012920 - Southern California Midweek Edition

January 29-31, 2020 Volume 30 - No. 7 • 2 Sections - 16 Pages

USA

DATELINE Supreme Court allows ‘public charge’ rule expansion that could impact legal immigration FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

THE United States Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to proceed with enforcing changes to the public charge rule that could deny legal permanent residency status to certain immigrants if they are likely to require government assistance in the future.

In a 5-4 vote on Monday, January 27, the conservative-leaning high court ruled in favor of the administration’s request to lift a lower court injunction that blocked the policy change from taking effect last October.

The liberal justices, Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor, voted to stop the policy from moving forward.

The White House lauded the decision as a “massive win for American taxpayers, American workers, and the American Consti-

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Fil-Am pastor among members sworn into Trump’s AAPI advisory commission A FILIPINO American pastor was among the 13 members sworn into President Donald Trump’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) by Vice President Mike Pence on Monday, January 27.

Herman Martir, a pastor based in Fort Worth, Texas, was present as Pence administered the oath during a Lunar New Year celebration at the White House.

Also sworn in were Dr. Paul S. Hsu of Florida; Congresswoman Amata C. Radewagen of American Samoa; Governor Eddie Calvo of Guam; Doris Flores Brooks of Guam; Grace Y. Lee of Michigan; Prem Parameswaran of New York; Michelle P. Steel of California; Chiling Tong of Maryland; Jennifer Carnahan of Minnesota; George Leing of Colorado; Jan-Ie Low of Nevada; and Keiko Orrall of Massachusetts.

In his remarks, the vice president said there is “a lot to celebrate” this year.

“The American economy is soaring, and Asian Americans are driving capital invest-

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Palace explains Duterte’s VFA decision

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

MALACAÑANG on Monday, January 27, said that President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States was not made on a whim, claiming that the move was due to a series of disrespectful acts by several American senators.

The VFA, which came into force in 1999, covers the conduct of U.S. soldiers in the Philippines.

Among the provisions of the deal include lax visa and passport policies for U.S. troops, and the rights of the U.S. government to retain its jurisdiction over its military personnel when they commit crimes in the Philippines.

On Jan. 23, Duterte threatened to scrap the VFA following the U.S.’ can-

cellation of Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s visa. He gave the U.S. a month to “correct” the cancellation of Dela Rosa’s visa, however, he ordered the start of the termination process the following day.

Duterte received flak for his decision, with critics pointing out his readiness to drop a bilateral defense agreement because of a personal issue.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador

Panelo, for his part, insisted that the cancellation of Dela Rosa’s visa was not the only reason behind Duterte’s move to scrap the VFA. “The cancellation of Senator Bato’s visa was the last straw that broke the camel’s back. It was an accumulation, a series of disrespectful acts by some of the US senators,” he said at a press briefing.

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The officials discussed the formulation of further health advisories for OFWs in affected countries.

Photo courtesy of DFA

Health, Foreign Affairs depts. draw up protocols to protect OFWs from coronavirus

MANILA — Officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Health, and health experts convened an emergency meeting Monday to discuss measures to protect overseas Filipino workers amid the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak in China and other countries.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo Malaya sought the guidance of the Health department on how to establish protocols on the evacuation and re- TRIBUTE TO BLACK MAMBA. Tenement visual artists at Tenement in Taguig City painted a mural of former NBA legend Kobe Bryant and patriation of Filipinos in affected cities and provinc- daughter Gianna at the center court of the housing unit, as a tribute to their legacy before father and daughter’s untimely death.

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Duterte may fire more officials Filipina American basketball over corruption index ranking coach among victims of

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE Philippines’ lower ranking in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) has prodded the current administration to fire more corrupt officials.

The CPI is released by Transparency International, evaluating countries using a scale of zero to 100 where zero translated to “highly corrupt” while 100 meant “every clean.”

In the 2019 index, the Philippines ranked 113th out of 180 countries, slipping 14 places from its 99th ranking in 2018.

“It will goad us to sack more corrupt officials, provided, of course, there is evidence to show that they are,” said presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo

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Inquirer.net photo by Grig Montegrande

Kobe Bryant helicopter crash

by AJPRESS

A FILIPINA American coach was one of nine passengers, along with basketball icon Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, killed in the helicopter that crashed outside Los Angeles on Sunday, January 26.

Christina Mauser, 38, was an assistant coach for Gianna Bryant’s Mamba Academy basketball team, a job that 41-year-old Bry-

ant hand-selected her for.

The passengers aboard the Sikorsky S-76B helicopter were traveling to a basketball game at Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, California, when the crash occurred in Calabasas.

In a phone interview on the “TODAY” show on Monday, Mauser’s husband Matt shared that she leaves behind three

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Photo shows Fil-Am Christina Mauser (left) and her husband Matt before a Lakers game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Mauser, an assistant coach for a Mamba Academy basketball team, was one of the nine victims of a helicopter crash that also killed Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna.

Photo courtesy of the Mauser family

How Kobe Bryant inspired a global community of Filipinos, on and off the court Filipino Americans recall the Black Mamba and what made him a standout superstar, philanthropist and ally

by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA Philstar.com

Hundreds of fans flocked to Staples Center, home to the Los Angeles Lakers, on Sunday afternoon to pay tribute to Bryant.

AJPress photos by Victor Sy

THE air in Los Angeles was still on Sunday, January 26.

TMZ first broke the news of Kobe Bryant being killed in a helicopter crash near Calabasas, California, and nobody wanted to believe it.

When more details were released and it was confirmed eight other passengers had died including Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter Gianna “Gigi” Bryant, the world seemed to stop.

Sunday brought forth worldwide shock and confusion. Los Angeles was a city in disbelief: distraught fans flocked to the Staples Center to cope, many hoisted up Lakers flags on their cars, and crying to-

gether on the street were strangers finding meaning in what just happened.

Slowly, the realization is settling in for fans everywhere that the 41year-old beloved NBA MVP, lifetime Los Angeles Laker, and dedicated philanthropist had tragically passed away.

A collective sadness washed over the entire Southland and the global community of Bryant fans, leaving a deep, emotional wound that will surely take a long while to heal.

For Los Angeles, the 20-year lifelong Laker was even more than a luminary who broke records and directly inspired young athletes; he was a part of our families.

“The Lakers were everything to him, and LA was everything to him. He really loved LA and his name will always, always be synonymous to the Lakers and to LA,” said Filipina American media personality Jen Braff in a phone interview with the Asian Journal. She was the nanny and personal assistant to the celebrated late owner of the Lakers Jerry Buss for 25 years.

“His passing is a lot for everyone, and he was a part of all our families,” Braff who spent a lot of time in close proximity to the team during Bryant’s heyday. “We watched him grow, we felt his pain and we lived it along with him. I Fans leave flowers, candles and signs in honor don’t think other parts of the coun- of Bryant at the Staples Center, where he

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played for many years with the Lakers.

A January 29-31, 2020 • SoCal aSIan JOurnaL

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From the Front Page Supreme Court allows ‘public charge’ rule...

PAGE A1 tution.”

Originally published by the Department of Homeland Security in August 2019, the public charge rule expands the test immigration officials use on immigrants to determine whether or not government programs will be incoming their sole source of financial, nutritional and shelter

support.

“It is very clear the U.S. Supreme Court is fed up with these national injunctions by judges who are trying to impose their policy preferences instead of enforcing the law and we see this again with the Supreme Court stepping in the way they have here and we very much appreciate it,” Ken Cuc-

cinelli, acting deputy secretary of Homeland Security, said in a statement hailing the ruling.

If a legal immigrant uses one or more designated benefits for more than 12 months of a 36-month period, they may be deemed a “public charge,” which could threaten their chances at getting a green card or lawful permanent resident status.

Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, the government has been allowed to reject granting green cards to immigrants who were determined to be a public charge. However, the proposed changes look at whether a person has used or is likely to use programs like most forms of Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Section 8 housing vouchers and assistance.

The rule was supposed to take effect on October 15, 2019, but lawsuits filed by numerous states and nonprofit organizations put a temporary halt to it.

“The Rule is simply a new agency policy of exclusion in search of a justification,” Manhattan-based U.S. District Judge George Daniels wrote last October. “It is repugnant to the American dream of the opportunity for prosperity and success through hard work and upwards mobility.”

With around 544,000 individuals who apply for green cards each year, 382,000 of them are in categories that would fall under the expanded test, the Associated Press said in a report.

Critics of the new public charge rule have said that its implementation would punish immigrant families and would result in many families being forced to choose between maintaining immigration status or meeting basic needs like food.

Many experts also say that Monday’s ruling will deepen the “chilling effect.” Already, agencies and organizations around the country have reported declining enrollees for certain programs.

“This move by the Supreme Court is deeply disheartening and harmful for our low-income communities of color and our democracy,” Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center, said in PAGE A4

A memorial is set up by a basketball court in Calabasas, California on Sunday, January 26, hours after news reports said Kobe Bryant, along with his daughter Gianna and seven others, perished in a helicopter crash in this city 30 miles outside of Downtown LA. AJPress photo by Rae Ann Varona

How Kobe Bryant inspired a global community of...

PAGE A1 try understand this grieving we have for Kobe. He wasn’t just this basketball player to us.”

Braff added, “He was someone who was in our home. That’s why people are grieving so deeply because he was really a part of our tradition and our culture. He was family.”

She first met Bryant when he was a 17-year-old rookie who wasn’t even playing on the team yet. From that moment she knew he was different. Throughout his career she had a pedestrian view of Bryant’s famous Mamba Mentality, seeing him hone his craft with laser-focus, play through injuries and remain steadfast and committed to winning championships.

“Growth isn’t even a big enough word. He just soared,” Braff shared. “He had that kind of presence that you could feel, even as a teenager. When he walked into the room, you could feel it. And to watch him mature and seeing his talent just blossom right in front of your eyes.”

A beacon of hope for Filipinos Basketball is the most popular sport in the Philippines, stemming from a deeply-ingrained adoration borne from the days of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird and Julius “Dr. J” Irving. But no other athlete has made a greater impact than Kobe Bryant.

To much of the international community, Bryant was more than just a fixture on highlight reels, especially among Filipinos. Throughout his 20-year career as a lifelong Laker, he inspired generations of Filipinos through his record-breaking athletic prowess: the countless buzzer-beaters, the 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors the superhuman endurance that allowed him to play through injuries and illnesses.

“I think Kobe represented what we like best about ourselves as Filipinos,” LA-based entrepreneur Celeste Perez told the Asian Journal. “He worked hard and you could see it, which is a trait many of us value, especially [for immigrants]. What made him different for us Filipinos in LA was that he was accessible. Our kids could go and meet him, play in his basketball camps, be inspired and see him play up close and in person week after week.”

In a heart-rendering Facebook post, Perez also recalled a time

Filipina American handbag designer Gina Alexander (2nd from left) and her family pose with Kobe Bryant (center) during a philanthropy event in Los Angeles.

