020619 - Southern California Midweek Edition

February 6-8, 2019 Volume 29 - No. 9 • 3 Sections - 20 Pages

Pres. Duterte in robust health, downed by slight fever – Palace

by ALEXIS

ROMERO Philstar.com

PRESIDENT Duterte continues to enjoy “robust” health but had to skip an event over the weekend because of a slight fever, Malacañang said on Tuesday, February 4.

Rumors about Duterte’s supposed death circulated online after he failed to attend a peace and order summit in Leyte last Friday, February 1. There were also speculations that the president was seriously ill and could no longer perform his duties.

President Rodrigo Duterte spends some quiet time at the Roman Catholic Cemetery in The 73-year-old Duterte disDavao City on Monday, February 4, as he visits the grave of his mother Soledad Duterte to commemorate her death anniversary.

u PAGE A2

Malacañang photo by Karl Norman Alonzo

USA

DATELINE Study: Filipinos spend 10 hours a day online, the most in the world FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

WELCOMING THE ‘YEAR OF THE PIG’. Chinatown’s Filipino-Chinese residents and visitors watch a colorful and lively “dragon dance” beside the Binondo Church in Manila, in celebration of the Chinese New Year on Tuesday, February 5. The dragon dance is one of the highlights of the Lunar New Year festivities as it is believed to bring good luck.

PNA photo by Gil Calinga

US has been helping Philippines Pacquiao seeks probe into $450,000 IOC aid fight terrorism – Lorenzana

by FRANCES

MANGOSING Inquirer.net

THE United States has been working closely with the Philippines to combat terrorism, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Monday, February 4.

“We got assistance from the Americans,” he said at a forum in Camp Aguinaldo when asked if foreign Philippines also tops most time countries had been helping the Philippines to fight terrorism. spent on social media According to the Defense chief, the U.S. has a team A NEW report revealed that people in the in Mindanao and it has been helping the Philippines Philippines spent more time on the inter- even before the twin bombings in Jolo last week, the net than any other country in the world in death of which has risen to 23 on Monday, with about Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana u PAGE A3 Inquirer.net photo 2018.

The annual Digital 2019 report, created by social media platforms and agencies, We Are Social and Hootsuite, found that those in the Philippines spent an average of 10 hours and two minutes online, an increase from the nine hours and 29 minutes spent per day in the year prior. the parties, the SC has submitted the case

by EDU PUNAY The average amount of time spent worldwide for decision.

Philstar.com clocked in at six hours and 42 minutes per day, An insider bared that the justices would with Japan spending the least amount of time include the case in their session next TuesTHE Supreme Court (SC) is ready to rule online with just three hours and 45 minutes on the legality of the third extension of the day, February 12, and might be able to vote spent per day. and decide on it by then.

Taking a closer look at usage, the Philippines martial law declaration in Mindanao.

In their memorandum, petitioners led by Petitioners challenging the constitutionaltopped other countries when it came to time Albay first district Rep. Edcel Lagman reitity of the extension of Proclamation No. 216 spent using the internet in front of a desktop or for another year or until December 2019 erated their claim that there was no factual u PAGE A4 and the government, through the solicitor basis to justify the extension of martial law general, submitted their respective memo- in Mindanao as required by the 1987 Conranda to the high court Monday, February stitution.

They argued that the attacks by terror 4, following the one-day oral arguments on groups and violent incidents that took place the case last Jan. 29.

With the submission of all arguments by u PAGE A2

to ‘Yolanda’ victims

SEN. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao wants the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) to account for the reported $450,000 grant that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) gave to the Philippines through the POC. The senator, chairman of the committee on sports, filed Resolution 1007 on January 31 directing the appropriate committee to

conduct an inquiry on the “origin, use and disbursement” of the IOC grant.

He said the IOC donated the amount in 2013 for the construction of sports facilities in areas damaged by Supertyphoon “Yolanda.”

It was earmarked to build multi-purpose gyms in Leyte and

u PAGE A2

Supreme Court ready to rule on martial law extension in Mindanao

Only 36% of Filipinos in Harvard Humanitarian Initiative poll ‘fully prepared’ for disasters Duterte impersonator turns heads at Hong Kong church

Children and rights advocates offer flowers to Senator Emmanuel Pacquiao (right) at the Senate in Pasay City on Monday, February 4. The advocates were encouraging the senators to vote “no” on the issue of lowering the Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

by RAE ANN VARONA a Rodrigo Duterte imper- a mass service. By his side AJPress MAJORITY of Filipinos believe they are not sonator walked into a Hong was an uncanny doppelgang“fully prepared” for disaster, according to a Kong church frequented by er of North Korean leader, recent study by the Harvard Humanitarian IniHEADS were turned on many of the city’s Filipino Kim Jong Un. tiative.

Sunday, February 2 when community members during Impersonating Duterte was According to the poll conducted in 2017 and released on Tuesday, February 5, only 36 percent of Filipino respondents perceive themselves as “fully ready” for disasters.

This, despite the campaigns of the government, nongovernment organizations (NGOs), and media.

Nearly 47 percent of respondents claimed that they have made no preparations for a natural hazard in the last five years. In the same survey, which is part of HHI’s DisasterNet Philippines project, 82 percent said they do not have an emergency kit or “go bag”, while 62 percent said they have no first aid kit.

Around 83 percent of Filipinos surveyed said they only discussed emergency plans A Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte impersonator sparked frenzy and confusion during a mass in a Hong Kong church. He was accompanied

u PAGE A3

by Howard X, the Hong Kong-based impersonator of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Photo screengrabbed from Youtube/Inquirer.net

57-year-old Filipino Cresencio Estremos Jr., who also goes by his impersonator name of Cresencio Extreme.

Taking on the look of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was Hong Kong-based impersonator Howard X, who also acts as Estremos’ agent.

With Estremos wearing a traditional barong tagalog shirt and black trousers, and Howard wearing a black Mao Suit, the two looked almost exactly like the two real leaders and gave the spectators great photo opportunities.

Agence France-Presse reported all eyes were on the duo as they sat in on the hour-long mass.

While many found the performance amusing and took the opportunity to take photos with the toy gun-holding impersonators outside when the mass service ended, some were not so impressed.

One lady described the stunt to AFP as being “impolite.”

“Coming in here to make a scene—our Duterte is not like that,” she said.

But the church wasn’t the only location visited by the leader impersonators as the two also posed for some photos while eating fried chicken at a local Jollibee.

In an attempt to follow

u PAGE A4

A february 6-8, 2019 • SoCal aSIaN JOurNaL

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

From the Front Page

Pres. Duterte in robust health...

PAGE A1 proved the rumors by appearing on online videos and mocking those who claimed he was dead.

In one of the videos, Duterte urged those who believed rumors about his death to pray for the eternal repose of his soul.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the false infor-

mation was peddled by persons who could not accept Duterte’s reforms.

Panelo also maintained that the president is not suffering from a serious illness.

“We assure our countrymen that (President Duterte) remains in robust health and is just resting in his Davao home for the

weekend while preparing for the coming week’s grueling schedule,” Panelo said in a statement.

“The president is conscientious of his health and he puts a break to his activities if he feels his body is not up to it. In other words, he knows how to take care of himself and does not perform any activity beyond what is necessary or is harmful to his physical being,” he added.

Panelo said Duterte’s conscious effort to take care of his health prompted him to cancel his activity last Friday.

“Perhaps he felt his body was not up to performing any activity that day so he cancelled all his activities. He preferred to rest.

And we should commend him for that, which means he’s taking care of himself. He’s not pushing his body to the limit,” Panelo said in a press briefing.

Quoting Duterte’s former aide Christopher Go, Panelo said the president had a slight fever.

“He wanted to make sure that it would not get worse so he took some rest,” he added.

Panelo claimed Duterte appears to be indestructible and apparently immune from serious illness despite his punishing schedule.

“We are sorry to disappoint the ill-wishers and the rumormongers even as we are amused by the detractors’ propensity of running berserk in putting the president in a bad light or removing him from the physical plane in their minds,” Panelo said. n

‘NEW DESTINATION’. A cleaner and obviously “more beautiful” baywalk along Roxas Boulevard is starting to attract the attention of promenaders who can’t help but stop and enjoy the new scenery at the shoreline of Manila Bay last Sunday, February 3. A series of clean-up activities in Manila and the nearby provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Bataan and Batangas kicked off the Manila Bay rehab last January 27.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Supreme Court ready to rule on martial...

PAGE A1 in Mindanao last year, including four bombings cited in the report of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), were acts of terrorism and not rebellion as required by law in declaring martial law.

“The following acts of terrorism and lawless violence mentioned in the letter dated Dec. 6, 2018 of the president do not per se evince the existence of rebellion and the president failed to connect or relate said acts to rebellion or furtherance of rebellion,” petitioners insisted.

“Terrorism is not equivalent to rebellion because they differ in motive, target and scope: while PAGE A1 terrorism has the purpose of Southern Leyte costing about P4 sowing fear and panic among the populace, rebellion is an armed million for each facility.

Pacquiao said POC officials uprising against the government “should offer a formal explana- for the culpable purpose of retion regarding the alleged ques- moving the country or a portion tionable implementation of the thereof from allegiance to the Republic or preventing the presisaid projects.”

“There is a need to review and dent or the Congress from exeraudit POC books to guarantee cising their respective powers,” that said funds were used for the their pleading read.

Despite the recent twin bombintended projects,” he said.

A total of $300,000 had been ings at the Jolo Cathedral in Sulu disbursed in two tranches, leav- that killed at least 21 people, the ing a balance of $150,000. (Ber- petitioners insisted that public nadette Tamayo/ManilaTimes. safety in Mindanao is not imperiled. net)

Pacquiao seeks probe into...

The petitioners also reiterated that the Court may review the factual basis of martial law proclamation, which is a task specifically assigned by the Constitution to Congress.

“The Honorable Court cannot simply defer to the factual submission of the president because to do so is to defeat its precise jurisdiction to separately and independently determine the sufficiency of the factual basis of the president’s submission,” they added.

On the other hand, Solicitor General Jose Calida cited several attacks attributed to the New People’s Army (NPA) in Mindanao, which he stressed were clearly acts of rebellion.

He reiterated that the Jolo cathedral bombing is proof of the ongoing threat to public safety in Mindanao posed by local terrorist groups.

The solicitor general also cited data of the AFP that indicate there are still 424 active members of the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group in 138 barangays in Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Zamboanga; 264 members of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in 50 barangays; 59 members of Saulah Islamiyah; six members

of Maguid group and 85 members of Turaifie group.

He also reiterated the influx of foreign terrorists in the country “who are responsible for training local terrorist fighters,” citing the entry of four foreign terrorist fighters last year while 60 others are on AFP’s watchlist.

Calida also argued that the decision of Congress to approve the president’s request is beyond judicial review.

“Congress has the sole prerogative to extend the proclamation of martial law and the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus. The 1987 Constitution does not limit the period for which Congress can extend them, and prohibit the Congress from granting further extensions to the proclamation or suspension,” he pointed out.

Calida also cited the high court’s earlier ruling that upheld the previous extension of martial law, which held that there are sufficient legal safeguards against human rights abuses raised by the petitioners.

With these arguments, he asked the SC to dismiss four similar petitions filed by opposition lawmakers led by Lagman, PAGE A3

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

DATELINE USA

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 6-8, 2019

A3

US has been helping Philippines fight...

PAGE A1

a hundred wounded.

“They helped us immediately, but they’ve been helping us track these terrorists even before the bombing,” he said.

Aside from sharing intelligence information, the U.S. also used its assets to fly some of

the wounded troops to nearby Zamboanga City as combat operations continue on the island province.

Lorenzana said Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia had also been helping out to provide intelligence prior to the blasts.

“I think because the three

countries here — Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines — we occupy just one area infested by terrorists. The so-called East Asia ISIS actually straddles the three countries, the triangle.

We are all in this together and we have agreed to fight this together,” he said. ■

Supreme Court ready to rule on martial...

PAGE A2

Nearly 47 percent of respondents claimed that they have made no preparations for a natural hazard in the last five years. In the same survey, 82 percent said they do not have an emergency kit or “go bag”, while 62 percent said they have no first aid kit. Philstar.com file photo by KJ Rosales

Only 36% of Filipinos in Harvard Humanitarian...

PAGE A1 with family members when prompted.

Areas hit by typhoon ‘most ready’ The study also showed that respondents residing in areas frequently hit by typhoons are the ones who think that they are more prepared. These respondents also believe they are “selfreliant” in disaster preparedness due to their previous experiences.

At least 52 percent of respondents living in Eastern Visayas felt very prepared. In Bicol, 49 percent of respondents said they are prepared while 44 percent in the Western Visayas said they were. Among respondents in the National Capital Region, 32 percent sais they are prepared for disasters.

More respondents in Bicol, and in Western Visayas and Eastern Visayas said they discuss disasters in advance Only 31 percent of respondents in Northern Mindanao said they felt prepared for disasters, the lowest among those surveyed.

42 percent have lost propery, homes to disaster The study revealed that around 42 percent of respondents experienced significant damage to property, assets and had been displaced from their homes due to a disaster.

The Eastern Visayas, which was hit by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in 2013, had 97 percent if respondents saying they had homes damaged destroyed by a disaster. Only 16 percent of the respondents had been displaced for at least a week and seven

percent were displaced for over three months in the national level.

Aside from the dominant damage to property, the study also showed that majority of Filipinos think their capability to cope and recover is limited.

Only 22 percent said they were confident that they would recover from a future disaster while 38 percent of the respondents said they would have a hard time coping in future calamities.

According to the srudy, residents of the Visayas take the longest to recover from disasters.

‘Money main barrier for disaster preparedness’ The survey also found out that most Filipinos think money is the main hindrance for them to prepare for disasters with 47.5 percent of respondents saying they lack funds.

It added that 92 percent of respondents from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said they had insufficient funds.

Around 74 percent said they were not able to invest in disaster preparedness and 20 percent said they do not have time to get ready for disasters.

In line with this, majority of Filipinos were also determined to have no insurance for hazards. Only 19 percent said they have life insurance, 56 percent had health or medical insurance, three percent had home insurance, and only two and a half percent had asset insurance.

When it comes to assistance, 52 percent of Filipino respondents said they received aid from local government units, in

line with the national disaster management’s policies.

About 57 percent of respondents said they were provided with food and water assistance, emergency shelter (five percent), medicine (eight percent), temporary employment or cash (four percent), or livelihood assistance (four percent).

Only nine percent claimed the government provided them housing and location assistance in Central Luzon, six percent in Northern Mindanao, and five percent in Eastern Visayas.

Only few Filipinos also said they received temporary employment and cash-for-work with 20 percent of them are from Eastern Visayas and 17 percent are from Western Visayas.

‘First nationwide study on disaster response’ The Harvard report seek to determine “the Filipinos’ views on climate change and its anticipated impacts and offers unique reflections on Filipinos’ expectations of who is responsible for disaster response.”

