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FEBRUARY 6-12, 2020

T H E F I L I P I N O –A M E R I C A N C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R

Volume 31 - No. 6 • 16 Pages

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US lauds alliance with PH amid Duterte threat vs VFA by FRANCES

MANGOSING Inquirer.net

MANILA — U.S. Ambassador to Manila Sung Kim lauded the decades-old alliance with the Philippines, amid President Rodrigo Duterte’s threat to terminate the country’s Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with Washington. Speaking at an event commemorating the World War II internment camp at the University of Santo Tomas early this week, Kim, without directly mentioning the VFA, highlighted the importance of the military alliance of the two countries and the benefits of American US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim speaks on Monday, February 3, at a ceremony presence here. “The alliance remains as imporhonoring the American civilians interned at University of Santo Tomas during World War II.

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Photo courtesy of the U.S. Embassy in Manila

USA

DATELINE US missionaries of Quiboloy’s KJC ‘traumatized’ by raids FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

MISSIONARIES of the Philippine-based Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) Christian church in Los Angeles and in Hawaii said they were “traumatized” by the surprise raids of armed federal agents on their offices and compounds last January 29. The raids stemmed from a human trafficking investigation that led to the arrests of three church leaders for allegedly participating in an immigration fraud scheme that brought KJC followers to the United States to raise funds for an alleged bogus charity. In a statement, Annabelle Juarana, a church missionary in Van Nuys neighborhood in Los Angeles said she had “never experienced anything like this” when armed men broke down the door to her house and aimed guns at them. Kapitanna, 22, said they were lined up outside to be handcuffed and helicopters were

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Jollibee adding 25 new branches in US, Canada FAST food giant Jollibee Foods Corp. (JFC) is setting up 25 stores in the U.S. and Canada this year as part of its ongoing expansion overseas. “We’re opening 25 this year in Canada and U.S. for Jollibee,” Beth dela Cruz, president of JFC North America — Philippine brands told reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration of Tortazo, the firm’s new food concept with renowned chef Rick Bayless. She said the planned number of stores to be opened this year is the company’s biggest in a single year. Since the start of the year, Jollibee has opened stores in areas including Arizona in the U.S., Regina in Canada, and Maui in Hawaii. Dela Cruz said another Jollibee outlet is slated for opening in Houston, Texas next month. To date, there are 50 Jollibee stores in the U.S. and Canada. The company’s target is to have a total of 250 stores for all its brands in the U.S.

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ADDRESSING PUBLIC CONCERNS. President Rodrigo Duterte confers with Health Secretary Francisco Duque III during a briefing on the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) at the Malacañang Palace on Monday, February 3. Malacañang photo by Toto Lozano

Duterte widens travel ban from China to Hong Kong, Macau by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has ordered a temporary travel ban on travelers coming from mainland China as well as Hong Kong and Macau amid the threat of the novel coronavirus in the Philippines, Malacañang said over the weekend. The ban will cover all foreigners arriving from China and its territories, including those who visited the region Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told the Senate that only 17% of the within 14 days, according to 331 co-passengers of the Chinese couple who tested positive for the novel Executive Secretary Salvador coronavirus have been contacted. Philstar.com photo by Geremy Pintolo

Medialdea on Sunday, February 2. He also said that only Filipino citizens and those who hold a permanent resident visa issued by the Philippine government can enter the country, but they will need to undergo a 14-day quarantine period. The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, meanwhile, has been given the authority “to ban the entry of travelers from other areas with confirmed widespread 2019nCoV ARD (acute respiratory

disease)” if necessary. On Friday, January 31, Duterte received flak from netizens after he ordered a ban on travelers only coming from the Hubei province in China. Hubei province is where Wuhan City is located, the epicenter of the 2019-nCoV. “We have immediately implemented the expanded travel ban, hence all foreign nationals, regardless of their nationality, who will be coming from China and its Special Administrative Regions shall be turned

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60-year-old Chinese woman is third nCoV case in PH by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday, February 5, confirmed the third case of the novel coronavirus in the Philippines — a 60-year-old Chinese woman who came from Wuhan and traveled to Cebu City via a flight from Hong Kong on January 20. “The DOH confirms that a sample from a 60-year-old female tested positive for the 2019-nCoV. This is the third case of nCoV in the Philippines,” said Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo. According to him, the Chinese tourist initially tested negative after she was admitted to a hospital in Bohol for a fever and runny nose. After the Chinese woman was discharged, she returned to China through a flight from Cebu on January 31.

On January 30, the DOH confirmed the first 2019-nCoV case in the Philippines — a 38-year-old Chinese woman who arrived in the country via Hong Kong last January 21. Her companion, a 44-year-old male, was confirmed to be the second case as well as the first confirmed carrier of the virus in the country. The second case passed away on February 1 after he was confined for fever, cough and sore throat. According to Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, the World Health Organization’s Representative in the Philippines, his death is the first new coronavirus-related death outside Former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Nicanor Faeldon of China. As of this writing, the number of persons under investigation (PUI) in the country for possible 2019-nCoV has risen to 133 — of which 63 are Filipinos while

Malacañang photo

Senate panels recommend graft raps vs Faeldon over PH House panel approves divorce bill good conduct law scandal by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA

AJPress

A HOUSE committee on Wednesday, February 5, approved three measures seeking the legalization of divorce in the predominantly Catholic Philippines. House bills 100, 838 and 2263, which seek to legalize divorce and dissolution of marriage in the country, were approved by the House Committee on Population and Family Relations. The bills will be consolidated by a technical working group before being discussed at the plenary. Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, a staunch advocate of the divorce bill in the country, will head the technical working group. He also authored HB 100 or the Absolute

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Divorce Bill. “It is safe to say that a divorce bill has been approved by the panel subject to consolidation by a TWG, which will meet on 12 February 2020,” Lagman said. Other members of the TWG include Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas, A Teacher Party-list Rep. Victoria Umali, Negros Occidental Rep. Juliet Ferrer, and Bukidnon Rep. Ma. Lourdes Acosta-Alba. Lagman urged the other lawmakers to stop talking about divorce “as if it were the greatest of all tragedies” in the upcoming plenary session. “Divorce is not a monster that will destroy marriages and wreck marital relationships. Let us be clear about this — the monsters that lead to the demise of

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by BERNADETTE

TAMAYO

ManilaTimes.net

FOUR Senate committees have recommended the filing of graft charges against sacked Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Nicanor Faeldon for his alleged involvement in the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) scandal. In a 34-page report, the Senate committees on justice, constitutional amendments, blue ribbon, and finance accused Faeldon of wrongdoing when he did not follow the procedures of Department [of Justice] Order (DO) 953 in releasing convicts under the GCTA scheme, particularly convicted rapist-killer former Calauan, La-

guna mayor Antonio Sanchez. Sanchez was convicted of killing University of the Philippines Los Baños student Eileen Sarmenta and her companion, Allan Gomez, in June 1993. During the Sept. 4, 2019 public hearing on the controversy, Faeldon testified, “The Department Order 953 was practically not familiar with me. I was not even apprised of that department order by anybody in the Bureau of Corrections in my entire stay there.” “Knowing that the DoJ (Department of Justice) has administrative supervision over BuCor and considering the gravity of the crimes of former Mayor Sanchez, Fael-

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From The FronT Page

Duterte widens travel ban from China... PAGE 1

back and not allowed to enter the Philippines,” said Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente in a statement. “We urge everyone to temporarily refrain from unnecessary travel, and to bear with the government as we implement this measure,” he added. Suspected PH cases of

nCoV rise to 80 The Department of Health on Monday, February 3, revealed that there are now 80 individuals under investigation (PUIs) for suspected infection of 2019-nCoV. According to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, 67 out of the 80 patients were placed in isolation in hospitals

while 10 have already been discharged as they were found to be negative for the deadly virus. He added that 30 of the PUIs also tested negative but remain under strict monitoring. The DOH confirmed Thursday the first 2019-nCoV case in the Philippines — a 38-year-old Chinese woman who arrived in the country via Hong Kong last January 21. Her companion, a 44-yearold male, was confirmed to be the second case as well as the first confirmed carrier of the virus in the country. The second case passed away on February 1 after he was confined for fever, cough and sore throat. According to Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, the World Health Organization’s Representative in the Philippines, his death is the first new coronavirus-related death outside of China. n

PH House panel approves divorce...

PAGE 1 a marriage are infidelity, abuse, financial problems, lack of intimacy and communication, and inequality,” he said. “Divorce may be distressing but it is far from a death sentence. In fact, it can often save people from relationships and situations that can inflict more long-term emotional, psychological and physical damage,” he also noted in his sponsorship speech. Meanwhile, Rep. Eddie Villanueva (CIBAC Party-List) said the passage of a divorce bill is unnecessary, reasoning that it does not address the issues of high cost of litigation and slowgrinding disposition of cases. “Why pass the divorce bill when it will not really solve the real issues of those wishing to get out of unfortunate wedlock — the high costs of professional fees and the slow disposition cases? The divorce bills filed in Congress simply enumerate and consolidate remedies for broken marriages already existing in our current laws,” he said. n

MIGRATION. Migratory birds settle along the coastal areas of Paranaque City. The Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Animal Industry (DA-BAI) is closely monitoring 65 areas across the country that could be possible entry points for the H5N1 avian influenza or bird flu. The monitoring was launched after the avian flu was reported in China’s Hunan province. ManilaTimes.net photo

US lauds alliance with PH... PAGE 1

tant today as it was 75 years ago, as we work together to respond to humanitarian disasters, counterterrorism, and keep the Indo-Pacific region free and open for all nations,” he said in his speech on Monday, Feb. 3. The VFA, which was ratified in 1999, covers the conduct of American troops in the Philippines, who come here for joint exercises, training and disaster response activities. “The profound importance of our alliance became evident to me shortly after my arrival in the Philippines three years ago, when crisis broke out in Mindanao. As ISIS-inspired terrorists took over the city of Marawi, our alliance didn’t skip a beat,” Kim said. He said it was the “enduring military alliance” that allowed them “to

provide valuable advice, assistance, and equipment in support of AFP’s [Armed Forces of the Philippines’] efforts to liberate Marawi from terrorist control.” Another particular example that highlighted the importance of the alliance, he said, was the response to Typhoon Yolanda (internationally known as Haiyan) in 2013, one of the world’s strongest typhoons in history. Kim said the U.S. immediately dispatched 13,400 U.S. troops, 66 aircraft, 12 ships to typhoon-hit areas in the Visayas to support relief efforts. “We helped evacuate 21,000 Filipinos from impacted communities and brought in food, water, doctors, and medical supplies to assist those who remained,” he said. Duterte threat vs VFA But these kinds of activities

and assistance of the Americans here cited by Kim may be affected in the future because of the possible termination of the VFA. Duterte earlier threatened to end the military pact after the U.S. revoked the visa of Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, his close political ally and former police chief. The U.S. did not cite a reason for the visa cancellation, but it was likely because of Dela Rosa’s role in implementing the administration’s highly-criticized drug war. It has also made no comment on Duterte’s threat to junk the agreement. The Presidential Commission on the Visiting Forces Agreement is set to report to the President this week on the impact of the possible scrapping of the VFA with the United States. n

60-year-old Chinese woman is third... PAGE 1 54 are Chinese. Stop xenophobia President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, February 3 asked Filipinos to stop their xenophobia against Chinese nationals after netizens called for the government to bar all Chinese from entering and sending those in the country back to China amid the 2019-nCoV outbreak. “If the question is if I will bar Chinese from entering, the answer of course is no. That is an utter disrespect to a human being… This kind of mentioning the Chinese and blaming them, it’s like xenophobia,” he said during a late night press briefing with Cabinet officials at Malacanang. “We are a community of nations. We cooperate. China has been kind to us, we can also show the same favor to them. Stop this xenophobia,” he added.

Chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives (CBRNE)-trained personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) from its health service unit are ready to assist other government agencies in the repatriation of Filipinos in China and other countries affected by the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCOV). PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

According to Duterte, the posts against the Chinese were in “bad taste.” He also reminded the public that the Chinese were not at fault for the emergence of the

disease. “It happened in China — at least the first [case] — but that is not the fault of anybody. Not of the Chinese, not the Filipinos, not of anyone,” Duterte said. n

Senate panels recommend graft raps... PAGE 1 don should have consulted with the Secretary of Justice regarding this,” said Gordon, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee who led the GCTA inquiry. “His failure to consult the Secretary of Justice is gross inexcusable negligence on his part and shows how he did not exercise due diligence,” he added. Aside from Faeldon, the committees found BuCor officials liable for grave offenses and direct bribery for “accepting money for the promise of early release of prisoners.” They are Ramoncito Roque, chief of the documents and re-

cord section; Corrections Senior Inspector Benilda “Mabel” Bansil; and Corrections Officer Veronica “Boday” Buño, who were ordered dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman. Also found to have committed grave abuse and direct bribery were officials of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) Hospital, including its head, Dr. Ermesto Tamayo; medical officer Ursicio Cenas; and nursing attendant Meryl Benitez. Tamayo and Benitez were liable for malfeasance when they accepted money in exchange for inmates’ confinement at the NBP hospital. Cenas was accused of accepting money in exchange for

medical records. “The BuCor, alas, is manned by rotten apples, and corrupt officials. It is rotten to the core—and, from top to bottom. If we are to improve its functions, if we are to have the Bureau regain the trust of our people, no less than a massive change in personnel and in character is required,” Gordon said. “Mere lancing of the boil will not be sufficient; putrefaction in that agency is so far advanced, only a total replacement of the whole bureaucracy will allow us to see a new, honest, sincere, serious, and effective agency,” he said. n

US missionaries of Quiboloy’s KJC ‘traumatized’... PAGE 1

circling the compound, telling them to raise their hands. “This was something that we only saw in the movies and now it was happening to us. We’re just church missionaries here, we have no guns or anything. We have nothing to hide,” Kapitanna said. He added they were gathered in the worship center and were all questioned by the agents if they were forced to do fundraising against their will and if there were documents taken from them. Diana Lozano, a 78-year-old U.S. citizen, said she denied to agents that they were held against their will and forced to do fundraising. She added that she keeps her own travel documents like many other missionaries of the church. Jennifer Calloa said they were traumatized by the early morning raid. She also said the federal agents made them “feel like we were the worst criminals.

She further said that senior citizens and very sick people were left to stand outside in the cold morning air without jackets. “I told the FBI that there was no need to let us go through this, letting us feel like we were the worst criminals. I told the agents that we could have let them in the gate, accommodated them willingly and answered all their questions if we had known they wanted to come in,” Callao said. “They told me they were informed that we had heavily armed guards here. We told them they were misinformed about us here. They were very apologetic and said they were just doing their job,” she added. KJC’s congregation in Waipahu, Hawaii, was also raided by more than 50 FBI agents. Chelcey Guerrero said two agents held her and her one-yearold baby Moanna at gunpoint. The agents also pointed their guns at her father, Rolando Guerrero, who was deaf and could not

hear the agents’ instructions. KJC said federal agents also visited their compounds in San Francisco, Delano, Virginia, Houston, Missouri, and New York while the raid in Los Angeles was taking place. Ruby Ragel, 70, said FBI agents visited her home in San Bernardino. FBI was reportedly acting on an affidavit filed before the United States District Court against KJC for conspiracy to commit immigration fraud last January 27. KJC founder, Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, denied the allegations, insisting that “under no circumstances does the Kingdom of Jesus Christ or its members engage in any act that violates the law.” He added the filing of a criminal complaint was part of a “grand conspiracy of lies concocted by men and women who were once part of KJC but struck alliances with forces jealous of the meteoric rise of Pastor ACQ and the KJC.” (Daphne Galvez/Inquirer.net)

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PH to keep custody of convicted US soldier in transgender slay if VFA terminated by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE American soldier convicted of killing Filipina transgender Jennifer Laude will stay under the jurisdiction of the Philippines even after the country’s Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States is formally terminated, Malacañang on Thursday, January 30 said. According to presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo, the country won’t lose custody of U.S. Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton, who is currently detained at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. Pemberton was sentenced to serve a jail term of up to six years by the Olongapo Regional Trial Court in 2015 after he was found guilty of killing Laude. “We acquired jurisdiction over him and therefore the jurisdiction remains. You must remember that the VFA states that we cannot acquire jurisdiction unless of particular importance and we already did that,” he said, adding that the agreement’s termination “will not affect the acquisition of jurisdiction by the Philippine courts.”

Joseph Scott Pemberton Photo from Olongapo City Police

The VFA, which came into force in 1999, covers the conduct of U.S. soldiers in the Philippines. Among the provisions of the deal include lax visa and passport policies for U.S. troops, and the rights of the U.S. government to retain its jurisdiction over its military personnel when they commit crimes in the Philippines. On Jan. 23, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to scrap the VFA after the U.S.’ cancellation

of Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa’s visa, giving the U.S. a month to “correct” the cancellation of Dela Rosa’s visa. However, Duterte recanted his statement the next day, saying he is no longer waiting for the U.S. to “correct” the cancellation of Dela Rosa’s visa and ordering the termination of the VFA. Panelo, for his part, stressed that the VFA termination has no impact on the country’s other defense deals with the U.S. “It (VFA) refers to privileges of military personnel with respect to [the] acquisition of jurisdiction in relation to the commission of crimes as well as the movement of their aircrafts and vessels. The other agreements will remain,” he said. Meanwhile, former Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr., who was the legal counsel of the Laude family, called for the transfer of Pemberton to the state penitentiary in Muntinlupa. “I call on the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) to exercise vigilance as U.S. authorities will definitely attempt to spirit him out of the country to prevent his detention in Muntinlupa where he truly belongs,” Roque said. ■

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Jollibee adding 25 new branches in US... PAGE 1 and Canada by 2023, Dela Cruz said. Of the 250 stores, 150 will be located in the U.S. while 100 will be in Canada. While the number of Filipinos is among the considerations of JFC in selecting a location for Jollibee stores, she said the brand is also attracting non-Filipino customers. “What we are finding right now is there is a lot of non-Filipinos who actually go to us. NonFilipinos wouldn’t line up on the first week [of store opening] because the lines are like two to four hours wait and then after the line has slowed down a bit, you get the locals,” she said. Dela Cruz said there are some areas where there are more nonFilipino customers than Filipinos like Manhattan. In terms of bestselling products at Jollibee’s U.S. and Canada stores, chicken joy tops the list, followed by peach mango pie and spaghetti. “But non-Filipinos are saying

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they like the palabok because it’s unique,” she said. Apart from Jollibee, JFC’s

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • fEbRUARy 6-12, 2020

WHO: NCoV cases to peak this month by Paolo

roMero Philstar.com

MANILA — The spread of the novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019 nCoV ARD) is expected to peak this month before it tapers off and is put under control, an official of the World health Organization (WhO) said. WhO representative to the Philippines Rabindra Abeyasinghe told an inquiry of the Senate committee on health on Tuesday, February 4, that the rate of detected cases was increasing by about 10 percent a day. What’s positive is that the mortality rate appears to be declining from three percent to two percent, Abeyasinghe told the panel chaired by Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go. Globally, there have been over 24,300 laboratory-confirmed cases of nCoV infections with 490 deaths – almost all of them in China except for the Chinese man in Manila and one other male in hong Kong. “We just need to manage (the situation) now, and ensure that we reach the peak of transition, which, according to some independent experts and research institutions, the prediction is that they may be reached within the next 10 days,” Abeyasinghe told the Senate. “After that, we expect that the prevention and control measures

that have been instituted in China and outside will result in a gradual decline of cases,” he said. he noted that the WhO’s emergency Committee declared last Jan. 31 that the nCoV outbreak can be controlled. A critical factor in attaining that is the countries’ ability to test for nCoV infections to determine the trajectory of the outbreak, he said. Abeyasinghe said China’s capacity for testing of the virus has been “greatly enhanced and expanded” that it has confirmed infections in a significantly larger number of people with mild symptoms. “And this is why we are seeing such an expansion of the number of people being reported as positive,” he said, adding that WhO welcomes this because being able to clearly identify those infected is critical to containing the outbreak. Center for Disease Control Meanwhile, an infectious disease expert from the University of the Philippines - Manila supports a proposal to create a Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that would handle outbreaks in the country. edsel Maurice Salvana, director of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at UP Manila’s National Institutes of health (NIh), said the need for a CDC arises in

times of such outbreaks as the novel coronavirus. Speaking at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay at Cafe Adriatico, Salvana said the Department of health (DOh) does not enjoy the same powers as the CDCs in the United States which can mobilize the military and police in containing a disease outbreak. “We need a body that has the military and police powers to arrest a person, who for instance, is resisting isolation,” he said, adding that in the US, CDC staff wear military uniforms. “(The) CDC is a public health insitutiton that responds to oubreaks and epidemic and ensures public safety during these times. They are hard trained to carry out their difficult functions that some medical personal may not do,” he added. Last Jan. 29, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda filed house Bill 6096 that seeks the creation of a Philippine CDC which will absorb the newly established Communicable Prevention Bureau, Disease emergency Management Bureau and the epidemiology Bureau and Research Institute for Tropical Medicine of the DOh. Salvana said such a CDC must have its own “public health function, laboratory capabity and quarantine powers,” among others. n

HEARING ON NCOV. Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea (2nd from right), reads the message of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during the public hearing of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography chaired by Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, on the Preparedness of the Philippine Government on the Reported Outbreak of an Unknown Pneumonia Virus, held at the Senate in Pasay City on Tuesday, February 4. Also in photo are Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, Education Secretary Leonor Briones, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., and members of the Inter-Agency Task Force. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

American tourist from Wuhan, China discharged from hospital after 14-day quarantine by Joey

a. Gabieta Inquirer.net

The 36-year-old American tourist, who was suspected to be infected with the 2019 novel coronavirus (nCov), was discharged from a hospital in Tacloban City on Saturday, February 1. The patient, who came from Wuhan City in China, was released following the lapse of the 14-day incubation period, and after he no longer exhibited any symptoms of the virus. A private vehicle fetched the American from the facility about

3 p.m. on Saturday. “he was discharged from the hospital because he was no longer sick,” said the source from the Department of health (DOh), who declined to be identified for lack of authority to issue statements. “he was very happy that he was discharged. When he was first brought to the hospital, he was so angry, which was understandable, because he was here supposedly for a vacation,” the source said. The source said the DOh regional office wanted to wait for the release of the test conducted

on the patient to determine if he was infected with nCov. “But the result would now be immaterial considering that he was no longer sick. he could no longer spread any virus to the community. he is no longer a risk to the community,” the source added. The patient, who is a professor in Wuhan City, China, arrived in Tacloban City on Jan. 16 to visit his girlfriend and her family. But he was brought to a government hospital the next day when he developed a fever and was coughing. n

3 fugitives from China, US face deportation by Cathrine

Gonzales

Inquirer.net

This file photo shows the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila, a specialty tertiary government hospital that is also a referral facility for infectious and communicable diseases. Philstar.com photo by End Gumban

International journalists call for ABS-CBN franchise renewal The call for ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal has snowballed, with fans of ABS-CBN network, international journalists, and even solons urging the Congress leadership to prioritize the TV network’s franchise bills on its agenda. Members of fan groups Laban Kapamilya and Kapamilya Online Community have publicly showed their support to have ABS-CBN’s franchise renewed, following last week’s pronouncement of entertainment industry workers, including Coco Martin, Joel Lamangan, and Ricky Lee of Artists Task Force Chacha, of their appeal to the Lower house. The fan groups joined the silent protest of the National Union of Journalists (NUJP), College editors Guild of the Philippines, and Defend Job Philippines held outside the ABS-CBN compound in Quezon City last Friday to light candles and continue the petition for the granting of renewed franchise for the company. A Paris-based organization of international journalists called Reporters Without Borders (RSF)

also expressed their backing to the network, calling on the Philippine Congress to “ensure the survival of ABS-CBN . . . by renewing its franchise.” “As the leading TV and radio network, offering independent, verified news and information free of charge to millions of citizens, ABS-CBN plays an absolutely fundamental democratic role in the Philippines,” said Daniel Bastard, head of RSF’s Asia-Pacific desk. The organization urged Rep. Franz Alvarez, chair of the house committee on legislative franchises, to immediately put the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise on the house agenda. Bastard added, “The credibility of Philippine democracy and the balance between the different powers is at stake.” Nine bills in total have been filed in Congress aimed at renewing the broadcast network’s franchise. Rep. edcel Lagman also filed a resolution urging said house committee to “report without further delay” for plenary action a consolidated version

of the pending bills seeking the renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise. Bayan Muna Representatives Carlos Zarate and Ferdinand Gaite, however, pointed out that to date, the house panel chaired by Rep. Alvarez still has not set hearings on the ABS-CBN franchise bills, despite the house’s Lenten adjournment being scheduled on March 14. “We hope that the Speaker and [Alvarez] can immediately remedy this and set a hearing for next week. Time is of the essence and we must assert the independence of the house and its stand to uphold press freedom,” Zarate said. Several other groups previously voiced support for the media company’s franchise renewal, including alliance groups Green Thumb Coalition and Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), highlighting ABS-CBN’s efforts to communicate the importance of environment protection and conservation through its relevant news reporting, educational shows, and public service programs. (Philstar.com)

Kai Sotto gets offer to play for Georgia Bulldogs pete in the U.S. NCAA Division by Christia Marie raMos 1. Inquirer.net At 7-foot-2 and only 17 years KAI Sotto has been turning old with a wide skill set, it’s no heads since going to the U.S. to surprise that Sotto is making his presence felt in the U.S. continue his basketball career. The Filipino prodigy on Tues- basketball scene as a promising day, February 4, reportedly drew talent. Sotto, who plays for the Atinterest from University of Georgia, which is considered among lanta-based The Skill Factory, was recently named MVP in the the top schools in the U.S. According to Verbal Commits, King Invitational tournament afSotto has received an offer from ter leading his team to a chamthe Georgia Bulldogs, who com- pionship.

