020919 - Los Angeles Weekend Editon

FEBRUARY 9-12, 2019 Volume 29 - No. 10 • 4 Sections – 30 Pages

Measles outbreak spreads across PH Death toll reaches 72

by NATHALIE

ROBLES

AJPress

OVER 70 people have died from measles, the Philippines’ Department of Health said on Friday, February 8, a few days after it declared a nationwide outbreak of the contagious virus.

DOH Spokesperson Enrique Domingo said that the 72 casualties were among the 2,000 cases of measles in areas across the country, including Manila.

In January alone, 55 fatalities were reported at San Lazaro Hospital in Manila; the number rose to 60 on Friday.

Most of the confirmed deaths are children aged three months to 4 years old.

The DOH on February 6 declared a “measles outBarangay (village) Payatas community health nurse Mylene Pontanos injects a measles vaccine to a child on Thursday, break” in the National Capital Region and Region 3 February 7.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez u PAGE A2 NEW GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. President Rodrigo Duterte administers the oath to newly-appointed officials from various government agencies during a ceremony at the Malacañang Palace on Thursday, February 7.

Malacañang photo by Robinson Niñal

PH House recalls death Duterte warns ISIS: ‘Do not penalty for illegal surrender because I will kill you’ DATELINE USA President warns of more terrorist attacks by the group ‘Nurses not covered by US drugs during parties he called ‘insane’ and ‘made in hell’ FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

work ban Filipino wokers’

NURSES, including Filipinos, are not covered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s ban on the issuance of new work visas to foreign workers, a lawmaker representing overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) said.

“Filipino nurses entering America through the sponsorship of their prospective U.S. employers apply for and are issued a separate entry permit — the H-1B visa,” Rep. Aniceto Bertiz III of party-list group ACTS-OFW said.

Bertiz said the H-1B visa program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign staff, including nurses, in select occupations that require the application of specialized knowledge and a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent work experience.

He added the visa ban covers mostly trainees and agricultural workers.

Bertiz predicted that the demand for Filipino nurses in the U.S. would steadily increase in the years ahead.

“America’s nursing workforce is growing u PAGE A3

US open to ‘useful’ adjustments in Mutual Defense Treaty with PH The United States government is open to any “useful” adjustments to the U.S.-Philippines 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim announced on Thursday, February 7.

The U.S. envoy told the reporters at a foreign policy forum in Makati that he supported the intentions of Department of National Defense (DND) Undersecretary Cardozo Luna to review the document due to its great importance.

“I think as (Defense) Undersecretary Luna made it very clear, any document, especially an agreement that important and that complicated, always needs to be looked at very closely as the circumstances surrounding the agreement or the alliance evolves,” Kim said as reported by The Manila Times.

The diplomat said that the two countries should not be entirely dependent on the strong ties they have agreed upon in the past.

However, Kim emphasized that the U.S. and u PAGE A4

by NATHALIE

ROBLES

by NESTOR

CORRALES Inquirer.net

AJPress

THE Philippines’ House of Representatives withdrew its approval of the reimposed death penalty for convicted offenders found in possession of illegal drugs during parties, social gatherings and meetings on Wednesday, February 6.

Assistant Majority Leader and Zamboanga Sibugay First District Rep. Wilter Palma II made a motion to reconsider the Com- PH Jouse Speaker Gloria MacapagalManilaTimes.net photo prehensive Dangerous Arroyo Drugs Act of 2002 after it was approved on its third and final reading on Monday, February 4.

“Madam Speaker, I move that we recommit House Bill No. 8909 to the committee on dangerous drugs to allow the committee to introduce necessary amendments thereto,” Palma said as reported by The Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Deputy Majority Leader and Kabayan Representative Ron Salo agreed and moved for the reconsideration of the recommitment of the bill to the panel level.

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte warned of more terroristic attacks by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which he described as “insane” and “made in hell.”

“We have this insane ISIS that they would kill.

And I expect that they would do some bombings here and bombings there ‘cause that’s what they get in the Middle East,” Duterte said in a speech during the oath taking of newly-appointed government officials in Malacañang on Thursday, February 7.

u PAGE A2

BI: No blue collar jobs for foreigners in PH

by AJPRESS

THE Philippines’ Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Wednesday, February 6, that the government will no longer issue work permits to foreign nationals who want to be employed as construction workers, cashiers, janitors and carpenters.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said the bureau would tighten the requirements and procedures on the issuance of special and provisional work permits to foreigners in order to protect the interests of the country’s local workforce.

“These new rules are meant to protect the interest of local workers. As we have observed that in u PAGE A2 the past, foreigners may abuse

their permits and take away jobs from our kababayans (countrymen),” Morente said as reported

by The Philippine Star.

Professional work is also strictly regulated by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to address the reported increase of foreign workers in the country. They strived “to ensure that work permits are issued only to aliens whose jobs could not be performed by Filipinos.”

Among the additional requirements for work applicants are — validity of their stay as tourists; address, existence, nature of the business and financial viability of petitioning company, Securities and Exchange Commission

(SEC) registration and other government licenses to operate.

The new rules will be applied to both provisional work permit (PWP) and special work permit (SWP) holders. According to Rappler, a PWP consist of an alien employment permit (AEP) and a pending work visa, while SWP is for tourist visa holders employed for six months or less.

In line with the new set of regulations, only authorized immigration officers at the main office and alien control officers in the bureau’s field offices may approve or disapprove applicants for special (SWP) and provisional work permits (PWP).

u PAGE A3

Rappler chief Maria Ressa faces additional ‘cyber libel’ lawsuit

by RAE

ANN VARONA AJPress

FILIPINA journalist Maria Ressa, founder of Philippine-based news site Rappler, has been hit with a new “cyber libel” lawsuit this week, in what human rights groups say is another move against free press in the country.

The Philippine Department of Justice on Wednesday, February 6 said it approved the indictment of Ressa and former Rappler writer Reynaldo Santos Jr. for cyber libel over a story they published seven years ago.

Philippine prosecutors recommended in a resolution early January that Ressa and Santos be charged in

violation of Libel under Republic Act No.10175, which refers to libel “committed through a computer system or any other similar means which may be devised in the future.”

But many are seeing the charge as being unfounded and as being an attack on Rappler, which has been vocal about not only the Philippine government’s controversial war on drugs, but on the government’s usage of social media in a time of disinformation.

Ressa, who was recently one of the journalists collectively named TIME magazine’s Person of the Year in 2018, was first indicted last November by the Philippine government on multiple counts of tax evasion—a move critics

said was politically motivated.

In response to the latest charge against her and Rappler, numerous human rights groups and digital freedom advocates have condemned the lawsuit and urged for the case to be dismissed.

“The judicial harassment used by President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration to persecute Rappler’s journalists is becoming grotesque,” said Daniel Bastard, head of RSF’s Asia-Pacific desk.

“It would be almost laughable if it weren’t for the terrible judicial precedent that this decision would set, if upheld,” he added. “We urge the court

u PAGE A3

In this file photo, Rappler chief executive officer Maria Ressa submitted her counter-affidavit to the Department of Justice (DOJ) during the preliminary hearing in May of last year.

Philstar.com photo by Edd Gumban

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From the Front Page

Measles outbreak spreads across...

PAGE A1 t

(Central Luzon) and later expanded it to Calabarzon, Region 6 (Western Visayas) and Region 7 (Central Visayas) a day later.

Cities in the National Capital Region with most cases are: Manila, Caloocan, Marikina, Pasig, Navotas, Parañaque, Taguig, Pasay, and Malabon.

Health officials link the mea-

sles outbreak in several regions to the lack of vaccination coverage. Records from the health department showed that 960,457 children were not vaccinated for the first three quarters of 2018, while the 2017 figure was 855,039.

In 2018, 21,812 measles cases were reported, with 202 deaths, most of them children.

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) on Thursday planned to coordinate with the health department in assisting patients with measles.

After visiting the San Lazaro Hospital (SLH) in Manila, PRC Chairman Richard Gordon said they would provide medical equipment and set up a 100-bed emergency medical unit (EMU) there.

“We need to work together to assist the families affected by the measles outbreak. When we visited the SLH at midnight, we saw two or three children sharing one bed with parents also sharing the space. What was usually room for two or three patients now accommodate up to 10 children. Even hallways are now being used,” Gordon told reporters.

He added called for stopping “the scare” and rather educating families on the need for vaccinations.

An infectious disease fellow, Dr. Barbara May Banaobra said that the SLH admitted over 250 measles patients. The majority of the patients are children who did not receive measles vaccine shots.

Local chapters of the humanitarian organization were set to conduct measles awareness campaigns in the nearby regions particularly in Central Luzon, Eastern Visayas and Central Visayas. PRC urged officials not to politicize government immunization programs as they are essential in curbing and preventing fatal diseases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) expressed concern on the 2.5 million children below 5 years of age in the Philippines who did not participate in the government’s immunization program against measles.

“We are not very surprised about this. This is a situation that could have been predicted. It’s against the background of low immunization coverage we have seen here in the country over the last years,” WHO Representative to the Philippines Dr. Gundo Weiler said in an interview with CNN Philippines.

Weiler said that a 95 percent vaccine coverage would secure the protection of the communities from diseases. However, the

PRAYER FOR PEACE. Senators Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III (far left), Nancy Binay (center), and Mrs. Lourdes “Bing” Pimentel (right) led the officers and employees of the Senate in praying the “Prayer for Peace in the Philippines”, a synchronized interfaith event initiated by the PasaLord Movement aimed at uniting Filipinos to pray for peace in the country.

Senate photo by Joseph Vidal

PH House recalls death penalty for illegal...

PAGE A1 t “Madam Speaker, earlier we recommitted House Bill No. 8909 to the committee on dangerous drugs for necessary amendments. I move, Madam Speaker, that we reconsider the recommitment of House Bill No. 8909 to the committee on dangerous drugs,” Salo added.

The said bill authored by House Speaker and former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo elevated the punishment from life imprisonment to death for those who dare to violate the Dangerous Drugs Law. On Monday, the lower house approved the bill with an overwhelming vote of 172-0. The lower legislative chamber sought to strengthen the drug campaign of Duterte by proposing amendments to the Comprehensive

Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (Republic Act 9165).

“Any person found possessing any dangerous drugs during a party, or at a social gathering or meeting, or in the proximate company of at least two persons shall suffer the penalty of life imprisonment to death and a fine of P500,000 to 10 million, regardless of the quantity and purity of such dangerous drugs,” the bill stated.

In the same bill, drug trafficking is defined as the “illegal cultivation, culture, delivery, administration, dispensation, manufacture, sale, trading, transportation, distribution, importation, exportation, chemical diversion” and having “precursor chemicals.”

Other amendments include the reduced validity of certifi-

cates from drug testing centers from one year to three months.

Athletes will be required to undergo drug testing twice a year.

House committee on Dangerous Drugs chairman and Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers enumerated the implications that illegal drug trade and abuse have caused in the Philippine society.

“I am fully aware of the dangers, as well as the irreparable damage, that this menace has brought our people, our children and how the entire future of our country has been compromised.

Senseless killings, irreversible brain damage and a completely wasted populace are but some of the realities we face with the proliferation of illegal drugs,” Barbers said as reported by The Philippine Star. n

Duterte warns ISIS: ‘Do not surrender...

PAGE A1 t “Ah pagka ganun patayan talaga ‘yan (It will be a bloodbath).

No quarters given. No quarters asked,” he added.

The president also called ISIS, notorious for staging suicide bombings and other brutal terrorist attacks, as “terrible.”

“Do not surrender because u PAGE A6

I will kill you,” he said, referring to members of the terrorist group.

“So that’s it. We have the ISIS. It’s a terrible… It’s a… That thing is or was made in hell. Kaya ko man pumatay ng tao (I can kill a person), but it has to be a good reason. Self-defense, defense of relatives, defense of stranger,

fulfilling your duty as a peace officer,” he added.

Duterte had earlier ordered government troops to annihilate terrorists and enemies of the state following the twin explosions at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Jolo, Sulu that killed at least 20 people and injured almost 100. n

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A3

Trump highlights health agenda with vow to lower ‘unfair’ drug prices

by JULIE

ROVNER AND ANA B. IBARRA

Kaiser Health News

HAPPY DETAINEE. ’Kenneth Dong’ (left) grins after he was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Wednesday, February 6, for the importation of P6.4 billion worth of shabu. NBI Deputy Director Vicente De Guzman Jr. said operatives from the bureau’s AntiOrganized and Transnational Crime Division (NBI-AOTCD) collared Dong in an undisclosed place in Metro Manila based on the warrant issued

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

ManilaTimes.net photo by DJ Diosina

Rappler chief Maria Ressa faces additional...

PAGE A1 that handles this case to show independence and wisdom by dismissing it once and for all.”

Butch Olano, Amnesty International’s Philippines Section Director, said that the latest move on Ress and her team came as no surprise.

“Rappler’s fearless journalism has consistently exposed the socalled ‘war on drugs’ for what it really is: a deadly campaign that has led to thousands of unlawful killings of poor and marginalized people, including children. Critics, activists, and journalists alike have faced President Duterte’s wrath for speaking the truth,” said Olano.

Olano said that the current charge exemplifies the well criticized anti-cybercrime law as being “weaponized against legitimate dissent and free speech.”

He pointed out that the National Bureau of Investigation, which first reviewed the complaint, dismissed the claim as baseless last year.

“This repressive law, must be

repealed by the government and charges dropped against Ressa and Rappler,” said Olano. “This government shows no sign of ending its chilling campaign of repression, obstruction and intimidation. Authorities should end this harassment and let Maria Ressa and all Filipino journalists do their jobs as truth-tellers.”

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) also joined in and said the law was “an institutionalized threat to free expression, especially in the internet age.”

The new charge revolves around an article Rappler back in May 2012, less than five months before the controversial Cybercrime Prevention Act was enacted. The Act made the crime of online libel punishable by up to 12 years in jail.

Rappler’s counsel, JJ Disini, said, “If the theory is that if a libelous article is published in the past, and continues to be acces-

sible today, and that constitutes libel today, then no one is safe.

Anyone that has a libelous article that continues to be accessible may be charged with libel.”

He said the resolution affected everyone, including bloggers.

In the 2012 article by journalist Santos Jr., prominent businessman Wilfredo Keng—who filed the complaint along with the NBI—was reported as being allegedly linked to human trafficking and illegal drugs, as well as to the then-chief justice Renato Corona’s impeachment trial.

“I look at it as proxy. It is part of the same government effort to try to make Rappler toe the line, which is, ‘You shouldn’t be reporting on the drug war. You should be reporting how wonderful our country is today,’ It is just now what we do,” Ressa told Time on Friday. “I want to face this—because the more ludicrous the cases are, the clearer it is that these are tools that are being used to try to silence us.” ■

BI: No blue collar jobs for foreigners in...

PAGE A1 t Voluntary regularization On the same day, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced that with the help of Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), they will implement a national voluntary regularization for over 200,000 workers.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello

III announced that both the labor department and the ECOP was scheduled to sign on Friday, February 8, a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to enforce the national voluntary regularization program.

“This will cover workers in more than 3,200 establishments, mostly ECOP members. As a start, between 30 to 40 percent

IT was not the centerpiece, but health was a persistent theme in President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address at the Capitol on Tuesday night, February 5.

Although the administration has focused more on issues of trade, taxes and immigration, the president laid out a series of health-related goals, including some that even Democrats indicated could be areas of bipartisan negotiation or compromise. Trump vowed to take on prescription drug prices, pursue an end to the HIV epidemic and boost funding for childhood cancers.

He also took a victory lap for goals promoted by his administration that had been accomplished. “We eliminated the very unpopular Obamacare individual mandate penalty,” he said, referring to the requirement in the Affordable Care Act that most people must have health insurance or pay a fine. It was eliminated as part of the 2017 GOP tax bill, despite backlash from critics that it could undercut Obamacare, after many failed attempts by Republicans to repeal the law.

And Trump noted congressional passage of a “right to try” bill that was supposed to make it easier for terminally ill patients to gain access to experimental medications, but so far few patients have been able to make the law work for them.

The most likely ground for bipartisanship will be the issue of drug prices, where Democrats are as eager as the president to do something to rein in prices that are spiraling upward.

“It is unacceptable that Ameri-

cans pay vastly more than people in other countries for the exact same drugs, often made in the exact same place. This is wrong, this is unfair, and together we will stop it. We will stop it fast,” he said. “I am asking the Congress to pass legislation that finally takes on the problem of global freeloading and delivers fairness and price transparency for American patients.”

Democrats are cautiously optimistic on the drug price front.

“I really am hopeful about making strides on prescription drug legislation this year on a bipartisan basis,” Wendell Primus, top health aide to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said at a conference for health policy researchers hours before the speech.

But not all of Trump’s claims Tuesday about his efforts on drug pricing stand up to close scrutiny. He proclaimed that “in 2018 drug prices experienced their single-largest decline in 46 years.” The drug-price portion of the consumer price index (CPI) declined slightly last year for the first time since 1972, but prices for many individual drugs are still rising sharply.

Factors beyond the administration’s actions appear to have played the biggest role in the overall slowdown. Drug price increases have slowed largely because patents have expired on expensive, blockbuster drugs and several years have passed since the introduction of expensive medicines to treat hepatitis C, according to independent analysts.

But even as consumer drug prices have moderated, drug spending per hospital admission soared 19 percent from 2015 to 2017, a study sponsored by hospital trade groups found last

month. That includes anesthesia drugs, chemotherapy infusions and other medicines that are not counted in the CPI. Some well-placed Republicans praised the drug price effort. “I expect deep-pocketed interests to oppose anything and everything to protect the status quo,” said Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee.

“But the moment is ripe for action and Americans expect us to work together to get the job done.”

News organizations including Kaiser Health News have reported on dozens of cases of surprise hospital bills, unaffordable costs for life-sustaining drugs and other health-expense shocks for patients. Shereese Hickson, whose experience with a $123,000 bill for multiple sclerosis drugs was covered by KHN and National Public Radio, was watching the speech.

“I’m glad he mentioned it,” she said of Trump’s promise to bring transparency and competition to pharmaceutical prices.

“But I would like to see if it really will come true. If you do that — that’s going against the drug companies. They’ll be losing money and they’re not going to let that happen.”

Paul Davis — a retired doctor from Findlay, Ohio, whose family’s experience with a $17,850 bill for a simple urine test was detailed in a KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” feature last year and who met with Trump about surprise billing last month — said he was disappointed Trump did not go into further detail about his health care proposals.

“He didn’t say anything,” he said.

u PAGE A4

‘Nurses not covered by US work ban Filipino...

PAGE A1 old and they are not producing of the workers of the pre-identi- new nurses fast enough, mainly fied establishments will benefit because they lack teaching staff. from the plan this year alone” In fact, U.S. schools are turning Bello said as he emphasized away would-be nursing students that the program will commence due to the shortage of qualified instructors,” he said. with this month.

In California alone, Filipinos Ideally, ECOP member companies are expected to have fully account for some 20 percent of regularized all their estimated the state’s entire nursing labor 220,000 workers within the next force, Bertiz said.

He said a total of 187,103 Filithree years. ■

pino nurses have taken America’s nursing licensure examination for the first time since 1995.

Last year, 10,302 Filipino nurses hoping to land jobs in the U.S. took the licensure exam.

Bertiz said the 2018 figure “was up 32 percent versus the 7,791 Filipino nurses who took the eligibility test for the first time in 2017, without counting repeaters.”

He said 1,232 Indians, 1,017 Puerto Ricans, 783 South Koreans and 601 Nigerians also took the exam for the first time in 2018.

Bertiz said examinees have to pay $200 (P10,500).

Citing latest data from the U.S. nursing board, Bertiz said Jamaicans, Canadians and Cubans compete with Filipinos in America’s nursing labor market.

(Jess Diaz/Philstar.com)

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More than 10K Filipino nurses took test for US license in 2018, ACTS-OFW says

FRIENDS, PARTNERS AND ALLIES. U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim (center) answers reporters after his welcome message at the Conference on The Future of the U.S.-Philippines Bilateral Relationship held at Rigodon Room of The Peninsula Manila in Makati City on Thursday, February 7. The conference tackled the 67-year-old Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between Washington and Manila. Beside Kim is Undersecretary Emilio A. Manalo of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

PNA Photo by Ben Briones

US open to ‘useful’ adjustments in Mutual Defense...

PAGE A1 t the Philippines are facing global challenges that prompted the reassessment of such ties. “Our alliance with the Philippines is our oldest in Asia. I have complete confidence in the strength, resiliency and importance of our bilateral relationship,� he said. “However, as we face new domestic, regional and global challenges, we cannot rest simply on our confidence in the strength of this long-standing relationship.�

The defense undersecretary stated that the 67-year-old treaty served as the basis of the security alliance between Washington and Manila. However, he said that the review from both parties is a necessity to ensure that the agreement is not outdated. “The MDT has been the basis of our alliance in our continuing joint defense capability programs. However, as with all other defense agreements, reviewing agreements is a normal course of action, especially since the MDT has been enforced for over 60 years,� Luna said as reported by Business World.

The U.S. Ambassador relayed that the two countries “already have a very close dialogue at various levels.� He stated that they “would welcome taking a close look at the treaty to see whether we can make any adjustments to make it even better than what it

is now.� “So, I think we will just continue to stay closely engaged and talk to each other and if there are any adjustments that would be useful, certainly we would welcome an opportunity to make adjustments,� Kim said. “We need to examine and analyze what lies over the horizon to ensure that we bring to bear the most effective tools and resources to not just overcome those challenges but to seize opportunities,� Kim added.

Luna reiterated that the review would ensure that the treaty would “continue to serve the mutual interest of both� the U.S. and Philippines. He echoed the desire of Defense chief Delfin Lorenzana in determining whether the MDT was still relevant to the country. “As we look back in the history of the alliance, it is evident that the MDT has been able to withstand the passage of time because both sides continue to work together in ensuring the partnership to adapt with the changes of security environment, while the alliance is considered ironclad as pronounced by our U.S. counterparts in various fora.

Our two sides remain flexible in finding ways to address contemporary security challenges,�

Luna added.

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Enrique Manalo said that the mutual de-

fense agreement would assure the public that the Philippines is in harmony with other foreign entities in the region. “[The] U.S. remains our only treaty ally. The Philippines and the United States, along with other defense partners of the region, share common security interests.

And this is especially so with the dynamic geopolitical conditions in the Asia-Pacific region. Maintaining security and stability in the region is in the best interest of both our countries,� Manalo said.

The 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty indicates that both the Philippines and the U.S. can support each other in case either country is under attack in the Pacific region.

Earlier this week, Lorenzana said that a high-ranking panel of U.S. officials is set to review the treaty to clarify “ambiguities,� especially whether the support will be enforced should Philippine troops or vessels be attacked in the West Philippine Sea. “They could define our territory also. What is the limit of our territories? If they said that they are going to defend us or help us if Metropolitan Philippines is attacked, what do they mean by ‘Metropolitan Philippines?’ Does it include Scarborough Shoal, Mischief Reef or Pag-asa (island)? That’s ambiguous there,� he said. (AJPress)

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MORE than 10,000 Filipino nurses took the U.S. licensure examination for the first time in 2018, making up the bulk of test takers.

According to a release by ACTS-OFW party-list, 10,302 Filipinos took the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), up from 7,791 first-time test takers in 2017.

In contrast, 1,232 Indians, 1,017 Puerto Ricans, 783 South Koreans and 601 Nigerians took the NCLEX for the first time in 2018, Rep. Aniceto Bertiz III said.

Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens.

The U.S. National Council of State Boards of Nursing Inc. administers the NCLEX to license registered nurses and practical nurses. Taking the test in the Philippines through the Perasin VUE center in Makati costs $200 (P10,500), ACTS-OFW said.

The party-list said the number of Filipino nurses taking the test for the first time â&#x20AC;&#x153;is considered a good indicator as to how many of them are trying to enter the profession in America.â&#x20AC;?

Bertiz said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no question many Filipino nurses looking for greener pasture overseas prefer to work and live in America, mainly due to the superior hourly pay, plus our attachment to the Western culture.â&#x20AC;?

Bertiz, whose LinkedIn pro-

ACTS-OFW party-list said the number of Filipino nurses taking the test for the first time â&#x20AC;&#x153;is considered a good indicator as to how many of them are trying to enter the profession in America.â&#x20AC;?

