022118 - Los Angeles Midweek Edition

February 21-23, 2018 Volume 28 - No. 16 • 3 Sections - 20 Pages

DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Fil-Am Cook County Circuit Court judge convicted of mortgage fraud Guilty verdict likely to end Circuit Court Judge Jessica Arong O’Brien’s career in law, hearing set for July 6 NOT long after she broke barriers as the first Filipina-American judge in the Cook County Circuit Court, Jessica Arong O’Brien has been convicted in a $1.4 million mortgage fraud scheme.

O’Brien, 50, sat stoically in the courtroom on Thursday, February 15, as the jury found her guilty of bank fraud and mail fraud which resulted in her pocketing $325,000 after she lied to lenders. She reportedly lied about her income when applying for loans, one time failing to disclose $260,000 mortgage from her primary

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US intelligence lists Duterte as threat to democracy in Southeast Asia PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte, along with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, are among Southeast Asian leaders that pose a threat to democracy and human rights in the region, according to the U.S. Intelligence Community.

In its world threat assessment published last week, the U.S. intelligence noted that democracy and human rights in many Southeast Asian countries will remain “fragile” this year.

“In the Philippines, President Duterte will continue to wage his signature campaign against drugs, corruption, and crime,” the report read.

Daniel Coats, Director of National Intelligence of the U.S., noted that Duterte’s declaration of martial law in Mindanao has

Duterte: ‘PH Rise is ours, period’

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has strongly asserted the country’s sovereignty over the Philippine Rise, formerly called Benham Rise.

Speaking in front of the FilipinoChinese community and Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jinhua on Monday, February 19, Duterte stressed that the

to name five undersea features of the Philippine Rise following a maritime survey, which were reportedly recognized by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) last year.

The Philippine government has maintained it would not recognize the Chinese names given to the undersea features within the country’s exclusive economic zone at Philippine Rise.

“Eh alangan nilang gawing German,

resource-rich waters belong to the Philippines.

“The Philippine Rise is ours. Period. The continental shelf below it is Philippine jurisdiction. That is ours,” Duterte said during his speech at the 10th Biennial Convention and 20th Founding Anniversary celebration of the Chinese Filipino Business Club, Inc. (CFBCI) in Manila Hotel.

He also downplayed China’s move

ang alam nila Chinese eh (I doubt they would use German, they only knew Chinese). Those are just directions na tapos na sila dyan (they are done with that). Of course, they will do it in Chinese, it’s their dialect,” Duterte said.

Apart from the Philippine Rise, the president also strongly asserted the country’s sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea, which is part of the

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Go hits Rappler, Inquirer for ‘irresponsible reporting’

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

SPECIAL Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher “Bong” Go has blamed media outlets Rappler and the Philippine Daily Inquirer for causing the controversy surrounding a multimillion-dollar warship deal.

Speaking at a Senate hearing on the P15.7-billion Philippine Navy frigate project on Monday, February 19, Go accused the two media entities of publishing “fake news” after reporting that he allegedly interfered in the deal.

“Ang pinag uusapan ngayon ay naging isyu lamang nang maglabas ang Rappler at Inquirer ng fake news at sinabing ako daw ay nakialam (this became an issue only after Rappler and Inquirer come out with a fake news and claimed that I intervene),” Go told the Senate national defense and security committee.

He added, “Lahat ng ito ay nagsimula sa isang irresponsible reporting (All this started with irresponsible reporting).”

Go also asked the Senate to continue its hearing on fake news and had the two media outlets questioned.

The controversy erupted amid reports about a handwritten marginal note by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, which cited Go’s preference for South Korean Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) as supplier of the crit-

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DUTERTE MEETS CHINESE ENVOY AT CFBCI ANNIVERSARY. President Rodrigo Duterte greets Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua on the sidelines of the 10th Biennial National Convention and 20th Founding Anniversary Celebration of the Chinese Filipino Business Club, Inc. (CFBCI) at the Manila Hotel on Monday, February 19.

Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez

OFW deployment ban may expand coverage

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has raised the possibility of expanding the deployment ban on Filipino workers to other countries, saying he would not allow the abuse and maltreatment of them.

The president made the statement on Monday, February 19, as he maintained that the Philippine government

will not lift the deployment ban on Filipino workers in Kuwait.

“The ban will continue and it will extend to other countries. Mahirapan sila, well, humihingi na ako ng tawad sa inyo... Wala akong kaplano na ipadala kayo doon tapos babuyin kayo.

Hindi ko style ‘yan (They will have a hard time. I am asking for your forgiveness. I will not allow… I have no plan to send you there where you will be maltreated. That’s not my style),”

Duterte said.

The president, however, did not name any country where he is planning to impose the deployment ban.

Earlier this month, the Philippine government has enforced a complete ban on the deployment of Filipino workers to Kuwait over reported abuses. The order came following the death of Filipina Joanna Demafelis was found inside a freezer while working in the country.

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After Boracay, Panglao may also face shutdown

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

According to DOH Undersecretary Enrique Domingo, the experts are expected to arrive mid-March from Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, United States and United Kingdom.

Philstar.com photo by Michael Varcas

WHO foreign experts to help in Dengvaxia mess (DOH) address the problems brought about by the Dengvaxia vaccines meant to curb the deadly MANILA — The World Health dengue fever.

Organization (WHO) is bringing in According to DOH Undersecfive to seven foreign experts who retary Enrique Domingo, the will help the Department of Health experts are expected to arrive

by SHEILA

CRISOSTOMO Philstar.com

mid-March from Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, United States and United Kingdom.

They are composed of epidemiologists, dengue experts, infectious disease experts, patholo-

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AFTER Boracay, another tourist island in the Visayas is likely to face shutdown over environmental issues.

According to Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, President Rodrigo Duterte is mulling to close erring establishments in Panglao Island if the reported problems on waste management in the area were not properly addressed.

Pernia told Inquirer that Panglao island, located in the Bohol province, was suffering from environmental problems due to the unregulated development and lax enforcement of laws amid the continued surge in tourist arrivals.

“It could be next if violators would not correct their mistakes by complying with environmental laws and regulations,” Pernia said, as quoted by Inquirer in a

Like Boracay, Panglao Island, Bohol’s tourism jewel, is suffering from environmental problems because of unregulated development, lax enforcement of laws, and a continued surge in tourist arrivals.

Inquirer.net photo by Leo Udtohan

report dated Tuesday, February 20.

“It’s a warning to save the country’s prime tourist destinations from further environmental destruction,” he added.

There are reportedly only 33 out of around 200 commercial establishments operating in

Panglao that have permits from the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).

According to Panglao Councilor Rogelyn Clemeña-Degoma, most establishments in the island had no wastewater treatment facility.

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A February 21-23, 2018 • La MIDWeeK aSIaN JOurNaL

Duterte: ‘PH Rise...

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From the Front Page

go into war with China—which nearly claimed the entire South China Sea—and with other rival before the [South] China Sea, claimants.

PAGE A1 “Well, we can only be diplonow the West Philippine Sea,” highly disputed South China he stressed. matic. We can only be talking Sea. The president, however, noted on friendly and civilized terms,” “I am ready, to put my presi- that the Philippines could only Duterte said. dency, my career as president, make “diplomatic” moves in He added, “We cannot go there, my life and honor [on the line]. dealing with territorial disputes ride in our whatever, Navy, the Atin ‘yan (That is ours). It has concerning the South China Sea. gray ships, the Coast Guard and been the claim of the Republic of Duterte maintained that the start waving our rifles. We canthe Philippines na atin ‘yan (that Philippines will continue to assert not do that today. It is unrealistic. that is ours)… which we called its maritime claims but could not It cannot be true.” n

OFW deployment ban...

PAGE A1 In his speech, Duterte stressed that “the Filipino is a slave of nobody.”

“The Filipino seeks to work abroad to earn a living so that he can help his family because the economy here, local, cannot absorb the entire workforce who would want to,” he added.

The president appealed to other nations to treat Filipino workers with dignity and respect.

“The only thing… that we ask

is that you give us the dignity of a human being, you treat us humanely, be tolerant of our cultural differences and do not abuse our women because it will inflict a long and lasting wound. Maybe this generation cannot and will not forget it,” Duterte said.

He continued, “That is why, I’m addressing myself, not only to Kuwait but to the entire nations in the world to say that Filipinos are everywhere seeking livelihood, can I please plead to you? Please

do not degrade them like animals, do not treat them as a slave.”

Acknowledging that the ban would hurt OFWs, Duterte said he was prepared to accept the consequences, including backlash.

“Will it involve hardships? Yes. Will it involve sacrifice? Yes. Would it mean anger? Yes. To me, yes. Tanggapin ko lahat,” he said. “I’m ready to admit everything but the ban stands. Umuwi lang kayo dito maski na papaano matulungan ko kayo maski sa pagkain (You should go home.

At least I can help you even with AWARD FOR CUISIA. United States Ambassador Sung Kim (center) presents an award to former Philippines Ambassador to the U.S. Jose L. Cuisia Jr. food).” n assisted by American Association of the Philippines Chairman Rick Sobrevinas during the American Association of the Philippines 70th anniversary celebration of George Washington Charity Ball held at the Alphaland Makati on Saturday, February 17.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

After Boracay, Panglao may also...

PAGE A1 “By this time, we will strictly implement the requirement for the discharge permit of businesses and the implementation of building structures within the 20-meter salvage [or easement] zone,” Degoma said, as she remarked that the issue in Boracay serves as an eye-opener for all officials in Bohol.

Duterte earlier gave the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) six months to fix the waste management issues in the island of Boracay, which he likened to a “cesspool.”

The president threatened to close the world-famous tourist

destination if the island’s sewage and garbage problems were not addressed.

In a briefing on Monday, February 19, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said the agency has already deployed a “mission team” in Boracay composing of about 50 DENR personnel to rehabilitate the area.

“We will be using all our government and the DENR assets and personnel to do this job.

Those who will be deployed will be on a rotation basis,” Cimatu said.

Another group, composed of more than 100 DENR personnel, will also go to the island on Thursday, February 22, to “con-

duct a thorough sweep of establishments in Boracay.”

“There will be about 12 teams totalling over 100 people which will be going there to uncover the violators. We expect the number of cases that will be brought before the Pollution Adjudication Board (PAB) to increase. The PAB will decide the closure and imposition of penalties on these errant establishments,” Cimatu added.

According to the DENR, there are 2,600 establishments in Boracay, of which at least 51 were issued notices after being found of violating the water, waste management and land use regulations. n

WHO foreign experts to help...

PAGE A1 gists and other specialists.

Domingo noted the WHO is paying for the mission that will assist the DOH in “building the capacity” of local health experts looking into the mess created by Dengvaxia.

The DOH had decided to seek guidance from the WHO as more cases of dengue among the vaccinated children are expected to surface in the coming years.

He added the foreign experts could not stay for an extended period so they will just help boost the country’s capacity to assess adverse events related to the dengue vaccination program.

The foreign team will look into how their local counterparts have been evaluating adverse events and then do capacity building.

The DOH currently has two teams monitoring and evaluating the impact of Dengvaxia on vaccinated children.

These are the DOH Task Force that is looking at adverse events following Dengvaxia immunization, and the expert panel of the University of the Philippines-Phil-

ippine General Hospital, which is investigating deaths related to the vaccine.

Domingo added among the things the foreign and local experts are expected to do is to formulate guidelines on adverse events that are tailor fit for Dengvaxia vaccination.

Aside from the 14 vaccinated children whose deaths were investigated by the UP-PGH panel, there are 17 other deaths documented by the DOH. Under the plan, the investigation into the 17 deaths and others that might follow will be done by local teams based on enhanced guidelines.

In a related development, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has ordered all officials, employees, hired experts and consultants of the department to disclose and manage conflict of interest amid the Dengvaxia fiasco.

In Department Memorandum No. 2018-0060 dated Feb. 19, Duque said everyone must comply with “Guidelines on the Disclosure and Management of Conflicts of Interest in relation to the

use of pharmaceutical products and medical devices.”

Duque said the move is in line with “the national government’s thrust to promote transparency and good governance and… to prevent corrupt practices by public and private officials and officers.”

The memorandum stated that “it is the duty of the DOH to uphold the integrity of its vital process, particularly with regard to crafting technical recommendations and decisions concerning the purchase, procurement, deployment and use of pharmaceutical products and medical devices to ensure that they work in the best interest of Filipino patients.”

Duque has also reminded DOH officials and employees of the DOH Code of Ethics, which strictly implements the “no gift-giving policy.”

He added the code “prohibits any remuneration whether directly or indirectly, in cash or in kind, in return for deals, transactions or purchase of services or health products covered by the DOH.” n

Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence Go answers queries at the Senate defense and security hearing on the Frigate Acquisition Project in Pasay City on Monday, February 19. Together with secretary Go are Foreign Affairs Secretary Allan Peter Cayetano, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre and National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and other cabinet secretaries are also present at the gallery.

Malacañang photo by Richard Madelo

Go hits Rappler, Inquirer for ‘irresponsible...

PAGE A1 ical Combat Management System (CMS) of the frigates.

Go confirmed that the paper came endorsing a supplier came from his office in Malacañang but maintained that he did not intervene with the deal.

During the hearing, Go reiterated his innocence, saying the document he sent to Lorenzana was a “mere routinary endorsement, which is one of the thousands of complaints we endorsed.”

“Frankly speaking, it’s very difficult to answer allegations that I am not privy to. I did not intervene in the acquisition of the two frigates

by DND (Department of National Defense) nor [did I] interfere in the selection of its Combat Management System,” Go said.

He added that such reports against him are part of efforts to

bring down the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Inosente at dinamay lang ako sa issue na ito upang siraan ang administrasyon ni Pangulong Duterte (I am innocent and I was only dragged into this issue to destroy the reputation of the Duterte administration),” Go claimed.