Kai Sotto

Sotto is a four-star recruit ranked 68th in the eSPN’s list of the Top 100 high school players in the class of 2020. NBA legend Dominique Wilkins and Los Angeles Lakers guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope played for the Georgia Bulldogs in college. Other renowned schools in the U.S. such as University of Kentucky, Auburn University and University of South Carolina had also shown interest in Sotto. n

Inquirer.net photo

ThRee fugitives from China and the United States will be deported following their recent arrest in Metro Manila, Cagayan de Oro and Negros Occidental, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced on Friday. BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said the three foreigners — a Chinese national and two Americans — will be deported for being “undesirable aliens” and for being undocumented as their passports were already cancelled by their respective countries. In a statement, Morente said the three fled to the Philippines

to evade prosecution for their crimes. According to BI Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) chief Bobby Raquepo, Chinese national Cai Cancan, 19, who is wanted for economic crimes, was arrested in Parañaque City on January 16. Authorities in Xiamen, China claimed Cai is one of the several suspects wanted for operating a credit card fraud scheme that defrauded their victims of more than 2 million renminbi or roughly US$300,000. On the same day in Cagayan de Oro City, FSU agents arrested American national Xerxes Pancipanci, 34, who is wanted for a vehicular homicide case. he is also

the subject of an arrest warrant issued by a court in King Country, Washington. Meanwhile, on January 21, FSU agents also arrested in Sagay, Negros Occidental another American identified as Richard Bruce Weiser, 72, an alleged pedophile. Citing information from the US embassy, BI said Weiser is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by a district court in harris County, Texas where he was charged with sexually molesting a minor. The three are temporarily detained at the BI detention facility in Bicutan, Taguig City pending their deportation. n

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FEBRUARY 6-12, 2020 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

OPINION

Second worst in the world

FEATURES

THE five-minute challenge of driving along EDSA from Cubao, Quezon City to Makati by December last year was not met. And now traffic congestion in Metro Manila has been ranked as the second worst in the world. Netherlands-based location technology provider TomTom, in its latest Traffic Index covering 416 cities in 57 countries, ranked Metro Manila behind only Bengaluru in southern India among the most traffic-choked mega cities in the world. In Southeast Asia, only the Indonesian capital of Jakarta was also included among the 10 worst in the TomTom Traffic Index, ranking 10th. Thai capital Bangkok, which now has a subway system, placed 11th. Last year, traffic navigation app Waze also ranked Metro Manila as the worst place in the world for driving, with motorists taking an average of 4.9 minutes to negotiate a single kilometer – and this was in September, before the Christmas season traffic congestion. TomTom reported worse congestion during the evening rush hour than in the morning rush, with 6 to 7 p.m. on Fridays as the worst time with an average of 143 percent road congestion. Filipinos are aware of the costs of traffic gridlocks. A 2018 study of the Japan International Cooperation Agency said traffic jams were costing the country a staggering P3.5 billion in “lost opportunities” daily, with the figure projected to triple by 2030.

The government is hoping that new bypass roads combined with road clearing operations and better enforcement would ease the gridlocks. Tolls on bypass roads, however, are keeping away motorists, who refuse to leave their vehicles at home due to the acute inadequacy of public transportation. A subway can ease road congestion, but this project is just getting started. Motorists have called for the opening of selected streets in gated villages all over Metro Manila to serve as alternative routes. They argue that any road that has become heavily commercialized, such as those in the country’s largest subdivision, BF Homes in Parañaque, must be declared as a free public thoroughfare. Political will, however, has been spotty or lacking in heeding such calls. There are other measures that can be undertaken within the relatively short term. Upgrading railway services must be given urgency, both for passengers and cargo. Water transportation can use a boost, along the Pasig River and in Manila Bay. The TomTom Traffic Index merely reflected what everyone in Metro Manila already knows: traffic congestion is a serious problem still begging to be fixed. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

The tragedy of our ‘China first’ policy

Horizons

RICHARD HEYDARIAN THEY say the greatest heartbreaks are born out of initial hope, and that the true character of a man is revealed only when given absolute power. What began as a potentially noble effort to reduce our hackneyed dependence on a superpower ally soon degenerated into a mind-boggling, brazen policy of subservience to an authoritarian superpower ever-creeping into our national waters. No wonder China has described President Duterte as its “most respected friend.” Ironically, the more Mr. Duterte acquiesces to China, the harder the potential backlash against not only Chinese citizens, but also our Filipino-Chinese countrymen. When people feel that their government is failing them, they tend to take matters into their own hands. As Newton’s basic third law of motion dictates: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. There is no definitive “Duterte algorithm” at play. Yet, there are patterns of thought and behavior worth analyzing. Mr. Duterte’s most revealing speech was arguably the press conference he

gave in Palawan a month before his decisive election. Many remember that speech for his headline-grabbing “Jetski” comment, when he claimed that he “will ride a jet ski” and “carry a flag” to the Spratlys where he will warn the Chinese “suntukan o barilan (fist fight or gun fight)?”What many overlooked, however, was his shockingly transparent signal of transactional acquiescence to China: “[If you] build me a train around Mindanao, build me train from Manila to Bicol… build me a train going to Batangas, for the six years that I’ll be president, I’ll shut up [on the West Philippine Sea disputes].” A month earlier, in one of a series of interviews with Filipino statesmen and experts conducted by Chinese media, Mr. Duterte made it clear that “What I need from China is help to develop my country.” In exchange, as the Chinese narrator put it, “he says he would not count on the Americans coming to the Philippines’ rescue, and would have even considered dropping an arbitration case the Aquino administration filed against China.” I watched that interview closely, partly because the news package included interviews with me as well as Sen. Grace Poe, then

THE Washington, D.C. meetings we arranged for Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Locsin was, in my view, highly productive and our messaging extremely successful. We first had a meeting at the State Department with Deputy Secretary Stephen Biegun (Secretary Pompeo was out on a five-nation tour) wherein we discussed matters of mutual interest on a wide range of topics that include the new coronavirus outbreak, which has been declared by the World Health Organization as a global public health emergency. The number of cases continues to spike with the death toll rising in Wuhan, China which has been pinpointed as the epicenter of the outbreak. A fairly large number have reportedly died with the number of confirmed cases continually rising. In several countries that include the U.S., the infection is now spreading through human-

the other top contender for the presidency. Almost four years later, China is yet to build any major infrastructure project in the Philippines. For years, I warned that China could take Mr. Duterte for a ride with empty infrastructure promises in exchange for major geopolitical concessions. I called this the “Chinese chimera” phenomenon. Instead, what we have gotten is the influx of Chinese online casino workers, and more recently, prostitutes, who have upended the socioeconomic landscape in major cities. The Pogos and such types of shady, low-quality investments have created hundreds of thousands of jobs for the Chinese, but not much for Filipinos. Nonetheless, enough people in power have benefited from these dubious businesses, so much so that Mr. Duterte decided to stand up to China, for the very first time, when President Xi Jinping, who has banned gambling at home, pushed for their closure. Unable to boast of any bigticket Chinese infrastructure investments, Mr. Duterte has instead resorted to the bogus claim that if we resist China in the West Philippine Sea, there will be war. Never mind that

President Rodrigo Duterte and People’s Republic of China President Xi Jinping discuss matters during the bilateral meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing last August 29, 2019. Malacañang photo by Robinson Niñal

none of our neighbors who have directly challenged China faced even the threat of war in the past three decades. Nor did the Benigno Aquino III administration, which had the audacity to take China to an international arbitral tribunal. The hollow nature of Mr. Duterte’s “independent” foreign policy has been on full display in recent months. When a suspected Chinese militia boat rammed a Filipino fishing boat within our exclusive economic zone last year, the president chose a com-

bination of prolonged silence and perplexing meekness to downplay the situation as “a little maritime incident.” It exactly mimicked the Chinese talking points, which dismissed it as an “ordinary maritime accident.” Even more shockingly, when neighbors and major countries began shuttering their borders to China amid the new coronavirus epidemic, the Duterte administration worried about the “political and diplomatic repercussions” of any serious countermeasure against inbound travel

from China. As Beijing began to lock down Wuhan and surrounding areas following a weeks-long cover up, the administration still welcomed more than 100 Chinese from the area. Time and again, the president has seemingly prioritized diplomacy with China over the protection of his own people. What we desperately need today is an end to this “China first” diplomacy in favor of a more balanced, self-respecting and truly mutually beneficial relationship with Beijing. (Inquirer.net)

Secretary Locsin’s Washington meetings

Babe’s Eye View AMBASSADOR B. ROMUALDEZ

Philstar.com photo

to-human contact. The World Health Organization also made an appeal to the global community to “show solidarity and cooperation.” The denuclearization issue with North Korea was also discussed, considering that the situation continues to be a security challenge in the Asia Pacific region. In fact, Undersecretary for Defense and Policy John Rood asserted that North Korea poses an “ongoing, credible threat” to the U.S. and its allies, most especially South Korea and Japan. Security analysts agree that the threat of a nuclear arms race is real, with North Korea as well as Iran perceived to be “inciting” this race. For the most part, the meeting was productive, and both parties reaffirmed the value of the alliance between the US and the Philippines based on deep ties, shared values and the historic friendship between the two nations and their people. Most importantly, we all recognize the value of mutual respect especially with regard to each nation’s sovereignty as befitting

equal partners and allies. We later had a conversation with U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, Senator Jim Risch of Idaho, who requested to speak to us. Senator Risch emphasized that we must continue to work together on areas of mutual interest, and that the sovereignty of each nation must be respected. The most significant part of the meetings we arranged for Sec. Locsin was our meeting at the White House with National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien. Ambassador O’Brien expressed keen understanding of President Duterte’s concerns and sentiments on sovereignty. He of course pointed out that the White House has no control over what the U.S. Senate does in terms of resolutions filed. Ambassador O’Brien told us he is looking forward to the meeting between President Trump and President Duterte in Las Vegas this coming March. Status of Senator De Lima’s case Just recently, I sent out to U.S. senators a status update on the

criminal cases that have been filed against Senator De Lima, all of which I obtained directly from the courts themselves. Here are the highlights: On Criminal Case No. 17-167 pending before Branch 256 of the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court presided by Acting Presiding Judge Grace Chavez-Ty, the senator and numerous coaccused are charged with conspiracy to sell drugs – an offense where bail may be denied when evidence of guilt is strong. About 10 hearings have been conducted after the case was transferred from Branch 206 to Branch 256 on Feb. 14, 2017 as a result of Senator De Lima’s motion to inhibit then Acting Presiding Judge Lorna Domingo, which the latter granted. The next hearings are scheduled this Feb. 21 and 28 for continuation of the prosecution’s presentation of evidence. All accused were present during court proceedings. On Criminal Case 17-166 where the senator and Jose Adrian Dera are charged with conspiracy to sell drugs, with the case pending before Muntin-

lupa RTC Branch 205 and filed on Feb. 17, 2017. More than 20 hearings having been conducted since then. The latest hearing was scheduled on Jan. 24. Both co-accused were present during court proceedings. In Criminal Case 17-165, Senator De Lima and Ronnie Dayan are also accused of conspiracy to sell drugs, with the case filed on Feb. 17, 2017 but received by Branch 205 from Branch 204 of the Muntinlupa RTC on Jan. 22, 2018.There have been approximately 15 hearings conducted, including motions, since September 30, 2019. A hearing was scheduled last January 24 for the presentation of evidence by the prosecution. Both the senator and Dayan were present during court proceedings. Many people have told me they find it rather ironic that our judicial system — patterned after the United States — is being assailed by U.S. senators. Except for the fact that we do not have a jury system, we have the same process. We have lower courts (municipal trial courts), regional trial courts, the Court of Appeals

as well as the Sandiganbayan that has jurisdiction over graft and corruption cases involving government employees. The Supreme Court, which like in the U.S. is the final arbiter of the law, is consistently working to introduce reforms that, in the words of Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta, would “provide swift, efficient, fair and responsive justice for all regardless of stature.” A major priority is de-clogging court dockets from the Supreme Court down to the lowest courts. Another reform initiative is automation via the eCourts project to make monitoring and processing of cases more efficient through technology. Misfits and the corrupt will also be weeded out through a system that allows the court to initiate investigations even in the absence of complaints. As I have consistently said, we will continue to engage with all the branches of the U.S. government on any issue, with the clear understanding of mutual respect for each other’s sovereignty. (Philstar.com)

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Dateline PFewer hiliPPines Filipinos jobless in 2019 – SWS by Catherine

Valente ManilaTimes.net

In its 4 p.m. advisory on Wednesday, February 5, Phivolcs said the current activity of Mayon was “likely caused by hot magmatic gases heating the overlying atmosphere.” Photo courtesy of Philvolcs

Mayon crater ‘glows’, sign of ‘remnant magma’ moving up, reports Phivolcs A “CRATER glow” has been detected on Mayon Volcano in Albay over the past two days, an indication that “remnant magma” may be moving up to the shallow levels of the edifice, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said on Wednesday, February 5. In its 4 p.m. advisory, Phivolcs said the current activity of Mayon was “likely caused by hot magmatic gases heating the overlying atmosphere.” Since the end of its magmatic eruption in March 2018, Mayon has shown declining earthquake activity and sulfur dioxide emission. Phivolcs noted, however, a “slight swelling” or inflation on the edifice in February 2019.