Philstar.com photo by Edd Gumban

file lists him as the president and CEO of recruitment agency Global Asia Alliance Consultant Inc. and the spokesperson of the OFW Advocates Coalition, said nurses are not covered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Securityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (DHS) yearlong ban on temporary work visas for Filipinos. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Filipino nurses entering America through the sponsorship of their prospective U.S. employers apply for and are issued a separate entry permit â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the H-1B

visa,â&#x20AC;? Bertiz said.

The party-list said it expects the demand for Filipino nurses in America to steadily increase in the years ahead. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nursing workforce is growing old, and they are not producing new nurses fast enough, mainly because they lack teaching staff. In fact, U.S. schools are turning away many would-be nursing students due to the shortage of qualified instructors,â&#x20AC;? Bertiz said. (Philstar.com)

Trump highlights health agenda with...

PAGE A3 t Davis said he would have liked to have heard more about the administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recently announced plan to eliminate drug rebates negotiated by middlemen in the Medicare drug program, as well as the recently implemented policy requiring hospitals to list their prices online. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If he wanted to use the podium to talk about the wonderful things that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s done, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one of the things heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gotten accomplished,â&#x20AC;? Davis said.

In their official responses to the speech, Democrats were more combative. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In this great nation, Americans are skipping blood pressure pills, forced to choose between buying medicine or paying rent,â&#x20AC;? said Stacey Abrams, former Georgia House minority leader and a rising star in the national Democratic Party. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maternal mortality rates

show that mothers, especially black mothers, risk death to give birth. And in 14 states, including my home state where a majority want it, our leaders refuse to expand Medicaid, which could save rural hospitals, economies and lives.â&#x20AC;?

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who gave the Spanish-language Democratic response, reminded viewers that while the Trump administration is seeking to have the Affordable Care Act overturned in court, Democrats would provide â&#x20AC;&#x153;medical care for your family that no politician can take away from you.â&#x20AC;?

The son of Mexican immigrants, Becerra attacked Trumpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proposal for a border wall as not only immoral, but also illegal. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tonight was about convincing us that the deceit and dysfunction would stop and that co-

operation would begin. What we heard was the same tired refrain of building walls,â&#x20AC;? Becerra said.

But thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not the only wall the administration is trying to build, he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They are putting a wall between you and your doctor,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They are putting a wall between you and the voting booth.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;They are also putting a wall between our veterans and their medical services,â&#x20AC;? he added. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They are ready to waste millions of dollars on a border wall instead of helping our veterans who wait long hours to get into a hospital.â&#x20AC;?

Becerra has sued the Trump administration 45 times in the past two years, and leads a coalition of 20 states and the District of Columbia in defending the Affordable Care Act against a Tex-

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PH, US fighter pilots complete bilateral training in Pampanga

by ChRistia

maRie Inquirer.net

Ramos

“Having the F-16 fighter [at Basa] allowed us to interact with our PAF (Philippine Air Force) partners along with their FA-50s and in turn helped to strengthen our interoperability and training with a key partner,” Col. Christopher Faurot, commander of the BACe-P 13th expeditionary Air Squadron, said in an article released by the Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs.

“Through this engagement, our bilateral forces increased their interoperability, and our partners demonstrated that they are a disciplined, professional and highly motivated force,” he added.

The airmen also engaged in subject matter expert exchanges on topics on crash recovery, communications, fightline, and maintenance back-shop operations which concluded with a large force exercise

on February 1, the article further explained.

Meanwhile, Maj. Mario Mendoza, a PAF FA-50 pilot, said: “The U.S. Air Force [shared with] us a lot of [knowledge] throughout this exercise that we can really apply in the near future.”

“During our exchange, I learned a lot when it comes to fighter operations, specifically air-to-air and air-to-ground. Air-to-air-like intercepts of different kinds of targets, threats airborne, and… threats on the ground, specifically dealing with close air support mission,” he added.

According to the article, this year’s training is the seventh iteration of the BACe-P. The first one was conducted on April 16, 2016, by the U.S. Pacific Air Forces, which was led by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. n

THe Philippine Air Force (PAF) and the United States Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) have concluded their joint training at the Cesar Basa Air Base in Pampanga.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday, February 5, by the U.S. embassy in Manila, members of the PAF and PACAF took part in FIGHT VS GENDER-BASED HARASSMENT. The bicameral panel on Wednesday signed the reconciled version of the Safe Spaces Act which will impose a 12-day training dubbed as the heftier penalties for any unwanted and uninvited sexual actions or remarks against any persons in public spaces. The signing of the bill was led Bilateral Air Contingent exchangeby Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros and Senator Sherwin Gatchalian with their House of Representatives counterparts Rep. Tom Villarin, Rep. Philippines (BACe-P) from Jan. 21 Rav Rocamora, Rep. Michelle Antonio and Rep. Bernadette Herrara-Dy, and the advocates. The measure will plug gaps in the existing Anti-Sexual to Feb. 1, 2019.

Harassment Act of 1995 so that persons at work, school or elsewhere can be confident that they will enjoy protection from all sorts of abusers and The training exercise served harassers — no matter who they are. The bicam version is up for ratification in both houses of Congress.

Senate photo as an opportunity for fighter pilots from both military branches “to practice interfly training and conduct subject matter expert exchanges including intelligence, She said lawmakers may have advocacies for the youth.

by Romina CabReRa Meanwhile, President Duterte flight line, and maintenance operaPhilstar.com been given incorrect information as she noted that the crime rate has expressed support for tions.”

THe United Nations Children’s involving minors has gone down the Department of education (Deped)’s Preventive Drug eduFund (UNICeF) yesterday urged worldwide. the Philippine government to The House of Representatives cation curriculum under the K-12 fully implement the Juvenile Jus- has approved on final reading program.

Deped Secretary Leonor Briotice and Welfare Act of 2006 as the bill lowering the age of crimiit opposed the measure lowering nality liability from 15 to 12. The nes presented during the Cabinet the minimum age of criminal re- counterpart measure in the Sen- meeting the curriculum and its efforts on the campaign against sponsibility to 12 years. ate remains pending.

UNICeF Philippines represenUNICeF has decried the bill, drugs dubbed “Barkada kontra tative Lotta Sylwander opposed saying it would be “an act of vio- droga.”

The Deped sought the estabthe government’s move to lower lence against children.” the age of criminal liability from It said there is lack of evidence lishment of barkada centers as 15 to 12. and data that lowering the age of well as school-based activities “If the law is amended, we will criminal responsibility will deter such as poster-slogan making and counseling to boost the adsee young kids going to prison crimes among children. and trained basically as crimiUNICeF named TV host Daph- ministration’s anti-drug drive.

Briones said the Deped will nals. They will leave prison as ne Oseña and actress Anne Curhardened criminals instead of tis as goodwill ambassadors for pursue drug testing for teachbeing restored back to their nor- their support in promoting chil- ers and high school students demal childhood,” Sylwander said. dren’s rights and championing spite concerns raised by some BaACE-P participants pose in front of an FA-50 of the PAF and an F16 of the US at Cesar Basa Air Base in Pampanga.

Photo courtesy U.S. Air Force groups. n

Unicef to Philippines: Enforce juvenile justice law fully

Trump highlights health agenda...

PAGE A4 t as lawsuit that could determine the fate of the law.

“In the courts or in Congress or at the polls, we have to fight for our agenda. That is why I have fought in court as attorney general, against the administration, and we are winning.”

In another outreach to Democrats, Trump vowed that his budget “will ask Democrats and Republicans to make the needed commitment to eliminate the HIV epidemic in the United States within 10 years. Together, we will defeat AIDS in America,” he said.

Groups that have been fighting HIV praised the promise.

“While we might have policy differences with the president and his administration, this initiative, if properly implemented and resourced, can go down in history as one of the most significant achievements of his presidency,” said Michael Ruppal, executive director of The AIDS Institute.

Trump also promised that his budget, which has been delayed by the recent government shutdown, will seek new funding to expand research into cures and treatments for childhood cancer.

He said he will seek “$500 million over the next 10 years to fund this critical lifesaving research.”

The National Institutes of Health has long been a bipartisan favorite in Congress, although Trump in his first budget did seek cuts in NIH funding.

The one area in which bipar-

tisanship will clearly not prevail is that of abortion. Trump reiterated a promise he made to antiabortion groups as a candidate in 2016 and pushed for a federal bill to ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

“Let us reaffirm a fundamental truth: All children — born and unborn — are made in the holy image of God,” he said.

Senate Republicans voted on such a bill in 2018; it failed to advance by a large margin. The bill still lacks the votes in the Senate, and the House now has a majority that supports abortion rights.

Abortion opponents praised the president’s comments. “Once again, President Trump has proved he is our nation’s most pro-life president ever and he is keeping his promise to the voters who fueled his victory,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser of the Susan B. Anthony List.

Abortion-rights supporters, meanwhile, chastised Trump’s comments.

“Shame on the president for using the State of the Union to vilify people who have abortions and the providers who care for them,” said Megan Donovan of the Guttmacher Institute. “Make no mistake: This is part of a larger agenda to eliminate access to abortion altogether.”

Staff writers Jay Hancock and Emmarie Huetteman contributed to this report.

This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation. n

Measles outbreak spreads...

PAGE A1 t

number of people who take immunization shots dropped to 60 percent in 2018.

“What is happening now is we have a big campaign with a lot of investment to catch up with immunization. After that big campaign, we’ll be quiet for a few years but as long as we don’t strengthen routine immunization, again we’ll fall back into the same pattern,” Weiler explained.

Palace: Dengvaxia issue amped up vaccine scare Malacañang said that the Dengvaxia issue may have contributed to the vaccine scare as the major drop came after Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) Chief Persida Acosta publicly insisted that the dengue vaccine caused the deaths of the inoculated cases.

“Is that the reality [that the Dengvaxia probe caused vaccine scare]? Was the scandal what discouraged people from vaccinating? It seems so,” Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a press briefing.

Contrary to what the PAO investigated, the DOH denied the direct link between Dengvaxia and the deaths of the children.

The presidential spokesperson agreed with this assessment, however, he said that he would not stop the chief public attorney from probing those who are involved in the Dengvaxia issue.

“The PAO chief is responsible enough to know whether her actions would result in(to) discouraging people or children or parents to have themselves im-

During PAO National Convention at the Manila Hotel, Acosta told reporters that she is not responsible for the vaccine scare.

“How can we be responsible for the measles problem today?

It is the mandate of the DOH to campaign for proven immunization. We’re not against any tested vaccination. Our only concern here is Dengvaxia,” the chief public lawyer said.

Acosta said that it was unfair for the public to put the blame in her since it is not the job of the PAO to promote and administer immunization shots. She also defended herself noting that her pursuit of Dengvaxia cases had nothing to do with the measles outbreak.

“We did not create the scare.

It was Sanofi who organized a press conference on Nov. 29, 2017, saying that Dengvaxia cannot be administered to those without a history of the disease.

The vaccine was already given.

So did PAO create the scare?” she asked.

The public lawyer explained that it was the health department’s “failed campaign” that caused the drop in the immunization program coverage. She said that the DOH should have personally gone door-to-door and asked parents to vaccinate their children.

“Those getting measles now should have been vaccinated in 2015, 2016 or 2017. Why wasn’t there a better campaign by the DOH for it and why didn’t they go house-to-house? We did not cause that. We are not the ones

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House panels to file raps vs Aquino, Abad, Garin

by Glee Jalea ManilaTimes.net

TWo committees of the House of Representatives will file charges against former president Benigno “noynoy” Aquino iii, former Health secretary Janette Garin and former Budget secretary Florencio Abad in connection with the Dengvaxia mess.

The committees on Health and Good Government and public Accountability approved a joint committee report seeking to charge the three public officials for colluding to purchase Dengvaxia vaccines.

The three will be charged for violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the “AntiGraft and Corrupt practices Act” for allegedly “giving any private party any unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference in the discharge of his official administrative or judicial functions through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcus-

able negligence.”

Aquino approved the use of p3.5 billion from the 2015 Miscellaneous personnel Benefits Fund savings to purchase the dengue vaccines for the national Capital Region, Region 3 and Region 4-A. Abad made the request to use the savings.

Garin, on the other hand, backed the use of the money to purchase the vaccines, even if no certification had been issued to validate the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine for a massive immunization program.

The three will also face charges of technical malversation for allegedly violating Article 220 of the Revised penal Code.

“The use of ‘savings’ from appropriations for other projects or procurements for which there has been no appropriation from Congress falls within the offense punished under Article 220 of the Revised penal Code,” the report read.

Charges were also recommended against other public officials namely: Joyce Ducusin, Rosalind Vianzon, Mario Baquilod, Julis lecciones, Estrella paje Villar, Kenneth Hartigan Go, lyndon lee Suy and members of the philippine Children’s Medical Center Bids and Awards Committee.

Aquino, Garin and Abad were already charged with graft, plunder and malversation before the office of the ombudsman for their involvement in the Dengvaxia controversy.

The government stopped the dengue immunization program in 2017 after French pharmaceutical company Sanofi pasteur, the maker of Dengvaxia, admitted that children who never had dengue might develop severe dengue if given the vaccine.

The Department of Health reported that 900,000 children were inoculated with Dengvaxia. n

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TRAVEL TOUR EXPO. Davao Oriental 1st District Rep. Corazon Malangyaon, Travel Tour Expo 2019 chair Marlene Dado Jante, Senator Maria Lourdes “Nancy” Binay, Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) president Ritchie Tuano, and Tourism Undersecretary Benito Bengzon Jr. lead the ribbon-cutting ceremony during the opening of the 26th Travel Tour Expo and PTAA Expanding Partnerships with International Counterparts at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City on Thursday, February 7. Eight national tourism organizations are participating in the expo, which aims to provide them the needed network to grow their operations.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Filipino couple among 10 fatalities in Paris fire – DFA

by Consuelo

Marquez Inquirer.net

A Filipino couple was among those who were killed in the fire that engulfed an apartment building in paris, France, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed on Thursday, February 7.

The philippine Embassy in paris received reports from the Crisis Center of the paris prefecture that the couple was among the 10 fatalities in the apart-

ment fire in the French capital last Tuesday, February 5.

“The Department conveyed its sympathies after the philippine Embassy in paris tonight received confirmation from the Crisis Center of the paris prefecture under the French Ministry of interior that a couple of philippine nationality was among the 10 people who were killed in the fire on Rue Erlanger at the 16th Arrondissement of paris,” DFA said in a statement.

The embassy had been assisting the daughter of the victims after reporting that her parents were missing in the incident. philippine Ambassador to France Ma. Theresa lazaro, however, declined to identify the names of the Filipino couple.

Meanwhile, lazaro said four other Filipinos staying in the apartment survived the fire. lazaro said they would extend assistance to the families of the victims in the fire. n

Red tape, corruption in government frustrate Duterte MAnilA — president Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, February 7, decried corruption and red tape in government, saying the problem could pave way to a “failed government.”

Duterte said he was reminded of the extent of the problem when he discovered during last Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting that some applications have been languishing in government offices for years.

He said some applications have been pending at the national Economic and Development Authority for 25 years while some land usage conversion have not been acted upon for two years.

“This is not to dwell lengthily, but the system itself is designed to experience a failed government,” Duterte said during the oath-taking of new appointees in Malacañang.

“in the long run. As the world progresses, as everything is developed, and we in turn realize our folly and (when) it’s about time, too late,” he added.

Duterte said the delays in the processing of documents were intended to extort money from applicants.

“That includes verily corruption, the person will keep coming back. And there’s no end to it, the bleeding of the pocket of the guy,” the president said.

Duterte said he walked out of a Cabinet meeting while some officials were discussing the land usage conversion process. “if that’s how red tape or black tape looks like, when they started to debate, i interrupted them.

This i would not like to be a part of this briefing because this will not happen during my time so why would i waste my time listening to this when it would take

about two presidents to finish?” the president said. in March 2017, Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano said an executive order for a twoyear moratorium on land conversion. Mariano’s appointment to the Cabinet has since been rejected by a congressional panel and the official Gazette does not list any Eo ordering the moratorium.

Duterte said he went out of the room and asked Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to take over the meeting. “i went out to chat with the pretty ladies outside,” the president said in jest. presidential spokesman Salvador panelo previously said Dutete was frustrated by the “tedious” requirements of the land usage conversion and has asked agencies to streamline the process.

(Alexis Romero/Philstar.com)

Metro Manila alert level downgraded to ‘heightened’ alert by roy

narra ManilaTimes.net

METRo Manila is now on “heightened” alert from “full” alert status, the national Capital Region police office (nCRpo) said on Thursday, February 7, after authorities considered the Jolo twin blasts as “case solved.” nCRpo Regional Director Guillermo Eleazar said this meant that there would be reduced checkpoints.

Eleazar said, however, that the mobilization of police personnel would continue as intelligence operations have been intensified to foil any possible terror plans and detect terrorist personalities.

“While the Jolo Bombing case has been solved, we cannot relax our guard. From this sad experience, we have learned that [the] terrorist threat is lurking over the country and can be triggered anytime, anywhere,” he said.

“Metro Manila is still the center of commerce and trade, the home of practically all government institutions departments and agencies, and is always a possible target of terrorists. That is why your police force has to be alert and vigilant twenty-fourseven,” Eleazar added.

He ordered the downgrade of the alert status after philippine national police (pnp) Chief oscar Albayalde considered the

Jolo twin blasts as “case solved” with the surrender of five members of the Ajang-Ajang group over the weekend namely Kammah pae alias Kamah Albaji Kisae Gadjali alias Awag, Rajan Bakil Gadjali alias Radjan, Kaisar Bakil Gadjali alias isal, and Salit Alih alias papong.

Fourteen more members, including the Jolo twin blast mastermind Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, are still at large, according to Albayalde.

The pnp has filed multiple counts of murder and frustrated murder against the suspects.

A total of 23 people died from the blast which was believed to be perpetrated by two indonesian suicide bombers. n

TO MARK MANILA’S WIN IN ARBITRAL COURT

De Lima proposes July 12 as PH Victory Day vs China sea claim by leila

salaverria Inquirer.net

pRESiDEnT Rodrigo Duterte may have put the decision on the back burner, but Sen. leila de lima wants Filipinos to remember the day their country won a landmark victory in its challenge to China’s claim to nearly the entire South China Sea. National pride De lima has filed a bill that would declare July 12 of every year a special working holiday to be known as the West philippine Sea Victory Day. The intention is to commemorate and instill national pride in the historic ruling of the Unbacked permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that invalidated Beijing’s claim to almost 90 percent of the strategic waterway, including waters within the philippines’ 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone known as West philippine Sea. The remembrance of the day could also prompt the government to pursue programs consistent with the ruling, De lima said.

A vocal critic of president Duterte’s brutal drug war and cozying up to China, De lima has been detained since February 2017 on charges filed by the Department of Justice accusing her of involvement in the proliferation of illegal drugs at the national penitentiary during her time as justice secretary.

She has denounced the charges as baseless and political persecution.

The Hague ruling stemmed from a challenge to China’s sweeping claim brought by president Benigno Aquino iii in 2013 after China took control of panatag Shoal, a traditional fishing ground for Filipinos off the coast of Zambales.

The decision was handed down on July 12, 2016, shortly after Aquino stepped down and Duterte took over.

Duterte has decided not to bring up the ruling with China for now, and has instead been cultivating friendship with the philippines’ giant neighbor. in her bill, De lima said that despite the philippines resorting to peaceful and legal means

Sen. Leila de Lima

Inquirer.net photo

to oppose China’s aggressive island-building and militarization of the South China Sea, it still continued with its activities.

This was what prompted the philippine government during the Aquino administration to challenge China’s excessive claim in the Hague court. De lima, who was then the justice secretary, was part of the delegation that argued the philippines’ case.

Invalid claim The tribunal ruled that China’s claim had no basis in international law and that it had violated the philippines’ sovereign right to fish and explore resources in the West philippine Sea. The tribunal also said Beijing’s large-scale reclamation in the South China Sea caused severe harm to the coral environment. n

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A

Lanao del Norte votes ‘No’ to Bangsamoro

by Masiding

noor YahYa ManilaTimes.net

A guard at MRT North Ave. station confiscates bottled drinks.

Philstar.com photo by Michael Varcas

Bomb threat ‘one reason’ for tight security measures — MRT-3 management MANILA — The management of Metro Rail Transit-3 on Friday, February 8, said it received a bomb threat last month, prompting the implementation of tightened security measures.

The MRT-3 management made the statement following criticisms over ban on liquid items inside train stations.

Train officials said the bomb threat sent via e-mail was received last January 3.

“That’s one reason kung bakit po kami naghihigpit ng seguridad (why we’re tightening security measures) following recent attacks in Mindanao. We just wanted to be cautious since we

have thousands of passengers daily,” the MRT-3 said in a statement, which was obtained by News5.

The controversial policy received backlash from the riding public for prohibiting not only bottled beverages even perfume and lotion.

But the MRT-3 management said it does not want to compromise the safety and security of its passengers and personnel.

“We will not lax and we will implement a more effective security measures in our trains and stations,” it said.

The MRT-3 management on Thursday, February 7, released

a list of liquids and other items permitted inside its trains.

It explained that any liquid substance can be mixed to form a liquid bomb.

“Nitroglycerin is oily and clear, so if it is poured in an opaque lotion bottle, no one would know what is inside. Because it is clear and oily, nitroglycerin would be easy to conceal in lotion or shampoo bottles. Nitroglycerin’s inherent instability would make this bottle very dangerous for you to carry around,” the MRT-3 management said.

MRT-3 ferries half a million passengers daily. (Gaea Katreena Cabico/Philstar.com)

Diokno a no-show at House budget probe anew

by MaYvelin

Caraballo ManilaTimes.net

“Budget Secretary Ben Diokno sought a reset of the hearing BUDGET Secretary Benjamin scheduled Friday morning…,” Diokno backpedalled on his deci- the DBM said in a statement.

The agency cited Diokno’s letsion to attend the hearing of the House of Representatives’ Com- ter to Speaker Gloria Macapamittee on Appropriations on Fri- gal Arroyo, wherein he assured day, February 8, on the supposed- Congress of his cooperation but ly anomalous budget allocations. also invoked the right of Budget In a message, the Department of department officials and staff to Budget and Management (DBM) proper notice and a fair and just confirmed that Diokno would not hearing.

He pointed out that the subbe at the hearing despite a subpoena issued against him by the poena ad testificandum signed

by Arroyo and Appropriations appropriations panel.

Committee Chairman Rolando Andaya Jr. was received by the DBM at 11 a. m. on Thursday morning with the hearing scheduled the next day, Friday at 10 a. m.

While Diokno welcomed the subpoena to clarify “issues regarding the 2019 budget, clearly there was no proper notice and not enough time to allow him and other DBM officials and staff to adequately prepare for the HoR (House of Representatives) hearing.” n

MARAWI CITY — The province of Lanao del Norte has rejected the inclusion of six municipalities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), unofficial results of the February 6 referendum showed.

A partial and unofficial report from the media affairs office of Lanao del Norte on the provincewide plebiscite on Wednesday showed that 157,138 voted “No” while 72,543 voted “Yes.” On Wednesday, the six towns of Balo-i, Munai, Nunungan, Pantar, Tagoloan and Tangkal in Lanao del Norte voted on whether or not they would join the new Bangsamoro region.

Voters in other Lanao del Norte towns, except Iligan City, voted on whether to allow the six towns to join the Bangsamoro or not.

The breakdown of votes was as follows: Bacolod: Yes – 1,447, No – 8,074; Baloi: Yes – 8,663, No – 3,023; Baroy: Yes – 264, No – 11,758; Kapatagan: Yes – 791, No – 20,893; Kauswagan: Yes – 2,348, No – 6,791; Kolambogan: Yes – 1,210, No – 9,623; Lala: Yes – 1,173, No – 28,507; Linamon: Yes – 1,550, No – 12,000; Magsaysay: Yes – 2,286, No – 3,183; Maigo: Yes – 3,724, No – 4,455; Matungao: Yes – 1,420, No – 1,667; Munai: Yes – 10,614, No – 4; Nunungan: Yes – 1,802, No – 1,039; Pantao-Ragat: Yes – 9,166, No – 0; Pantar: Yes – 7,751, No – 291; Poona-Piagapo: Yes – 5,246, No – 317; Salvador: Yes – 11,366, No – 280; Sapad: Yes – 987, No – 5,520; Sultan Naga Dimaporo: Yes – 550, No – 24,452; Tagoloan: Yes – 2,760, No – 1,975; Tangkal: Yes – 5,927, No – 0; Tubod: Yes – 803, No – 19,171.

