Q4...

PAGE A1 force behind growth in the Philippines. with inflation seen abating moving forward, the government said it is confident the economy will recover in 2019 and hit the 78 percent target set for the year.

Broken down, consumer spending inched up last quarter, suggesting that pressure from soaring prices eased during the period. State spending was sluggish but remained strong at 11.9 percent while investments grew at its weakest pace since fourth quarter of 2014.

At a press conference, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary ernesto Pernia said the government expects household consumption to recover as inflationary pressures subside, adding that policy-

makers remain vigilant of inflation risks.

But Pernia flagged global headwinds that may dampen the domestic economy, including the U.S.-China trade war and rising interest rates. “we will continue to be on the lookout for downside risks such as the US-China trade dispute dampening global demand, with higher tariffs and protectionist policies stifling investment and disrupting global value chains,” the government’s chief economist said.

“Other external downside risks are tighter financing conditions in emerging markets due to the strengthening of the U.S. dollar and rising risk premiums, as well as heightened geopolitical tensions,” he added.

Commenting on the latest GDP

data, London-based Capital economics said prospects of a sustained rebound in growth in 2019 are “slim,” citing expected slowdown in infrastructure spending due to delayed passage of the new national budget as well as tighter monetary policy and lackluster export growth.

But Capital economics stressed that “the impact of these factors will be offset in part by falling inflation, which should boost consumers’ purchasing power.”

“If inflation drops back as we expect, the BSP is likely to start loosening monetary policy gradually sometime around the middle of the year. However, given the usual lags, any boost to growth is likely to next year rather than this year,” it added. (Ian Nicolas Cigaral/Philstar.com)

UCI conducts investigation following tragic death...

PAGE A3 and Honor.”

During the fall quarter at UC Irvine, Domingo had begun initiating with the university’s chapter of the fraternity Sigma Alpha epsilon (SAe).

According to students present at the party, Domingo had attend-

ed a rush event (a party where Greek members can socialize outside the school setting) hosted by the fraternity, the website new University reported. new University also cited anonymous sources who said that “drugs and copious amounts of alcohol” were used at the party.

On Monday, January 14, UC Irvine has suspended SAe, according to Dormitorio who said that “this means that the fraternity has been directed to cease all of its activities pending the investigation of the Irvine Police Department and review of the incident.” n

DOT: PH posts 7.1-M record-breaking...

PAGE A1 South Korea with 1,587,959, followed by China with 1,255,258, and the United States that recorded 1,034,396 arrivals.

Meanwhile, Japan and Australia wound up the top five markets with 631,801, and 279,821 arrivals, respectively.

Trailing behind are Taiwan with 240,842; Canada at 226,429; United Kingdom with 201,039; Singapore with 171,795; Malaysia with 145,242; India with 121,124; and Hong Kong with 117,984.

December 2018 registered 687,726 foreign tourist arrivals second best to the month

of January 2018 at 732,506 and 12.12 percent higher compared to 2017. while the arrivals observed growth, the tally lagged behind the agency’s initial 7.4-million target. earlier, Romulo-Puyat projected the Philippines may not meet its 7.4 million goal given the six-month shutdown of Boracay, one of the Philippines’ top destinations.

Boracay receives an average 80,000 tourists every month meaning it lost around 480,000 due to the closure.

Despite this, she still described the closure as a “blessing in disguise.”

“The challenging act of closing down Boracay — a flagship destination, the country’s top sun-and-beach destination has evidently become a blessing in disguise for secondary tourism spots to have a share of the lime light and attention they truly deserve,” she said.

“It shows that turning off the faucet when the water is unclear can bring a fresher flow in just an unexpected period of time. with this, we have also seen the transition from a mass tourism perspective shifting into high-value tourism direction that prioritizes quality over mere quantity,” she added. (Joyce Ann L. Rocamora/PNA)

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New Human Rights Watch report: Rights crisis “deepened” under Duterte’s rule

by Nathalie

Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel G. Romualdez delivers a comprehensive presentation on the Philippines and Philippine development for the members of the Wharton Club of DC at the Philippine Chancery Annex building on Wednesday, January 23.

JANUARY 25-31, 2019

A new report from the Human Rights watch (HRw) revealed that the human rights crisis in the Philippines has “deepened” as the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte continues its bloody war on drugs campaign.

In its annual world Report, the HRw indicated that from June 2016 to 2018 under Duterte’s leadership, “the human rights crisis...deepened as Duterte continued his murderous war on drugs in the face of mounting international criticism.”

HRw Asia director Brad Adams said that the killing of drug suspects under the Duterte administration is merely a propaganda move. Such a move, according to Adams, is also used to silence those in opposition.

“President Duterte has used the killing of thousands of largely poor drug suspects as a tool to bolster his popularity. He’s also targeting anyone who might undermine that popularity, from outspoken senators to journalists documenting his abuses,” Adams said as reported by The Philippine Star.

The human rights organization emphasized that there is no chance of stopping the Philippines’ controversial war on drugs anytime soon.

However, the new York-based watchdog urged concerned foreign parties to support the opposition groups that fight for justice.

“President Duterte has provided no indication of any letup in his murderous drug war. Foreign donors should support efforts by Philippine institutions, groups and the media who are pressing the government to stop the killings and bring those responsible to justice,” Adams said.

HRw executive director Kenneth Roth encouraged human rights advocates not to lose hope in a time like this. He assured the public that the rule of law is “gaining strength” amid the alleged injustice in the administration.

“In some ways, this is a dark time for human rights. Yet while autocrats and rights abusers may capture the headlines, the defenders of human rights, democracy and the rule of law are also gaining strength,” Roth said.

The 674-page HRw report also highlighted how the government tries to tackle dissenting opinions from its staunchest critics. Such critics include Senator Leila de Lima, who remained in detention due to “politically motivated” drug charges; former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, who was ousted from her position, and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who is facing several criminal

charges.

“The trend is not all positive.

Today’s autocrats try to undermine democracy by scapegoating and demonizing vulnerable minorities to build popular support. They weaken checks and balances on government power, including an independent judiciary, a free media, and vigorous civic groups,” the report stated. n

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JANUARY 25-31, 2019 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPINION

FEATURES

Juvenile justice

THE Senate has yet to pass its version of the bill, so the government isn’t about to lower anytime soon the age of criminal responsibility to nine years, as approved by the House of Representatives.

Even several senators objecting to the House measure, however, have expressed openness to lowering the age threshold from the current 15 to 12 or 11. So the threshold is likely to be amended.

A look at several countries could put this in perspective. The threshold age is 10 in Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, Switzerland and South Africa. It’s 7 in India, Myanmar, Pakistan, Singapore and Thailand for certain cases. In Greece and Indonesia, it’s eight. In the UK, there’s a range of 8 to 10. The threshold is 12 in Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and Turkey. It’s 13 in France; 14 in Austria, Germany, North Korea, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan and Vietnam. In the United States, 33 states have set no minimum age for criminal responsibility; for federal crimes, it’s 11.

President Duterte has often lambasted the principal proponent of the Juvenile Justice Act for the current age threshold, which he said has worsened

criminality and has been exploited by crime gangs that use children for their activities. Congressmen have stressed that the measure they have approved will not include imprisonment for juvenile offenders. It will also hold parents accountable to a certain degree for their children’s activities.

Law enforcers support the measure; human rights groups are up in arms. They will likely have to settle for a compromise. In case the measure is approved, the government must prepare to make it work by providing sufficient facilities for detaining and rehabilitating juvenile offenders. The country has lacked such facilities for a long time.

If the age of criminal responsibility is going to be lowered, the state must not lose sight of the fact that youths, while being held accountable for their acts, can still be rehabilitated and turned into responsible citizens. People deserve a second chance. This is true especially of juvenile offenders. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Dear Filipinos in America: What is the heart and soul of America to you?

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. Day is one federal holiday in America that invites us immigrants to this great nation to introspect on something so profound I do not know if we have had a conscious effort to think about it before we chose to uproot ourselves from the Motherland and start a new life in this adoptive country.

Why did you choose to immigrate to America? What about it enticed you to start a new chapter of your life here, given so many other choices? What was the “promise” of America that just spoke to your heart and gave you that courage and faith that this great nation could be your new home?

What did you think was is America ‘s heart and soul and how did that converge with your own values and dreams?

Amid the contentious debate now dividing this nation espe-

cially since President Donald Trump took office, allow me to share with you what stood out and spoke to my heart and soul about the true heart and soul of America exchanged online during the weekend and feel free to share your own thoughts: “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

(Inscription on the symbol of America’s immigrant heritage - the Statue of Liberty, as watched over New York Harbor since 1886, and on her base is a tablet inscribed with words penned by Emma Lazarus in 1883) “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

(from the Declaration of Independence which was adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776) “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

“Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never

forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion— that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.“ (Gettysburg Address is a speech that U.S. President Abraham Lincoln delivered during the American Civil War at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on the afternoon of Thursday, November 19, 1863, four and a half months after the Union armies defeated those of the Confederacy at the Battle of Gettysburg.)

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character….”

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed - we hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal….”

This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with a new meaning, “My country, ‘tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.”

(Civil Rights Leader Dr. Martin Luther King Junior, “I Have a Dream” speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963, in which he called for civil and economic rights and an end to racism in the United States.)

“America, we know, is composed of diverse community.

We have different languages,

different skills, different talents, and different religion.

But when our way of life is threatened, like the freedom and liberty that we all cherish, we come together as one.

And when we come together as one, we are invincible. We cannot be defeated. That’s why we need this national Navajo Code Talker Museum so that our children, the future generation, can go through that museum and learn why America is so strong.”

(Peter MacDonald who served in World War II as a Navajo code talker, made introductory remarks at a White House Oval Office event honoring the Native American who were recruited into the U.S. Marine Corps to transmit secret tactical messages, in front of Press. Donald Trump) *** 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

Aquino and his officials concealed crony firm in passport scheme

Commentary

RIGOBERTO TIGLAO ONE of the clearest indications that the P38-billion scheme for the production of the new machine-readable passports that former President Aquino III and his officials engineered is the following.

They strenuously concealed that it was a private firm United Graphic Expressions Corp.

(UGEC), and not the government corporation APO Production Unit (APU), that would print the 45 million passports at a cost of P38 billion from mid-2016 to 2026. Such monopoly operations would generate for UGEC a staggering P11 billion in profits.

The scheme represents one of the biggest deceptions ever to conceal corruption of the highest order. Aquino and his officials — mainly Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. and APU Chairman Milagros Alora — set up in November 2014 a dubious “joint venture,” without any bidding, with the formerly Malabonbased printing outfit UGEC. Billionaire Iñigo Zobel, the country’s 11th richest man, according to Forbes magazine, has been reported to have become only in 2014 its biggest stockholder through his family’s E. Zobel Inc. Zobel has not responded to these reports.

APU is one of only three state

entities — the other two being the National Printing Office and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas — that the government has authorized to print “high-security” materials, such as excisetax stamps and passports. APU, however, turned over its printing contracts, first, with the Bureau of Internal Revenue and trade and industry department, and later the gargantuan 10-year P38 billion job for the printing of the e-passports to the JV. Farce The JV is a farce. APU is a token partner with just 10 percent of its ownership, with 90 percent held by UGEC. Ninety percent and then 70 percent of its profits, under the terms of its agreement with APU, would go to UGEC. Even as UGEC charges the JV for the use of its machines, for P700 million annually.

As a result, this shadowy private firm generated P3 billion in income from 2015 to 2106, and if it continues this scheme, will get another P8 billion.