HHI Resilient Communities Program Director Vincenzo Bollettino said it is the first nationwide survey of its kind.

“As an archipelago located in the Pacific Rim of Fire, the Philippines is exposed to an array of natural hazards. How Filipinos understand their own exposure to these hazards and the steps they take to cope with them is crucial to formulating relevant national policy and planning,” Bollettino said in a release.

HHI surveyed 4,368 Filipino households nationwide. (Rosette Adel/Philstar.com)

the Makabayan bloc led by Bayan Muna party-list group Rep. Carlos Zarate, the group led by former Commission on Elections chair Christian Monsod, and the group of lumad teachers and students represented by the Free Legal Assistance Group.

The SC had already upheld the constitutionality of Proclamation No. 216 in July 2017 and also upheld its initial one-year extension in February last year.

The high court held that the extension had sufficient factual basis, as “the rebellion that spawned the Marawi incident persists.”

It said “public safety requires the extension, as shown by facts

presented by the AFP.” The SC also said that the two houses of Congress have the “full discretionary authority” to promulgate their own rules, and such power is exempt from judicial review and interference, “except on a clear showing of arbitrary and improvident use of the power such as would constitute a denial of due process.”

The high court also noted that there is no provision under the Constitution that prescribes the number of times the proclamation of martial law may be extended or the length the extended period may be.

Duterte first declared martial law in Mindanao on May 23, 2017 after the Islamic State-in-

spired Maute group laid siege to Marawi City. Five months later, Duterte, in a rousing speech to his troops, announced the liberation of Marawi.

The AFP, however, revealed that communist rebels continued their logistical buildup and extortionary activities, which he said hinder government development efforts.

The second one-year extension of martial law in Mindanao until Dec. 31 of this year is considered invalid despite Congress’ overwhelming approval because rebellion in the region ended when government was able to retake Marawi City in October 2017. (With reports from Delon Porcalla/Philstar.com)

A february 6-8, 2019 • SoCal aSIaN JOurNaL

Dateline USa

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

Dateline PhiliPPines

5 suspects in Jolo blasts surrender Barak, Kammah, Awag, Usman, Makrim, Isal, Radjan and Papong. At 5 p.m. on January 26, the couple, each toting black ZAMBOANGA CITY — The trolley bags, were escorted to police filed multiple counts of Barangay Latih in Patikul by Usmurder and frustrated murder man, Barak and nine other uncharges against five suspected identified armed men where the Abu Sayyaf militants linked to couple boarded Awag’s jeepney the twin suicide bombings of the to Jolo. Upon reaching Jolo at Jolo Cathedral in Sulu province, 5:10 p.m., the couple disemfollowing their surrender on barked in front of Suleco (Sulu Monday to security forces.

Electric Cooperative) Building to Philippine National Police an undisclosed location within (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde said Jolo. At 8:28 a.m. the following among those who surrendered morning, it is believed that the was Kammah Pae, said to be Indonesian woman detonated among those who coordinated the [first] IED inside the Jolo cathe January 27 bombings of the thedral while the man detonated Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathe [second] IED at the church thedral in Jolo town that killed entrance seconds later,” Albayand wounded dozens of people. alde explained.

He identified the four other Signature bomb suspects as Salit Alih, Albaji KiFrom bomb fragments and sae Gadjali, Rajan Bakil Gadjali components recovered at the and Kaisar Bakil Gadjali. church, forensic technicians re“The five surrendered due to constructed the two IEDs made the massive hot pursuit operafrom common GI (galvanized tions by troops from the Patikul iron) pipes that served as casing, Municipal Police Station, 52nd and possibly contained an amSpecial Action Company, Sulu monium nitrate-fuel oil (ANFO) Provincial Mobile Force Compacompound as the primary explony, 14th Regional Mobile Force sive charge, possibly boosted by Battalion, CIDG9, RIU9, and 35th secondary high explosives.

Infantry Battalion of the Philip“This particular type of IED, pine Army,” he said in a news by design, is identified with the conference.

Abu Sayyaf Group as nine simiThe PNP chief said security lar IEDs have been involved in forces also destroyed an improat least five recent incidents in vised explosive and other bomb Basilan and Sulu in 2016 and components recovered from 2017,” Albayalde said, citing an Pae’s house in Patikul town. attack in Jolo town on March 12, Kammah admitted to authori2017. ties that he was part of the AjangHe said two similar IEDs were Ajang group, a faction of the Abu detonated by the Abu Sayyaf in Sayyaf, but denied that he particLamitan City in Basilan on March ipated in planning and executing 19 and 20, 2017, while four more the Jolo blasts. were defused by the military in But Albayalde said the remainAl-barca town, also in Basilan, on ing suspects pointed to Kammah May 20, 2016. as part of their group, which parSecurity forces were still pursuticipated in the terror attack. ing over 100 militants who broke “He’s (Kammah) just denying into smaller groups in Sulu’s hinthat he has no involvement [in the terlands. Over two dozen soldiers bombing incident], but…based have been killed and wounded in on the accounts of the other susfighting the Abu Sayyaf since the pects, they are pointing to him so deadly cathedral bombings. Five soldiers have been confirmed dead and nearly two dozen more were injured in clashes in Patikul town. The fighting triggered an exodus of civilians in villages there.

There were no reports of civilian casualties, but the Joint Task Force Sulu said they had received intelligence reports that a foreign militant, who goes by the nom de guerre Abu Black, was killed in the fighting. His nationality remains unknown.

Another Abu Sayyaf commander, Idang Susukan, was also wounded in the clashes and lost his finger, the report added.

The death toll in the Jolo blasts Philippine National Police Director General Oscar Albayalde points at a diagram at a news has increased to 23, based on the conference on Monday, February 4, where he announced that five suspected Abu Sayyaf latest update by the PNP. n

by Al JAcinto ManilaTimes.net

WHAT”S WITH THE TITLE? Sen. Panfilo Lacson, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, asks during the hearing on the recent election-related killings “What’s with the title ‘congressman’, ‘mayor’ or even ‘barangay captain’ that motivates these killings?” The panel also asks an update on the killing of Richard Santillan, an aide of former Biliran Rep. Glenn Chong, in an anti-crime operation in Cainta, Rizal, last year. With Lacson are Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III and Sen. Gregorio Honasan.

Senate photo by Cesar Tomambo

Duterte impersonator turns heads at Hong Kong...

PAGE A1

close to Duterte-style rhetoric, Estremos said after the meal: “When I arrived at Hong Kong airport, I didn’t see any beautiful ladies, but now I realize that Jollibee is where they are all hidden.”

He added, “If any drug lords are listening, I might look like him, but I’m not the president.

So I will kill you, but don’t kill me.”

It wasn’t the first time Estremos made a public appearance as Duterte. Many may recognize him from the Philippine reality show, “Pilipinas Got Talent,” where he first gained wide-

spread attention in 2018.

On the show, Estremos went on stage with four bodyguards and wowed judges with not only his strong resemblance to the country’s president, but with his impressively Duterte-like voice.

Estremos, who hails from Manticao, Misamis Oriental, said he found fame when a photo of him went viral and as a result got many appearance invitations.

He told the South China Morning Post that he used to be afraid of the fact that he looked like Duterte until a TV manager encouraged him to enjoy it.

“I never could have anticipat-

ed people’s reactions,” he told SCMP. “One of the Duterte’s goals is to kill all the drug lords and get rid of corruption, so when people discovered I looked like him, I was scared that the drug lords would think I was the President and kill me.”

During his appearance on “Pilipinas Got Talent” last year, Estremos did say that he hoped to meet the real Duterte someday.

“Mr. President, it is my dream na mag kita tayo. Palagi ako nag susuporta sa programa mo (It is my dream we meet. I have always supported your program),” said Estremos. n

Study: Filipinos spend 10 hours a day online...

PAGE A1 laptop computer. Compared to the global average of three hours and 28 minutes, the Philippines clocked in five hours and four minutes per day.

The Philippines also —perhaps unsurprisingly— surpassed other countries when it came to social media use, with 99 percent of internet users in the country on at least one type of social media platform. This, compared to the global average of 58 percent.

Also having 99 percent social

media penetration were Malaysia, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates.

Holding the highest numbers in social media use, spending an average of four hours and 12 minutes on social media—approximately double the global average of two hours and 16 minutes.

The time was slightly higher than the previous year which recorded an average of three hours and 57 minutes among Philippine social media users.

According to the report, the

number of social media users in the Philippines grew from 67 million to 76 million. Facebook was also unsurprisingly the social media platform of choice with 75 million Philippine users on it.

But on the Facebook-owned photo and video-sharing social media platform Instagram, users in the Philippines faired lower than the global average with only 14-percent of people aged 13 years old and older using the platform. (Rae Ann Varona/AJPress)

he cannot clear his name here,” Albayalde said.

Patikul is a known stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf Group, whose leaders have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State or IS. Security forces were pursuing Abu Sayyaf leader Hajan Sawadjaan, believed to be the chief architect in the cathedral bombings, and over a dozen other militants.

Timeline Albayalde elaborated on the timeline and sequence of events leading to the bombings, which were carried out by a couple from Indonesia.

“Beginning on Jan. 8, 2019, a certain Muksin and Usman attempted to assemble an IED (improvised explosive device) in Barangay Latih in Patikul, but later abandoned the effort. And four days later, Sawadjaan met with Usman and Barak in Sitio Bastiong in Patikul and gave them funds for the bombing mission.

On Jan. 21, 2019, an unidentified Asian couple, believed to be holed in Lampinigan Island (in Basilan province) for a few days, sailed to Jolo on January 24 by pump boat. Upon arrival in Jolo, the couple boarded a tricycle to Caltex Tiam at 7:10 p.m. and at 7:30 p.m.; the couple were met by suspects Papong, Awag and Radjan at Caltex Tiam and all of them boarded Awag’s jeepney along with five minor boys, who later disembarked along the way.”

“Upon reaching Usaw in Barangay Langhub in Patikul near the house of Usman, the group was joined by Kammah, Barak, Makrim and Usman and later proceeded Sitio Bastiong in Barangay Langub. The couple alighted at Bastiong and walked towards the forested area escorted by Kamah and Barak where they met Sawadjaan to further plan the bombing. Also present during the planning were

members wanted for the Jolo Cathedral blast have surrendered.

Comelec to monitor for first time ‘social media’ expenses of bets ary 5, that it would not be easy but it has to be started to make candidates toe the line.

FOR the first time in election Jimenez said the Comelec’s history, the Commission on Education and Information DeElections (Comelec) will require partment will monitor social candidates to report their “social media campaigns. media” expenses in their state“People have been reportment of campaign expenditures ing on their SOCE for quite a (SOCE). while now but they have never Comelec spokesperson James reported on their social media Jimenez said on Tuesday, Febru- expenses, and this is the first

by WilliAm

DEpAsupil ManilaTimes.net

time that they would be doing that,” he said.

Jimenez said that the regulations maybe imperfect but it was not a signal to candidates to take them lightly.

Jimenez said that coordination has been made with Facebook and would be meeting with the representatives from the social media giant again to discuss the rules. n

Christians, Muslims join ‘walk for peace’

by EmmAnuEl

tupAs

Philstar.com

MANILA — Around 2,500 Christians and Muslims participated on Sunday, February 3, in a so-called solidarity walk in Quezon City against terrorism following the bombings in Jolo, Sulu and Zamboanga City.

Two groups marched separately from East Avenue and Philcoa at around 7 a.m before merging at the Quezon Memorial Circle for the event dubbed “Lakad sa kapayapaan, iwaksi

ang karahasan.”

Police officers led by National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Guillermo Eleazar joined the activity.

Eleazar lauded the leaders of Muslim communities for showing their stand against any form of violence.

He said the solidarity walk is an act of goodwill to send a message that Christians and Muslims are united against lawless groups out to sow terror.

Former Sulu congresswoman

Nur-Ana Sahidula, who was present during the activity, condemned the perpetrators of the Jolo bombing that left 22 persons dead.

The event ended with the signing of a peace covenant by the participants. They threw doves in the air as a gesture of unity.

The NCRPO will remain on full alert to prevent violence in Mindanao from spilling over to Metro Manila, Eleazar said.

He urged the public to remain vigilant. n

Muslim women join thousands of Muslims and Christians in an interfaith solidarity walk at the Quezon Memorial Circle on Sunday, February 3. The walk aims to show that Muslims and Christians are ‘allies promoting peace and not war.’

Philstar.com photo by Michael Varcas

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

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • febRUARy 6-8, 2019

A

Solo Exhibition of International First-Class Artist Dr. Yuhua Shouzhi Wang Astounded the World (San FranciSco) The solo art exhibition of the Honorary Lifetime Director of the international art Museum of america caused a sensation in Thailand!

The exhibition of the international first-class artist Dr. Yuhua Shouzhi Wang organized by the Department of culture of Thailand lasted for five days and the exhibition astounded Thailand. in San Francisco, a special gallery at the international art Museum of america on Market Street is dedicated to exhibiting the artworks of Dr. Yuhua Shouzhi Wang. in appreciation of Dr. Yuhua Shouzhi Wang’s extraordinary contributions to the arts, the new York academy of art specially presented a certificate of appreciation to Dr. Wang on January 22. The academy recognized Dr. Wang for her distinguished talent and as an international first-class artist who is among the top of her field. The ink paintings of Dr. Yuhua Shouzhi Wang are characterized by an out-of-this-world aura that she created effortlessly; the compositions are audacious and elegant, held together by the fluidity of the ink without a trace of the brushes. The artworks are of distinguished style and magnificent ambience filled with vivacious energy. Her super-realist techniques bring about an artistry that has never been achieved by any famous classical painters in the past. in 2013, George christophides, President of the World Federation of UnESco clubs, centers, and associations (WFUca), led a group of experts to visit the international art Museum of america.

The group highly commended Dr. Yuhua Shouzhi Wang’s artworks that were on view at the time. on the spot, they conferred

Certificate issued by the New York Academy of Art in recognition of Dr. Yuhua Shouzhi Wang as an international first-class artist.

one of her artworks with the title “2013WFUca,”and especially issued a Passport for Global Ethics to the international art Museum of america. on July 30, 2008, the United States congress recognized Dr. Yuhua Wang as a “great artist and sculptor” and officially chronicled such recognition in the congressional record. The same record also mentioned that Dr. Wang “takes great pleasure in helping others, is a selfless person whose moral character is noble, and has made great contributions to the development of cultural exchange between the East and the West.”

The artistic accomplishment

of Dr. Yuhua Shouzhi Wang has been acclaimed by Professor Stephen Farthing, an art scholar of world authority, who remarked that “Dr. Wang’s paintings may draw heavily on the traditions of Eastern art, but they present themselves as extraordinarily Western ideas and images.” Professor Farthing has served as the rootstein Hopkins research chair of Drawing at the University of the arts in London, and is a member of the royal academy of arts in the U.K. He also said that Dr. Wang’s mastery is of exquisite magnificence and her paintings “reach across cultures to celebrate the space that exists intellectually and emotionally

between representation and abstraction, between a fact and an idea.”