Photo courtesy of Gina Alexander

when she and her family had run into Bryant at the Universal City Walk in 1996. The then-16-yearold had just been signed to the Lakers and was hanging out by himself, going unrecognized in a crowd for possibly the last time in his life.

Perez wrote that when they approached him and asked if he was Kobe Bryant, “I clearly remember his face lighting up when she asked if he was Kobe Bryant. He motioned for all of us to come over, and so we all did.”

The family had run out of film for a photo and didn’t have any paper or pens to ask for an autograph, but Perez remembers Bryant greeting “our entire family warmly, answering all of our questions.”

According to Perez, after he had declined an offer to have dinner with the family, Bryant “tracked” the family down at Bubba Gump’s and gave the family postcards with his signature. He stayed with Perez’s family who “promised we’d watch every one of his games as a Laker.”

“Kobe inspired so many of us, in my family and in this town.

From him we learned to never be afraid to be the best, to demand excellence from yourself and those around you, and to commit yourself to your craft, your family, whatever it is you choose to create,” Perez wrote.

It seemed that Bryant transcended the traditional bounds of athletic stardom and became the champion for hard work, humility, and community for Filipinos everywhere.

Brian Valdez of Rowland Heights, California has been a diehard Lakers fan for more than 20

years, taking his wife and kids to meet players, including the Black Mamba himself.

Valdez is a proud collector of Lakers memorabilia and, like so many Filipino who became fans in the Magic Johnson/Kareem Abdul-Jabbar era, said that Bryant solidified his love for the Lakers.

“I never really felt that I looked up to him in the beginning. He was younger and in typical Asian fashion you don’t really look up to people who are younger, but that quickly changed as the years of following him went by,” Valdez shared with the Asian Journal.

“I noticed a young man perfecting his craft, dedicating his life to his craft and although no one is perfect this guy came close to it on the court. I learned to be passionate and give it my all in everything I do, no half-ass actions. Either you do it 150% or you don’t do it at all,” Valdez added, remarking that, to him, Bryant was an “icon who went through life chasing perfection while living in an imperfect world.”

As a player during the offseason, Bryant began embarking on a yearly Asia tour where he would host speaking events and host basketball workshops in which he would teach young aspiring ballers the fundamentals of the game.

The Philippines, a country in which basketball is embedded in the national identity, fell in love with Bryant in a big way. Bryant first visited the Philippines in 1998, but when he first began his Asia tour in the 2000s, he made it a point to revisit the country several times, which he had so warmly welcomed him and canonized him PAGE A3

Fil-Am pastor among members sworn into...

PAGE A1 ment and growth and job creation in cities and towns, large and small, all across the land,” Pence said, citing data that it’s been under 3% since 2019.

By serving on the commission, Pence said the members will work to ensure that more AAPIs are “able to prosper and enjoy the American Dream.”

Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross — cochairs of the White House Initiative on AAPIs — along with Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia, also gave remarks at the event.

Additionally, the special new postage stamp commemorating the Year of the Golden Rat was

unveiled by Chairman of the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors Robert M. “Mike” Duncan at a special stamp dedication ceremony.

“U.S. postage stamps help our nation celebrate its diverse cultural heritage, and we are grateful for the opportunity to mark this important holiday and its traditions,” Duncan said.

Trump signed an executive order last May to advance the “economic empowerment” of AAPIs, which re-establishes the president’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs and the White House Initiative on AAPIs. The president appointed several AAPI leaders from across the country to the commission last

January.

According to the order, both groups work to “broaden access

by AAPI employers and communities to economic resources and opportunities” and collect data for AAPI populations through all agencies of the federal government.

The first White House Initiative on AAPIs was established through an executive order by former President Bill Clinton in 1999 and subsequently renewed by former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

Considered the fastest-growing racial group in the U.S., AAPIs account for more than 6% of the country’s population. (AJPress)

Thirteen Asian American and Pacific Islander leaders took their oath of office — administered by Vice President Mike Pence (fourth from left) — to officially become part of President Donald Trump’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs on Monday, Jan. 27 at the White House.

White House photo by D. Myles Cullen

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Dateline USa

How Kobe Bryant inspired a global community of...

PAGE A2 as a national hero.

The news of Bryant’s passing cast a shadow over the Philippines.

In the 24 hours after his passing artists, fans and other residents came together to paint an on-court mural of the NBA legend and his daughter in The Tenement residential complex in Taguig.

On the day of Bryant’s passing, Valenzuela City in Metro Manila had inaugurated the “House of Kobe” a community center with a basketball court adorned with murals and photographs of the Laker.

“I can’t understand it. Just 12 hours’ gap from ribbon cutting and hearing the news,” said Congressman Eric Martinez of Valenzuela City who was behind the construction of the House of Kobe.

“Everyone has been fighting back tears today.”

Actress and singer Jules Aurora met Bryant when she sang the national anthem at a U.S. Women’s Soccer game last summer. On Instagram, she shared a video of her greeting Bryant on the field and reminisced on the impact Bryant had on the world “My heart is still so heavy just thinking about the families that lost their loved ones yesterday,” Aurora wrote. “Tragedies like this remind us that tomorrow is never promised and to make the most of the precious time we have in this life. It is truly mind-blowing to see the powerful impact #Kobe has made on so many people... through his career, his mindset, his dedication to his family, and the messages he spreads.”

Giving back Perhaps one of the most prolific things about Kobe Bryant was his dedication to sharing his knowledge. As he grew into a team leader and began mentoring younger guys on his team, he became a teacher, a sensei on the paint.

That manifested itself into youth basketball camps, speaking events, and workshops teaching the fundamentals.

On the day of his death, he was en route to his Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, California, a large facility for athletes of all ages and genders to hone their athletic performance through physical and mental training.

But as a philanthropist, Bryant also found it important to teach aspiring athletes who come from disenfranchised communities, including the Filipinos.

Filipina-American handbag designer and philanthropist Gina Alexander developed a close working relationship with Bryant and

his wife Vanessa through the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation (KVBFF).

Bryant’s team had reached out to Alexander after seeing her designs in People Magazine and asked her to create bags for his eldest daughter, Natalia. A philanthropist herself who works with underserved kids in the Philippines, Alexander asked Bryant if she could bring some kids to his basketball academy.

Bryant told Alexander that that was something he had been planning to do, and Alexander was able to bring a group of lucky youngsters to meet and train with the Black Mamba himself.

“You have this global icon whom so many people try to get near, and here he is treating all these kids like his own,” Alexander shared with the Asian Journal. “It really showed me a lot about his character and just know how much he loves kids and giving what he can to kids.”

There was one moment in particular during the camp when a 9-year-old Filipino boy named Vincent, who had never been out of the Philippines, began crying hysterically. Unsure of what to do, the other kids and staff tried consoling the young boy.

“It was like serendipity; Kobe and Vanessa walk in and they tell Vincent, ‘It’s going to be okay.

You’re family to us now. We love you. I know you miss your mom but just know you have family now here,’” Alexander recounted.

And this kind of solidarity for athletes — of all skill levels, ages, and genders — was the foundation of Bryant’s post-retirement second act, imparting pearls of wisdom to future basketball players as well as female athletes, not the least of which include his very own daughter, Gianna.

After retiring in 2016, Bryant began coaching the MAMBAs,

An unidentified woman in Calabasas, California on Sunday, January 26 holds up an April 2016 issue of the Los Angeles Times marking Kobe Bryant’s retirement.

AJPress photo by Rae Ann Varona

Gianna’s Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team of middle schoolers, a move that confused a lot of fans, remarked Filipina American policy expert and lifelong Lakers fan Stephanie Uy, who considered Bryant’s devotion to women’s professional sports as one of his most admirable traits.

“People maybe thought he should do something that they considered greater, like why wouldn’t he put his helm to use for some greater caliber of sport?” Uy said. “But I think by focusing on his daughter’s team and middle school women’s basketball, he was saying, ‘Hey, women’s sports matters, too.

They deserve equity and respect and visibility.’”

In the last few years of his life, Bryant uplifted the world of women’s sports, whether it was taking his family to see the U.S. Women’s Soccer team win the World Cup in 2019, regularly attending WNBA games, mentoring female college basketball players and celebrating women dominating the world of professional sports like tennis players Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams.

“He put the WNBA on the map more than any other professional athlete,” Uy shared. “He shone a spotlight on women’s sports, and I think it was because he was a father of four daughters. He saw the potential in Gigi and wanted her to know that she could join the WNBA and play college ball, that this was a career path that women can successfully pursue.” n

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Filipina American basketball coach among...

PAGE A1 young children ages 3, 9 and 11.

“I got three small kids and am trying to figure out how to navigate life with three kids and no mom,” Matt Mauser said in the interview.

He also shared that Bryant selected Mauser for the assistant coach position and called her a “Mother of Defense.”

“Kobe brought her on (to the Mambas) to teach the kids defense,” he said. “He didn’t really understand zone defense because he never played it in high school or college. They called her the Mother of Defense. MOD.” For 11 years, she was a physical education teacher and basketball coach at Harbor Day School in Corona Del Mar, where Gianna

Brian Valdez of Rowland Heights, California, also known as @thelakercollector on Instagram, shared a throwback photo of him and Bryant and memories of the times he met the late basketball icon.

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 29-31, 2020

was a student.

“He didn’t choose Christina [as his assistant coach] for just any ordinary reason,” Matt Mauser said. “She was extraordinary…

She was warm, incredibly bright, technologically savvy.”

Mauser’s cousin Melanie Ramil wrote on Facebook, “My beautiful, loving cousin Christina Mauser was one of those who perished in the crash. We are beyond heartbroken. I share this to ask for your prayers for our family, especially her husband and three young kids, and to hug your loves so tightly today and always.”

In addition to the Bryants and Mauser, the victims of Sunday’s crash were also Orange Coast College baseball coach John Al-

tobelli, his wife Keri, and their daughter, Alyssa; Sarah Chester and her daughter, Payton; and Ara Zobayan, who was Bryant’s private pilot. Alyssa Altobelli and Payton Chester both played for Mamba Academy as well.

Gianna was expected to play in a game, while Bryant coached, Lady Mavericks team director Evelyn Morales told CNN. “I just want people to know how amazing my wife was,” Matt Mauser said in an interview with ABC News. “I want everybody to know not only about my wife, but about the other people on that helicopter that were amazing people. Including Gianna and KB. It was a helicopter full of incredibly talented, hardworking, sweet, kind, fantastic people.” n

Palace explains Duterte’s...

PAGE A1 “It’s not, as expressed by some, a decision on a whim. It is a studied response to acts the President deems to be not only an intrusion but an assault to the sovereignty of this country,” he added.

Along with the cancellation of Dela Rosa’s U.S. visa, the other developments that prompted Duterte to call for the VFA termination are: the demand of some American senators to release detained opposition Sen. Leila de

Lima, the U.S. Senate resolution condemning the alleged human rights violations in the Philippines, and the introduction of a U.S. national budget provision that barred individuals behind de

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A January 29-31, 2020 • SoCal aSIan JOurnaL

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Dateline PhiliPPines

Long-term rehab plan eyed for Batangas

by Paolo

RomeRo Philstar.com

MANILA — Senate President Vicente Sotto III said lawmakers and policymakers should start drawing up a comprehensive long-term plan for the rehabilitation of Batangas.