In North Cotabato, voters in 67 villages were asked if they wish to join the expanded autonomous region, while voters in the mother towns where these 67 villages belong to were asked if they would allow these villages to join the

new Bangsamoro autonomous entity.

The “Yes” votes won in 21 of 67 villages, according to partial and unofficial counts.

The towns and villages had petitioned to be part of the BARMM under the Bangsamoro Organic Law passed last year.

Even if the “Yes” vote won in these localities, a “double majority” of “Yes” votes is needed for a place to be officially declared part of the BARMM, Commission

on Elections (Comelec) spokesman James Jimenez explained.

For instance, voters in the town of Midsayap had to answer a total of 13 questions, corresponding to the inclusion or non-inclusion to the BARMM of 13 villages or barangay.

For barangay to be included, the “Yes” votes must win at the municipal level and in the barangay concerned.

The same rule applies to La-

u PAGE A10

A8 FEBRUARY 9-12, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPINION

Outbreak

FEATURES

WITH the Department of Health (DOH) declaring an outbreak of measles in five regions, parents are finally overcoming their fear of vaccines and flocking in droves to hospitals to have their children vaccinated.

Measles is potentially lethal especially to young children.

Vaccination drastically cut child mortality due to the affliction in the past years. The controversy over the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia, however, created a scare that is not entirely unfounded: tests have shown that the drug can pose potential harm when administered to individuals who have never had dengue.

The warning about the test results was released by the manufacturer itself of Dengvaxia, pharmaceutical giant Sanofi Pasteur.

Since then, several deaths have been attributed to Dengvaxia, with lawsuits filed; the controversy has not been resolved. Among the casualties was the government’s vaccination program covering several afflictions for which vaccines have been successfully administered worldwide for many years, with little or no controversy.

Now the measles outbreak has compelled parents to get over their fear of vaccines. This, however, is only for one affliction. There are still several other ailments that could surface in outbreaks in the near future, which could otherwise be prevented through vaccination.

Some of these afflictions can cause lifetime debilitation, such as polio, or cause child deaths, such as diphtheria, pertussis, certain strains of influenza and meningococcemia.

Among adults, vaccination for the human papillomavirus, which can lead to cervical cancer, has dropped because of the vaccine scare.

With people returning to hospitals for measles vaccination, the government must seize the opportunity to allay lingering fears about vaccines.

People need reliable information and reassurance about the safety of a wide range of vaccines. These medications have been around for decades, with no controversies over harmful side effects. Every effort must be made to provide widespread public access to medication that can prevent debilitation and death. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Sorry, Pres. Trump: Most Americans want the Mueller probe report on the alleged Russian collusion made public

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS PRESIDENT Donald Trump finally got to deliver his State of the Union Address on Tuesday, February 5, facing the divided and most diverse Congress for the first time in his two-year presidency, after the Democrats won back the leadership in the House of Representatives.

The address was consistent with Trump’s record of embellishing his accomplishments, taking personal credit for gains he did not work on and reporting based on falsehoods and lies to the American people on why he needs taxpayer money for his border wall.

All the while, he continues to threaten to shut down the government again if he does not get his money from Congress or else he

will declare a national emergency to circumvent the power of the purse accorded by the Constitution to the House of Representatives.

Without shame, Trump called for an end to investigations against him, just like what President Richard Nixon did before he resigned before facing impeachment because of the Watergate crime.

President Trump and his family, business empire and foundation are facing criminal investigations and lawsuits in the judiciary, particularly in New York.

These suits are aside from the Mueller investigation that has indicted and received guilty pleas from at least six people in the Trump campaign on the alleged conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to damage Hillary Clinton and help Trump

win the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Despite these facts, Trump now calls for an end to what he calls to be “partisan investigation” without regard to the facts in his State of the Union Address.

This may work for his base, especially his blind followers who are insatiable consumers of Fox News and the White House propaganda, but not for most Americans who want to know the TRUTH based on FACTS and EVIDENCE. According to a new poll conducted by SSRS for CNN, nearly nine in 10 Americans say Robert Mueller’s investigators should produce a full, public report on their findings, a sentiment that crosses party lines.

The study also revealed that even before the conclusion of the Mueller probe, nearly half (48

percent) of Americans think Donald Trump’s campaign colluded with the Russian government to help get Trump elected, while 42 percent say there was no collusion.

An overwhelming majority of Americans (87 percent) say investigators should release a public report, while only 9 percent say that they should not.

This sentiment is true across party lines. According to the study, support for a public release is asked for by eight out of 10 Republicans and those who approve of the way the president is handling his job.

On the other side of the political spectrum, 92 percent among Democrats and those who disapprove of the way Trump is handling his job also want the Mueller report made public.

Among independents, 88 per-

cent say the report should be released.

Quoting more findings: “Overall support for a public report is about the same as last May, when CNN last asked this question and 84 percent favored a public report. But support has risen among Republicans, from 72 percent in favor then to 80 percent now.

Views on the investigation itself, the President’s handling of it and Mueller’s handling of it, are largely the same as they were in December.

Most disapprove of the way Trump is handling the investigation (56 percent disapprove, 32 percent approve), while Mueller’s ratings tilt narrowly positive (44 percent approve, 41 percent disapprove, 15 percent have no opinion). And about six in 10 say they think the investigation is

a serious matter that should be fully investigated, while 37 percent call it an effort to discredit Trump’s presidency.”

With the Democrats now holding the leadership in the House of Representatives, Trump will now witness and understand the oversight, checks and balances function of co- equal branches as mandated by the Constitution — something that the Republicans failed to do in the past two years.

No one is above the law, not even the President of the United States of America. ***

vacant positions. Intentions to solve a problem or a big social issue matter.

To the LA mayor’s credit, one can observe a marked decline in visible encampments, with lesser tents during the day. But, as soon as the sun goes down, and it starts getting dark, tents go up randomly in public sidewalks, giving the city a feel that it is one huge campground, spread out in different neighborhoods, without zero camping fees and of course, its consequence, trash.

By Thursday to Sunday, much of the human trash from camping on the streets, unofficially

accumulate underneath freeway underpasses and near on-ramps, and on public sidewalks, where mattresses, garbage bags, strollers, grocery carts, paper bags, styrofoam containers, buckets, milk containers and even dirty diapers are found.

Channel 5 on Feb. 6, 2019 reported on City Hall harboring rodent fleas and the television station showed rotting oranges near this city of concentrated local power, with rodents feasting on trash and rotten produce.

They featured an LA City Attorney alleging typhus infection from ro-

Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www. facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos

The lies of two minds’

Rhizomes PROSY ABARQUEZDELACRUZ, J.D. WITH BIANCA NEPALES “‘I’ convinced ‘myself.’ The I that did the convincing was the one who needed desperately to justify the entire experience, to make it sane and right and okay and approved. Myself was convinced as the moral self, the part of me I would want to be a judge in a legal system. This moral part of us, however, in these extreme situations, is vulnerable to the overwhelming force of that part of us that needs to justify our actions. I am ashamed of this lie because it was done for nothing more than self-aggrandizement.

There was no greater cause, such as saving lives. Also in the previous examples of lying, I wasn’t of two minds. I didn’t believe what I was saying for a moment. I was in control. With this lie I’d lost myself. Perhaps this too adds to the shame. It is the lie of two minds that is most dangerous.” – Karl Marlantes, 2011 “I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow. When there’s that moment of ‘Wow, I’m not really sure I can do this,’ and you push through those moments, that’s when you have a breakthrough.”

- Marissa Mayer, former CEO of Yahoo I WAS struck by Fr. Raymond Decipeda’s video post on Face-

book, touching the hands and face of a weary, old man living in Alameda, an industrial corridor in downtown Los Angeles. He took his right hand first and showed him how to clean using baby wipes, while speaking to him in his native tongue, Spanish. He took another wipe to wash off the grime from this man’s face, gave him the container of wipes and then, a hug. This Catholic priest’s action showed me how we might be that speck of goodness to strangers, even randomly, by our policies and actions.

The unsheltered homeless population in LA City was 39,168 in 2008. Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority now claims that in 2018, the unsheltered population has gone down to 22,887.

Recall Steve Lopez’s friendship with a mentally ill homeless violinist, Nathan Ayers, who lived in the streets? A film was made describing their friendship: “Lopez met Ayers four years ago [2005], when Ayers was a homeless musician on Skid Row in Los Angeles.

Lopez learned Ayers had been a promising violinist, and that he had left the prestigious music program at the Juilliard School because of his struggle with mental illness. Lopez chronicled Ayers’ struggle in several columns at the Los Angeles Times. These columns inspired readers to send instruments to Ayers through Lopez. The friendship that Lopez formed with Ayers eventually helped the musician get off the

street, settle into an apartment and find treatment for his schizophrenia,” NPR wrote in 2009.

Recently on Jan 17, 2019, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti held the fourth annual homeless job fair wherein 50+ employers were invited. Garcetti recently attended the Washington, DC’s Conference of City Mayors wherein he was expected to make an announcement for his presidential run, crowding out the Democratic primary for 2020 to an estimated 20 candidates. Instead, a few days later, it was announced that he would not run, giving city residents a sense of relief that now, their mayor can focus his attention on solving LA’s social issues.

I was listening to KPCC describe how the homeless folks can get a haircut, a shave, a cosmetic makeover, and new clothes, with employers waiting to hire them. At the same job fair, they asked folks to bring resumes and to dress to impress for these positions: “Direct Service / Entry Level: case managers, outreach workers, housing navigators, employment specialists, administration, finance. Management / Supervisory Level: supervisors, coordinators, program managers and directors, and similar positions; Professional Level and Executive Level: with advanced degrees such as MSW, MPP, MPH, LCSW, certifications; senior management.”

These are the jobs that folks can

A hawk flying above LA’s skyline

avail of and yet, we humbly ask are these jobs that might qualify the homeless on the streets? Or is the LA mayor’s conflating a job fair with the homeless problem, so something can be showcased as addressing this intractable, complex problem, now 50,000 folks on the streets and climbing?

Would the homeless have access to computers to RSVP using Eventbrite? That was such a glaring red flag to anyone looking at this fourth homeless job fair, that it was not meant for the homeless, but meant for the employers looking for employees for their

Photo by Christine Ho

u PAGE A9

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PAGE A8 t

The lies of two minds’

dent fleas.

I wonder what happened to the Bureau of Sanitation in charge of collecting city trash - do they have roving trucks to collect trash from these randomly created garbage zones so they do not become permanent trash dumps? Or not cause illness as this LA City Attorney alleged?

What if these city agencies’ decision makers stopped for a moment, and actually lived outdoors inside a tent? Would they discover that folks who live on the streets need the basics of cooking areas, toilet and trashcans? Would they readily find the resources to address their housing needs and train them for entry-level jobs as now their hearts have been cracked open to care for these homeless folks?

From ‘drive by’ to ‘trash city’ LA used to be derogatorily referred to as ‘drive by Los Angeles’ but we no longer have that designation when the local police created partnerships with communities to reduce gang violence.

Now, we are known as the ‘trash city.’

What will it be for Summer Olympics 2028? Would we have changed the culture and designation to be regarded as a clean, green city?

If Kyoto, Tokyo and Hiroshima can do it, we can too. In these cities, residents start sweeping the streets in front of their homes and even hose them down. By sunrise, the streets are clean. It is quite inviting to walk to the nearest subway station.

In Dumaguete, residents get up early too, sweeping the front spaces of their homes, collecting the fallen leaves, trash and litter.

Recently, a Facebook post reported that 700 showed up to pick up trash and litter in front of their Dumaguete baywalk, a major

Rock bearing a social justice message

OpiniOn & Features

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • FEbRUARy 9-12, 2019

Leni Robredo optimistic about Otso Diretso’s chances

by Helen

Flores Philstar.com

Sunrise at Echo Park Lake

pathway for runners, athletes and tourists. They also have been educating the locals to discontinue the use of plastic straws as fishes die and are swept to the shores.

In Sacramento, the city has started hiring folks who inhabit the banks of the American River to keep this river clean and free of trash.

LA City’s Build, Build, Build In a public event I attended, about three years ago, I heard Garcetti share his policy of making city government more accessible.

He said that if the city staff were approached with projects and proposals, for them to ask the question, “Why not?”

Did those two words amount to permissiveness and no oversight to developers?

In using that phrase to direct his mayoral staff, did he pretty much give the keys to the city government where perhaps his intentions may have been to cut bureaucratic red tape and promote urban development?

What about balancing that with urban planning and city residents’ local needs?

We are now finding out that

A

MANILA — Vice President Leni Robredo has expressed confidence the candidates of the opposition Otso Diretso slate will improve their chances of winning when the campaign period starts next week.

Recalling her own experience in the May 2016 vice presidential race, Robredo said the Otso Diretso candidates may still get higher voter preference as the people get to know them better.

She said there is still plenty of Photos by Christine Ho time for the candidates to introLA’s urban development is now duce themselves to the voters. synonymous to the displacement “I am confident our candidates of the limited income residents will stand out from the rest,” the and the lower middle class, known Vice President told reporters afas gentrification and skyrocketing ter attending the launch of the rents.

Ahon Laylayan Coalition-National “Real estate economists are Capital Region in Quezon City late now forecasting that CA will be a Wednesday afternoon. majority renter state by 2025,” acRobredo cited her poor survey cording to Mia McLeod. ratings in 2016, noting that she Could these be the outcome of decisions by detached and unfeeling investment groups who maximize their profits by flipping real estate properties and selling them THE COURT of Appeals (CA) at the highest market value? on Thursday, February 7, junked Check out rents downtown and the petition of the Alliance of Conyou will find that they are priced cerned Teachers (ACT) on the from $3,000 to $12,000 – prices move of the Philippine National that are out of reach for most Police (PNP) to spy and profile working families. Well, unless you their public and private school are the son or daughter of some- teacher-members. one like Eli Broad or Rick Caruso By a mere technicality, the in Los Angeles. appeals court moved to dismiss As soon as the mayor’s two the petition for prohibition with words of ‘why not policy’ became prayer for the issuance of a temknown, Los Angeles’ skylines porary restraining order. were dotted with cranes and more In a four-page resolution, the cranes. I visibly counted at least CA dismissed the petition for seveight cranes were simultaneously eral infirmities in the documents. within a 10-mile radius in and out “The petition is not accompaof downtown and almost choked nied by certified true copies of the life out of city residents, sig- the various assailed PNP Memonaling for us massive gentrifica- randa, in violation of Rule 65, tion.

Section 2, Rules of Court in relaRight smack in the downtown tion to Rule 46, Section 3, Rules area, close to the federal court- of Court; house, is an unofficial tent enThe petition does not indicate campment. It is next to a construc- the material dates when the petion zone for another skyscraper titioners received the various asand near newly built apartments. sailed PNP Memoranda, in violaDo you suppose the folks who tion of Rule 46, Section 3, of the live in these tents are calling at- Rules of Court; tention to their plight since we “The petition does not indicate cannot miss seeing them as one the current date of issuance of drives the freeway and takes the the IBP Membership Number of on-ramp from Broadway? the petitioner’s counsel, in violaIs this not a city of unequal tion of Bar Matter 287 dated 26 contrasts – folks who are on the September 2000; streets with meager resources “The petition does not indiand nearby upscale apartments cate the current date of issuance u PAGE A10 of the Professional Tax Number

started with one percent voter awareness.

“I had no chance of winning but because of your help, I succeeded.

That is also what we will do with the Otso Diretso,” she said.

The Otso Diretso candidates are incumbent Sen. Bam Aquino, former senator Mar Roxas, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc, former solicitor general Florin Hilbay, veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal and former Quezon congressman Erin Tañada.

Of the eight, only Aquino and Roxas have so far made it to the so-called Magic 12 in pre-election surveys.

Meanwhile, the Vice President said she is banking on the support of the people in the “laylayan” or fringes of society more than wellknown politicians.

The Ahon Laylayan coalition, which is composed of organizations of women, workers, youth,

Vice President Leni Robredo Philstar.com photo

senior citizens, fisherfolk, farmers and urban poor, expressed support for the Otso Diretso bets.

Robredo, a lawyer by profession and a former Camarines Sur congresswoman, said it was hard to ask and rely on politicians for support.

She urged the opposition bets to go down to the people.

“This election let’s show them (voting public) that the power is in their hands... The change does not depend on the leader but on people,” Robredo stressed. n

CA junks ACT petition vs police over profiling (PTR) of the petitioners’ counsel, in violation of Bar Matter Number 1132 dated 12 November 2002.”

The ruling was penned by CA Associate Justice Nina AntonioValenzuela, and was concurred in by Justices Ricardo Rosario and Perpetua Atal-Pano.

It will be recalled that a 42page petition was filed by ACT wherein they asked the appeals court to halt the move of the police to inventory all the teachers who belong to ACT. The petitioners who lodged the case were ACT National Chairman Joselyn Martirez and Secretary General Raymond Basilio.

They pleaded to strike down the memoranda issued by the PNP’s intelligence units last December as illegal and unconstitutional.

Named respondents were PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde and Department of the Interior and Local Government chief Eduardo Año.

“All that petitioners have done are in furtherance of the rights and interests of teachers who have long been a marginalized and oppressed sector in the Philippines. Teachers, as we know, receive the lowest salaries among the ranks of professionals. They are exploited by their employers, whether in the public or private

sectors, through long working hours and oversized classes, and are often deprived of benefits, even those that are mandated by law,” the petition stated.

The group asked the CA to issue a writ of preliminary injunction or temporary restraining order, seeking to stop the implementation of the memoranda issued by the PNP ordering its members to conduct an inventory of all teachers who belong to ACT. ACT said the PNP’s action violated its constitutional right to association, right to assembly and to petition the government for redress of grievances, right to privacy, freedom of expression, and right to protection to labor.

In particular, it slammed the respondents as the order violates their rights under Article III, Section 8 in relation to Article III, Section 4 of the 1987 Constitution.

Also, it argued that such move violates Republic Act 10173 (Data Privacy Act), which safeguards the right to privacy of every individual.

“Petitioners’ militant orientation and affinity with progressive groups do not constitute acts contrary to law. Neither do its salutary advocacies warrant any state infringement and curtailment of their right to freely associate,” it said. (ManilaTimes.net)

A10 February 9-12, 2019 • La WeeKeND aSIaN JOurNaL

Dateline PhiliPPines

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Senate minority: Heed UN body’s call to free De Lima

DFA OFFICIALS CONFIRMED. Senate President and Commission on Appointments chairman Vicente C. Sotto III (center) and Sen. Juan Miguel F. Zubiri (right) pose with five foreign service officials whose appointments were confirmed on Wednesday, February 6, namely (from left to right) Ambassador to India Ramon Bagatsing, Jr., Ambassador to Republic of Korea Noe Albano Wong, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to ASEAN in Jakarta, Indonesia Noel Eugene Eusebio Mejica Servigon, Ambassador to Chile Ma. Theresita Cruz-Daza, and Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Christopher Baltazar Montero.

Senate photo by Cesar Tomambo

PSA asked to speed up national ID implementation

by Christina

Mendez

Philstar.com

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte has directed the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the Office of the National Security Adviser to speed up implementation of the national identification system in a bid to ensure a unified ID for all Filipinos.

At a press briefing yesterday, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the government’s plan is on track since Duterte signed into law the Philippine System Identification Act (PhilSys Act) in August.

Panelo shrugged off questions on the perceived delay in the implementation since Congress has already approved the initial P2-billion funding for the project under 2018 appropriations.

He said the PSA has asked the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for some technical assistance in terms of data protection and security of the ID cards.

“I think there were concerns on security. An undersecretary said they even asked the ADB to give them technical assistance,” Panelo said, as he assured the public that the government is still on schedule as regards the implementation of the project.

“They might start to roll out by September as mandated under the law,” he added.

Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the President listened intently to the presentation of National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. and PSA chief Lisa Grace Bersales, who presented during during the Cabi-

The individual’s full name, sex, birthdate, birthplace, address and nationality, as well as biometric information, will be stored in the proposed ID system.

Philstar.com photo

net meeting on the developments of the program.

Esperon has expressed concern over the need to ensure the security of the ID system, pointing out how critical the project is for “our security.”

“The national statistician reported that its implementation would start in September 2019 with a target of six million Filipinos for registration this year,” Panelo said.

Esperon, according to Panelo, has suggested that the cybersecurity group of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) take the lead and the security of data be taken care of by the PSA with the help of the DICT. “(The president) ordered the best and safest system in the implementation of the national ID system,” Panelo said.

During the briefing, Panelo also assured the public that the

national ID system would not be unduly used against members of left-leaning groups or perceived enemies of the state, some of whom had accused the administration of profiling them.

“The security agency is in charge of that part. And Secretary Esperon said we can be sure that there will be no snafu in the aspect of security,” he said, referring to possible security breaches.

When Duterte signed the law last year, the PhilSys Act was expected to pave the way for efficient services delivery, enhance administrative governance, reduce corruption, curtail bureaucratic red tape, promote ease of doing business and strengthen financial inclusion.

The president also assured the public that the government would protect the data in the PhilSys database, amid concerns of possible data breach and privacy violations. n

UK lifts travel warning over southern Cebu by ryan

MaCasero Philstar.com

MANILA — The United Kingdom lifted its travel warning over southern Cebu on Thursday, February 7.

The UK government updated its advisory which earlier warned of a terrorism risk in towns “up to and including” Badian and Dalaguete on the island of Cebu.

These were the only parts outside of Mindanao included in the January 27 advisory, which was issued after twin bombings killed over 20 people and injured over 100 others in Jolo, Sulu.

Earlier this week, Presidential Assistant to the Visayas Michael Dino said he was planning to write a letter to the government of the United Kingdom to lift the travel advisory, saying there was “no basis” for the advisory.

Philstar.com reached out to Dino for comment but he has yet to reply as of this post.

Dino previously said he was worried about the impact of the advisories on tourism in Cebu and the Central Visayas. According to data from the Department of Tourism, tourist arrivals in the Central Visayas reached over 6.8 million in 2018.

Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III and Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale said they supported Dino’s plan

MANILA — The Senate minority on Friday, February 8, called on their colleagues to heed the recommendation of a United Nations body to free their Sen. Leila De Lima from detention.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Sens. Francis Pangilinan, Antonio Trillanes IV, Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV and Risa Hontiveros filed Resolution No. 1019 urging the Senate to heed the call of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to release De Lima.

They noted that the UN’s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, last year, adopted an opinion that categorized De Lima’s pre-trial detention as “arbitrary” and that she should be released.

The Palace has long rejected calls to release De Lima, saying these are intrusions into the country’s domestic affairs.

In October 2018, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo dismissed concerns raised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union over the cases against De Lima and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, anothet government critic.

“It is apparent this organization of foreign parliamentarians does not respect the ongoing proceedings being conducted by our courts of justice when it reached an incredible solution on the cases involving senators De Lima and Trillanes,” Panelo said then.

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, when he was Senate president, said an earlier call by the IPU said the group seemed unfamiliar with Philippine laws. “It’s unfortunate

Lanao del Norte votes ‘No’...

state a specific reason for the issuance of the travel advice aside from “terror threats.” It also did not say why the warning in southern Cebu has been lifted.

It has maintained its advise “against all travel to western and central Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago because of terrorist activity and clashes between the military and insurgent groups.”

The UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office also advises against “all but essential travel to the remainder of Mindanao (excluding Camiguin, Dinagat and Siargao Islands) due to the threat of terrorism.” n

bas, however, adjourned the session because of the unavailability PAGE A7 t new region, while Isabela City in of certificates of canvass (COCs) nao del Norte, where “Yes” votes Basilan voted “No” even as the from the plebiscite areas.

Jimenez said the NPBC would must win in both the municipal rest of the province voted “Yes.” and provincial levels.

The Comelec, sitting as the reconvene on Monday, adding National canvassing on Mon- National Plebiscite Board of Can- that COCs were expected to start day vassers (NPBC), convened on arriving during the weekend.