In effect, Aquino and his officials — mainly Coloma and Alora, both high officials in Cory Aquino’s government — had transformed a government firm into a façade of a private firm that has and will generate billions of pesos on the back of profit margins on the printing of 45 million Philippine passports.

This colossal case of corruption has been successfully concealed, with mainstream media apparently looking the other way when these were first exposed in

a congressional hearing in 2018.

It is so strange — or maybe not — that party-list representatives, Akbayan’s Ibarra Gutierrez in 2016 and Bayan Muna’s Carlos Zarate in 2017 had vociferously condemned early last year the passport scam, the latter even filing a resolution asking Congress to investigate. Quite suddenly though, the two became totally silent on the controversy.

A prime example of how Aquino went to great lengths to conceal the scheme was when he inaugurated on June 20, 2015 what he and his officials called the “APU High Security Printing Plant” at the Lima Technology Park in Batangas, which started producing en masse the e-passports in July 2016. Aquino was issued the first such e-passport on the day of his visit to the plant.

Boast In his speech, Aquino boasted that under his watch the APU had been turned around to generate income and that it had set up a high-security printing plant that could print the DFA’s new epassports.

Aquino didn’t mention at all though that the plant was almost entirely owned through the JV by UGEC and would get 70 percent of its net income for 10 years. APU’s equity in the JV was in the form of the one-tenth of the valuation of the land it had leased from the export-processing zone. Ninety percent of the JV’s managers and workers were employees of UGEC, with the APUs employees being there

merely as fixtures to portray it as a joint venture.

He could have boasted that the plant was a good example of a partnership between a government agency and an efficient hitech private firm. That he didn’t can only be explained by the fact that he deliberately wanted to keep from the public the fact that a crony firm really owned the plant and would get the P38billion printing contract from the DFA. PCOO’s head Coloma — under whose supervision and authority APU was — in several media interviews claimed the “APU’s High Security Printing Plant” as a stellar achievement, but never disclosed that it was run and was 90 percent owned by a private firm.

In the APU’s 2015 annual report — the last under the Yellow regime and by its chairman Alora — no report at all was made of that P38-billion e-passport contract from the DFA, its biggest print job ever, and its de facto sub-contracting to UGEC. Its only mention of the firm was that APU “received an unsolicited proposal from UGEC for a joint venture for the purpose of upgrading APO Lima’s plant into a high-security printing facility.”

No reply I asked Coloma, just before and after I wrote these articles on this fraudulent case, to give his side, with message relayed to his colleague at the Manila Bulletin where he is executive vice president. There has been

no reply.

I also asked Alora, an old acquaintance of mine as she has been a PR practitioner since the 1980s, to similarly respond through Facebook’s Messenger platform.

Alora answered four questions, the most important of which was on her justification for the subcontracting of the passportprinting to UGEC: “What APU and UGEC have is a joint venture and not subcontracting and approved by NEDA, Govt procurement board, DBM and DOST and other pertinent agencies.”

The Commission on Audit though claimed that one of the major “misrepresentations” — that is, lies — that APU told government regulators was even contained in its JV agreement, that the UGEC offer for a JV was “superior and more advantageous to APU“ than other offers.

The CoA said that there was no other offer made to APU. It was in fact secretly negotiated, agreed to, and implemented.

After those four questions, Alora blocked me from sending her messages in Messenger.

Most abominable I have investigated and written columns on several other scams and instances of corruption during the Aquino government, among them the grant of a P5-billion MRT-3 maintenance contract shepherded by a Liberal Party finance officer, the P4-billion purchase of the defective Dengvaxia vaccine, and the Disbursement Acceleration Progra

that was really the hijacking of government funds to projects that Aquino chose at his whim.

This e-passport printing case is the most abominable. This is not only because of the magnitude of profits — P11 billion — it would generate to enrich the already rich, at the expense of 45 million Filipinos needing that main document signifying one’s membership in the Republic.

It is most damnable in that the scheme was designed to be implemented whether or not the Yellow candidate won in the 2016 elections, since it practically hostages the government.

In fact, former Foreign Affairs secretary Alan Cayetano declined to end the corrupt scheme even after he knew about it. He feared the fate of his predecessor Pefecto Yasay Jr. whom the Yellows successfully took out of his post because he wanted it ended. The ambitious Cayetano also didn’t want to risk his career being damaged if there was a disruption in the passport issuances.

Will the present foreign secretary who has built an image that he’s got huge balls end this colossal case of corruption?

The Duterte presidency would be blamed if it doesn’t stop the scam. The Yellow forces would even throw Coloma and Alora under the bus, and spread the lie that it was under Duterte’s watch that the scheme was implemented, and he and other officials profited from it. (ManilaTimes. net)

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

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Dateline PhiliPPines

JANUARY 25-31, 2019

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SC: Real winner of VP contest known soon Facebook pledges to combat ‘false news’, fake accounts ahead of May polls

by Jomar

Canlas Manilatimes.net

The Supreme Court (SC), sitting as the Presidential electoral Tribunal (PeT), is getting closer to knowing the victor in an election protest of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. against Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo.

Its final decision loomed after the electoral tribunal announced that the revision of ballots for pilot provinces in PeT Case 005 was almost over.

The court said the revision of ballots was suspended to train revisors, but the recount would resume immediately. edgar Aricheta, clerk of court of the tribunal, said the suspension of the recount would pave way for a second appraisal of ballot boxes.

“This is to confirm the announcement made by the [electoral tribunal’s] Ad hoc Committee regarding the suspension of revision proceedings… This is to give way [to] the tribunal to prepare for the revision using the decrypted ballots and/or election

by ryan

maCasero Philstar.com

Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Lobredo and former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Manilatimes.net file photo

paraphernalia,” he said in a letter.

In his protest, Marcos assailed election results in 39,221 clustered precincts.

Based on Commission on elections data, the 39,221 clustered precincts are composed of 132,446 precincts.

Marcos, who lost to Robredo by 263,473 votes, accused her of massive electoral fraud such as pre-shading of ballots, pre-loading of Secure Digital cards, mis-

reading of ballots, malfunctioning vote counting machines (VCMs) and an “abnormally high” unaccounted votes/undervotes for the position of vice president.

The revision involved 5,417 clustered precincts from the provinces of Camarines Sur, Iloilo and Negros Oriental and began in April last year.

The camp of Robredo on Wednesday, January 23, maintained that the vice president’s lead remained intact. n

Gov’t asked to submit detailed report on martial law implementation in Mindanao

by TeTCh

Torres-Tupas Inquirer.net

The Supreme Court has ordered the government submit a detailed report on the implementation of martial law in Mindanao from the Department of National Defense.

In an en banc notice dated January 22 but only released Wednesday, January 23, the high court said the government, through the Office of the Solicitor General, must include all confidential matters involving national security.

The high court said the detailed report must be submitted on or before Jan. 25, 2019.

“Acting on the compliance dated January 21, 2019, submitted by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to the Court and in view of the OSG’s undertaking, the Court hereby directs the OSG to submit…the Department of National Defense’s Monthly/ Periodic Reports addressed to the Congress on the implementation of Martial Law from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018 which involve highly sensitive and confidential matters affecting the security of the State,” read the high court’s resolution.

It added that the “members of the Court will make a preliminary assessment whether or not the said reports may only be appropriately discussed and deliberated upon in an executive session.”

The SC is set to hear in oral arguments on January 29 the consolidated petitions filed by opposition lawmakers led by Albay Rep. edcel Lagman, the militant party-list lawmakers led

by Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate, and the group led by former Comelec chair Christian Monsod questioning the legality of the third extension of martial law in Mindanao.

A similar petition was also filed on Wednesday by three Lumad teachers and a student from Mindanao.

The previous petitions said the government failed to justify the reason for the re-extension, adding that this failure mocks the 1987 Constitution, which, among others, stated that martial law can only be proclaimed if an actual rebellion or invasion exists.

But Solicitor General Jose Calida argued the factual bases to extend the duration of the mar-

Palace dismisses Aquino’s concern over surge in Chinese workers MANILA — Amid concerns raised by former President Benigno Aquino III, the surge of Chinese workers in the Philippines is “probably the reality now,” according to presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo.

Aquino earlier urged the Duterte administration to look into the supposed increasing number of Chinese workers in the country as they might be getting jobs meant for Filipinos.

The former president particularly noted the surge of Chinese migrant workers in the construction industry, which Panelo questioned.

“Let’s just say that if he is concerned, we will also be concerned if his basis is correct. What was his basis?” Panelo said in a press briefing.

Panelo also justified the alleged surge in Chinese workers, claiming that the Philippines lacks construction workers as they have supposedly gone to work abroad.

“We lack so many construction workers that is why many Chinese workers are being hired because there are no more Filipinos. Many Filipinos are unemployed and yet they lack the skill so we need to teach them,” Panelo added.

The Malacañang spokesman said that President Rodrigo Duterte has instructed the Technical education and Skills Devel-

Former President Benigno Aquino III Philstar.com photo

opment Authority to address the issue of the alleged lack of Filipino construction workers.

Last year, there have been calls for the Senate to look into the influx of Chinese nationals who are employed and residing in the Philippines.

Sen. Leila de Lima warned of the possibility that the country’s economy is being too dependent on Chinese tourists and clients.

In November, the Department of Labor and employment said it has yet to verify the actual number of Chinese workers in the country.

DOLe data showed that 115,652 alien employment permits have been issued from 2015 to 2017, 51,980 of which are for Chinese workers. (Patricia Lourdes Viray/Philstar.com)

‘Stop SWS, Pulse Asia surveys’ SeNATORIAL aspirant Lorenzo Gadon on Monday, January 21 asked the Commission on elections (Comelec) to stop the Social Weather Stations (SWS) and Pulse Asia to stop publishing survey results on the upcoming national elections.

Gadon, who is running under the Katipunan ng Demokratikong Pilipino (KDP), said several poll surveys conducted by SWS and Pulse Asia were erroneous. he cited in particular an SWS survey conducted from Dec. 8 to 16, 2018 that included Sara Duterte Carpio and erwin Tulfo in the magic 12. he said Carpio and

Tulfo were not seeking a Senate seat in the May 2019 polls.

Gadon said surveys held by Pulse Asia and SWS showed reelectionist senators topping the polls, but other surveys conducted by other groups showed otherwise.

“Clearly, the survey results of the respondents, pertinent to the 2019 senatorial race is flawed if not outright ‘fake,’” he said think that their bets were preferred.

Gadon expressed belief that SWS and Pulse Asia might be “mind conditioning” the public to think that their bets were preferred. (ManilaTimes.net)

tial law in Mindanao. he said rebellion still persists in Mindanao and, as such, public safety requires the extension. n

GLOBAL social media giant Facebook promised to fight fake accounts, “false news” and online harassment ahead of the 2019 midterm elections.

“The goal of Facebook in elections is to make it harder to interfere with elections on the platform, and easier for people to make their voices heard in the political process,” Katie harbath, director of Facebook’s Global Politics and Outreach team said in a conference with Filipino reporters on Thursday, January 24. harbath was in Manila to brief media on what they are doing to ensure that Facebook is not used as a tool to manipulate voters.

She said that the most important action they are taking right now is moving to remove as many accounts spreading propaganda and “false news” as much as possible.

“We are committing to tackling all kinds of inauthentic behavior and abuse on our platform which we know often intensify during elections — from misinformation, misrepresentation and foreign interference, to phishing, harassment and violent threats — and we have dedicated teams working on every upcoming

Facebook’s Global Politics and Outreach Director Katie Habath says the platform is working to protect the integrity of the upcoming midterm elections.

Philstar.com photo by Ryan Macasero

election around the world,” she said. “It’s incredibly important to us as a company that we get this right.”