In separate statements, Rappler and Inquirer refuted Go’s allegations of “irresponsible reporting.”

“Go and his office were named in at least 3 documents exchanged between Malacañang, the Department of National Defense (DND), and the Philippine Navy while the selection of the Combat Management System (CMS) was being debated,” Rappler said.

Rappler noted that both Lorenzana and Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao, who

worked in Go’s office, “attested to the authenticity of the documents even as they both now say Go had nothing to do with their actions.”

“We sought out Go and Lorenzana and highlighted their denials in the report being questioned. We published these as part of our adherence to fairness and balance in our reporting,” it added.

Inquirer, for its part, also said that it “relied on the documents it secured from reliable sources which were authenticated by military officers who are knowledgeable with the transaction.”

Inquirer likewise said it “sought the sides of Go and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and published their statements.”

“The Inquirer adheres to the principles of fairness and accuracy in its news reports,” it stressed. n

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Dateline USa

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UNICEF: Babies born in poorest countries still face ‘alarming’ risks

COURTESY CALL. U.S. Ambassador to the Philippine Sung Kim visited on Monday, February 12, the Iglesia ni Cristo’s (INC) headquarters in Quezon City to pay a courtesy call on Executive Minister Eduardo Manalo. The envoy’s visit came a few days before President Rodrigo Duterte appointed Manalo as the Special Envoy of the President for Overseas Filipinos’ Concerns. Kim was welcomed with cheers from INC members and workers, who waived the American and the church’s flags.

Inquirer.net photo

US envoy visits INC executive minister

by Jefferson

AntipordA ManilaTimes.net

UNITED States Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim met with Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) Executive Minister Eduardo Manalo ahead of the religious group’s celebration of its 50th anniversary of establishing churches overseas.

Kim visited Manalo in the INC’s international headquarters at the church’s central office in Quezon City. The meeting was held a day before Manalo was appointed by Presi-

dent Rodrigo Duterte as special ambassador for Overseas Filipinos’ concerns. Manalo’s term of office will end on January 29, 2019.

INC Central Office protocol officer Joel San Pedro said the religious group “was very happy” over Kim’s visit.

“The timing is perfect as the Church is celebrating its 50th anniversary in the West and has grown to around 300 congregations in the U.S. alone,” San Pedro added.

The first overseas congregation of the INC was established

in Hawaii on July 27, 1968. This was followed by another congregation in California.

At present, the Church has 6,000 local congregations and missions in 142 countries and territories around the world, with its membership comprising of at least 133 ethnic groups and nationalities.

The INC, which was founded

by Felix Manalo, was first registered in the Philippines on July 27, 1914.

The religious group supported Duterte when he ran for president in 2016. n

Former US vice president Gore to speak at PH environment summit FORMER Vice President Al Gore leads the speakers invited to the 2nd Philippine Environment Summit which opened in Cebu City on Tuesday, February 20.

Aside from Gore, also invited were CMS Executive Secretary Bradnee Chambers, Senator Grace Poe, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, Deputy Ombudsman Gerard Mosquera, Consul Gordon Alan Joseph; and Federico Lopez, Energy Development Corporation chairman and CEO.

The February 20-22 event at the Waterfront Hotel in Lahug is expected to showcase programs and projects that will contribute to the social and economic advancement of the environment, as well as its protection.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), a co-convenor of the Summit, provided financial support while the Green Convergence Board of Trustees handled the manpower and management for the summit.

Gore is a known advocate for the environment.

He is one of the most prominent voices on climate change and environmental activism, which earned for him a Nobel Peace Prize in 2007, according to reports posted online.

He was vice president to then President Bill Clinton from January 20, 1993 to January 20, 2001.

Gore ran for U.S. president but lost to George W. Bush in 2000. (Eireene Jairee gomez/ ManilaTimes.net)

BABIES born in the world’s poorest countries, most of them in Africa, still face “alarming” risks of death that can be 50 times as high as those in the richest countries, according to a UNICEF report released on Tuesday, February 20.

While the last quarter-century has seen broad improvements in older children’s health, “we have not made similar progress in ending deaths among children less than one month old,” said UNICEF executive director Henrietta Fore.

“Given that the majority of these deaths are preventable, clearly we are failing the world’s poorest babies,” she added.

The differences are stark, according to the report, which noted that a baby born in Pakistan – the country with the worst newborn mortality rate – faced a one in 22 chance of death, while a newborn in Japan had only a one in 1,111 risk of dying.

Of the 10 highest-risk countries, eight are in sub-Saharan Africa – countries where “pregnant women are much less likely to receive assistance” due to poverty, conflict or weak institutions, the report said.

Those eight countries are the Central African Republic (a one in 24 chance of death); Somalia, Lesotho, Guinea-Bissau and South Sudan (all with a one in 26 chance); Cote d’Ivoire (one in 27); and Mali and Chad (both with a one in 28 chance).

Each year, some 2.6 million babies do not survive through their first month.

Preventable deaths The report was released in conjunction with the launch of a global campaign called “Every Child Alive” aimed at ensuring “affordable, quality health care solutions for every mother and newborn.”

More than 80 percent of newborn deaths can be prevented, the report said, “with access to well-trained midwives, along with proven solutions like clean water, disinfectants, breastfeeding within the first hour, skin-toskin contact and good nutrition.”

But shortages of properly trained health workers and midwives are a major problem in

According to UNICEF, babies born in the world’s poorest countries face alarming risk of death that can be 50 times as high as those in the richest countries.

Inquirer.net photo

poorer nations, it pointed out.

The report said that while a rich country like Norway has 18 doctors, nurses and midwives for every 10,000 people, impoverished Somalia has only one.

The UNICEF said that every year, one million babies die the day they are born.

“We know we can save the vast majority of these babies with affordable, quality health care solutions,” Fore said.

Rwandan success story In general, babies born in richer countries fare far better, but there are differences within countries. Babies born to the poorest families are 40 percent more likely to die than those born to the least poor.

Sadly typical was the story of Mary James, an 18-year-old from rural Malawi.

When her labor started, she and her sister made the long trek to a health center on foot.

When her baby was delivered, he was small and terribly weak.

She said that an overstretched staff did its best, but by night the child was gone.

“I felt like my heart was breaking,” James told UNICEF staff.

“I had a name for the child but he never opened his eyes.”

Since improvements to health care can be expensive, “it is crucial to invest the money in a smart way,” UNICEF’s global maternity and newborn program chief Willibald Zeck told AFP. That can mean something as simple as ensuring that a pregnant woman who has walked three days to a health care fa-

cility is received with “dignity,” so she remains long enough to receive proper postnatal care.

But the dearth of expensive equipment matters. Zeck, who worked as an obstetrician/gynecologist in Tanzania, said women were often unsure how pregnant they were, and he would have to use his hands to estimate whether a fetus was premature or seriously underweight.

Still, among countries that have made dramatic improvements is low-income Rwanda, which more than halved its rate from 1990 to 2016, illustrating that “political will to invest in strong health systems… is critical,” the report said.

Education matters, too. Babies born to mothers with no education face nearly twice the risk of early death as babies whose mothers have at least a secondary education.

The United States – generally affluent, but with considerable income inequality and wide variations in access to health care – was only the 41st safest country for newborns.

The countries with the lowest newborn mortality rates after Japan are mostly well-off countries with strong education and health care systems: Iceland (a one in 1,000 chance of death), Singapore (one in 909), Finland (one in 833), Estonia and Slovenia (both one in 769), Cyprus (one in 714) and Belarus, Luxembourg, and Norway and South Korea (all with risks of one in 667). (Inquirer.net with reports from AFP)

Fil-Am Cook County Circuit Court...

PAGE A1 residence.

After selling the properties to a co-worker named Maria Bartko by way of a straw buyer, O’Brien reportedly made two undisclosed payments to Bartko — the other defendant in this case — that totaled $73,000, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Madden.

Her conviction effectively removes her from the bench, according to state law. She also may see serious prison time.

A sentencing hearing has been set for July 6.

As previously reported by the Asian Journal, during her time as a lawyer for the Illinois Department of Revenue, O’Brien lied about loan and refinancing applications for two investment properties that were purchased in 2004 and 2007, before she was elected to the Circuit Court.

Her attorney Ricardo Meza disregarded the claims, labeling them as “mistakes,” telling jurors, “Whatever Jessica did, it was always done in good faith.”

Before the jurors began their deliberations last week, Meza suggested the allegations were a conspiracy lodged by the government, adding that the claims were a “cockamamie concoction.” After the conviction, he, however, declined to comment.

After a federal grand jury indicted O’Brien in April 2017, O’Brien was removed from hearing cases and had been “reassigned to administrative duties” to another presiding judge’s office, which “is the strongest action” the court’s executive committee can take, according to Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans.

Further action would be handled by the Judicial Inquiry Board and the Illinois Courts Commission.

In a previous Asian Journal profile, O’Brien was born in Cebu, Philippines in 1968 and moved to the United States as a teenager. She began studying law at John Marshall Law School in Chicago, graduating with a J.D./L.M.M. degree in 1998.

After she passed the bar exam, she served as a special assistant attorney general at the Illinois Department of Revenue, litigating cases involving corporate, partnership and individual income and sales taxation. It was then that the alleged fraud occurred.

After an unsuccessful campaign in 2010 to take over a vacancy in the Cook County Circuit Court, O’Brien again ran in 2012 and won, becoming the first Filipina-American judge to sit on the bench. She is married to Cook County Judge Brendan O’Brien.

She was also the first Asian woman elected president of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois and co-founded a foundation that rewards diversity scholarships to law students.

O’Brien’s American Dream success story has earned her celebrity status within the legal and Filipino-American communities. As a Filipina immigrant, she has made efforts to give back to the Filipino-American community and uplift the best and the brightest from diverse backgrounds.

“I am a big advocate for diversity. I think it’s important, but at the same time, I also believe that it has been based on qualifications. I don’t believe in that,” O’Brien shared with the Asian Journal in 2016. “We as a group need to prepare the next generation. If it’s true that Asian Americans are going to bypass all other ethnic groups [by 2040], then what are we doing as a group to hold the power, to be influential? And we’ve got to be cohesive, and we’re just not.”

In addition to the racial and gender barriers she’s surpassed as a Filipina-American, O’Brien has garnered countless accolades including a “Call to Service” award from former President Barack Obama for more than 4,000 hours of volunteer service over 10 years.

(Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

US intelligence lists Duterte as threat...

PAGE A1 been extended until the end of 2018.

“Duterte has suggested he could suspend the Constitution, declare a ‘revolutionary government,’ and impose nationwide martial law,” Coats said.

In a congressional hearing last week, U.S. Pacific Command commander Harry Harris Jr. said that Duterte’s drug war have strained ties between the Philippines and the U.S. “In the Philippines, the scourge of drug use has had multiple destabilizing effects, at the family-level, communitylevel, and the national level, as President Duterte’s efforts to address the problems have created relationship challenges with the U.S. and others,” Harris told the U.S. House Committee on Armed Services.

The worldwide assessment threat also cited the Freedom House report where the Philippines was listed as among the governments that used social

media to spread government views and counter government criticism online.

“We note that more governments are using propaganda and misinformation in social media to influence foreign and domestic audiences,” the US intelligence chief said.

U.S. intelligence, on the other hand, noted that Southeast Asian countries will struggle to preserve an autonomous foreign policy in the face of Chinese “economic and diplomatic coercion.”

Cambodia is seen to forge closer ties with China as Hun Sen alienates Western partners, pushing Phnom Penh to rely on Beijing for political and financial support.

“Cambodian leader Hun Sen will repress democratic institutions and civil society, manipulate government and judicial institutions, and use patronage and political violence to guarantee his rule beyond the 2018 national election,” the report read.

The Rohingya crisis in Burma increases the risk of violent extremism and will provide an opportunity for China to expand its influence, according to Coats.

China also predicted to pursue an active foreign policy in the Asia Pacific region, as seen on its firm stance on its sovereignty claims in the East China Sea and South China Sea. Meanwhile, Thailand’s new Constitution will give way to the military’s influence despite their leaders’ pledge to hold elections late this year.

“Democracy and human rights in many Southeast Asian countries will remain fragile in 2018 as autocratic tendencies deepen in some regimes and rampant corruption and cronyism undermine democratic values,” the report read.

The U.S. Director of National Intelligence released the report which seeks to assess the threats to U.S. national security for 2018. (Patricia Lourdes Viray/Philstar.com)

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Ethics complaints against De Lima, Lacson, Trillanes junked

by Dana

SioSon AJPress

The Senate panel on Tuesday, February 20, has dismissed the ethics complaints filed against Senators Leila De Lima, Panfilo Lacson, and Antonio Trillanes IV due to lack of jurisdiction.

The Senate Committee on ethics and Privileges, chaired by Senator Tito Sotto, dismissed all complaints without prejudice, which means that the cases could still be refiled.

It was Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon who moved for the dismissal of the ethics complaints. No other senator objected to the motion.

The complaint against Lacson and Trillanes was filed by former Customs chief and now Office of Civil Defense Deputy Administrator III Nicanor Faeldon last year.

Faeldon filed the complaint after the two senators accused him of receiving millions of grease money from the Bureau of Customs.

On the other hand, the three complaints against De Lima stemmed from her supposed involvement in the illegal drugs trade and for allegedly advising her former aide and partner Ronnie Dyan to skip hearings despite summons of the house of Representatives.

“She did not violate the Senate rules and it is not related to De Lima’s official function. We

Sen. Leila de Lima

moved for the dismissal of the case without prejudice to reviving the case in the future,” Drilon said.

Senator Panfilo Lacson back Drilon’s motion.