“These observations indicate that Mayon’s recent behavior has been mainly driven by changes occurring within magma already emplaced beneath the edifice rather than by renewed magma intrusion events,” it said. Phivolcs said that Alert Level 2 remained over the volcano because it was at a “moderate level of unrest”. Phivolcs recommended that entry into the six kilometer-radius permanent danger zone and a precautionary seven kilometer-radius extended danger zone in the south-southwest to east-northeast sector, stretching from Anoling, Camalig to Sta. Misericordia, Sto. Domingo, was prohibited. It reminded the public that “sudden explosions, lava col-

lapse, pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) and ashfall could occur without warning and threaten areas in the upper to middle slopes of Mayon.” Phivolcs advised people residing close to these danger areas to observe precautions against rockfalls, PDCs and ashfall. “Active stream/river channels and those identified as perennially lahar-prone areas on all sectors of the volcano should also be avoided especially during extreme weather conditions when there is heavy and prolonged rainfall,” it added. Phivolcs assured the public that it was closely monitoring Mayon Volcano’s condition and any development would be relayed to all concerned. (Franz Lewin Embudo/ManilaTimes.net)

De Lima asks SC to reverse ruling on habeas data plea vs Duterte by Kristine Joy

Philstar.com

Patag

MANILA — Detained Sen. Leila De Lima has asked the Supreme Court to reconsider its dismissal of her plea for habeas data against President Rodrigo Duterte, calling the ruling a “twisted” application of presidential immunity. De Lima, through her lawyer Chel Diokno, filed a motion for reconsideration on Wednesday urging the SC to reverse its Oct. 15, 2019 ruling that junked her petition citing Duterte’s immunity from suit while president. “The resolution twisted the doctrine of presidential immunity out of all sense of meaning, gave Mr. Rodrigo Duterte a blanket license to slut-shame and discriminate against any women who tickles his fancy, and deprive petitioner (and other similarly situated women) of an effective remedy,” the senator said in her motion. De Lima sought relief from the SC to compel Duterte to give her access to information collected in the allegations thrown by the government against her. She specifically cited statements from the president saying he “will have to destroy her in public” and calling her an “immoral woman” with “a very sordid personal and official life.” ‘Unbridled powers’ The SC, in junking De Lima’s plea, stressed that the presidential immunity “makes no distinction with regard to the subject matter of the suit; it applies whether or not the acts subject matter of the suit are part of his duties and functions as president.”

Senator Leila de Lima

But De Lima reiterated that her case presents a “novel issue of transcendental importance” as it questions acts of a president “that are clearly and obviously outside the scope of official conduct.” She said that the dismissal of her plea has also “inoculated the President from accountability for egregious conduct, and placed an insurmountable barrier to the search for truth and the vindication of basic rights.” With the SC ruling, Duterte was also given “untrammelled and unbridled power to slut-shame, discriminate, insult and offend and bad-mouth” De Lima so long as he remains as the incumbent president, she argued. The senator noted that Duterte, on January 23, referred to her in a speech where the president insinuated sexual actions and cursed her. She also raised that the SC resolution gives Duterte power to verbally attack any other woman

Philstar.com photo

who will be left with no legal remedy for relief so long as he sits as president. De Lima also claimed that since she was left with no legal remedy against Duterte, the ruling violates the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, a treaty signed in 1986. The treaty imposes upon states that ratified it the duty to protect civil and political rights, including the right to dignity, gender equality, freedom from discrimination and freedom from unlawful interference with one’s privacy. De Lima has been detained at the police headquarters in Quezon City due to the government’s drug charges against her. She is accused of having a hand in the proliferation of the drug trade inside the national penitentiary during her stint as Justice secretary, an accusation she has denied. De Lima earlier accused the government of using public resources to pin her down. n

DOLE to recommend partial lifting of deployment ban in Kuwait by ratziel

san Juan Philstar.com

MANILA — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Wednesday, February 5, said that it will push for the partial lifting of the ban on the deployment of Filipino workers to Kuwait. Once the partial lifting of the ban is issued, the deployment of skilled, semi-skilled and professional workers to Kuwait will be allowed. Meanwhile, newly-hired household service workers are still covered by the ban. “Balik manggagawa workers category, on the other hand, will be the subject of discussion and decision of the POEA governing board,” the department said in a release. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said he will endorse the easing of the prohibition to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration Governing Board after Kuwaiti officials approved of signing an agreement on the standard employment contract for Filipino household service workers.

“I had a fruitful meeting with my counterparts in Kuwait. Both sides agreed on the harmonized standard employment contract. I will talk with the POEA governing board to recommend the partial lifting of the ban,” Bello said in the department release. The said contract prohibits employers from keeping any personal identity documents belonging to the worker, such as a passport. It also provides that workers are entitled to own a phone and be able to use it outside of working hours as long as they maintain the secrets and privacy of the household. Moreover, employers cannot assign a domestic worker to render labor outside of the State of Kuwait or transfer them to another employer without the said worker’s written consent. Otherwise, the OFW will be repatriated to the Philippines at the expense of the employer. “The employer should ensure the OFWs adequate life and is obliged to provide the medical treatment and nursing by registering her in the health system

applicable in Kuwait,” the department said. Provisions on working conditions include the guarantee of a paid full day per week break, at least an hour break after five consecutive hours spent working, at least eight consecutive hours of night rest, and no work in excess of 12 hours a day. However, Bello said that a total lifting of the ban would only happen if the Kuwaiti government provides an official status report on the cases of Jeanelyn Villavende, Constancia Dayag and Joanna Demafelis. DOLE enforced the total deployment ban in January in relation to the Kuwaiti government’s alleged attempt to cover up the circumstances of Villavende’s death. “In the case of Villavende, I wanted some validation of their claim that they (accused employers) are formally charged and they are behind bars. We have to be contented who have been charged and what are the nature of the charges,” the Labor secretary said. n

THERE were fewer Filipinos who were without work in the fourth quarter of 2019, according to the latest survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS). The poll, conducted from December 13 to 16 among 1,200 respondents nationwide, showed the unemployment rate at 17.5 percent, which translates to 7.9 million jobless adult Filipinos. This was lower by 4 percentage points than the 21.5 percent, or an estimated 10 million adult Filipinos, recorded in September. The SWS defines jobless Filipinos as those who either voluntarily left their previous jobs, lost their jobs because of retrenchment and those who are seeking jobs for the first time. The survey found that 8.1 percent or some 3.7 million of the total number of unemployed Filipinos voluntarily left their old jobs, 5.9 percent or about 1.7 million were retrenched, and 3.5 percent or some 1.6 million were first-time jobseekers. Around 3.7 percent or an estimated 1.7 million retrenched workers did not have their con-

Job seekers looking for a job abroad.

tracts renewed, 1.3 percent or an estimated 613,000 got laid off, and the remaining 0.9 percent or about 399,000 had employers who closed operations. The SWS joblessness rate went down by 10 points in Metro Manila and 8 points in Balance Luzon. Adult joblessness in Metro Manila fell from 24.5 percent to 15 percent, and 25 percent to 17.3 percent in Balance Luzon. But it rose from 11.8 percent to 15.7 percent in the Visayas and 19.9 percent to 20 percent in Mindanao. Adult joblessness in December was higher among women. Joblessness rose among those

ManilaTimes.net photo

aged 35 to 44, from 17.3 percent to 19.2 percent, but it fell among those aged 18 to 25 (from 44.9 percent to 31.8 percent), those aged 25 to 34 (30.9 percent to 20.7 percent), and among 45 year-olds and above (14.0 percent to 11.8 percent). Meanwhile, SWS noted that 53 percent of adult Filipinos were optimistic, while 12 percent were pessimistic on job availability in the next 12 months. The December survey had sampling error margins of ±3 percent for national percentages and ±6 percent each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. n

DICT: P300-M confidential funds ‘legitimately used’ by ian

niColas Cigaral Philstar.com

MANILA — The Department of Information and Communications Technology on Wednesday, February 5, defended the agency’s controversial disbursement of P300 million in confidential funds, saying the money was “legitimately used.” This was after former DICT Undersecretary Eliseo Rio, who recently quit his post, flagged the agency’s “questionable” spending on surveillance, which he said is not included in the mandate of the DICT. Rio, a veteran of military communications, said the function of the DICT’s cybersecurity office is to secure the country from cyber threats, not to engage in intelligence activities. ‘Information is key component of cyber security’ In a statement, the DICT hit news reports that “may have inaccurately

misled the public” and argued that “[a] key component of cyber security is information gathering.” “The information systems in our country needs continuous monitoring so that both domestic and foreign cyber threats and cyber-attacks can be identified, addressed, and promptly neutralized to protect the safety and security of our nation,” the department said. The DICT explained that the P300-million confidential fund was disbursed in three tranches. The Commission on Audit allowed the spending of such funds and only told the DICT “to be more efficient in processing the relevant documents,” the department said. “In sum, the Confidential Expense allocated in the 2019 [General Appropriations Act] was legitimately used for cybersecurity and the protection of our national security, with the safety of our government’s information facilities and institutions, and the welfare of our people, being the

Department’s utmost priority,” the DICT said. “Rest assured, that proper procedures were followed, and the disbursements were regular in accordance with applicable accounting and auditing laws, rules, and regulations,” it added. According to a February 3 report by CNN Philippines, state auditors have called out the DICT after “[c]ash advances worth P300 million have been reportedly released to Secretary Gringo Honasan in late 2019, charged against the confidential funds” of the agency. Rio, who led the entry of a third telco player in the country when he briefly took over as DICT acting secretary, had warned that such funds are not subject to regular audit. Reports say DICT Secretary Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan put the controversial amount in the agency’s budget when he was still a senator. Senators said the Senate may look into Rio’s allegations. n

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House leaders back disaster resilience department ‘NEDA not consulted on ‘Duterte Legacy’ numbers’ by edu

Punay

Philstar.com

MANILA — More lawmakers are pushing for the creation of a Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR) to handle the government’s response during calamities. Albay Rep. Joey Salceda and Leyte Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez both said the recent eruption of Taal Volcano showed the need to immediately establish the office. Salceda, chairman of the House ways and means committee, said the proposed measure would enable the national government to better address calamities in the future. As one of its main proponents, he believed the effects of the latest calamity could have been mitigated or even avoided if the measure was passed earlier on. “It could have been better (if there’s DDR already). As you can see now, affected communities are evacuating but don’t really know where they should go,� he said. “Let’s pass the DDR and put Phivolcs (Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology) and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geo-

physical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) under the DDR.� Gomez, for her part, said the DDR would address fragmentation in government’s response, citing the lack of evacuation capacity and the low quality of temporary accommodations. “We have to recognize that our current system carries with it structural silos that create natural limitations to the disaster risk reduction, response, relief, recovery and rehabilitation processes,� she said in a privilege speech earlier this week. “Our status quo is functionally fragmented, with various functions under the theme of disaster resilience housed under different departments. On top of this, the overall responsibility and management for disaster resilience does not fall under one single Cabinet secretary,� she pointed out. As chair of the committee on disaster management, Gomez explained that the DDR will converge with the Climate Change Commission and will have joint supervision over key units such as the PAGASA

and Phivolcs of the Department of Science and Technology, Geo-Hazard Assessment and Engineering Geology Section of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, Health Emergency Management Bureau of the health department and the interior’s Bureau of Fire Protection. “These integrations will hopefully be the preliminary phase to a holistic approach to one of the biggest threats to our safety and to our country’s economic growth. With the DDR, we would be able to establish frameworks for disaster relief, response, recovery and rehabilitation. This means we don’t have to reinvent the wheel all over again each time there is a disaster,� she added. The proposed DDR will integrate the Climate Change Commission, National Disaster Risk Reduction, People’s Survival Fund, Yolanda Recovery and Rehabilitation Efforts, and Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery under the DDR. The House plenary tackled the measure during its session in Batangas City last month, but failed to pass it on second reading. n