This statement is almost a 180-degree turnaround from the position the company’s founder and Chief executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg held initially in 2016.

According to The Washington Post, Zuckerberg called it a “crazy idea,” when probed by lawmakers in that year. he ex-

plained that he believed voters make decisions based on their “lived experiences.”

But the Facebook chief seems to have changed over the past two years, as media organizations and civic organizations criticized the company over its engagement and reach model.

Last April, Zuckerberg apologized for the first time for not acting on fake news spreading on his platform sooner, as PAGE A10

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january 25-31, 2019 • nEW yOrK anD nEW jErSEy aSIan jOurnaL

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31st PAO Dengvaxia complaint is over doctor’s death

NATIONAL ARTS MONTH. Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Assistant Secretary Ana Maria Paz Rafael (2nd from left), together with National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Art Ambassadors Ian Veneracion (left) and Pia Wurtzbach (2nd from right), and NCCA Music Ambassador KZ Tandingan (right), each receive a native guitar, during the press conference for National Arts Month Celebration in February. The conference was held at the NCCA head office in Intramuros, Manila on Tuesday, January 22.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Filipino bishops to visit Pope Francis in the Vatican this year MANILA — Bishops from dioceses across the Philippines will visit Pope Francis in the Vatican in May and June this year.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines news site reported Thursday that this is for the “Ad Limina Apostolorum” (to the threshold of the apostles), where the bishops would report the state of their dioceses’ to the pope.

This will be their first Ad Limina with Pope Francis. The last time they visited was in 2011 when they met Pope Benedict XVI. Fr. Marvin Mejia, secretary general of the CBCP, said the bishops would go by island group (Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao), with the exception of the Archdioceses of Caceres (Camarines

Sur) and Lipa (Batangas). Those two dioceses will travel with the Visayas and Mindanao delegations, respectively, as Luzon has the most number of dioceses attending the Ad Limina.

Earlier this week, the CBCP said they would officially extend an invitation for the pope to join the celebration of 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines in 2021 in Cebu City.

Pope Francis was last here in 2015 when he visited Manila and Tacloban City, Leyte, where he held mass for the faithful affected by the devastation of Super Typhoon Yolanda.

Tension has heightened between the Catholic Church and the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte over the past

two years.

But despite the tensions, religious events, like the Feast of the Black Nazarene in Manila and Sinulog Festival in Cebu, still brought out millions of participants.

Last December, Pope Francis said the Philippines “stands among the great Catholic nations in the entire world.”

Ad Limina visits are traditionally done every five years.

Pope Francis has often been called for his relatively progressive style, compared to previous popes.

According to the Catholic News Service, the pope prefers to do his Ad Limina’s more informally with a free-flowing dialogue. (Philstar.com)

Bicam junks PCGG abolition, fixes term of solicitor general

by Paolo

RomeRo Philstar.com

MANILA — The Senate and the House of Representatives junked the proposal to abolish the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) and the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC) and lifted the age limit for the post of solicitor general.

The bicameral conference committee on the bill reorganizing the Office of the Solicitor General met to come up with a final version of the measure,

which also sought to abolish the PCGG and the OGCC by putting their functions under the OSG. The measure, which Malacañang has been pushing since last year, also proposed to remove the OSG from the Department of Justice.

The committee, which was tasked to reconcile conflicting versions of the bill passed by the Senate and the House last year, agreed on a final version of the measure during a meeting yesterday retaining the PCGG. Solicitor General Jose Calida was present during the briefing.

Sen. Richard Gordon, a member of the bicameral conference committee, said the PCGG was retained as the agency needs to continue its task of recovering ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses.

The PCGG has so far recovered P171 billion in ill-gotten wealth and is on track to retrieve P40 billion more by 2020, he said.

The approved measure also removed the age limit for the appointment and tenure of the solicitor general, who is currently mandated to retire at 65 like other government officials. n

MANILA — The Public Attorney’s Office on Thursday, January 24, filed its 31st criminal complaint related to the controversial anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia, which it said is to blame for the death of a 33-year-old doctor.

The mother of Kendrick Gotoc, a 33-year-old doctor, and PAO trooped to the Department of Justice to file obstruction of justice, reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, torture and violation of Consumer Act against Health Secretary Francisco Duque, former DOH chief Janette Garin and 37 others.

Gotoc died on April 22 last year, and the complainants said that he was inoculated with Dengvaxia three times prior to his death.

PAO conducted a forensic examination on the body of Gotoc, where tissue samples of the body were used for a hispathological examination. The examination showed that the doctor died due to multi-organ failure.

“The foregoing finding is consistent with the findings on the autopsies conducted on the other Dengvaxia victims; particularly that the children became sick after vaccination,” PAO said.

PAO called the DOH order to conduct an autopsy on bodies of alleged victims of Dengvaxia as a “counter-measure to challenge and contest the PAO Forensic Team’s findings—undoubtedly a

A mother of a 33-year-old doctor filed a case of obstruction of justice, reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, torture and violation of Consumer Act against Health Secretary Francisco Duque, former DOH chief Janette Garin and 37 others.

Philstar.com photo

defense strategy.”

Dengvaxia ‘scare’ Doctors for Truth and Welfare had earlier warned against the outbreaks of potentially deadly diseases in “epic proportion” unless the Dengvaxia scare is stopped.

“We call for a halt to the continuous spread of unproven claims of deaths caused by the dengue vaccine by the same unqualified but noisy people, who are largely responsible for the fall in the vaccine confidence in the country,” the group of doctors said in a statement last December.

DOH also said that the Dengvaxia controversy has, in part, caused a decline in measles

vaccination and an outbreak of the deadly disease in the Philippines.

Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said last December 12 that they do not see the lifting of the suspension of Dengvaxia’s Certificate Product Registration despite it lapsing on December 29.

Duque suspended the dengue vaccination program after Sanofi disclosed in November 27 that it could cause severe dengue if given to those who have not had dengue.

State prosecutors have yet to issue a resolution on the first batch of Dengvaxia cases consisting of nine complaints. (Kristine Joy Patag/Philstar.com)

MILF vows to continue ‘struggle’ if Bangsamoro Organic Law is rejected by al Jacinto ManilaTimes.net

MURAD Ebrahim, leader of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), cast a ballot for the first time on Monday, January 21, hoping that the rest of Muslim Mindanao voted with him to establish a truly autonomous region for the Bangsamoro.

Ebrahim cast his vote at the Simuay Junction Central Elementary School in Darapanan in Maguindanao’s Sultan Kudarat town, a stronghold of the rebel group.

Supporters took turns shaking his hands as they greeted the MILF chairman, who arrived with a group of bodyguards.

“As a revolutionary, we are prepared for whatever scenario, as long as the democratic processes is conducted in good manner, without intimidation, without cheating, we are determined to accept whatever is the result [of the plebiscite],” the 71-year old rebel leader said.

“Now if the BOL will not be ratified, we will continue to struggle until the [peace] agreement is implemented. It is the duty of the government to implement the agreement. We are only a partner, but the main responsibility is with the government, they have to implement the agreement,” Ebrahim said.

Leaders of Cotabato City, Isabela City in Basilan province, and Sulu and North Cotabato provinces are strongly opposed to becoming part of the new Bangsamoro region and campaigned for a “no” vote.

The plebiscite is a result of the March 2014 interim peace deal between the MILF and Manila.

The rebel group vowed to surrender a third of its huge weapons stockpiles if the organic law was ratified.

Rebel forces have tripled if not doubled, and now boast of armaments, including anti-aircraft machine guns, B40 anti-tank rockets, mortars and assorted high-powered rifles, as well as an army of civilian supporters, many of them counting on the prospects of better life with the new Bangsamoro region under MILF rule.

The new region will replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) created following a peace deal with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

Ebrahim’s group originally was part of the MNLF under Nur Misuari, but broke away in the late 1970s, and fought the democratic government for the establishment of a separate Muslim homeland.

Misuari eventually signed a peace agreement with Manila in September 1996 and after the accord agreement was signed, he became the governor of the ARMM. Despite the peace accord, there was a widespread disillusionment with the weak autonomy they were granted.

Under the peace agreement with the MILF, Manila would have to provide a mini-Marshal Plan to spur economic development in Muslim areas in the south and livelihood and housing assistance to tens of thousands of former rebels to uplift their poor living standards.

Grenade attack, voting delays A grenade attack, harassments and intimidation marred the Bangsamoro plebiscite, however.

The grenade exploded outside the house of a judge in Cotabato City in Maguindanao province, and another was lobbed, but did not go off, on the roof.

Reports claimed the judge was a known critic of the BOL, but police said the attack that occurred ahead of the referendum might also be connected to his work.

Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde said the motive for the grenade attack was “something personal.”

A third grenade in front of a polling precinct was detonated by soldiers in Cotabato City, whose mayor, Cynthia Sayadi, had led residents in opposing the city’s inclusion to the proposed Bangsamoro region to be run by the MILF. No individual or group claimed responsibility.

In Isabela City, a pregnant woman sought police help after a man grabbed her ballot and tore it to pieces inside a polling precinct.

She said the man was angered by her rejection of the BOL. The still unidentified man escaped after the incident.

In Marawi City, rains and cold winds did not hinder the people from trooping to the polling precincts, with some arriving as early as 6:30 a.m.

Sr. Supt. Madzgani Mukaram, chief of Lanao del Sur Police Provincial Office, told The Manila Times there was no untoward incident in the conduct of the Bangsamoro plebiscite here.

In Kapatagan, the last town of Lanao del Sur towards Maguindanao province, Mayor Raida Maglangit told The Manila Times voters queued and left as soon as they cast their votes, to allow others to vote smoothly. “It is, indeed, very peaceful and orderly,” she said.

In Cotabato City, Mayor Sayadi told reporters some teachers who

were supposed to function as election inspectors did not show up.

At least five dozen teachers did not report for election duty after receiving cell phone messages threatening them with harm if they went to work.

Voters formed long queues in front of Cotabato City Central Pilot Elementary School and Sero Central School where around 8,000 people had to wait hours before casting their vote on the BOL because the teachers did not immediately show up.

Several men, believed to be illegal or so-called “flying” voters, were mauled outside a polling area in Cotabato after being caught by vigilant residents trying to cast their votes.

Turnout low in Lanao Sur, Sulu, Basilan Still, the Armed Forces of the Philippines on Monday declared the plebiscite “peaceful.”

Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the Philippine Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said no major security issue occurred in the polling precincts, from the time the plebiscite started at 8 a.m.

Col. Gerry Besana, spokesman of the military’s Western Mindanao Command, likewise said the plebiscite was generally peaceful in the areas covered by the proposed autonomous region of the Bangsamoro. All polling precincts closed at exactly 3 p.m., Besana said.

Among the hitches were delays in voting, lack of transportation and delay in the arrival of voting paraphernalia.

Besana also admitted that turnout in the provinces of Sulu, Lanao del Sur and Basilan was low.

The Commission on Elections said registered voters in the plebiscite covering the ARMM territory stood at 1,980,441. There were 71,124 voters in Isabela City and 113,751 in Cotabato City.

Another referendum is set on February 6 for Lanao del Sur with 352,494 registered voters and North Cotabato with 286,867 voters.

Fr. Eliseo Mercado Jr. of the Institute of Autonomy and Governance, said that in three towns in Sulu — Luuk, Tongkil, and Panglima Estino — 100 percent, or more than 41,000 voters, turned out by 11 a.m. and voted “yes.”