“She has not violated any Senate rule nor it is related to an official act as a senator so on that note, if there’s a motion I will support to outrightly dismiss the case against de Lima as filed by the counterparts in the house,” Lacson said.

The two complaint against De Lima were separately filed by house leaders and lawyer Abelardo de Jesus in 2016. Former Kabayan Representative and now presidential spokesperson harry Roque filed the third ethics complaint against her in 2017.

Philstar.com photo

For De Lima, the Senate panel’s move showed her colleague’s “high sense of fairness and objectivity.”

“I thank my colleagues for standing up for reason and the clear provision of the rules. It 7-ELEVEN TRAIL 2018. Cyclists step on their pedals and accelerate at the starting lane of the 7-Eleven Trail 2018, the country’s biggest is now evident, as I’ve always single-loop cross-country mountain bike race at the Timberland Heights in San Mateo, Rizal on Sunday, February 18. The event aims to promote a healthy lifestyle and encourages people to rediscover the joy of outdoor adventures.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon maintained, that the cases filed against me were frivolous and were merely filed to harass me,” De Lima remarked.

She went on to say, “I hope that somehow I have proven my doubters and detractors wrong.

From the very start, I have always kept my innocence and in experience of other countries, coming here to investigate. The due time, hopefully soon, I will by aJPress Colombia, it took 13 years before war or the drive against drugs be vindicated from the fabricatthe preliminary examination is will not stop,” he said last week. ed charges, especially the drug “And it will last until the day I The International Criminal completed.” cases, filed against me.” n earlier this month, the ICC’s step out.”

Court (ICC) has no authority to According to the Philippine compel the Philippine govern- Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) ment to provide documents announced that it will look into Drug Agency (PDeA), 4,021 drug on its campaign against illegal the alleged thousands of human personalities have died during drugs, according to Malacañang rights abuses and killings un- anti-drug operations conducted der Duterte’s anti-drug drive to by the agency and other law enon Sunday, February 18.

In a radio interview, Palace determine if there is a basis to forcement groups from July 1, Spokesperson harry Roque conduct a formal investigation 2016 — when Duterte assumed the presidency — to February 8 noted that there is no formal against the president.

But an unfazed Duterte ex- of this year. case against President Rodrigo In a recent statement, the Duterte as the ICC is only con- pressed his administration’s ducting a preliminary examina- readiness to face the ICC as he PDeA said it is willing to coopertion on his administration’s con- refuted the allegations of extraju- ate with the ICC on its prelimidicial killings in the country. he nary examination and provide troversial drug war.

“First, the (ICC) prosecutor also said he’s ready to face ex- relevant documents.

“This is precisely why we has no power yet to ask us to ecution should the international provide any document because court find him guilty of commit- came up with Real Numbers so we can be transparent in the there is no investigation yet. It is ting crimes against humanity.

Despite the ICC’s move, conduct of the anti-drug camjust a preliminary examination.

There is no case yet,” Roque told Duterte maintained that the drug paign. Now if the data will be war will continue until the end of summoned in relation to such dzMM. hearing, PDeA will support he added, “It only means his term in 2022.

“Drugs — I like to address my- in terms of the data,” PDeA that the prosecutor is studying Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder Pastor Apollo whether to conduct a preliminary self to the International Court of Spokesperson Derrick Arnold Carreon said last week. n Quiboloy Philstar.com photo investigation. And based on the Justice and to the prosecutors

Quiboloy shakes off raps, urges followers ‘to spread love’ AMID reports that he was held briefly at the honolulu International Airport in hawaii after U.S. Customs agents discovered $350,000 cash in his private plane bound for Manila, Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy made a veiled denial of the accusations hurled against him.

The self-proclaimed “Son of God” told thousands of followers in a prayer rally at the Ynares Center in Antipolo, Rizal that instead of listening to the reports, they should spread the “spirit of love.”

“Why did I become the stan-

dard, my brothers? Because I have no evil intentions in my heart. If you do not recognize this, you are a community of evil-doers,” he said.

“God will say [to you]…what you did to him is what you did to me. [he] is the standard. We cannot do anything about this. What happens in my life has a purpose because the steps of a righteous man is ordered by the Lord,” he added. “When this trial came, I was coming back to the Philippines. But I saw the many millions of children who love the son [of PAGE A7

Palace says ICC can’t demand drug war data from PH gov’t

A6 FEBRUARY 21-23, 2018 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPINION

New destinations

FEATURES

BORACAY, according to officials, is starting to feel the impact of President Duterte’s condemnation as the island prepares for the peak travel season this summer. With the President of the Republic himself describing the island as a “cesspool,” however, Boracay officials, residents and investors have no choice but to show that there is an earnest effort to clean up the top tourist destination.

Overdevelopment in Boracay may no longer be reversed. While the island cleanup is being undertaken, the nation should start developing alternatives to Boracay, whose beaches with unique powdery white sand drew about two million tourists last year. This new effort can start near Boracay, according to an urban planner, who cited the tourism potentials of northern Aklan and Carabao Island.

There are undoubtedly more islands with potential for world-class tourism in this archipelago of over 7,100 islands. Camiguin is attracting international attention. So is Guimaras, home of arguably the world’s sweetest carabao mango. Under competent supervision, the travel industry is one sector that can generate meaningful employment and livelihood opportunities – the type that can blunt the desire of local residents to seek greener pastures either overseas or in crowded mega cities like Metro Manila.

Tourism has powered economic growth in many countries. Aside from creating jobs on site, the current trend in the industry promotes environmental protection. President Duterte, who initially showed

antagonism toward the mining industry because of its impact on the environment, should want to boost tourism development. If the country is to catch up with its neighbors, however, the tourism effort needs a competent coordinator who commands respect in a highly competitive industry.

The Philippines received a record high 6.6 million visitors in 2017, but the figure pales in comparison with arrivals in the four other original founding members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Last year, Thailand received an enviable 35 million visitors, followed by Malaysia with 32 million. Citystate Singapore had 17.4 million while Indonesia drew a record high 14.04 million visitors. Among the newer ASEAN members, Vietnam saw 13 million arrivals, and Cambodia is closing in on the Philippines.

This country has so much to offer travelers especially in terms of natural attractions. Boracay is providing lessons in poorly regulated tourism development. Those mistakes can be avoided in developing new destinations. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Political experts: Donald Trump is the worst president in US history

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS AMERICA celebrated Presidents’ Day last Monday, February 19, but there was something, someone missing — a real president with moral leadership in the White House.

The events leading up to Presidents’ Day just exposed more of the character, or the lack thereof, of the 45th president of the United States.

Fourteen young high school students and three school staff members of Parkland, Florida died when a 19-year-old former student fired shots using an AR15 war weapon in classrooms and hallways on February 14.

As the nation grieved with the families of the victims and the students who survived the horrific tragedy lead demonstrations, protests and challenges to President Donald Trump and the Republicans in Congress to finally do

something about gun violence, Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team announced on February 15 the indictment of 13 Russian nationals and three Russian companies and individuals for meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

The indictment stated that “some defendants, posing as U.S. persons without revealing their Russian association, communicated with unwitting individuals associated with the Trump Campaign.”

Trump took to Twitter to twist the indictment and spread the lies that this proves there was no collusion between his campaign and Russia (a claim not stated in the indictment, as investigation is still ongoing and more charges, guilty plea are expected to be announced).

Trump then started blaming the FBI for missing a lead about the gunman because he said the agency was too preoccupied with the Russia probe, which he called a “hoax.” (The FBI has different departments and the Rus-

sia probe does not use the same team that takes care of domestic issues like that of Florida).

The president also pointed fingers at former President Barack Obama, the Democrats, the school, and even the victims themselves.

“So many signs that the Florida shooter was mentally disturbed, even expelled from school for bad and erratic behavior. Neighbors and classmates knew he was a big problem. Must always report such instances to authorities, again and again!” Trump tweeted.

The surviving students lashed out at the president for his response, criticizing him for his obsession about exonerating himself from the Russia probe instead of hearing them out and responding to their call for the government to act on the gun violence in America that has already claimed the lives of many students and civilians because of mass shootings using war weapons.

Trump even had the audacity to claim that he was “stronger”

with Russia compared to Obama, whom he blamed for doing nothing about the Russian interference. Fact checkers immediately called out Trump’s lies, reminding him that Obama confronted Putin about Russia’s interference and even imposed sanctions against the country for trying to meddle in the U.S. democratic processes.

Trump, on the other hand, never once called out Putin and Russia for assaulting our democracy, not when the U.S. intelligence community said so, and not when Mueller’s team had unveiled the indictment of Russians for their interference in the election.

Trump even sang high praises for Putin for being a “strong leader” and when he “confronted” Putin about Russia meddling in US elections who denied the interference, Trump believed him more than the U.S. intelligence reports.

The U.S. intelligence reports also revealed that Russia is still interfering with the American democratic institutions with its

Different nations, a shared destiny

PeaceMaker FORMER SPEAKER JOSE C. DE VENECIA, JR. (PART 2 OF 3) *Remarks of Hon. Jose de Venecia - Former Speaker, Philippine House of Representatives; Founding Chairman and Chairman of Standing Committee, International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP); Co-Founder, Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA); Chairman, International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP); Special Envoy of the President to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and for Intercultural Dialogue at the ICAPP Special Conference on the Silk Road last February 1-4, 2018; Tehran, Iran.

Institutionalizing the Interfaith Dialogue Excellencies, friends: We in ICAPP campaigned in 2004 in the U.N. General Assembly, in the U.N. Security Council, in other halls of the U.N. in Europe for an inter-faith, inter-cultural, and inter-civilizational dialogue with our proposal to create an Interfaith Council in the U.N. or at least a focal point in the Office of the U.N. Secretary General, at a time when discussion of religion was somewhat taboo within the U.N. system.

If creating a new council is

overly difficult—as some legalists have warned—then, perhaps, we could write an interfaith mandate in the mission order of the Trusteeship Council of the U.N. which had anyway ran out of trust territories to supervise.

We had partially succeeded: today there is an Interfaith unit operating in the office of the U.N. Secretary General.

In the United Nations, Iran and the Philippines were the closest allies in promoting the concept and practice of Interfaith Dialogue.

In partnership, the Philippines and Iran successfully sponsored a Resolution in the General Assembly in November 2004, binding the U.N. to promote interfaith dialogue as a way of resolving politico-religious conflicts, strengthening the religious moderates, and isolating those who advocate terrorism in the name of religion. As Speaker of the House at the time, we had the privilege to present these initiatives of Iran and the Philippines to the U.N. General Assembly and to the Security Council.

Since then, not only the United Nations and individual governments, but also civil society groupings, have been holding these important dialogues at local, national, regional, and international levels.

Excellencies, friends: From

these Interfaith Dialogues, we should expect no miracles—except those epiphanies that result from open hearts, the willingness to see the other side’s viewpoint, and a multitude of patience.

The vision of a “common destiny” It does not escape our minds what Chinese President Xi Jinping announced as early as October 2013 in Indonesia, the largest emerging economy of Southeast Asia.

In a speech before the Indonesian Parliament, President Xi unveiled the beginnings of this initiative.

China, he said, “wishes to work” with countries in the ASEAN to ensure that they become “good neighbors, good friends, and good partners” and as such they would “share prosperity and security and stick together through thick and thin.”

He spoke of a larger view and welcomed the idea of a “common destiny,” which a closelyknit China and ASEAN community could build together. This “community of shared destiny” is closely linked with the East Asia community, he said, and the “two sides need to bring out their respective strengths to realize diversity, harmony, inclusiveness and common progress.”

The value of China’s rebuilding of the Silk Road all the way to Iran, to Europe, and across

the Red Sea, to Africa, in both its historic overland and 21stCentury maritime linkages—is obvious.

Consider how already modern infrastructure is bringing together Kunming in Yunnan with Phnom Penh and Singapore in the beginnings of a Southeast Asian “Growth Triangle.” The long-distance trains are moving great cargoes between Asia and Europe, back and forth.

And consider how the Central Asian states are awakening to the possibilities of modernization—as Silk Road arteries begin to link them, westward, all the way to London and eastward to Beijing, encompassing Budapest, Hamburg, Moscow and Warsaw, yes, freight to 28 European cities, moving them by sea, and by air.

Global potential of expanded route Excellencies, friends: In order to expand, deepen and strengthen the economic, trade, political, cultural and people-to-people linkages of the historic Silk Road, might we in the Philippines propose consideration of the development of a “third route,” to complement and extend China’s great “Belt and Road” Initiative.

For from Hainan island off Guangdong province in southern China, the route could also pass through the Philippines,

cyber information warfare, and will meddle in the 2018 midterm elections.

What has Trump done about it? His job is to protect America and our democratic institutions and processes, but why has he not implemented the stronger sanctions against Russia signed in a resolution by both Democrats and Republicans? Why has he not ordered anything to stop Russia from influencing the 2018 elections?

In Filipino parlance, “Bakit bahag ang buntot ni Trump pag dating kay Putin?”

Special Counsel Robert Mueller could be asking the same questions and has been gathering all the information that may or (may not) prove that the Trump campaign is in fact in cahoots with Russia.

Worst president Nearly 200 of the top political scientists in America have voted Donald Trump the worst president in U.S. history.

This is according to the 2018 Presidents & Executive Politics

Presidential Greatness Survey, conducted every four years. It surveys social science researchers from the American Political Science Association’s section on presidents and executive politics.

The study asks the experts to rank each president’s greatness on a scale of 0 to 100, with 100 being great, 50 being average, and 0 being a total failure.

Mr. Trump averaged a score of 12.34, which the Independent reported as bumping James Buchanan – the president who saw the U.S. descend into the Civil War – out of the bottom spot.

This survey result just reflects the polls that came just months after Trump finished his first year in office as the most unpopular president in modern history.. ***

Malaysia, Indonesia and the small island nation of Timor Leste onwards.