PH will show flag ‘at all times’ in West Philippine Sea – Navy chief by Frances

Mangosing Inquirer.net

MANILA — The new flag officer in command of the Philippine Navy has vowed to continue to assert the country’s rights in the West Philippine Sea. Rear Adm. Giovanni Carlo Bacordo, who took the helm of the Philippine Navy on Monday, February 3, said that they would continue to establish their presence in the West Philippine Sea, which refers to the part of the South China Sea that is claimed by the Philippines. “We will continue to maintain the nine occupied features in the West Philippine Sea. We will continue to replenish and rotate our personnel in the West Philippine Sea,� he told reporters after the change of command ceremony. “At all times, we will show the flag in the West Philippine Sea,� he said. The Philippines occupies nine features in the Spratly Islands, known locally as the Kalayaan Island Group: Pagasa Island (Thitu), Ayungin (Second Thomas Shoal), Lawak Island (Nanshan), Parola Island (Northeast Cay), Patag Island (Flat), Kota Island (Loaita), Rizal

by ian

nicolas cigaral Philstar.com

MANILA — The country’s socioeconomic planning agency was not consulted when the government’s lead communications arm presented the administration’s midterm accomplishments during its “Duterte Legacy� campaign in January, the state’s chief economist said. This as the Presidential Communications Operations Office received backlash from critics who say some data on the government’s “achievements� were not presented properly and needed clarifications. In an interview with ONE News’ “The Chiefs,� Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said the legacy numbers that were presented by PCOO during its campaign were “not shown to me for comments.� Pernia, who heads the National Economic and Development Authority, also said some data should have been presented with proper context. Research group IBON Foundation was among those who called out the PCOO for “reverting to a really crude propaganda tactic of repeating a lie often enough for people to believe it.� IBON’s criticism triggered retaliation from PCOO Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy, who tried to red-tag the think tank and accused it of working “to overthrow governments.� “Even that 64 airports, of course, that’s ambiguous,� IBON Executive

The Presidential Communications Operations Office, the government’s lead communications arm, received backlash from critics who say some data on the government’s “achievements� were not presented properly and needed clarifications. Philstar.com photo

Director Sonny Africa, referring to one of Duterte’s legacy numbers, told “The Chiefs� in a separate interview. “But the impression that it’s trying to create is under Duterte’s watch, 64 airports were built. If we check government data, there are over 80 airports in the country. Are

you saying 64 of these 80 were built under Duterte?� Africa said. “It’s a sort of pattern of disinformation using government funds.� Prior to questions over the “Duterte Legacy� data it released, the PCOO previously drew flak for some blunders in the past which it admitted and apologized for. n

PH House okays bill punishing ‘electronic violence’ against women, children President Rodrigo Duterte congratulates incoming Philippine Navy (PN) Flag Officer-in-Command (FOIC) Rear Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo during the Change of Command ceremony at the Naval Station Jose V. Andrada in Manila on Monday, February 3. MalacaĂąang photo by Karl Norman Alonzo

Reef (Commodore), Likas Island (West York), and Panata Island (Lankiam Cay). Each of the outposts is manned by a small group of Navy and Marine troops. They serve there for a tour of duty that lasts from three to six months. The biggest of the Philippineheld islands is Pag-asa, which is inhabited by about a hundred civilians and a small batch of troops. A rusty transport ship BRP Sierra Madre was intentionally grounded to serve as an outpost of the Philippine Navy in Ayungin Shoal. ‘Indisputable sovereignty’ But China claims “indisputable

sovereignty� over nearly the entire South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea. This is manifested in their aggressive actions in the disputed waters. This claim was invalidated by the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Netherlands in 2016, but China has ignored the ruling. President Rodrigo Duterte, meanwhile, has chosen to set it aside in exchange for loans and economic investments from Beijing. He also argues that the alternative is war, which the Philippines cannot wage because he believes it is no match for China. n

THE House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a bill defining electronic violence against women and their children and prescribing corresponding penalties. Voting 227-0-0 on Tuesday, February 4, lawmakers passed House Bill 5869 or the proposed Expanded Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act. The bill seeks to amend Section 3, paragraph (a) of Republic Act (RA) 9262 (the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004) by defining psychological violence as acts or omission which “may be committed through physical, verbal, emotional, electronic or information communication technology (ICT)-related means or other

means causing or likely to cause the mental or emotional suffering of a woman and her children such as intimidation, harassment, stalking, damage to property, public ridicule or humiliation, verbal abuse and marital infidelity.� It further amends the provision to read as follows: “It includes the act of causing or coercing a woman and her children to witness the physical, sexual or psychological abuse of a member of the family to which the woman and her children belong, or to witness pornography in any form or to witness abusive injury to pets or to unlawful or unwanted deprivation of the right to custody and/or visitation of common children.� The fact sheet regarding the bill stated in part that the bill would

impose the penalty of prision mayor “for acts causing and threatening electronic violence against a woman and her childrenâ€?. Under the bill, electronic violence or ICT-related violence is defined as “any act or omission involving the use or exploitation of data or any form of information and communications technology which causes or is likely to cause mental, emotional, or psychological distress or suffering to the woman and her children‌â€? The bill seeks to amend Section 5 of RA 9262 by including inflicting electronic violence and threatening to cause electronic violence among the acts of violence against women and their children. (Reina Tolentino/ManilaTimes.net)

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february 6-12, 2020 • LaS VeGaS aSIaN JOurNaL

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VEGAS&STYLE

Journal Remembering Harana: A lost Filipino tradition of courtship through song By Rae

ann VaRona AJPress

WITH Valentine’s Day approaching, we look back at a Filipino tradition that illustrates one’s love in the form of romantic songs. In 1997, Filipino band Parokya Ni Edgar came out with a song that would become one of the Philippines’ most popular love songs to date. The song describes a scene in which a young man in old faded jeans, carries roses, and nervously prepares to serenade a lady he likes in the cold and star-lit night, hoping she’d fall in love with his song and him. The chorus, like the opening lines of the song, asks in Tagalog, “Uso pa ba ang harana?” (“Is harana still in style?”) While the sound is one reminiscent of 90’s MTV, the song was meant to encapsulate the awkwardness, vulnerability, and even transparency felt by previous generations of Filipinos who wooed significant others through serenades. Harana, as the song introduces, is an old Philippine tradition of courtship in which a man bears his heart in song to a woman (and sometimes vice versa), while standing underneath her window at night. Its music — unlike the Parokya Ni Edgar song — featured sweet habanera rhythms and impassioned lyrics. While it’s difficult to pin exactly when harana first began in the Philippines, the practice is believed to have started in the 1800s and was influenced by Spanish folk songs. By the 1930s, it reached its peak across Philippine provinces. However, the tradition has become nonexistent, remembered only by those who have been fortunate enough to experience or engage in harana, or

learn about it growing up. Critically acclaimed classical guitarist Florante Aguilar was among those who heard about harana while growing up in the Philippines’ Cavite province in the 1970s. This encouraged him to learn more about the music form after being away from the Philippines for 12 years. “During fiestas, our neighbor’s gardener who was a bandurria player, would get together with his friends and play rondalla and harana music in his shack by the gardens,” recalled Aguilar. He himself got involved in the local music scene as a child, which gave him even more insight into the Philippines’ unique music scene. “I was 9 years old and I remember being amazed at how everyone played different instruments — octavina, the laud, double bass, even a banjo,” said Aguilar, whose instrument of choice back then was the octavina, a guitar-shaped Filipino instrument. “It was only when I got older did I realize what a privilege it was to be part of this circle,” he added, noting that many in the group were in their 60s or 70s. “I felt like I got a pretty good glimpse of history, kind of like a time machine.” Remembering a dying tradition Strike up a conversation with any Filipino who experienced harana’s golden age, and they’ll likely light up with stories of how either they wooed their significant other as a haranista, or were wooed themselves. In the award-winning 2013 documentary “Harana: The Search for the Lost Art of Serenade,” Aguilar met with people who reminisced on the days they met their spouse through harana. One woman, Liwayway Es-

pino, talked about how she never minded when haranistas would disturb her sleep, and how news of one being serenaded would quickly become the talk of the town the next morning. “This is the experience I will never forget from my youth,” said Espino. Aguilar’s most significant encounters during his search for harana were when he met three men considered to be expert haranistas in their communities. There was Felipe Alonzo from Ilocos Sur, who grew up in the 1930s, learned the guitar himself, and eventually began recording Ilocano haranas for Villar Records. Then there was Celestino Aniel, born in 1946 in Cavite, who learned songs by artists like Ruben Tagalog and Larry Miranda through the radio. His singing style has been described as being similar to American crooners Perry Como, Nat King Cole, and Bing Crosby. Also born in 1946 in Cavite was Romeo Bergunio who was a winner of his town’s harana competition. Bergunio learned harana songs — including never before recorded songs — from his father and grandfather. The three joined Aguilar in performing as the Harana Kings, traveling around the Philippines to reintroduce original harana love songs to Filipinos including to a young man in the historic city of Vigan. Capturing a real harana on film, the Harana Kings helped the young man named Brian court a classmate of his by performing “O, Ilaw” (“Oh, Radiant Light”) to her and later her parents. “It was so genuine and Brian was so painfully shy,” said Aguilar. “I think it’s very rare to capture that shyness born out of being in love, and it was really brave of him to let us do

Alden eyes director’s chair by Iza IglesIas ManilaTimes.net

ALDEN Richards is the exact definition of a breakthrough artist. Growing up, he wanted to be a pilot but his mother urged him to pursue acting instead. After his mother died, he decided to fulfill his mother’s wishes for him to support his family financially and eventually decided to join various male pageants in Laguna then worked as a part-time commercial model in 2010. After doing modeling stints, bearing his real name Richard Faulkerson Jr., he auditioned and landed a role for his first afternoon soap, “Alakdana” in 2011. He showcased undeniable acting skills both in television and film, the reason why he was predicted that he would be the next big star of GMA Network. And so he did not disappoint. With numbers of onscreen starrers and musical career, added to that the success of the much-talked about phenomenal love team AlDub with Maine Mendoza, Richards was able to triumph on what his mother wanted him to achieve — to be regarded as one of the country’s best actors. A full decade in showbiz The year 2015 saw him rise in popularity on a different level due to the AlDub fame. But 2019 is by far considered his best year in showbiz for his portrayal of Ethan Del Rosario in “Hello, Love, Goodbye” — unquestionably the highest grossing Filipino film of all time, where he was paired with Kathryn Bernardo, also a big star from the rival television network. Richards celebrates his 10th year in the biz this year, and as humble as he is, he is on his way in doubling up his efforts for the craft that he loves so much to do. “Last year sobrang daming dumating na blessings and opportunities sa akin. Hindi po nawala yun. I mean, I have very good people behind me to give me advice kung ano yung mga magandang kunin at mga dapat hindi muna kunin for now,” Richards told members of the pres. “Ang daming learnings po ng 2019. Siyempre hardships, mga trials pero what keeps me going is the people whose behind my back — my supporters, my fans, family and of course, the people who encourage me that I can do more and be better with the craft that I am doing now,” he continued. “For 2020, sana ganun pa rin. I’m not expecting anything pero I will work hard this year, harder than I did in 2019,” Richards added. From a charming teenager when he entered the industry, Richards was seen by many viewers grow up into a full-fledged leading man. Now 28, he said he is not closing any doors to take up more mature roles any time soon. “Not necessarily naman na you’ll be doing mature roles or different roles doesn’t mean hindi mo na puwedeng gampanan yung roles na nagampanan mo nung nagsisimula ka,” he pointed out. “So I’m not closing doors, I’m still going to do roles na nakasanayan sa akin makita on TV. Pero I’m opening doors to other experiences as well. So kung may offer na maganda naman yung material yet medyo malaki ang demand to be more mature in a role, siyempre I would consider it,” the actor noted.