The solo exhibition of Dr. Yuhua Shouzhi Wang was organized by the Department of culture of Thailand and being held ceremoniously at the ratchadamnoen contemporary art center in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, between January 23-27.

The exhibition announcement was put on all the video walls outside of the ratchadamnoen contemporary art center for continual broadcast. The announcement and related information are published on the official website of the Department of culture. official notice has also been issued to all universities, informing them to display the poster of Dr. Yuhua Shouzhi Wang’s art exhibition in their campuses. The Department of culture also made arrangements for students from different schools to take turn visiting the exhibition so they may appreciate and learn from the art. The grand opening ceremony was

Marvelous Charm by Dr. Yuhua Shouzhi Wang

attended by over 200 dignitaries, business leaders and distinguished members of overseas chinese communities. an art critic by the name of Kang Wen said he was very pleased to have the opportunity to appreciate Dr. Wang’s ink painting. He felt as if he had entered a colorful art sanctuary where he was able to leave the noise of the world behind and feel the clarity, peacefulness and serenity in his mind. He acclaimed that the art of Dr. Yuhua Shouzhi Wang has attained the style of ease, and is of the same level of achievement as Wu changshuo and Qi Baishi.

Kang also recognized the art of Dr. Yuhua Shouzhi Wang as inspired by Bada Shanren, and

commented that the excellence of Professor Wang’s art does not lie in how the artist represents the form of nature, but in how she expresses her mind through the forms, and how the movement of the brush captures the spirit. Kang stated that the paintings express humanity’s wishes for peace and happiness; praises to the qualities of freshness, transcendence, nobility and elegance; and gratitude to flowers, trees and plants in nature for their selfless beneficence. Kang wishes that the art of Dr. Yuhua Shouzhi Wang will tour different parts of the world so that more people may appreciate the beauty of nature, the beauty of art, the beauty of life, and the beauty of character. n

After Thoughts to the Solo Exhibition of Dr. Yuhua Shouzhi Wang

by Kang

Fruits in a Bamboo Basket by Dr. Yuhua Shouzhi Wang

Dignitaries and VIP’s at the solo exhibition of Dr. Yuhua Shouzhi Wang

Wen

rEcEnTLY. The solo art exhibition of Dr. Yuhua Shouzhi Wang was held at the ratchadamnoen contemporary art center of the Department of culture of Thailand. Dr. Yuhua Shouzhi Wang is a distinguished international art master of world renown who is highly recognized by the art world both in the East and in the West. i am very pleased to have the opportunity to appreciate Dr. Wang’s ink paintings which are truly refreshing. i feel like i have entered an art sanctuary of wonderful colors where i can stroll slowly, appreciate silently, and savor the details thoroughly. as i am strolling along, i notice that i have left the noise of the world behind, and i sense the clarity, peacefulness and serenity in my mind.

Great masters specializing in painting flowers and fruits in the recent 100 years are such as Wu changshuo and Qi Baishi. as i view Dr. Wang’s works, i feel that her artworks are of the top quality in the free hand style of liberal expressivity.

Professor Wang’s paintings contains the brushwork of traditional chinese ink painting while incorporating the strategies of Western painting. Her art, honoring tradition and breaking new grounds at the same time,

is unique and unfathomable, sophisticated and powerful.

From the paintings, we can see how Professor Wang especially pursues and places emphasis on the spirit, the sensibilities, and artistic conception of ink painting through which she shows the different characteristics of chinese and Western paintings.

She merges these characteristics into her distinguished style.

Professor Wang’s ink paintings are leading me into the refreshing and beautiful nature, allowing my restless soul to rest peacefully. in one of the paintings, three lotuses stand elegantly and the pods have just become fully grown. The stems created by seal-script brushstrokes have a pure and dignified presence.

The composition is clean, simple and effective; echoing the legacy of Bada Shanren. The painting seems to symbolize noble qualities of a lotus that grows out of the sledge yet remains pure, sending off its refreshing fragrance.

Standing in front of the Vitality at the Lotus Pond, i am drawn to the full composition of the ink-wash pastel flowers and the carefree, other-worldly artistic conception. The painting is enlivening a wondrous scenery of lotus in misty rain where the flowers can be compared to the renown classic beauty Xishi who was known to look elegant whether she adorned her face with rich or simple colors. in a loquat painting, the fruits are painted in a semi-abstract manner. Powerful brushstrokes are used to depict the leaves and the stems. Under Dr. Wang’s sophisticated, forceful and unrestrained brushwork, the leaves of the loquat tree appear robust and energetic. The round and perfect yellow fruits depicted

by Dr. Wang in the style of realism look adorable and delicious.

There is a sense of classic elegance throughout the composition which also leads one to think of prosperity, peacefulness, and a big family with many children and grandchildren. a painting depicting cockscomb flowers is inscribed with the verse “red and white cockscombs are cherished delights. a few strokes of the brushes capture the pleasantness.” The color contrast of the red and white cockscomb flowers seems ordinary yet it is most exceptional. This is truly an extraordinary conception. The upstanding, bright and red flowers with heads held high give a sense of positivity, upward mobility, and vigorous passion. in another painting, the plum blossoms are energetic and full

of power, with slanting branches that are charmingly graceful.

The composition of this painting is audacious, lively, and untainted by the mundane, giving a unique sense of spirituality. in this painting, the rich colors are not garish, the faint colors are not cold. The artistic conception is truly transcendent in depicting the subtle fragrance and gentle movement of the flowers.

The five petals of a plum blossom symbolize the five good fortunes including happiness, joy, longevity, wellbeing, and peace. There is a saying that goes, “The plum blossoms give out a sweet fragrance after enduring the bitter cold.” Plum blossom symbolizes strong and noble character. in the painting Plum Blossoms, Professor Wang has penned the inscription that says, “The charm of the ink and brush is in the spirit, the way of painting plum blossoms is just the same.”

The inscription speaks of how vivaciousness and the highest state of artistry can be achieved through the ink, the brush, the color and the lines.

With a faithful mind, i appreciate the paintings one by one silently. i read each and every classic inscription carefully. i feel as if i am taken into a brand-new state of being where i experience poetry in the paintings, paintings in the poetry, and wonderful melodies in praise of the nature’s embrace.

German philosopher Goethe once described art in this way: Beauty is the highest principle of art. it is also the highest goal.”

Professor Yuhua Wang’s paintings are extraordinary. The excellence of her art does not lie in how the artist represents the form of nature, but in how she uses the form to express her mind, and how she brings out the spirit within the form. Her paintings express humanity’s wishes for peace and happiness; they express humanity’s praise to the qualities of freshness, transcendence, nobility and elegance; and they also express humanity’s gratitude to the selfless beneficence of flowers, trees and plants. in this sanctuary of art, we have enjoyed a precious experience of beauty. our souls are cleansed and transformed by beauty. i wish that Professor Yuhua Wang’s exhibition will tour different parts of the world, so more people may enjoy the beauty of nature, the beauty of art, the beauty of life, and the beauty of character.

We also look forward to seeing more of the art of Dr. Yuhua Wang that is of the style of ease. n

A6 FEBRUARY 6-8, 2019 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

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

OPINION

Top-secret assets

FEATURES

WHILE President Rodrigo Duterte has issued an executive order promoting freedom of information in the executive branch, the House of Representatives is going in the opposite direction when it comes to transparency and public accountability.

On Wednesday, January 30, the House of Representatives adopted Resolution 2467, which imposes stringent rules — and hefty fees — for access to HOR members’ statements of assets, liabilities and net worth. All government officials are required by law to submit the SALN every year. Mass media used to be able to access the annual submissions, which are supposed to be a matter of public record.

Now access to the SALNs must be coursed through a formal request that must have final approval from the House plenary after vetting by a newly formed special committee. For every SALN, the requesting party must pay P300. This means access to the SALNs of all 291 members of the HOR will cost P87,300.

Among the reasons cited in the House resolution is that information in the SALN “may be used to render them and members of their family vulnerable to threats to life and security, influence the action of the House or its Committees and, consequently, undermine the independence of the legislative branch.”

Considering that each lawmaker is secured by at least one police bodyguard, lesser mortals who must settle for one police officer per about 500 people must be wondering about

this vulnerability. One need not peek into any lawmaker’s SALN to threaten his or her security.

The House, however, is only behaving true to form. There are House members who would want taxpayers to consider congressmen’s assets as a matter of national security, exempted from public scrutiny and rules on accountability. Lawmakers have posed the toughest roadblocks to the fight against money laundering. Corruption and tax evasion were among the last offenses to be included among the predicate crimes covered by the Anti-Money Laundering Act. Lawmakers also continue to resist proposals to ease bank secrecy rules and regulate campaign finance.

It’s noteworthy that House Resolution 2467 was approved even as Congress is squabbling with the executive branch over a national budget that has been reenacted for the first time since 2009. The reenacted budget – which opens doors for corruption and misuse of people’s money – is now in its second month. The approval of HR 2467 is hardly surprising, but this does not lessen the disappointment over a move that is a step backward in efforts to promote transparency, accountability and good governance. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

President Trump’s State of the Union address: A historical primer

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS AS OF PRESS TIME, President Donald Trump addressed the American people on Tuesday night, February 5 through the State of the Union (SOTU) address, which was originally scheduled for January 31, but had to be rescheduled because of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

This tradition has a basis in the U.S. Constitution. Article II, Section 3, Clause 1 mandates that the president “shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.”

While the SOTU has undergone several name changes through the years, the focus of the president’s official message delivered

in-person has been changing as the Union faces different challenges, crises and opportunities since President Woodrow Wilson’s 1913 address.

According to the records of the House of Representatives, “earlier Annual Messages of the President included agency budget requests and general reports on the health of the economy.

During the 20th century, Congress required more-specialized reports on these two aspects, separate from the Annual Message: Budget Message, required by the National Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 (42 Stat.

20) to be delivered to Congress no more than two weeks after Congress convenes in January.

Economic Report, required by the Employment Act of 1946 (60 Stat. 23), with a flexible delivery date.

Over time, as the message content changed, the focus of the State of the Union also changed:

In the 19th century, the annual message was both a lengthy administrative report on the various departments of the executive branch and a budget and economic message.

After 1913, when Woodrow Wilson revived the practice of presenting the message to Congress in person, it became a platform for the President to rally support for his agenda.

Technological changes—radio, television, and the Internet—further developed the State of the Union into a forum for the President to speak directly to the American people.

After the president delivers the SOTU, it has been a tradition to hear the State of the Union from the opposition party. According to the House, this began in 1966 when the television networks provided the Republican party with a half-hour slot. Senator Everett Dirksen (Republican, Illinois) and Representative Gerald R. Ford (Republican, Michigan) delivered the first opposition re-

sponse. By 1976 the television networks were providing a slot for the opposition party almost immediately after the State of the Union address.

DAYS BEFORE Trump’s SOTU, almost seven in 10 said the federal government was doing a bad job of governing, with four out of 10 saying the government under Trump’s presidency is “the worst governing of their lifetimes”, according to the latest CNN poll.

President Donald Trump’s overall approval rating stands at 40 percent approve to 55 percent disapprove, according to the same new poll.

As we digest Trump’s SOTU, let us check out what the polls say regarding important issues that serve as the backdrop to Trump’s message. Quoting CNN: Trump’s approval rating for handling immigration — the issue at the heart of the shutdown — stands at 41 percent. Although that is also not a significant im-

provement compared with his ratings before the shutdown, it is his best read on the matter in CNN polling since April 2017.

But most still disapprove of the President’s work on the issue (54 percent disapprove) and the public is largely opposed to Trump’s proposed paths forward on the wall he pledged to build along the southern border between the United States and Mexico. Two-thirds say he should not declare a national emergency in order to build the wall (66 percent should not vs.

31 percent should), and 57 percent say they would oppose another partial government shutdown over wall funding.

The President’s base, however, is playing a different tune.

Among conservative Republicans, there is massive support for another government shutdown (78 percent would favor that if no agreement is reached including wall funding) or for the declaration of a national emergency in order to build the

wall (72 percent favor that).

With the American people fearing another government shutdown because of Trump refusing to support any spending bill that will not fund for his wall with the warning this could happen again if he does not get the funding by February 15, the poll suggests most want to avoid shutdowns in the future: 53 percent would back legislation preventing any future shutdowns, 40 percent would oppose that.

WILL TRUMP SUCCEED in his goal to get the American people on board and support his agenda and priorities. Will he be able to “unify” the American people through his State of the Union Address moving forward? *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https:// www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos

‘Misinformation’ named 2018 Word of the Year

Commentary

YEN MAKABENTA MORE than TIME magazine’s increasingly discredited Person of the Year citation, I follow avidly the yearly competition among lexicographers and language mavens to pick the Word of the Year.

From the Poynter Institute and the writer Daniel Funke, I got significant details of the citation. Funke wrote in November 2018: “In 2016, the Word of the Year was ‘post-truth.’ In 2017, it was ‘fake news.’ In 2018, the word of choice was significantly ‘misinformation.’”

In a press release sent to Poynter (the Poynter Institute), Dictionary. com said it chose the word “misinformation” — which it defines as “false information that is spread, regardless of whether there is intent to mislead” — amid the growing role of technology platforms in spreading fakery online.

“Recognizing ‘misinformation’ as the 2018 word of the year reveals once again the perspective that we can gain by thinking about the words of our time,” said Liz McMillan, CEO of Dictionary.com, in the release. “The emergence of a lexicon to describe misinforma-

tion alone is a telling sign.”

The runners-up for Dictionary. com’s 2018 word of the year were “representation,” “self-made” and “backlash.”

“The recent explosion of misinformation and the growing vocabulary we use to understand it have come up again and again in the work of our lexicographers,” said Jane Solomon, linguist-inresidence at Dictionary.com, in the release. “Over the last couple of years, Dictionary.com has been defining words and updating terms related to the evolving understanding of misinformation.”

The site’s choice of “misinformation” instead of the widely used “disinformation” was purposeful. While the latter implies intent to mislead, the former does not. When people share misinformation, they often believe the content to be true — even if the original sharer had malintent, according to Dictionary.com.

The company cited several events over the past year that contributed to its decision to choose “misinformation” as word of the year. Among them include the continued role of Facebook in spreading hoaxes, the rise of the QAnon conspiracy theory, WhatsApp rumors that led to mob violence in India and widespread misinformation during the Brazil-

ian election.

Dictionary.com is just the latest dictionary to choose a misinformation-related term as its word of the year.

In 2016, Oxford Dictionaries chose “post-truth” (“relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief”). In 2017, Collins Dictionary opted for “fake news” (“false, often sensational, information disseminated under the guise of news reporting”).

Suzanne Fields on missing gatekeepers It was Suzanne Fields, columnist of the Washington Times, who alerted me to the selection of “misinformation” as the word of the year.