Sotto said while the government has started implementing short-term strategies to address the immediate needs of residents affected by Taal‘s unrest, these would not be enough to help the province get back on its feet.

“We have to start pooling our ideas to rehabilitate Batangas.

We need permanent solutions to resolve post-disaster concerns and help Batangueños recover,” he said.

He said the government should be ready to implement rehabilitation programs once Taal Volcano quiets down and experts declare that the threat of a hazardous eruption is 100 percent over.

Sotto highlighted the need to address issues on housing, infrastructure and livelihood, which he stressed will be the top three concerns of the provincial government of Batangas.

He said the long-term rehabilitation plans should include the provision of temporary and permanent homes to affected families, repair of roads, buildings and other infrastructure, as well as small and medium enterprise opportunities.

“Let us not forget the hard lessons we have learned from the rehabilitation of Tacloban and Marawi. We did not have ready programs to help those who were affected by these tragedies, to the chagrin of residents who relied heavily on the government to help them get back on their

feet,” Sotto said.

Sen. Francis Tolentino prodded the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) to immediately formulate a sustainable Taal Volcano resettlement and rehabilitation program.

When Taal Volcano erupted last Jan. 12, Tolentino said the economies of the provinces of Batangas and Cavite, particularly those of the towns of Talisay, Malvar, Tanauan, Agoncillo, Santa Teresita, Cuenca, Alitagtag, Mataasnakahoy, San Nicolas and the City of Lipa, have been greatly affected “with an estimated P6.6 billion, with agriculture and fisheries contributing to much of the losses at P3.17 billion.”

But more than the economic losses, he said based on the 2015 census, no less than 907,664 residents of which more than 4,000 are in Taal Volcano island, have been displaced by the eruption.

Figures provided by the Batangas Provincial Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council indicate the numbers could be higher with about a million individuals displaced, around 200,000 of them seeking refuge in evacuation centers in Batangas, Cavite and nearby areas.

But with the alert level lowered, Tolentino said a resettlement and rehabilitation program could now be put in place with the DHSUD as the lead agency.

PhilHealth An initial P322.3 million will be released by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) this week to cover 50 percent of the reimbursement claims of health facilities in areas affected by the Taal Volcano

eruption.

According to PhilHealth, this is part of the “quick response (mechanism) to the calamity and in order to provide continuous health care services from the affected Health Care Institutions (HCIs) brought about by the Taal eruption.”

The funds shall be released under the “interim reimbursement mechanism (IRM)” to provide substantial aid to affected facilities in the aftermath of the calamity.

The IRM is pursuant to PhilHealth Circular 34 s-2013 on the provision of special privileges to those affected by a fortuitous event.

PhilHealth said the funds will enable hospitals, primary care facilities, ambulatory surgical clinics, freestanding dialysis centers and maternity care package providers to continuously provide health care services to affected Filipinos.

The Navy donated P700,000 worth of relief goods to San Luis, Batangas over the weekend.

Navy chief Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad turned over the items to the Municipal Social Welfare Development (MSWD) of San Luis.

Naval spokesman Lt. Commander Maria Christina Roxas said three evacuation sites were identified for the distribution of the relief goods, including the San Isidro Labrador Parish Church in Barangay Poblacion where thousands of residents from Lemery and Taal are temporarily sheltered.

Also receiving relief items were evacuees at the Taliba Evacuation Center in Barangay Taliba and San Luis Academy in Calumpang West. n

FloRes-colina Inquirer.net

HIDILYN Diaz bagged three gold medals to dominate the 55kilogram women’s division in the 2020 Weightlifting World Cup on Tuesday in Rome, Italy.

Diaz, who is looking to book

her ticket to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, lifted a total of 212 kilograms after finishing first in both the snatch (93 kgs) and clean and jerk (119 kgs) categories.

The Filipino weightlifting star also won gold in the 2018 Asian Games and the 2019 Southeast

Hidilyn Diaz hopes to transform her Rio de Janeiro silver into Tokyo gold.

Health, Foreign Affairs depts. draw up protocols...

PAGE A1 es—particularly Wuhan, China, which is the epicenter of the pandemic.

The officials also discussed the formulation of further health advisories for OFWs in affected countries, the DFA said in a statement.

The DOH will be establishing hotlines in every foreign service post in China, where Filipinos can directly call.

OFWs in affected areas are advised to avoid crowded places, use masks and gloves, and

to practice proper hygiene to reduce exposure to and transmission of the SARS-like virus.

According to the DFA, there are no reports yet of any Filipino abroad who has been affected by the novel coronavirus.

“The DFA, through its Embassies and Consulates General in China and affected areas, continues to reach out to overseas Filipinos to take necessary precautions and follow the advice from local health authorities in their area,” the DFA said in a statement.

Supreme Court allows ‘public charge’ rule...

PAGE A2 a statement on Monday.

A study by the Urban Institute published in May found that 1 in 7 adults in immigrant families reported avoiding public benefit programs in 2018 out of fear that they’d possibly endanger their future green card status.

Heng Lam Foong, senior policy manager with the Health Access Project at Advancing Justice – Los Angeles, previously told the Asian Journal that when the rule

was first proposed, that about 3.8 million Asian American and Pacific Islander immigrants relied on some form of public benefit to make ends meet.

The rule is not retroactive, however, meaning that if an immigrant used these programs in the past, that won’t factor into any future public charge test to which they may be subjected.

The court’s ruling on Monday allows the rule to push through

Duterte may fire more officials over corruption...

PAGE A1 on Monday, January 27.

“The problem is this: There are many complaints of corruption but the president, as a lawyer, needs certain documentary and testimonial evidence to give him the basis. And many Filipinos are still afraid to reveal themselves, or to give the evidence of the sort,” he added.

According to the CPI 2019 report, vibrant economic powers like China, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines “continue to struggle to tackle

corruption,”citing the restrictions on participation in public affairs, the supposed effort to silence dissenting voices, and keeping the decision-making out of public scrutiny as reasons.

Panelo, for his part, admitted that the administration is struggling against corruption, reasoning that “the president’s hands are tied by the due process clause of the Constitution.”

“It would be different if all of these have been appointed by

‘House of Kobe’ launched in Philippines before tragedy by maRc Jayson

cayabyab

Philstar.com

MANILA — A Kobe Bryant-inspired basketball court called the “House of Kobe” was inaugurated in Valenzuela on Sunday, January 26, just hours before the basketball legend and his daughter died in a helicopter crash in California.

Artists Jonathan Jaudines and Leander Akamine said they could hardly believe that the mural they painted in the Karuhatan Convention Center had unexpectedly become a tribute.

“We were all shocked. It’s an honor to paint a mural of Bryant,” Jaudines told The STAR Asian Games.

Ukraine’s Kamila Konotop yesterday.

“No one expected that would came in second with a total lift of 196 kgs (90 in snatch and happen,” said Akamine of the co106 in clean and jerk) while incidence of Bryant’s death that Tunisia’s Nouha Landoulsi settled for bronze with 194 kgs (86 in snatch and 108 in clean and jerk). n THE total deployment ban to Kuwait stays, Malacañang said on Tuesday, January 28, even after murder charges were filed against the employers of slain Filipina domestic worker Jeanelyn Villavende.

Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo made the statement after Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello 3rd disclosed in a Senate hearing on Tuesday that he has been informed of the filing of a criminal case against Villavende’a killers.

“Okay ‘yun. Diba yun ang hinihingi natin, justice, na mademanda sila (That’s okay. That’s what we’re asking for, justice, and that they should be charged).

We welcome that,” Panelo said Inquirer.net photo by Sherwin Vardeleon during a Palace press briefing.

“Ganun pa din temporary ‘yun ban (So it will stay because the ban is just temporary),” he added.

The DFA added that it is coVillavende’s death in the ordinating with Filipino communities overseas to call for volunteer nurses and doctors who can response in case a fellow Filipino would be infected.

Health Secretary Francisco PAGE A3 Duque clarified earlier Monday that there is no confirmed Lima’s detention from entering case of the novel coronavirus in the U.S. According to Panelo, the U.S. the Philippines.

Senate resolution on the alleged The DOH, however, is monitoring 11 patients under in- human rights violations in the vestigation that have been put Philippines — which condemned under quarantine. (Patricia the Philippine government for the “arrest and detention of human Lourdes Viray/Philstar) rights defenders and political leaders who exercise their rights to freedom of expression” and called for the immediate release in every state except for Illinois of de Lima — was based on “a because it is part of a separate cycle of lies peddled by critics and detractors of the president. injunction.

He added that Duterte took the California Governor Gavin Newsom said the state is re- U.S. senators’ demand to release viewing the decision and will de Lima as “an intrusion and an “continue to fight against these insult to the judiciary system of efforts to terrorize immigrant this country.”

“To those who are thinking that families.” this is a rushed judgment, let me In the meantime, advocates encourage immigrants to seek remind them that this president is immigration advice if they are a tactical and thinking president concerned about the ruling. who has never lost an election and who has tread a path that (Christina M. Oriel/AJPress) ordinary mortals, as well as even those pseudo-intellectuals, have not tread,” Panelo said.

He also said that the U.S. the president, you can just dis- should have given Dela Rosa its miss them outright. You have reasons for the entry ban and the to file charges against them, visa cancellation “as a matter of you need evidence to back your courtesy between countries who are allied.” complaint,” he said.

Special privilege However, Panelo insisted that Panelo claimed that the VFA is the administration’s anti-cor“a special grant of privilege agreeruption effort is not a failure.

“We’ve been fighting corrup- ment” because the pact does not tion and as we have seen, the let the Philippines to assume jupresident has been firing top risdiction over crimes committed officials. And the complaints by American military personnel against erring government offi- unless a particular crime is of parcials have been charged in the ticular importance to the PhilipOmbudsman and in courts,” he pines.

“This is a very special privilege said. n

Hidilyn Diaz wins 3 gold medals in Weightlifting World Cup by celest

LAST RESPECTS FOR THE BLACK MAMBA. Kids on their bike visit the memorial wall for Kobe Bryant at the “House of Kobe” along Consolacion Street in Barangay Karuhatan, Valenzuela City on Tuesday, January 28. The “House of Kobe”, a new community center and basketball court, was inaugurated a day before Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

followed the court’s inauguration.

Flowers were offered and candles were lit yesterday in front of the court that became a tribute wall for Bryant. ?Jaudines painted Byrant’s face on the wall, where fans wrote dedications for the basketball legend hours after news of his death broke.

“Gone too soon,” a message on the wall read. Another one wrote: “Rest in peace, Kobe.

You’re still the goat!”?In the convention center were paintings of Bryant hanging above the court and beside the entrance.

The balustrade of the court was shaped like a snake, a homage to Bryant’s moniker “Black Mamba.”?Valenzuela Rep. Eric Martinez, who led the inauguration of the covered court on

Sunday, was at a loss for words when asked to comment on a remark that the court he had built suddenly became a tribute.