Alden Richards

Photo from Instagram/@aldenrichards02

Directing a consideration With his success in acting — and also hosting — many are wondering what other careers he still wanted to pursue besides what he is comfortable doing. “I [still] want to be a pilot. It has always been my dream. But now since my field of work is acting, I’m looking into the possibility of directing too,” he averred. “I’ve lived my 10 years in showbiz acting, doing my job in front of the camera. So I think it’s a very interesting angle also to do things behind the camera — how is it working with an actor, with your staff and a team. It’s like how the writer writes the story, visualizes and creates the concept of the story, but then it’s the director that gives life to the story along with the actors,” he further explained. “So parang nai-imagine ko minsan na ako yung nagse-set up, I call the shots, I motivate actors kasi I’m so in love with the craft, I’m so in love with acting and I want to share it with a lot of people, yung mga tao na really wanted to do acting as well. So parang mabibigyan ako ng authority to coach someone if I’m a director and not a co-actor. Kasi I don’t usually give instructions to people especially kapag we’re on the same level as actor to actor. But if you’re a director, that’s a different story. If you’re a director, conversation-wise, you can give pointers and advice to them. So baka naman pilot-director,” he continued. Richards said he is also open to the possibility of learning how to write scripts. “I’m more on making concepts for films and shows, pero pagdating sa linyahan, medyo inaaral ko pa siyang mabuti. But with the projects that I’ve done in the past 10 years, sometimes there are directors that I’ve worked with who give authority to the actor to revise the lines. Kasi napakaganda po pag meron tayong mga katrabaho na ganun, that somehow he feels entitled to the role. “The job we’re doing kasi, siyempre iba yung pag ikaw yung actor, yung character mo mas kilala mo at masarap mabigyan ng permission to do such things when it comes to creative collaboration. So, soon baka scriptwriting din,” the debonair Alden Richards enthused.

the serenading for him,” added Aguilar. “Imagine going under the window with a bunch of old men in tow, he could have been easily laughed off. He was really game and it shows the length he’d go to express himself to the girl.” ‘Not just any love song’ It’s undisputed that Filipinos have and continue to be fans of love songs, and even the dedicating of love songs. This is evident by the songs at the top of Filipino charts today where almost all have to do with expressing strong feelings for another. However, harana music is not just any love song, explained Aguilar. A traditional harana song itself has very particular characteristics. A crash course in harana would highlight that truly authentic haranas are marked by a distinctive style or “stamp of authenticity” as Aguilar once wrote. For one, the haranas follow a 2/4 habanera rhythm. This differs from the 3/4 timing of another traditional form of love song, the kundiman. When it comes to arrangement, haranas begin with a solo guitar introduction, followed by verse one and verse two, another solo guitar in the middle, then back to verse two until the end. Some flexibility allows short exchanges between voice and guitar in the middle of the song. Another way to distinguish a true harana song is to look at its lyrics. “A good clue is in the lyrics, which places the singer right in the middle of serenading,” said Aguilar. Harana lyrics also use pure and archaic Tagalog words no longer used in everyday conversations. Classic examples of traditional harana songs are Ruben

AJPress illustration by Jillian Penalosa

Tagalog’s “Dungawin Mo,” “Hirang” (“Look Out the WIndow, My Love”), and “Kay Lungkot Nitong Hatinggabi” (“How Sorrowful is the Night”) — all of which are accompanied by a guitar or two. Harana also adheres to a certain process that emphasizes the formality of the practice. The first stage is the Panawagan or announcement that the haranistas are outside the window. This is followed by the Pagtatapat or proposal, which takes place inside the house, and only if the serenaded opens the window and is invited into the house. Following the proposal may something be the Panagutan, or response by the serenaded, and then again by the haranistas.

The final stage is the pamaalam, or the farewell. Modern ‘haranistas’ While the days of true haranistas may exist today only in movie scenes, or reminiscent stories, the practice of serenading loved ones thrives, but in a more modern way — booked online and delivered to loved ones along with flowers, chocolates, and even teddy bears. In Cebu, a company called Harana.ph has been offering serenading packages to Filipinos for over six years. Watch any of their videos and you’ll see heart-felt reactions of loved ones reveling in the Original Pilipino Music (OPM) songs being sung by talented singers. PAGE 14

Coney on her continued success in showbiz

CONEY Reyes is happy with the continued trust given her by GMA Network. She is playing an important role in the upcoming drama, “Love of My Life,” which focuses on family, relationships, love and forgiveness. She added that there are no heroes or villains in the story but the show mirrors what happens in our everyday life. “This is about reality, truth. We all have problems in life that we cannot resolve. Sometimes we are happy. Sometimes we are sad. There is conflict but what is important is into what direction does life take us?” She admits being choosy in accepting roles on TV but she is glad she agreed to do “Love of My Life.” She hopes to meet the expectations of the network, her

co-stars and the audience when it comes to her performance. With Coney around, you can’t help but ask about her son, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto. As a mother, she is proud of the accomplishments of Vico as chief executive of the city. She said Mayor Vico seldom asks her opinion with regards to his work in the City Hall but she believes her son is doing his best on his job. When it comes to girls allegedly being linked to the goodlooking mayor, she doesn’t ask him about it. “If he opens up about it, I am willing to listen and I will give him advice if he asks me. But I am always here to support him,” the actress said. (Ricky Calderon/ Coney Reyes ManilaTimes.net)

GMA photo

Marcelito enters ‘America’s Got Talent’ finals

Bocelli’s “Con Te Partiro.” “I gotta say that I believe that you have the best shot of winning this whole thing. This is the semifinals and you raised your game. The woman in you was just as good as she was the last time. But you as a man, you went up a notch. She tried to stay up with you but she couldn’t,” Howie said. “Absolutely brilliant song choice. It really enabled you to shine. I just love everything about you Marcelito. That was a fabulous performance, well done,” Alesha said. “Marcelito, I’ve been waiting for you all day to come on the stage. For me, you are my favorite,” Heidi said. For Simon, Marcelito needs to shine more in the finals because the surprise factor is now gone. He, however, believed that Marcelito will have a massive career in the future. “Macelito, there’s no denying that you have unique, incredible special talent, so if you made it to the finals, I think you have to take a bigger risk because the surprise is over, but I do believe the gift that you have, you have a massive career in front of you,” he said. Also advancing to the grand finals are Hans, Tyler ButlerFigueroa, Alexa Lauenburger, Sandou Trio Russian Bar and Duo Transcend. All of them will be competing with the four golden buzzer acts Angelina Jordan, Boogie Storm, V. Unbeatable and Photo from Instagram/@marcelitopomoy8 Silhouettes next week.

stunning performance in the semis. Judges Simon Cowell, Howie FILIPINO singer Marcelito Mandel, Heidi Klum and Alesha Pomoy has advanced to the grand Dixon, together with the studio finals of “America’s Got Talent: audience, gave Pomoy a standThe Champions” after another ing ovation after he sang Andrea by Jan

MIlo seVeRo Philstar.com

Marcelito Pomoy

(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA (CONTINUED from the previous week…) It is said that 1.3 million were in Auschwitz, of which over a million Jews either died of starvation, exhaustion, or shot directly for any arbitrary infraction. Most were herded like sheep and silenced by the gas chambers. There were 13 other death camps and starvation camps in other parts of Europe but Auschwitz was Nazi Germany’s massive, industrial model for the final solution, devised by Adolf Eichman, of exterminating the Jews in Europe. In all, 6 million Jews died in the holocaust, estimated to be about a third of the Jewish population at that time. To give one an understanding of that number, the city of Los Angeles has a population of 4 million people. Sleeping arrangements were 4 to 5 decks high, about 5 or 6 people cramped on a deck. The weakest prisoners would be sleeping in the lowest bunk. Prisoners were starved to death especially in the winter. Most were so hungry, they ate grass in the spring and snow in the winter. The weak prisoners, men, women and children, marked for disposal were fooled into thinking they were taking showers not knowing that they were headed for the gas chambers. The bodies were incinerated in 5 massive crematories. It was a mark of pride for the German crematory company, Topf and Sons, to dispose of the remains of the dead—a maximum capacity of cremating close to 5,000 human remains per day. A few remaining survivors of the camp remember being given the task of shoveling the ashes for final disposition. Ashes were often mixed with Auschwitz soil around the crematories. Some of the ashes were scattered in a

COMMUNITY JOURNAL

Bucket list No.17 Visit Auschwitz and swear never to take your life for granted nearby river. The verdant trees now lining the riverbanks seem to be silent, living witnesses. Lt. Col. Rudolf Hess was the ruthless camp commandant. Hess lived in luxury in a bungalow with his spouse and five children right there at the camp. Just before the Russians liberated the camp, Hess tried to obliterate evidence but Auschwitz was a crime too massive to hide. Like a cornered rat, he tried to escape but he was captured and in 1946, was meted out swift justice. He was hanged right there near his bungalow at Auschwitz. A marker tells the story. The story of Auschwitz was documented in black and white film by a young Russian photographer, Alexander Vorontsov, who came with the Russian Army which liberated the camp. It is through the filter of his eyes and his lenses that we have the images of the horror that was Auschwitz, a crime against humanity that beggars belief. If your circumstances permit you and would like an understanding and appreciation of our own life on earth as it relates to those within your immediate orbit, carve out time to see Auschwitz. You will come out of the experience quiet and somber. It is like going through a silent, day-long spiritual retreat that will stay with you forever. Auschwitz gives you a deeper understanding of the human story, our story, as it unfolds even now. We see increasing incidents of a turn towards socialism by leftists, which is communism lite and a marked rise of anti-Semitism fueled by raging radical Islamic terrorism. The level of hatred is on the rise. Most importantly, for ALL freedom-loving people everywhere,

Health@Heart PHILIP S. CHUA, MD, FACS, FPCS

WITH the pandemic of the novel coronavirus infection, which has a scary treacherous incubation period of up to 14 days and where victims could spread the virus even before any symptoms appear, avoiding exposure to the virus is the next best thing to vaccination (which might be available soon). As of February 3, 2020, new estimates report 75,000 cases of nCorona virus infection in Wuhan, Hubei, China, with 362 deaths (including the first death outside of China, a 44-year-old in the Philippines), 11 cases in the USA, and 150 cases in 24 other countries, making it a pandemic. During the SARS outbreak, there were 8096 cases, with 349 deaths This has been surpassed by the nCorona virus infection of today. The MERS, between June 2012 and December 2019, has 2499 Cases, with 861 deaths. The plague (Black Death) of 1347 (the late Middle Ages), one third of the population of Europe was wiped out. Putting all these in the proper perspective: In the United States, in the 2019-2020 flu season, 180,000 patients were hospitalized and 10,000 died, according to the CDC. This, however, does not mean we could lower our guard when it comes to the nCorona infection. Well-known protection aids to prevent germ contamination or infection are masks, gloves, condoms, etc. But they are useless and ineffective, if not used properly. In the health/medical and food industry, these protective aids are utilized to protect and prevent infection for the public, the consumers, less for the users, in general. Masks and gloves are worn by healthcare providers, especially in the operating rooms and surgical areas, ERs, ICUs, etc. to prevent germs from infecting patients. In food service, as in restaurants, fast-food chains, etc., masks and gloves are used to prevent bacterial contamination of food items, which would cause gastrointestinal infection, some being serious or even fatal. And the same thing The team will have multiple with condoms, which are used to activations inside T-Mobile Arena prevent both partners from acquirand on Toshiba Plaza to celebrate ing sexually transmitted diseases the day. Activations will include: (STDs). If not used properly and • A Wishing Wall where fans making sure the condom does not can write their wishes and resolu- touch any surfaces with germs (practically all surfaces, tables, tions for the new year • Traditional Chinese New beds, doorknobs, handles, rails, Year elements incorporated in the etc.) or contaminated fingers, this March to the Fortress and throughout the in-game entertainment experience • The Vegas Golden Knights are a National Hockey League franchise owned and operated by Black Knight Sports and Entertainment LLC. The Vegas Golden Knights were established by founding partners William Foley and his family and the Maloof family. For the latest news and information on the Golden Knights visit vegasgoldenknights.com. Fans can follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.

the push towards globalism for a one-world order, with the elite, unelected few calling the shots over hapless, ordinary working people on how we are to live our lives on planet earth at every level, must be met by a stern, effective, concerted pushback. How about HELL NO!” Auschwitz is a stark reminder of why this should never happen again. As the few survivors, now in their eighties and nineties are dying and fading away, Auschwitz must serve as an eternal red flag that this horror of a story can and will have sequels in the future if we do not address this threat head on and reject it. Finally, if your heart is in he right place, Auschwitz will tug at your heartstrings. There still won’t be any answers to the question WHY. Suffice it to say, that evil exists and can take root and fester in the human heart if you let it. In the darkness, the slightest flicker of light makes your heart glad. In the horror of Auschwitz, you will begin to appreciate your own God-given life as your own light. If you live in the light of freedom right now and would like to preserve it for the succeeding generations, treasure it, defend it and—if you have to—fight for it. If you believe that Jesus Christ who came in the flesh to conquer death over two thousand years ago, is the center of your being because his message is one of love and kindness for all humanity, you will be deeply convinced yet again, that even in the darkest of days, death can never extinguish the light. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

Vegas Golden Knights announce plans for Chinese New Year celebration on February 8 VEGAS Golden Knights President Kerry Bubolz announced today, January 31, that the team will host a Chinese New Year Celebration on Saturday, February 8 when the Golden Knights face the Carolina Hurricanes. Chinese New Year is the longest and most important holiday in Chinese culture. It celebrates the beginning of the new year on the traditional Chinese lunar calendar. Each year is assigned one of 12 Chinese zodiac animals, 2020 being the Year of the Rat. This year, Chinese New Year takes place from January 25 to February 8. “We take great pride in recognizing all of the customs and traditions celebrated by the diverse cultures that make up the Las Vegas community,” said Vegas Golden Knights President Kerry Bubolz. “We’re excited to ring in the Year of the Rat by incorporat-

ing traditional Chinese New Year elements into all aspects of our game on February 8.” Leading up to the Chinese New Year Celebration, fans can stop by The Arsenal at City National Arena and The Armory at T-Mobile Arena to pick up exclusive VGK Chinese New Year themed gear. Items available include t-shirts, sweatshirts, pucks and hats. VGK players will wear Chinese New Year themed jerseys during warm-ups that will feature their last names in Mandarin. The specialty warm-up jerseys, locker nameplates and warm-up pucks will be available for purchase on a first come, first serve basis at the VGK Authentics kiosk outside of sections 10/11. Fans will be able to purchase up to two specialty jerseys per person. Items will be available starting in the middle of the first period.