In a column published on Dec. 14, 2018, she made this pregnant comment on communications in contemporary times. She wrote: “This has been a rough year for news junkies. Changing stations for network and cable-TV news reveals not coherence but alternative realities. It’s easy to be confounded when caught in the middle of a muddle of polarizing differences, as social media spreads interpretations of the theology of what Flip Wilson, a popular comic of an earlier time, called

the Church of What’s Happening Now. Today, the abundance of sources enables the news to fit personal prejudices and predispositions. It’s the famous slogan of The New York Times, ‘All the news that’s fit to print,’ distorted to ‘All the news that fits our bias, we print.’

“Television is the most obvious distorter of the news, but newspapers have their biases, too. Gone are most of the rigorous, careful editors of bygone generations.

Abe Rosenthal, the celebrated executive editor of The New York Times, is long dead. Horace Greeley, founder of the dominant New York Tribune, is even longer dead. So, too, is Walter Cronkite, the authoritative anchor of the ‘CBS Evening News’ whose stentorian voice soothed his audience during the Vietnam War with his signature sign-off, ‘And that’s the way it is’ — not always accurate but reassuring.

“The voices from respected institutions of newspapers and television networks once provided confidence in what was printed and said. We trusted them as gatekeepers. Investigative reporting was not driven by partisan opinion.

“Loud barkers and boxcar headlines have always been around to mislead and misinform, eager to

manipulate emotions. But most readers and viewers in simpler times were sure they knew how to separate the wheat of facts from the chaff of manipulation.

“That’s harder to do now. The language mavens at Dictionary. com have named ‘misinformation’ the Word of the Year. They stress that ‘disinformation,’ which is deliberately spread for malignant effect, is not the same as misinformation, though sometimes there’s a thin line of difference. When a person reads or sees this disinformation, believes it and passes it on, it becomes ‘misinformation.’

“Much that is passed on as grist for social media never goes through a competent fact-checker, and misinformation is spread, sometimes innocently, as news.

And in a culture as divided and polarized as the one we live in, the question is moot. Even when it imitates the old structures for sorting out “the facts,” many journalists are crippled, either in self-delusion or self-defense, by bias that leads to self-censoring the news.

“In an era of post-truth and ‘fake news,’ factoids are often accepted as the real thing and spread like gossip that quickly becomes gospel among the partisans of both right and left, feeding voracious appetites for support of

prejudices.

“The information balance of power has changed, writes Martin Gurri in a new book, The Revolt of the Public, which dissects with originality and depth the impact of the internet on the political culture. ‘A generation ago, the public could exist only as a passive audience,’ he writes of the great age when the daily newspaper was the king of the mountain and television news was dispensed on a reassuring hierarchical model, from the top down.

“The digital platforms today have created a new and different kind of public, one empowered by the online news, which it creates, collects and dispenses from preferred sites with ideology and emotion outrunning balance and thoughtfulness” In November 2017, I wrote a column on “misinformation” and “disinformation” to underscore the confusion ignited by “fake news.” I wrote then: “Instead of the Babel of definitions that are being used to define ‘fake news,’ I propose to readers and colleagues — and the Senate committee on information — that they adopt with two terms that are more precise and clearer: ‘misinformation’ and ‘disinformation.’

“The writer Franklin Veaux has PAGE A7

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

ADVERTISING AND ADVERTORIAL POLICIES

Main Office: 1210 S. Brand Boulevard Glendale, CA 91204 Tels: (818) 502-0651 Fax: (818) 502-0858 e-mail: info@asianjournalinc.com http://www.asianjournal.com

Manila Office: 2nd Floor Units D&E, Fort Palm Springs 30th St., Cor 1st Ave, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig Tel.: (632) 856-4921 • Fax: (632) 856-1661 New York: 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 Tel.: (212) 655-5426 • Fax (818) 502-0858

Northern California: New Jersey office: 1799 Old Bayshore Hwy, Suite 136 2500 Plaza 5, Harborside Financial Center, Burlingame, CA 94010 Tel.: (650) 689-5160 • Fax: (650) 239-9253 Jersey City, NJ 07311 Tel: (212)655-5426 • Fax: (818)502-0858 Las Vegas Sales Office: 2770 S. Maryland Pkwy., Suite 200 Las Vegas, NV 89109 Tel.: (702) 792-6678 • Fax: (702) 792-6879

ROGER LAGMAY ORIEL Publisher & Chairman of the Board

CORA MACABAGDAL-ORIEL President

CHRISTINA M. ORIEL Editor-in-Chief

MOMAR G. VISAYA Executive Editor

IVY MANALANG Vice President - Marketing Los Angeles Asian Journal

MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA Senior Vice President Los Angeles Asian Journal

DING CARREON Videographer

ANDY TECSON Photographer

Asian Journal Publications, Inc. (“AJPI”) reserves the right to refuse to publish, in its sole and absolute discretion, any advertising and advertorial material submitted for publication by client. (“Client’s Material”) Submission of an advertisement or advertorial to an AJPI sales representative does not constitute a commitment by AJPI to publish a Client’s Material. AJPI has the option to correctly classify any Client’s Material and to delete objectionable words or phrases.

Client represents and warrants that a Client’s Material does not and will not contain any language or material which is libelous, slanderous or defamatory or invades any rights of privacy or publicity; does not and will not violate or infringe upon, or give rise to any adverse claim with respect to any common law or other right whatsoever (including, without limitation, any copyright, trademark, service mark or contract right) of any person or entity, or violate any other applicable law; and is not the subject of any litigation or claim that might give rise to any litigation.

Publication of a Client’s Material does not constitute an agreement to continue publication.

Client agrees and covenants to indemnify AJPI and its officers against any and all loss, liability, damage, expenses, cost, charges, claims, actions, causes of action, recoveries, judgments, penalties, including outside attorneys’ fees (individually and collectively “Claims”) which AJPI may suffer by reason of (1) Client’s breach of any of the representations, warranties and agreements herein or (2) any Claims by any third party relating in any way to Client’s Material.

AJPI will not be liable for failure to publish any Client’s Material as requested or for more than one incorrect insertion of a Client’s Material. In the event of an error, or omission in printing or publication of a Client’s Material, AJPI shall be limited to an adjustment for the space occupied by the error, with maximum liability being cancellation of the cost of the first incorrect advertisement or republication of the correct advertisement.

Under no circumstances shall Asian Publications, Inc. be liable for consequential damages of any kind.

ASIAN JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS, INC. publishes the Los Angeles Asian Journal, published twice a week; the Orange County and Inland Empire Asian Journal, Northern California Asian Journal, Las Vegas Asian Journal and the New York / New Jersey Asian Journal which are published once a week and distributed to Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange Counties, Northern California, Las Vegas and New York and New Jersey respectively.

Articles published in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. Letters to the Editor are welcome.

Letters must contain complete name and return address. The materials, however, are subject to editing and revisions.

Contributions and advertising deadlines are every Mondays and Thursdays. For advertising rates and other informations, please call the L.A. office at (213) 250-9797 or send us an email at info@asianjournalinc.com

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

Dateline PhiliPPines

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • febRUARy 6-8, 2019

A

NBI arrests trader tagged in 2017 shabu shipment by rey

Galupo Philstar.com

SHOPPING FOR ‘LUCK’. Customers check out different ‘feng shui’ cures and charms in a store along Ongpin Street in Binondo, Manila during the celebration of Chinese New Year on Tuesday, February 5. According to the lunar calendar, 2019 is the “Year of the Earth Pig”.

PNA photo by Gil Calinga

DILG: ‘12 mayors, 7 vice mayors slain in 3 years’

by CeCille

Suerte Philstar.com

Felipe

MANILA — At least 12 mayors and seven vice mayors have been killed under President Duterte’s administration, an official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) told the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs.

DILG Undersecretary Bernardo Florece Jr. noted that the Philippine National Police (PNP) recorded the 19 cases from July 2016 to Jan. 29 this year.

Florece said six of the cases were considered solved, while the others remained under investigation. He added that he would submit to the committee the list of slain councilors and barangay officials.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, committee chairman, said the significant increase in the number of victims of election-related violence has become very alarming, the latest of whom was Ako Bicol party-list representative Rodel Batocabe last Dec. 22.

“As a result, we are all here today to assess and discuss possible

legislative measures or amendments to our existing laws in response to our concern at hand,” Lacson said.

For his part, Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV told the DILG and PNP to submit a complete list of slain local government officials from 2010 to 2016 and from 2016 to the present for comparison.

“Please submit the statistics of all political killings. It may not be campaign-related but basically, all killings that transpired over the past three years,” Aquino said.

“Of course also include the list of congressmen, councilors and barangay officials. Also a separate list of slain relatives and aides of local government officials,” Aquino added.

In the same hearing, Lacson’s committee ordered the PNP to turn over to the National Bureau of Investigation the investigation report on the killing of Richard Santillan, a security aide of lawyer and senatorial candidate Glenn Chong.

But the PNP in Region 4-A maintained that Santillan was killed in a legitimate police operation.

Chong, a former representative of Biliran, contradicted the PNP’s position, citing the result of the autopsy by the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), which alleged that Santillan’s corpse bore signs of torture.

“The disadvantages (of having the crime laboratory under the PNP) include the fact that the integrity of the result of their investigation could be questioned, while its advantage is easy coordination,” Chief Superintendent Rolando Hinanay of the PNP Crime Laboratory said.

PAO chief Persida Acosta said she welcomed the proposal to have an independent forensic service.

Acosta added that the scene of the crime operatives must inhibit from the case to prevent suspicions of conflict of interest and bias.

Meanwhile, lawmakers said they were worried over the withdrawal of their security detail.

An administration lawmaker yesterday questioned the rationale behind the Comelec’s order pulling out their police escorts ahead of the May 13 elections. n

‘Misinformation’ named 2018 Word of...

PAGE A6 provided an arresting distinction between the two.

“He said ‘misinformation’ is information that is false, but the person who is disseminating it believes that it is true.

“On the other hand, ‘disinformation’ is information that is false, and the person who is disseminating it knows it is false. It is a deliberate, intentional lie.

“Both are false information. All fake news is false information.

“At the time, former Foreign Affairs secretary Alan Cayetano issued a barefaced lie in the media: ‘All drug war casualties in the Philippines are drug dealers.’

“This plainly is false information.

“Cayetano made the claim in an interview with Al Jazeera. He declared that all 3,800 people killed so far in police operations in the drug war are drug dealers.

“Malacañang was more modest than Cayetano in talking about the

drug war. Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella declared only that the government did not sanction killings under the drug war.

“Abella said in a statement: ‘We wish to emphasize that one death is one too many. These deaths are being addressed to ensure the accountability of perpetrators, even as it calls upon witnesses and individuals who can provide valuable evidence that will lead to [the] speedy resolution of cases.’” (ManilaTimes.net)

MANILA — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) confirmed the arrest of ChineseFilipino-businessman Kenneth Dong, one of the alleged suspects in the P6.4-billion drug shipment from China that was seized in a Valenzuela City warehouse in 2017.

NBI Deputy Director Vicente De Guzman Jr. said operatives from the bureau’s Anti-Organized and Transnational Crime Division (NBI-AOTCD) collared Dong in an undisclosed place in Metro Manila based on the warrant issued

by Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46 Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa last year.

De Guzman did not give details of the arrest, but that a press conference was forthcoming.

Estacio-Montesa also ordered the arrest of Customs broker Mark Taguba, who was initially detained at the NBI but later ordered to be transferred to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Camp Bicutan, Taguig; Li Guang Feng alias Manny Li, Eirene Mae Tatad, Teejan Marcellana, Chen I-Min, Jhu

Ming Jhyun and Chen Rong Juan.

Taguba identified Dong as the middleman of the company that transported the shipment to a warehouse in Valenzuela City.

They and several others were charged with violation of the antiillegal drugs act.

In April last year, Estacio-Montesa issued a hold departure order (HDO) against Dong and six other Chinese and Taiwanese citizens in connection with the case.

The court granted the motion of state prosecutors to bar Dong, Richard Chen, Manny Li, and Chen Rong Huan; and Taiwanese citizens Chen I-Min and Jhu Ming Jyun from leaving the country.

Estacio-Montesa agreed with the prosecutors’ argument that the probability of flight of the accused was present and valid.

“Being Chinese and Taiwanese citizens, the probability of flight of the above-named accused is strong to escape prosecution, as well as to avoid facing their criminal liability and thus frustrate the ends of justice,” part of the prosecution’s motion reads.

The HDO effectively ordered the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to keep a close eye on the accused

Photo taken in September 2017 shows businessman Kenneth Dong being escorted from the DOJ after attending a preliminary investigation on the P6.4 billion worth of shabu smuggled from China.

Philstar.com photo by Edd Gumban

and bar them from leaving the country.

On Aug. 15, Dong was arrested after attending a Senate hearing on the shabu shipment case on the strength of a warrant for a charge of rape filed by a 33-yearold woman at a Parañaque City regional trial court.

The woman claimed that she was drunk and possibly drugged when Dong raped her on April 10, 2016.

Dong has denied the allegations and the case was dismissed by the court. n

A january 30-february 1, 2019 • SoCal aSIan jOurnaL

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

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

BUSINESS& COMMUNITY Journal

Measure to improve internet service backed Lapid said economists also cited the strengthening of the peso against the dollar after hitting its weakest level of 54.325 to $1 on Sept. 26, 2018.

Philstar.com file photo

by Tyrone Jasper

C. piad

Manilatimes.net

THE Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) of the Philippines and other groups have supported the Open Access in Data Transmission bill or Senate Bill (SB) 1762, saying the measure would give the local telecommunications industry improved “competition, innovation and a level playing field.”

In a statement over the week-

end, the JFC, local businesses and civil society groups backed the passage of the measure, seen to improve internet services in the country.

The bill, they said, opens the sector for more service providers, pushing the sharing of infrastructure and resources among telco players and improving “access, affordability and quality of transmission services.”

Allowing more telco players to

set up transmission services is also necessary to expand internet access across the country for inclusive development, they said.

SB 1763 also outlines a data services regulatory framework that matches how the internet works, they added, which should be “decentralized, distributed and redundant.”

Meanwhile, the bill clarifies the role and gives authority to the

u PAGE B2

Airbus sees Philippines as aviation investment destination by riChmond merCurio

that air traffic growth over the next 20 years in the Philippines is forecasted at 6.1 percent per THE Philippines, with its con- annum. tinuing economic expansion and The growth will primarily be population growth, is now seen driven by domestic traffic which as the best place to invest in Asia is seen rising 6.7 percent annuas far as the aviation industry is ally. concerned, an executive from “An economic growth of the European aerospace giant Air- Philippines forecasted at five bus said. percent per year, and populaJean Francois Laval, Airbus ex- tion will reach, we think, 135 ecutive vice president for sales in million people by 2037. We estiAsia, in a presentation, showed u PAGE B4 Philstar.com

Jean Francois Laval, Airbus executive vice president for sales in Asia, in a presentation, showed that air traffic growth over the next 20 years in the Philippines is forecasted at 6.1 percent per annum Philstar.com file photo

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 6-8, 2019

B

B FEBRUARY 6-8, 2019 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

Business news

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

Philippines manufacturing leads ASEAN in growth A day in the life of a Filipino foster child in SoCal by czeriza

VaLencia Philstar.com

THE Philippine manufacturing sector outperformed those in ASEAN despite registering a slower expansion in January, according to the latest Nikkei ASEAN Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI).