The governor of Sulu, Abdusakur Tan 2nd, had petitioned the Supreme Court to declare the BOL unconstitutional, arguing that the 1987 Constitution authorized only one organic law for Muslim Mindanao, or the one that established the ARMM. n

President Rodrigo Duterte is welcomed by Moro Islamic Liberation Front Chairman Al-Hajj Murad Ebrahim upon his arrival at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex in Cotabato City on his way to attend the Peace Assembly for the Ratification of Republic Act No. 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).

Malacañang photo by Simeon Celi

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DOH issues rules on mental health law

by Mayen JayMalin Philstar.com

MANILA â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Hoping to put an end to the stigma surrounding mental health disorder, the Department of Health (DOH) issued the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the National Mental Health Act. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III assured the public that with the IRR, people with mental health disorder and their families would be provided with necessary assistance. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to send a message to those living with mental health issues that you are not alone. We are committed to giving you the support you need,â&#x20AC;? Duque said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is hope, recovery is

possible and there is no shame in talking about your condition and getting help,â&#x20AC;? he added.

Duque said the DOH would bring mental illness out from the shadows and put an end to the stigma associated with mental health disorders.

Upon effectivity of the IRR, Duque said the DOH would work with local government units in providing free mental health care services, particularly to the poor. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will prioritize giving free mental health services to the poor and the disadvantaged until we have sufficient proceeds from sin taxes to provide the same services to all,â&#x20AC;? Duque noted.

He said the DOH has been giving free mental health services,

although it is not sufficient.

Data show about 3.5 million Filipinos suffer from mental health conditions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Although we have made steps to extend help for those living with mental health conditions through the National Mental Health Policy, many Filipinos still do not get the help they need,â&#x20AC;? Duque said.

He said there is still a huge gap in the capacity of government health facilities in providing basic mental health services.

But with the full implementation of the law signed in July last year, Duque is optimistic that the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capacity to provide mental health services will greatly improve. n

Facebook pledges to combat â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;false news...

PAGE A7

a U.S. congressional probe revealed Russian operatives allegedly used Facebook to spread propaganda in favor of Donald Trump.

1.5 billion accounts taken down in mid-2018 According to Harbath, 1.5 billion fake accounts were taken down in the second and third quarters of 2018 â&#x20AC;&#x153;at the point of creation.â&#x20AC;?

She said that from an original 10,000 staff working on combating â&#x20AC;&#x153;inauthenticâ&#x20AC;? behavior on Facebook, the company has hired 30,000 people to work on fighting misinformation on Facebook.

In the Philippines, Harbath cited the example of Twinmark Media Enterprisesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; pages, the company behind Trending News Portal, a page previously identified as spreading misinformation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We removed 220 Facebook pages, 73 accounts and 29 Instagram accounts,â&#x20AC;? she said.

TNP Media had 4.3 million followers prior to the takedown. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This specific investigation began after we learned that Twinmark was selling (administrative) rights to Facebook pages it had created, in order to increase distribution and generate profit, which violates our spam policy,â&#x20AC;? said Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head of Cybersecurity Policy said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This prompted our teams to take a deeper look at a broader group of pages and accounts associated with these users, ul-

timately uncovering a large network of pages and accounts that were engaging in coordinated inauthentic behavior, the use of fake accounts, leading people to ad farms and selling access to Facebook pages,â&#x20AC;? he added.

According to a Rappler report, TNP â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which was known to carry misleading content favorable to President Rodrigo Duterte â&#x20AC;&#x201D; was one of Mocha Usonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s preferred â&#x20AC;&#x153;news sources.â&#x20AC;? The report said she shared posts from the site over 500 times in 2017, even after she was appointed assistant secretary of the Presidential Communications and Operations Office.

Fighting â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;false newsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Harbath said they were working on combating false news through automated and human means. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For example, if an account automatically starts adding hundreds of friends and liking a lot of pages immediately, that would flag us that the account is possibly being used for inauthentic purposes,â&#x20AC;? she said.

In the Philippines, Facebook is working with news organizations Vera Files and Rappler to fact check posts. If flagged as false or misleading, the network then minimizes the reach of the post, according to Harbath.

When asked by reporters if Facebook had exact figures on how much politicians spend on Facebook advertisements here in the Philippines, Harbath said that she did not have the exact figures but would share them if they become available.

According to a 2017 Oxford University study, however, the presidential campaign of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte invested $200,000 or about P10 million to hire trolls to spread propaganda and target his opposition.

The presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s supporters have dismissed the study, saying the findings were based on news reports. The administration PDPLaban party said in response to the study that it â&#x20AC;&#x153;never hired nor used online trolls.â&#x20AC;?

As of 2018, there are an estimated 67 million Facebook accounts in the Philippines.

Those users spend an average of 3 hours and 57 minutes on social media, according to another report also published last year. Considering these figures, some analysts say that social media, especially Facebook, will continue to be a gamechanger in elections.

But when Harbath was asked if she believes that Facebook has an increasing role in the election, she stopped short of putting the sole responsibility of protecting democracy on one social media platform. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would say the internet has an increasing role,â&#x20AC;? she said.

But Harbath added that company wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t turn away from doing its part to protect democratic processes around the world. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve also deepened our support for the Philippinesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; digital literacy efforts. There is always more to do, and we are committed to playing the part,â&#x20AC;? she said. n

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FILIPINO-MADE. Duty Free Philippines Corp. chief operating officer, Vicente Pelagio A. Angala, shows Philippine products that are on display at the Duty Free Luxe, Pacific Drive, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City on Wednesday, January 23. This is in line with the tourism departmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thrust to promote proudly Pinoy-made products through the Philippinesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Finest Kiosk.

PNA photo by Gil Calinga

DFA to public: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Passport data safe, secureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

by Pia lee-Brago Philstar.com

MANILA â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is reassuring the public that it remains in custody and control of passport data and has not shared the information with or allowed access by any unauthorized party.

The reassurance came after a DFA meeting with the National Privacy Commission (NPC). The meeting was meant to clarify issues resulting from Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tweet that a former passport contractor had run off with applicantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; data.

Data Protection Officer and Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Medardo Macaraig, Assistant Secretary for Consular Af-

by alec

naldo ManilaTimes.net

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) is confident that the elections in May this year will be clean and credible.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the transmission of votes would also be faster. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are very confident in our system and we expect that we will have good, clean elections [come] May 2019,â&#x20AC;? Jimenez told reporters during the holding of mock elections on Sunday, January 20. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So far, this mock election is running smoothly. We are seeing a good mix of insights coming in from our observers on the ground,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Jimenez observed the holding of mock polls at the Toro Hills Elementary School in Quezon City. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sa tingin ko maganda â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;yung nangyayari ngayon pero kaunti ang dumarating. Because this is mock elections, we expect it to be different on election day. But we can see different aspects of the procedure thus we have an insight on what works and what doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t,â&#x20AC;? he said.

He said the handling of people when they enter the polling place needed to be improved. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all doing very well

by catherine

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A woman participates in the mock elections held at Araullo High School in Manila on Saturday, January 19.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma

here. But we want to see, we want to get more data so that we can determine if we can still improve the process. Right now, nasa one minute up to one minute and a half ang tinatagal nung gamit ng ating VRVS (the use of Voter Registration Verification System takes one minute to oneand-a half minutes). Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see if we can cut that down further,â&#x20AC;?

Jimenez said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were able to identify people who were not supposed to be here. So the VRVS is doing well right now,â&#x20AC;? he added.

The poll body simulated the

use of the Emergency Accessible Polling Place (EAPP) system.

Jimenez said the EAPP is the Comelecâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s response to the need to provide an easier way for disabled persons, senior citizens, and pregnant women to vote.

Jimenez called on Filipinos to vote on May 13. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You cannot take this for granted and let other people decide for you. You need to be engaged,â&#x20AC;? he said in Filipino.

He urged voters not to accept pre-marked or pre-shaded ballots, and to report such incidents to authorities. n

Tagle wants â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;rulersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to have respect for human beings

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der 03-2019 that eliminates the need to submit birth certificates upon renewal of passports, except in a few specific cases.

After his statement that former French contractor FrancoisCharles Oberthur Fiduciare took off with sensitive passport applicantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; data, Locsin backtracked, saying it was not possible to run off with passport data and that the data were only â&#x20AC;&#x153;made inaccessible.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Data is not run-away-able but made inaccessible. Access denied,â&#x20AC;? Locsin said on Twitter.

He said APO, the current passport contractor, assured him they were able to access the data from Oberthur but these were of â&#x20AC;&#x153;not much use and parts corrupted.â&#x20AC;? n

Comelec sees clean polls

AS the Catholic faithful held festivals nationwide to mark the Feast of Sto. NiĂąo, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle expressed hope that rulers would lead with â&#x20AC;&#x153;empathy and respect for human beingsâ&#x20AC;? like the Child Jesus.

In an episode of his show, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Word Exposed,â&#x20AC;? uploaded over Youtube on Sunday, the archbishop said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;How we wish this Child will rule over the hearts of rulers.â&#x20AC;?

The Child Jesus, Tagle said, had â&#x20AC;&#x153;wisdom from God, empathy, with respect for human beings, peace, sharing of blessing and embracing everyone as his family so that with others, God will have more children, with others the inheritance from God will be shared with many.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;In this time of our history,

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fairs Neil Frank Ferrer and other officials represented the DFA at the meeting.

The officials stressed measures are in place to protect the personal data of passport applicants in the entire ISO-certified process. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All passport data is safe,â&#x20AC;? the DFA said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The department is hoping that it was able to address the concerns of the Commission and remains ready to cooperate, especially with Congress, in any other investigation to be conducted on this issue,â&#x20AC;? it added in a statement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The department is also hoping that it was able to assuage the concerns of the public on this issue.â&#x20AC;?

Locsin signed Department Or-

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle

the center of the celebrations of the feast in Metro Manila.

Pabillo said, referring to Duterte, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It has been said that our God is â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;stupid,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; that you [faithful] should stop going to church, are those things right?â&#x20AC;?

The bishop said that to deepen the Catholicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s faith, they must tend to it.

He also offered three ways to strengthen their faith â&#x20AC;&#x201D; reading the Bible, participating in Church activities, including and especially attending mass, and helping others.

Every third Sunday of January, various part of the country hold their own feasts for the Sto. NiĂąo such as Bacolod, Bustos, Cebu, Kalibo, Malolos, Panay, Tacloban and Tondo.

On eve of the feast, the faithful, together with their replicas of the Sto. NiĂąo, joined the four-kilometer procession, which started at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Sto. NiĂąo.

A popular celebration also took place in Cebu City. About 1.5 million people took part in the prayer walk in the major streets of the city for the Feast of Sto. NiĂąo, more commonly known as Sinulog, to affirm their faith.

According the book My First Book of Saints, the image of the Holy Child was presented to Queen Juana of Cebu by Ferdinand Magellan after her baptism on April 14, 1521.

Upon seeing it, Juana asked Magellan to keep the Child Jesus, replacing her collection of ManilaTimes.net photo idols. n

when we are searching for the best way to lead one another, when we dream of a truthful, just, peaceful, and loving society, we turn to the Child [Jesus] who will lead us,â&#x20AC;? he added.

He also said asked for prayers of continuous blessings towards a â&#x20AC;&#x153;more compassionate and truthful societyâ&#x20AC;? from the Holy Child.

Meanwhile, Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo urged the faithful to defend their faith, which had been condemned by President Rodrigo Duterte in more ways than one, in the same manner that they protect children. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sto. NiĂąo is Child Jesus. What do we do to children? We defend and protect them. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s do that to our faith too especially in this trying times for the Church,â&#x20AC;? the prelate said in his homily in a mass he celebrated at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Sto. NiĂąo, formerly called Sto. NiĂąo de Tondo Parish Church in Manila, which is

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COMMUNITY JOURNAL

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA [SELECT a handful of those things in your bucket list that have the highest chance of coming to fruition given your time frame. In tech speak, it means before your life’s energy goes into ‘ low batt mode’ and life has run out of sockets to plug into.]