“We expect arrival during the On January 21, the existing Thursday for the canvassing of Autonomous Region in Muslim votes in the just-concluded sec- weekend. The reception commitMindanao voted in favor of the ond plebiscite in Lanao del Norte tee will safeguard the security of COCs that will arrive,” he added.

Bangsamoro region. Cotabato and North Cotabato.

Canvassing would be finished City residents agreed to join the Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abin four days, he said.

Reports from the Comelec regional command center said that in Lanao del Norte, 13 out of 22 COCs have been forwarded to the provincial plebiscite board of canvassers for canvassing.

In North Cotabato, provincial canvassing was 90 percent completed, with votes from the towns of Pigcayan, Aleosan, Carmen and Tulunan.

Still to be submitted were ballots from the towns of Midsayap, Pikit and Kabacan. Comelec placed the voter turnout at 54 North Cotabato residents vote during the plebiscite.

Contributed photo percent. n

that the IPU doesn’t understand the Philippine Constitution.

That’s their problem not ours,” Pimentel said then.

UN body: De Lima detention is over personal conviction De Lima has been detained at the police headquarters in Quezon City since February 2017, over the government’s drug charges against her. She was initially detained on a illegal drug trading charge that has since been amended to a charge of conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading.

It took more than a year for De

‘Sawadjaan acting IS emir in PH’ by deMpsey

reyes ManilaTimes.net

HATIB Hajan Sawadjaan, a commander of the Abu Sayyaf Group, is believed to be the “acting emir” of the Islamic State (IS) in the Philippines, according to a report by the United States’ Department of Defense (DoD).

The report estimated that there were around 300 to 550 IS terrorists in Mindanao.

“This quarter, U.S. Indo-Pacom (Indo-Pacific Command) reported that it had no update on the status of an ISIS-[Philippines] emir, but it still believed Hatib Sawadjaan, an Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) sub-unit commander, was the acting emir,” the report said, using another acronym for IS. ISIS stands for Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

The U.S. defense department said the U.S. Indo-Pacom had reported that the IS Core, or those who are based in Iraq and Syria, had not clarified their clear relations with Sawadjaan, who is based in Sulu.

There are two groups led by the Abu Sayyaf, one under Sawadjaan and the other under Radulan Sahiron.

The U.S. government has reported that there was no evidence on the relationship between ISCore and IS-Philippines.

It, however, said the conclusion of the five-month long siege in Marawi, which left about 1,000 persons dead, had “fractured” the relationship between the IS-Core

Beaches are the top attraction of Cebu and other islands in the Central Visayas.

Philstar.com photo

to write the UK government about the advisory.

While the region had been previously insulated from major terrorist attacks, in April 2017, security forces clashed with members of the Abu Sayyaf in the town of Inabanga, Bohol, directly across the strait from Cebu City. This was the first time the group, which usually operates in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, was detected in the region.

The series of encounters from April to May left at least 11 members of the terrorist group dead and six military and police officers injured.

The UK government did not

In this file photo, Sen. Leila de Lima upon arrival at Muntilupa Regional Trail Court to attend her hearing.

Philstar.com photo by Joven Cagande

Lima’s arraignment—to which she refused to enter a plea on all charges—to happen. She was arraigned on her last drug-related charge on February 1.

The UN body’s Opinion read: “The Working Group considers that Ms. De Lima’s deprivation of liberty resulted from her personal conviction and public statements regarding extrajudicial killings in the Philippines.”

It also held that De Lima’s detention is “arbitrary” and that “the appropriate remedy would be to release Ms. De Lima immediately and accord her an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations, in accordance with international law.”

The Senate minority, in its latest resolution filed, stressed that the Philippines is a member of the UN and “should always endeavor to ‘fulfill in good faith the obligations assumed by them in accordance with the present Charter.’”

The lawmakers also maintained that the Philippines must enact “its obligation to promote, protect and uphold the human rights of all regardless of sex, race, religion, or political beliefs and opinions.”

They called on their colleagues to “urge” the government and implement the recommendations of the UN TWAD to free De Lima.

The same UN panel also called on three of its rapporteurs to look into the alleged human rights violations against De Lima. (Kristine Joy Patag/Philstar.com)

PAGE A9 t

and the IS-Philippines.

The statement jived with that of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who said there were around 40 foreign terrorists in Mindanao accompanying groups that have aligned themselves with the IS, including the Abu Sayyaf under Sawadjaan’s supervision and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters under Abu Toraype.

Most of the foreign extremists came from Indonesia and Malaysia, according to Washington, which did not identify the home countries of foreigners aiding Philippine-based terrorists.

Lorenzana and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año had confirmed there were terrorists who came from Pakistan, Egypt, Yemen, Morocco and even Singapore.

Año confirmed that Sawadjaan was the IS “emir” in the Philippines.

He said even if Abu Dar or Owayda Benito Marohombsar had been recognized as the “emir” replacing Isnilon Hapilon for IS Southeast Asia, Sawadjaan is the believed leader of the IS in the country, luring foreign terrorists to southern Philippines.

At the same time, the DoD report said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) lacked capabilities in collecting information on targets including terrorists.

The report of the DoD’s Lead Inspector General for the Operation Pacific Eagle in the Philippines noted that the Philippine military “lacks” assets for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance

(ISR).

It added that the Armed Forces does not have a “Production, Exploitation and Dissemination cell” that has the capability of producing ISR information and “providing it to a decision-making entity.”

The Philippine military, it said, also “suffers from an institutional problem” by using limited ISR assets in live-tracking active operations.

The DoD got this information from the U.S. Special Operations Command-Pacific (USSOCPAC), which also pointed out that the Philippine military still “relies heavily” on the U.S. Defense department and its contractors’ ISR capabilities in identifying locations of activities of the enemy.

To attain the “end-to-end” capability requiring the Philippine military’s Joint Special Operations Group (JSOG) to have a “tactical level ISR platform, an established Aerial Reconnaissance Unit, a Joint Intelligence Component” to assist with intelligence collaboration and analysis is needed.

The DoD inspector general said the USSOCPAC is providing the Philippine military an intelligence training package, analyst notebook software, multiple unmanned aerial vehicle systems, tactical command posts and other equipment.

For this year, the DoD inspector general said the U.S. Indo-Pacom was planning to spend $50.1 million or P3.2 billion on contracted ISR and $11.8 million or P617.4 million on U.S. Army ISR support for the Philippines. n

The lies of two minds’

advertised in the thousands per month?

There is hope since the voters just passed, “With the state facing a massive housing shortage that has driven up prices, California voters passed Proposition 1, a $4 billion affordable housing bond.

Voters also approved Proposition 2, a separate measure that will allow the state to use a past tax on millionaires to fund housing for the mentally ill,” KQED reported on Nov. 7, 2018.

Does this mean these housing developers would get low-interest city bond monies?

It begs the question - is Garcetti part of the problem or is he part of the solution?

I know he has the smarts and political will to do it as he endeavored to transform what was once debris-filled, stinky Echo Park Lake to a bustling, clean water space, where millennials want to spend time at the lakeside restaurants or pedal boats, some of which are shaped like giant swans. Clearly, this is one of this city mayor’s crowning achievements, while then a councilman.

He took an almost blighted area and renewed it to reach its full potential.

The question now is will he transform blighted, decaying areas of Los Angeles, Silverlake, Temple St., Alvarado, Alameda, Virgil, downtown LA, Koreatown, and other parts of the city, where the homeless folks set up tents?

Perhaps, we have enabled this urban complex problem by not doing our share as informed voters, who by our voting, have installed public officials who are much cozier with hotel and condo developers? Instead, should we vote for those who are zealously address-

Lensball taken by the clean Echo Park Lake

Photo by Christine Ho

ing the public’s need for low income and affordable housing and have a desire of strategic public service, longer than their terms in office? Will we have the vigilance as caring voters to become community guardians and not depend on savior-like politicians in LA City Hall who still need to grow as diligent and conscientious public servants?

We need to stop the ‘lies of two minds’ and LA City Hall needs to be in alignment with publicly serving the needs of all city residents, such that no one is deprived of their rights to live a quality life and stand up to corruption, the public officials who need to be weeded out from causing any more trouble to others.

They need not look to the temporary tenant in the Oval Office, but to the prior one who served with honor, the 44th U.S. president.

Let the sight of blood frozen on the icy streets of Chicago from the death of 18 homeless folks be not the case in Los Angeles. After all, we are called the city of angels and we all need to live like saints to merit that designation.

Yes, saints, as we are surrounded by so much local and federal wrongdoings, anomalies and the ‘lies of two minds.’

“Strive for peace with everyone, and for that holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

See to it that no one be deprived of the grace of God, that no bitter root spring up and cause trouble, through which many may become defiled.” - 1 Heb 12: 4-7 *** Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D. writes a weekly column for Asian Journal, called “Rhizomes.”

She has been writing for AJ Press for 10 years.

She also contributes to Balikbayan Magazine.

Her training and experiences are in science, food technology, law and community volunteerism for 4 decades. She holds a B.S. degree from the University of the Philippines, a law degree from Whittier College School of Law in California and a certificate on 21st Century Leadership from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

She has been a participant in NVM Writing Workshops taught by Prof. Peter Bacho for 4 years and Prof. Russell Leong. She has travelled to France, Holland, Belgium, Japan, Costa Rica, Mexico and over 22 national parks in the US, in her pursuit of love for nature and the arts.

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A12 February 9-12, 2019 • La WeeKeND aSIaN JOurNaL

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SHOWBIZ&STYLE

B

Journal Are Kris Aquino and Boy Michael V takes ‘Bubble Gang’ to musical theater Abunda still friends?

and conceptualizing skits week after week can also take its toll.

“There are times that na-boFOR over two decades now, bore din ako kasi ang tagal ko comedian Michael V has con- nang ‘tong ginagawa eh,” he stantly succeeded in making TV’s honestly shared during a set visit longest-running gag show relat- to his beloved program. Pero ‘pag able and relevant to generations nararamdaman kong nagiging of audiences, and shows no signs routine na at yung boredom, dun of stopping. nagiging malikot ang utak ko.

Not just lead actor of GMA Doon ako naghahanap ng ibang Network’s “Bubble Gang” since gagawin at nagiisip kung paano ko 1995 but now its creative director kaya papahirapan yung sarili ko. to boot, no episode goes by that And in the process nag-be-benefit sees his work and energy half- naman—hindi lang ako pero pati baked. All the same, Michael V yung audience.” won’t deny that being in the show ABS-CBN photos Michael V PAGE B2 by iza iglesias

by Katrina

Hallare Inquirer.net

ManilaTimes.net

KRIS Aquino has finally answered the question whether or not she and Boy Abunda are still friends.

The Queen of All Media got completely honest when one netizen asked her if she and the King of Talk still get in touch with each other. This she answered on her Instagram on Wednesday, February 6.

Aquino first posted a video featuring a hand-written letter Kris Aquino and Boy Abunda PAGE B2

Erik Matti: Film industry in ‘dire situation’ after low box office sales

by Krissy

aguilar Inquirer.net

FILMMAKER and producer Erik Matti expressed concern about the film industry, saying it is in “dire situation” after recent movie releases were met with low box office sales.

“The state of our film industry, the business of it, is in a dire situation. Someone should do something about it. Government should intervene. This is not a slow death anymore,” Matti said in a Facebook post on Thursday, February 7.

“We are on life support and we need resuscitation. No more pointing fingers. I think we’re beyond that at this point. This is a plea for help,” he added.

While the film industry has been at its busiest, Matti pointed out that film studios, including big ones, have not been “doing good business.”

“Hundreds of movies are being made now but no one is really doing good business

Director Erik Matti

including the big studios. What happened to our local audience?” he said.

Matti, co-founder of production company Reality Entertainment, also expressed dismay that recent releases, including one of theirs, were not received well despite all the “marketing and promising stories.”

“The past three weeks several local movies were screened, including one of ours, and it didn’t make good business despite all the marketing fanfare. This week Regal and Viva premiered films

Inquirer.net photo

and again it wasn’t received well at the box office despite all the marketing and promising stories,” he said.

Among the recent local releases are Reality Entertainment’s “Tol” starring Joross Gamboa, Ketchup Eusebio, Arjo Atayde, Regal Films’ “Elise” starring Janine Gutierrez and Enchong Dee and Viva Films’ “Hanggang Kailan” starring Xian Lim and Louise Delos Reyes.

“Even MMFF no matter how much they claim with pride that PAGE B2

GMA photo

B FEBRUARY 9-12, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

EntErtainmEnt

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Heartthrob Ruru Madrid enjoys new tough guy role

by Lhar

Santiago ManilaTimes.net

HIS name is Emong, an OFW who’s decided to return to the Philippines and make a go of living here. He buys a tricycle and drives it around to earn his keep and help out his family. Life seems dull and difficult until he comes across his lovely childhood friend Gelay who, as it turns out, has also decided to become a tricycle driver to support her mom after her dad died.

The two characters in this interesting plot are Ruru Madrid and Kylie Padilla, stars the new GMA political rom-com series “TODA One I Love.”

Both excited to work in the innovative series which premiered Monday, Showbuzz got to chat with Ruru who can’t stop raving about his all new role.

“For sure, viewers will enjoy ‘yung mga awayan namin ni Kylie. Para kaming aso’t pusa.

‘Yung character ko kasi na si Emong, may pagka-bad boy tapos hindi marunong manligaw. Dinadaan sa pang-aasar kay Gelay ‘yung nararamdaman niya. A lot of guys, lalo na ‘yung mga naba-basted, will be able to relate to my character,” Ruru laughed.

This is indeed the first time that Ruru is portraying a neighborhood toughie and in a romcom yet. Surprisingly, the debonair, next-door hottie reveals he has long wanted to portray a bad

Ruru Madrid

GMA photo

boy image.

“I really want a character like this, somebody who appears tough — tipong siga-siga but with a heart for people especially ‘yung mga naaapi. Tapos ‘yung pagkasanggano niya nakakatuwa sa halip na nakaka-inis. That’s how the viewers will find my character.”

Like a little boy on Christmas day, Ruru said he especially looks forward to doing fight scenes.

“But doing action scenes is not new to me naman. In ‘Encantadia,’ I had many action routines but using a sword. Here in TODA One, it’s really fist fights! Manomano talaga, and ‘yon talaga ang gusto kong gawin!”

According to Ruru, Emong will be involved in a lot of trouble throughout the series, with guys who are rude to Gelay, and especially with one character who will test his patience: Rich boy Kobe, played by David Licauco.

As the son of the mayor, Kobe will never accept defeat. He gets what he wants, and he wants to be with Gelay just as much as Emong.

“Of course, Kobe will do everything to win Gelay’s heart but Emong will not let that happen.

That is when the battle royale begins!” Ruru enthused again.

Overall, with TODA One I Love a fresh and all new challenge for the popular actor, he is even more motivated to do his best because the show isn’t just a regulary rom com series.

“It’s a concept and production by GMA Public Affairs to give viewers insights on how politics in the Philippines can affect everyone’s life — even in small town or community like Emong and Gelay’s. Ultimately, the series hopes to give viewers a clearer picture of how to make the right choices with the elections coming, and we all have the responsibility to do that come May,” Ruru ended.

Erik Matti: Film industry in ‘dire...

PAGE B1 it was a hit, it wasn’t. It didn’t make as much money as the previous years. And instead of looking at the problem head on of the dwindling audience they just chose to deny it,” he added.

The “Magic 8” entries of the MMFF 2018 exceeded its target sales of P1 billion during its run from December 25, 2018 until January 7, 2019.

Matti asked, “Is it the online platforms killing us? Is it support of cinemas? Is it Hollywood? Is it bad marketing? Is it esoteric, irrelevant, tired or uninteresting stories? Is it traffic? Is it downloads? Is it poverty? Has our

audience outgrown our films? I really don’t know at this point.”

“All I know is, we cannot go on making movies where no one sees them. We cannot blindly just trudge along busily working on our films without thinking about whether all this passion is really worth it,” he said. “We cannot keep on spending millions for movies that no one gets to see. This is alarming. SOMEONE SOMEWHERE SOMEHOW SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.” Matti also recognized film festivals as venues where filmmakers can showcase their craft, but asked whether these films actually reach the audience it

was made for.

“This industry nurtures its artists with our local filmfests. we look after our filmworkers with so many films being produced. We strengthen ties on our international filmfest connections. We revel on the little things we accomplish and splash it on big bold letters in the headlines,” he said.

“But are we really doing something for the film industry where it matters most? Are we really getting our films to the audience it was actually made for? Or are we just bringing them to the small audience we embarrassingly deserve?” Matti added.

ğ įōíľ ÀðıÃæµįPçį ʼn æIJįıÀ ØÃĉÃæîÂ ß ğÃqPç qíß߼æÃıŎįĤÀíĽØ ÕæíŊįPdíĽIJĕ If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, email us the details (title, description, time & date, location, etc.) at info@asianjournalinc.com.

And for consideration in our print calendar, please send submissions at least three weeks before the date of the event.

To be included in our online calendar/ e-newsletter, please allow at least two to three weeks' notice.

The Asian Journal would be delighted to list your event in our Calendar of Events.

Miss World-Philippines Katarina Rodriguez shed light on the affected kids of Marawi in her advocacy called “Project Become.”

Photo courtesy of Facebook/Miss World-Philippines

Katarina Rodriguez refuses to be mocked for her Marawi advocacy by

Katrina haLLare Inquirer.net

KATARINA Rodriguez is not one to stay silent when someone questions her advocacies.

Without expecting to be mocked, Miss World Philippines 2018 first posted a photo of herself beaming and greeting her fans a Happy Chinese New Year on her Instagram page last Tuesday, Feb. 5.

While most of her followers were awed, one netizen going by the handle @andreiii_76 differed in his reaction, and even questioned Rodriguez about what she believes.

“Diba advocacy mo sa Miss World is peace education? (Isn’t your advocacy in Miss World is peace education?)” the netizen

asked. “Ano masasabi mo sa recent bombings sa Mindanao?

Bakit tahimik ka na ngayon?

Dahil ba tapos na Miss World at clapper ka? Kalowka.”

(What can you say about the recent bombings in Mindanao?

Why are you silent all of a sudden? Is it because Miss World is done and you’re just a clapper [now]? How crazy.)

Mindanao has been recently rocked by bombings. The Marian Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo, Sulu became a target of twin blasts, leaving 20 dead and 111 injured.

But Rodriguez hit back, saying she does not need to promote the meetings she does on a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week basis.

“Before Miss World or any pageants I was already involved but never posted on social media,” she told the netizen. “I don’t need to show everything I do on social media or be active on IG (Instagram) all the time. Give me a break, ikaw ang ‘kalowka’ (you’re the crazy one).”

During her stint at the Miss World pageant, Rodriguez featured the embattled city of Marawi in her “Beauty with a Purpose” campaign video. The campaign saw her speaking to children, students and other civilians who were victims during the 2017 siege. She also talked about “Project Become,” which aims to help rebuild schools and send back the kids to school, among others.

Janine Gutierrez: Sweet but fierce

by Boy

aBunda Philstar.com

JANINE Gutierrez believes there is truth to the phrase “looks can be deceiving,” especially with people who often misconstrue her as a weakling and a cry baby for her sweet, angelic look.

No wonder, she is thankful to GMA for allowing her to display in front of the cameras her fierce and fearless persona that not many people do not know about in Dragon Lady as the titular role.

The newest afternoon prime series will see Janine in a character who is born with dragon-like features.

“When I was told that Dragon Lady is for me, I got nervous because I thought about dragon lady as in literally, and definitely there’s a need for heavy prosthetics,” began Janine. “It turned out, she’s a dragon lady because she has a bossy side. Honestly, when it comes to heavy prosthetics nervousness attacks due to the long hours the process takes but when I saw the final product, I felt excited because it’s something different.”

The Kapuso actress added that she shares similarities with her character. “If you ask my family, they will tell that I am a dragon lady because I’m the eldest, I’m the ate, ako ‘yung masungit sa pamilya at medyo strict so definitely they will agree that I fit into the role.

But for everyone else, I don’t think I get to show my strong side. So through the show, I will get to

Janine Gutierrez

channel that side of me.”

Although it remains a challenge for her to really break the notion that she is just another sweet girl who cannot fight for her rights.

According to her, a lot of people are clamoring to see her portray as a strong woman. “The viewers wish to see me as a fighter or independent which happened in the end of Victor Magtanggol but now it’s on a whole other level na maipapakita ko talaga ‘yung woman empowerment.”

However, Janine also thinks that everyone possesses a fierce character that turns visible whenever things go awry. In her case, heavy traffic and trash irritate her.

Photo from Instagram/@janinegutierrez

“I guess we can all be a little guilty of that sometimes, even if in little things that we are not in control of. But what’s good with Celestina (her character) is she is truly fighting for her family. Her love for her mom is what really drives her to stand up for her family, stand up for herself and also her love for Michael (played by Tom Rodriguez).”

She further shared that her latest TV assignment comes close to her dream role as dragon queen Khaleesi of Game of Thrones. “The difference is I don’t have a pet dragon but I am the dragon, masyadong mabait si Lord, ginalingan N’ya masyado (laughs).”

Are Kris Aquino and Boy...

PAGE B1 to her followers that gave them a brief update about her condition following the previous medical examination she had had.

As her followers poured Aquino messages of love and support, one netizen, @nerinear, spoke freely about her thoughts by asking her “Still friends with Abunda, Miss Kris? Just curious.”

“To satisfy your curiosity,” Aquino replied with all honesty, “I believe we’ll always care about each other but we are no

longer active participants in each other’s lives.”

And it appears that some of her followers have been longing to know if Aquino and Abunda are still okay, such as another netizen named @onlyjudith_88.

Both personalities have had a long history, as they shared hosting stints in ABS-CBN talk shows such as “Aquino & Abunda Tonight,” “The Buzz” and “Boy and Kris.” Aquino left the station in 2016.

In a November 2018 episode

of Abunda’s late-night show “The Bottomline,” he expressed that he missed working with her as a co-host. “She will always be one of the best,” Abunda said of Aquino. “Kami ni Kris, basa namin ang isa’t-isa. Uumpisahan niya ang sentence, tatapusin ko.

We’ve been talking to each other for over 20 years.”

(Kris and I, we read each other. She starts off the sentence, I finish it. We’ve been talking to each other for over 20 years.)

“I miss her,” Abunda added.

“I miss her as a host.”

Michael V takes ‘Bubble Gang’...

PAGE B1 Indeed with this comedic genius behind Bubble Gang’s continued evolution, the show remains to be a household favorite of Filipinos across the nation and in different parts of the world.

Moreover, the program has spewed equally successful projects outside television, most prominent of which was Michael V’s special Bubble Gang musical in 2017 to celebrate their 22nd anniversary. Clearly at one of his creative peaks at the time, he wrote the musical using the songs of iconic pop-rock group Parokya ni Edgar and dubbed it “Parokya Bente Dos.” “Matagal na namin na inimagine na ipag-combine yung musical at comedy and never kami nagkaroon ng chance until gumawa na nga ng ingay yung ‘Rak of Aegis.’

So sabi namin, parang puwede and it so happened it was also the Parokya ni Edgar’s anniversary then, which just made merging

the band’s humor with Bubble Gang’s the perfect idea,” Michael V recalled.

Surprised that two years later, fans are still clamoring for a restaging of Parokya Bente Dos, Michael V happily announced that an updated version will be staged on February 15 at Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Lahug, Cebu City. Retitled, “Parokya Na ‘To: A Laugh Story,” the live musical will see simple guy Buloy (Michael V) head over heels over actress Birdie Aguila (Kim Domingo). Building his dreams around Birdie, Buloy meets a hodgepodge of adventures in his quest to become her leading man on- and off-screen.

Joining Michael V and Domingo in this riotous stage presentation are Chariz Solomon, Valeen Montenegro, Antonio Aquitania, Paolo Contis, Jackie Rice, Denise Barbacena, Lovely Abella, Sef Cadayona, Betong Sumaya, Mikael Daez, Archie Alemana,

Mikoy Morales, Analyn Barro, James Macasero, Roadfill Obeso, Myka Flores and Diego Llorico.

Rem Zamora is overall director with Vince de Jesus as musical director, Myke Salomon as musical arranger and choreographer Dan Cabrera.