Inquirer.net

CELEBRITY couple Iya Villania and Drew Arellano marked their sixth wedding anniversary on Friday, January 31, at the same time announcing that they are expecting baby No. 3. As early as last Christmas, Villania had surprised Arellano with the extra-special gift revealing her pregnancy, as seen on their YouTube channel uploaded yesterday. The Arellano family was then visiting with Villania’s relative in Australia for the Christmas holidays. Their children Primo and Alonzo Leon were opening gifts when Drew got his present from Villania. Drew was shocked to read the

message on a red envelope stating: “Love, ready for baby #3?” The envelope contained an ultrasound photo dated Dec. 14. “Are you kidding me?” Drew said. Villania laughed, as she also seemed to be taken aback by Drew’s reaction. “Wait, so you didn’t know? Are you sure?” she said. Villania’s relatives were excited for the couple as they cheered and laughed at Drew’s astonished face. Villania’s mother, meanwhile, congratulated the two. She then expressed her desire for a granddaughter next. Villania said they would wait until her delivery to find out their baby’s gender. On their wedding anniversary,

the Filipino-Australian actress proclaimed her love for Drew as she posted on Instagram a photo of them together on their wedding day, their bodies forming silhouettes against the golden sunset. “6yrs and still magical… most of the time,” Villania joked on her Instagram post. Drew, meanwhile, posted his anniversary greetings on Instagram accompanied by a photo of them in an embrace, with the Sydney Opera House behind them. He recounted his first encounter with Villania when they met in the 1990s TV series “Click.” He mused, “Who would’ve thought I’d still be saying [I love you] everyday for [17 years] after?”

protective rubber, is useless. As a cardiac surgeon who had acquired a “sterility radar-detector” discipline from decades of training and practicing sterile technique, I could quickly discern even a tiny (subtle) breach in sterility among those using masks or gloves. The general public is obviously not trained to a degree of sophistication about sterility like a trained surgical nurse or surgeon would be, so lay people could easily misinterpret or misunderstand or minimize the significance of “total” sterility. It is either sterile or not. Ninety-nine percent “sterile” is not sterile. Allowing 100 germs out of a million to contaminate is not sterile. Like pregnancy, it is either pregnant or not pregnant. The mask There are a variety of masks on the market: the popular roundof-the-mill surgical masks, the favored more effective N95 respirator masks, cold avenger pro soft shell masks, and more sophisticated and specialized ones. Masks of any type must be worn properly, covering the nose and the mouth, snug-fit, to filter air that is inhaled and exhaled. Sometimes we see people with masks on, with their nose exposed. That is wrong – it defeats the purpose of wearing a mask. The goal is to filter outside air before it is inhaled, and for those with respiratory infection, to filter the bugs in, minimizing the dose of the bacteria that is exhaled, to protect the healthy ones. Gloves To show concern for the health and safety of their customers, food handlers in some restaurants use gloves. But, like masks, if gloves are not used properly, bacterial contamination of food will never be contained or minimized. All bacterial infection from contaminated vegetables, poultry, and meat results from contacts with germs and inadequate washing and cleaning. Water is an effective cleansing agent. Refrigeration is essential in food preservation. Ultraviolet C lamps have been used to help sterilize food raw items in farms, warehouses, factories, and even in stores. UVC light kills bacteria, viruses, molds and fungi and some parasites. Frequently, I observe food handlers wearing gloves touching utensils, microwave door handles, chopping board, table, and other items, as they touch the food items they are preparing, like sandwiches, the bread, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, peppers, and the wrappers. The proper use of gloves in this situation starts with clean gloves that are held only at their “entry edge,” without touch-

ing the palm and finger parts of the gloves. Once worn, they much touch only food items, and not anything else. So, the practical way to do is to glove the non-dominant hand, which will handle food items only, and the dominant ungloved hand to hold the knife, and other utensils, the edge of the plate or paper wrapper, the microwave door handle, etc. Obviously, the gloved hand (or one of the fingers) must not be used to scratch oneself. The glove should be changed every couple of hours, since they too could harbor germs from the atmosphere. If gloves could not be used properly, it is better not to use them at all, and simply wash the hands before preparing any sandwich or handling any food item. Indeed, the sight of gloved hands among food handlers could give a false sense of security…and carelessness among food handlers. No material things on earth, including money, are worth more than health and life. Billionaires in their hospital or death beds, including cancer victim Steve Jobs, iconic Apple founder, knew only too well how wealth becomes meaningless and useless to a dying person. Jobs was quoted as having said these last words as he was dying: “I reached the pinnacle of success in the business world. In others’ eyes my life is an epitome of success. However, aside from work, I have little joy. In the end, wealth is only a fact of life that I am accustomed to. At this moment, lying on the sick bed and recalling my whole life, I realize that all the recognition and wealth that I took so much pride in, have paled and become meaningless in the face of impending death….(and paraphrasing: that family, loved ones, are our true wealth.” While fact-checking found this famous quoted statement, which went viral on the internet, to be false, the wisdom, the truth, validity, and eloquence in it are touching, inspiring, and an eye-opener. So, let’s take good care of ourselves, our health, our life. After all, we have only one life to live. No spare. No back-up. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

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Live Filipino Music at Hard Rock Cafe in Boston, MA An evening of live music at the Hard Rock Cafe - Boston with talented Filipino American bands and performers, including Arianne Aldecoa, Balut Proof, Highland Ave Band, Jireh Calo and John dela Cruise. Bring your special someone, your besties or your family on this Valentine’s Day weekend. For tickets/info, call Rowena (617) 407-0232 or Ning (508) 843-0346.

F E B R UA RY 29

23rd annual Susan G. Komen ‘More than Pink Walk’ in Los Angeles Susan G. Komen Los Angeles County will hold its 23rd annual event at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, February 29, the ‘MORE THAN PINK Walk™.’ Known for raising significant monies to help those with breast health issues in Los Angeles County, the affiliate does so with many activities, the Expo, Hope Village, for survivors and those living with breast cancer, Reflection Tent, and Team Zone in addition to the fun MORE THAN PINK Walk™ itself. There’s something everyone will enjoy. Sponsored by AutoNation, Spiritual Gangster, The Citadel and CBS-2/KCAL-9, 2020’s event is expected to significantly surpass 2019’s attendance of 6,000, nearly 400 survivors in attendance, and over 900 members on the largest corporate team.Through events like the Los Angeles County MORE THAN PINK Walk™, Komen Los Angeles County invests 75% of the funds raised to support vital local breast health services and dedicates the remaining 25% to national research to find the cures. Registration opens at 7:30 a.m., with opening ceremonies at 8:30 a.m. To participate, call 310.575.3011 or visit komenlacounty.org/walk.

MARCH 10

Glenn Miller Orchestra to perform in Stevenson Ranch, CA The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra will swing into the Santa Clarita Valley for a special one-night-only event to be held at West Ranch High School on Tuesday, March 10 at 7 p.m. The most sought-after big band in the world will take the stage with Bandleader Nick Hilscher at the helm, performing beloved hits from their extensive library which includes In the Mood, Moonlight Serenade and Pennsylvania 6-5000. Hosted by West Ranch High School’s music program, the concert will be an event for all ages and offers the chance to experience history, enjoy the magical melodies and walk away knowing you’re supporting a new generation of talented musicians in the process. The most popular and sought after big band in the world today for both concert and swing dance engagements. With its unique jazz sound, the Glenn Miller Orchestra is considered to be one of the greatest bands of all time. The present Glenn Miller Orchestra was formed in 1956 and has been touring consistently since, playing an average of 300 live dates a year all around the world. The performance will be held at West Ranch High School Theater (26255 Valencia Blvd. Stevenson Ranch, CA 91381). Ticket prices are $25 – Seniors/Students/Military; $30 – General; or $40 – Premium Seating. Prices increase by $5 at the door the day of the event. Tickets available online at westranchmusic.com or by calling (661) 222-1220 ext. 645.

Drew Arellano and Iya Villania with their sons Primo and Alonzo

Photo from Instagram/@iyavillania

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Of masks, gloves and condoms

Calendar of Events across

Iya, Drew expecting third baby by CHA LINO

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 6-12, 2020

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

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Is Kyline the next Julie Anne San Jose? by Christina

alpad ManilaTimes.net

Actors Bembol Roco and Ice Seguerra

ABS-CBN photos

Ice, Bembol expose dismal showbiz work conditions at Congress inquiry by Jan

Milo severo Philstar.com

DURING the recent congressional hearing on various bills following the death of veteran actor Eddie Garcia, celebrities Ice Seguerra and Bembol Roco have revealed the grueling working conditions of actors in the Philippines. Ice, who started her showbiz career as a child star, turned emotional while telling her experience. “Sa init ng araw, nasa ilalim lang ho kami ng payong, nakaupo, walang maayos na lugar. Medyo nag-level up para sa mga artista, but unfortunately for the extras, it’s like this. Until now, they come to the set earlier than all of us but you see them sitting in cardboard boxes. Wala man lang upuan, walang merienda minsan,” the singer shared. “It’s hard because they’re there, because they are very passionate about what they do. They love what they do. We love what we do and that’s why there’s a tendency for us to be abused because we love what we do and hindi kami nagrereklamo about it because mahal na mahal namin,” Ice added. The former child star also expressed joy as the Congress finally addresses their concern in time for the 100th year of Philippine cinema.

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“I’m just very happy on its 100th year, finally, we’re seeing some hope. Finally, we are recognized as workers, as an industry... Unfortunately, actors can’t really say much. They’re bound by contract by these big networks and they can’t say anything because there’s a gag order,” Ice said. “Paano kami magsasalita? ‘Pag nagsalita kami, mawawalan kami ng trabaho. Ang hirap rin for us,” the actor added. Bembol echoed Ice’s sentiments, saying the working conditions in showbiz are hard and as early as the 1980s, director Lino Brocka and theater pioneer Benh Cervantes were already fighting for artists’ rights. “Binibigyan niyo ng importansya ngayon ‘yung aming kalagayan. Noon pa man early ‘80s, sila Lino Brocka, sila Behn Cervantes, have been trying to make this happen. Pero hindi nakakuha ng sapat na suporta. Hanggang ngayon eh ganun pa rin ang sitwasyon,” Bembol said. “Hindi naman kami humihingi nang hindi sapat sa amin. Fairness lang. Medyo naabuso kaming lahat sa pamamahala ng networks, ng producers na gan’un ang sistema na walang working hours. It’s crazy to think na meron palang gan’ung trabaho walang limit sa oras,” he added. Reports said the Congress is deliberating on the following

YOUNG as she is, 17-year-old Kyline Alcantara is one of the busiest artists of GMA Network today. She sings, dances, acts and also hosts in various projects across the network prompting some to compare her to another Kapuso star who has taken the same path — Julie Anne San Jose. Both Alcantara and San Jose started their show business careers early via kiddie competitions — San Jose competed in “Popstar Kids” while Alcantara tried her luck in ABS-CBN’s “Star Circle Quest.” Early on, the two were seen with potentials in both performing and acting, opening opportunities not only in front of the camera but also onstage. Currently, Alcantara and San Jose have been sharing the stage for what became a concert series, “The Sweetheart and the Balladeer (Fun Night Only).” While San Jose co-headlines the concert series with Asia’s Romantic Balladeer, Christian Bautista, Alcantara has been gracing the stage as special guest for the last two legs of the show in Iloilo City and Cagayan de Oro City, respectively. Proving her effective addition to the concert, Alcantara is back for the third time as the San JoseBautista headliner — together with comics Donita Nose and Super Tekla — heads to Urdaneta City, Pangasinan on February 8. As such, Alcantara was understandably grateful to face the media anew as she helps promote the upcoming concert.