Regional manufacturing activity was off to a sluggish start this year as ASEAN manufacturers reported a reduction in output amid weak exports, said IHS Markit, the firm that collected data for the PMI. The headline manufacturing PMI for ASEAN slipped to 49.7 in January from 50.3 in December, with six out of seven monitored countries reporting lower PMI readings.

The latest index indicates weaker business conditions as a reading of 50 and above in dicates expansion and improvement in business conditions.

The index provides a quick assessment of the health of the

Regional manufacturing activity was off to a sluggish start this year as ASEAN manufacturers reported a reduction in output amid weak exports, said IHS Markit, the firm that collected data for the PMI. Philstar.com photo by Edd Gumban

manufacturing sector based on five indicators: new orders, output, employment, inventories and delivery times.

Country rankings show the Philippines having the highest PMI reading of 52.3 in January despite registering a slower expansion in output from December.

Following the lead were Vietnam and Myanmar, both of which registered a PMI reading of 51.9, and Thailand, which registered a

reading of 50.2 in January.

Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore reported weakening manufacturing conditions as seen in PMI readings of 49.9, 47.9 and 45.6, respectively.

Philippine manufacturing registered a moderate improvement in business conditions in January as reflected in a slower PMI reading from 53.2 in December. Output expanded steadily but at a softer pace and strong domestic demand offset the persistent weakness in exports.

Manufacturing activity within ASEAN weakened amid the decline in export sales for the sixth consecutive month. Among the countries surveyed, only Thailand and Vietnam continued to register growth in new orders abroad.

Firms responded to weaker overseas demand by lowering input purchasing and reducing inventory levels in January.

Companies also hired fewer workers after several months of

u PAGE B3

More Filipinos now have deposit accounts Financial Inclusion in the Philippines” report also noted that, with the continuous growth of banking THE Philippines is slightly less offices nationwide, the number of “unbanked” just two years after unbanked local government units the central bank made it its mis- declined to 554 (33.9 percent of sion to encourage more people the total) in 2017 from 582 (35.6 to open bank accounts—meaning percent) in 2016, representing a that, slowly but surely, more Fili- 1.7 percentage points decrease in pinos are now part of the formal unbanked areas.

As of June 2018, 155 banks (out financial system.

According to the Bangko Sen- of 581 head offices) have tapped tral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the num- 1,751 so-called branch-lite units ber of deposit accounts in the to expand physical outreach in country has so far increased by 738 local government units, of 6.8 percent to 57.1 million in 2017 which 151 were being served by branch-lite units alone. from 53.5 million in 2016.

These innovations were made The regulator’s latest “State of

under the National Retail Payment System mandating a basic deposit account framework that meets the need of the unbanked for a low-cost, no-frills deposit account, which they can open even without standard identification documents.

Meanwhile, the year-end report on BSP’s financial inclusion initiatives underscored the opportunities presented by the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion in facilitating key multipartite agreements such as the promotion of financial literacy in schools and access to finance by micro, small, and medium enterprises. n

PAGE B1 t

Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines, Korean Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Management Association of the Philippines, Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters Inc., Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. and the USAsean Business Council Inc. The bill was approved on third and final reading on Nov. 21, 2017 at the House of Representatives and is currently up for second reading at the Senate. n

by Daxim

L. Lucas

Inquirer.net

Measure to improve internet...

National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) that current laws do not provide, they said.

“We believe that the Open Access in Data Transmission bill is a reform that will not only make the telecommunications and data services sector more dynamic but will also improve the country’s competitiveness as it prepares for the fourth industrial revolution,” they said.

Supporting the bill are the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Animation Council of the Philip-

pines, Australian New Zealand Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Coalitions for Change, Contact Center Association of the Philippines, Democracy. net.ph, Employers Confederation of the Philippines, European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Foundation for Economic Freedom, Federation of the International Cable TV and Telecommunications Association of the Philippines, IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines Internet Society,

DID you know that among Asian foster care children in Los Angeles, Filipino foster children make up the highest count?

My objective is to share more with our local Filipino community so that we can educate our kababayans to help find culturally sensitive homes for these children and youth.

As a social worker for the Asian Foster Family Initiative, I’ve become a little more familiar with a perspective that many people in our community might not not think about everyday: the perspective of foster children who come from a multicultural background.

Below you will find a story through the eyes of a former Filipino foster child. Names have been changed and stories have been slightly altered for security and privacy.

My name is Mericel I was six years old when it all

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

Life is, indeed, “a moveable feast” to borrow verbiage from Hemingway. Travel makes it so.

Do it while you can.

I ask friends at random what is on the top tier of their personal bucket list. A consistent response is that they want to travel — to see the world —whether the world as their oyster, is local or global: just their city, their state, the length and breadth of their native land, or the world at large.

One friend said that she and her family have been to 22 of the states in the US and would very much like to go visit all 50 states.

This is at the top of her bucket list. Another said that she would like to travel to Europe except she could not find the time while she is still working. There are those who list the Via Dolorosa in the Holy Land and would like to take the time to travel to pilgrimage sites: Lourdes in France, Fatima in Portugal, Medjugorje in Bosnia

Fostering & adoption 101 MAriAh ocA, MSW happened. I was born here in Los Angeles shortly after my mama and papa migrated from Quezon City. From what I remembered, they were always hard working.

So much that there would be days where I couldn’t see them because they worked so much. Mama was a live-in caregiver who would come home two days a week while Papa was a nurse working 12-14 hour shifts most days.

You might be wondering who was taking care of me while they were gone. My Tita Grace lived with us and helped watch over me

during the week. I remember she would wake me up in the morning, cook me spam or vienna sausages in the morning, and take me to school.

Of course, Tita Grace was also working two part-time jobs at the time. There were some days that Tita wasn’t able to pack me a baon (lunch) and she would forget to give me lunch money. Somehow, my school teacher noticed that I didn’t have a lunch on most days. When she tried scheduling parent-teacher meetings, my parents weren’t responding to her.

One day Tita Grace left to grab some groceries and told me not to answer the door if anyone doorbelled. While watching my favorite cartoon, I suddenly heard three knocks on the door. I was able to see through one of the windows that it wasn’t Mama or Papa. It was someone that I didn’t know. I was

u PAGE B4

The bucket list

The world is your oyster - Go travel (6th of a series)

”The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”

— Marcel Proust and other sites where the Blessed Mother has appeared to children.

The Grand Canyon is a sight to behold. The Great Wall of China is a must-see. Hongkong rocks and Palawan beckons. Bali says hi. What’s up with Cambodia’s Angkor Wat? Among the Japanese where the love of nature is deep, one of the more popular trips among the very hip, is to experience, at least once in their lifetimes, braving the freezing temperatures in the Arctic regions to witness first hand the dancing, mesmerizing Northern lights, the Aurora Borealis. To them, it is a sort of spiritual experience. I’m a warmblooded creature so I’ll take their word for it and experience the Northern lights vicariously.

Then there are those who have been permanently bitten by the travel bug and have accumulated travel mileage to circle the moon and back.

A married couple I know have made it a point to travel exten-

sively and have visited more than 50 countries thus far, making it a point to spend the Christmas holiday season in a different country every year.

They travel light (perhaps the first rule of travel) and have become savvy on the art and science of world travel: planning in advance, budgeting, dealing with foreign currency, being aware of the local culture, booking planes and trains and arranging transport, choosing hotels and navigating their way in strange countries.

Their experiences over the years can fill a travelogue but they go for the sheer love of adventurous travel, having gone to Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas in Peru and other exotic destinations.

There are 3 things required for travel. These include health, time and money. You need to be in relatively good health to have the stamina for the rigors posed by walking, hefting luggage, prep-

u PAGE B3

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

COMMUNITY JOURNAL

Bankruptcy is most effective and least costly way of getting rid of debt Pay debt off completely There are of course different ways of getting rid of debt.

The most obvious is just pay it off. Let’s say you owe $50,000 of credit cards. It’s costing you $1,500 a month of minimum payments to keep them current, or $18,000 a year, every year.

Obviously, the simplest way is to produce $50,000 from somewhere and just pay them off completely. But where will you get $50,000? Can you join GoFundMe and tell everyone to donate $1 each so that you can raise $50,000 to pay off your credit cards? I don’t think so.

Can you ask your rich uncle to give you $50,000? I don’t think so. Can you sell your two fully paid cars to raise $50,000? Even a 2013 M-Benz 300 probably will only sell for $10,000. So no, cars have no real value. Maybe you can win the lottery? Fat chance. You have one chance in 300 million. You have a better chance of getting struck by lightning or eaten by a shark than winning the lottery. Therefore, you can’t just get $50,000 from somewhere and use that to pay off your credit cards, right?

That’s pure fantasy.

Debt negotiation & settlement Another way is to call that number on the TV that says that they can negotiate your credit cards down and work out some payment plan. Let’s say they negotiate it down by half to $25,000. You still have to pay $25,000, right? And, you find out that you pay the business that does the negotiation the $25,000 whether outright or monthly depending on whatever circumstances. Your payments do not go straight to the creditor. It goes to the guy on TV who has what? He has to pay his overhead like his TV ads that cost a fortune.

What happens when the owner of the business decides to use the money you send for something else which happens once in a while in this unregulated industry? The business owner runs away with all of their clients’ money meant for credit cards payments. The FBI goes after the business owner who is now in hiding in the Mediterranean spending your $25,000 that was meant to pay off your credit cards. Think about it. The guy has 1,000 clients all paying him $500 a month, that’s $500,000 a month. Why doesn’t he just collect the $500,000 a month for a year, not pay any of the credit cards owed by his clients, and run away with $6.0M in his pocket? The temptation is too big! With that kind of money, he can change his face, change his fingerprints, and maybe even change his DNA. He can become taller, and fat-

Debt Relief

ATTY. LAWRENCE YANG ter and change his hair color to strawberry blonde, and he now is Trump’s clone. Want to give your money to Trump’s clone? I doubt that’s a good idea.

This reminds me of the prospective client who after reading a website on the internet sent $5,000 to the alleged landlord owner of the house he wanted to rent. The house was here in LA, while the landlord lived on the moon. The gullible client wired the $5,000 to the alleged owner’s bank, then went to the house to move into it. He told me the address was real, and there was really a house at the address. I said, ”Really? No kidding.” The alleged owner he sent the $5,000 didn’t own the house on the address. Of course, he didn’t own the house he was renting out. He said the website was real. I said sure. So what do you want me to do? I’m a lawyer, not a psychiatrist. “A fool and his money soon part.”

Further, not all of your creditors will agree to settle or to give you an extended time to pay your default. So, a couple of them will start suing you. Pretty soon, you’ll have lawsuits and levies on your bank accounts, and wage garnishments, despite having some kind of negotiated payment plan because this alternative is done by negotiation, and as with all negotiations, the other party can just walk off and not agree to reduce your debt or give you a payment plan. They can decide to just sue you to collect what you owe them. So you can see yourself paying $500 a month to the Trump clone, but still being sued by a couple of creditors who won’t agree to your plan because they are not legally required to agree to it.

They have legal enforcement remedies available to them, so why should they work with you and get only less than what you owe them over an extended period of time?

Do nothing and act like an ostrich Yet another way is just to do nothing and hide your head underground, just like an ostrich.

Just pretend you don’t have a debt problem. Change your phone number and hope your credit card masters forget about you. Don’t be surprised when you get a summons and complaint about collections, or your payroll department tells you that there is a garnishment for 25 percent of your salary until your $50,000 is fully paid. This

doesn’t seem to be a very effective way of dealing with debt.

You can forget about your creditors, but your creditors, unfortunately, cannot forget about you.

Your creditors actually have you by your “cajones” as they say down South.

File Chapter 7 and start fresh without debt Here comes an alternative that is the most effective, simplest and cost-effective way of getting rid of the $50,000 credit cards.

Go see a bankruptcy lawyer and ask if you qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

If you qualify, your Chapter 7 petition will wipe out the $50,000 without any repayment from you. Zero payment. Start fresh without debt and become productive again like the day you were born. Keep everything you own, including your house, everything in it, your retirement accounts not exceeding $1.0-M (now it’s a little more than $1.0M), your cars etc., assuming you qualify for all the applicable exemptions. Your cost is just the reasonable attorney fees and court filing fees, credit counseling, etc.

Don’t worry about your credit score. It will go up pretty fast after bankruptcy. You will be able to buy a car on credit as soon as you get discharged. You have to bring the discharge order to the dealer. Within a few months, you will get new credit cards sent to you. Within 2 or 3 years, you will be able to buy a house.

Soon enough, your credit score will be perfect again. There will be no record of your Chapter 7, 10 years from the date of filing. Your credit score will be over 700, year six. Before year six, your credit score is going up fast depending on the timely payments of your house or car loans and new credit.

Life is great after Chapter 7, I promise you. That’s why it’s called the fresh start law. Become a productive person again and start saving money again every month. Instead of paying $1,500 a month for $50,000 of credit cards, save that at the rate of $18,000 a year. In three years you will have almost $60K saves up in cash, instead of owing the same $50,00 in credit cards! Open your eyes and live a very productive life again.

File Chapter 13 and pay less than the $50,000 If you have non-exempt assets that will make you lose valuable assets in Chapter 7, you can file Chapter 13 instead. Let your lawyer analyze your financial situation in detail. Sometimes, it’s not a good idea to do Chapter 7 for certain reasons. If your homestead exemption surpasses it’s limit by $10,000 for example, just pay $200 a month

u PAGE B4

Putative spouse status as a defense to a petition for nullity of marriage ALL property, real or personal, wherever situated, acquired by a married person during the marriage while domiciled in California is community property. Family Code 760. However, there are situations in which the marriage may be held to be null and void.

These situations include, but are not limited to entering into a bigamous marriage, fraud and misrepresentation in entering into a marriage, etc. The legal consequences of having your marriage annulled by your spouse is that it results to you not having any community property interest on property acquired by your spouse during the marriage. A nullity may also cut off your claim for spousal support.

What options do you have if your spouse files a nullity against you? You may still have a claim to community property and support as a putative spouse. A party to a void or voidable marriage has “putative spouse” status only if he or she believed in good faith the marriage was valid. Family.