“Noong pinalabas sa Bubble Gang ang Parokya Nato’ in 2017, it was meant to be for TV. This time around, it’s a totally musical experience. No cuts, no second takes— it’s all live. We needed musical theater discipline in preparing for the show and more importantly, we made sure that the material has been updated to adapt to the millennials particularly. Kailangan open ka for change kasi hindi magiging successful ang show pag hindi mo ‘yon ginawa,” the comedian explained. “And as an artist, it’s really important for us to spread our wings. Patok na patok na yung musicals ngayon and to merge it with comedy for me is a logical evolution.”

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B

Toni Gonzaga bares father as ‘first man who broke my heart’

by Krissy

AguilAr Inquirer.net

DREAMS OF A FAIRYTALE WEDDING ENDED UP IN A NIGHTMARE OF BATTERY AND ABUSE. Anne entered the U.S. on a fiancé (K-1) visa, hoping to build a beautiful, love-filled life with her U.S. citizen petitioner. But the marriage turned into a nightmare, when the husband became verbally and physically abusive. Battered and abused, Anne reached out to leading immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel.

Watch as Anne was able to escape the chains of abuse, through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) self-petition that the Law Offices of Michael J. Gurfinkel filed and was able to get a green card for Anne….on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)

ACTRESS-host Toni Gonzaga bared her relationship with her father, Bonoy, whom she called “The first man who broke my heart.”

Toni interviewed his father, who was celebrating his birthday, about his strict parenting style in a video blog posted on her Youtube channel on Tuesday, February 5.

The questions ranged from why Toni and her sister Alex were punished when they were young to why they were never allowed to go on a sleepover.

The actress-host also asked, “Bakit ayaw mo kami mag-boyfriend noong teenager pa lang kami?” to which her father replied with, “Kasi ayaw namin kayo magsisi.”

“Hindi pa kaya bumabalanse.

Kayo kasi, ‘pag teenager pa, puro damdamin ‘yan, e. ’Gusto ko ‘yun!’” Bonoy said. “Ngayon, malaki ka na, nag-iisip ka na.

‘Gusto ko ‘yun,’ pero meron ka nang, ‘kaya lang.’”

Also revealed in the vlog were the reasons why Bonoy disapproved of Toni’s previous suitors.

Toni interviewed his father, Taytay, Rizal Vice Mayor Carlito “Bonoy” Gonzaga, who was celebrating his birthday, about his strict parenting style in a video blog posted on her Youtube channel on Tuesday, February 5.

Photo screengrabbed from Youtube/Celestine Gonzaga-Soriano

Toni mentioned the names, but were censored from the viewer, and her father gave descriptions as to why he did not like them for Toni.

Toni’s last question was why he never talked to her now-husband Paul Soriano when they were still dating.

“Kailangan makita niya na mayroong nag-po-protekta sa inyo. Lahat ng ama, pag ang anak nila ay babae at may nanliligaw, sinusuri ng lahat ng magulang ‘yan. Dapat diyan bina-bluff kaagad,” Bonoy answered. “‘Wag

mong lolokohin ang anak ko.

Magkakaproblema tayo.’”

Toni and Soriano tied the knot in 2015 after dating for eight years. They now have a two-yearold son named Seve.

At the end of the video, Toni shared her realizations on the strict parenting style of his father: “I realized that the pain of discipline is better than the pain of regret. The man who I thought broke my heart before was actually the one who saved my heart from being broken so many times.”

Yam Concepcion as Jade, the ‘mistress’ we all love to hate Is Bong Revilla-Coco Martin

action starrer feasible? by ricKy lo Philstar.com

By Monet

PERHAPS not many moviegoers remember that almost 17 years ago, Coco Martin appeared as a supporting actor in Ang Agimat: Anting-Anting ni Lolo, a 2002 action movie directed by Augusto Salvador and produced

by Imus Productions owned by the family of Bong Revilla who starred in it with son Jolo.

“Oo nga pala!” said former Sen. Bong (running in May’s mid-term elections) the other day when reminded about it during a friendly lunch with movie writers at Annabel’s. “Coco did a fight scene with Jolo. The original actor was not okay and it was my brother Marlon (Bautista) who saw Coco on the set. ‘Umarte ka nga,’ Coco was told. Mahusay

Lu

ONCE again a new teleserye character playing the “other woman” has Filipino viewers gritting their teeth and clenching their fists as they curse her existence and damn her soul.

“Homewrecker,” “flirt,” “snake” are just a few of the nicknames they throw at her.

She’s the perfect villain to any fairytale. Because, nobody is hated more than a two-timing, gold-digging, discontented and scheming wife who goes by name of “Jade Bartolome.”

Jade Bartolome is the character played by Yam Concepcion, opposite Jericho Rosales who plays the role of Lino (Jade’s husband) in ABS-CBN’s teleserye, “Halik.”

The story’s boiling point was when Lino found out that his wife was having an affair with Ace Corpuz who is played by Sam Milby in this heart-tugging and blood-boiling drama series that has Filipino viewers glued to their TV screens just to witness the rollercoaster happenings and daring scenes the series is known for.

“Halik” is one of ABS-CBN’s most scorching shows at the moment and has been causing quite the stir amongst the Filipino audience because of their intense and frustrating scenes that’ll make you want to pull your hair and scream profanities just to get it out of your system.

With the show’s ratings, it has proven – yet again – that media outlets have the power to rally the masses against a single character or in situations that are 100 percent hashtag #relatable.

Take for example the scene when Lino caught Jade and Ace! The brutal confrontation that had everyone at the edge of their seats. And need I mention how our hearts melt over that emotional scene where Lino broke down after finding out for himself that his wife was engaging in an affair with his enemy?

Another one of the many trending episodes was when Jade attacks the very kind Jacky (played by Yen Santos) publicly.

Oh no, she didn’t! I know, right?

The nerve to go after the wife of the man you are having an affair with? I mean, you must be completely callous, self-absorbed, and thick-faced to play victim considering the circumstances.

But that’s the irony we face nowadays.

Gone are the insecure, underappreciated, scared and timid mistresses who wait by the window counting the hours until her lover could sneak out from his precious family to come home to her.

Now the world is filled with “Jades.” They are the mistresses who would overstep and go way beyond the boundaries of being the “third party.” They have convinced themselves that they are entitled and they hold their ground no matter how inconsiderate and immoral that is. They unbelievably confident to a fault.

And we all love to hate on a woman like that, don’t we?

But that’s how we get hooked and somehow stressed out by the mistress-character Yam plays.

Plus, the series is jam-packed with cheating escapades, be-

Yam Concepcion

trayal scenes, confrontations, and embarrassing public spectacles.

Kudos to the writers of the show who seem to have perfectly concocted the “most hated” person on Philippine TV. In an interview, Yam, who plays this iconic role shared about how she has been bashed on social media and has received hate messages for playing Jade.

In fairness to Yam, she has pulled of this role really well — so well that sometimes people forget that she is just playing a role.

And while she is not loving the hurtful messages and personal attacks on her sometimes, she is still thankful that people recognize her performance – and are reacting to it in the most dramatic way possible.

Fortunately, her efforts had not gone unnoticed as she recently received her first acting award after being in show business for over six years. In her Instagram account she thanked the organization, “Philippine Social Media Awards” who has chosen her as the receiver of the star achiever trending teleserye actress for her role as Jade.

For those who are unaware, Yam Concepcion who is Lorraine May Concepcion in real life, has been in the showbiz industry since 2012 when a talent scout discovered her in one of the music videos of OPM band Mayonnaise. She started off by playing supporting roles in a few movies and starring in the Erik Matti-helmed adult thriller flick, Rigodon.

A Multimedia Arts graduate from De La Salle - College of St. Benilde, Yam ventured in doing teleseryes and, in 2013, landed a spot in the television adaptation of the classic action movie Dugong Buhay as Sandy de Guzman. She played deceitful and traitor best friend Kayla to Diane (Alex Gonzaga) in the 2014 drama “Pure Love,” the Filipino adaptation of the Korean series 49 Days.

That same year, Yam once

Photo courtesy of ABS-CBN

more flaunted her sexy image when she portrayed the supporting role of Michelle, the ex-girlfriend to Patrick Garcia’s character, Albert Medrano, in the Pinoy version of the hit K-Drama “Two Wives.” Yam portrayed kontrabida again that same year when she took on the role of Bianca in the Kapamilya Gold soap opera “All Of Me.” Yam’s biggest break came in 2016 in the daytime family series “Langit Lupa,” wherein she scored her first-ever leading role on TV. From drama, the seasoned actress was able to try her flair in action when she got included in the top-rating primetime series FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano and played the role of Lena, whose character proved to have a thrilling connection to the Coco Martin’s titular character. Reportedly, her supposed two-month stint in the show got extended to six months because of the audiences’ positive response.

Yam is the testament of how one iconic role can change her life forever. Albeit, a not-soloveable role, but one that has the power hold every living fan invested enough to turn them into “haters.”

I love that we hate the antagonist that Jade Bartolome embodies because it turned our attention to Yam Concepcion.

She is purely talented and I could not imagine a much better Jade but her.

To Yam: Congratulations. I love you as much as I hate Jade Bartolome. Keep it up! *** Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, awardwinning celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of Monet Salon salons across Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada.

Ultimately, Monet is known as an all-around artiste who produces sold-out fashion and awards shows as well as unforgettable marketing campaigns. Monet is also the founder of the revolutionary all-natural beauty products such as Enlighten, your solution to discoloration . To contact Monet, please visit www.monetsalon.com or email him at monetsalon@aol.com

siya so he got the role. When I see him now in ‘Ang Probinsyano’, hanga ako sa kanya. Sabi ko, siya pala ‘yung Coco na nakasama ko sa pelikula noon. Hindi mo talaga masabi ang swerte.”

Somebody suggested to Bong to co-star with Coco in an action movie, maybe the one that Bong has been conceptualizing during his five-year stay at the Camp Crame Detention Center that he’s intending to enter in the 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) as his comeback starrer.

Good idea, isn’t it?

“I want to revive interest in action movies,” said Bong who lamented the moribund state of the genre that catapulted him to stardom. “When was the last time na sikat ang action films, during the time of FPJ? That was a long time ago.”

In fact, Imus Productions has kick-started the big move by producing Tres, a trilogy topbilled

by Bong’s sons Jolo, Bryan and Luigi. A good step in the right direction.

Taking time out from the midterm campaign that has brought him around the country where he’s getting a warm welcome, Bong told the movie writers that if elected, he would file a bill that would bring down the movie admission price from P300-P250 to around P200-P150.

“In my sorties,” related Bong, “I saw the big number of poor people, ang daming mahihirap.

That got me thinking, how could they afford to watch movies?

Their alternative is to watch TV shows and old movies (including his starrers) on PBO (Pinoy Box PAGE B5

B4 FEBRUARY 9-12, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

MOONLIGHTING

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The heart has its reasons

purple, a spectacular sunset just

by MYLAH before midnight — on split lips, DE LEON swollen misshapen faces, with some of the bruises fading into a yellow green.

I’ve seen faces worked on in emergency rooms. Her lipstick THEY spoke of a time, a place, uneven, bangs badly chopped, an voices in language of love gone apple-sized bruise on her cheek wrong. Of frightful things that that sets you thinking, of bones manifest itself in various ways of that had not broken— areas that secrets, deceptions, obsession had not blossomed with more and violence, swathed in a twilight bruises.

They are victims of spousal of every color — blue, yellow,

abuse and assault.

Recorded on her chart as “POSS DA” or “Possible domestic abuse.” There would be always an “again” — and there always was. What provokes the complex mix of combustion, attraction and destruction are connected in ways they will never understand. This is a story of three women, and the names I’ll call them are not their own.

They related to me as a cry of help and on a personal level, I was hoping to help these hapless souls; for them to share terrible secrets, wrapped in shame and silence of strangle sobs and still be respected and have a career, as your Moonlighter has. *** For Agnes, the first time her husband hit her, she was only 18. She couldn’t wear a sundress or frolic in the beach the whole summer. The marks of his beatings were like a tattoo. The next night he kissed each spot with his tears, wet the spots like it would wash away the black on her tan skin. He was so sorry, he cried. His sorrow and regret seemed so palpable. She wept with his sorrow more than hers. Next morning, they were holding hands, gazing at each other’s eyes, acting like nothing had happened. Put in togetherness of eight years, according to the police blotter. *** Rosa had a 10-year-old daughter who kept her secret. The child had to have heard the countless sound of the slaps, thumps of the punches, the birdcall of her mother’s sobs, and the sharp intakes of breath in pain. In the morning, her mother would tape herself up, swabbed herself off — as she tried to put her pieces back together again.

It was a repetitive scenario.

She had seen her mother’s bruises, remembers all those countless mornings after the horrible sounds and screams. Over at the breakfast table, her father calmly sits, drinking coffee from his favorite mug, her mother coming in, with a breakfast tray filled with garlic fried rice, eggs and longanisaas though, everything was just as it should be.

I had carried this child as an infant on the baptismal front of Our Lady of Angeles church on Spring Street, where after feasting at Mayflower Restaurant, the father went on duty as a cop. Years PAGE B5

Health@Heart PHILIP S. CHUA, MD, FACS, FPCS THE Norovirus outbreak that sickened 277 on board the Oasis of the Seas of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines forced the 7-day Caribbean cruise to return prematurely to Port Canaveral about 3 weeks ago.

This incident puts the spotlight on this most contagious gastrointestinal disease known to man. For the aged and the very young, this virus could be so devastating as to kill some victims.

Annually, about 20 million people in the United States are infected with norovirus, 2 million are so severe as to require hospitalization. New strains are responsible for pandemics every 3 to 4 years. So far, the most virulent strain was seen in the pandemic of 2002-2003 and 2006-2007. Majority (around 80 percent) of norovirus infections are seen annually between November and April.

Symptoms The symptoms of norovirus could occur suddenly as abdominal cramps and pains, nausea, severe vomiting and diarrhea, 12-24 hours after exposure to the virus. Some norovirus carrier may not have symptoms at all, but could infect other people.

The other symptoms include low-grade fever, severe malaise, and muscle aches. The symptoms last between 24 hours and 3 days, depending on the age of the patient and the health of the individual. Most recover without treatment, except infants and those with major illnesses and those immunocompromised. The vomiting and diarrhea lead to severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. The infection is common in crowded situations, like cruise ships, nursing homes, schools, etc. About 10 percent of norovirus infection develop sever symptoms.

Causes Noroviruses are found in feces of infected persons and animals.

The virus is transmitted through ingestion of contaminated food or drinks, touching the mouth with fingers hat have touched contaminated surfaces or items, and by close contact with an infected person. Noroviruses are resistant to most disinfectants and to hot and cold temperatures. Infected cook could contaminate the food and drinks.

The virus particle is about 38 nanometers and 3 particles of the virus could fit across the width of a single hair. Nanovirus travels at lightning speed.

Norovirus can kill

Consultation If diarrhea does not stop within 3 days or so, and/or there is blood in the stools, especially when accompanied by vomiting, medical consultation is mandatory. While most will recover spontaneously, untreated dehydration and electrolyte imbalance could be fatal to some. The ones with a higher risk are infants, young children, older persons, those with chronic medical conditions, and those with compromised immune systems. Vomiting and diarrhea could deplete the body of water and vital minerals that allow all organs in the body to function normally. A tilt in the balance due to the loss of these vital element negatively impacts the kidneys, heart, liver, and brain. Normal homeostasis is essential to life.

Prevention About 50 percent of norovirus infection is from contaminated food, especially leafy green vegetables, shellfish, and fresh fruits. As with any other infectious diseases, prevention is the key. In case of Norovirus and other contagious illnesses, a person can become infected more than once. Norovirus infected persons must stay home until fully recovered to avoid spreading it to others.

Here are some simply common sense ideas that can help us avoid this and other infections, and prevent their spread to others: 1. Frequent handwashing after using the toilet, before eating, after any chores (changing diapers or cleaning a bed-ridden persons) that could render the hands dirty. Washing hands with soap and water frequently could go a long way in our quest for health; 2. Prepare and cook foods with extra consciousness about cleanliness and hygiene around the kitchen, including cook wares and utensils; 3. Do not eat or drink foods prepared by a sick person; 4. Chicken, pork, and sea food must be cooked properly; 5. The plates and utensils must be washed properly, and if in doubt, soaked in boiling water; 6. Fruits and vegetables must be thoroughly washed, soaked if needed, especially berries.

6. Stools, vomitus, and contaminated towels or items should be disposed off carefully, quickly, and properly to prevent spreading the disease by air or by contact.

7. With gloves, clean the contaminated area or surface with liquid disinfectant chlorine bleach. Only very high heat and chlorine-based disinfectants can

inactivate norovirus fast.

Proper use of gloves To avoid food contamination, some restaurants, fast-food chains, etc., make their food preparers and servers wear gloves. As a surgeon, I am very conscious of the mistakes of food handler using gloves. Almost 100 percent of the time, I see them use the gloves improperly, which could even allow more contamination of the food. The gloves must never touch anything but the food, and the food item only.

If the server touches the knife, or the microwave oven door handle, or the surface of the table, or anything else besides the food, he/she is contaminating the food that he touches next. It takes a lot of practice and a good teacher to nuse gloves properly, otherwise it will only give a false sense of security that the food is protected from contamination because gloves are used. That is not true. The situation could lead to more contamination of food, if not properly executed. Cleanliness of the food is assured when touched by gloved hands IF and only IF those hands would NOT touch anything else but the food being prepared. If you notice surgery on television, the operating table and every surface is draped with sterile cover, and the surgeon and assistants touch only the sterile instruments, and the draped areas ONLY. Treatment The management of Norovirus infection among those with significant symptoms includes fluid and electrolyte replacement, monitored by laboratory tests. If the person is able to drink, beverage with electrolytes (Gatorade, etc.) is recommended. If not, and if the vomiting and diarrhea are severe, intravenous fluid drip is initiated in a clinic or hospital ER setting. If there is fever, the patient is hospitalized.

In the past, these patients were advised not to eat anything for at least 24 hours, but modern medicine encourage these patients to eat if they tolerate it.

This has been shown to shorten the illness and improves the fluid electrolyte and nutrition balance of the patients. If being treated at home, the person should try to avoid contacts with family members and friends, preferably isolating himself, and eating in his room, with separate utensils, plates, glasses, etc. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is a medical lecturer/author, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: FUN8888.com, philipSchua.com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

Destiny and your choices

Life Coaching in a Different Perspective STARGAZER THERE are several roads leading to our destination. Each road takes us to a challenge. Each challenge tries our capacity as human beings and with each challenge comes learnings.

If you believe that you are destined to be a loser, a loser you will definitely be. You already have set your mind into it by pre-conditioning yourself that no matter what you do, you are destined to fail in life. You have claimed to become a failure.

Some poor people have this kind of mentality. They feel that God has abandoned them or they are undergoing some kind of a curse or “kulam” because they do not have the comforts in life. They refuse to see the real rhyme and reason why; despite how much they try, they fail.

This is definitely a loser’s point of view. They already have resigned to the fact that they will not get any better and so, indeed, they experience poverty.

Now let us go to the brighter side. Let us take the positive road to reach success. Positive choices make your destiny positive. Here are some guides for you to live by: Choose to look at the positive side of a negative situation and learn from it. Someone borrowed money from you and promised to pay. He only promised to pay — no more, no less. And the usual story goes...he never paid.

You become angry with the world and begin to look at others with distrust. You become bitter and depressed. Your health fails and no matter how you try to regain what you’ve lost, the more you invited negativity.

Let’s take another road.

Someone did one over you.

Rather than sulking, analyze the situation. Did you see it coming?

Did you do a background check

or due diligence on him or not?

You were then a willing victim.

Now instead of sulking, choose to learn from what you’ve missed.

Learn to discern well and do a rain check on the person. Do not lend a big amount of money next time or never at all. Or you can simply move on and try to regain what was lost. Elevate your consciousness and let the law of karma take effect.

Choose to grow than stagnate.

When you fail in an endeavor, never wallow in defeat nor do nothing at all. Many of us tend to indulge in self-pity and go into a depressed mode after a failure.

Most women cry buckets when their boyfriends or husbands

to appreciate even your enemies.

Or you can simply smile and keep quiet. For whatever action they take simply reflect who they are.

If they try to annoy you, ignore and focus on positive things.

After reaping a not so good harvest, it is time to sow again to be able to move on. And this time, sow the right seeds. There are always next times to correct mistakes. And always remember: good things happen to good people. It is never the opposite. So it is better to plant good seeds to get a wonderful harvest.

We move through life armed with our choices. Making the right choice is the real challenge in our lives. Make your choice positive. Walk the right path – the only path towards success. The choices we make will determine the kind of destiny we are going to.

So never go against the tide but instead look at the signs. Where is it leading you? Then make the right choices based on what situations and circumstances present you.

And you know what? I don’t believe that God has failure and poverty as part of man’s destiny.

He always wants the best for us.

He never punishes nor inflict pain on us. It is always the wrong choice we make that makes us fail.

Let us not blame others for our failures but rather make good choices in life and live well.

“After reaping a not so good harvest, it is time to sow again to be able to move on. And this time, sow the right seeds.” betray them. Some go on a food binge while others starve themselves to near death. Others simply go on their lives like zombies – as if no one and nothing matters now. A good number group themselves and talk endlessly on how they were betrayed. They all have chosen to stagnate and self destruct again.

Okay. Cry if you must over a heartbreaking situation. You are human after all. But never forget that the crying must stop, too.

Choose to surround yourself with positive people and energy.

Engage in more positive tasks.

And say to yourself: “I choose to stand up and move on and not wallow in grief and self destruct. I will learn to love myself more by not giving everything and all of me.”

Choose to sow good than bad.

Never retaliate or do the same thing that was done to you. You will just be like them, losers.

When others say negative things about you, do the opposite. Look at their positive traits, praise them and say wonderful things about them. Is this hypocrisy? No. It is teaching them how

*** Stargazer is a life coach, aura reader, psychic/clairvoyant, and lecturer on the paranormal. She uses the aura, energies & vibrations as focal points of her psychic readings. Using several techniques involving the psychological, spiritual, paranormal and her own experience of the intricacies of life, Stargazer makes one get in touch with his inner and understand life in a positive manner. Faith in God and belief in self is what Stargazer emphasizes on.

Currently, Stargazer is a radio anchor of DZMM Teleradyo, the radio arm of ABS-CBN. Her show “Pinoy Vibes” has been airing every Sunday morning since Sept. 2007. She can be reached at stargazerphils@gmail. com. For more information, please visit http://stargazer.ph/.

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Is Bong Revilla-Coco...

PAGE B3 Office, etc.). If I can bring down the admission prices, I think that should help bring back the people back to the movies.”

What if he’s offered to star in an action-adventure series?

Bong thought for awhile, presumably caught between his being (used to be?) a Kapuso and one-time Kapamilya (he starred in the very first action film produced by Star Cinema)? What would get his nod (if the price is right)?

“The TF (Talent Fee) is immaterial,” replied Bong. “My prime consideration would be the project.”

Incidentally, compared to his first post-Camp Crame salu-salo with the movie press at Gloria

Maris last month hosted by Regal Matriarch Lily Monteverde, Bong looked “fit and fabulous” during the Annabel’s affair, several pounds lighter and as macho as ever, thanks to his regular workout even while he was “inside.”

On hand to support him were his daughter Gianna, sisters Andeng Ynares (with daughters by husband incumbent Antipolo Mayor Junjun Ynares) who is running for Antipolo City mayor unopposed and Rowena who is running for reelection as councilor in Bacoor City where the mayor is Bong’s re-electionist wife Lani Mercado (who begged off from the Annabel’s gathering to avoid distracting the spotlight from Bong).

Since Valentine’s is just around

the corner, Funfare asked Bong how he and Lani would spend the day. The couple spent the past five Valentine’s at Camp Crame with permission from authorities for conjugal visits on special occasions like Christmas, New Year and Valentine’s.

“I stayed at a small room with no air-con,” confessed Bong, “and even when we turned the blower full blast, it was very hot pa rin, so we would end up sweaty, pawis na pawis.”

That was “inside.” For their first Valentine’s “outside,” Bong and Lani plan to simply watch a show, something light and easy that will make them feel bright and breezy.

The couples’ theme song is Ikaw, same as Pres. Duterte’s.

Bong Revilla at the meet-the-movie-press lunch with sisters Andeng Ynares (second from left, running for mayor in Antipolo City, with daughters Cassandra, leftmost, and Via, rightmost), Rowena (Bacoor City councilor running for reelection) and Bong’s daughter Gianna. Right photo shows actor Coco Martin.