‘No other Julie Anne’ Nevertheless, Alcantara still received the question regarding the similarities in their careers and how she seems to be ushered into same path their mother network paved for San Jose. “Idol ko po talaga si Julie Anne so I will be lucky to be molded into the ‘next’ Julie Anne San Jose. But as she has said, we are all unique. Yes I am a performer but not yet on the level of Julie. Una na nga po, hindi ako biritera,” a genuinely humbled Alcantara told the media. Later on, on the sidelines of the media conference, she admitted to The Manila Times she was surprised to be confronted with the question. “Hindi ko alam ano yung isasagot ko. Pero habang sinasagot ko, napaisip ako, siguro nga ganun ang ginagawa sa akin ng GMA so I feel honored,” Alcantara said. On this more relaxed interview, however, Alcantara said she also realized something about being compared to the person she considers her “ate” in the business. “Naisip ko rin ngayon, walang puwedeng walang next na Julie Anne San Jose, siya lang yun. I can, instead, be my own level-up Kyline Alcantara like, Kyline Alcantara 2.0” Nevertheless, Alcantara has nothing but nice things to say to 25-year-old San Jose. “Si Julie, on and off cam, alam niya yan na mahal na mahal ko siya. Super! Kasi iba siya mag-advice. Hindi showbiz friends, kumbaga, may na-create kami na relationship na parang magkapatid talaga.” Besides the concert series, the

measures: HB 81 – Prescribing a mandatory occupational safety, health, and emergency response program for all artists in the film, television, and theater industries of the Philippines (Rep. Ronnie Ong) HBs 181 & 4875 – Creating an Occupational Safety and Health Standards Act (OSHA) for the film, television, and theater industry of the Philippines (Deputy Speaker Michael Romero and Rep. Rufus Rodriguez) HBs 1019 & 5596 – Regulating the work schedule and other terms of engagement governing cinema, radio, television, theater, and other media personnel who are covered by a service or talent contract and providing penalties for violations thereof (Reps. Precious Hipolito Castelo and John Marvin “Yul Servo” Nieto) HB 1766 – Providing for proper working conditions in the movie and television industry (Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund “LRay” Villafuerte Jr.) HB 2476 – Providing enhanced protection, security and benefits for media workers (Rep. Rowena Niña Taduran) HR 195 – Inquiry into the occupational health and safety of the workers of the entertainment industry in light of the death of veteran actor Eddie Garcia (Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund Nadine Lustre “LRay” Villafuerte Jr.) Photo from Instagram/@nadine

IT seems Nadine Lustre is bent on fighting Viva Entertainment till the end. Nadine issued a statement from her lawyers, saying she is terminating her contract with Viva and will manage her career on her own. But Viva answered back with a press statement saying that Nadine’s contract is still binding and cannot be rescinded. As such, the actress cannot do any project outside Viva without the company’s consent. Any entity that violates this will face a lawsuit. It is only Nadine who is adamant in saying that she is out of Viva but as far as Viva is concerned, Nadine is their property, having signed an exclusive con-

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Kyline Alcantara Photo from Instagram/@itskylinealcantara

two have been sharing the stage on the GMA program “Studio 7,” and more recently, in the afternoon Sunday variety program, “All-Out Sunday.” Hence, Alcantara said they get more chance to bond now. Asked if they do activities outside work, the young singer-actress divulged they enjoy dining and catching up with each other’s lives. “Iba siya mag-advice, sa career, sa love. Sobrang random yung mga pinag-uusapan namin,” Alcantara teased. Alcantara is only hopeful her growing friendship with San Jose continues through the years. “Sana mas mag-grow pa yun, maging deeper pa yung bonding naming dalawa kasi sobrang mahal na mahal ko yun [San Jose], super! Walang halong kaplastikan, walang halong showbiz,” she finally told The Manila Times Entertainment.

Is Nadine in danger to become a ‘frozen delight’ ?

FOR RENT

tract with them. In fact, based on her contract, she is supposed to do seven more movies for her home studio. It seems Nadine was ill-advised. What she should have done instead was to talk to Viva and explain to them the provisions in her contract she is not amenable to. It is hard to lock horns if when tied down by a valid contract. Nadine should realize that Viva can freeze her career. And it is not nice to be a frozen delight. No matter how many times Nadine would assert that she had herself released from her contract, it is still Viva that has the last say if the contract is binding, which she herself signed in the presence of witnesses. (ManilaTimes.net)

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • fEbRUARy 6-12, 2020

Community members ‘Fill the Pantry’ during rmhC’s annual food drive

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RMHC takes care of families’ basic needs so they can focus on the recovery of their child LAS VEGAS — It will now be easier for The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Las Vegas to serve families for the remainder of the year, thanks to some very generous Smith’s shoppers! On Saturday, February 1, the House partnered with all local Smith’s stores for the 19th annual “Fill the Pantry” food drive. Shoppers donated more than FIVE TONS of food and household supplies to support RMHC families. In addition, more than $11,500 was raised from cash and gift card donations. More than 250 volunteers helped make this food drive possible by passing out wish lists at local Smith’s Food and Drug Store locations, collecting, sorting, dating, and weighing

Carla Abellana

Photo from Instagram/@carlaangeline

Work as ‘emotional outlet’ for Carla’s health woes by AllAn

PolicArPio Inquirer.net

“DISCOURAGING” or “frustrating” was how Carla Abellana described her 2019, which saw her struggling with various health issues. She has hypothyroidism—the medication for which caused some liver damage. As a result, her weight fluctuated, which was exacerbated by the steroids she’s taking for her asthma. On top of those, she also has a condition called tachycardia, a heart rhythm disorder that makes her heart beat faster than normal, even at rest. “Fortunately, it’s only the hypothyroidism I have to focus on at the moment. Everything else has more or less normalized. I have already gotten a clearance from my liver doctor to proceed with a new treatment plan which, hopefully, can start next month,” she told reporters at a recent press conference for her new GMA 7 drama series, “Love of My Life.” One of the biggest health scares she had, Carla recalled, happened during a recent family trip to Japan, where she experienced severe bloating and shooting knee pain. “I had steroid medication for my asthma—administered intravenously—before flying. But once there, I got so big. And in the middle of one night, I had sharp pain in the knee. I have a high tolerance for pain, but this one rendered me unable to walk or stand. We had to visit three hospitals, because the first two didn’t have an English-speaking staff,” she related. “It was my first time to experience something like that. I was very scared. You’re in a foreign country, and you have no idea what’s going on. Is it a side-effect? Am I having complications? It was alarming,” Carla added. It was, to say the least, a challenging period in her life. Slowly but surely, however, things are getting better. “My health has been improving. I’m still here, going through it,” she said. But the 33-year-old celebrity wouldn’t have been able to bear

that weight if it weren’t for her loved ones and, of course, her boyfriend of five years, Tom Rodriguez. “My family was always there for me. I don’t think I would be able to handle all those things without them,” she said. “They’re my medicine.” “If there’s something that needs to be taken care for, or when something’s stressing me out, Tom is always there to help in any way he can. If there’s nothing he can do about what I’m going through, he listens and stays by my side. He offers me words of encouragement. He just lets me cry my heart out,” she added. Carla is ready to get back to the grind. In “Love of My Life,” which airs weeknights beginning on Feb. 3, she plays Adelle, a widowed single mother, who falls in love with a well-off architect, Stefano (Tom). But as they begin to settle down and build their own family, Stefano gets diagnosed with a terminal illness. Stefano’s ex-girlfriend, Kelly (Rhian Ramos), then comes barging in, along with the son he fathered. “I’m happy Tom and I were given another opportunity to work together again. We’re both very excited, and our fans have been requesting for it,” she said. Despite her health problems, not once did Carla think that she wouldn’t be able to act again. “Actually, I have been wishing for work. That’s why I was emotional during my recent contract signing. I was like, ‘Let’s start working, so I can take my mind off my issues; so I can start enjoying myself,” she said. “Work is an emotional outlet for me.” While Carla and Tom have already bought a lot on which they plan to build their dream home, they have yet to be engaged. They don’t have concrete marriage plans yet. “We do discuss it, but not in detail. But we’re sure we both yearn for the same thing—marriage. I just hope it doesn’t take us another five years to get there,” she said. Is an engagement still needed at this point? “Aba, dapat lang!” she said, laughing. “It’s a formality … a moment!

the donations, and stocking the pantry shelves and storage cabinets at the House. Longtime supporters also made generous donations, including $1,000 in gift cards from Smith’s and a $500 donation from the Nevada Farm Bureau. Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Greater Las Vegas is a non-profit, 501c3 organization that provides temporary housing for families who travel to Las Vegas to receive medical treatment for their children. RMHC of Greater Las Vegas also creates and supports programs that directly benefit children and families in the greater Las Vegas area. For more information on RMHC of Greater Las Vegas, visit www. rmhlv.org.

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9th annual Chinese New Year in the Desert held on January 25 & 26 CHINESE New Year is about celebrating life and the most important things in the world: family and friends. With continued support, this year’s annual Chinese New Year in the Desert on January 25-26 included more spectators, participants, performers, international visitors and sponsors! 2020 is the Year of the Rat. The rat is the first of all zodiac animals and it represents the beginning of a new day. In Chinese culture, rats were seen as signs of wealth and surplus. Those born in the Year of the Rat are clever, quick thinkers, successful, but content with living a quiet and peaceful life. What a great message this brings: by being successful and content with what we have ourselves, we can be the good fortune for one another — in our families, in our communities, and in our world. In this way, we are guaranteed that 2020 will be a great year for all. AJPress photos by Robert Macabagdal

Yassi excited to work with Hollywood stars by Dolly Anne CArvAjAl Inquirer.net

Yassi Pressman

Photo from Instagram/@yassipressman

YASSI Pressman is excited about the possibility of working with Hollywood actors in “Ang Probinsiyano.” “We have not been informed who our foreign guest stars will be,” she quips. “But working with Hollywood peeps would be a plus factor for us.” I asked her if their long-running series is about to end this year. Yassi says, “Perhaps having Hollywood actors is a signal that we want to wrap it up with a bang.” What could be a bigger finale than that? Thrill is gone I cornered a former costar of James Reid and Nadine Lustre in their defunct series, “On The Wings of Love,” for his sentiments about the “JaDine” breakup. He mused, “Since James admitted that they have been living together for years, probably the thrill and excitement have waned. If a couple lives together, somehow you ‘lose’ the mystery. Although I hope it’s just a cool-off phase because they were such a cute and cool couple.” Too bad that JaDine’s “wings of love” are now making them fly in opposite directions.

Remembering Harana: A lost Filipino... PAGE 10 “We basically have three packages, including our Premium Package where the singer is a voice coach of one of the most popular TV shows in the Philippines,” said Jane Soco, Harana. ph’s managing director. Their services have proven to be most popular outside of the Philippines by customers looking to find a unique way to show their appreciation for loved ones back home. “Eighty-percent of our customers are Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who are unable to be with their loved ones during special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, and Valentine’s Day, said Soco. When it comes to song requests, OPM songs like “Ikaw” by Yeng Constantino are among customer favorites. Unending love for ballads W h i l e t h e re’s n o t e l l i n g whether harana will find its way back into the hearts of future generations, there’s no question that Filipinos will continue to have a sweet spot for “hugot” inducing songs — songs that tug at the emotions. “I submit that the Filipinos’ penchant for sad and pensive songs is a manifestation of the primeval kundiman sentiment,” said Aguilar. “It’s a direct result of the national affinity for sad songs dating back to pre-colonial times.”

AJPress illustration by Godwin Gasacao

“We believe that music is a language we can all speak and understand,” said Soco. “Since Filipinos are known to be one of the most talented people in the field of music and continuously indulge in enjoyable recollections of past events in our lives, we still get ‘kilig’ whenever we see someone serenading their loved ones.” “Kilig” is a Filipino term that describes the feeling of romantic excitement. “Celebrating special occasions in the Philippines will be

more fun with a little twist of harana,” added Soco. And for those interested in learning more about the country’s unique past tradition of harana, Aguilar encourages people to listen to some of the great original harana compositions by artists like Ruben Tagalog. And of course, there’s the Harana Kings’ album “Introducing the Harana Kings” which features 14 tracks recorded by Aguilar, Alonzo, Aniel, and Bergunio.

(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • fEbRUARy 6-12, 2020

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february 6-12, 2020 • LaS VeGaS aSIaN JOurNaL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678

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