Code. § 225; Marriage of Guo & Sun (2010) 186 CA4th 1491, 1493, 112 CR3d 906, 908; Marriage of Vryonis (1988) 202 CA3d 712, 721, 248 CR 807, 813. A party who has the requisite objectively reasonable “good faith” belief may be a putative spouse where any legal infirmity in formation of the marriage renders the marriage invalid. Domestic Partnership of Ellis & Arriaga (2008) 162 CA4th 1000, 1005, 76 CR3d 401, 404; Estate of DePasse (2002) 97 CA4th 92, 107, 118 CR2d 143, 155; see Marriage of Vryonis, supra, 202 CA3d at 718–719, 248 CR at 811–812.

A party’s “good faith” belief in the validity of the marriage is not tested by whether he or she believed a “marriage” lawfully occurred under some private, secular or spiritual set of standards.

A putative spouse must have had a good faith belief in the existence of a lawful California marriage. Estate of DePasse (2002)

Barrister’s Corner ATTY. KENNETH URSUA REYES 97 CA4th 92, 107–108, 118 CR2d 143, 156; Welch v. State of Calif.

(2000) 83 CA4th 1374, 1378– 1379, 100 CR2d 430, 432–433; Marriage of Vryonis (1988) 202 CA3d 712, 723, 248 CR 807, 814–815 “Good faith” belief is tested by an objective standard based on facts that would cause a reasonable person under the circumstances to harbor a good faith belief in the existence of a valid California marriage. Domestic Partnership of Ellis & Arriaga, supra, 162 CA4th at 1005, 76 CR3d at 404; Marriage of Guo & Sun (2010) 186 CA4th 1491, 1497, 112 CR3d 906, 911; Marriage of Ramirez & Llamas (2008) 165 CA4th 751, 756, 81 CR3d 180, 183. Whether a party had an objectively reasonable “good faith” belief is a question of fact to be determined in light of all the circumstances.

Successfully proving putative spouse status or putative marriage status in court gives rise to certain property, support and attorney fees/costs rights, as well as certain other rights that ordinarily attach only between lawfully married persons. Property that would have been community or quasi-community property had the marriage been valid is deemed “quasi-marital property” and, in a proceeding to terminate the invalid marriage, “shall” be divided between the parties as if it were community. Family.

Code. § 2251(a)(2); Marriage of Tejeda (2009) 179 CA4th 973, 983, 102 CR3d 361, 368; Quasimarital property divided pursuant to § 2251 is also liable for the parties’ debts to the same extent

as if it had been community or quasi-community property. Family.Code. § 2252.

In addition, “temporary” and “permanent” spousal support may also be awarded in a nullity proceeding in favor of a putative spouse “in the same manner as if the marriage had not been void or voidable” Family Code Section 2254. The court may also award attorney’s fees pursuant to family code section 2030 in favor of a party found to be “innocent of fraud or wrongdoing in inducing or entering into the marriage, and free from knowledge of the then existence of any prior marriage or other impediment to the contracting of the marriage for which a judgment of nullity is sought.” Family Code Section 2255. *** 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 HYPERLINK “mailto: kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com” kenneth@ kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com (Advertising Supplement)

PAGE B2 t

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 6-8, 2019

B3

The bucket list...

ping and being on your toes for activities and the stresses that come with travel.

Particularly post 9/11, travel has become so tiresome because of tight security measures to counter terrorism. The second factor, especially for those who are still working for a living, is finding the time to squeeze travel in the limited amount of vacation days.

The third factor is, of course, probably easier than the first two — finding the money required to fund travel. If still employed, then you can still make the money to fund the trip. Depending on the destination and the duration chosen, travel can require very little money or a lot of it.

The most basic of travel gear is a good pair of broken-in walking shoes. Your feet will love you for it.

While you can travel alone, it is certainly much more fun and safer, if you go with a traveling companion who shares your spirit of fun.

If you are straddling the issue of whether to travel or not and you have at least 2 of the 3 basic requirements, I say, GO FOR IT, while you can still walk on two feet and have good eyesight and in relatively good health. If this is important to you, don’t hesitate. You can perhaps wangle the time, save the money or charge it to your credit card and pay it down later.

But if one has serious health challenges that require being

close to a medical facility, it can be a bit tricky to pull this off as part of your bucket list. It is still possible to travel even if wheelchair-bound or if one uses a walker or a cane, but the level of difficulty for yourself and your companions will be a tad higher.

Still, it may be worth a try. As in any circumstance, the mind can make a heaven of hell or a hell of heaven.

A lot of people wait for retirement age to do this because there is available time and more often than not, there is expendable money for travel. The problem in many cases, is that when the time comes, there may be health challenges to contend with But who says one has to travel far in order to check this off from our bucket list? You can certainly explore the wonders in your own backyard or in your own neck of the woods.

If you live in California, the possibilities for day trips and short trips are endless. Become a tourist in your own backyard and explore places like there is no tomorrow. There are mountains, deserts, coastlines, forests and campgrounds to explore.

There are observatories, museums, restaurants parks and trails to discover. The truth is, we are only limited by our own sense of adventure. There are so many places that can be explored everywhere around the world but it is probably wise to start where we are right now.

Or we can experience things vi-

cariously as we read about travel adventures or watch travel shows or even surf virtually through the internet.

But if life gives you the chance to physically travel and the spirit of adventure is in you, just do it.

Getting there is half the fun; being there with all your senses engaged in the moment is the other half.

The best thing about any kind of travel, local, domestic or international, is that it opens our eyes to the richness of our life here on earth. Yup, there is an embarrassment of riches right where we are. We just need to open our eyes and see and take it all in. Travel widens our horizons and broadens our understanding of human nature. We become aware of people of every stripe, color and persuasion. Above all, we learn to take nothing for granted.

We come home appreciating our awfully tiny place in the universe and realize how blessed and fortunate we are to be part of all these. Don’t do it for show to post on social media.

If done in the right spirit, there is something about travel that makes us more deeply thankful of just about everything in a quiet way.

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

Philippines manufacturing leads ASEAN...

PAGE B2 t

active hiring. Businesses that reported lower staffing levels cited reduced production requirements as well as resignations.

Vietnam recorded the strongest growth in workforce, while Singapore recorded the sharpest decline.

“ASEAN countries struggled at the beginning of 2019, as manufacturers saw new orders fall and output growth moderate

from December. Export demand was still a key factor weighing on the sector’s performance, as trade tensions around the world caused export orders to fall for the sixth month running,” said IHS Markit economist David Owen.

Amid slower global demand growth in the regional manufacturing sector would receive a boost from increases in domestic spending as inflationary pres-

Calendar of Events across

sures ease, he said.

“At the same time, the slowdown has led to an easing in inflationary pressures, with the rate of cost inflation at a fresh survey low in January. While this is likely to ease pressure on margins, particularly after steep increases in costs through 2018, it is likely that new orders will remain sparse without a boost to domestic spending or a recovery in foreign demand,” Owen said. ■

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 F E B R UA RY 8 -1 0

“Journey for Justice” book launch in Delano, CA Bridge and Delta Publishing in partnership with the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) and PapaLoDown Agency takes “Journey for Justice: The Life of Larry Itliong,” on a 15-city national book tour, starting with Delano, California, on February 8, 2019. This is the first nonfiction illustrated children’s book about Filipino American history, and the first book ever written about Larry Itliong. The children’s book written by the late historian Dawn Bohulano Mabalon, Ph.D. with Gayle Romasanta and illustrated by Andre Sibayan tells the story of forgotten United Farm Workers (UFW) cofounder, Larry Itliong, his migration to the United States and his lifelong fight for a farmworkers union. To celebrate these milestones and to honor Larry Itliong’s death anniversary (Feb. 8) and Dr. Dawn Mabalon’s six-month death anniversary (Feb. 10), and to kick off the Journey for Justice FANHS national book tour, a three-day event with a historical tour of Delano, panel discussions, children’s readings, Q & A with the co-author and illustrator, dinner, performances, a dedication mass for Larry Itliong and Dr. Dawn Bohulano Mabalon, and closing reception will be held from Friday, February 8 through Sunday, February 10. The historic Filipino Community Hall (“Filipino Hall”) in Delano, where the historical vote to go on strike occurred on September 7, 1965 (1469 Glenwood Street, Delano, CA 93215) will host most of the programming. All events, except for the dinner on Saturday night ($15/$6), are free to the public. Co-sponsors for the Delano event include: Filipino Community Delano, Delano Union School District, Delano Joint Union High School District, Bakersfield College Little Manila Rising, UC Davis Carlos Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies, Pin@y Educational Partnerships. For additional information visit www.bridgedelta.com.

F E B R UA RY 9

St. Finbar Church in Burbank, CA celebrates its 9th Annual Valentine Dinner Dance

Come and celebrate Hollywood glamour on February 9, 2019 from 6:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

For information contact Marian at (818) 562-6819 or send an email to minobleza@yahoo.com.

5th Filipino American Community General Assembly in New York The Philippine Consulate General New York is inviting all Filipino American community organizations in the U.S. Northeast (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont) to the annual General Assembly (Connecting and Collaborating for Change) on Saturday, February 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Philippine Center in New York. Please register your organization at newyorkpcg.events@dfa.gov.ph with the subject 5th Filipino American Community General Assembly.

F E B R UA RY 1 5

Franchising Retail & Trade Conference in Cerritos, CA The Coalition of Filipino American Chambers of Commerce (COFACC) hosts this highly anticipated business event at the Cerritos Sheraton located at 12725 Center Court Drive South, Cerritos, CA 90703. Attendees will have access to opportunities in business match making & referrals, roundtable discussions, entrepreneurship training programs, and networking & business connections with participants representing both the United States and the Philippines. Business owners, entrepreneurs, corporations, and the general public are all invited to attend. The Philippine Retailer Association (PRA) and the Philippine Franchise Association (PFA) will be present to network with the US business community. Also present will be local franchisor and franchisee business owners, the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA), the National Asian American Coalition (NAAC), the National Diversity Coalition (NDC), the Asian Pacific Islander Small Business Program, the Philippine Consulate Los Angeles Office, Philippine Dept. of Trade & Industry (PTIC) Los Angeles, and the Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA).Basic entry is only $10 but can and will vary depending on the participation experience desired. Registration for the Conference is simple and is processed online at by going to https://cofacc.org.

F E B R UA RY 1 6

Domestic Violence Prevention Symposium in San Fernando, CA The Valley Care Community Consortium partners with the Lions Clubs International/District 4-L3 to host the inaugural Domestic Violence Prevention Symposium to be held on Saturday, February 16, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the San Fernando Regional Recreation Park (208 Park Avenue, San Fernando, CA). Admission is free, open to the public and registration is strongly encouraged. For more information or to register for the event, please contact the Valley Care Community Care Consortium (VCCC) at (818) 904-5566 or email at healthy@valleyccc. org.

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

B FEBRUARY 6-8, 2019 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

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

A day in the life of a Filipino foster child...

PAGE C2 t

startled when they asked through the door if my parents were home.

I suddenly heard Tita Grace’s voice approaching the front door and started to hear their escalating conversation.

That night, I was taken by DCFS. I would later find out that my teacher was obligated to report her suspicions to the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) of LA County.

I always wondered why. But I guess that even though they didn’t intend to, I was neglected by parents. In the eyes of DCFS, my parents needed to not only make sure my daily needs and were being met but that someone was watching over me consistently. I shouldn’t have been left alone at six years old, even if was for only 30 minutes. Paired with the reports from my teacher and DCFS finding me at home alone, I was temporarily removed from home until my parents were able to prove that they could support me while ensuring I was consistently supervised and well taken care of while they were away at work.

The first family I joined did not look like me and definitely did not speak Tagalog in their home.

EMPLOYMENT

I was told that I would be able to see my parents every week, and I did. But those nights sleeping in an unfamiliar home, missing my family, and even missing the smallest things like Tita’s cooking and watching the Filipino Channel made it so hard. Especially at six years old.

What happened to Mericel?

At the hands of her county social worker, Maricel was placed temporarily into a foster home.

The social worker called around to families in the database for support on who can take Mericel in.

Because Mericel spoke Tagalog and English and was accustomed to Filipino food, the social worker tried to find a relative or a Filipino family in the database who can take Mericel into their home on a temporary basis while Mericel’s family tried to gain custody back.

One major problem is that there aren’t many Filipino families who are in the database to take in foster children. This means that for however long it takes for Mericel’s parents to earn custody back, Mericel may be in a foster home that may further heighten her trauma because this new family may not understand her cultural needs or nuances.

To find out more about children like Mericel and to find out how you can provide a temporary support system for Filipino foster children, please don’t hesitate to call or email me.

We are looking for more Filipino families to register as Resource (foster) Parents and our team offers you support throughout the process. We have trainings coming up in May and we would be happy to see more Filipino faces to support our kababayans who need our support.

“Don’t let fear hinder you from becoming a Resource Parent. If you have the heart to help, follow it,” Armida Chow, a Filipina Resource Parent urging Filipinos to inquire about the fostering journey to see if it’s a fit for their family. *** We all know a family member, relative, or perhaps even ourselves who have the resources and the heart to share with these children. In order to attend our Pre-Approval Parent Trainings in March 2019, you must attend an Orientation hosted by the Asian Foster Family Initiative, which is the first and only Asian Pacific Island focused foster family agency in the nation. Please contact Mariah at moca@kfamla.org or (213) 2354851 for any questions and/or to register.

EMPLOYMENT

Bankruptcy is most effective and least...

PAGE C3 t

for 60 months under Chapter 13.

You pay the Chapter 13 trustee the monthly $200, not some company on TV. The trustee is an officer of the court and will not run away with your money. This is 100 percent guaranteed by law.

The trustee receives your $200 a month and distributes that equally among all your creditors. Each creditor gets 20 percent of what you owe them. After 60 monthly payments, the court discharges

the $50,000 and you owe zero.

You get to keep everything you own. This is called a financial reorganization under Chapter 13.

The court protects your house and other assets while you are in Chapter 13 from lawsuits, collections, levies, garnishments and other legal enforcement actions to collect debt. In other words, you have peace of mind and the protection of the court from all creditors including the IRS. 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 1000 S. Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, Building A-1 Suite 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803.

(Advertising Supplement

Airbus sees Philippines as aviation...

PAGE B1 t

mate that growth of traffic in the Philippines will be more than six percent, which will outpace even the growth we forecasted in Asia.

This will put your country at the forefront of aviation,” Laval said.

“So if there’s a place you want to invest in aviation, definitely it’s the Philippines,” he added.

The Airbus official’s observation was recently attested by ANA Holdings Inc.’s investment in the country’s largest airline, Philippine Airlines.

ANA Holdings, the parent company of Japan’s largest airline All

Nippon Airways, announced last week the investment of $95 million through the acquisition of 9.5 percent outstanding shares in PAL Holdings, the listed parent company of the country’s flag carrier.

Meanwhile, Changi Airport Philippines Pte. Ltd., operator of the most awarded airport in the world, Singapore Changi Airport, is also set to operate and maintain the Clark International Airport in Pampanga.