The funds for the P24-million convention center was sourced from Martinez’s congressional allocation. It was the sixth basketball court he had built and named after NBA teams.

Martinez, who described himself as a “die-hard” Lakers fan, said he invited Bryant to drop by the court when he visits the Philippines.?He woke up to the news that Bryant had died. “I’m at a loss for words. I had just invited him. Maybe that’s the reason the court came about,” Martinez told The Star. He said he would look into having the artists paint a mural for Bryant’s daughter Gianna. n

Palace: OFW deployment ban to Kuwait stays hands of her employer’s wife has sparked outrage in Manila, prompting the government to impose the deployment ban.

Malacañang called on Kuwait to fully implement the labor protection agreement or else the deployment ban of Filipino workers would stay.

Based on initial reports, Villavende was was dead when brought to a hospital after being beaten. Attending nurses reported that she was “black and blue”.

Bello had initially received a two-sentence report of Kuwait’s autopsy saying Villavende died of “physical injuries,” prompting Philippine authorities to conduct its own autopsy, which then showed the migrant worker was sexually abused and tortured.

Reports quoted Villavende’s family in Norala town, South Cotabato as saying they have

rejected more than P50 million in blood money being offered by the Kuwaiti suspects to settle the case.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Tedoro “Teddy Boy” Locsin Jr. also reiterated that the government would never accept money in exchange for justice.

“I renounce and reject any offer of blood money for her torture/murder. I want two lives for the life they took,” Locsin said in a tweet.

Locsin said that the “topnotch lawyer” hired by the foreign affairs department was also not authorized to suggest or accept blood money.

“If I catch anyone in (Department of Foreign Affairs) making that suggestion they’re fired. I will not accept an improvement in Kuwait’s labor standards either,” he added. (Catherine Valente/ManilaTimes.net)

Palace explains Duterte’s... granted to the U.S. military personnel, ships and aircraft which are not given to the counterparts of this country,” he said.

He added that the VFA benefits the U.S. more than the Philippines.

“Strategically, the U.S. needs to be in any part of the world to secure itself from its perceived enemies,” Panelo noted.

However, former Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Cuisia Jr. did not share the spokesman’ sentiments.

“The VFA provides the flesh of Philippines-U.S. relations. No VFA, no military exercises, no counterterrorism presence,” Cuisia said on Monday, January 27.

According to him, the VFA served to “enhance the capability of the Armed Forces,” pointing out that the U.S.’ presence in the country provided the intelligence that led to the tracking of the people behind the Marawi siege.

“We have been getting assistance in terms of training for our military [and] they have been assisting us in terms of our counterterrorism efforts. That would not be possible without the VFA,” Cuisia said.

He stressed that a better approach would have been to call for a review of the agreement, which he said Washington would likely be open to.

“They should identify what those provisions they want clarified or reviewed. I’m sure the U.S. government will not be unwilling to renegotiate those provisions,” Cuisia said.

Panelo, in response, told the former ambassador to the U.S. to

read the VFA. “He (Cuisia) doesn’t know what he is talking about... Read the VFA first. It just provided privileges. Even without that, our agreement with them remains the same,” he said.

Stay retired Panelo also dismissed former foreign affairs secretary Albert del Rosario’s call for Duterte to accept the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump to attend the U.S.-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Summit on March, suggesting that Del Rosario stay retired.

On Jan. 26, Del Rosario said the U.S. summit would present an excellent opportunity to discuss relations with Washington and improvement of mutual defense agreements.

“Should our president wish to improve the MDT (Mutual Defense Treaty) and the VFA (Visiting Forces Agreement), he may wish to accept the invitation to meet President Trump,” Del Rosario said.

Panelo, for his part, reiterated that Duterte knows what he’s doing.

“I suggest he (Del Rosario) stays retired. The President knows what he is doing. He doesn’t need advice from those who have failed in their term as government officials, especially from the one who lost the West Philippine Sea to the Chinese government,” Panelo said.

“These issues can always be brought up between countries that are affected by it. You don’t need a special summit for that,” he added. n

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OPINION

Permanent evacuation

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FEATURES

VOLCANOLOGISTS have been saying it all along: there is a danger zone around Taal Volcano where human settlement should have been prohibited decades ago. The volcano has manifested its fury several times in recorded history, with its eruptions destroying several lakeshore communities and redrawing the map of Batangas. no-man’s land is worth considering.

A less complicated measure to pursue at this point is the development of permanent evacuation centers. Despite a continuing stream of donations delivered to evacuation centers for two weeks now since Taal’s phreatic explosion on Jan. 12, the situation in the temporary shelters can only deteriorate.

Health officials have noted the poor hygiene and sanitation facilities that lower immunity to harmful organisms. Crowding facilitates infection. Serious health conditions are aggravated by the stress of evacuation and the uncertainty of lost livelihoods.

Education officials are also urging policy makers to stop using public schools as evacuation centers, because it disrupts the education even of children outside the high-risk areas.

With regular occurrences of destructive typhoons, floods and earthquakes, the country has needed decent, permanent evacuation centers for a long time. Perhaps with the situation around Taal, efforts will finally get underway to meet this need. (Philstar.com)

Now, with a humanitarian crisis emerging in the long wait for Taal to again do its worst – or else simmer down – government officials are reported to be seriously considering the permanent relocation of communities within a 14-kilometer-radius danger zone. The proposal reportedly has the support of a majority of Cabinet members.

This will require substantial funds that must be properly invested in the efficient development of permanent settlements. It also must consider what will be done to the areas that may have to be abandoned for good. Although devastated by ashfall, most of the houses, schools, offices, commercial and industrial establishments as well as public works infrastructure remain intact and, with a bit of cleanup, will still be in good working condition if ever the feared major eruption does not come to pass. It would be difficult to persuade people to leave such areas for good.

Even now, with Alert Level 4 still in place around the danger zone but with volcanic activity appearing to simmer down, affected residents are already eager to return home at their own risk. Still, declaring at least the Volcano Island as a permanent

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

When a senator’s US visa is deemed greater than the Republic Commentary

ANTONIO P. CONTRERAS ALL it took was for the United States to cancel Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s visa for all hell to break loose. At first, Malacañang spokesman Salvador Panelo downplayed it as a non-issue.

As it turned out, President Rodrigo Duterte was so affected by what happened to dela Rosa that it induced him to let loose his pent-up rage against the U.S., something that dates as far back to his issues with former U.S. President Barack Obama. In retaliation for the cancellation of dela Rosa’s visa, he lashed out at the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the U.S. In his typical expletiveladen ramblings, the president initially gave the impression that it was a threat, where he gave the U.S. one month to restore dela Rosa’s visa, and failure to do so would cost the U.S. the VFA. But later, it appeared that it was no longer a threat, but a directive for the appropriate agencies to begin the process of terminating the VFA. Senator dela Rosa must indeed be very lucky as a person for whom the president feels a lot of warm affection. Dela Rosa must be so important a person for the president, a valuable ally.

Many people simply couldn’t believe that dela Rosa’s U.S. visa could be more powerful and valuable to the president than a bilateral agreement with the U.S. which, while problematic, has also brought many benefits, particularly to our military.

But defenders of the president, and of dela Rosa, argue that it is not just about dela Rosa’s visa. The senator himself pointed out that it is about the one-sided U.S.-Philippine relations, and of a president whose temper is triggered when his people are treated unfairly.

These rationalizations are not convincing. Our relations with China lack balance and symmetry, with the president taking up a policy of appeasement, if not of fear, towards it. Former ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales and former Foreign Affairs secretary Albert del Rosario were unfairly treated when they were denied entry to Hong Kong, yet the President did not raise hell. Obviously, he has no problem with an unbalanced relationship with China when his political enemies and critics are the ones that are being treated unfairly. Apparently, they are not his people.

Duterte loyalists argue that he is simply asserting our sovereignty against the attempts of the U.S. to undermine it.

However, it stretches logic to believe that dela Rosa’s U.S. visa cancellation is depriving our country of our sovereignty.

Not even the rider to the 2020

Budget Law passed by the U.S. Congress and the U.S. Senate resolution, both of which invoke the Magnitsky Law, can be construed as acts of infringing into our sovereignty.

Indeed, while both acts of the U.S. Congress can be taken as pressuring our government and passing judgment on our internal processes, the consequences do not amount to a denial of any of our rights and entitlements as a sovereign country.

There is no threat of economic and political sanctions against the republic. Whatever sanctions are issued, these are all aimed towards individuals, either as government officials or as private citizens. Certainly, these persons, and even the president, do not constitute the Republic. More important is the fact that the sanctions do not even amount to a denial of rights, or a jeopardizing of lives. Certainly, a Filipino citizen does not have the right to a U.S. visa.

What would constitute as a blatant violation of our citizens’ rights, and amount to an assault on our sovereign rights, is when China encroaches into our exclusive economic zone (EEZ). It is bad enough that Chinese ships prevent our own citizens from fishing within these waters over which we have sovereign rights bestowed by international law. It is worse when they jeopardize the lives of our citizens by putting them at risk. This is what happened to the 22 fishermen from Min-

Philippine Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa

doro when a Chinese vessel rammed the Gem-Ver fishing boat near Recto Bank, which is within our EEZ, and left without making any attempt to rescue them.

And here lies the painful reality. Senator dela Rosa has no right to a U.S. visa, while our citizens have a right to fish within our EEZ. Dela Rosa’s life was not jeopardized when his U.S. visa was canceled, while the lives of the 22 Gem-Ver fishermen were all put at risk. And yet, the president is not angered by what happened at Recto Bank. In fact, he even belittled it as merely a small incident.

You contrast this with his

Inquirer.net photo

rage to terminate the VFA, a bilateral agreement that is a product of a complex diplomatic process, and ratified by the Senate, simply because dela Rosa’s visa was canceled.

The issue here is about the proportionality and the sanity of the response, and not whether we can and should respond.

Certainly, we can retaliate, as we have already done against Senators Patrick Leahy, Richard Durbin and Ed Markey, by banning more U.S. senators.

We are within our rights here.

While we can terminate the VFA anytime we want, it is demanded by the rubrics of reason and political maturity

to think of the consequences and the political and economic costs for us. Dela Rosa is just one senator who lost his privilege to go to the U.S. But voiding the VFA will affect not only our national security, but also our economy.

The president should make decisions not in a fit of tantrum or anger, but as a true leader willing to set aside his rage and personal issues, and the convenience of his political allies, if it is for the good of the Republic whose interests exceed his and those of his friends and allies.

After all, dela Rosa is not the Republic. He isn’t. All of us are.

(ManilaTimes.net)

50 richest Filipinos: Share-the-wealth challenge

Commentary

EDDIE ILARDE SOME years back, American economist and former director of The Earth Institute of Columbia University Jeffrey Sachs wrote an article about what he called “the ability to improve the world through transformative philanthropy”—that if today’s billionaires were to pool their resources, “they could outflank the world’s governments in ending poverty and pandemic disease.”