Philstar.com photos

The heart has its reasons...

PAGE B4 after, one weekend at their Heliotrope apartment, the wild light in her 10-year-old eyes flared, flickered and died. She added, “Alam mo po ninang, naaksidente na naman po si Mommy.”

Because that was what Rosa said, year after year — an accident. She had an accident. When the accident was when she met her husband, fell crazy in love with him, and after that, fell further and further. Every year, he held her in a thrall, made her wonder about things she was sure about, tolerate things she’d never thought she’d allow; frozen in a relationship of pain and abuse. *** On the outside, Angelita looked fine. She was a registered nurse, had a beautiful home, three kids, a husband and a smile. Nobody got

to see the hitting, which was really the humiliation, which turned into hatred for her husband and the life she had lost.

Her cringing self was afraid to leave. Besides, divorce was a dislocation. She stayed because she thought things would get better, or at least not worse. Because she wanted her kids to have a father and she wanted a home. But even more is that fact that she stayed because she loved her husband and no one had ever gotten to her the way he did. And he knew that — that is why he made her an accomplice in all the abuses he inflicted.

Three women and their sad stories. If they told their children they’ve broken noses, collarbones, blacked their eyes, and split their lips by walking into the dining room, in the dark; they would have gone past some point of no

return. They would have killed the child in every kid, the woman in what was left of them.

These are women who only knew to love viscerally from the gut, with no regards to events, oblivious to the damaging things that happened and are kept in silence. The shame that surrounds that silence infecting that already wounded past is also locked in a landscape of longing.

Many years ago, I have been in that distant place, where no lights illuminate dreams and fairy tales. But I learned in the process called redemption is that your children make it impossible to regret your past.

And when you made your choice and everyone tells you, that you did the right thing — maybe they are right. *** E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl@aol.com

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 9-12, 2019

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A globally focused education at Chatsworth Hills Academy Applications open for 2019-20 school year

CREATIVE thinkers. Active learners. Global citizens.

These are a few ways to describe the students — and future leaders — at Chatsworth Hills Academy (CHA) in Chatsworth, California.

Nestled amongst the natural scenery of the San Fernando Valley, CHA was founded in 1977 and is the only school in the area offering the prestigious International Baccalaureate (IB) program for students in Preschool through 8th grade.

The institution is one of 617 schools in the United States to provide this rigorous, challenging and unique program of education in its Primary Years Programme (PYP) serving children ages 3 to 12.

Numerous studies throughout the years have illustrated the benefits of going through an IB program, which include independent thinking, cultural awareness through bilingualism, high performance on assessments, and effective communication and collaboration with peers.

From day one, small classes, close teacher-student relationships, and state-of-the-art technology are the standards upheld at CHA to foster an educational environment where students are encouraged to explore, create and have the freedom to excel.

“Our next generation of leaders will need a constantly changing set of skills and intellectual creativity to confront the many challenges that they will face.

In order to prepare our students for a rapidly changing global environment, CHA blends academic excellence with a richness of opportunity outside of the classroom. Students develop the skills and acquire the knowledge to confront issues from many perspectives and solve problems creatively,” Head of School Hans Peter Metzger said.

“Learning by doing” is one of the methods CHA uses to keep students engaged and apply their classroom lessons to real-life scenarios.

An example of a unit of inquiry that fourth-grade students participate in is one wherein they become entrepreneurs and take a full-fledged business approach

Photos courtesy of Chatsworth Hills Academy

to start their own toy company, develop a product, gain launch approval from the “Board,” and actively sell it at a “trade show.”

But beyond the classroom, the Tribes Learning Community program ensures that CHA students develop the foundations of good citizenship and ethical decisionmaking to contribute to the school community and greater society.

CHA has 5 out of 5 stars on greatschools.org, and families have remarked how their children have grown and developed while at the school.

One parent writes, “Our family has been part of the CHA family for 11 years now. Our children have each had many years of great experiences here that they would undoubtedly not receive anywhere else. The community of CHA is a wonderful place not only for the students, who have the opportunity to know pretty much every student and all of

the faculty, but for the families and extended families as well.

This is how the community aspect comes to be. There are opportunities for parents to be included and involved in their children’s educational journeys, as well as in other aspects of volunteering-with respect, consideration and value of everyone’s time. It’s a place unlike any other.”

CHA is now accepting applications for the 2019-20 school year, which can be accessed on its website (www.chaschool.org). A tour of the school is highly recommended and can be scheduled to witness a world-class education in your own backyard. ** Chatsworth Hills Academy is located at 21523 Rinaldi Street, Chatsworth, CA 91311. To learn more, visit www.chaschool. org. To schedule a tour, please email admissions@chaschool. org or (818) 988-4037. (AJPress)

B FEBRUARY 9-12, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Features

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 9-12, 2019

COMMUNITY Journal

Your Immigration Solution Atty. BrittAny MilliASSeAu IT has been nearly two months since the Department of Homeland (DHS) issued proposed regulations regarding the H-1B visa program and the filing of H-1B Cap-subject petitions, but uncertainty continues to loom as H-1B Cap season quickly approaches.

The H-1B visa program allows companies in the United States to temporarily employ foreign nationals in a “specialty occupation.” A “specialty occupation” generally refers to an occupation that can only be performed by a person that possesses a bachelor’s degree and highly specialized knowledge about a specific occupation. Many positions may qualify as specialty occupations, including engineers, teachers, physicians, lawyers, and architects. However, even if a foreign national finds a prospective employer willing to employ him or her in a specialty occupation, it is not a guarantee that the applicant will be able to secure an H1B visa. The yearly number of H1B visas allocated by Congress is 65,000, with an additional 20,000 allocated for individuals who have earned a Master’s degree or higher from a U.S. university.

Typically, there are far many more H-1B petitions submitted to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which creates the need for a computer-generated random selection process, or “H-1B lottery” system.

The proposed rule published

by DHS includes two very important changes to the H-1B visa selection process. Under the current process, H-1B employers are required to submit H-1B petitions during the first week of April. This results in USCIS receiving thousands of H-1B petitions. If the cap is reached, only those petitions selected in the H-1B lottery are adjudicated and unselected petitions are returned. Under the proposed rule, H-1B employers seeking to

Uncertainty continues due to proposed changes to the H-1B visa lottery file H-1B cap-subject petitions would be required to first electronically register with USCIS during a designated period. This period would be at least 14 calendar days before the H-1B filing window opens on April 1 and would remain open for at least 14 calendar days. The electronic registration process would require H-1B employers to provide basic information such as name, address, company identification number as well as the applicant’s name, country of birth, and type of degree. USCIS would then conduct the H-1B lottery from the pool of timely-filed electronic registrants. Subsequently, selected H-1B petitioners would be notified that they are eligible to file an H-1B petition within a designated filing period, which is expected to be at least 60 days.

Another major change proposed by DHS is to reverse the order by which H-1B petitions are selected. Under the current process, if the “regular” H-1B Cap and advanced degree exemption is reached within the first five days, advanced degree exemption applicants are selected prior to the regular H-1B Cap beneficiaries. Under the proposed regulation, USCIS would reverse the selection order and count all petitions towards the number projected as needed to reach the regular H-1B Cap first.

Once a sufficient number of petitions have been selected for the regular H-1B Cap, USCIS would then select petitions towards the advanced degree exemption. USCIS states that this would result in an increase of up to 16% of the number of beneficiaries with advanced degrees and ultimately H-1B visas would be “awarded to the most-skilled and highest-paid beneficiaries.”

The April 1 filing window is just around the corner and DHS has not yet published the final rule. Submission of public com-

ments to the proposed rule ended on January 2 and comments are currently being reviewed.

Before the final rule can be published, USCIS must complete review of the comments and the rule would need to be reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget. Given the tight timing, it is uncertain whether the provisions outlined in the proposed regulation will be finalized and implemented in time for the upcoming H-1B Cap filing season.

If the rule is finalized and there is insufficient time to implement the changes, USCIS may postpone the electronic registration system and continue with the current system.

Due to the uncertainty, it is important to ensure that you are represented by knowledgeable and highly competent immigration counsel who can keep you aware of the various changes and adapt as necessary throughout the entire H-1B application process. As April 1 nears, it is also important to meet with an experienced immigration attorney as soon as possible to explore whether an H-1B visa is the most suitable option for you or your company. *** REEVES IMMIGRATION LAW GROUP is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration fi rms in the United States with offi ces in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manila and China.

For more Information please call (800) 795- 8009 or visit www.rreeves.com.

Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com Website: www.rreeves.com. *** The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case.

(Advertising Supplement)

Tax Tips Victor Sy, cPA, MBA

ADJUSTMENTS to income (referred to as “above the line deductions”) are deductions to arrive at Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). These expenses reduce your income directly without going through itemized deductions. The amount after deducting these expenses is your Adjusted Gross Income.

These amounts go straight to your Form 1040 as opposed to itemized deductions on Schedule A. That means that you benefit from such adjustments to income whether you itemize deductions or take the standard deduction.

1. Moving Expenses The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) suspended the deduction for job-related moving expenses.

The exclusion for moving expense reimbursements has also been suspended. This suspension does not apply to members of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty who move pursuant to a military order related to a

The Prophetic Voice reVerend rodel G. BAlAGtAS “POUR out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch,” the Lord told Simon while getting into the boat. “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets,” Simon responded. When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets were tearing.

This is a familiar story from the Gospel of Luke (5:1-11), one that speaks about putting our faith in God. It’s a story that we can relate with because many times God

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Three tax changes for adjustments to income

permanent change of station.

However, employers may exclude from wages any 2018 reimbursements to or payments on behalf of employees for moving expenses incurred for a move that took place through December 31, 2017, and which would have been deductible had they been paid prior to that date.

2. Alimony Alimony will no longer be deductible by the paying spouse and will no longer be taxable to the receiving spouse. This applies 2019 divorce decrees and separation agreements (existing decrees and agreements will continue to be taxed under the old rules).

3. Health Care “Individual Mandate” Consumers who did not qualify for an exemption and chose not to purchase insurance faced a range of tax penalties. This individual mandate is out. Starting in 2019 (for the 2020 filing season), there is no longer a penalty for individuals who fail to obtain minimum essential health coverage. Nice! So for next year, consumers who do not purchase

health insurance will no longer face penalties. This measure could decrease spending on the tax subsidies it offers to balance out the cost of premiums for millions of Obamacare enrollees.

However, fewer healthy and young people could sign up for health coverage through the insurance marketplace, which will likely lead to increases in premium costs for those who remain the marketplace. Some insurers may even drop out of the market.

We’ll see. *** Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE with a BBA and from Indiana State University with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV - Andersen Consulting) and Ernst & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy Corporation in Pasadena, California. *** He has 50 years of experience in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, FTB, EDD, BOE and other governmental agencies. He is publishing a book on his expertise - “HOW TO AVOID OR SURVIVE IRS AUDITS.” Our readers may inquire about the book or email tax questions at vicsy@live.com.

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On hauling memories of God’s fidelity, providence, and promises challenges to cast all our fears and anxieties upon him, and not to worry about the future.

But should we also interpret this passage as pouring our nets into deep water so that we can discover God’s abundant blessings in our lives, which many times we do not recognize? Should we say that casting our nets into the sea means hauling many memories of God’s fidelity and providence?

When we do this, we calm down our fears. We become stronger in faith because we know that God is always on our side. We realize that we can withstand our difficulties and conquer our doubts.

We can paddle along the sea of life because of Jesus who encourages and strengthens us.

We also grow in gratitude to God. We can’t help but thank him for providing us with our daily needs and answering our prayers, especially in times of sickness. Every single day then becomes for us a blessing. Every beginning of the day is a prayer of gratitude. This Psalm-prayer becomes meaningful to us: “I will give thanks to you, O Lord with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth; in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise; I will worship at your holy temple and give thanks to your name.”

Indeed, we become unafraid of the future. We can imagine the many possibilities and opportu-

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C FEBRUARY 9-12, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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

Seniors face end of interest-only mortgage payments Need Chapter 13 to stop foreclosure

THE client is 61 and her husband is 60. In my book, they are young seniors. They bought their house in 2006 just before the crash of the housing market.

They used a zero down 10 years interest only mortgage for the first 10 years. Thereafter, they have to start paying interest and principal. They paid $2,400 a month for the purchase date up to early last year, which is interest only. As you well know, interest rates have been very low for the last 10 years. The Feds have been keeping rates at rock bottom so as not to derail the slow but steady improvement in the performance of our economy. With the expiration of the 10 years, mortgage payments doubled to $4,400.

It appears that they have $250,000 of equity in the house. Since they could not pay $4,400, they asked the bank for a loan modification last year. The bank placed them on a three-month trial period that they complied with. However, nothing happened after the trial period.

The bank started to send them statements demanding $4,400 after the trial period ended.

The clients received the recorded notice of default last October. A foreclosure sale is now scheduled for February 15, which is next week. Their arrears on the mortgage is $60,000. A third party continues helping them to get the loan modification but they have now decided to try to sell the house. But one week is not enough time to sell the house.

If the house is foreclosed next week, the auction sale may wipe out more than half or all of their equity if there are no serious buyers that show up for the auction sale. If no serious buyers show up, then the bank will bid the balance of the loan for the house and that will wipe out the entire $250,000 of equity. The house is worth $800,000 while the balance of the mortgage owed to the bank is $550,000, leaving equity of $250,000. But if there are no buyers at auction, the bank will bid $550,000, the balance of the mortgage, resulting in the debtors getting nothing.

If a serious buyer shows up and bids $700,000, then the bank gets paid $550,000, and the clients realize an amount over the

Debt Relief

Atty. LAwrence yAng balance owed to the bank or equity of $150,000. The higher the purchase price, the higher the equity realized by clients. It is certainly to their advantage to prevent the foreclosure next week, so they can have enough time to get a serious buyer for the right price.

The clients decide to get Chapter 13 relief. What will Chapter 13 do for them? First, it will immediately stop the foreclosure

balance of $140,000. His house is now worth $1 million. So he has over $850,000 of equity.

The problem is that his divorce 15 years ago “wiped him out.” I don’t really know what that exactly means. I surmise that the divorce judgment required him to pay alimony and to buy out his ex-wife’s 50 percent share in the house. As some famous actor said, two divorces wiped him out. Each divorce felt like his heart was being ripped through his wallet. I can’t remember his name right now but the description of the financial agony that the client went through with his divorce is appropriate. Oh, yeah, it was Robin Williams who said this. His first divorce wiped out half his assets and the second divorce wiped out the other half of his assets.

The client has social security of $1,400 and makes $2,600 driving Uber full time. A judgment creditor had a judgment lien of $15,000 on the house 15 years ago.

That lien has now ballooned to $34,000. And judgment creditor has just filed a motion to sell the client’s house to pay the lien. Is this even possible that the enforcement of a judgment lien can result in the involuntary sale of the debtor’s house? Sadly, it is true.

The CA Code of Civil Procedure allows the judgment creditor, by motion, to request court permission to force the sale of the house to satisfy the lien!

Surprised? As POTUS Trump will tweet “NOT NICE AND NOT FAIR!!” “ THAT JUDGMENT LIEN CREDITOR IS A TERRORIST AND MUST NOT BE GIVEN A VISA!” Well, the only way to stop the forced sale of the house is to file for Chapter 13. Even a missile from Iran will not stop the foreclosure but Chapter 13 stops it dead on its tracks. Yes, Chapter 13 is more powerful than a missile from Iran. In Chapter 13, the client will be allowed to pay the $34,000 over 60 months without interest — that’s about $570 a month.

I am wondering why the client waited until the last minute to take care of this problem that it should come down to this. After all, he had 15 years to take care of it. Court judgments accrue interest at 10 percent p.a. until they are paid in full based on

“ Second, if they can find the right buyer, a motion seeking court permission to sell the house can be filed in the Chapter 13 case.” next week, so it creates time for them to sell the house for the right price.

Second, if they can find the right buyer, a motion seeking court permission to sell the house can be filed in the Chapter 13 case. The court protects the house by preventing the foreclosure while the court gives them permission to sell the house.

Third, it makes their loan modification request stronger because the filing of the bankruptcy proves financial hardship, which is a sine quo non-element of a loan modification request. If they decide not to sell the house if the loan modification is approved, or for some reason, they are now able to afford to pay interest and principal as well as the plan payment, then they can just stay on the 13 for five years.

But of course, a serious buyer for $800,000 would do the trick because clients walk away with at least $200,000 of equity. They can use the cash to buy a more affordable house with a smaller mortgage payment.

Senior needs Chapter 13 to stop sale of $1-M house by judgment lien of $30K The next client is 66. He owns a house with a small mortgage

Permanent residence for crewmen DEAR Attorney Tan, I entered the US in 1998 as a crewman. I have recently married a U.S. citizen and would like to get a green card. However, I have heard that since I entered as a crewman, I cannot adjust my status to a permanent resident. Is this true? --Lost on Land Dear Lost on Land, Under INA Section 245(c)(1), a person who enters the US as a “crewman” is generally barred from adjusting his status to permanent residence. However, analysis of this issue must begin with determining whether you are actually a “crewman,” who is barred from adjustment.

A “crewman” is defined as a person “serving…in a capacity required for normal operation and service on board a vessel, …or aircraft, who intends to land temporarily and solely in pursuit of his calling as a crewman and to depart from the United States with the vessel or aircraft on which he arrived or some other vessel or aircraft.”

INA Section 101(a)(15(D). A “crewman” under this definition is assigned a “D” visa classification, but is often issued a dual C-1 transit/ D crewman visa. Because of this, a common misperception exists that a C-1 visa classification is designated for crewmen, and that a person who entered the U.S. under a C-1 classification is by definition a “crewman,” therefore barred from adjusting his status to permanent resident.

However, it is important to keep in mind that if a person entered on a C-1 transit visa, he may not be a “crewman” and

Legal Advice Atty. DArricK tAn may be eligible to adjust status.

Further, the facts of a particular case regardless of letter classification of one’s visa upon entry may also be considered. If you entered on a C-1 transit visa, or

quired.

If you are not covered under INA Section 245(i), and are considered a “crewman” under the above definition, you would need to obtain your immigrant visa at a foreign consular post.

Traditionally, persons who were unlawfully present in the U.S. for more than 1 year, and who had to obtain their immigrant visa at an overseas U.S. consulate were subject to an unlawful presence bar from returning to the U.S. for 10 years.

That person would be able to seek a waiver of the unlawful presence bar after leaving the U.S., but if denied, he would be left outside of the U.S., and away from his family for 10 years. However, under the Provisional Waiver program, you can apply for and get a decision on the waiver of the unlawful presence bar without leaving the U.S. If the waiver is approved, you can leave the U.S. with some assurance that you will obtain your immigrant visa at the US consulate post and quickly return. Spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens are eligible for provisional waiver relief. *** Darrick V. Tan, Esq. is admitted to practice law in California and Nevada. Mr. Tan is a graduate of UCLA and Southwestern University School of Law. He is a member of the Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles and is a former member of the Board of Governors of the Philipp ine American Bar Association. *** LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN, 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Tel: (323) 639-0277.

Email: info@dtanlaw.com.

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“ Under INA Section 245(c)(1), a person who enters the U.S. as a “crewman” is generally barred from adjusting his status to permanent residence. However, analysis of this issue must begin with determining whether you are actually a “crewman,” who is barred from adjustment.” under circumstances that do not fit the definition of a “crewman,” you may be eligible to adjust status.

If you are considered a “crewman” under the above definition, you can still file for adjustment of status to permanent residence and get a green card in the U.S. if you are covered by INA Section 245(i). To be covered under INA Section 245(i), one must be the beneficiary of a visa petition or labor certification filed on or before April 30, 2001. If the petition was filed between January 14, 1998 and April 30, 2001, physical presence in the US on December 21, 2000 is also re-

Can the family court deny a custodial mom’s enforcement of a child support order against dad when it was the grandparents who were actually taking care of the child?

IN the case of In re Marriage of Wilson, the Mother was attempting to enforce child support arrears against the Father for the period in which the child was not living with the Mother but instead was living with the u PAGE C3 Grandparents. The Father filed a request for an order in court, seeking a stay of enforcement of the child support arrears on the ground he had overpaid Mother; equitable set-aside of the child support arrearages on the ground Minor had lived with Grandparents since she was two years old; credit for child support charged during the time Minor lived with Grandparents; and set-aside of interest on arrearages. In re Marriage of Wilson, 4 Cal . App. 5th 1011, 1014, 208 Cal . Rptr. 3d 779, 780, 2016 Cal . App. LEXIS 910, *3-4.

The trial court denied Father’s request because Father did not support child in his home. In appeal, the appellate court held that a family court had to consider whether it would be inequitable to allow a minor’s mother to enforce some or all of the child support arrears incurred during a certain period the minor lived with her paternal grandparents during that period and that her father had contributed to her support by providing money to the grandparents, and there was no evidence in the record that, during the period at issue, the mother provided any support for the minor.In re Marriage of Wilson, 4 Cal . App. 5th 1011, 1011, 208 Cal . Rptr. 3d 779, 779, 2016 Cal . App. LEXIS 910, *1 Fam. Code, 3651, provides that, with certain exceptions, a support order may not be modified or terminated as to an amount that accrued before the date of the filing of the notice of motion or order to show cause to modify or terminate. However, it is within the court’s equitable power to deny enforcement of the arrears on equitable grounds under certain circumstances. However, it is within the court’s equitable power to deny enforcement of the arrears on equitable grounds under certain circumstances.

(Jackson v.

Jackson (1975)

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes 51 Cal.App.3d 363, 366–367 [124 Cal. Rptr. 101] (Jackson).)In re Marriage of Wilson, 4 Cal .

App. 5th 1011, 1016, 208 Cal .

Rptr. 3d 779, 782, 2016 Cal .

App. LEXIS 910, *8 The appellate court found mer-

during her childhood. In re Marriage of Wilson, 4 Cal . App. 5th 1011, 1011, 208 Cal . Rptr. 3d 779, 779, 2016 Cal . App. LEXIS 910, *1 The appellate court agreed with father’s contention that the family court’s discretion to deny enforcement of a support order is not limited to circumstances in which the obligor parent cares for a child in his or her own home, but is broad enough to embrace a situation in which neither parent is raising the child at home.

In re Marriage of Wilson, 4 Cal . App. 5th 1011, 1011, 208 Cal . Rptr. 3d 779, 779, 2016 Cal . App. LEXIS 910, *1.

The bottom line, parents that owe substantial arrears in child support may have a defense against enforcement under In re Marriage of Wilson if the child was not actually living with the custodial parent but was instead living with the Grandparent and where the non-custodial parent is actually paying the Grandparent for the support of the child. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice.

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

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

The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation.

“ Fam. Code, 3651, provides that, with certain exceptions, a support order may not be modified or terminated as to an amount that accrued before the date of the filing of the notice of motion or order to show cause to modify or terminate.” it, in the peculiar circumstances of the case, in the father’s position that the trial court’s discretion to deny enforcement of a support order is not limited to circumstances in which the obligor parent cares for a child in his or her own home, but is broad enough to embrace a situation in which neither parent is raising the child at home. The record did not foreclose a conclusion that the father’s obligation to support the minor during the relevant period was discharged, in whole or in part, through the grandparents’ care of the minor on his behalf and through the payments he made to them during the period for which the mother sought arrears. Moreover, there was no evidence in the record that, during the periods at issue, when the minor lived with the grandparents, the mother provided any support for the minor.

If the mother was seeking child support arrears for times that she neither cared for the minor nor provided for her financially, enforcement of the arrears might well be nothing more than a windfall to the mother, bearing no relation to any support or care the minor actually received

*** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail HYPERLINK “mailto: kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com” kenneth@ kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com (Advertising Supplement)

On hauling memories of God’s fidelity...

PAGE C1 t

nities to enjoy more the beauty of life, the richness of family relationship and friendship, and the joy of serving others.

The words of Jesus to Peter in this Sunday’s Gospel then becomes relevant to us: “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” Jesus will use us as his agents to bring His Good News to others, to set people free from false illusions by encountering the Truth in Him. He will

continue to use us to bring joy and consolation to the poor, the lonely, and those who struggle with the sorrows and mysteries of life.