Changi, in a consortium with Filinvest Development Corp., JG Summit Holdings Inc., and Phil-

EMPLOYMENT

FOR RENT

ippine Airport Ground Support Solutions Inc., bagged the operations and maintenance contract of the Clark International Airport.

Changi has also been tapped as the technical partner of a super consortium of seven conglomerates that seeks to rehabilitate, operate, and expand the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Aside from Changi, South Korea’s Incheon, rated by as one of the best airports worldwide since 2005, will also be helping San Miguel in its Bulacan airport proposal. n

B5 FEBRUARY 6-8, 2019 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

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

People and Events

Makati Nights: Valentine’s edition

GET ready for retro dance music debauchery this Valentine’s season! On Saturday, February 9, 2019, the authentic Makati nightlife vibe is back! Makati Nights Part 4 - 80s, 90s and Disco is happening at the 18 Social Penthouse, Hotel Indigo in Downtown Los Angeles. Makati Nights Part 4 features former Makati nightclub resident DJs Josh Evangelista of Venezia, George Garcia of Planet Mars, and Cary Carreon of Hard Cafe Makati. All three DJs will be providing killer retro sets

for the evening that will guarantee you flashback fun!

Makati Nights is a roving 70s, 80s, 90s, and 2000s nightlife event based in Los Angeles. Hosted by veteran Manila and Los Angeles DJ, producer, and remixer Josh Evangelista (https://www. facebook.com/joshevangelistamusic), Makati Nights pays tribute to the glorious Makati nightlife of the past by reconstructing its nightclub atmosphere at some of Los Angeles’ chic and modern nightclub venues. Each event,

Makati Nights feature the best DJs that have played at Philippine nightclubs, DJs from notable mobile DJ groups of the 90s, as well as DJs visiting from the Philippines. These original Makati selectors will dish out some of the best dance music hits from each era for us to experience the authentic manila club vibe.

For the latest updates, please visit us on Facebook at http:// www.facebook.com/makatinights or at http://makatinightsla.com. ■

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

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 6-8, 2019

B

The

Asian Journal

mdwk The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 6, 2019

Wednesday, FEBRUARY 6, 20 9

mAGAZINE

†Ü¯†ÅºÊåÙņ¿Ö咿¯“†â¯ÊÅÜ

dž†Ü¯†ÅºÊåÙņ¿“ÊÄ

dž†Ü¯†ÅºÊåÙņ¿

XXX BTJBOKPVSOBM DPN -PT "OHFMFT LJ -BT 7FHBT LJ 0SBOHF $PVOUZ *OMBOE &NQJSF LJ /PSUIFSO $BMJGPSOJB LJ /FX :PSL /FX +FSTFZ

2

cover story

ON THE COVER Photo by Sue Kwon Cover designed by Jillian Peñalosa / AJPress

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 6, 2019

A path of H.E.R. own

The Grammy-nominated R&B sensation H.E.R. discusses Filipina heritage, inherent passion for music and why she remains largely anonymous by

Klarize Medenilla / AJPress

WHEN R&B singer and songwriter H.E.R. stepped onto the B.E.T. Awards stage last summer the whole room gave her its undivided attention.

Propped in front of violinists and a harpist playing the dreamy intro to the single “Focus,” H.E.R. sways in a haze of cyan and magenta fog as she strikes the audience with the first line of the song, “Me? Can you focus on me?”

It’s less of a call for us to merely look at and acknowledge her as a strictly visual spectacle, but more of a petition to pay attention to the soulful expression emanating through the mic.

Like water, her voice is soft yet unyielding. Her flawless harmonies permeate the room with the power of unconstrained feeling and soul so rare to find in a rising star.

Before she transitions into “Best Part” with fellow R&B upand-comer Daniel Caesar, she offers a robust electric guitar solo with skill and authority rarely seen in young musicians these days.

As music begins to rely more on computer programs and other digitized methods of producing and modifying, experiencing a truly live performance with instruments is becoming a rare bird. It’s even rarer that artists sound just as good — or in H.E.R.’s case, better than the studio versions.

Amid working on her debut album, H.E.R. (which stands for Having Everything Revealed) has racked up a fortuitous and busy 2019.

The 21-year-old R&B sensation is nominated for five Grammy Awards: Album of the Year (for the compilation album, “H.E.R.”), Best New Artist, Best R&B Performance (for “Best Part” with Caesar), Best R&B Song (for “Focus”) and Best R&B Album (for “H.E.R.”).

And that’s just the begin-

ning. She’s also performing at the 61st Grammy Awards — airing this Sunday, Feb. 10 on CBS — and will be performing as one of the bigger acts at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

She’s currently working on her debut album, which she briefly took a break from to speak with the Asian Journal on Wednesday, Jan. 30.

“I always say I could be taking a midterm right now, but I feel more blessed and grateful than anything that I get to do what I love every single day,” H.E.R. says in an interview, as her enthusiasm beams through the phone.

But, who is she? Or, if you will, who is H.E.R.?

A performer through and through Born in 1997 to Filipina-

For most performances, H.E.R. wears dark sunglasses.

as she used to,” she understands the language.

“I’m really grateful for my mom who encouraged me to be a hard worker, you know, that’s one thing about Filipinos, they’re really hard-working people,” H.E.R. warmly remarks.

“I wanted the music to be No. 1, I wanted it to get the attention, the forefront, the No. 1 focus, and I wanted people to just listen and love the music because sometimes we get caught up in the gimmicks, the looks, and the glitz: these things that don’t really matter to me,” she shares.

American Agnes Wilson and African-American Kenny Wilson in Vallejo, California, H.E.R. — whose real name is Gabriella “Gabi” Wilson — said she was raised with a “good balance” of the Filipino and Black American cultures in her home.

Her maternal grandparents were first-generation Filipino immigrants who made sure that Filipino traditions were not lost in their familial diaspora. They spoke Tagalog, and although she “doesn’t speak [it] as much

And, of course, H.E.R. says that her household was no stranger to the ubiquitous karaoke machine(s) that exist in so many Filipino homes.

“She wanted me to sing Alicia Keys songs, Mariah Carey and all those love ballads, and I also sang some Tagalog songs, like I learned Sharon Cuneta songs, too. She’d bring her friends over to the house and ask me to sing for them,” H.E.R. remembers with a laugh.

But it wasn’t just karaoke that gave her exposure to the performance life. Kenny Wilson used to perform in a blues cover band which used to rehearse in their living room.

“It was a lot of James Brown and a lot of soul music and a lot of R&B,” H.E.R. shares. “And that influenced my own music heavily. I’ve always been drawn to that soulful and emotional music with real lyrics and those lyrics that make you feel something.”

Growing up biracial opens the door to a myriad of identity crises, but for H.E.R., it was a source of empowerment and an opportunity to connect with a diverse array of people. “[Being biracial] helped me more than it did hinder me because I always tried to conquer any doubt I had in myself,” she

remarks. “What I learned to do was assimilate, but not in a way where I had to conform or be something else that I wasn’t.”

She adds that she embraced a diverse upbringing and that music provided an interpersonal gateway for her to connect with people of different backgrounds in the cultural hub that is the Bay Area.

From teen prodigy to R&B sensation When it became evident that she was a born performer, Agnes and Kenny Wilson fully supported their daughter’s aspirations in music.

When she was 12 years, H.E.R. was brought on the Today Show to cover Alicia Keys songs on the piano, and soon after, competed on Radio Disney’s “The Next BIG Thing.”

In 2014, she signed to Sony’s RCA Records and released a single called “Something To Prove” under Gabriella Wilson.

“For me, it wasn’t really a decision so much as it was a fact that this was what I was meant to do. There wasn’t really an alternative career path for me,” H.E.R. explains.

And then in 2016, she emerged with her new persona as H.E.R. to release her debut extended play “H.E.R. Vol. 1” which garnered acclaim from industry juggernauts like Usher, Pusha T and Wyclef Jean, as well as labelmate and childhood inspiration, Alicia Keys.

That EP would end up on many publications’ end of the year list, including NPR’s “5 Essential R&B Albums You Slept On.” In 2017, she released a follow-up EP, “H.E.R. Vol. 2,” which further hoisted her up.

Both albums represent a contemporary vulnerability with its beautifully crestfallen lyrics most people would turn to in the midst of heartbreak.

We find solace in the resilient conviction she portrays, like in the song “As I Am” on the EP “I Used to Know Her: The Prelude” released in 2018.

In addition to collaborating with Daniel Caesar on “Best Part,” she has also worked with fellow rising R&B star Ella Mai,

H.E.R. racked up five Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist.

H.E.R. shared a photo on Instagram of her on a Spotify billboard in Brooklyn.

H.E.R. receives a plaque in December 2018 celebrating the self-titled compilation album going Gold.

H.E.R. grew up in the Bay Area of California with a “good balance” of the Filipino and Black American cultures.

Photos courtesy of Facebook/OfficialHERMusic

H.E.R.’s fourth EP released in 2018, “I Used to Know Her: The Prelude,” which was followed by Part 2.

Khalid and Bryson Tiller.

Changing the game Clout. Flex. Influencer.

Influencers flex to gain clout and more clout heightens your own influencer brand. This is all Internet speak for a new, millennial brand of prestige and celebrity shaped by the idea of one’s personal brand.

Amplified by the continued merging of pop culture and social media, this trifecta forms the millennial mission statement for social upward mobility.

In this world where celebrity transparency and intimacy are everything, and mysticism in pop culture has become obsolete, it’s become rare for an artist to take the backseat and allow their art to be the selling point.

She only goes by H.E.R. and has curated an enigmatic persona, so much that for this interview, the Asian Journal was instructed to address her as H.E.R. For most performances, she wears dark sunglasses. In her album cover art, her eyes are blacked out and you rarely get a look at her face. And unlike so many stars, she’s never one to overshare and maintains a lowkey profile.

“I wanted the music to be No. 1, I wanted it to get the attention, the forefront, the No. 1 focus, and I wanted people to just listen and love the music because sometimes we get caught up in the gimmicks, the looks, and the glitz: these things that don’t really matter to me,” she shares.

Social media has become a

crucial application in celebrity promotion that is conducive to guerilla marketing that relies on gimmicks and stunts to spark conversation. The idea that all publicity is good publicity doesn’t jive with H.E.R., who has chosen to stay away from those means of influence.

Though she’s maintained anonymity, there is still a warmth in what she shares with the world. She’s vulnerable and honest in her presence and in her records, but at the end of the day, you still don’t really know her.

Despite straying away from the trend of increasing intimacy between celebrity and fan, she is rising in the ranks to become the next big superstar in, not only R&B, but in the music industry at large.

But achieving celebrity status is hardly the objective.

“I definitely don’t try to do what everyone else is doing at the moment,” she says. “I try to trust my gut and trust what’s got me this far, which were honest songs that I was afraid to do. Sometimes the most daring thing — the thing that you’re most afraid to do — is the thing that’s gonna get you from point A to point B. You have to dare to take risks and dare to be you.

When you try to be successful trying to be someone else, the success eventually runs out.”

The 61st annual Grammy Awards will air on CBS on Sunday, Feb. 10 at 5 p.m. PST. H.E.R. will be performing at Coachella this spring on Sunday, April 14 and Sunday, April 21.

TNT Boys receive standing ovation with ‘Listen’ performance

and drag queen RuPaul — and the international panel of 50 judges called the “Wall of the THE young singing trio, World.”

TNT Boys, stunned the judges Even the show’s host, Britof the U.S. talent show “The ish comedian James Corden, World’s Best” after they was immensely impressed with performed the famous song the trio’s performance.

“Listen,” originally sang by “I felt as I was watching it, Beyoncé. what about adding a 40-yearIn a YouTube video upold chubby British guy…Just loaded by “Talent Recap,” the give me a chance,” Corden, group composed of Mackie who approached the boys, Empuerto, Kiefer Sanchez, and said jokingly.

Francis Concepcion conquered To say that the TNT Boys the stage with an impressive wowed the three American rendition of the song. judges is an understatement.

Their performance re“This is a whole other thing. ceived a standing ovation You possess a gift, you’re just from the three American that good,” Barrymore said. judges—actress Drew BarryHill, meanwhile, said she more, country singer Faith Hill, was shocked by the sudden

by Christia

Marie Inquirer.net

raMos

transformation of the trio when they performed.

“First of all, you have some serious attitude. I mean you’re so precious and so sweet but when you were singing, you were in that song. You were like…bam!” she said.

RuPaul had just one thing to say: Shante, you stay.

Corden also asked for the comment of one of the judges included in the “Wall of the World,” who has worked with Beyoncé herself.

“I actually wouldn’t be surprised if she (Beyoncé ) would call you up after this and be like ‘Join me on the next tour,’” Dennis Jauch, an award-winning dancer and

choreographer who represents Germany, said.

Meanwhile, singer Pops Fernandez, who was one of the 50 international judges, can’t hide her excitement over the trio’s performance.

“I’m so proud right now to represent the Philippines. On behalf of the Filipinos, guess what? I know for a fact that you can be The World’s Best,” Fernandez said.

The TNT Boys got an average of 49 points from the American judges. Combining that with the score given by the international panel, the group obtained a score of 99 points, which enables them to move forward to the next The TNT Boys return to the international stage on ‘The World’s Best.’ round.

Photo courtesy of ABS-CBN

entertainment Gary V thankful for surviving health challenges, gets back to work The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 6, 2019

by Nathalie Miss Universe Catriona Gray (center) is joined by Consul General Claro Cristobal, Consul Arman Talbo and Filipino-American media prior to her meet and greet with the Fil-Am community.

AJPress Photos by Troi Santos

Homesick Miss Universe looks forward to her grand homecoming this month

by MoMar

G. Visaya

AJPress

BEFORE going to the Philippines for her big homecoming, Miss Universe Catriona Gray spent an unusually warm winter afternoon with fellow Filipinos for a meet and greet at the Philippine Center hosted by the Philippine Consulate General New York.

Gray on Monday afternoon said that just being in the consulate is already like taking a trip back to the Philippines and reminisced when she was at the Philippine Center for the first time in 2016 a few days proceeding to the Miss World finals in Washington, DC. “I just want to say thank you to everyone for being here today. I feel like I’ve taken a step back home in the Philippines seeing you all,” Gray said as she thanked the roomful of Filipino community leaders from the various states in the northeast who attended the event. “I am a little homesick but I am going back for my homecoming mid February and I’m very, very excited.”

Consul General Claro Cristobal and Consul Arman Talbo joined Gray at the presscon prior to her meeting the community.

“It has been a wonderful two months so far and I am really excited to go home and see everyone for the homecoming,” Gray added.

According to press announcements, Gray will have a grand homecoming on February 21

The new Miss Universe will have her grand homecoming in Manila this month. She said she is excited to go home to meet her fans and loved ones.

and 23 in Manila.

“As I said earlier in the room next door, it makes me feel like I’ve taken a little bit of a trip home to the Philippines. Seeing all of your faces so many kababayans dito— Thank you so much po for being here,” she said, addressing the capacity crowd.