He named John D. Rockefeller, Bill and Melinda Gates, Warren Buffet, Carlos Slim Helu, Lakshmi Mittal and George Soros, among others, who, on their own initiative—by sharing a part of their wealth—have succeeded in fighting disease, pov-

erty and other areas of human concerns such as the “eradication of hookworm in the US, the development of the yellow fever vaccine, elimination of malariatransmitting strain of mosquito in Brazil, funding the Asian Green Revolution, etc.”

Bill and Melinda Gates, for example, have sufficiently funded “the extension of basic health care to the poorest in the world to end the pandemics of AIDS, TB and malaria, and address the crying need for safe drinking water for 1 billion people.”

There are 2,153 billionaires in the world today.

That includes 50 in this country as named by Forbes magazine, among them Manuel Villar, the Sy siblings, John Gokongwei Jr., Enrique Razon Jr., Jaime Zobel de Ayala, Lucio Tan, the Campos siblings, Ramon Ang, the Consunji siblings,

the Ty siblings, etc.

The Sy siblings lead the pack, and Menardo Jimenez is at No. 50. They are in various kinds of businesses: construction, power generation, hotels, restaurants, banking, media, pharmaceutical, insurance, property development, retail, etc.

The SM group, for example, owns the biggest bank in the country and “over 200 companies in the Philippines, including 73 shopping malls plus another six in mainland China.”

Our research is still incomplete as to how many high-rise condominium and office buildings they have and how big their real estate properties are.

It can be mind-boggling when we include the other billionaires’ massive holdings, which can make people suspect that this country’s reputed poverty is fake.

Improving the world through

philanthropy has been proven to be doable, with generous rich people willing to share their wealth with the less fortunate.

Can it be done here?

Who among the 50 shall step forward and show courage and magnanimity?

It would be surprising, historic even, if this challenge is accepted, however grudgingly; it shall be an event never seen before in this country—the “callous rich” finally showing sparks of patriotism and concern for the less fortunate through the proposed mechanism below: A “Philippine Alliance for Humanity” is organized, initially with four founding members—persons of probity and proven honesty—who renounce in writing the will to earn from such an endeavor.

Five additional members from the Big 50 (or their authorized representatives) complete the

membership to nine, to form the core of the alliance or foundation.

It is hoped that the rest of the 50 will cast away suspicion and distrust and support the alliance, with monthly donations direct to designated banks.

No one can touch the money as stipulated in the Securities and Exchange Commissionapproved papers, except only upon the authority of the majority of the nine members, who shall decide where to spend the money and when the money can be withdrawn.

Depository banks shall post in all their branches or publish weekly the existing balance of the charitable fund.

The initial goal of this social entrepreneurship program is to build: (1) evacuation centers, (2) rain catchment minireservoirs in barangays without safe drinking water, and (3) senior

citizens’ health centers, following the lead of President Duterte’s “Build, build, build” program for economic and industrial prosperity.

Thus, the “Philippine Alliance for Humanity’s” money pool is philanthropy that will go to building urgently needed infrastructure for the health, security and safety of the people.

How about it, good sirs and madames?

Believe! “Charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” (I Peter 4:8) (Inquirer.net) *** Eddie Ilarde is a former senator, lifetime achievement awardee for radio and television, freelance writer and author, founding president-chair of Golden Eagles Society international Inc. for the welfare and dignity of senior citizens, and founding chair of the Maharlika Movement for National Transformation. He is heard 1:30 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday in his program “Kahapon Lamang” over dzBB AM radio.

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From Magic Johnson to Steph Curry: How a Filipina American designer makes custom looks for athletes’ big events by

looks and fits like until the product is finished.

“As a designer, you’re trying I don’t have a liaison, you can to explain to your client what call me directly. I have assisit’s going to look like and you’re tants, executive assistants, and a team that help me. But at the showing them fabrics and designs,” she explained. “But at same time, if you want to get the end of the day, they don’t ahold of me, there are ways. really know what it looks like, If I feel that it’s appropriate unlike when you’re out shopand beneficial, then I’ll call you ping and see something on the back.” racks, you can just try it on and Fashion meets sports either buy it or don’t.”

Alba, who migrated from She gave herself some time the Philippines to Los Angeles with her family when she was six to see the job through until she months old, credits having artis- ran into Magic Johnson at an event, with whom she had estic influences early on. Around tablished a working relationship six years old, she started over the years as she helped sketching illustrations and finalize his outfits by matching learned how to sew by hand ties with his suits. from her mother. That later “When we were at an event, turned into making dresses for [Magic] looked at me and said, her dolls and then going to the Salvation Army to construct her ‘You don’t seem happy.’ I was surprised because I thought I own outfits. was happy, but he saw deeper “I remember sitting on than that. So he said, ‘Come the floor sewing by hand and to my house tomorrow at 11 watching sports at the same o’clock.” time. Now everything is full cirAlba has shared this story cle,” Alba recalled as weekends many times before but still typically consisted of playing does so as it lays the foundamahjong and watching a game tion for how she started her on television with extended own business at 22 years old. family.

She embarrassingly narrated At 16, she landed a job at how she got lost on the way to Gary’s Tux Shop at the NorthJohnson’s Beverly Park home, ridge Fashion Center and despite frequent visits, and continued to work there as she pursued a degree in child devel- ended up arriving two hours opment at a nearby community later. (It’s important to note that this was before the luxury of college. After graduation, she GPS and owning a cellphone.) worked as a preschool teacher “I get there, I’m nervous and but still maintained a schedule he opens the door. I remember at the store on weekday afterwhat he was wearing: a white tnoons and weekends. shirt, black Adidas, sweatpants It led to a ripple effect of and white socks, his kind of moving to the store’s other everyday uniform. It’s so funny locations in the Valley before when he’s not wearing suits,” she was promoted to the one Alba said. “He says, ’Make me in Beverly Hills, which was the 10 suits.’ I agreed. Then he highest volume tuxedo shop in goes, ’I think you should start the country in the early ‘90s as it catered to celebrity weddings your own company.’”

After that meeting, she took and award shows.

Working on one occasion in the measurements and found a 1995 changed the course of her place in downtown that would fulfill the order for the custom career — the wedding of NFL quarterback Rodney Peete and suits. “I delivered all 10 suits and none of them fit,” she said, his actress wife Holly as they rented tuxedos for the grooms- laughing.

“I use the motto still to this men. The designer who did day. I make one suit first, I fit Peete’s suit came back to the you in it and if there are any store months later and offered her a job to head his company’s alterations, I adjust your pattern and then I make the rest. Now division for custom women’s my clients have a database of clothes, mostly for the wives everything that we’ve made and girlfriends of athletes. them and all their patterns and “After a lot of prayers and whatnot. Magic has been so thinking about my future, I was patient with me. It’s been 26 like, ‘Okay, I’m not married. I years and he’s still a client and don’t have any kids. What do I so supportive,” Alba said. have to lose?’” Alba said.

In a 2018 video for Lebron She found the shift to James’ brand Uninterrupted, designing for women more Johnson said that Alba earned challenging, as custom-made his trust “by being the best out is a detailed process where the there in the business.” client can’t see what an outfit

Christina M. Oriel / AJPress

WITH the commercials, halftime show and the game itself, Super Bowl LIV this Sunday will provide much to watch and talk about. But not to miss are the suits the players will be wearing off the field as professional sports games have unexpectedly become sources of fashion inspiration.

There’s one Filipina American designer behind most of this year’s sleek and tailored outfits: Jhoanna Alba.

She’s the chief visionaire of ALBA — taken after her last name but also meaning ‘A Light Beyond Appearance’ — a Los Angeles-based bespoke clothing company with over 1,200 high-profile athletic and entertainment clients from Magic Johnson to Steph Curry.

The Super Bowl is the first of many major events for Alba’s company as it kicks off the next few months of annual professional sports milestones, such as NBA All-Star Weekend and MLB Spring Training.

On the first two days of this week, Alba and her team set up shop in Miami to take measurements for players on both the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs.

“They’ll come in through my store, we’ll take their measurements and then we’re turning around suits in 48 hours so they can wear them to the game,” Alba envisioned during a recent interview with the Asian Journal at her home in Calabasas, California.

Whether it’s basketball, football or baseball, players have taken the leagues’ dress codes as a way to develop their brand and be trendsetters.

“Every athlete is their own brand so it’s important for them to look the part and their image is key in that. The NFL and NBA enforced dress codes so they have to dress appropriately for every occasion,” she said.

It’s mid-morning during the interview, but already, Alba has been on the phone, beginning as early as 6 a.m. to speak to her East Coast clients. “My daughter counted how many people I talked to on one specific day and she counted over 100. So that’s pretty much my life,” Alba joked.

Accessibility and relationship building have been at the core of Alba’s business for the past 26 years as the go-to source for custom-made outfits.

Of her philosophy, she said, “I think that’s what made me successful in what I do because

Alba reviews sketches in her home office in Calabasas, California a few weeks before Super Bowl Sunday.

“From the very beginning, she was a businesswoman and I was so impressed with her knowledge of what would look good on me and what wouldn’t,” he added.

That meeting with Johnson was a “learning curve,” she said, given that it was her first shot in this solo venture. But it would be the model for streamlining the process for future clients, who eventually followed through referrals.

“Once you get one player, you get a handful of players on their team. The players then get traded to other teams so they introduce you. It’s like a domino effect,” she explained. “That’s how I built my business — word of mouth, just being honest and building relationships.”

Her early clients included NFL players Robert Griffith and Terrell Owens and they continue to be close friends, with Griffith as her daughter’s godfather and Owens gifting her framed memorabilia when he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

When asked to sift through years of amusing stories and recount at least one, Alba talked about how she and her assistant met baseball player Barry Bonds — who was with the San Francisco Giants at the time — at a hotel lobby in LA while they were scouting potential clients.

“We get his measurements and he orders six outfits, which we delivered the next week in San Diego. I remember him saying, ‘I just felt sorry for you gals, like I didn’t really think that you could conduct business but I see that you do.’ He ended up ordering 26 outfits and had us fly to Oakland where he was playing and introduced us to his wife, who he ended up buying 26 outfits for also. She got clothes for their daughter too and they did this whole family portrait shoot. He was a good client for a few years.”

Though she has been an entrepreneur for nearly three decades, ALBA is her third business and will be celebrating its seventh year. It’s taken her this long to name a venture after herself out of humility but reframed it as leaving a legacy for her family.

“I never wanted it to be about me. So when Magic was like, ‘It has to be your name this time and you have to build your enterprise and all that.’ If it’s going to be called Alba, it needs to mean something. It means ‘A Light Beyond Appearance’ and we’re creating the look of your legacy. I’m doing Alba with her mother Adel San Juan and daughter Ashley Wiegman. San Juan oversees ALBA’s produc- Alba showing ties and other accessories for outfits this for my family,” she said. for long-time friend and client, Magic Johnson tion house in LA. Family is ingrained in the business as her 75-year-old mother Adel San Juan handles the company’s finances and oversees the production house across the street from Alba’s showroom in Downtown LA. Her teenage daughter Ashley comes along to fittings and events, though Alba does not try to sway her in any career direction.