Already in Northwestern Philippines, as part of an extended Belt and Maritime Road plan, on the banks of the South China Sea, an agri-tourism belt and large petro-chemical and industrial complex, being planned by China’s Xianglu Dragon Group in Xiamen, Fujian Province, indeed much needed in the region, is being planned for implementation by pioneering Chinese and Philippine groups.

And from Timor Leste to Australia’s Gold Coast to Sydney, and New Zealand, the extended route could move across the south Pacific, and enter Latin America: Chile, Argentina, Brazil, and the tourism-rich Caribbean islands, then Mexico, all the way to the U.S. as in the old days of the Galleon Trade from Manila to Acapulco, Mexico, which sailed for 250 years.

It is not far-fetched: for there are already multiple large overseas Chinese investments in South America. And at some point, we invite the Latinos should also bring their investments and trade to the south Pacific and into Asia.

Yes, our proposed 21st Century “third route,” hopefully an enlargement of the Silk Route would make the celebrated ‘Belt and Road initiative’ almost globally inclusive, after Europe and Africa, and create a linkage with two more continents—Australia

and Latin America—in a new circumnavigation, in a revival of the Age of Exploration, and new spirit in the Age of Globalization.

The tough task of peacemaking With this dramatic role, China’s noble vision is being put to the test with the tough tasks it faces in peacemaking and promoting regional stability.

Asia’s most dangerous flashpoints happen to be in its neighborhood.

On its northern flank is the rising danger of explosion in the Korean Peninsula, and on its southern flank the disturbing conflict over sovereignty in the disputed islands in the South China Sea. We believe that the venture to find common ground has no enemy, and involves not just China alone but us, her neighbors, nurtured by the Chinese saying that, “the interests to be considered should be the interests of all.”

This is a framework that begets a new attitude towards old questions—and the approach that appears likelier now than ever before is “win-win cooperation.”

Most practical solution in China Sea crises The disagreement in the South China Sea with conflicting sovereignty claims, may be settled, we believe, by temporarily shelving the issue of sovereignty, much earlier advised by the great lead-

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.TheFilAmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos

u PAGE A7

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

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A

BIR finds discrepancies in Sereno’s tax filings

by LLanesca

Panti ManilaTimes.net

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has found discrepancies in the tax declarations of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

BIR Deputy Commissioner Arnel Guballa made the disclosure during the resumption of the hearing of the House Committee on Justice on the impeachment complaint against Sereno.

“The investigation is ongoing.

We noticed discrepancies in the figures. But we can’t disclose it yet because of the prohibition under Section 270 of our tax code,” Guballa said.

Guballa was referring to the provision of the National Internal Revenue Code that prohibits the disclosure of information on taxpayers, which is punishable by a fine of P50,000 to P100,000 or imprisonment of two to five years, or both.

“The BIR is of the belief that we cannot give the information on any finding [at this point].

There are exemptions, namely, if there is waiver on the part of the individual concerned, [and]by order of the judicial court or the Senate impeachment court during an impeachment trial. We are still in the committee hearing,” the BIR official said.

The impeachment complaint filed by lawyer Larry Gadon accuses Sereno of betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution, because of her supposed failure to declare P37 million in income as a legal counsel for the government in the international arbitration dispute over the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 with terminal builder Philippine International Air Terminals Co. Inc. (Piatco).

In her verified answer to the impeachment complaint, Sereno said she received P30 million as government counsel for the Piatco case and that her statements of assets, liabilities and net worth reflected her earnings.

Guballa said the BIR would help in prosecuting Sereno, if needed.

“If the impeachment court issues us an order [to make our findings public], then by all means, we will provide them to the [impeachment]court,” he said.

Guballa also disclosed that the BIR had sent a letter to the Office of the President asking for authority to disclose its findings on Sereno’s income tax returns and tax declarations before the House justice panel.

Guballa, however, was able to reveal Sereno’s income tax payments from 2004 to 2008.

Based on BIR records, Sereno paid P7.2 million in income taxes in 2004, P12 million in 2005, P1.4 million in 2006, P3.6 mil-

Judges Amelia Fabros-Corpuz (left), Patia Manalastas-de Leon and Deputy Court Administrator Jenny Lind Aldecoa-Delorino testify before the House Committee on Justice on Monday, during the continuation of the hearing on the determination of probable cause in the impeachment complaint filed against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez

lion for 2007 and P4.5 million in 2008.

Guballa later clarified that these amounts did not necessarily come from Sereno’s earnings as government counsel for the Piatco case.

Lawyer Jojo Lacanilao, spokesman for the Sereno, said the BIR’s disclosures just proved that the chief justice paid the right taxes.

“The chief justice is not a tax evader. The chief justice paid the taxes she had to pay for.

She has declared all the income that she has to declare. That I can assure you,” he said in a chance interview.

Lacanilao, however, said Guballa’s pronouncements were premature.

“Why such conclusion when the probe is not yet done? The chief justice should be given a chance to respond to whatever conclusion they may have. It is alarming that these conclusions are being [disclosed]at this point which is in violation of due process,” Lacanilao added.

Leonen, Bernabe no shows Supreme Court Associate Justices Marvic Leonen and Estela Perlas Bernabe did not testify in the impeachment hearing against Sereno on Monday.

In a letter sent to the House Committee on Justice, the magistrates said they sat as vice chairmen of the Supreme Court’s Committee on Computerization and Library in July 2014, after the chief justice hired Helen Macasaet as information technology (IT) consultant for P250,000 a month.

Rep. Reynaldo Umali of Mindoro Oriental, chairman of the House Committee on Justice, did not contest the justices’ reasoning.

“Macasaet was already hired before July 2014 when the [Committee on Computerization and Library] was reorganized [and Leonen and Bernabe]became members, so the justices had no personal knowledge on the matter or participation in the hiring of Ms. Macasaet,” Umali said.

Leonen and Bernabe, like Sereno, were appointed Su-

Different nations...

PAGE A6 er, Deng Hsiao Peng, architect of China’s economic modernization, undertake joint exploration and joint development, which we had the privilege to propose in 2004-2005, and revive the resulting 3-nation Seismic Agreement officially signed and undertaken

by Manila, Beijing, and Hanoi in 2005-2006, and hopefully, eventually convert the zone of conflict into a Zone of Peace, Friendship, Cooperation and Development.

Its aim was to assess the potential in the disputed areas for hydrocarbons exploration and development.

Scientists of the three nations pronounced the prospects “promising”, and it is obvious as members of the ASEAN family that today, with China, we must find ways and means to jointly develop the area’s hydrocarbons potential to help lessen our common dependence on distant petroleum sources in the Middle East.

Imagine the potential for peace in the heartland of the South China Sea if we undertake a joint development of its resources.

On May 15, 2017, in Beijing’s historic “High-level Dialogue on the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation,” we said that from an area of conflict, it could be transformed into a landscape and seascape of small seaports, airports and oil pipelines. Fishing villages and small tourism townships could rapidly rise in the areas contested principally by the Philippines, China, and Vietnam, once converted into a Zone of Friendship, Commerce, Navigation and Development, and become the passage way, untrammeled, for global shipping, carrying more than 50 percent of the sea freight of the world.

This is perhaps the most realistic, most common-sensical solution to the problem of the Spratlys and Paracels, and which could be subsequently joined by

Malaysia, and Brunei and Taiwan, and could also be the solution to the dangerous problem between China and Japan in the tiny isles in Senkaku Straits or Diaoyu in the East China Sea. Resource-sharing by other countries; Solution is actually possible Excellencies, friends: As a result of intelligent and pragmatic diplomacy, in the Norwegian Ekofisk oil field in the North sea, which we visited when we were President of the Petroleum Association of the Philippines in the 1970s, the discovered oil in the sea goes all the way to Norway and Teeside, England and the natural gas is piped to Germany.

The oil in the Caspian Sea countries is shared by Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan because among them there is demarcation and practical mutual understanding and goodwill.

Giant Australia and tiny East Timor share the hydrocarbons in the South Pacific in the waters just below Darwin and on the southeast side of Asia’s newest republic.

The 1989 Agreement between Malaysia and Thailand enable them to jointly develop their disputed waters.

We just came from Senegal two weeks ago during the launching in West Africa, of the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP), ICAPP’s fraternal ally, and we reminded them that the Guinea-Bissau and Senegal Agreement of 1993 helped their countries develop their disputed areas.

Indeed the idea of “win-win cooperation”—of pragmatic and intelligent, unselfish sharing of areas and resources—instead of engaging in conflict and war, could help build a model for lessening tensions and solving conflicts, and avoiding the possibility of war in Asia’s manifold and dangerous flashpoints.

(To be continued next week)

preme Court justices by former president Benigno Aquino 3rd.

Associate Justice Teresita de Castro earlier questioned Sereno’s hiring of Macasaet to implement the Supreme Court’s Enterprise Information System Plan, noting that Macasaet was GIRL POWER. Winning team Centro Escolar University displays its signature routine during the Women’s National Collegiate Athletic paid P250,000 a month even if Association (WNCAA) Cheerleading Competition 2018 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on Saturday, February 17. she did not have a diploma in ManilaTimes.net photo by John Micah Sebastian computer science or any information technology-related course and her hiring was not approved by the Supreme Court en banc, or the Supreme Court PAGE A5 as a collegial body. evil intentions…will not win over who was on board the plane.

Lawyer Michael Ocampo, who God]. Persecution of the good and the spirit of love,” Quiboloy said.

Salinas, a U.S. citizen, declared works under the Office of the false accusations will not win over A few days after Quiboloy re- that she was carrying $40,000 Chief Justice, justified Macasa- the spirit of love. ” turned to the country, reports said and P1,000, but authorities found et’s hiring, saying it was based “Kill your enemy with love. Do he was held briefly in Honolulu thousands of dollars “neatly bunon extensive research and did good to them [who] hate you. Bless when U.S. Customs agents dis- dled” in $100 bills inside socks. not need the Supreme Court en them [who] curse you. When you covered $350,000 cash or P18 Israelito Torreon, Quiboloy’s banc’s approval, because her bless them [who]hate you, they million in his private plane. spokesman, maintained that Quicontract was less than P2 mil- cannot take it because they want Charges were filed against his boloy was not detained, charged, lion. n you to react… I will assure you that “loyal follower” Felina Salinas, or deported. (ManilaTimes.net)

Quiboloy shakes off raps...

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Department of Tourism targets high spenders by catherine

taLavera Philstar.com

THE Department of Tourisms (DOT) is looking at new markets this year to attract higher spending tourists.

Tourism Undersecretary Rolando Canizal said apart from its continued focus on the Chinese market, the DOT is also targeting new source markets.

Tax effort refers to the share of the government’s “Aside from China, tax collections to the country’s gross domestic we are also looking at product.

Photo by Edd Gumban/Philstar.com other new markets like France, Spain, the Middle East the country and stay longer so even as far as Israel,” Canizal that we will be able to generate more revenues for our counsaid.

“These markets have a very try,” Canizal said.

In 2017, the Philippines regbig outbound market and at the same time, we are looking istered a total of 6.6 million forat quality type of tourists who eign arrivals, up 10.96 percent will be able to spend more in u PAGE B3

Dollar outflows from PH unabated in January

by Daxim

L. Lucas

Inquirer.net

NAIA proposal of super consortium to undergo 2-month evaluation The NAIA consortium tapped Changi Airports International Pte. Ltd. to provide technical support in the areas of master planning, operations, optimization and commercial development.

File photo by Rudy Santos/Philstar.com

by LoueLLa

DesiDerio Philstar.com

THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) may complete the evaluation of the P350 billion unsolicited proposal to upgrade the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) submitted by a super consortium of seven conglomerates within two months.

Manuel Antonio Tamayo, undersecretary

for the aviation sector at the DOTr, said the unsolicited proposal submitted by the super consortium composed of Aboitiz Infra Capital Inc., AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp., Alliance Global Group Inc., AEDC, Filinvest Development Corp., JG Summit Holdings Inc. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. would initially be evaluated by the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA).

“That is the procedure. MIAA will go through it, make recommendation to us.

We’ll study it as well, meet with proponents and submit it to NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority),” he said.

The NAIA consortium tapped Changi Airports International Pte. Ltd. to provide technical support in the areas of master planning, operations, optimization and commercial development.

Under Phase 1 of the proposal, the consortium would undertake improvements and

u PAGE B3

Tighter PH standards urged by security exec HARD currency continued to flow out of the country in the first month of the year due in part to the central bank’s efforts to smoothen out volatility in the peso and the government’s payments of its foreign loans.

As such, the country’s overall

balance of payments position in January 2018 posted a deficit of $531 million, higher than the $9 million deficit record in the same month last year, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said on Monday, February 19.

u PAGE B4

INTERNATIONAL standards should be made mandatory for the payment card industry given rising cyberthreats, a security specialist said.

Nitin Bhatnagar, associate vice-president at Sisa Information Security, claimed that the Philippines’ payment infrastructure was vulnerable to cyberattacks “because of the ineffective implementation of payment security standards such as PCI-DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard).”

Cyberthreats are “going to get worse” given the growing adaption of digital payment systems, he told The Manila Times.

“Breach[es]can happen to any payment environment including a bank, e-commerce or retail merchants,” he said.

The Philippines, Bhatnagar said, currencly has 76 million debit and prepaid users and 8.5 million credit cardholders — an attractive number for cybercriminals looking for targets.

“Smart phones and credit

card usage without PIN (personal identification number) are fraught with risks and we have to tackle it. Industry has to wake up and should do what is required to be done,” he said. “[W]e would urge the regulators to make payment security standards mandatory for all banks, merchants and IT/BPO organizations,” he added.