Our challenge then is to keep believing in his words and promises. Our challenge is to keep leaving behind our fears and follow him. It’s what Peter and the other disciples did. It’s the best way to lead our lives! *** From a Filipino immigrant family, Rever-

end Rodel G. Balagtas was ordained to the priesthood from St. John’s Seminary in 1991. He served as Associate Pastor at St. Augustine, Culver City (1991-1993); St. Martha, Valinda (1993-1999); and St. Joseph the Worker, Canoga Park (19912001). In 2001, he served as Administrator Pro Tem of St. John Neumann in Santa Maria, CA, until his appointment as pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Los Angeles, in 2002, which lasted 12 years. His term as Associate Director of Pastoral Field Education at St. John’s Seminary began in July 2014.

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 9-12, 2019

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Firing an employee for being “The Magic Dream” by LA Opera enhances pregnant and unmarried is illegal education through arts experience at CCPA

KOURTNEY Liggins worked as an eighth-grade teacher for 5 years at the Transfiguration School, a religious-run school in Los Angeles. Liggins was unmarried and seven months pregnant when her boss told her that her “pregnancy would morally corrupt impressionable teenagers” at the school.

Her boss referred to her unborn child as “it” and said that “it” would not be permitted on the school campus. When Liggins complained to school officials she was told to “pray on it.” The school also barred her boyfriend, the father of her unborn child, from participating in a school meeting, and ultimately banned him from school grounds.

When Liggins gave birth, she was ordered to cut her maternity leave short or be fired. When she got back to work, her pay was cut and she was excluded from important staff meetings.

Even though she had a history of exemplary performance reviews, her boss suddenly produced a packet of complaint letters about her pregnancy and performance. The letters were undated, anonymous, and were more than a year old. She was later informed by the father of one of her students that her boss had offered to forgive the man’s debt to the school if in return he would complain about Liggins’ performance.

When Liggins complained to

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights ATTY. C. JOE SAYAS, JR. management and the director of human resources, they refused to take action. Instead, school officials retaliated against her by falsely accusing her of tardiness and using her cell phone in class.

Using these allegations as an excuse, the school fired her.

Liggins sued her employer for wrongful termination.

Pregnancy discrimination is defined as discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions.

Prohibited conduct includes firing, demoting, harassing, retaliating, refusing health benefits, denying promotion, and denying medical leave.

Pregnancy (and all its related medical conditions such as severe morning sickness, doctor-ordered bed rest, childbirth, recovery from childbirth) is considered a temporary disability.

The employer must therefore give pregnant employees the same treatment and benefits that it gives to employees with other temporary disabilities.

Discriminated pregnant employees may recover the following remedies: back pay, hiring,

promotion, reinstatement, front pay, compensatory damages, including emotional pain and suffering, punitive damages, and other applicable remedies.

Aggrieved employees may also recover attorneys’ fees, expert witness fees, and court costs.

Liggins’ case went to trial, where a jury found in her favor.

The jury found that she was wrongfully terminated and that her employer’s actions constituted intentional infliction of emotional distress. She was awarded compensatory damages in the amount of $3,575,306 and punitive damages in the amount of $87,000 for a total verdict of $3,662,306. In regard to the compensatory damages, $171,114 was in past economic loss, $104,192 in future economic loss, and $3,300,000 in emotional distress damages. *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at no-cost.

You can contact the office at (818) 2910088 or visit www.joesayaslaw.com or our Facebook page Joe Sayas Law. [C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is an experienced trial attorney who has successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is the recipient of PABA’s Community Champion Award for 2016.]

(Advertising Supplement)

Seniors face end of interest-only mortgage...

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diminishing balance. The client said he wasn’t able to think right after the divorce. I guess it’s a traumatic event that has devastating financial implications.

Don’t wait until the last minute.

Credit card debt must be wiped out now by Chapter 7 or 13. Otherwise, these debts will become

lawsuits that become judgment liens that will put your house at risk. If you wipe them out now, they are wiped out, nipped at the bud. Peace of mind and security are what you get by getting rid of your debts now. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in

bankruptcy, business, real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S. Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, Building A-1 Suite 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803.

(Advertising Supplement)

First annual symposium on prevention of domestic violence to be held on Feb. 16 in San Fernando is to help community leaders and members learn how to help individuals and families affected by domestic violence while also disseminating resources for assistance. According to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), a total of 47,666 domestic violence calls were reported in 2014 (The City of Los Angeles Report on the Status of Women and Girls).

Confirmed speakers include Joni Novosel (Director of the Center for Healthier Communities (CHC) and the Center for Assault Treatment Services (CATS), Dignity Health Northridge Hospital Medical Center), Leslie Denice Labertew (Lecturer, California State University Northridge), Eve Sheedy (Executive Director, Domestic Violence Council, Los Angeles County Department of

The Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts (CCPA) presented two performances of “The Magic Dream” by the LA Opera on Tuesday, February 5.

Edythe Broad General Director Plácido Domingo, the United States’ fourth largest opera company. The mission of the LA Opera is to serve the public by producing world-class opera that preserves, promotes and advances the art form while embodying the diversity, pioneering spirit and artistic sensibility unique to Los Angeles.

“The Magic Dream” showed

the students that music and imagination can take you anywhere,” remarked Cerritos Mayor Mark E. Pulido. “The students were delighted by the very talented singers and the colorful costumes and set.”

The final show in this season’s CCPA Arts Education Program will be “The Phantom Tollbooth” on Tuesday, March 26. ■

7th Historic Filipinotown Kalayaan Parade and Festival slated for June LOS ANGELES — Mabuhay ang ika-121 Araw ng Kalayaan ng Pilipinas!

The 7th Historic Filipinotown Kalayaan Parade and Festival Committee (7KPFC) announced that it will holding the 7th Kalayaan Parade in Los Angeles on Saturday, June 1, 2019 in commemoration of the 121st PH Independence Day on June 12, 1898.

This will be the 7th Kalayaan

Parade and Festival in Historic Filipinotown, as the first was held in 2013 in cooperation with the PH Consulate General in Los Angeles.

The 7KPFC had its first planning meeting last Thursday, January 24, 2019 in Historic FIlipinotown. The initial organizations with the 7KPFC are the FAME, Justice for Filipino American Vet-

u PAGE C5

Photo courtesy by kalayaaninc.org

• February 15 – To apply to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for grants.

• February 15 –To apply to Small Business Administration (SBA) for home or business loans.

LA County continues to provide residents with recovery resources.

To have debris removed from your property, fill out an ROE form. The ROE form can be ac-

cessed in the following ways: • Online at lacounty.gov/ lacountyrecovers • By phone at (626) 979-5370 • In person at the Debris Removal Operation Center (DROC) The DROC offers information and support to individuals who have opted-in to the no-cost Fire Debris Removal Program, offered by the County in partnership with CalRecycle. The DROC is located at 26610 Agoura Road

Deadline to submit Woolsey Fire debris removal application approaching

CRITICAL deadlines for Woolsey Fire survivors are fast approaching. See all important upcoming deadlines below: • February 15 – Submit Right of Entry (ROE) form to opt-in to the government-sponsored Fire Debris Removal Program offered by the County and the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecyle).

• February 15 – Deadline to Public Health), Wendy Monroy (Assistant Program Coordinator, submit the Private Debris ReLos Angeles City Attorney’s Office moval/Opt-out form.

Family Violence Unit), and Krysta Warfield (Program Manager, Santa Clarita Child and Family Center).

Registration will begin at 8:00 a.m. with a light continental breakfast and will follow with speaker presentations and a panel session, after which audience members will be able to ask questions.

This event is open to the public and admission is free. Registration is strongly encouraged as seating is limited.

For more information or to register for the event, please contact Valley Care Community Consortium at (818)904-5566 or healthy@valleyccc.org. ■

People and Events

SAN Fernando Valley non-profit partners with the Lions Club International/District 4-L3 to host first ever inaugural domestic violence prevention symposium on Saturday, February 16, 2019 from 8 a.m.-11 a.m. at San Fernando Recreation Park, located at 208 Park Avenue 208 Park Ave, San Fernando, CA 91340.

Organized by the Valley Care Community Consortium (VCCC) in partnership with the Lions Club International/District 4-L3, the symposium, titled, “Safe and Healthy Relationships for All: Domestic Violence Prevention Symposium” will host community and nonprofit leaders from the San Fernando Valley to hear from domestic violence prevention and intervention experts.

The purpose of the symposium

THE Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts (CCPA) presented two performances of “The Magic Dream” by the LA Opera on Tuesday, February 5 as part of its arts education program for students.

The shows were made possible and funded by the City of Cerritos and a generous $110,000 donation from Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn.

Nearly 2,200 students and educators participated from school districts such as ABC Unified School District, Bellflower Unified School District, Long Beach Unified School District, NorwalkLa Mirada Unified School District and Paramount Unified School District.

Both performances of “The Magic Dream” were presented for students in transitional kindergarten through fifth grade. The performances were an adaptation of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute.” In a little over three decades of existence, LA Opera has become, under the leadership of Eli and

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C4 FEBRUARY 9-12, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Calendar of Events across

A

merica

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS F E B R UA RY 8 -1 0

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

F E B R UA RY 9

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

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

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

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

F E B R UA RY 1 5

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

F E B R UA RY 1 6

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

F E B R UA RY 2 0

FACCGLA hosts Music and Merlot in Sherman Oaks Join us for evening of Wine & Cheese to unwind after a busy day on Wednesday, February 20 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. as we enjoy the music of jazz guitarist Ric Ickard. Get to know the members of the the Filipino American Chamber of Greater Los Angeles (FACCGLA), and get a chance to tell us about your business or profession. We love to meet new people to share our plans for the year, with some time for a Q & A and inspirational talks from Asian Business owners. We will announce a special perk for our members AND you can be one of the first to get hold of the FilAm Entrepreneurship Magazine. Register at www.faccgla.org. Venue is BFG Room, 2nd floor, 5121 Van Nuys Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403.

F E B R UA RY 23

Free oil filter exchange in Lynwood, CA Free oil filter & motor oil recycling event! Everyone is invited to bring in their motor oil and used oil filters on Saturday, February 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All those who recycle their used oil filter will receive one FREE new oil filter. Recycling motor oil and filters helps save our environment and keeps our water clean. It will be held at O’Reilly Auto Parts at 10727 Long Beach Blvd. Lynwood, CA 90262.

MARCH 9

LolaLand: The Grandmother of All Shows in Los Angeles Rejoicers Events brings to Los Angeles, “LolaLand: The Grandmother of All Shows,” the show that sold out in Manila, and soon restaged in New York and the Bay Area. It will be held on Saturday, March 9 at the Aratani Theatre (244 San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90012) at 7 p.m. Headlined by comedienne Fe delos Reyes, award-winning songwriters Cecile Azarcon and Odette Quesada are joined by singers Jam Morales and Chiqui Pineda, who popularized numerous OPM Songs. Part of the proceeds of this much-anticipated concert benefit Philippine Patrons of the Arts USA, a non-profit organization that helps bring Filipino Artists to U.S. stages.

MARCH 30

Philippine Medical Society of Northern California installation of officers in Foster City, CA The Philippine Medical Society of Northern California will hold its 47th anniversary and installation of officers for 2019-2021 at the Crowne Plaza in Foster City, CA on Saturday, March 30. For sponsorship information, please contact Dr. Clementina Manio at drtina0427@gmail. com or visit https://www.pmsnc.org/.

United Bicolandia Los Angeles induction in Montebello, CA United Bicolandia Los Angeles will hold its 45th Anniversary and Induction Ceremony at Quiet Cannon in Montebello, CA on Saturday, March 30. For tickets and sponsorship information, please contact Lanie Berrei at lanieberrei@hotmail.com or (818) 281-3169.

APRIL 7

Ryan, Ryan! The Maestro and the Ryan Cayabyab Singers in Glendale, CA Recently proclaimed National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab’s works will be showcased on Sunday, April 7 at the John Wayne Performing Arts Center (1440 E Broadway, Glendale, CA 91205) at 6 p.m. by his multi-talented singing group, the Ryan Cayabyab Singers joined by some local artists like Mon David, Annie Nepomuceno, Louie Reyes and many more. Come and hear how his work that spans five decades has made an indelible impact on Filipino culture. Copresented by Philippine Patrons of the Arts USA, a 501 (c) 3 organization that brings exemplary Filipino Artists to U.S. stages. For ticket information ($35-$125) visit www.philpatrons.org and to learn about other tour stops in Las Vegas (April 7), San Diego (April 12) and Seattle (April 14).

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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PG&E submits 2019 wildfire safety plan SAN FRANCISCO— As part of its ongoing commitment to reducing wildfire risk, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) on Thursday, February 7 submitted its 2019 Wildfire Safety Plan to the California Public Utilities Commission.

The safety plan marks an expansion of enhanced and additional safety precautions PG&E began implementing in 2017 and 2018 to address the growing threat of extreme weather and wildfires across its service area.

Given the continued and growing threat of extreme weather and wildfires, and as an additional precautionary measure, PG&E’s plan includes expanding and enhancing its Community Wildfire Safety Program to further reduce wildfire risks and help keep customers and the communities it serves safe.

Ongoing and expanded efforts include further enhancing vegetation management around power lines, conducting enhanced safety inspections of electric infrastructure in high fire-threat areas, and a hardening of our electric system.

Also included in the 2019 plan, PG&E announced additional and enhanced safety precautions including the expansion of PG&E’s Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) program to include all electric lines that pass through high fire-threat areas - both transmission and distribution.

While customers in high firethreat areas are more likely to be affected, any of PG&E’s more than 5 million electric customers could have their power shut off for safety only as a last resort when forecasted fire danger conditions warrant.

“We know how much our customers rely on electric service.

Proactively turning off power is a highly complex issue with significant public safety risks on both sides - all of which need to be carefully considered and addressed,” said Michael Lewis, Electric Operations senior vice president. “We understand and appreciate that turning off the power affects first responders and the operation of critical facilities, communications systems and much more. We will only turn off power for public safety and only as a last resort to keep our customers and communities safe.”

To be clear, the decision to initiate a PSPS is informed by local forecasts, so PG&E is not indicating that it would ever turn off power to all customers at once.

Instead, due to the complexity of the electric grid, and the weblike connection between transmission lines, distribution lines and substations, there is a possibility that some customers outside a high-risk fire threat area, could have their power turned off based on the need to turn off a specific high-voltage circuit.

The expanded program includes timely notification to customers of potential PSPS events.

The program will now include 25,200 distribution circuit miles, up from 7,100 last year, and about 5,500 circuit miles of transmission lines including 500 kV, up from 373 circuit miles of transmission lines at 70 kV and

below, across elevated and extreme-fire risk areas, designated by the CPUC High Fire Threat District map adopted in January 2018.

PG&E’s 2019 Wildfire Safety Plan describes forecasted work and investments in 2019 to help further reduce the potential for wildfire ignitions associated with its electrical equipment in high fire-threat areas. It also reflects the unique size and geography of PG&E’s 70,000-square-mile service area of which more than half is located in extreme or elevated fire-threat areas.

“Our state is faced with an extended and more dangerous wildfire season that demands urgent action and coordination.

While California’s energy companies have a critical responsibility and role to play in reducing wildfire risk, we must all work together to keep our communities safe,” said Sumeet Singh, vice president of the Community Wildfire Safety Program. “The wildfire safety actions and programs described in our 2019 plan address the company’s unique and diverse service area and provide our regulators, customers and communities with transparency of our unwavering efforts to help further reduce the risk of wildfire and improve public safety.”

California faces an increasing threat from catastrophic wildfires, extreme weather and higher temperatures, and recent state and federal climate assessments warn the threat is only growing. Multiple factors contribute to wildfire risk across PG&E’s service area. These include vast tree mortality following a historic five-year drought.

Fire season is now extended due to prolonged periods of high temperatures, extreme dryness, tinder-dry grass and record-high winds increasing the number of wildfires and making them more dangerous.

The 2019 plan addresses an array of wildfire risk factors through new and ongoing measures. Among the safety steps and actions include: • Installing nearly 600 new, high-definition cameras, made available to CAL FIRE and local fire officials, in high fire-threat areas by 2022, increasing coverage across high fire-risk areas to more than 90 percent; • Adding approximately 1,300 additional new weather stations by 2022, at a density of one station roughly every 20 circuit miles in high fire-risk areas; • Conducting enhanced safety inspections of electric infrastructure in high-fire threat areas, including approximately 725,000 electric towers and poles across more than 5,500 transmission line miles and 25,200 distribution line miles; • Further enhancing vegetation management efforts across high-fire risk areas (25,000 miles of lines) to address vegetation that poses higher potential for wildfire risk, including clearing overhanging branches directly above and around power lines; • Continuing to disable automatic reclosing in high firethreat areas during wildfire season and periods of high fire-risk and upgrading more reclosers

and circuit breakers in high firethreat areas with remote control capabilities; • Installing stronger and more resilient poles and covered power lines, including targeted undergrounding, starting in areas with the highest fire risk, ultimately upgrading and strengthening approximately 7,100 miles over the next 10 years; and • Partnering with additional communities in high fire-threat areas to create new resilience zones that can power central community resources during a Public Safety Power Shutoff.

The safety plan builds on PG&E’s comprehensive Community Wildfire Safety Program, launched in March 2018. PG&E has completed or is implementing these important safety enhancements and investments to help keep our customers and communities safe. Some of the actions taken include: • Established a new 24/7 Wildfire Safety Operations Center to monitor wildfire risks in realtime and coordinate prevention and response efforts; • Expanded its network of PG&E weather stations to enhance weather forecasting and modeling and better predict where wildfire danger could occur, with more than 200 new weather stations installed to date; • Installed new high-definition cameras in high fire-threat areas in Napa, Marin and Sonoma counties to improve real-time monitoring across high fire-risk areas; • Enhanced vegetation management practices to meet and exceed new state vegetation and fire safety standards that require greater clearances between trees and power lines across 25,200 miles of distribution line in high fire-threat areas; • Developed a new program to proactively turn off power for safety, only as a last resort, when extreme fire danger conditions are forecasted (Public Safety Power Shutoff), and coordinated efforts with public safety authorities and other community partners; • Disabled automatic reclosing of circuit breakers and reclosers on power lines in high fire-threat areas during the 2018 wildfire season, and expanded automation of over 400 reclosing devices; • Initiated construction on a pilot resilience zone project in Angwin (Napa County), which includes infrastructure upgrades that enables the company to provide electricity to central community resources if power lines need to be turned off for safety due to high wildfire threats; and • Held over 450 meetings with state and local community leaders and emergency response partners around wildfire safety and preparedness.

Open and transparent public process PG&E’s 2019 Wildfire Safety Plan is subject to open and transparent public review and annual approval by the CPUC. PG&E strongly supports and encourages its customers and communities to provide feedback and participate in this important public process. ■

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 9-12, 2019

C

7th Historic Filipinotown...

Apl.de.ap Foundation International donates second set of ophthalmology equipment to a hospital in Pampanga, Philippines PAGE C3 t

ALLAN Pineda Lindo, better known as Apl.de.ap, a founding member of the international Grammy award-winning group, The Black Eyed Peas, is delivering on a promise he made almost three and a half years ago.

In October of 2015, the Apl. de.ap Foundation International began its first healthcare program called “Campaign for Filipino Children,” to address retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a cause of childhood blindness among premature newborn babies in the Philippines. The first outcome of the initiative was to purchase a retinal imaging camera system to facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of ROP. With the collaboration of the Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology, it was successfully delivered and installed at the Southern Philippines Medical Center, a public hospital in Davao City, Davao del Sur, serving the people of Mindanao. Apl.de.ap brought with him Dr. Thomas C. Lee, Director of the Vision Center at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and a leading pediatric ophthalmologist in the U.S., to train practitioners on the use of the RetCam. At the time, Apl. de.ap promised additional retinal imaging camera systems to other regional hospitals in the Philippines.

On February 19, Apl.de.ap and his Foundation will install a second retinal imaging camera system at the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital in San Fernando, Pampanga, his home province. When asked what delivering this medical equipment to his home province meant, Apl. de.ap said “I’m really proud to donate this in my hometown of Pampanga. As a kid who grew up with visual impairment, I know firsthand what it is to navigate this region without being able to see. I’m glad I can make a small impact [in] changing this, but there’s still a long way to go.”

The Campaign’s approach is to assist the medical community in the Philippines through five regional/provincial hospitals to increase the capacities of these regions to adequately diagnose retinopathy of prematurity (commonly referred to as ROP), an affliction among pre-term infants that can cause lifelong blindness if not addressed within 48 hours of birth/diagnosis.

“The Campaign for Filipino

erans (JFAV), Alliance Philippines and HFNC. The last Kalayaan Parade held last year, June 2, 2018 was attended by more than 50 organizations. This is the only parade

and Independence Day parade and Festival in Los Angeles and is held every year in Historic Filipinotown.

For more information, please call Freddie at (818) 220-2075 or email at jfavusa8@gmail.com. n

Deadline to submit Woolsey...

PAGE C3 t

in Calabasas, and is open between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. Saturday.

Property owners opting out of the no cost government-sponsored Fire Debris Removal Program must fill out the opt-out forms. Residents who select this option can visit the Recover and Rebuild One-Stop Center, Monday through Thursday between 7:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. at 26600 Agoura Road in Calabasas. Property owners can also apply for permits through the Building and Safety Unit, and get all of their rebuilding questions anFile photos from the Apl.de.ap Foundation International’s 2015 launch of the Campaign for Filipino Children to address retinopathy of prematurity, a cause of childhood blindness among premature newborn babies in the Philippines. The Foundation will deliver a second set of ophthalmology equipment to a hospital in Pampanga this February.

Children’s choice to address ROP is both strategic and sustainable,” said Sonia Delen, chairperson, and a member of the Apl. de.ap Foundation International Executive Committee.

“The capacity of the Philippines to effectively address this issue is enhanced tremendously by the continuing professional development of the medical community and the provision of proper diagnostic equipment. It is a medical issue that hits home for Apl.de.ap because he himself has a visual impairment,” she added.

The Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology—the leading industry association of Filipino ophthalmologists heads an impressive list of collaborators that include The Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc., benefactor of the Campaign; WesternUnion. com and ALQ Foundation as sponsors; and members of the Executive Committee of the Apl. de.ap Foundation International, specifically Sonia Delen of San Francisco, Chair, and J. Robbie Fabian, a member of the ADAFI Executive Committee.

The launch will take place on Tuesday, February 19 at 11 a.m. at the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital Auditorium (2000 MacArthur Highway in San Fernando, Pampanga). Guest

Photos courtesy of Apl.de.ap Foundation International

speakers will include Dr. Monserrat S. Chichioco of JBLMRH; Dr. Francisco T. Dugue III, Secretary of the Department of Health; Dra. Pearl Tamesis-Villalon from the Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology and Dr. Roland Mangahas, Chair of the Ophthalmology Department at JBLMRH. To date, the Apl.de.ap Foundation International currently sponsors 14 scholars at Angeles University and has built 15 new schools including one in the war-

torn area of Zamboanga in Mindanao.

The Campaign for Filipino Children is the Foundation’s first health initiative and it is in line with the Foundation’s education priority because of its emphasis on training doctors and creating local capacity in the medical community in the Philippines to address the eye ailment called retinopathy of prematurity.

Please visit www.forfilipinochildren.org n

swered at the center.

LA County residents affected by the fire are encouraged to apply to FEMA for grants. The same deadline applies to those applying for loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Contact FEMA at (800) 6213362 or visit their website at disasterassistance.gov for more information. Contact SBA at (800) 659-2955 or visit their website at www.disasterloan. sba.gov/ela.

Visit lacounty.gov/lacountyrecovers and follow @ReadyLACounty for updates on program deadlines. n

C FEBRUARY 9-12, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 9-12, 2019

MARKETPLACE SHOWROOM

&

D1

The value of being legal and legal services Peso ‘one of the more stable in Asia’ – DoF SOME people who are in the U.S. with immigration problems/ issues, such as being out of status, in deportation/removal, or they are outside the U.S. hoping to immigrate one day, are reluctant to do anything about it because they don’t want to spend money and/or they think it may be “too expensive” to fix their problem. They are putting a monetary value on their immigration status.

But there are so many benefits to lawful immigration status, which these people need to consider. Therefore, they should consider other factors and realize the true value of being legal, which far outweigh the cost: • Legal status brings peace of mind. If a person is out of status, they are anxious and nervous.