“My mom is the first person to get there and the last person to leave. She walks a mile after she gets off the train and she walks a mile to work — rain or shine. That’s the Filipina work ethic,” Alba remarked about San Juan.

Though it may be easier to buy designer brands off the rack, ALBA as a line seeks to create timeless looks that include the client in the design process.

“I have a notepad right next to my bed and I will wake up in the middle of the night Tyra Banks wears an ALBA creation in “Life Size 2”; Houston Rockets player Russell Westbrook in a custom suit; Alba with Brooklyn Nets player Brooklyn and think of a design and then Nets; Bottom row shows blazers at the ALBA showroom in Downtown Los Angeles, where all the clothes are custom-made. Photos courtesy of Jhoanna Alba sketch it and then incorporate

AJPress photo by Christina M. Oriel

Alba with Magic Johnson in his office.

Alba with Terrell Owens, a former San Francisco 49ers player who became part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

Photos courtesy of Jhoanna Alba

that somehow in one of my client’s wardrobe,” Alba said.

“I’m not a fan of the word trend because I just feel like it’s about who you are, you create your own trend.”

A scroll through the company’s Instagram page (@ albalegacy) shows that she and her team have created looks for Steph Curry, Lamar Odom, Klay Thompson and Russell Westbrook, to name a few. On the entertainment side, ALBA’s work includes Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s wardrobe for HBO’s “Ballers”; a suit for Keanu Reeves during the “John Wick 3” press tour; a pink tweed blazer and skirt for Tyra Banks in “Life Size 2”; pastel-colored suits for hip hop trio Migos’ appearance at the 2019 BET Awards; and a gold leaf-printed tuxedo for Lena Waithe to wear when she won an Emmy in 2017.

Even with the long roster of high-profile names and stories over the years, Alba is not quick to name drop or boast about who she has worked with.

“My family, my daughter, how I grew up and where I came from continue to ground me. Every other year, we go to the Philippines, like we’re going this year. At the end of the day, I just wanted to provide for my family and it doesn’t matter who I’m working with. They’re people too,” she said.

In addition to getting the Super Bowl looks ready for players by Friday, Alba is mounting other activations in Miami this week, such as a ‘women in sports’ panel, a fashion show and a ‘Legends and Legacy’ discussion with her Hall of Fame clients.

Then it’s off to Chicago for NBA All-Star Weekend the third weekend in February, followed by Major League

Baseball training in Arizona and Florida; the NFL and NBA draft; ESPN’s ESPY Awards; and creating looks for various players throughout their respective sports’ season.

“Business comes in seasons. Everyone expects us at these events so it’s kind of our reunion and they order their clothes for the season. We just touch base with them throughout the season and if they need anything throughout you know offseason, they give us a call and so we’re able to maintain relationships that way,” she said.

One important tip she shares is sifting through her phone contacts and having personal check-ins with past and current clients, something as simple as a ‘how are you’ or ‘how’s your family.’ That’s how she’s been able to provide a level of attentiveness that makes each person feel like they’re her only client.

The bespoke clothing business is her “bread and butter,” but Alba started two other side ventures: Mi Armore, a line of fashion arm warmers, and another called V.I.E.W. (short for Visionaries Inspiring & Empowering Women), a platform for female professionals to connect, find mentors and have an accountability group.

She’s quick to chart her journey and share career advice, but the answer to ‘how did you do it?’ boils down to “faith over fear.”

“When I was the most stressed out in my life, I was the most unproductive. So I feel like stress is a distraction to take you off track. If you ever feel stress or anxiety, you have to find your balance to find that peace. With peace comes clarity and then with clarity is execution,” Alba said.

Kim’s new series hits close to home tomada Philstar.com

entertainment

by Nathalie

KIM Chiu is making her TV comeback via the afternoon family drama Love Thy Woman, which is set to take over the timeslot soon to be vacated by the long-running Kadenang Ginto.

The series explores the complex dynamics of a Filipino-Chinese family, and no other person can best relate to it but the 29-year-old star herself.

According to the synopsis of the upcoming Dreamscape Entertainment production, Love Thy Woman “tells the story of a modern FilipinoChinese family headed by patriarch Adam (Christopher de Leon), who is determined to keep his family intact despite having two of them. He lives with his first wife Lucy (Eula Valdez) and their daughter Dana (Yam Concepcion), while his second family, Kai (Sunshine Cruz) and Jia (Kim Chiu), lives separately.”

The wives have long accepted the situation but the conflict and rivalry continue and spill over to the daughters. The situation turns for the worse, when Yam’s character meets an accident and falls into a deep coma after her wedding to husband David (played by Xian Lim), who eventually finds himself falling in love with Kim’s character.

This will cause a domino effect in the family, further complicating an already very complicated set-up.

During the presscon on Friday, Kim surprised the press with the revelation that her reel family story is similar to real life.

Kim, who’s “75-percent Chinese,” belongs to the “first family”. “In real life, I’m the first family, my dad also has a lot of wives. Pero pinapansin sila (other families) ng Papa ko, fair kasi yung Papa ko.

He’s like the real Adam,” she shared.

“This is really what happens in the true Chinese family kaya nga pag-tinitingnan ko, pag nag-aarte kami, shucks, kawawa rin pala yun mga anak ng Papa ko noh? Yung mga ganun. Pag first family, ikaw yung pinaka matapang (you are the most feisty). My character plays (the daughter in) the

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - January 29, 2020

Megan, Mikael secretly wed by arlo

Custodio ManilaTimes.net

Kim Chiu ABS-CBN photo

second family but now I understand how they’re feeling, mga kapatid ko sa labas.”

Nevertheless, she was very honest about what it was like growing up in that kind of family arrangement. “Growing up, lagi ako nag-wo-wonder nasaan ang Papa ko, bakit siya nawalala… ang dami kasi niyang pinupuntahan, hindi kasi bahay siya, city siya, so nililipad talaga niya yun.

“So, while I was growing up, I was OK without a father figure. However, if there were special events, he would be there. For example, aawardan ako kasi honor student ako nung elementary ako gusto ko lang sabihin, sino pupunta, sino aakyat, tapos magugulat nalang ako, si Papa pala. Dumating pala siya. That became my motivation to study hard so that everytime I would receive an award, he would be there. Then during birthdays... naiiyak ako, ayoko na, yun lang, kaya iyakin ako sa Love Thy Woman,” bared Kim, who tried to make things light at first, although at this point she couldn’t help herself from turning emotional.

Nevertheless, it is important to note that from her answers, she suggested as much that she feels no bitterness towards her half-siblings nor towards her father. “I post them on Instagram, madami naman kami. Masipag yung Papa ko, ay hindi mapagmahal lang yung Papa ko and it really happens, it’s real and it’s accepted by all the wives, but di siya pinapakita. But in this teleserye, you can see what really happens inside a modern

Chinese family.”

It’s not hard to believe Kim’s words because she’s proud to share photos with her father and her family like her most recent during the Chinese New Year celebration over the weekend. She owns probably one of the most unfiltered Instagram accounts around among the celebrities, many times candidly sharing reflections about herself, life, career and faith.

As bonus for fans, Kim is not shy to offer a glimpse into her relationship with her reelto-real-life leading man Xian.

Asked why they’re this open nowadays, Kim explained, “We don’t need to not show it, everyone sees it already, and the roles that we do are no longer pa-tweetums, chummy… the roles we play are something very challenging for us, we don’t do it everyday. I don’t tell him on a normal day, shut up (laughs)!

I’m not like that, we’re not like that. I’m just happy to work with someone I really know.”

Meanwhile, it was Xian who shared “secret” to making their relationship work. Apart from taking things one day at a time, he said, “It’s more of we let each other go as artists.

With Kim, she has the freedom to do everything she wants as an artist, and she also gives me freedom to do whatever it is I feel like I needed to do.

From that, we grow together.

That’s one of the secrets.”

Asked how much he loves Kim, he declared, using their new show’s title, “Wholeheartedly, that’s how much I love my woman.”

SANS fanfare or even a short announcement, Megan Young and Mikael Daez tied the knot in very simple ceremonies in Subic, Zambales on January 10.

Both celebrities — Young, the first Filipina Miss World winner in 2013, and Daez, a popular GMA Network host-actor —exchanged “I do’s” at San Roque Chapel in bride’s hometown. It was days after the wedding on Sunday that the newly married couple each shared photos of their special day in their respective social media platforms.

Young to her 2.6 million followers on Instagram and Daez to his 539,000 subscribers.

“January 10, 2020 was the day we officially sealed the deal.

We had an intimate ceremony at Caleruega attended by 10 loved ones. Fofo and I ended up crying during the whole ceremony so please excuse our red noses,” the beauty queen posted.

From the very intimate wedding Megan posted on her account, Mikael posted another set of photos from a bigger gathering with the caption,

They pulled it off! A secret wedding for longtime couple Megan Young and Mikael Daez took place at the Bride’s hometown.

Photo from Instagram/@mikaeldaez

“January 25, 2020 was the day we celebrated our marriage with friends and family in a place the holds a lot of significance for us. (smiley) it was SO MUCH FUN!! Admittedly, we did things in our own way and

I think my engagement ring to Bonez is a good example of our non-traditional choices. She said she wanted a rock with the color of an iceberg so there ya go, rainbow hiningi niya, baka nahirapan ako.”

What Maymay misses about her life away from show biz

Maymay Entrata

RELUCTANT star, Maymay Entrata, one half of the MayWard tandem, says she misses “life away from show biz, sometimes.”

“I miss not thinking about being a celebrity all the time, about it not being my responsibility,” says Maymay, whose entry to show biz was via the reality talent search “Pinoy Big Brother: Lucky Season 7,” where she was declared grand champion. Her love-team partner, Edward Barber, placed fourth in the competition.

“When I joined the contest, I didn’t realize that it was work, or that I’d be working from then on. I miss my simple life (in Cagayan de Oro, where she grew up). I used to worry just about school assignments. I miss my life without all of you asking me to answer questions about all sorts of issues,” Maymay tells reporters, laughing.

“If I’m finally able to fulfill all my plans for my family, I want to travel,” Maymay says, turning serious. “Australia is my dream destination, but I also want to see Korea and Italy. I also want to go to Photo from Instagram/@maymay New York and Paris.” (Marinel Cruz/Inquirer.net)

entertainment The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - January 29, 2020

Gerald slowly recovers from bigtime controversies in 2019

by Ronnie

CaRRasCo ManilaTimes.net

iii

IT was in Vignettes’ published article on August 6, 2019 where our column carried a footnote on Gerald

Anderson, particularly regarding what his future holds him as a result of letting go of Bea Alonzo.

The Kapamilya actor confirmed though that he and Bea broke up on the third week

of July. But as far as the latter was concerned, “We didn’t break up, he just stopped talking to me.”

What further got Gerald in a pickle was his rumored relationship with Julia Barretto. As expected, both denied it but their constant togetherness thereafter indicated otherwise.