Bhatnagar welcomed government proposals to impose life imprisonment and a fine of up to P5 million for automated teller

File photo by marketingland.com

machine (ATM) hackers, noting a 250-percent surge in ATM fraud cases to P600 million in 2016 from P175 million in 2012.

u PAGE B4

B FEBRUARY 21-23, 2018 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

Business news

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

Alibaba urged to partner with government PH now more ‘financially inclusive,’ by mary

Grace Philstar.com

but challenges remain, says BSP

PaDin

THE Department of Finance (DOF) has invited the Alibaba Group to partner with the Duterte administration and the private sector for the establishment of an inclusive financial system in the Philippines that would drive growth in rural communities and empower small businesses.

During a meeting with Alibaba officials earlier this month, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez had urged the financial services group to pursue opportunities in the Philippines in the area of digital finance and electronic commerce.

The finance chief said a closer relationship between the Philippine government and Alibaba would help further cement bilateral ties between the Philippines and China.

Dominguez, together with other finance and central bank officials, went to Hangzhou, China, from January 31 to February 2 for a meeting with Alibaba founder Jack Ma and a three-day workshop organized by the Alibaba Business School.

According to Dominguez, the visit was in line with President Duterte’s instructions to discuss with the Chinese tycoon possible areas that Alibaba and the Philippine government could pursue together.

by Daxim

THE number of Filipinos with bank accounts has grown over the last half decade, and the amount of cash each has deposited has also increased, but the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas believes that there is more to be done to improve financial inclusion in the country.

According to the financial regulator, local access to and use of formal financial products and services continues to improve, “I will report to the president aba people would be very happy with 44.4 million Filipinos holdthat there are many elements to go to the Philippines to learn ing 55.3 million bank accounts as of June 2017. here that we could use in the from you,” Ma said.

“The Filipinos are a great and “From 2011 to 2016, the numPhilippines, including in the area of security management,” kind people and I have a lot of ber of depositors and deposit acDominguez said during the people working together who counts increased at an average come from the Philippines. I annual rate of 6 percent and 4 meeting.

Dominguez said technology think they are intelligent, hard- percent, respectively,” BSP said is a tool that can help not only working and professional,” he in a statement. “The total amount of deposits grew at an average in reducing poverty, but also in said.

The New Economy Workshop rate of 15 percent during the maintaining law and order.

Ma, for his part, said the Phil- for Philippine officials is the first same period.”

Despite improvements in acippines has a “huge potential” to overseas government training embrace the digital revolution, program organized by the Al- count ownership, however, the number of deposit accounts per especially because he believes ibaba Business School.

The workshop included top- 10,000 adults in the Philippines e-commerce was designed for ics on e-commerce develop- was still lower than most of our developing countries.

“This delegation coming here ment in China, inclusive finance ASEAN peers except Cambodia, made a very brave and inspiring through digital technologies, Laos, and Myanmar.

In a press statement, the censtep forward to embrace and un- rural e-commerce development, derstand the technology revolu- and smart logistics in the digital tral bank said that out of 1,634 cities and municipalities, the tion. Someday, I think the Alib- economy. n

Most PH e-commerce merchants offer COD by anna Leah

e. GonzaLes ManilaTimes.net

MAJORITY of Philippine electronic commerce merchants offer cash-on-delivery services to their customers, a recent report

by Kuala Lumpur-based online shopping aggregator iPrice said.

The “State of eCommerce in Southeast Asia 2017” report highlighted similarities and differences in and examined online buying patterns in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The report leveraged proprietary data from more than 1,000 e-commerce players in these countries to reveal their citizens’ online shopping habits.

On payment solutions, merchants had to offer a more diverse range of payment methods, as low credit-card penetration in all countries except Singapore

L. Lucas

Inquirer.net

precluded a one-size-fits-all approach.

“Cash on delivery is offered by more than 80 percent of players in Vietnam and the Philippines.

Bank transfer is very popular in Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand, with 94 percent, 86 percent, and 79 percent of merchants in these countries offering it,” the report said.

Almost half of merchants offer offline point of sales in Thailand and Vietnam, while paying in installments is very popular in Vietnam and Indonesia.

E-commerce in Southeast Asia in 2017 had a gross merchandise value of over $10 billion.

Southeast Asian “eCommerce is a mobile-first economy, leapfrogging all the Western economies when it comes to the importance of mobile commerce in the traffic generated by each eCommerce operator,” the re-

port said.

Improving the conversion rate—the percentage of website visits that translate into a product purchase—can have a dramatic effect on the profitability of a business, according to the report.

Vietnamese merchants have the highest conversion rate—30 percent higher than the average—followed by Singapore and Indonesia. The Philippines and Thailand tied in last place.

As to what time Southeast Asians shop the most, it’s between between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Singaporeans are the exception; their shopping peaks at 10 p.m.

“Consistently across countries, there is a dip between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., [when]people typically commute and have dinner, before [resuming their]online shopping until 11 p.m.,” the report said. n

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA HAVE you ever gone through seasons of darkness? I have. I bet there are those who will admit quietly to having been through the trenches themselves.

No matter the season, the soul may go through a “winter of discontent” — a restless time when we wonder quietly if we could trade our life for someone else’s.

If you are wondering why you feel as though you missed out on winning the cosmic lottery jackpot of a charmed life, don’t flog yourself silly.

You don’t even have to admit it to anyone else but yourself.

It’s nothing more than a normal rite of passage that allows us to imagine what it would be like if we had someone else’s luck, genetic make-up, breaks, talent, connections, relations, education, intelligence, looks, skin color, pedigree and other x factors that are supposed to tip the scale in our favor and make us happy and fulfilled. In short, they refer to those things that we think will allow us to live “a charmed life” and drive our fellow men mad with envy.

The discontent hits you when you’re feeling most vulnerable: when there’s not enough cash to tide you over until the next pay period; your job stinks; you’re going through an extended rough patch with your wife or husband or lover; your car needs an overhaul; your kid hit a schoolmate and you need to see the principal; your sister in the home country, needs you to remit moolah fast, and lots of it, because your younger brother got into trouble and needs bail money. Everything sucks.

Well, you get the picture of

number of unbanked areas declined to 571 local government units (34.9 percent of the total) in June 2017 from 609 LGUs (37.3 percent) in 2011.

As of June 2017, there were 11,343 banking offices and 19,500 ATMs. Banking offices grew at an average annual rate of 4 percent from 2011 to 2016 while ATMs increased at a faster rate of 12 percent during the same period.

In addition to banks, there were over 61,000 non-bank financial service providers (FSPs). Growth was fastest among mobile money agents which are retail outlets where people can convert cash to electronic money and vice versa.

Pawnshops, cooperatives, and microfinance NGOs had wider

presence than banks and were the most common FSPs in unbanked areas.

Only 10 percent of LGUs remained unserved if non-bank FSPs were taken into account.

In terms of usage, there were 44.4 million depositors and 55.3 million accounts with outstanding balance of P11 trillion as of June 2017.

Building on these “modest gains,” the BSP has issued new policies which promise greater financial inclusion.

One of them is the recently approved regulation allowing banks to put up “branch-lite” units to further expand the physical reach of banking services especially to unbanked and underserved local government units. n

Of charmed lives

“Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this son of York.” — “Richard III” by a gothic novel nobody wants to read. You want to scuttle everything and trade up to a charmed life. But would you, if you knew the real score behind those deceptively airbrushed images of the charmed lives we see on TV and the rags we read?

We are sitting ducks open to negative suggestions we receive non-stop. We end up unhappy and dissatisfied with who we are, what we have and our place in the universe. We’re too fat, too short, too poor, too old. We don’t make enough. We drive clunkers. Our clothes are passé.

Our nose bridge needs a lift; the chest is too flat; hair is too thin; skin is too sallow; our eyes need to be lasered; our teeth need whitening; our ears stick out; our behinds, too saggy.

Picture the word REJECT stamped on our pathetic, little foreheads if we were in a conveyor belt in an assembly line, as we head directly to the recycling bin unless we undergo a drastic make-over that will cost us plenty.

We look and read about the airbrushed lives of celebrities on the red carpet. We see them parading and preening in their Pradas, Jimmy Choos, or Blahnik shoes, sheathed in thousand dollar Versace and Vera Wang gowns with décolletage showcasing ample natural or shored up cleavages, their gravity-defying faces tight with botox or nipped and tucked by a surgeon’s scalpel and dripping in Harry Winston gems, escorted by equally gorgeous hunks dressed to the nines in their Armanis, as media people buzz around them like flies around honey. And we’re hoodwinked to the vision of charmed lives.

William Shakespeare Thankfully these days, our eyes are being opened. TRUTH, like sunlight, is proving to be the greatest disinfectant. It turns out that many in Hollywood and other high profile figures are simply blown-up images of their own press releases as stories reveal them, even with their padded bank accounts and mega-sized homes, to be no better than the average Joe. In some instances, some are the scum of the earth.

Some of the big names have been living seriously perverted lives while victimizing many in their industry for decades.

Imagine that God sees how unhappy you are, takes pity on you and he gives you access to His Celestial PowerBook, with a database cataloging the lives of the past, present and future of the seven billion or so people that inhabit the world.

He permits you to type in the name of the person you would like to exchange your life with.

But lo and behold. You discover surprising twists and turns of character and fate. You discover dirt that has been airbrushed or little dark secrets edited out or given a new spin. You discover untold pain and suffering, the great equalizers, etched in every life.

That gorgeous, woman hiding behind a ready smile has a young daughter with cystic fibrosis and is going through a bitter divorce with a philandering husband. The good-looking guy you thought was to die for is a closet pedophile cum sado-masochist.

The distinguished couple you met who lacks for nothing, has a

u PAGE B5

Solar energy credit for residential A SOLAR electric residential property to be qualified for the credit must meet the following requirements: 1. Costs paid must be for qualified for solar electric property.

2. Qualified solar electric property costs: These costs must be for use of solar energy to generate electricity. You may rely on the manufacturer’s certification in writing that a product is a qualifying property for the credit.

Keep the certificate for your records.

3. Qualified solar water heating property costs: These costs must be to heat water for use in your residence. At least half of the energy used by the solar water heating property for such purpose is derived from the sun.

The property must be certified for performance by the nonprofit Solar Rating Certification Corporation (SRCC) or a comparable entity endorsed by the government of the state in which the property is installed. For a summary of water heater systems ratings with names and addresses of participating suppliers visit SRCC’s website: www.solar-rating.org.

4. Costs: Includes installation, labor, preparation, wiring, etc.

Refer to Form 5695 for a complete listing.

5. The electricity must be for use in a residential energy efficient property.

6. The residential property must be located in the United States and must be used as a

What’s New Arlene Al-os, CPA, MBA residence by the taxpayer.

7. The residential property does not have to be the taxpayer’s principal residence.

8. The credit for residential solar electric property does not include any specific certification or output requirements. Any costs incurred for solar electric property qualify for the credit subject to the requirements discussed above.

9. Check requirements for any available state and local incentive programs prior to commitment.

10. Before January 1, 2017: If property is placed in service before 2017 , the credit amount is generally 30% of the cost of qualified solar electric property, solar water heating property, small wind energy property, geothermal heat pump property, and fuel cell property.

11. After December 31, 2016 but before January 1, 2022: If the property placed in service after December 31, 2016 and before January 1, 2022, the credit is available only for eligible solar electric property and solar water heating property.

12. In 2017, 2018, 2019: The credit amount is equal to 30

%of the cost of eligible property placed in service in 2017, 2018, or 2019.

13. In 2020: The credit is 26 % of the cost of property placed in service in 2020.

14. In 2021: The credit is 22 %of the cost of property placed in service in 2021. HERO loan or PACE for property assessed clean energy loan: These loans are used to primarily finance high cost solar energy. Payments for these loans are added to the property tax bill. Proper treatment of these costs are principal portion is non-deductible and interest is deductible as debt interest related to home acquisition.

It is important to know that the costs related to qualified electric residential property increases the cost of your property but is reduced by the amount of the credit claimed in your Form 1040 using Form 5695. *** Disclaimer: Any accounting, business or tax advice contained in this communication is neither intended as a thorough, in-depth analysis of specific issues, nor a substitute for a formal opinion, nor is it sufficient to avoid taxrelated penalties. *** Al-os & Associates Accountancy Corporation provides accounting and tax services to individuals, corporations, LLCs and business entities. The Firm has a niche in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS and other governmental agencies. (Advertising Supplement)

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

BUSINESS NEWS

Client files Chapter 13 while hoping for a loan modification of mortgage A CLIENT has had an ongoing “battle” with Wells Fargo for justice on her mortgage since 2007.

It’s been nine years since she made the mistake of refinancing her fully paid house with World Savings Bank.

Yes, the client was already a senior nine years ago when she decided to borrow $250,000 against her house, which had no more mortgage! Apparently, a relative had asked her for some money to finance a business, and being the doting aunt that she was, she gladly, but mistakenly, obliged. The question then was where should she get the refinance loan? She spoke to an agent of a very popular mortgage loan broker who offered her a fixed 30-year mortgage at 2 percent per annum. The broker told her that the interest rate was so low, it would make her cry, that the mortgage payment would be fixed for 30 years, and that she could even choose from several amounts of mortgage payments, depending on which one she would be most comfortable with.

She signed all the loan documents without reading them as most seniors would do. After paying for two years, she noticed that the loan balance, instead of decreasing, was increasing!

Eventually, she got a letter from Wells Fargo informing her that the bank had taken over the loan.

In addition, Wells Fargo said that she had a default of $20,000 and that if this amount was not paid in full immediately, foreclosure of her residence would ensue.