As you begin considering to pare down the stuff you have accumulated unwittingly over a lifetime, you begin to realize that perhaps going through experiences might be a more worthwhile pursuit.

Getting a massage is one of those supreme indulgences many people can’t seem to get enough of. Head massage, facial massage, whole boy massage, foot massage – there’s plenty to choose from in many spas that are becoming big business. Some salons are offering these as part of their services because there is a real need for it.

People who are part of a work-a-day world doing stressful jobs that have deadlines and quotas would probably love for their employers to give them vouchers to have a weekly or monthly massage as part of their benefits package.

Health@Heart

The Bucket List Pamper Yourself with a Massage 4th of a Series

“I have a massage when I want to relax.

I love being pampered.

I love island massages when you’re outside in the fresh air.

—Angie Stone Their nerves and muscles tied up in knots could be loosened up and made to relax with a massage.

If you haven’t had a massage in your life, indulge in one. It can be pretty pricey though since they go by hourly rates.

But if you do so only once in a great while, the experience of a full body massage can be exhilarating. There are kiosks in the mall that offer this. It is usually the men who patronize this since the public exposure may be a turn-off for ladies who may prefer the privacy of spas instead.

In a vacation at Boracay many years ago, on the spur of the moment, I had a massage by the beach done by a blind, elderly woman, licensed by the Philippine Department of Tourism. She was good. It was as though all the knotted areas in my neck and back disappeared.

Foot massages are wonderful as well. In the hands of an

expert masseuse, a foot massage can feel like all the tired bones and muscles in the feet are given attention and care on a cellular level. Your feet, and by extension, the entire body, would become rejuvenated with the human touch.

If you walk, jog or run regularly as part of your fitness routine, try getting a foot massage sometime. Leg cramps may be a way of telling us that we need to treat our legs and feet with the same tender loving care we give our faces.

After all, the feet that carries our weight all day deserve some pampering. If you have happy feet, your day and even nights will be restful. You are likely to wake up energized ready to take on the next day.

Next week: Another idea to consider for The Bucket List… *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

Aging: An equalizer

vegetable-low fruit and low nut diet, smoking, alcohol, soft drinks, lack of exercise, PHILIP S. CHUA, and substance abuse). Just to MD, FACS, FPCS illustrate the damage: From using a single stick of cigarette alone, trillions of free LAST February 28, 2018, my radicals are generated. And wife, Farida, and I arrived at if we added all the assaults the Los Angeles International listed above, many of which Airport from Manila, followare self-inflicted, it would be ing our two medical missions clear why our body deterioin the Philippines. While waitrates as we grow older. The ing at the lounge for our flight human body is fundamentally back to Las Vegas, we received a unique, amazing, efficient, a call from our friend, Lynn and tough, machine, that can Santos, a nurse, who relayed withstand a lot of abuses, but to us the sad news that a close it also has its limit. mutual friend, a medical colDiscipline and resolve league who was 84 and recovThe harder part of the equaering well from a stroke, had tion in slowing down aging and collapsed in a grocery store. avoiding preventable diseases About half an hour or so later, to solve is our lack of personal while we were on board Amerdiscipline and ican Airline’s resolve.

Today, flight to Vemost, if not all of gas, Lynn called “With volumes of evidence-based us, know which again, this time items are good to inform us that medical data on healthy lifestyle and which ones he had passed and with our more informed selves are unhealthy to away. eat or drink, and A testament today, disease prevention is much also know that Our friend’s regular physical departure was easier to achieve compared to exercise and dea devastating five or more decades ago.” stressing are funloss to his famdamental to our ily, friends, and health and longevthe community. ity. Yet, somehow, we seem to The health issues this physi- ages. The blood gets thicker, cian and his wife of 53 years increasing the risk for blood always find enough reasons or had experienced as they grew clots, coronary heart disease excuse to justify our non-comolder were a testament to the and stroke. Joint lubricants pliance with these known and realities of aging. This natural decrease causing aggravat- proven scientific principles of part of life, aging, is inescap- ing arthritic pains. Male and healthy living.

As alluded to in the book able and an equalizer, as much female hormones drop and as death is a part of life, with- lessen sex drive. The dermal “Let’s Stop “Killing” Our Children,” inflicting harm to our out exception or exemption. In collagen and oil production body with self-abusive behavcertain ways and instances, we slow down and the skin loses could perhaps alter the prog- turgor and moisture, becom- ior and by living an unhealthy ress and reduce the odds to ing thinner and thinner, and lifestyle is masochistic. Some of us appear to have prosome degree, but the inevitable wrinkles form.

Most of our biologic func- grammed our mind to an auto end is obviously beyond us. self-destruct or suicidal mode As the clock ticks, we are tions peak at age 30, declining older by the second. As we in a linear fashion thereafter. and continue to do things, or grow older, the expected nor- This, however, does not mate- perpetuate bad habits, that we know could maim or kill us. mal wear and tear in our body rially affect our daily activities The book also proposes progress faster and faster, in- at this stage. Only stresses cluding the reduction in the and diseases, and not aging, healthy lifestyle and disease secretion of our various essen- impact the physiology nega- prevention should begin at the cellular (DNA) level starttial glands and the weakening tively during this period. ing in the womb and in the Theory of aging of our immune system. crib, to protect the integrity of There are a few, but the Our telomeres – caps at the ends of each strand of DNA prominent one is the Free the DNA as early as possible. that protect the chromosomes, Radical Theory where oxygen- Damaging the DNA-telomeres similar to plastic tips at the end containing molecules called with our unhealthy habits and of shoelaces, which prevents free radicals, with a life span of insults from our environment them from fraying – get dam- one-millionth of a second, and lead to major metabolic (diaage and the telomeres become are toxic, are damaging our betes, thyroid illness), pulshorter as our body is sub- body. Free radicals attack the monary, cardiovascular (heart jected to all assaults internally cell’s DNA, causing the cells attack and stroke), and, espeand externally. The shorter to prematurely die. Our body’s cially cancer.

With volumes of evidencethe telomeres, the shorter the natural antioxidant (defense) system mops up free radicals based medical data on healthy lifespan. lifestyle and with our more inThe speed of the degenera- before they could cause damtive changes in us depends on age, but as we grow older, and formed selves today, disease prevention is much easier our genes and to a great signif- continue to abuse our body icant degree, on our lifestyle. through unhealthy lifestyle to achieve compared to five That’s why the aging process and behavior, our body’s im- or more decades ago. We no varies in different individuals. mune system becomes less longer have any excuse not to While we cannot (yet) do any- efficient, allowing the free maximize our health and lonthing about our genes at this radical level to increase. This gevity. To do otherwise is simply asinine. stage in science and technol- negatively impacts the nor*** ogy to extend longevity for mal cellular regulation and Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a everyone, we have enough function, which leads to agevidence-based medical data ing and its physical and physi- Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in today on how to achieve maxi- ologic consequences, as well Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is a medical lecturer/author, mal health benefits through as weaker defense system to and Chairman of the Filipino United healthy lifestyle and extend diseases. On top of the damour life, our telomeres, to the ages from free radicals, ex- Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian ternal assaults are caused by foundation in the United States. fullest possible.

Physiology of deterioration sunlight, environmental pol- Websites: FUN8888.com, philipSchua. com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com The degeneration starts in lution, stress, unhealthy lifethe basic cellular foundation style (high carbohydrate-low (Advertising Supplement) of our body as we grow older, varying in different individuals since persons age at different speed, but in general the physiological changes start to manifest when we reach about 40 years of age, more obvious when we reach about 65. As we age, all the systems and essential functions of our body work less efficiently, at suboptimal level. Inflammation, the precursor of almost all diseases, invades the entire body. All the glands in the body secrete significantly less, if not meager, hormones and other essential substances that regulate the various vital organs in the body. Arteries lose their elasticity and hardened, causing high blood pressure and arterial block-

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 25-31, 2019

A11

Paco Catholic School Class of 1969 celebrates its 50th anniversary

AND so the story goes: “Once upon a time, there was this spitfire class of sixty-niners in a quaint, old place called Paco…”

Celebrating the 50th anniversary is the gold standard in most human achievements. This is why the Paco Catholic School Class of 1969 Steering Committee, headed by Ramon Mojica, is pulling out all the stops in celebrating this milestone year.

If you are part of this group wherever you may be, mark these dates on your calendar.

Be there or be square. Do what you need to do to be part of this event. You will pass this way but once.

• Saturday, February 09, 2019 – Kick off event: 9 a.m.

Mass/Recollection to 12 p.m. Fr. Sonny de Claro, Pandacan Parish priest will officiate the mass.

• Monday, February 11, 2019 – Welcome Party at the Manila Polo Club from 6 to 10 p.m.

Noel Onate had a lot to do with the choice of this venue.

• Wednesday and Thursday, February 13 & 14, 2019 – Overnight Stay at Graceland Resort in Tayabas, Quezon Province.

• Saturday, February 16, 2019 – Gala Night at Sofitel, 6 p.m. to 12 midnight with the FBC Rebirth Band providing live music.

Former high school teachers and a principal were invited.

A little bit of a backstory about the school is in order.

In 1912, Paco Catholic School was founded by the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (the acronym CICM is based on its Latin name). These were a group of European Roman Catholic missionary priests and nuns, mostly Belgians, Austrians and Germans steeped in Christian values and inflamed with the zeal of spreading the word of God in many nations at the time.

Fortunately, one of these nations was the Philippines. It was from a deep sense of Noblesse Oblige, French for “Nobility obligates.”

It was the era of personal sacrifice to do the missionary work of Jesus Christ. These religious men and women heeded God’s call, left their families and homeland and sailed the seas to bring good, solid, affordable Catholic education to many students in and around the neighboring districts of Manila. Just to give 1912 a historical perspective, it was the year that the Titanic sank in the Atlantic Ocean and the dark clouds of World War I were gathering in the horizon.

That war occurred a short five years later.

Paconians owe a world of gratitude to Fr. Godofredo Aldenhuijsen, Fr. Prosper, Fr. Joseph, Fr. Smits, Mother Johanna, Sister Theophane, Sister Joza (pardon any misspellings, it was a long

time ago) and a host of other religious men and women, to whom God must have said when they passed and went on the express route to heaven, “Well done, you good and faithful servants.”

Father Godo who did the rounds of all the classrooms giving out white, green, yellow and pink merit cards for the deserving after every grading period instilled in Paconians a deep striving for excellence in whatever they do.

Today, Paco Catholic School (PCS) is considered a highly reputable, parochial school with a long and steady history of providing valuable Catholic education from Kindergarten to High School — just as the founders envisioned it. For many graduates over the next decades, what they got was rare and foundational and without a doubt, a definite advantage to live humble and meaningful lives.

Of particular note is Fr. Tony Tanchoco who passed last year after an illness. Sister Anna Maria Cinco of Hijas de Jesus has been God’s tool in the canonization of a recent saint, Mother Candida, and continues to shine as a beacon of faith in her quiet ways. Her proficiency in Spanish and Italian is awesome.

To the eternal credit of the school’s founding pioneers along with highly qualified, dedicated, teachers, the Paconian influence, through the years, have struck deep making Catholic character formation a powerful work in progress honing Godgiven talents and shaping lives, its influence going far and wide in parts of the world wherever a Paconian lives his or her life.