Like Bea, Joshua earned public sympathy while Julia and Gerald suffered the opposite. Generally, the aggrieved parties are wished well by the public that they may find more deserving partners as well as brighter career prospects than their aggressors.

Thankfully, Joshua was then about to appear in a suspense drama series, “The Killer Bride,” while Bea was getting ready for a new show opposite Richard Gutierrez.

In stark contrast, Julia and Gerald had nothing going for them, at least for a couple of months after all four lives intertwined in a romantic mixup.

For all this, their mother station should take credit for standing by them believing that everything would come to pass.

Gerald is slowly recovering from all the backlash he had to suffer for “ghosting” Bea. In “A Soldier’s Heart” Continued on Page 7

Gerald Anderson Photo from Instagram/@andersongeraldjr

How Jake and Andi make coparenting work

by MaRinel

CRuz

Inquirer.net

“WE try to exclude her from all the drama,” said actor Jake Ejercito on how he and ex-girlfriend Andi Eigenmann would handle disagreements when it comes to coparenting for their 8year-old daughter Ellie.

“I’m proud to say that lately, we don’t have disagreements anymore. This is because Andi and I prioritize Ellie’s welfare,” he told Inquirer Entertainment at the press conference of his first-ever big-screen project, Adolfo Alix Jr.’s “Coming Home.”

Jake observed that Ellie is mature for her age. “I think she is now well aware of what happened between Andi and I. She knows that I’m not with her mom; that ours is not a normal family. But as much as possible Andi and I try to give her a sense of normalcy.

I’m so thankful that finally we’ve figured out coparenting for Ellie. We’re doing this with our daughter in mind,” Jake pointed out.Part of coparenting is following a fixed schedule when it comes to whose turn it is to spend time with Eliie. “We make sure to keep to it; but since Andi is away—she is in Siargao—Ellie is with me these days,” Jake shared with reporters.

Andi’s current partner is surfing champ-instructor Philmar Alipio. They have a daughter named Lilo.

Asked what kind of a dad he is with Ellie, Jake said: “I was only 21 when Ellie was born, so our age gap is not that wide. I’m more of a barkada to her. She recently turned 8. She’s no longer a baby—dalagita na. Slowly, the challenges of being a dad is becoming more evident.”

Jake also said he would not oppose if his daughter would decide to pursue a career in acting, too. “Right now, she makes ads and has a lot of magazine covers. She is comfortable in front of the camera. I’m OK with that.

I’ll be supportive of her no matter what,” said Ellie’s dad.

When it was time to answer

Jake Ejercito with daughter Ellie

questions about his own love life, Jake did not disclose if he was actually dating anyone. He did say that his goal was to make up for lost time with Ellie. “I was gone for a long time because I studied in Singapore. She was already 6 when I came home.

She is really my focus now,” he declared.

After studying for years, I now have more time to try other things,” Jake said as an explanation that he would now be part of a movie project. Jake, however, refused to be referred to as an actor. “I don’t think I’ve already earned the right to be called one.”

He said he was still unsure if he would pursue acting as a career. “The feedback I’d be getting from the audience would be a big deciding factor. I will also see how well I could do it. They say acting is in my blood. I guess I’ll have to dig deep inside me

Photo from Instagram/@unoemilio

for this to come out. So far, the projects I have done were only once a year. I wasn’t consistent so it’s really hard to adjust,” he said.

Jake will be playing one of the children of the movie’s leads—Sylvia Sanchez and former senator Jinggoy Estrada, who, in real life, is his half-brother. As to whether he found this awkward, Jake replied: “Senator’s eldest child, Janella (San Juan vice mayor), is only 2 or 3 months older than me. I guess that’s OK. Sa age, pasok naman. ’Di ko lang alam sa istura,” he quipped.“Coming Home,” a coproduction of ALV Films and Maverick Films, is written by Gina Marissa Tagasa.

It also features Ara Arida, Edgar Allan Guzman, Martin del Rosario, Shaira Diaz, among others. Filming began last Saturday. It hopes to be included in the forthcoming 1st Summer Metro Manila Film Festival in April.

5

community

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - January 29, 2020

Minding Your Finances Atty. RAyMond BulAon ACCORDING to a new report, the number of seniors filing bankruptcy is increasing rapidly.

The average senior who files bankruptcy these days owes approximately $17,390 according to the report (Although I have to say that most seniors who come to me for debt help actually owe a lot more!).

Some of the reasons mentioned are increased financial risks during retirement age, insufficient income (Social Security benefits are almost never enough to cover all personal living expenses unless seniors are getting financial help from family) and rising medical expenses. When seniors who are still working lose their jobs, it is also difficult or impossible for them to seek new employment as they have to compete with much younger applicants.

It is even more difficult for

Debt Relief

Atty. lAwRence yAng THE first senior is 73. He has been separated from his wife for 30 years but not divorced.

So, for all intents and purposes, he is single because even if his wife makes a ton of money, her income is irrelevant under the means test since the client does not benefit from that income.

Even if his estranged wife makes $1 million a year as Manafort’s financial advisor, that income is not part of the client’s household income under the means test. He says he has no idea where his wife is and has not seen her for 30 years. He comes to see me with a woman who sits behind him in my office. She smiles a lot. I presume that she must be his girlfriend.

What is his problem now? His social security benefits have been

EMPLOYMENT

Why are more seniors filing bankruptcy? struggling seniors who have not stashed money away for retirement or a savings account because they usually have no other financial resources other than their Social Security benefits.

So a lot of them resort to bankruptcy in order to wipe out debts they can no longer pay or perhaps restructure them in a way that makes them affordable. Unfortunately, by the time they file, a lot of them have also used up whatever savings they have and they do not have enough years (unlike younger people) to be able to get back on their feet.

Another common reason for seniors filing bankruptcy is medical debt. Unpaid medical bills can lead to lawsuits and eventually a judgment that the creditor can enforce by wage garnishment. In California for example, a judgment creditor can take up to 25% of the debtor’s disposable income. How would you survive if you were already struggling as it is and then lose 25% of your available income? Facing unscru-

pulous debt collectors, seniors worry about their future knowing that they can’t pay their bills. Of course, the debt collectors don’t care; they just want their money and seniors seem to be an easy target for collection harassment.

If you’re a senior who owns your home, your home is likely your biggest and most important asset. Fortunately in California, the law allows you to protect up to $175,000 of the equity in your primary residence. In most cases, this amount is sufficient to keep your home safe. If it’s not enough because you have more than that amount in equity, you should speak with an attorney who can help you explore other options to protect your home from creditors.

A lot of seniors are unaware that their retirement plan is exempt even if they file bankruptcy. Under federal law, most retirement plans including 401K/403b plans and IRA’s cannot be touched.

So instead of taking money out Continued on Page 7

A tale of two seniors in financial distress cut by more than half! Unbelievable is the word. Now that he needs social security to survive, they cut it by 50 percent. I don’t even want to mention figures because the reduced amount that he now receives is not even enough to pay for his room rent of $500. He used to get $1,000 a month of social security. He says he’s appealing the cutback.

I hope he is successful in his appeal because this reduction is not only unbelievable, it’s cruel.

It’s like cutting off the umbilical cord from the unborn child. Despite this misfortune, the client appears to be taking it in stride.

To be precise, his problem now is that he has no money to pay for his $20,000 in credit cards, which need $600 a month of minimum monthly payments to keep them current. Needless to say, he has no money left to pay for these cards. His reduced

$500 social security is enough only to pay for his room rent. I think we can all sympathize with his financial problem in his golden years. Nobody wants to be in this situation, as one becomes a senior. As a senior, one must have enough to pay for a roof over one’s head and have money left to pay for food and other necessities. And hopefully, have some money left to indulge in what one enjoys doing. Maybe eating out or traveling come to mind as life’s little pleasures that seniors can enjoy. I also know that many seniors feel lonely so they join a seniors club that allows them to have social activities of meeting other seniors and doing activities together.

The client does have one thing going for him. He is in perfect health. No hypertension. No diabetes. Not overweight. He Continued on Page 6

EMPLOYMENT

Bucket list No.17

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond

Visit Auschwitz and swear never to take your life for granted

Monette AdevA MAglAyA (Continued from the previous week…)

January 27, 2020 this week marks the 75th year Auschwitz was liberated from Nazi Germany by the Russian Army. When they arrived at the camp, they found over 600 corpses and several thousand prisoners still left in the camp. Days earlier, SS guards had rounded up and were herding 60,000 of the prisoners on foot for the Death March in the dead of winter in 1945.

As the SS guards began their retreat at the end of the war, while the Soviet Red Army was closing in, Rudolf Hess and his guards tried to erase evidence by burning as much of it — specially the negatives of photos taken of the prisoners. Two inmates managed to pull 40,000 negatives from the flames. Warehouses full of the inmates’ worldly possessions were burned to ashes after the guards had sifted through them and had gathered the good stuff for themselves and fled Auschwitz when defeat for the Nazis seemed imminent.

Back at the Auschwitz Memorial tour, the stark black and white photos of the prisoners along the corridor walls put a face to the numbers. Each photo staring out of the walls told a tragic story.

The double electrified walls erected around the camp were wrapped in barbed wire. Watch tower guards with machine guns trained at potential escapees were strategically placed in the camp. Before the walls were erected, a few hundred out of over a million prisoners successfully escaped. A few of these escapees told the story of Auschwitz. It was only after 2 years that Winston Churchill and the rest of the world learned about Nazi Germany’s deep, dark secret.

If one prisoner from a cellblock managed to slip away, prisoners of the whole cellblock was punished in the most brutal way. Bathroom privileges were extremely short. If a prisoner took longer than the time allowed, more punishment was meted out by the prison guards

who were recruited among the vile, villainous, sadistic scum of German prisons.

Dr. Josef Mengele, that psychotic freak of a scientist who experimented mostly on children and women prisoners had a laboratory in one building to conduct his ghastly, inhumane experiments. Mengele was manic about wearing pure white, perhaps, to cover for the blackness of his soul — that is — if he had one. Mengele escaped the Soviet invasion of the camp and fled to another county in South

monasteries in India and Japan.

He was taken prisoner by the Nazis for his anti-Nazi stance in his publications and for hiding Jews. He volunteered to take the place of another prisoner marked for death by starvation, a slow agonizing way of dying, as a deterrent for inmates thinking of escape. Maximilian took his place because the man had a family. In a starvation bunker, he was taking too long to die that his impatient captors, injected him with a lethal dose of carbolic acid. St. Maximilian Kolbe is the patron saint of the chemically addicted, of prisoners, of journalists and of pro-lifers.

He died a Marian priest to the core of his being.

Outside in the bright sunlight, we walked and stood where the trains stopped to unload hundreds of thousands of Jewish families who had to wear the yellow Star of David to mark them off from the Poles, Roma (gypsies) and Soviet prisoners of war that were caught in the Nazi dragnet. The trains that brought the Jews in from many parts of Europe supplied the camp. This was Nazi systematic human trafficking and slavery on a conveyor belt in World War II. This was the reason Auschwitz had to be kept a secret from the world.