When she called the famous loan broker to ask what was going on, she was told that the loan broker was being criminally indicted for a massive loan mortgage fraud scheme. It was only then that the client realized that she had been duped. She did some research

Barrister’s Corner ATTY. KENNETH URSUA REYES IN previous editions of this article, the process of obtaining permanent residence through marriage was explored. Discussion of that procedure began with the supposition that the couple was married, and continued with the various steps to ultimately gain permanent residence. In many cases, however, a problem exists in even getting to the point at which a couple is married. Often, a foreign national is in his/her home country and, for one reason or another, the U.S. citizen cannot travel to that country to marry him/her. A solution in such a scenario can be found with the K-1 Fiance(e) Visa.

A K-1 visa allows a foreign national to come to the United States to marry a United States citizen. The K-1 visa is valid for ninety (90) days after entry to the United States, during which time the marriage must take place.

Once the foreign national is issued a K-1 visa, any of his/her unmarried children under the age of 21 may be issued K-1 visas. Upon arrival in the United States, the foreign national may immediately apply for permission to work. A two-step process is involved to obtain a K-1 visa.

First, the United States citizen (the petitioner) must file Petition for Alien Fiance(e) along with supporting documents with the USCIS. Through the filed petition

Debt Relief

ATTY. LAWRENCE YANG

and found out that Wells Fargo had taken over the loans of World Savings, including hers, and that Wells Fargo was actually trying to make things right for the victims of this “massive” fraud as part of the settlement with the Attorney General’s office as well as part of the federal “bailout” funds.

She called Wells Fargo and was given the runaround. Wells Fargo wrote her many letters saying that they were going to look into the matter and would get back to her within 30 days.

The 30 days dragged into seven years without any resolution.

Wells Fargo started foreclosure proceedings and the client paid off the entire default of $57,000.

It was back to square one for a while then the problem resurfaced. The client hired a succession of lawyers who all went against a brick wall because the client did not want to sue; all she wanted was to have the matter amicably resolved by negotiation.

Now there is a default of $40,000, and Wells Fargo wants to foreclose yet again. She now retains me for a Chapter 13 to stop the foreclosure and to negotiate a settlement with the bank without a lawsuit. Fortunately, I was able to get some positive response from the bank saying that they are now having their legal department look into it, and that they would propose a settlement by next week. It remains to be seen whether the bank is now serious in resolving this matter,

or if they are bluffing again.

Client seeks Chapter 7 relief for $78K credit card debt The second client is 74. Her husband left her 20 years ago.

She was able to sell the family home a couple of years ago with a net profit of $200,000. Then, disaster struck. Her only son got sick, lost his job because of his illness and became her dependent.

She had to take care of her 40year old son, who moved in with her. Medical insurance would not pay for a lot of the expenses.

So, the $200,000 evaporated after three years. After that, she relied on credit cards to pay for her son’s medical bills. Fortunately, her son got well and will soon be joining the workforce again.

The problem is she now owes $78,000 of credit cards. The minimum payment is $3,000 a month. She only gets social security of $1,800 and a pension of $500. She is able to pay her rent of $800. But there is just no way she can pay the $78,000 of credit cards. So at 74, the client decides to wipe out all her credit card debt and obtain a fresh start! *** Disclaimer: The foregoing is an expression of opinion and is not meant to be legal advice to any reader.

There is no attorney-client relationship established by this article with the reader. If you want to discuss your situation, you have to set an appointment to consult with the attorney. The first general consultation is free. *** 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 or at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789.

K-1 visa: Fiance visa to marry US citizen and documents, the petitioner must demonstrate three things.

To begin, it must be shown that the foreign national has a bona fide intent to marry within ninety (90) days after arrival. This is often accomplished by producing evidence that a marriage is going to take place—i.e. wedding announcements, catering contracts, etc. In addition, it must be shown that both parties are unmarried and of legal age. Birth certificates, and if one has been previously married, evidence that the prior marriage has been legally terminated are usually satisfactory to accomplish this. Finally, evidence must be provided to show that the parties have physically met each other within the past two (2) years. The petitioner may submit photos of the couple, plane tickets, hotel receipts, etc. as proof that the couple has met.

Exceptions to this third requirement apply in certain circumstances that cannot be explored here due to space limitations of this article. The USCIS may also schedule an interview of the petitioner wherein inquiry will be made on the foregoing issues.

Once approved, notice is sent to the petitioner and the file is forwarded to the appropriate consulate abroad.

Second, after the petition is approved, the foreign national can apply for a K-1 visa in his/ her home country. An interview is scheduled where the foreign national must provide certain documents for issuance of the

visa. An affidavit of support from the petitioner, proving that the foreign national will not be relying on public assistance upon arrival, in addition to originals of documents mentioned hereinabove, must be presented. Other documents may also be requested by a particular consulate. If all requirements are met, visa issuance will follow. After arrival in the United States and marriage, the foreign national may thereafter begin the process to obtain permanent residence. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association.

He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He 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) 3881611 or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com.

(Advertising Supplement)

NAIA proposal of super...

PAGE B1 t

expand the terminals in the current NAIA land area at a cost of P100 billion within 48 months.

After Phase 1 is completed, NAIA is expected to increase its capacity to 65 million passengers per year.

Last year, the NAIA which has an annual capacity of 30 million passengers, handled 42 million passengers.

Under Phase 2, the consortium will work on the development of

an additional runway, taxiways, passenger terminals and associated support infrastructure.

The proposal includes a people mover to link NAIA’s terminals and connect the airport to existing mass transport in Metro Manila, as well as the option to build a third runway.

Construction of the additional runway would allow NAIA to meet higher passenger traffic and handle up to 100 million passengers per year.

Once all upgrades are undertaken and completed, the NAIA is envisioned to be at the same level as major regional airports such as Changi in Singapore and Suvarnabhumi in Bangkok in Thailand, and be positioned as a transit hub for Southeast Asia.

Amid congestion at the NAIA, the government is pushing for the development of Clark International Airport to position it as an alternative to the country’s main international gateway. ■

Department of Tourism...

PAGE B1 t from the previous year.

This was driven by arrivals from the Chinese market, which jumped 43.33 percent to 968,447.

In the same period, the Philippines saw a 17 percent rise in the number of French arrivals to 64,777.

There was also an influx of tourists from Spain with a total of 36,954 arrivals last year, higher than the 32,097 arrivals in 2016.

Tourism Undersecretary Benito Bengzon Jr. earlier told reporters the DOT would con-

tinue to look for new geographic markets this year as it expands its footprint across the globe.

“Two markets that we will be focusing on very closely are Turkey and Israel,” Bengzon said.

The Philippines has witnessed a rise in the number of tourists from both Israel and Turkey last year.

In 2017, a total of 17,446 tourists from Israel arrived in the Philippines, 4.31 percent higher than the year ago.

A total of 8,408 tourists from Turkey, meanwhile, came to the country last year, up 6.55 percent.

“We have to choose where we can be competitive. We cannot be everywhere. And in some cases, the competition is so fierce in other parts of the world that we’ll lose our plans even before we can get started,” Bengzon said.

Last week Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo flew to Israel for the 24th International Mediterranean Tourism Market(ITM), the largest professional tourism fair in the East Mediterranean.

Teo also met with Israel’s Minister of tourism Yariv Levin, who spoke about the possibility of hiring Filipinos in the tourism industry of Israel. ■

LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 21-23, 2018

B3

Monrovia Unified students inspired to boost leadership, interpersonal skills through motivational speakers

STUDENTS from Monrovia High, Santa Fe Computer Science Magnet and Clifton Middle School joined more than 1,000 of their peers from across Southern California at Monrovia High to learn how to become leaders in a digital society as part of the Josten’s Renaissance’s “Find Your Grind” Tour.

The assembly on Jan. 16 was one of 47 stops across the nation that gathered leadership students from 24 area schools, including Monrovia High senior Mariah Helm. She was a seventh-grader at Clifton when she first joined Renaissance, a student-led team boosting recognitions for their peers’ academic achievements and personal endeavors.

“I wanted my life to be about other people and I found that Renaissance was the best program to do that,” Helm said. “I just knew from the first day I joined that everything we were going to do was going to be so powerful.”

Mike Smith, founder of two nonprofits that empowers youth to contribute to their community, and Dr. Phillip Campbell, an educator focused on strengthening school culture and climate, shared personal stories during the assembly to inspire students to take action and follow their passion – regardless of their background or educational level.

Helm follows Smith’s online video series, “The Harbor”, in which he interviews celebrities, teachers and students on life topics including healthy relation-

A Monrovia High Senior (left) talks about his ambitions with Mike Smith, a motivational speaker at Josten’s Renaissance’s “Find Your Grind” tour that made a stop at Monrovia High on Jan. 16.

More than 100 students from Monrovia High, and Clifton and Santa Fe middle schools were inspired to become leaders in their passion at Josten’s Renaissance “Find Your Grind” tour stop at Monrovia High on Jan. 16.

ships, social media, and stress and pressure. She combined the interpersonal skills she learned

from Smith with the leadership skills she gained in Renaissance

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Spring activities for the Duarte community THE City of Duarte invites community members of all ages to partake in fun filled activities during the months of March and April!

Teens, between the ages of 1518, are invited to the Duarte Teen Center on Wednesday, April 11th to a free youth employment workshop from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m.

Teens will learn how to write a resume, complete a job application, practice interview skills and more. Local employers will be on site to share employment opportunities. Interested youth must RSVP by calling the Duarte Teen Center (626) 303-0863.

Bring the family and say hello to the Easter Bunny! On Saturday, March 31st start the day off by enjoying a delicious pancake breakfast from 7:30- 9:30 a.m. at the Duarte Community Cen-

ter, 1600 Huntington Drive. The breakfast is hosted by Duarte Rotary Club. The cost for adults is $4, and $2 for children 10 years and younger. After breakfast, head over to Beardslee and Royal Oaks Parks for a free Easter Egg Hunt. Beardslee Park is located at 2000 Buena Vista St. and Royal Oaks Park is located at 2627 Royal Oaks Dr. The hunt starts at 10:00 a.m. sharp and is open to children ages 3-4, 5-7 and 8-10 years old. At the hunts, children will be able to collect candy and special prizes will be given to the lucky ones who collect the “Golden Eggs!” Baskets or bags will not be allowed and parents will be asked to stay off the hunting grounds. For additional information, contact the City of Duarte Parks and Recreation Department at (626) 357-7931.

Calendar of Events across

Photo courtesy of accessduarte.com

Teens can join in on the fun at Six Flags Magic Mountain during Spring Break too! On Thursday, April 5 go to Six Flags Magic Mountain with the Duarte Teen Center! Teens will depart from the Center at 8:30 a.m. and will return at 7:30 p.m. The cost per person is $45 for excursion and registration is required as space is limited. Interested teens can register by calling the Duarte Teen Center at (626) 303-0863.■

America

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS F E B R UA RY 22

Immigration forum in Anaheim, CA There will be an immigration forum on Thursday, February 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Brookhurst Community Center (2271 Crescent Ave., Anaheim, CA 92801). RSVP is a MUST to attend. No registration fee required. Please contact (714) 657-7460 or admin@globallawcenters.com. The immigration forum is about employment-based immigration information regarding FAST TRACK Work Visas ( H-1B1, TN, E-3), green card by marriage, family-based immigration employment sponsorship for green card and work visas after graduation. Candidates with H-1B, TN, F-1, OPT & other visas issues are encouraged to attend for a FREE immigration consultation & immigration assistance. As you have already seen there are many changes happening in the field of immigration with regards to the new executive administration and their agenda. Global Law Centers strives to inform the immigrant community of its rights and make sure it is knowledgeable about what immigration processes might be available. The forum will also update everyone about new and recent changes which may affect immigrants and their families.

Fil-Am artist Lynda A. N. Reyes presents at the Women’s Caucus for Art exhibit in Santa Monica, CA Los Angeles-based artist Lynda A. N. Reyes will be showing her transparent watercolor painting “My Companion” at the Women’s Caucus for Art 2018 national conference exhibition at Arena One Gallery in Santa Monica, California from Feb. 21 to March 10. The opening reception will be held on Thursday, February 22 during the start of the 2018 national conference in Los Angeles with a closing reception on March 10 in observance of International Women’s Day. The Arena One Gallery, Santa Monica Art Studio is located at 3026 Airport Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90405. For more information, please call (310) 397-7449 or visit www. arena1gallery.com/exhibitions. To see more of Reyes’ work, please visit www.lyndaanreyes. com or contact her at lyndaanreyes@gmail.com.

F E B R UA RY 24

Filipino well-being training summit in Los Angeles Kataas-taasang pagsasanay para sa kalusugan ng mga Pilipino” — Understanding Obstacles; Charting New Paths.

This training summit aims to honor and recognize indigenous understanding of wellness and healing; reduce stigma associated with emotional and mental illness; and promote community dialogue and connectivity. It is organized by the Filipino Well Being Training Summit Committee led by the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health. It’ll be held on Saturday, February 24 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, 555 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 at 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more info and to register, please visit: https:// www.eventbrite.com/e/filipino-well-being-training-summit-registration-41880032304. NOTE: This event is free of charge to all attendees. Breakfast and lunch will be served on a limited capacity and may not be available to all attendees. Space is limited - please cancel on Eventbrite if you are unable to attend so others on the waiting list can be notified and accommodated.

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

B FEBRUARY 21-23, 2018 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

PeoPle & events

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Duarte Homeless Count 2018: One part of the city’s effort to deal with homelessness THE City of Duarte in collaboration with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) conducted the street count component of the annual Homeless Count within the community on Tuesday, January 23, 2018 identifying approximately eight homeless individuals* and one vehicle* that potentially contained homeless. (*Note; Final 2018 numbers dependent on outcome of demographic survey numbers and shelter count information.)

Special thanks to the Volunteer Center of the San Gabriel Valley for their assistance with securing volunteers and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for maintaining excellent security during the course of the evening. Last year in 2017, 33 unsheltered homeless were identified in the City. In 2016, 23 were unsheltered with 37 in shelter. The year 2015 also had 23 unsheltered homeless identified.