Some lay awake at night, fearful of getting caught and deported/ removed. How many people are afraid of being pulled over while driving, a knock on the door late at night, and afraid they may be reported and turned over to ICE? • Legal status allows a person to safely travel to the Philippines to visit family. Many people who are out of status are alone in the U.S., while their family misses them in the Philippines. They may communicate with their spouse and children via Facetime, Facebook, Viber, etc., but nothing compares with hugging your child or aging parents, being there for important events like birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

• Legal status could possibly allow your family to join you in the U.S. If a person can legalize their status, it may also include their spouse and children, who may

Immigration Corner ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ qualify for immigrant visas to join the person in the U.S. • Legal status provides a better life and opportunities for your family, especially your children. Most people came to the U.S. primarily to make a better life for their children. But if they are all out of status, what future is there for their children? While some may temporarily get by on DACA, or the parents hope the child will marry a U.S. citizen, it could still be possible for the parent to do something about their own legal status which would also benefit their children.

• Legal status enables a person to work at a well – paying job equal to their education or experience.

If a person is out of status, they may have to accept any kind of low-paying job just to survive and pay their bills. If they legalize their status, they could possibly work anywhere and/or at a well – paying job equal to their education or experience.

There are so many other benefits to being legal, that a person has to really put a value on those benefits. What is the value of having peace of mind? Isn’t it worth the expense, if it is possible to legalize your status? Think of all the other things that people spend money on, whether it is the latest Apple product, large-screen TV,

vacations, etc. Was that money well – spent compared to the value of spending money to get legal?

I am not stating that everyone is qualified or eligible to clear up their immigration problems and/ or legalize their status. But given the value of legal status, a person should at least explore their options and chances, rather than doing nothing because of the monetary cost. You should consult with an immigration attorney who can evaluate your situation and determine if there is hope and if you have chances, because legal status is priceless! *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-4873465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINE (Advertising Supplement)

Business Quote of the Week “Dollars have never been known to produce character, and character will never be produced by money. I’ll invest my money in people.”

— W.K. Kellogg, founder of Kellogg Company

by MAYVELIN

U. CARABALLO Manilatimes.net

THE Finance department on Wednesday, February 6, touted the peso’s stability amid continued global uncertainties and analysts’ forecasts of a further weakening this year.

“The Philippine peso continues to be one of the more stable Asian currencies despite the uncertainties in the world market brought about by the normalization of Fed monetary policy, Brexit, volatile fuel prices and U.S.-China trade war,” the department said in an economic bulletin.

The currency, it added, continues to move in tandem with Asian counterparts and is one of the least volatile — tied in third with the South Korean won — in the world’s fastest-growing region.

The peso was also said to be the seventh among the Asian currencies that posted the biggest appreciation last month, gaining 0.73 to P52.17:$1 from

Manilatimes.net file photo

P52.56:$1.

On average, 12 Asian currencies appreciated by 0.79 percent.

The peso depreciated by 5.4 percent last year, ranking fourth among 12 Asian currencies in a region where the average depreciation was said to be 3.03 per-

cent.

The currency ended 2018 at P52.58 versus the greenback, down sharply from its 2017 close of P49.93:$1.

On Wednesday, February 6 the peso closed at P52.23:$1, up 18 PAGE D2

Lucio Tan lauds ANA entry into Philippine Airlines

by IRIS

GONZALES Philstar.com

TAIPAN Lucio Tan is happy with the entry of Japan’s ANA Holdings Inc. into flag carrier Philippine Airlines, a deal which is expected to be formalized by the end of this week in Tokyo.

The signing ceremony comes afer the two airline giants announced their partnership in a joint statement last week.

Tan welcomed ANA’s entry into PAL Holdings, the parent company of the four-star carrier.

“Yes, yes, (we’re) happy,” Tan told The STAR on the sidelines of a Chinese New Year celebration recently hosted by the Chinese embassy in Manila.

On Jan. 29, ANA Holdings, Japan’s largest and five-star airline for six consecutive years, said it would invest $95 million in PAL Holdings and acquire 9.5 percent of the company’s outstanding shares.

Officials from both companies met at ANA’s headquarters in Tokyo this week to formally sign the multi-million dollar transaction, industry sources said.

Philstar.com photo by Jun Mendoza

ANA will acquire the shares from Trustmark Holdings, which is owned by Tan and is the largest shareholder of PAL Holdings.

The investment by ANA heralds the dawn of a new era of growth

for PAL, which has embarked on a full-scale expansion program that has seen its fleet and network grow to almost 100 aircraft and 80 destinations in four continents.

PAGE D2

D FEBRUARY 9-12, 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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Congestion problems dim NAIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tobacco sector warns against excise tax hike chance to become global hub

by Mayvelin

u. CaRaballo Manilatimes.net

Capa exec sees subpar services in Manila airport compared to other Asian hubs as another concern

CONGESTION woes in Manilaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) remain a formidable barrier to flag carrier Philippine Airlinesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; goal to transform the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main gateway into a global transit hub, think tank Capa Center for Aviation said.

Brendan Sobie, chief analyst at Capa, said in a report PAL would struggle in its strategy to increase connecting traffic from North America and Australia to Asia via Manila.

This was part of PALâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s underlying goal to launch flights to Phnom Penh, Hanoi and Delhi by summer of this year. That plan faces challenges due to low yields and stiff competition from other airlines and better-equipped international airports. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Manila is a very congested airport with subpar services compared to other Asian hubs,â&#x20AC;?

Sobie said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;PAL is trying to improve its

transit product at Manila but significant upgrades could take years to implement,â&#x20AC;? he added.

PAL is owned by taipan Lucio Tan, whose group joined the NAIA Consortium that proposed to modernize and upgrade Naiaâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a plan that would start in the latter part of this year.

NAIA Consortium offered to spend P102 billion to increase NAIA s design passenger capacity by 60 percent and takeoff and landing movements by 30 percent in four years. NAIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passenger volume is already about 40 percent above its design capacity of 31 million passengers yearly.

Sobie said better connectivity within NAIA was also needed since PALâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s operations were spread out over three terminals, â&#x20AC;&#x153;making connections inconvenient for passengers.â&#x20AC;?

NAIA Consortium earlier said its offer also included a â&#x20AC;&#x153;people moverâ&#x20AC;? that would link the passenger terminals.

Sobie said PAL was eyeing

HIGHER tobacco excise taxes will only worsen the prevalence of bootleg cigarettes, an industry-affiliated group warned on Tuesday, February 5. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Illicit remains and is growing. This means that smokers shift to cheaper illicit cigarettes during excise tax driven price increases,â&#x20AC;? the Philippine Tobacco Institute (PTI) claimed.

The statement was issued after Mondayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (February 4) Senate deliberations on various proposals that seek to raise the current tax of P35 per cigarette pack.

The industry, the PTI claimed, contributed P126 billion in excise tax revenues in 2017.

Fresh tax hikes, it said, would raise the share of bootleg cigarettes to 14.2 percent, from 13.2 percent, from 2019 to 2022 with equivalent revenue losses of P14.2-16.8 billion.

Inquirer.net file photo The PTI also cited an Intelmore transit traffic to help boost lectual Property Office of the the bottom line in its interna- Philippines report stating that tional operations, parts of which cigarettes accounted for the bulk, or 85.81 percent, of pirated were losing money. â&#x20AC;&#x153;PALâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s operation to Austral- and counterfeit goods seized in asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America has been unprofitable over the past two years, whereas the group has continued to perform relatively well in the domestic and regional international markets (Southeast

by DaxiM l. luCas Asia and North Asia),â&#x20AC;? he said.

Inquirer.net He said the entry of Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s THE inflation rate may be on ANA Holdings, which would acquire a 9.5-percent stake in PAL the downtrend over the last two operator PAL Holdings for $95 months, but the central bank million, would help PAL reverse wants to see more proof of easing prices before it allows more cash recent losses. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With relatively conservative to return to the financial system ANA on board as a new investor, to feed the growing Philippine a focus on profitability and ra- economy.

On Thursday, February 7 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; at tional growth is likely,â&#x20AC;? he said.

The transaction will also provide its first meeting of 2019 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the a boost to PALâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s international ex- Monetary Board of the Bangko pansion and opens up the pros- Sentral ng Pilipinas opted to keep pect of membership in a global its key interest rates unchanged, airline alliance, which offers ben- dashing hopes of bankers and anefits such as an expanded net- alysts that the lower-than-expectwork and cost savings. n

PAGE D1 t During the announcement, Jaime Bautista, president of PAL Holdings and PAL, said they were honored and excited that a premier airline group such as ANA decided to purchase shares in PAL Holdings. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Philippines and Japan have a long-standing relationship

with complementary strengths,â&#x20AC;? he said.

The entry of a strategic investor would be a big boost to PALâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plan to become a five-star global airline by 2020.

An alliance will also help the carrier expand its flights.

In late 2013, PAL entered into talks with ANA when it was then

under the control of former businessman Ramon Ang but the talks did not materialize.

Tan, the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fourth richest man according to Forbes, took over PAL in 1993 and led the company through different periods in the country including turbulent times and now onward to its rapid fleet expansion. n

by Miguel

R. CaMus

Inquirer.net

Manilatimes.net file photo

2018.

It also emphasized that the interagency National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights had seized a total of P23.6 billion worth of fake goods in 2018, way higher than the 2017 level of P8.2 billion.

PTI representative Carmen Herce was quoted as having told

the Senate that legal cigarette volumes fell by 43 percent, from 127 billion in 2012 to 73 billion in 2017, mainly due to excise tax hikes.

This led to job losses for 3,000 industry employees, a 22-percent decline in harvest volumes and a 34-percent drop in the number of tobacco farmers, she added. n

Despite falling inflation, BSP plays it safe by keeping rates high ed inflation rate for January would prompt the policymakers to take their foot off the economyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brake pedal and shift to the accelerator.

At its meeting on monetary policy, the Monetary Board decided to keep the interest rate on the BSPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overnight reverse repurchase facility unchanged at 4.75 percent.

The interest rates on the overnight lending and deposit facilities were likewise held steady. These rates are used as a guide by banks for pricing their own loans to corporate and retail borrowers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Monetary Boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision is based on its assessment of a more manageable inflation

environment,â&#x20AC;? Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said in a press briefing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Latest baseline inflation forecasts show inflation settling within the target band of 3 percent, plus or minus 1 percentage point for 2019-2020, as price pressures continue to recede due to the decline in international crude oil prices and the normalization of supply conditions for key food items. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Inflation expectations have also declined further and are now aligned to the inflation target for 2019-2020,â&#x20AC;? he declared.

PAGE D3

Lucio Tan lauds ANA entry into Philippine... Peso â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;one of the more stable in Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;...

PAGE D1 t centavos from Monday, February 4.

Financial markets were closed on Tuesday in celebration of Chinese New Year.

The Finance departmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s optimism comes as analysts have projected a further weakening to as much as $55 to the dollar this year.

The most pessimistic outlook came from Standard Chartered Bank analysts who projected the unit to close 2019 at P55 to a dollar. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The PHP (Philippine peso) faces medium-term challenges including twin deficits, still-elevated inflation and low real rates,â&#x20AC;? Standard Chartered bank analysts said as they forecast a 2019 close of

P55 to the dollar.

First Metro Investment Corp., meanwhile, expects the currency to weaken to P54 per dollar given pressure from a widening trade deficit.

Fitch Solutions also expects the peso to weaken to P54.12:$1 by yeareand due to the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trade and current account deficits and still-high inflation. n

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Palace: Duterte won’t veto rice tariffication bill Analysts, media made 2018 by ian

inflation worse, says BSP

nicoLas ciGaraL Philstar.com

MALACAÑANG on Thursday, February 7, said President Rodrigo Duterte’s approval of the Rice Tariffication Bill would be “forthcoming” despite strong calls from farmer groups for the chief executive to use his veto power on the measure.

Congress last year passed the Rice Tariffication Bill, which seeks to amend the Agricultural Tariffication Act of 1996.

Under the measure, individuals and businesses can import additional volumes of the crop from Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Vietnam but will have to pay a 35-percent tariff. The collected tariffs will be used to fund mass irrigation, warehousing and rice research.

While the measure is expected to give households reeling from soaring prices a reprieve, farmer groups said replacing rice import limits with a system of tariffs would drive down prices for their produce and hurt their business.

At a televised press conference, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte will likely sign the bill despite resistance from industry stakeholders.

by Daxim

L. Lucas

Inquirer.net

DID market analysts and business reporters make last year’s inflation spike worse by scaring the public into believing that consumer prices would continue rising for a prolonged period?

The second-most senior of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas seems to think so—and, as such, is counseling journalists to avoid reporting on short term market gyrations and, instead, focus on long term trends.

Speaking before economic journalists recently, BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo assailed this interaction between economists who wrote about “runaway inflation” in 2018 and Congress passed the Rice Tariffication Bill, which seeks to amend the Agricultural Tariffication Act of 1996.

Philstar.com file photo the journalists who reported these analyses as having aggra“Well, the long and short of are against the bill, the president it is that those he met last night will likely sign it),” he added.

The rice tariffication bill was were against. But according to the president, the policy would submitted to Malacañang last be to the greater good,” Panelo January 15 for Duterte’s signature. Under the Constitution, bills said.

“Yun ang ibibigay niya. So ka- sent to Malacañang will lapse hit na kumontra sila, mukhang into law if the president does not itutuloy niya (So that’s what the approve or veto them 30 days afpresident will give. Even if they ter transmittal. n

vated the situation.

“Unfortunately, we have seen the proliferation of some market analysts who would analyze the dynamics of inflation based on one-month ago reading and prescribe monetary policy to the BSP on the basis of history,” he told members of the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines last Friday, February 1. “This is not exactly how one reads the analogue of monetary developments.”

These market watchers, he said, wrote their analyses in a way that would require immediate decisive monetary policy tightening.

To make matters worse, reporters highlighted these analysts’ views, resulting in a groundswell of demand for the central bank to raise interest rates to rein in the

consumer price index that had peaked at 6.7 percent in September and October 2018—their highest levels in almost a decade.

For the entire 2018, the inflation rate averaged 5.2 percent, far above the central bank’s original target range of 2 to 4 percent, due to the combined effects of a nationwide rice shortage, high crude oil prices in the international market and the implementation of the Duterte administration’s excise tax hikes.

“Unfortunately, our local media gave some prominence to this type of analysis,” Guinigundo said. “As a result, the markets’ inflation expectations spiraled, demand mounted for the BSP to go on a full charge to tighter monetary policy amounting to a total of 175 basis points.” n

Despite falling inflation, BSP plays it...

Sugar execs buck import liberalization

by EirEEnE JairEE

GomEz

Manilatimes.net

LEADERS of the sugar industry reiterated on Tuesday, February 5, that they stood united against the proposed liberalization of sugar importation.

“We reiterate that we will not stand down and we will continue with our protest, be it in the airwaves, the papers, in the halls of Congress and even in the streets,” said Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) board member Emiliano Bernardino Yulo in a statement.

Yulo also said small farmers and leaders of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries’ (ARBs) groups would soon lead a mobilization to amplify their concerns to the Duterte administration.

Raymond Montinola, Confederation of Sugar Producers Associations, Inc. (CONFED) spokesperson, for his part, said: “The sugar industry will stand united against this move. We will not have a repeat of the 80s when there was widespread hunger in Negros due to the collapse of the sugar indus-

try.”

“We have barely recovered from the high fructose corn syrup issue and here we are again being targeted by the economic managers,” he added.

Nicholas Ledesma, president of CONFED Negros-Panay, said “there is no justification for liberalization.”

He said that since late last year, they have been selling sugar direct to consumers at prices close to millgate price to show that it is not the sugar producers who are profiting from high retail price of sugar “which is what we have been urging DTI [Department of Trade and Industry] to look into.”

The SRA has renewed call for the Economic Development Cluster, which also includes the DTI, to look at the prices of sugar at the retail trade and find out the causes of high prices as farmers and producers do not benefit from it.

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno earlier admitted the proposal to liberalize the sugar industry would negatively affect local farmers, but noted it would benefit consumers as the arrival of im-

ported sugar will bring down prices of the sweetener in the market.

A 30 percent to 40 percent tariff rate was also being eyed on sugar importation, to serve as protection for local producers.

The measure is seen to displace about 700,000 laborers, of which are 90,000 farmers from the marginalized sector.

Meanwhile, Yulo lauded the local government units in Negros Occidental and the province of Bukidnon, along with the Bacolod City Council and the legislative councils of the cities of Silay, Talisay, Himamaylan and the municipalities of Binalbagan, Isabela and La Castellana for coming out with their manifesto opposing the proposal to liberalize the sugar industry.

“We hope other LGUs will follow suit,” Yulo said.

Prior to this, the SRA board headed by Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol signed a resolution reiterating its mandate to “regulate the release of imported sugar in the domestic market” as provided under Executive Order 18 series of 1986. n

Inquirer.net file photo

PAGE D2 t The BSP deputy chief said that, at the same time, domestic demand conditions have remained firm, supported by a projected recovery in household spending and the sustained implementation of the government’s infrastructure program.

The government announced earlier this week that the inflation rate for January had fallen to 4.4 percent, coming off the fullyear inflation rate of 5.2 percent for 2018.

This decline — the second consecutive month of easing price pressures — prompted

calls for the central bank to either cut interest rates or reduce the amount of cash banks are required to hold in reserve. Either of these monetary policy easing moves would have helped financial institutions lend more to corporate and retail borrowers and, thus, help fuel economic growth.

Guinigundo said, however, that “the risks to the inflation outlook are seen to remain evenly balanced for 2019 while leaning toward the downside for 2020 given a more uncertain global economic environment, which in turn could temper potential up-

ward pressures from commodity prices in the coming months.”

“Given these considerations, the Monetary Board deems the prevailing monetary policy settings to be appropriate, as previous monetary responses continue to work their way through the economy,” he said.

“The Monetary Board also emphasized that the BSP remains vigilant against developments that could affect the outlook for inflation and is prepared to take appropriate policy action as necessary to safeguard its price and financial stability objectives,” the BSP deputy chief added. n

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MPIC still awaiting govt guidance on MRT-3 offer

Office market overshoots forecast in 2018 — Colliers by ian

Manilatimes.net file photo

by Lisbet

K. esmaeL

Manilatimes.net

METRO Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) continues to wait for the government’s guidance on its offer to run the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3).

Asked if his company would revise that offer, MPIC Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said last week it would not move until there was official word from the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

“I think it is best to wait for the government’s direction and then let’s take it from [there]. If it’s not viable for us, [then] we just

have to tell them we’re giving up our OPS (original proponent status),” Pangilinan said on the sidelines of an event in Bulacan province.

The Transportation department granted that status to MPIC, in partnership with Ayala Corp. and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte Ltd., for its unsolicited P12.5billion proposal to operate and maintain the mass-transit line on Edsa in 2017.

The proposal eyes to secure a 30-year concession period.

Pangilinan’s remarks came two months after the DoTr signed with Sumitomo Corp. and

Grace Philstar.com

Padin

THE Department of Finance (DOF) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) formally launched the fuel marking program, which is expected to prevent oil smuggling in the country and boost government revenues.

Finance Undersecretary Antonette Tionko and Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero, on the sidelines of the BOC’s 117th anniversary celebration, led the ceremonial launching of the fuel marking program.

Fuel marking will be required on all petroleum products that are refined, manufactured, or imported into the Philippines that are subject to the payment

of duties and taxes—such as but not limited to gasoline, denatured alcohol used for motive power, kerosene, and diesel fuel oil—after the taxes and duties have been paid.

The system will also monitor all locally-refined finished oil products to ensure correct payment of corresponding excise taxes and value-added tax.

It is one of the measures provided under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law. Guerrero, in an interview after the event, said the BOC is set to issue the guidelines for the program’s rollout, with full implementation expected to be completed by March.

With the fuel marking in place, Tionko expressed confidence

Philstar.com

NET take-up of office spaces in Metro Manila jumped 31 percent year-on-year in the final three months of 2018, bringing the fullyear tally above initial projection, the Philippine unit of real estate consultancy Colliers International said in a new report released Wednesday, February 6.

According to Colliers, net takeup in the fourth quarter of 2018 stood at more than 370,000 square meters, beating its initial forecast of 344,000 sq meters.

For the entire 2018, total net take-up reached 1.18 million sq meters, a record-high for Metro Manila and exceeding Collier’s 1.15 million sq meters projection for the year.

“Colliers projects a net takeup of about 1 million sq m (10.7 million sq ft) in 2019 due to sustained demand from outsourcing and offshore gaming firms,” the real estate consultancy said.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (Sumitomo-MHI) a maintenance deal that covers the MRT-3’s entire 16.9-kilometer line, as well as its 13 statons, 72 light rail vehicles and depot in North Avenue, Quezon City.

The agreement also involves restoring or upgrading all of MRT-3’s subsystems, including trackworks; signaling, powersupply, overhead catenary and by czeriza VaLencia communications systems; and Philstar.com and maintenance and station equipment.

SLUGGISH demand after the The MRT-3 serves more than 500,000 commuters daily, more holiday season caused the dothan half its original 350,000- mestic manufacturing sector to contract in December 2018, the passenger capacity. n National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said.

The Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries (MISSI) of that oil smuggling incidence in the Philippine Statistics Authority the Philippines would decline, (PSA) showed domestic factory which would subsequently in- output declined both in terms of crease the government’s rev- volume and value. The Volume of Production Index (VoPI) and enues.

“With the implementation Value of Production Index (VaPI), of the fuel marking program contracted by 10.1 percent and this year, hopes are high that 9.3 percent, respectively.

For the entire 2018, the manusmuggling and misdeclaration of petroleum products will be facturing sector grew 7.2 percent eradicated and revenue collec- in terms of volume and eight pertions will reach greater heights,” cent in terms of value.

“We have expected this deTionko said.

According to Tionko, the BOC cline because the holiday season is working with the joint venture is over. These figures could also of SICPA-SA and SGS Philippines indicate a likely tepid growth consistent with the latest Business to implement the program.

“We’re confident that with their and Consumer Expectations Surtechnical skills and expertise, as vey of the Bangko Sentral ng Piliwell as the overwhelming sup- pinas,” said Socioeconomic Planport from the oil industry for the ning Secretary Ernesto Pernia.

Lower output was seen for mafuel marking program, it will sucjor industry groups such as printceed,” the DOF official said. n

Government launches fuel marking program by mary

nicoLas ciGaraL

Philstar.com file photo

“Based on Q4 2018 pre-commitment status, we expect Alabang, Makati CBD, Fort Bonifacio, and the Bay Area to record the strongest take-up in 2019,” it

added.

“For 2019 to 2021, we project net take-up to average around 900,000 sq metres (9.69 million sq feet) per annum.” n

Sluggish post-holiday demand drags down Philippines manufacturing in December ing, chemical products, tobacco products, food, basic metals and machinery.

During the reference month, factories across 20 subsectors operated at an average capacity utilization rate of 84.3 percent.

The Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for December 2018 likewise reflected weaker business conditions as firms cut down on output amid slower growth in new orders.

NEDA expects a rebound in manufacturing in the coming months because of election-related spending that can benefit subsectors such as food, beverage, tobacco, as well as printing and paper products.

Pernia said exempting key infrastructure projects from the 2019 election spending ban would also support the domestic manufacturing sector as this would pave the way for the continous implementation of flagship infrastructure projects.

Risks to the manufacturing sector’s growth include rising domestic pump prices and the occurrence of El Niño this year that can affect production and pricing of goods.

To boost the performance of manufacturing, Pernia said the government may look into the concerns raised by exporters and importers on port process bottlenecks which hamper the flow of goods.

These include the management of empty containers, the need for an alert status on chemical importations, and the processes involving x-ray cargo inspection in international ports.

“If found to warrant government action, the early resolution to these concerns can ease trade facilitation and would benefit the country’s manufacturing sector, particularly micro, small and medium enterprises,” Pernia said.

In the case of food manufacturing, Pernia emphasized that reviewing and examining the current restrictions in the country’s sugar industry is also deemed necessary.

“We see the need for a more liberalized regulatory environment in the sugar industry in order to bring down the domestic price of sugar and in turn, benefit food and beverage manufacturers, as well as ordinary households,” he added. n

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