Picture this. As families disembarked from the rail cars, they were separated and sorted out to fit categories. The young, strong ones, both men and women, who can provide slave labor for the Nazi war machinery were prized and stood apart in one line. The weak, sick, elderly, mothers and young children and the infirm were marked for disposal. Most probably knew in their hearts that it would be the last time they would see each other. They were stripped of their possessions and were later tattooed their prisoner numbers on their left forearms as one would label cattle.

(Final installment of 3 parts next week … ) *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

Edmund Burke once wrote, “Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it.” I would like to add, “One must learn from it as well. Otherwise, the whole cycle repeats itself.”

America where it was said he drowned in the sea.

Many of those in the higher echelons of Nazi Germany escaped to the South American continent to disappear and become incognito. A few of the guards immigrated to the US never mentioning their military background in Nazi Germany.

They raised families and lived quietly below the radar, dying natural deaths and escaping justice here on earth. Yet though the wheels of justice grind exceedingly slow, one by one, over the next few decades, with preponderance of evidence of their roles in Auschwitz, many of those responsible for this atrocity were ferreted out to face justice. Most faced death.

I also saw the cellblock of St. Maximilian. Here is a story of saintly heroism many may not have heard of. Maximilian Kolbe was a Franciscan priest dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mother Mary. Of German descent, he was born Raymund Kolbe in Poland. He had a vision of the Virgin Mary when he was 12 that foretold of his martyrdom.

Maximilian had established

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What is a postnuptial agreement?

A POSTNUPTIAL agreement is a contract between you and your spouse entered into after you get married resolving issues in your marriage. It is similar to a prenuptial agreement except it occurs after your marriage. For couples that get married without a prenuptial agreement, it is not too late to have an agreement dealing with issues of property division, management of finances, spousal support, division of a business that takes effect in case of a divorce. You can enter into a postnuptial agreement even if the marriage is going well. People grow and change over time.

You can never predict if your relationship with your spouse will stay the same in the future. In a way, it is a form of planning to cover the contingency in case the marriage does not work out in the future.

If you are the spouse who is the primary breadwinner such as a Registered Nurse, a Physician, or other Professional, California community property law provides for a 50% interest to your spouse for any income earned by you during the marriage and any property acquired by you

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes and your spouse during the marriage. Basically, your spouse has a one-half interest in your salary, earnings, and any assets you acquired during the marriage even if it was you who sweated to earn that money and even if a particular asset or bank account is under your name alone. This 50/50 division can be changed even after the marriage by ways of a postnuptial agreement.

What issues can be resolved in advance through a postnuptial agreement? You can agree on how a business or a professional practice is to be divided in case of a divorce. Through the postnuptial agreement, the division does not have to be 50/50. The agreement can provide that the business will be awarded to one spouse alone or it can provide a certain amount of buyout to the

other spouse. There is a lot of flexibility as to how you want to structure this.

You can also provide for how real property is to be divided such as a house or rental property. Typically, a house purchased during the marriage is community property to be divided equally.

A house purchased before the marriage is separate property but if there was a mortgage or refinancing during the marriage and the monthly mortgage payment is paid from earnings during the marriage, there could be a community interest in that separate property house which entitles your spouse to a portion of the house. This confusion can be squared away and clarified in a postnuptial agreement. You can provide for who gets the house and what buy out , if any, your spouse will get in case of a divorce.

Spousal support can also be addressed in the postnuptial agreement. A common provisions is to agree to a certain amount of spousal support which varies depending on how long the marriage was at the time the Continued on Page 7

A tale of two seniors in financial...

From Page 5 has no chronic illness of any kind, although some have argued that aging is a chronic illness.

He needs Chapter 7 to wipe out the $20,000 of credit card debt. I’m glad at least I can help him this way. Who needs $20,000 of credit card debt at 73? Time marches on very quickly. We will all become seniors one day. All we can be is be young at heart and in the mind. Just like a car that starts breaking down, as it gets older, our bodies will do the same, as we get older. Right?

Chapter 13 for senior no. 2 Senior no. 2 is 79 years old and married to his wife of 55 years. They are happily married to each other. They have aged well together. Unlike Trump, who has aged by himself, while his wives get younger & younger. Out with the old and in the new. Maybe that makes him feel like he will live forever. In the client’s case, they own a home with about $300,000 of equity.

The mortgage balance is about $400,000. The mortgage payment is $2,500. Their joint social security income is $2,700. They have no other income. They owe $60,000 of credit cards. Oops.

Clearly, the math doesn’t add up. $60,000 of credit cards need $1,800 of monthly minimum payments to keep them current. But SS income is $2,700 while the mortgage is $2,500. This is where the children have to come in and help out because eventually, children will inherit the $300,000 of house equity. So, it’s only fair that the children help out now.

The children can help out by contributing the amount necessary for clients to pay off the $60,000 over five years under Chapter 13 reorganization. They will have to contribute $1,000 a month to the Chapter 13 plan.

At the end of the 5th year, the court will enter a discharge order and clients will owe zero on the $60,000 of credit cards. They will be free of all credit card debt at

82. And they will still have their home, which probably will have gone up by another $200,000.

So, children stand to inherit $500,000, but they should help out now with $50,000 over five years. Even looking at it as an investment, they invest $50,000 and get ten times back in five years. And they are able to relieve their parents of unnecessary financial stress, which will make them live longer.

If you need debt relief, please set an appointment to see me. I will analyze your case personally. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Bankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and Civil Litigation, and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803.

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entertainment

Calendar of Events across

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America

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS JA N UA RY 3 0

2020 Office & School Supply Business Expo in San Gabriel, CA Hosted by Officezilla-Los Angeles, the 2020 Office & School Supply Business Expo will be a showcase of new and innovative products on Thursday, January 30. The event kicks off at 4 to 5:30 p.m. with a complimentary networking mixer where you can meet likeminded business professionals. From 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Hilton Los Angeles San Gabriel, the expo will feature hundreds of exhibitors featuring office products, cleaning products, furniture, promotional items, printing solutions safety products, school supplies, ink/toner and so much more. They will also be raffling a variety of products. Guests must be registered and present to win. To register, please visit http://www.officezillalabizexpo.com/.

James Reid and Nadine Lustre out with friends.

Photo from Instagram/@laurenreidabook

Nadine, James together for ‘pasta night’ with friends

by CHA LINO Inquirer.net

ACTORS Nadine Lustre and James Reid appear to be staying true to their promise to stay friends after their breakup. A few weeks after JaDine announced their split to the public, the two spent quality time with friends for a “pasta night.”

Lustre and Reid issued a joint statement regarding their separation through the talkshow “Tonight with Boy Abunda” on Jan. 20. The actors said, “We are in good terms and are still really good friends and will continue to work with each other especially when it comes to music.”

James’ sister, model Lauren Reid, posted photos of some

moments with her friends, including the two actors, on her Instagram account last Sunday, Jan. 26. James smiled while Lustre made wacky poses. Lustre and James were sitting on different sides of the sofa, while Lauren was on the floor, smiling and posing beside a friend.

James’ dog Cal also did not miss the hangout.

“Pasta Night [heart emoji],” Lauren called the gathering.

The “pasta night” was not the two actors’ first friendly hangout after their split. Last weekend, Lustre and James were also seen partying at a bar in Makati.

Lauren is also vocal about her friendship with Lustre even after the actress’ breakup with James. The model posted her

Gerald slowly...

From Page 4 (which premiered on January 20), he plays a man in uniform whose love for family and country remains on top of his list.

Judging from its first few episodes, Gerald’s thumbsup performance is his one redeeming value that quite erases a romantic blunder he may feel sorry to have committed.

Women’s rights groups, too, seem to have softened on him. *** GUESS WHO? This showbiz mother (SM) and family owns a sprawling farm which is teeming with fruit-bearing trees.

But mind you, SM won’t part

with the farm’s produce to her neighbors.

After each harvest, she’d rather pile them up in large native baskets to be transported to their Manila residence. “At bilang niya kung ilang prutas yun, ha?” says our tipster.

Once in Manila, SM would segregate which ones are for personal consumption (of course, the unblemished ones go to her) and which ones are to be given away.

“Alam mo yung prutas na kailangan mong kainin ngayon, or else hindi mo na mapapakinabangan kinabukasan?” our source describes.

Why are more seniors...

From Page 5 of your retirement plan to pay debts that you cannot afford (and still possibly end up filing bankruptcy later on, anyway), it is better in most cases to file bankruptcy now and leave your retirement money untouched.

If you are reading this article and can relate to what I am saying here, my advice to you is to seek help as soon as possible if you are in serious debt trouble.

Do this before you deplete any retirement money or savings, not after. If you’ve tried your very best to repay your debts but nothing seems to be working, I can help you figure out all your options. If you have parents who are in this situation, I also encourage you to help them get the assistance that they need.

I can do a thorough analysis of your debt situation and give you my best recommendations.

Since 1997, I have helped more than 5,000 clients in finding the best solution to their financial problems. Call my office at 1866-477-7772 and request a free consultation. We have offices in Glendale, Cerritos and Valencia. *** None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped more than 5,000 clients in getting out of debt. For a free evaluation of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1-866-477-7772. They have offices in Glendale, Cerritos and Valencia.

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What is a postnuptial...

From Page 6 parties divorce. It is also possible to waive spousal support altogether. However, such waiver of support will be scrutinized as to unconscionability at the time of the divorce.

Other issues that can be resolved in a postnuptial agreement are division of debts and credit cards, ownership of a life insurance policy, beneficiaries to a life insurance policy, and who gets the family pet.

Since the postnuptial agreement is the first issue that can be attacked in a divorce case, it is best that each party be represented by their own attorney in negotiating the agreement. In that case, there is less likelihood that the postnuptial agreement will be found invalid since you can argue that there was no undue influence since both parties were represented by counsel.

Having a postnuptial is definitely beneficial in minimizing the uncertainty in the future pertaining to your marriage and finances. *** Please note that this article is not legal

advice and is not intended as legal advice.

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

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

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

Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@ kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com (Advertising Supplement)

bonding moments with Lustre days after the announcement.

Meanwhile, James has been focusing on his music label Careless Music Manila. Last week, “The Life” singer hinted at an upcoming collaboration with Grammy-winning producer Illmind.

F E B R UA RY 1

2020 Filipino Policy Symposium in Hayward, CA The Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies and LEAD Filipino are inviting all interested nonprofit, grassroots, and student organizations to the 2020 Filipino Policy Symposium on Saturday, February 1. It will be held at Cal State University East Bay in Hayward, CA. Breakfast and registration begin at 9 a.m. with the conference from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Join as Filipino organizations from across California come together to discuss issues affecting the community and determine which legislative bills/public policies to push during the upcoming 2020 Fil Advocacy Day in Sacramento. Tickets ($25 for General Admission and $15 for Student) can be purchased on Eventbrite at http://bit.ly/FilSymposium2020.

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, please email us the details at info@asianjournalinc.com or calendar@asianjournalinc.com

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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - January 29, 2020