Duarte, one of the original opt in cities with LAHSA, has continually participated in the Count since its inception. Volunteers deployed from the Duarte Community Center at approximately 8:50 p.m. to conduct a visual, driving count of nine different census tracks. The count concluded at approximately 11:00 p.m.

LAHSA’s primary role is to coordinate the effective and efficient utilization of Federal

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and local funding in providing services to homeless people throughout Los Angeles City and County. The County’s data, collected countywide on an annual basis, is used to measure changes in the homeless population. Ultimately this information is used to create or improve programs, deploy resources and/or help lead to permanent supportive housing.

Year round, the City of Duarte employs a multi-pronged approach to coping with homeless in the community by accessing available social services and maintaining an active public safety response through the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Historically, during the daytime, they continue to address any and all violations at City parks and business areas aligned with all applicable rules and laws. At night, park curfew is maintained at 10 pm and code compliance officers regularly monitor abandoned property and shopping carts filled with property, The City also partners regularly with both the Cities of Azusa and Irwindale on the challenges presented by persons residing with the San Gabriel River. Routinely participating in patrols and safety sweeps. However, homelessness is not a crime and enforcement must be balanced with individual civil rights. Our City also dedicates members of the Sheriff’s

special assignment team to target homeless patrols, which occur weekly.

Duarte City staff is also working closely with social service partners such as LAHSA and Union Station of Pasadena who serves as the coordinated entry system provider for the region. Coordinated entry provides a consistent manner of interfacing with the homeless population to determine the need and level of resources for each individual case.

The staff is also conducting a workshop with the City Council in March of 2018 to discuss possible code, signage and infrastructure changes designed to deter extended periods of loitering. For additional information on homelessness in the City of Duarte, please contact Sgt. Tony Osterman, Duarte Public Safety at (626) 357-7938, xt. 304.

About the City of Duarte The City of Duarte was incorporated on August 22, 1957. With integrity and transparency, the City provides exemplary public services in a caring and fiscally responsible manner with a commitment to our community’s future. For more information visit www. accessduarte.com or call (626) 357-7931.

Follow the City of Duarte on Facebook at facebook.com/duartecommunity; Twitter @ CityofDuarte; Instagram @city_of_duarte and LinkedIn. n

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Tighter PH standards...

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The private sector, however, also needs to step up as this “will also help [the government]to formulate a roadmap for such incidents and it would be useful for others to follow so that they don’t fall victim.”

Government initiatives, he added, could extend to the

listing of verified information security firms for companies wanting to get help in resolving cybersecurity issues.

“Securing [data]has to be an ongoing activity and government should allocate sufficient fund for improving [the country’s]cybersecurity posture,” he said. (ManilaTimes. net) n

Dollar outflows from PH...

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These were offset by net foreign currency deposits of the government and income from the BSP’s investments abroad during the month in review.

Meanwhile, the final gross international reserve level as of end-January 2018 reached $81.2 billion, reflecting the BOP position for the same period.

At this level, the dollar reserves represent more than ample liquidity buffer and is equivalent to 8.2 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary

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FOR RENT

SERVICES

PRAYER

income. It is also equivalent to 5.9 times the country’s shortterm external debt based on original maturity and 4.3 times based on residual maturity.

At the end of 2017, the country had $81.5 billion worth of foreign currency reserves serving as a buffer against the $863-million balance of payments deficit during the same period.

The central bank expects the BOP deficit to hit $1 billion this year, and the pesodollar exchange rate to range between P49-P52 from 2018 to 2019. n

B FEBRUARY 21-23, 2018 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

Two Paramount Unified Schools named to Schools to Watch List

PARAMOUNT, CA – Paramount Unified’s Paramount Park Middle School and Hollydale K8 School are two of 22 schools in the state to earn spots on the 2018 California Schools to Watch List, recognized for boosting student achievement, improving campus relations between students and teachers and reducing suspensions and disciplinary meetings.

The Schools to Watch list, created by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform, identifies schools across the U.S. that share three features: academic excellence, developmental responsiveness to early adolescence and social equity.

“We are very proud of the work Paramount Park and Hollydale have achieved through programs and intervention efforts,” Superintendent Dr. Ruth Pérez said. “The recognition they have received is a triumph for Paramount as a whole, and shines a light on the great work being done throughout the District.”

Both Paramount Park and Hollydale cited new programs and practices that have driven student success, including college and career readiness through Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), the offering of robotics, animation, design and modeling courses and their positive discipline system.

Paramount Park most recently scored 80.6 percent English proficiency on the 2016-17 California English Language Development test, compared to the state target of 63.5 percent. These rising test scores were accomplished by offering after-school tutoring, hiring a new counselor and teacher for additional academic support, and by increasing the use of inclass technology to improve participation.

Paramount Park’s Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) discipline system and the Panther Academy’s teacher-student relationship development goals helped reduce the school’s yearly suspensions from 35 in 2014-15 to 17 in 201617. It also decreased the number of students sent to the office for disciplinary reasons, from 697 in 2014-15 to 275 in 2016-17.

“It feels amazing to be recognized for having our school do so many things right,” Principal Kevin Longworth said. “The District has really expanded the opportunities available to our students so that’s allowed us to expose students to new programs that teach engineering, music and even leadership skills.”

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Troy High School presents 19th annual Pilipino-American Culture Night

Paramount Park students show off a robotics creation that helped them earn firstplace in a science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) challenge.

Paramount Park’s efforts in student achievement helped the school earn a spot on the 2018 California Schools to Watch List.

Hollydale Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) students enjoy a college tour at USC. The School’s AVID program has helped improve college and career readiness.

Hollydale has worked to refine student achievement and creatinstruction and adopt a teaming ing an exemplary campus atmomodel by offering more team sphere.” n teaching courses where a pair of educators share one classroom.

Frequent coaching sessions are also available to Hollydale educators who are observed in classrooms and offered insight into areas of growth.

“Our educators identify areas where they would like to be coached and we work to hold each other accountable and grow together in service of our students,” Hollydale Principal Lisa Nunley-Macon said. “It’s an exercise that has helped us remain connected and focused on inspiring our children.”

Paramount Park and Hollydale will accept the award in Sacramento on March 3 and will be honored in Washington D.C. at the National Schools to Watch Conference, held June 27-30.

“Congratulations to all of our teachers and administrators at Paramount Park and Hollydale for all of their hard work,” Board President Vivian Hansen said.

“It’s a major honor to have our schools held in such high esteem for efforts in cultivating

TROY High School’s Pilipinos Sharing Smiles Together (PSST) presents its 19th annual PACN called “Pagalingin...Hearts on the Line.” It will be held on Saturday,

February 24, 2018 at Plummer Auditorium (201 E. Chapman Avenue, Fullerton, CA 92832). Door opens at 6:00 p.m. and the show starts at 6:30 pm. Tickets are $10

Of charmed lives...

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son languishing in jail. That tall, reed-thin Victoria’s Secret lingerie model suffers from bulimia.

That hottie celebrity is a wife beater and is in rehab for serious addictions.

You go through the entire universal data base frustrated and somewhat relieved to find out that your own life with all its warts, is just as bad or just as good as those of others and there’s no one you’d like to trade your life with, thank you very much.

In most cases, the life we have is the life we would choose all over again. We just need to realize that there’s always more to a story and an image than meets the eye. Packaging can be mere illusion. What you see is not necessarily what you get, ergo, the need to dig deep. We are all programmed to go through great lengths to put up a deceptive front to hide the truth — either goaded by ego or the instinct for self-preservation.

A self-respecting gardener winterizes the grass and preps it for the cold, dark days of winter

to give it a fighting chance to survive and thrive in the spring and summer. We ought do the same thing and winterize the garden of our soul to keep it young and hopeful.

I wish I could say it’s easy. But like anything that is worthwhile, it takes time, patience, work, persistence and gumption. But we could start with something basic.

Upon waking up each day, we can psyche ourselves up with an unfailing weapon of choice — PRAYER. Personalized and heartfelt, it is our instant connection with the God of our being.

These can merely be secular, positive affirmations of our own worth and place in this life or it can be the simple act of prayerful acceptance and thanksgiving for all that was, is and yet to come.

Chances are, you’re already living one heck of a charmed life and you don’t even know it. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

Monrovia Unified students...

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to help her in other school activities.

For example, Helm mentors a group of Monrovia High freshmen to help them transition into high school life, including one autistic student. She connects with him every day to ensure that he has academic support and is also enjoying his new environment.

“I started to think in other people’s shoes and consider their situation apart from my own,” Helm said. “In the past, I would get angry and sad, but now I put myself in their position and that would change my perspective.”

Smith also met with Monrovia students in small-group discussions about his book, Legacy vs. Likes. The book describes Smith’s life and how he created his nonprofit organization with a high school GPA of 2.4, but with a strong drive to serve his community. Each chapter poses questions that challenges the students’ way of

thinking and provides a space for them to write their responses.

“Thank you to Josten’s Renaissance for hosting this leadership event at our District,” Monrovia Unified President Terrence Williams said. “Our students were able to connect with influential community leaders, and in turn, learn how to be stronger leaders at their schools.”

Teachers and advisers also broke off into educator workshops with Dr. Campbell on what it means to be a Renaissance school, while also learning how to support student leadership on campus.

“Monrovia Unified offers an abundance of opportunities that bolsters the education of our students and empowers them to become key members of their community,” Monrovia Unified Superintendent Dr. Katherine Thorossian said. “Renaissance is embedded throughout our schools, helping guide our students in developing the strength of character necessary to lead.”n

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presale; $12 at the door. For tickets and more information, please contact: psstfamily@gmail.com / Xavier Siangio at (714) 8043127. n

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LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 21-23, 2018

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www.TravelTradeConsumer.com Asian Journal’s series of annual events showcasing tourism, trade, and business opportunities in the USA and Philippines.

cover story The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 21, 2018

Ana Julaton: Fighting standards in the ring and cage

by Rae ann VaRona / AJPress FOR many, combat sports may be described as being drenched machismo — blood, sweat, hard-hitting punches, and low-pitch announcer voices, are all part of the image. But that description probably won’t fly for Fil-Am professional fighter Ana Bonifacio Julaton who is holding it down in the maledominated sports.

Among other world titles, Julaton was the first to win the Women’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) Super Bantamweight where she insisted she gets the same winning red belt instead of the pink one meant for female boxers.

“The original belt for women was very gender profiled meaning the belt was much smaller and it was pink,” Julaton told the Asian Journal.

She called the pioneering win surreal, but quickly highlighted the fact that women’s boxing has been around for a very long time yet continues to fail in getting the same acknowledgment men’s boxing has. “it’s been around for a very long time, but you’re telling me it’s not only until now that these organizations are starting to recognize women?” said Julaton. in the United States, the first women to have had the first “official” female boxing match were Nell Saunders and Rose harland at the New York hills Theater in 1876 at which Saunders fought out harland not for a trophy or belt, but for a silver butter dish.

having hit the mainstream, both men’s and women’s boxing were introduced to the Olympics in 1904, but only men’s boxing got accepted leaving female boxers behind struggling to get the same recognition. it wasn’t until over a century later in 2009 did the international Olympic Committee vote to lift the ban on women’s boxing, having the women’s event debut in 2012 for the first time since the games began.

For the three world titleholder who was an advocate for lifting the Olympic ban, boxing wasn’t something she initially saw herself getting into. having been a martial arts teacher, it was something she learned in order to teach. “it’s been a journey. it’s something we didn’t anticipate but it’s something that kind of organically happened,” said the 37-year-old fighter.

At her first ever bout at the San Francisco Golden Gloves, where she competed after just a couple weeks of training, she took home the silver which encouraged her to see how far she would go.

She went far, training under under big names like Freddie Roach, Nonito Donaire Sr., Roger Mayweather, and now Angelo Reyes — all especially familiar to the Filipino boxing community.

But Julaton doesn’t only throw punches. She also elbows, knees, kicks, wrestles, grapples,

NBA Champion Ronny Turiaf was also present as one of her MMA coache.

and pins her opponents down as one of the few boxers to also take on mixed martial arts where she sees big opportunities for female fighters.

Double boxing and MMA pursuit it was a family thing, said Julaton, who has black belts in a number of martial art sports. One of her very first memories was learning basic martial arts moves from her dad. More formal training came as soon as her younger brother was potty trained. “it kind of just took off from there. it was something that i loved right away,” she said as she recalled looking up to the few Asians in media like Bruce lee and Dan inosanto who worked with lee and was also Filipino.

“Just being able to see figures like that growing up as a child — it helped shape and hone me to what i am today,” said Julaton.

While MMA as its known today is relatively new, women’s participation in MMA is even newer and Julaton sees the cage as untapped territory for female fighters and boxers such as herself.

Julaton made her successful MMA debut for the ONe Championship organization in 2014 where she beat out Aya-Saeid Saber via technical knockout in the third round. That same year, she defeated egypt’s Walaa Abbas at the Mall of Asia Arena in the Philippines.

Now, she fights under American MMA organization Bellator which many see as being a rival to other American MMA organization Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

While other organizations require fighters to stay exclusive with them, Bellator allows Julaton to box while still pursuing MMA. “As a fighter, it’s nice to actually have direction and have control of my career versus getting locked up and kind of feeling like i’m getting lost in the shuffle with other organizations. There’s a lot more opportunity with this,” she said.

The crossover between boxing and MMA is something that has been sprouting among mostly male fighters. Just last year, the big ticket fight between boxer Floyd Mayweather and MMA fighter Conor McGregor caused a frenzy as fans from both sports made bets on who would take the win. Mayweather just recently pulled out of negotiations for a rematch in

Enrique Gil: ‘Family, career and Liza make my life colorful’ viral, collecting hundreds of thousands of hearts—the icon ManilaTimes.net for “like”—along the way.