The success of any event is rooted in intensely detailed preparatory grunt work while never losing focus on the goal. Planning for the 50th reunion started a year ago but picked up speed and intensity sometime July 2018 as the core group shepherded activities to shape the event and nail down the details while overcoming personal differences and fending off unintended glitches and curveballs.

Yet, half the fun of any adventure is getting there. So while laser-focused on the goal to pull off a memorable event for the books, they also had a ton of fun getting together for the meetings and learning from each other in the process. By and large, for the committee, it must have been a rewarding if mixed experience, still a ride worth taking.

The Steering Committee members, all of whom have been working tirelessly in a voluntary capacity, deserves a big round of applause, gratitude and recognition. Mon Mojica serves as the Grand Kahuna Coordinator

Calendar of Events across

overseeing various committees.

The Production Committee is headed by Butch Quizon and assisted by Marilyn Santos Lintag.

Mon De los Reyes headed the Venues Committee with Leonora Pechardo Gonzales assisting.

The Promotions Committee was headed by Marco Ibanez assisted by Agnes Yabyabin Ponce.

Alice Santiago Sanchez and Melen Siochi Caraballo have taken charge of the Yearbook Committee. The all-important Finance Committee is headed by Mon Mojica and assisted by Nanette Santos Villanueva and Melen Siochi Caraballo.

We stand on the shoulders of others, more so when we achieve something of real value. Special mention goes to Linda Gonzales del Villar who graciously hosted the initial meetings at her place in Makati.

There is the invaluable support from Noel Onate once again.

There is Cora Arroyo de Vera whose early, gargantuan efforts to gather information about every member of this class everywhere around the world for the 25th anniversary and countless other mini-reunions continue to pay off. She had the tenacity of a pit bull. Cora did so even before the advent of the Information Age and before Google ever came to be. She was the glue then and deserves emeritus level of recognition.

This is, by no means, an exhaustive listing and any missing shout outs for due recognition is inadvertent. My deep apologies …

There were active contributors to the Facebook page which kept the excitement simmering.

Most were silent lurkers but kept abreast of what was going on.

Generous monetary contributions to the pot were sent and all accounted for.

Tempus fugit. Time flies indeed. Through all these months, the fires were stoked and kept burning brightly. Time will hover (oh so) briefly on those few days in February next month, from the 9th to the 16th, when everything comes to a head and many, if not all, will be able to see each other face to face, even share a laughter or two and spend wonderful, precious time together.

With this milestone event, the PCS High School Class of 1969 will be given that rare chance to conjure, like magic, delicious, sparkling memories once more.

This time perhaps, many will do so with even greater feeling and a heightened sense of gratitude, even saying quietly to themselves, “By God, we made it!

Salamat po.”

And so I will say it again: BE THERE OR BE SQUARE. (Written by Monette Adeva Maglaya)

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 27

“Journey for Justice” book launch in LA Get a first edition “Journey for Justice: The Life of Larry Itliong,” written by the late historian Dawn Bohulano Mabalon and writer Gayle Romasanta, on Sunday, January 27 at the launch in Los Angeles! It will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Park’s Finest (1267 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026). The book tells the story of Larry Itliong’s fight for a farmworkers union, the birth of the farm workers’ movement, and more. Books will be sold and signed with a Q&A with co-author Gayle Romasanta). A percentage of proceeds from this book will be donated to the nonprofit organizations, Little Manila Rising and the Filipino American National Historical Society. For more information, please visit http://bridgedelta.com/.

JA N UA RY 3 0

California Small Business Summit in Los Angeles The California Small Business Summit is a full-day event in Los Angeles that will bring together 50 small business leaders on Wednesday, January 30 from across the state to discuss important issues facing small businesses and provide education to help entrepreneurs and local economies thrive. As small business owners, you’re critical to the success of our local communities, injecting life and vitality into your neighborhoods, providing quality jobs and boosting prosperity for all. Our Small Business Summit is a platform for you to participate in meaningful dialogue about issues facing California’s small business community and educational workshops on critical issues like access to capital, healthcare, retirement and much more. The format will be an interactive mix of panel discussions, presentations, keynotes and breakout sessions featuring expert advice from business assistance providers and other successful small business owners. The day will begin at 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. at California Endowment Center (1000 Alameda St., Los Angeles, CA 90012). To register for tickets, please visit https://bit.ly/2TPbwP4.

F E B R UA RY 2

Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii’s gala in Waikiki, HI The Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii will hold its 41st inaugural and installation of officers on Saturday, February 2 at 5 p.m. It will be held at the Tapa Ballroom at the Hilton Hawaiian Village (2005 Kalia Rd, Honolulu, HI 96815). Attire is formal. For more information, please visit http://pmah-hawaii.org.

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

A12 JANUARY 25-31, 2019 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

COMMUNITY JOURNAL

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Business News

UN sees Philippine economy to grow 6.5% in 2019

By BEN

O. DE VERA Inquirer.net

MANILA – The United Nations (UN) said it expects Philippine economic growth to rebound this year as the government ramps up implementation of its ambitious “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program.

In its World Economic Situation and Prospects 2019 report, the UN said it sees the Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP) growth to have had slowed to 6.3 percent in 2018 from 6.7 percent in 2017.

The government will report on the country’s fourth-quarter and full-year 2018 GDP performance.

It targets 6.5-6.9 percent growth for 2018, even as actual GDP expansion averaged 6.3 percent during the first three quarters.

“In the Philippines, GDP growth in 2018 was affected by a slowdown in household spending due to a rapid increase in inflation,” the UN said.

Last year, inflation or the rate of increase in prices of basic commodities hit a 10-year high of 5.2 percent due to new or higher excise taxes slapped on consumption, skyrocketing global oil prices during the third quarter, as well as domestic food supply bottlenecks that pushed prices higher, especially of rice.

The UN noted that “surging inflationary pressures in the Philippines prompted its central bank to increase rates at a sharp pace,” referring to the move of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to increase interest rate to a total of 175 basis points last year.

The Philippines, nonetheless, enjoyed accelerated public investment growth in 2018, “driven mainly by the implementation of large transport development projects,” and the UN expects this to be sustained this year.

In 2019 and 2020, the UN projected the Philippines’ GDP growth at 6.5 percent and 6.4

percent, respectively.

The UN’s forecasts for the next two years were below the government’s 7-8 percent target range starting this year until 2022.

This year, “growth will be mainly driven by strong government spending and infrastructure investment,” the UN said, referring to “Build, Build, Build.”

A total of 75 flagship projects were part of “Build, Build, Build” aimed at ushering in a “golden age of infrastructure” by the time President Rodrigo Duterte ends his term in 2022.

“However, the economy faces the risk of persistently high inflationary pressures, prompting a more aggressive stance on monetary policy tightening, thus further constraining private consumption,” the UN added.

For 2019 and 2020, the UN projected headline inflation to ease to 4 percent and 3.2 percent, respectively, returning within the government’s 2-4 percent target range.

Jollibee taking legal action vs China copycat

By LOUELLA

DESIDERIO Philstar.com

MANILA — The mascot is a happy bee and the store colors are a familiar red with yellow accent.

Fast food giant Jollibee Foods Corp. (JFC) is taking legal action against a restaurant in China for copyright infringement.

“Our legal team has been taking the necessary steps in order to protect and uphold our company’s trademark rights as provided for under the law,” JFC declared.

The statement was made as the company learned that the fast food outlet in China had the same store design and color motif as Jollibee’s.

“The particular JoyRulBee infringing store in Guangxi, China has already been brought to the attention of JFC even be-

EMPLOYMENT

President Duterte pays his last respects to Henry Sy at the wake of the late business magnate and philanthropist at the Heritage Memorial Park in Taguig City. Joining him are Sy’s children Tessie, Henry Jr. and Hans.

Malacañang photo

Henry Sy Sr. laid to rest in Taguig City

By ROSETTE

ADEL

Philstar.com

MANILA — The country’s wealthiest man, Henry Sy Sr., has been laid to rest in Taguig City on Thursday, January 24.

Sy’s remains were buried at the Heritage Memorial Park in Taguig City.

The 94-year-old mall magnate passed away peacefully in his sleep on Saturday, January 19.

His wake was held at the Heritage Park in Taguig and was made open to public on Sunday.

Among the notable personalities who paid their respects to Sy were President Rodrigo Duterte, Cabinet members Executive

Secretary Salvador Medialdea, presidential spokesperson and Chief Presidential Legal Adviser Salvador Panelo, and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III. Sens. Antonio Trillanes IV and Franklin Drilon also attended the wake on Sunday.

U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim, who earlier offered his condolences to the Sy family, also went to the wake.

Business allies and rivals of Sy also paid their last respects.

These are Fernando and Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala as well as Dennis Uy. The Sy children including Teresita, Henry Jr., Hans, Harley, Elizabeth and Herbert welcomed the guests.

During the wake, the Sy fam-

ily requested that “in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions maybe sent to Sy’s beloved scholarship program through SM Foundation Inc.” Sy was born in Xiamen, China and migrated to the Philippines when he was young. He later on built a multi-billion dollar business that includes chain of malls.

Throughout the years, the business mogul ventured on banks, hotels and real estate in the Philippines. His holdings also included shopping centers in China.

Sy is the 52nd richest man in the world in 2017, according to Forbes Magazine. He was on the roster of Forbes’ world richest for over a decade.

No agreement with any investor yet, says PAL Image from a viral video shows the JoyRulBee fast food outlet in Guangxi, China. The restaurant uses Jollibee’s popular bee mascot. The counter displays and menus are also similar to Jollibee outlets.

Contributed photo

fore the post went viral in social media,” JFC said.

JoyRulBee’s outlet also has a logo of a bee that is exactly the same as Jollibee’s.

JFC is the largest food service network in the country.

As of end-September, there were 1,110 Jollibee outlets in the country. Jollibee also has

branches in Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the U.S., Canada, Italy and the UK. Apart from Jollibee, JFC is also behind other popular restaurant brands in the country including Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal and Burger King.

EMPLOYMENT

FOR RENT

By RICHMOND

MERCURIO Philstar.com

MANILA — PAL Holdings Inc., the operator of flag carrier Philippine Airlines, said it has not reached an agreement with any investor following reports that Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) is set to make its entry into the Lucio Tan controlled airline.

“PAL has always been open

to the possibility of a strategic investor. As of date, there is no definite agreement between PAL and any investor,” the publicly listed firm told the local bourse.

PAL president and COO Jaime Bautista said in a briefing earlier this month that the company is set to take in a strategic investor within the first semester, without disclosing its identity.

Bautista yesterday declined

PSYCHIC

to comment on the reports about ANA’s entry.

In its disclosure, however, PAL said its plans to establish itself as a world-class airline would not necessarily involve the entry of any investor.

The airline said was able to improve its rating internationally in 2018 even without the support of an investor.

Bautista earlier said PAL is PAGE A13

(212) 655-5426 • http://www.asianjournal.com

Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ THERE are over 11 million undocumented aliens living in the U.S. There are caravans of thousands of people coming up from Central America, planning to apply for asylum. If they can make it into the United States, probably tens of thousands of others will follow.

A question constantly on the minds of people living in the shadows is, “Will there be an amnesty?” Some people who have been living in the U.S. for years, are losing hope, and are about to give up and just go back to the Philippines.

Here are my thoughts and opinion about the likelihood of amnesty. I want to emphasize this is my personal opinion, and you should not rely on it as an existing fact: 1. Right after he was elected, President Trump signaled his willingness to consider comprehensive immigration reform, and work with the Democrats towards coming up with compromise legislation. This included a pathway to legalization for millions of DACA recipients and others. At that same meeting, the Democrats wanted “DACA only” to be considered rather than comprehensive immigration reform.