Dr. Aida Navidad Rivera and a group came all the way from Philadelphia to attend the meet and greet with the Filipina Miss Universe.

“Miss Catriona Gray is politely beautiful. She is beauty and brains, well spoken and engaging,” Dr. Aida Navidad Rivera said. “The Miss Universe title rightfully belongs to her.”

“The event was of mutual expression of appreciation of Continued on Page 4

Miss Universe Catriona Gray is all smiles as she stepped out of the Philippine Center in New York.

She will be busy in the next few days attending New York Fashion Week.

toMada Philstar.com

GARY Valenciano believes it was nothing short of a miracle how he survived his health challenges last year.

To recall, the 54-year-old singer-songwriter/performer underwent two major operations. First, he had an openheart surgery and then another procedure to remove a malignant tumor in his kidney area, which fortunately was “confined and extractable,” reports say.

“Yeah (I consider it a miracle). The doctor came to my room two days after the operation and he was like, are you sure you are diabetic because you’re healing really well. And then he looks at his team, ‘This guy is a Type 1 diabetic for 39 years and look at how he’s healing,’” Gary related to The Star. “So, it was really miraculous. Not to say, there won’t be any challenges later on. But right now, I’m living proof that I called on God and He responded.”

Gary has always been vocal about his faith, but he admitted that his faith took on a deeper meaning because “I’ve gone through things that nobody expected me to go through.”

Gary shared, “I’ve come to realize one thing: You can only exercise faith when fear begins to knock on your door.

You cannot say you have faith kung wala yung mga things like fear, because when things are great, it’s easy to say you have faith.

“When I was going through this whole health challenge, take note, it was from a person who seemingly was supposed to be healthy all this time. Yun pala may block na pala na 95 percent puso niya. Then there was already cancer brewing na di ko alam.

“So, it got to the point, that I humanly cannot do anything anymore. Even if I took medicine, what is that going

Gary Valenciano

to do against cancer? Even if I went through the operations, is there certainty that it won’t come back? Is there certainty that my heart will be OK? So all the more it strengthened me to realize that really I can only rely on God for Him to do things that humans cannot do and that medicines cannot do.”

Asked how he is now, Gary said, “I’m doing really good. I just had my first check-up because I’m supposed to go every six months.

So, it’s been seven months actually since June. Blood is fine. Everything is fine. They found nothing that is alarming.”

The doctor’s only instruction is to modify his work so that he can continue to work out and stay in shape.

Food-wise, he keeps away from anything sweet and

Photo from Instagram/@garyvalenciano

salty. Presently, Gary is one of the judges on the newest reality contest, ABS-CBN’s World of Dance.

And he’s back to playing with his grandchild, biking again and going to the gym, and doing things he has always dreamt of doing with the encouragement of his family. “As a matter of fact, I’m resuming my dream of visiting 35 universities for my 35th anniversary (in the entertainment industry).”

Last week, Gary was at the Unibersidad de Manila. “I was able to share my journey and try to hopefully impart a message na kayo din may journey kayo, di pwede may shortcuts sa buhay. If you wanna get somewhere, go on a journey through life. All the upside-downs will teach you to become who you are supposed to be.”

entertainment Homesick Miss Universe...

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 6, 2019

From Page 3 who we are as Filipinos in the diaspora,” Rivera added.

For another community leader, it was a pleasant opportunity to see Gray again, after meeting her back in 2016.

“And she has blossomed

so beautifully and oozing with confidence at that. She carries and embraces the Miss Universe crown so professionally,” said Joji Jalandoni. “It is a perfect vehicle to benefit her cause which is promoting education and increasing awareness of HIV in the Philip-

pines.”

Yet another group from Tom’s River, New Jersey is thankful to the consulate for the chance to meet the Miss Universe and have their photo taken with them.

“Catriona is a very special lady in her own way, she is very beautiful inside and out, always smiling and (she) looks happy,” said Joji Ortega Babuschak. “I admired her more when she talked about her advocacy, I wish I can raise some money to support her mission to help our less fortunate children back home and folks who have HIV.” Promoting Filipino fabrics Gray was known to wear Filipino designed gowns using local textiles and fabrics during her time as a candidate for Binibining Pilipinas and again at the Miss Universe competition in Bangkok.

At the consulate event, she wore a full hand-embroidered modern Filipiniana and Victorian inspired barong designed by Orias Studios.

“I’ve fallen in love with our Filipino textiles and fabrics.

As a Miss Philippines, yes I wore the sash but if I were to remove the sash, I wanted to look like a Miss Philippines,” she said, explaining why she collaborated with Filipino designers for her gowns and accessories.

“We have amazing Filipino designers and our textiles are unique to us, they’re nowhere else in the world. If I could just share that in a way, I know it doesn’t encapsulate the whole of our culture, but it is a small aspect that I feel like, specially my age group would really sit up and pay attention,” Gray added.

Responding to a question about how she sees herself in five years, Gray rattled off a couple of items in her list, including a possible career in music and business.

“I would love to have my own business, but with a livelihood program. I have this love developed for our fabrics and textiles and I would love to have a business reflect that,” she said.

Dr. Anna Lourdes Armada-Chickey, M.D.

David Pomeranz leads ‘Heart & Soul’ Post-Valentine Concert Live in Pechanga Resort Casino on February 22 with Nina & JayR

IT’S a date! Highly-acclaimed singer-composer and lyricist, David Pomeranz, along with famed Filipino singersNina and JayR, will perform live in a ‘Heart & Soul’ concert at the Pechanga Resort Casino on February 22 at 8p.m.

Pechanga Resort Casino, located off I-15 in Temecula California, is well-known for hosting the best and the brightest Filipino entertainers and performers, and international actress who renders wholesome entertainment to the delight of the crowd.

David Pomeranz, a Hollywood icon, known for composing and writing for musical theater, is a Pop music singer, who at an early age starts to play guitar, piano and drums. He also sang alongside big names in American music industry as Rod Steward and other huge rock bands.

His memorable songs include ‘ Trying to Get the Feeling Again,’ and ‘Old Songs,’ which were both recorded by Barry Manilow, plus a host of other songs, including Christmas, hit the top 40’s record.

The rest of Pomeranz musical stints were focused and released in Broadway while some landed as theme songs for blockbuster movies.

Joining Pomeranz is Nina- a multi-awarded singer whose album, Nina Live!, was released

by Warner Music in year 2006.

She has received the most positive review and the highest critical ratings from her album as it reached its Gold status by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry (PARI) a few years back.

From a well-meaning composition of Nyoy Bolante, who wrote more ballad songs, Nina perfected the interpretation of the songs in her album which she dubbed as ‘beautiful and inspiring.’

JayR, another Filipino singer-songwriter and producer, will also sing his strings of famous songs culled from his original album such as ‘Bakit Pa Ba,” (‘Why is it so’) that bagged numerous awards and has earned him the number one single certified as Platinum in 2003.

Well-known as ‘R&B Prince’, JayR, and known to

most fans as ‘JayLa’, also released a Christmas album as he came out with another album in 2010 with Outstanding Pilipino Music Love Classics. With music as his first love, JayR has also been working alongside with a major TV network in Manila.

Together, David Pomeranz, Nina, and JayR will ‘wow’ the guests and patrons of Pechanga Resort Casino for this post-Valentine concert of ‘Heart & Soul.’

Hurry up! Capture these trio perform at the Pechanga Summit. Make it a habit to witness and watch surprising live performances in the only one entertainment hub in Temecula, California-- the Pechanga Resort Casino, located at off I15 at Temecula Valley Southern California Wine County- No. 45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula, CA 92592. You may purchase tickets at a minimum of $58 from the Pechanga Box Office 1-888-810-8871 or online at www.Pechanga.com.

Shows in the Pechanga Theater offer a comfortable and intimate concert experience.

With 1,200 seats in its theater, each show features state-ofthe-art and acoustically perfected sound. Enjoying favorite artists at Pechanga versus other venues proves effortless with free valet and self-parking for

guests, complimentary casino/ resort shuttles, gourmet and casual dining options on site, plus comfortable chairs and an up-close view from every theater seat.

Pechanga Resort Casino offers one of the largest and most expansive resort/casino experiences anywhere in the United States. Named the Number One casino in America by readers of USA TODAY and rated a Four Diamond property

by AAA since 2002, Pechanga Resort Casino provides an unparalleled getaway. Offering more than 4,600 of the hottest slots, table games, worldclass entertainment, 1,090 hotel rooms, dining, spa and championship golf at Journey at Pechanga, Pechanga Resort Casino features a destination that meets and exceeds the needs of its guests and the community. Pechanga Resort Casino is owned and operated by the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians. For more information, call toll free 1888-PECHANGA or visit www.

Pechanga.com. Follow Pechanga Resort Casino on Facebook and on Twitter @PechangaCasino. Pechanga Resort Casino is open 24-hours. Guests must be 21 and older to enter the casino.

(Advertising Supplement)

by : RITCHEL MENDIOLA AJ Press

Being a good doctor does not only mean having the ability to regurgitate dense medical knowledge and make the right diagnosis.

It also means having resilience in this field of work and compassion for patients.

According to The Care of the Patient, an article written by Dr. Francis W. Peabody and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1927, “One of the essential qualities of the clinician is interest in humanity, for the secret of the care of the patient is in caring for the patient.”

Patients are not just lists of medical problems and medications — they deserve to feel valued and cared for, especially during a fragile time when their health is compromised. This is exactly where Dr. Anna Lourdes Armada-Chickey thrives.

Lasting fascination Dr. Chickey is an internal medicine specialist born in Makati City, Philippines. She is proficient in both Tagalog and English language.

Growing up, she was drawn to the medical profession through her aunt who was a physician. After getting her high school diploma from St. Scholastica’s Academy in 1972, and attending Assumption Convent for general college courses in 1973, she went to University of Santo Tomas to earn her Bachelor’s degree in Pre-Med. Her medical degree, meanwhile, is from the University of the East, Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center.

Dr. Chickey started her post-graduate training with a rotating internship at Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City from 1980 to 1981.

After migrating to the United States, she did a transitional internship at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons/Overlook Hospital in New Jersey from 1991 to 1992. She completed her three years of residency in Internal Medicine at Kaiser Foundation Hospital in San Francisco, California in 1995.

She worked at Gateway Medical Group as an Internal Medicine physician for 10 years before opening her solo practice in 2004.

Dr. Chickey was board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in 2001, demonstrating that she met its rigorous standards through intensive study, self-assessment and evaluation.

Dr. Chickey is also the Executive Director of Philippine Heritage Institute International (PHII), a private non-profit foundation. PHII, which was founded in 1989, focuses on the advancement of Filipino-Americans through youth development programs, promotes Filipino culture, and bridges cultural gaps.

Utmost care Dr. Chickey has more than 30 years of experience as an Internal Medicine specialist. Her solo practice, St. Anne Medical Clinic, which is located at 2536 West Temple St. Los Angeles, California,

has been delivering personalized medical services for 14 years. Dr. Chickey, together with her staff, aims to provide excellent medical services to all members of their community — especially to Filipino residents of Filipino Town.

Being an internist is no easy feat as this profession covers a broad scope of medicine to include total body wellness, disease prevention, and management of chronic conditions and illnesses. Dr. Chickey, as an internist, is dedicated to her patiences of all ages — and makes sure she has a positive impact on their lives. This is why she likes having her solo practice; she sees fewer patients, so she is able to dedicate time for longer consultations.

Being a good listener is critical to being a good internist, so Dr. Chickey makes sure to listen well to her patients. She also gives her patients the time they need and deserve. Above all, she helps her patients feel empowered to improve their own health.

Dr. Chickey strives to make her patients feel they are in good hands. She reassures them that their concerns are valid, and that they are always heard.

By offering compassion, she manages to build rapport and establish good working relationships with her patients.

The field of medicine is incredibly complex, which is why Dr. Chickey is always updated with new medical information to better help her patients.

She is also relentless in her commitment to each of her patient’s cause, always trying until she can offer a clear and accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.

Aside from these, she is vigilant about following up on any tests that are done on her patients and communicates those results as clearly as she can.

Dr. Chickey’s passion for her work shines through in everything she does. She understands the important role she plays in the well-being of her patients, and does not take for granted the privilege she has in bettering their lives.

Aside from St. Anne Medical Center, she is affiliated with Temple Community Hospital and Silver Lake Medical Center in Los Angeles, California.

(Advertising Supplement)

Iza Calzado with husband Ben Wintle

Photo from Instagram/@missizacalzado

Iza Calzado looking forward to start her own family

by Boy

ABundA Philstar.com

AFTER becoming Mrs. Wintle last December when she exchanged “I do’s” with her Filipino-British fiancé Ben Wintle in Coron, Palawan, Iza Calzado is expected to become pregnant with their first child soon. Are Mr. and Mrs. Wintle starting to talk about raising a family?

The question led Iza to answer with a back-story to their marriage and admitted she initially had fears about committing herself to a big responsibility. She explained, while in the hot seat of Tonight With Boy Abunda (TWBA), “Well, it was something we had to talk about a long time ago. ‘Yun ‘yung isa sa mga ano (concern) ni Ben na parang gusto niya masigurado na kahit isa man lang papayag ako magkaroon ng anak kasi before medyo talaga ano ako, I still have fears of getting there, I mean, you know it’s a big commitment, it’s a big responsibility.”

Iza further said, “At some point he had to ask me,

‘Are you willing to become a mother?’ and I said, ‘Of course.’”

The actress committed to having one child first to Ben and assured him that if everything turned out okay, then that’s the time they will add more. “Parang let’s play it by ear muna,” she said.

Given the difference in the nature of their work and time table, Iza revealed that they have yet to plan their honeymoon although she already has in mind a couple of places where they could go to like “I’ve never been to Italy and then South Africa has always been a dream of mine. Wala pang timeline but hopefully it will happen this year.”

The actress also shared precious moments during her beach wedding with Ben. Iza said it was her departed dear daddy Lito Calzado’s dream to walk her down the aisle “because when he passed away, I was turning 30. So, feeling n’ya talaga gusto n’ya makapangasawa na ako.”

That’s why the locket, with the picture of her mom and

dad in it, really made her shed copious tears.

However, Iza would like to clarify that the locket, which was part of the bouquet, was not the reason why she didn’t toss the bouquet. As part of the tradition, the bouquet is tossed to single women with the belief that whoever catches it will be the next to marry. According to Iza, time constraint prevented her from doing it but she wished to pass the good energy to Ben’s sister Annika “hoping that she’ll be next (to marry).”

Apart from the locket that made the “presence” of her parents more palpable, Iza also received a sentimental gift from her close friend Sunshine Dizon. It was a bracelet that belonged to Iza’s late mom Mary Ann Ussher, that Sunshine bought from Iza. Iza shared that like any normal family, they also experienced being cash-strapped and her mom then had her fine jewelries pawned. It was the time when Iza was not yet into showbiz.

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 6, 2019

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 6, 2019