Community Journal

Will there be an amnesty?

2. Before President Trump or the Republicans would consider any kind of comprehensive immigration reform or legalization for DACA recipients, he wants to build his wall along the U.S./Mexico border.

President Trump is concerned that if amnesty or comprehensive immigration reform is offered to those people already in the U.S., millions more will pour in to the U.S. Therefore, he wants the wall on our southern border first. Otherwise, no deal.

3. If any legalization will happen, the focus will first be on DACA recipients. The government would most likely wait several additional years until the DACA recipients are absorbed into our legal system and job market before offering comprehensive immigration reform to other undocumented aliens.

4. If a person loses hope, gives up, and goes back to the Philippines, they could lose all chances of being eligible for any amnesty. What if they go home and a few months after they leave, amnesty is granted? Since they left the U.S., they would not be eligible.

Although we are all hoping and praying for comprehensive immigration reform, many people may be eligible for immigration benefits right now, without having to wait for amnesty. There are many existing immigration benefits and

programs for which they may be eligible, whether through section 245(i), provisional waiver, or other existing immigration avenues. That is why it could be helpful for people to consult with an immigration attorney, as they may be eligible for immigration benefits right now, without having to wait for amnesty. *** 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 reenactments) 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)

“PAL has always been open to the possibility of a strategic investor. As of date, there is no definite agreement between PAL and any investor,” the publicly listed firm told the local bourse.

Philstar.com photo

No agreement with any...

From Page A12 expected to benefit from the entry of a strategic investor in terms of the partner’s contribution in equity, management, route development or possible

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 25-31, 2019 A13

membership in an alliance.

He had said the airline could offer maximum of 40 percent stake to any potential foreign investor as allowed under the law.

PAL is “cautiously watchful and hopeful” about returning to profitability this year, as it targets to carry 19 million passengers from 17 million passengers last year.

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

14

25-31,2019 2019• •NEW NEWYORK YORKAND ANDNEW NEWJERSEY JERSEYASIAN ASIANJOURNAL JOURNAL A14 JANUARY 4-10,

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people events arts culture entertainment

THE NEW FILIPINO KITCHEN: STORIES AND RECIPES FROM AROUND THE GLOBE

Personal, nostalgic & heartwarming Filipino dishes and tales from the Filipino diaspora BY

I

MOMAR G. VISAYA

“ would like for the Filipino food movement to catch on in other parts of the world,” said Filipina expatriate Jacqueline Chio-Lauri, editor of The New Filipino Kitchen, when asked what her dream is for Filipino cuisine in the global market.

What better way to do that than by coming up with an anthology of essays from expat Filipino chefs, home cooks and writers.

The New Filipino Kitchen: Stories and Recipes from Around the Globe is a collection of 30 recipes and stories from expat Filipinos, all of whom have taken their favorite dishes with them, preserving their food memories and, if necessary, tweaking their recipes to work in a new environment or, in the case of some chefs, a more modern context.

More than just a cookbook, The New Filipino Kitchen, through the personal stories of the contributors, provides a more nuanced and deeper understanding of Philippine history, culture and tradition.

Lauri now lives in the United Kingdom, her seventh country of residence. Prior to Manchester, she also lived in Croatia, Portugal and, before her move to the UK, she lived in Norway, where she said two chefs of

Filipino descent excel in the cuilinary industry (Christian Andre Pettersen, one of the book’s contributors, 2018 Bocuse d’Or champion, and Sushi Master Roger Asakil Joya, chef and co-owner of a Michelin starred restaurant in Stavanger, Norway).

She laments the fact that there is not one Filipino eatery, let alone restaurant, in the entire Greater Manchester area. Well, the same could be said of her previous homes like Norway, where everywhere you turn, you see a Filipino and yet, not one Filipino restaurant.

“Having lived in many places with no Filipino food presence, I long for our cuisine to be more accessible globally,” she said.

Lauri was already working on a similar type of book, but instead of a collection from different authors, it was just by her and the book she was writing was intended just for her family and relatives.

“While writing it, there was this voice in my head that wouldn’t let up. “What have

you done for your motherland?!!”, it nagged. And so, I decided to go broader and round up kababayans around the world,” she shared.

Through the book, she wanted to respond to one question she was often asked and struggled to answer: “What is Filipino food?”

“No short explanation really did it justice, because as you know, most of the time, food is not just about food,” she added. “The narratives behind each dish put the food into context.”

Some of these narratives are now part of this tome of Filipino stories and recipes around the world that evoke memories, epiphanies and nostalgia.

Among the famous names who contributed their stories are White House executive chef Cristeta Comerford, Bocuse d’Or Norway winner Christian André Pettersen, 2015 MasterChef New Zealand runner-up Leo Fernandez, fivetime Palanca Award winner and poet Francis Macansantos, and the “Food Buddha” Rodelio Aglibot, making the book a multifaceted, nuanced introduction to the world of Filipino food and food culture.

“The New Filipino Kitchen is an engrossing, page-turner of a cookbook. If you can even call it a cookbook, it’s more of a short story collection with delicious, addictive recipes,” said Brian McGinn, Emmy-nominated director and executive producer of Chef’s Table. “You can find

Contributing authors of the book “The New Filipino Kitchen” (left to right, front row) Aniceto Comia Reña Jr., Kristina Villavicencio, Katrina Villavicencio, (left to right, second row) Paolo Dungca, Paolo Espanola, Vanessa Lorenzo, Cristina Quakenbush, Alexa Alfaro, and Dalena Benavente pose with Philippine Agriculture Attaché to the Americas, Dr. Josyline Javelosa (center, in white blazer), after the book’s successful DC launch at Kramerbooks & Afterwords on Sept. 27, 2018.

Inquirer.net photo

everything that makes food so special: the connection between family and the dinner table, tradition and innovation, and preserving cultural identity in a world that’s increasingly homogenized. It makes me hungry.”

San Francisco Chronicle and Epicurious also named it among the top cookbooks of 2018.

Editing and writing the stories were among the toughest parts in the process, according to her, since there are a few as-told-to pieces in the book and she had a very specific type of story format in mind. The second toughest part was finding a publisher.

“It took, to be precise, 2 years and 8 months from the time I started the project to the time the book was released,” she shared.

Filipino cuisine has been getting a lot of mainstream press for the past few years or so, and in order to sustain that, Lauri believes that we should continue telling our stories behind the food and continue introducing or educating people about our cuisine, starting from the ones who are close to us regardless of where in the world we are based.

But more than that, “I think we should also embrace and support our differences.

Stop turning our noses up when a version of a dish is not like our mother’s or grandmother’s,” she said.

Telling the story Lauri has more than eight years’ experience in the food industry opening and managing restaurants at deluxe hotels, such as Shangri-La and Sheraton. While working in Dubai, she was one of the five young women professionals featured in Emirates Woman magazine’s special report “Why the Future Is Female.”

“I had what you might call “beginner’s luck” when I submitted a story to Chicken Soup for the Soul,” she said.

“To be published in one of their books was a big deal, especially for

a newbie like me.”

When she submitted, she had no clue about how big Chicken Soup was. It was only months later, when she received an email from them, that she realized that they receive thousands of submissions.

Her contribution made it to Chicken Soup for the Soul: Find Your Inner Strength.

About a year later, she submitted to a memoir competition, called Women’s Memoirs. Her short memoir, “Good for One”, from which her story in The New Filipino Kitchen was adapted from, won an award and was published in the book, Tales of Our Lives: Fork in the Road.

Prior to that, Lauri worked in the food industry for over 8 years, where she opened and managed restaurants at deluxe hotels, such as Shangri-La and Sheraton.

While working in Dubai, she was one of the five young women professionals featured in Emirates Woman magazine in a special report, “Why the Future Is Female.”

“Having to move from one country to another every few years or so, I shifted to business development and marketing and worked as a freelance writer for over 5 years. Working on this project put all my skills into use: food, writing and marketing,” she said.

She started her website, My Food Beginnings, to fire up an appetite for Filipino food worldwide. Little did she know then, this was when her anthology project began. From My Food Beginnings to My Filipino Food Beginnings to Migrant Filipino Kitchen, the project was eventually called The New Filipino Kitchen, and it won the Sunshot Prose 2017 Finalist Prize before it was published.

Interest in Filipino cuisine “I think it’s a result of collective efforts, including stepped-up efforts by the government (culinary tours, food- related events and campaigns, export of Filipino food ingredients, etc.), media (especially social media), declarations of mainstream food pundits (i.e.

Anthony Bourdain, Jonathan Gold) and, last but not least, people

in the Filipino diaspora,” she explained.

Lauri thinks that more and more people in the diaspora are expressing their identity through food. It is said that the new generation are better off than the generation before them.

Understandably, she believes that the focus of the first-generation Filipino immigrant was on survival, necessities, and security (the first stage in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs).

“As those needs are met for the next generation, there’s a shift up the ladder of the hierarchy and the need to be recognized or accepted for our identity and for who we are become one of the priorities.

This, in my opinion, is why there are more and more people of Filipino heritage who showcase their identity through food, and therefore, generating more interest in our cuisine,” she explained further.

Lauri loves most, if not all, seafood and vegetable dishes. To cook, she prefers those that won’t tie her to the kitchen for hours on end or those that don’t require her to go far to buy the ingredients.

“That’s how I came up with my Sour and Savory Seafood Sinigang Seasoned with Filipinized Gremolata recipe,” she shared. (This Filipinized gremolata Lauri refers to is her mildly modified version of the Italian condiment made with parsley, lemon zest, and fried, instead of raw garlic.)

As a kid growing up in the Philippines, Lauri remembers a lot of things like waking up at the crack of dawn, so she can walk with her lola to buy freshly baked pandesal from the local bakery.

Memories of food and particular dishes trigger a nostalgic feeling for many overseas Filipinos who are a part of the diaspora.

“I remember the heavenly waft in the air of bread baking as we approached the panaderia. I remember church bells ringing, roosters crowing and the warmth of the pandesal on my fingertips, as I grab one from a brown paper bag, unable to wait until we got home to savor its goodness,” she said. ■

Vanessa Hudgens takes on ‘larger than life’ Maureen in ‘Rent: Live!’ on Fox

the Broadway and film version. “[Maureen] is a drama queen, loud and proud and loves being VANESSA Hudgens on the center of attention. And she January 27 will play Maureen in is outspoken and unapologetic the Broadway musical ‘Rent: Live!’ for it. I grew up doing musical on Fox. theatre and part of the reason The musical, which opened in I loved it was, of course, the 1996, follows a diverse group of shows and the music, but it young adults who are struggling was really about being on the with identity, sexuality, addiction stage and being the center of and HIV/AIDS. Its original attention. We fit hand-in-hand Broadway soundtrack sold more nicely,” Hudgens told Playbill. than 1.2 million copies.

Filipino-American Hudgens A film version of “Rent” hit is popularly known for movie theaters in 2005, and portraying Gabriella Montez in Maureen, Hudgen’s role, was the first of three “High School played by Idina Menzel in both Musical” films. A self-described

By RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

“musical theatre nerd,” she grew up being obsessed with “West Side Story” and soon started performing in local productions of shows like “Carousel,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “The King and I,” and “The Music Man.” “For me, I was a kid running around singing and dancing, having a great time. What came afterwards was a whirlwind, but it’s something I will always hold on to and cherish and the fact that I got to be a part of something that was introducing musicals to kids, I reached my life mission,” she said.

“That happened to me when

I watched ‘West Side Story’; that was the catalyst to my obsessions with musicals and theatre. Now, I was helping to introduce a new generation to musicals who didn’t have the ability to watch the classics as I did, and it’s really neat that it’s almost becoming a classic itself,” she added.

Hudgens also admitted to Playbill that she was only introduced to “Rent” in 2010 after receiving a call from Neil Patrick Harris, who hoped to cast her in a production he was directing at the Hollywood Bowl.

PAGE A15 Vanessa Hudgens

Photo from Instagram/@vanessahudgens

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Marc dela Cruz becomes first Filipino to play Hamilton on Broadway By ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

MARC dela Cruz on Saturday, January 19, made his debut as Alexander Hamilton in the Broadway musical “Hamilton”.

Dela Cruz is of FilipinoJapanese descent and born in Hawaii. He is the first Filipino — and Asian-American actor, for that matter — to bag the lead role of the Tony Award-winning musical.

He took to Instagram his excitement and gratitude, calling the “Hamilton” cast as his “Ham Fam”.

“Thank you to the Ham Fam and everyone who supported me from near and far on my first couple of outings going on as Alexander Hamilton,” his post read.

“This show continues to amaze and thrill me,” he added.

Actress Olivia Oguma praised Dela Cruz on a Facebook post.

“Tonight...we had the first Asian-American Alexander Hamilton in Hamilton on Broadway. Just wanted to let everyone know. Marc de la Cruz I have never been more proud of anyone. I’m so happy for you,” she said.

“Marc is not my friend—he is my brother, and someone we consider a family member. I am so thrilled to have had him in my life

In a post on Instagram, Fil-Am singer and “America’s Got Talent” contestant Angelica Hale said she could not believe that she got her second Golden Buzzer. “I can’t believe that I now have TWO #goldenbuzzers Thank you @howiemandel for believing in me and sending me through to the finale of #AGTChampions!!!” she captioned her post.

Photo from Instagram/@angelicahale

Marc dela Cruz is the first Filipino-American to be cast as Alexander Hamilton in the hitBroadway show “Hamilton.”

Photo from Instagram/@marc_delacruz

for 11 years. His best performance to date will always be singing “We Kiss in the Shadow” with me in our recording studio/bathroom in our hotel room in Minneapolis on the High School Musical tour, but his performance as Hamilton is a close second,” she added.

Dela Cruz had his Broadway debut in 2014, playing as Swing in “If/Then” alongside Idina Menzel and Anthony Rapp. The musical was about the story of a divorcee urban planner named

Elizabeth who moves to New York City for a chance at a new life.

He joined the cast of “Hamilton” in November 2018.

He played various roles in the musical like King George, John Laurens, Philip Hamilton, James Reynolds, and Philip Schuyler, to name a few.

“Whether I’m on as Man 5 or as Ham, I love being able to help tell this story,” he said on Instagram.

Anne Curtis on having a baby soon: Let God take care of things

By Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

ACTRESS Anne Curtis said she doesn’t want to think about having a baby this year but if God blesses them with one, they will gladly accept it.

Anne said she doesn’t want to pressure her body by thinking about pregnancy.

“If it happens, then it happens but I don’t want to tell my body na ‘oh 2019 na you have to have a child na’ because sometimes stress on your body won’t make things happen ‘di ba? So it’s better to let go and let God take care of things na,” the “It’s Showtime” host said.

When asked what lifestyle changes she’s doing to prepare for having a baby, Anne said: “Wala naman, as is lang naman.”

However, Anne recognizes that she’s not getting any younger so she started eating healthy during weekdays, with weekends as her “cheat” days.

“I’ve decided to start eating clean but I treat myself on weekends. I really love food but you know habang tumatanda I realized there’s a lot of changes in my body, it’s not the same as

Fil-Am singer Angelica Hale carves name in ‘America’s Got Talent’ history

By Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

FILIPINO-American singer Angelica Hale made history on “America’s Got Talent” after she recently became the show’s first two-time Golden Buzzer contestant, earning her a ticket to the finals.

“HUGE congratulations to @ angelicahale on becoming the first two-time #GoldenBuzzer in @ AGT history!” NBC Entertainment tweeted.

Judges and members of the audience gave the 11-year-old singer a standing ovation after she

champions. You show up and you ripped the ceiling off this theater.

That was your fight song and if I can do anything, I am going to help you win this fight,” Howie said.

Angelica burst into tears when she learned that she is going to the show’s finals.

“I can’t believe this is actually happening to me. I never expected this to happen. I wanted to thank you so much. This is a dream come true,” Angelica said.

Angelica got her first Golden Buzzer during AGT season 12 in 2017 when she became the show’s youngest runner-up.

Arjo Atayde ‘exclusively dating’ Maine Mendoza

By Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

ACTOR Arjo Atayde broke his silence and admitted that he and Kapuso actress Maine Mendoza are “exclusively dating.”

On Tuesday, January 22 at the press conference of his upcoming movie “Tol,” the actor was asked by the media if he and Maine are now in a relationship, as Pep.ph reported.

“No, but we are exclusively dating and I’m the happiest right now. Hanggang doon na lang po muna,” Arjo said.

When asked what he likes about the “Eat Bulaga” host, Arjo said, “Everything. I’m just really Anne Curtis with husband Erwan Heussaff Photo from Instagram/@annecurtissmith happy.”

Some fans of Maine and Alden junk foods, no more chips and it used to be na talagang eat Richards’ loveteam (AlDub) who dips sa late night, pica-pica. We anything you can, okay lang. are not in favor of the brewing have salmons and vegetables, Parang hindi lang ako kakain ng and steaks and chicken, it is really romance between her and Arjo rice in three days, flat na ulit ang expressed their dismay on social just clean eating lang. Pero on tiyan,” Anne said. media, with some saying that the weekends, indulge talaga while “Clean eating lang, sabay Kapamilya actor is riding on Maine’s watching K-Drama,” she added. kami ng husband ko. So we avoid popularity.

In response, Arjo challenged his critics to do the bashing to him in person so that he can defend himself.

“I don’t know how to get mad.

I don’t know how to disrespect people. I despise disrespectful Under his Instagram handle By arlo cuStodio people. If they disrespect me, it’s or name nix722, Falcis declared, ManilaTimes.net “You can’t fix yourself by breaking someone else.”

WITH Kris Aquino’s denial of “A death threat is a death Gretchen Barretto’s allegation that threat and should never be taken she fixed the tax obligation of their From Page A14 lightly. Saying it was a bluff is your common friend, businesswoman “He had me come in and read quick fix to everything… You and construction magnate Alice for Mimi, and I ended up going premeditated everything.You told Eduardo, Barretto — the sexy along for the journey,” she said. me to go abroad and when I did, actress and partner of Aquino’s “My introduction to the show threatened me not to dare step in cousin Tonyboy Cojuangco for 25 this country or I will be dead. It was really was from doing it, and it years — posted on Instagram on Gretchen Barretto Inquirer.net photo was such a blast,” she added. all apparently part of your script Monday what she calls a “classic More than eight years later, to project my absence as ‘flight in destroying me. What is this, a example of a non-denial denial.” she is back to revisit the world of is guilt’ and you harassed me for tag team wrestling match? Can’t a Circling the words “Eduardo Bohemian Alphabet City — only four months to play along — but I ‘Queen’ handle it herself? in any pending tax case” issued by this time, she is playing Maureen. refused.

“At least si Nicko, she said Divina Law, the group handling When asked about her “I will never forget that you ‘ipapapatay kita sa pamilya ko.

Aquino’s cases against her former preparations regarding her role, instructed your lawyers for my With me, she wants ‘ipapapatay business manager Nicko Falcis, Hudgens said she refrains from mom to ask for forgiveness kita sa pamilya MO? And of course whom she accused of stealing watching the movie or any of because you got hurt that I am ARTEcaria Queen couldn’t help funds from her company, Barretto the live recorded performances, leaving you and KCAP — but she to look in the mirror and say she said, “Notice how shrewd and refused. I will never forget how you wanting to start from scratch as was previously a number one deceptive her divine lawyers are she prepares to bring her version bullied my friends, stakeholders taxpayer. But why should we care by qualifying that the Queen of of Maureen to life. and project managers to portray about that when you helped fix All Fixers did not intervene for “Jonathan Larson’s whole yourself as the victim, threatened Aliceinwonderland in any pending Aliceinwonderland Eduardo hefty thing was about finding his them that they will be collateral tax case. Obviously, the sawsaw tax amount of taxes?” true, authentic voice as an artist, damages — but they refused.

Falcis and his brother, lawyer case happened during Miss [Kim] and that inspires me so much, “You have a serious mental Jesus Falcis, filed two counts of Henares’ stint as BIR (Bureau of so I’ve been trying to take the problem. I did not steal anything grave threats against Aquino on Internal Revenue) Commissioner, same approach in finding who from you, it was you who stole January 18 before the Quezon who also happens to be currently Maureen is to me and making my reputation, my freedom, and City Regional Trial Court (RTC). the Queen of All Fixers’ personal sure that is true,” Hudgens my relationships. But you will not Their bases for the complaint was accountant.” explained. be successful because the public Aquino’s threats against the older She revealed that Aquino had Fox’s “Rent: Live!” cast has now seen your attempted contacted her estranged family for Falcis in their phone conversation includes Tony-nominated on Sept. 27, 2018 where the former robbery,” Falcis said. help to destroy her (Barretto), to performer Brandon Victor Dixon “Try fixing your life first before TV host said, “ipapapatay kita sa the point of threatening to kill her as Tom Collins, Tinashe as Mimi, fixing for others! We both know pamilya ko!” like what the multi-media star did Jordan Fisher as Mark, Brennin you want to run in 2022 because Aquino had admitted that she to Falcis.

Hunt as Roger, Valentina as it’s your so-called destiny. After was the woman threatening Falcis “And what’s this I heard from Angel, Mario as Benny, and the sickness drama, you’re back in a viral recording, but said it was inside her camp? She called up Kiersey Clemons as Joanne. to being healthy. You just need Claudine to tell my parents that she just a bluff. Falcis, however, said a Hudgens said the younger an excuse for missing a lot of your death threat should not be taken will file a case against me and put generation will still be able work last year,” he added. lightly. me to jail and asked them for help

Gretchen claims veiled death threat from Kris

sang Rachel Platten’s “Fight Song” for her comeback performance as a contestant of “AGT: The Champions.”

“Angelica, you are like the little boss lady that you are. You came here to win. I can see that.

I can feel that,” said Heidi Klum, one of the four judges in the competition.

Judge Howie Mandel who pressed the golden buzzer said he would help Angelica win the contest.

“When people show up on this show, the level of competition is much higher. Just by the title, you are amongst

Maine Mendoza

Photo from Instagram/@mainedcm

Arjo Atayde

Photo from Instagram/@arjoatayde

fine, though. But for my family to get affected, for Maine to be disrespected… that’s not okay with me. Do it in front of me, try it. I dare you guys. I dare you!” Arjo said.

Arjo and Maine have been spotted together in different

establishments during the last quarter of 2018 which fueled speculations that they are dating.

The two reportedly met on the set of Maine’s Metro Manila Film Festival movie “Jack Em Popoy: The Puliscredibles.”

Vanessa Hudgens takes on...

to relate to “Rent’s” strong messages despite being originally written over 20 years ago.

“The topics that ‘Rent’ dives into are still extremely relevant topics that deserve discussion. Gentrification is still a very relevant thing, people

are still struggling with AIDS, and the main topics—poverty, social class, sexuality, gender identification—they are all things we are still talking about, so to have it in the context of a musical and explored in that medium is really an exciting thing,” she said.

A16 january 25-31, 2019 • nEW yOrK anD nEW jErSEy aSIan jOurnaL

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