While the flowers he sent Sitting down with The to on-screen partner and speManila Times, the 25-year-old cial friend, liza Soberano, on explained his expressive ways Valentine’s Day have probably are the result of Soberano’s wilted by now, enrique Gil con- inspiration. tinues to declare his feelings ‘Forever’ for the beautiful actress via indeed, Gil and Soberano social media. And, as two of have come a long way from the hottest young stars today, their very first team up in the every one of his posts turns 2013 movie “She’s The One.” Since lending support to the Bea Alonzo-Dingdong Dantes starrer, their chemistry has been so powerful that they’ve never been paired with other stars again. it can be recalled that Gil, who started acting in 2008, had been paired with lauren Young, Kathryn Bernardo and Julia Barretto among others in the past.

Soberano, on the other hand, caught the public’s eye as the third wheel in the Kathryn BernardoDaniel Padilla Enrique Gil Photo from Instagram/@enriquegil17 movie “Must

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Be love” and TV show “Got to Believe.”

While such projects helped to build them up as ABS-CBN and Star Cinema talents, Gil and Soberano only shot to stardom side by side in 2014’s most successful TV drama “Forevermore.” As hotel heir Xander and strawberry farmer Agnes, the series catapulted the portmanteau “lizQuen” to fame.

As they pursued their promising team on the big screen “everyday, i love You,” “Just the Way You Are” and “My ex and Whys” and another top-rating TV series “Dolce Amore” has been impossible for showbiz observers to ignore how close they’ve become.

And as they repeatedly tried dodging questions on their status, they finally declared in a magazine interview that they are “in a relationship with no labels.”

Gil since then began calling the 20-year-old his “forever” in his posts. A favorite by netizens was his birthday greeting for Soberano on January 4 over instagram, which said, “To the woman that i call my forever, all i want is for you to be happy in all that you do. You fill the gaps in my life with your love, simplicity and kindness, seeing you smile makes me feel completely and genuinely Continued on Page 4

the MMA cage.

To spectators, the event might have looked like a simple crossover of two athletes, but as actual boxer-turnedMMA fighters like Julaton would say, it doesn’t quite work that way. “it’s almost like trying to play football and basketball at the same time,” Julaton said. “They’re two completely different sports.” in boxing, you have the boxing shoes while in MMA, you fight barefoot. Getting accustomed to different glove weights is just another small difference fighters would have to master. Then there are the rules and tactics.

But even those challenges aren’t at the top for Julaton.

On added challenges On the most challenging experiences Julaton faced during her journey she said, “i would definitely say facing social issues” — referring to her experiences being not only a woman in the male-dominated sports, but a Filipina.

“You have to be fierce,” said Julaton. “A lot of people are always sizing you up, they look at you like you’re new meat. it’s like wolves upon wolves. You have to have that dynamic within you in order for you to survive in training.” like in many areas, women and women of color have experienced having to push extra hard to get their deserved recognition.

This has true for Julaton who has often found her accomplishments overlooked. “i mean right now, what i think is very interesting is that they’ll highlight my opponent a lot more than they’ll talk about me,” said Julaton.

Despite her world titles and having worked with some of the best names in the industry, Julaton has many times found herself

Photos courtesy of Ana Julaton’s coach, Angelo Reyes

Photo by Lucas Noonan

cut short from being dubbed the “next big thing” while opponents with fewer accomplishments have. her nickname — “The hurricane” — for example, didn’t stem up from her quickness as others would say, although it would make sense. instead it was created to help announcers and reporters remember how to pronounce her last name correctly after a well-known announcer butchered it despite having been in the industry for a long time. “i’ve been fighting for over 10 years and there’s a lot of these big media writers, especially in North America, and they’re being paid to be a reporter and they can’t get my name right?” said Julaton.

“That’s the only reason why,” she added. “Because people don’t want to spend that little effort, it becomes too much work so to speak, for them to try and say someone’s name when you want to try to give them respect.”

But fighting is what Julaton does, and she gives partial credit to her Filipino blood. “i’ll tell you what — i think fighting is all in our blood,” she said laughing. “it doesn’t necessarily have to come with lacing up some gloves — it’s through adversity. Time and time again,

with all the stories, with all the struggles we have all experienced as people all throughout the world. You know, we work hard and we always fight through adversity.”

Julaton’s latest fight on Friday, February 16 MMA against American fighter heather hardy — who followed Julaton’s footsteps into the MMA cage from boxing — was nothing short of unsparing competitiveness. The months leading up to the fight were hyped as the two threw threats and expletives at each other, as fighters typically do.

NBA Champion Ronny Turiaf was also present as one of her MMA coaches — he was also present at her debut fight in 2014. hardy ended up taking a win, not through knockouts, but via unanimous decision in a fight that left many MMA fans unsatisfied. The two will next face each other in the boxing ring as part of the two-sport deal.

But as Julaton said prior to the fight, as challenging as fighting is, it’s also the most fun. it’s everything else that is complicated.

“This is something i want to explore, that i committed myself to — this is my career,” said Julaton.

Happy new look, Korina! by riCky lo Philstar.com

The news never looked this good!

That’s the blurb on the Belo billboard with the striking face of a woman who looks like…Korina Sanchez-Roxas?

You pull over and take a second close look and, indeed, it is Korina Sanchez-Roxas. Or is she? Korina never looked this good! Still, many people can’t believe it. how could she have looked so “different,” so “new?”

Without much ado, we’ll let Korina herself tell the whole, the true, story.

Many people hardly recognized you on the Belo billboard. Are you happy with your new look? “hahahaha! Ako din. When i saw the photos during the shoot with Sara Black, i said, ‘Are my arms that small now?’ it’s really in the angling of the face, arms and body. And the camera angle, too, including the lighting and makeup that emphasize what needed to be emphasized.

“Natatawa ako when people wonder or insist it is photoshopped. This is why i posted my ‘before’ and ‘after’ procedure videos. You can’t alter video. And if you follow me on instagram, you would have seen the decrease in weight through the whole year.”

So there were no alterations?

“My activities and the instant snapshots could not have been altered. i use the instagram shot

The Rated K host looks so new that when her husband, former DILG Sec. Mar Roxas, talked to Dr. Vicki Belo, he exclaimed, ‘They say that I lost my wife, replaced by a new girlfriend!’ Photo courtesy of Korina Sanchez

of Mayesa or Robbie Pinera or the behind-the-scene shots of the pictorial as proof that my face is now really smaller and i’m generally slimmer talaga.

“Now, couple that with suddenly curly hair, tanned skin, a different kind of makeup (i always do my own, but for the billboard i asked Robbie to do it), and bare shoulders and chest. it isn’t a surprise that people are sort of...shocked, hahahaha!!! it was meant to do just that. “i don’t look like the billboard every day. So, but yes, i’m happy with my face and my body now.”

How about Mar, what’s his reaction to the “new” you?

“A lot of people have not seen Mar recently because he has been away from the limelight — living his best life.

And i’ve been tagging along with him. i owe it to him that i’m more fit now than ever.

Kasi, hindi mo naman ako mapapa-akyat ng bundok or mapa pag-aral ng swimming if it weren’t for his encouragement or insistence. Mar is on a fitness rampage. he walks almost every day, 12 kilometers with a backpack filled with sand. We climbed Mount Pulag for three hours, with him carrying 12 kilos of our camping gear. i could only carry four kilos! And halfway through, someone helped me hahaha!!!

“So this is our joint journey to fitness. Mar is now slim, no more salbabida around his waist. Mine is just a happy and fortunate by-product of his efforts, kasi sabit ako sa kanya. i had to show him the photos before the billboard came up on eDSA, of course. he didn’t react, hahahaha!!! But i think it grew on him. One day, i was speaking with Dra. Vicki on the phone and Mar grabbed it from Continued on Page 4

Liza Soberano hits back at netizens saying she’s not Pinoy enough

by JAN

MILO SEVERO Philstar.com

KAPAMILYA actress Liza Soberano responded to netizens who were alleging that the chosen cast of the upcoming ABS-CBN teleserye “Bagani” is not Filipino enough.

In a recent tweet by Liza, she defended her co-stars in the teleserye.

“And who says we’re not Pinoy? My father is full Filipino.

I was raised by two Filipinos since the age of 4. I loooove sinigang I think that’s as pinoy as pinoy can get,” “Bagani’s” Ganda wrote in a post on her Twitter account.

The post has been deleted as of press time.

Since ABS-CBN released the trailer of “Bagani,” netizens

have mixed reactions on the teleserye. Some were excited because the trailer was actionpacked and with a good story line dating back to the country’s pre-colonial period. Some, however, were not satisfied because the main characters allegedly do not look like precolonial Pinoys.

Liza’s mother is American while Enrique Gil, her LizQuen love team partner and love interest in the teleserye, hails from German and Spanish ancestry. Matteo Guidicelli is also in the show and his father is Italian.

The teleserye drew flak coincidentally at around the same time as the trending of Marvel’s “Black Panther,” which pays homage to African culture.

entertainment 3

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 21, 2018

Why John Prats enjoys directing

by BOY

ABUNDA Philstar.com

JOHN Prats is the latest addition to the long list of wellloved actors to step behind the camera. John (Pratty as I call him) is into directing. Many may not have probably known that John sat as director in several episodes of “Tonight With Boy Abunda” under the guidance of director Arnel Natividad.

From the early days of his acting career, John had proven his acting chops in both comedy and drama. Thus, the idea of working behind the scenes never crossed his mind.

He revealed to have had felt slightly offended when director Liza Soberano Photo from Instagram/@lizasoberano Laurenti Dyogi asked him if he wanted to direct.

“That was two years ago and that time I still did not have a contract with ABS-CBN, so when direk Lauren said that he felt I needed to become a director, I admit that at first, I felt offended,” John recalled.

“And then I began asking myself why, am I not fit anymore to do acting and instead, I should become a director?”

Nonetheless, John said, he decided to try it. He began

What is the score between Arci Muñoz, Brandon Boyd?

by DENI

ROSE BERNARDO Philstar.com

CELEBRITIES were spotted watching American rock band Incubus’ concert last Saturday night, February 17, at the Araneta Center, Quezon City.

Filipino international DJ and former actor Tom Taus opened the concert with a mix of EDM (electronic dance music) and drums.

Tom, though, was so energetic and engaging. His tribal and samba-like drum playing in between his mishmash of EDM and rock songs brought in the “Bora” or beach “feels” inside Araneta.

Also seen at the concert’s mosh pit were rock star and “It’s Showtime” TV host Teddy Corpuz; celebrity couple and rock stars Kean Cipriano and Chynna Ortaleza-Cipriano; Journey frontman Arnel Pineda; “The Good Son” star Alex Medina; and model and football player Anton Del Rosario.

But among the celebrities in the concert, the one who stood nearest to the band was actress Arci Muñoz.

Arci, wearing a black, vixen-like mini dress paired with thigh-high boots, came in with two friends, who seem to be a

Brandon Boyd and Arci Muñoz

couple, but her Korean boyfriend Anthony Ng was nowhere in sight.

The actress and her friends then watched Incubus at the side of the stage, with Arci drinking and dancing to her favorite Incubus tunes.

But when it came to one of Incubus’ biggest hits, “Anna Molly,” Arci and the band’s vocalist, Brandon Boyd, looked at each other and flashed “I Love You” hand signals at each other.

Is Arci Brandon’s new “Anna Molly”?

Arci also uses the name “Ramona Thornes” to refer to her rock star alter ego.

When the concert ended, Arci exited through the same

backstage door, where a half-naked Brandon and his band mates also went.

Curiously, though, Arci did not post anything about being in the Incubus concert. Her Twitter and Instagram pages revealed that she would be at Okada Manila for rapper Nelly’s concert later that evening.

Is there something going on between Arci and Brandon?

According to latest news reports, Brandon is currently single, but has been notorious for dating actresses like Carolyn Murphy, Jo Bourne-Taylor, “Casino Royale” star Jessica Miller, and Vanessa Marra, as well as model and TV presenter Lisa Snowdon.

Johnʼs wife Isabel Oli and daughter Olivia.

walking to meetings with Dyogi, Reilly Santiago and the heads of non-narrative shows that resulted to the start of his directorial training.

“During my training, I called up direk Arnel to inquire about his shows and the possibility of me going with him on the set so nag-sit in ako sa kanya and I will never forget the first night I was with him in ‘Tonight with Boy Abunda.’ He handled its first episode and then in the second episode, he let me do the task, ako ‘yung pinaupo n’ya. My gosh, talagang grabe ‘yung pawis ko kasi di ko pa alam ang gagawin ko. I was really stressed that time.”

Well, the first time is always the hardest, isn’t it? There’s really a daunting feeling that comes with going into something new.

But look at him now. Apart from having had the chance to direct some episodes of “Tonight With Boy Abunda” and “Gandang Gabi Vice,” John was also behind Moira dela Torre’s music video for “Malaya” and he, likewise, is handling the singer’s concert titled “Tagpuan” at the Kia

John Prats

Theatre. It won’t be a surprise if you happen to see his name rolling on the closing credits of film in the future.

“I have to admit that I truly enjoyed the whole process of making the music video,” he said. “Hopefully, someday commercial and film naman. ‘Yun ‘yung gusto naming puntahan dahil na-enjoy namin ‘yung proseso. We were also able to unleash our respective talents like for example, Angelica (Panganiban) when it comes to her being creative. Sam Milby is a great editor at ngayon lang n’ya na-realize na mabilis s’yang mag-edit. He knows what he is doing so we are perfect as a team.”

In 5 on 45, John revealed more about himself that many people don’t know about. Here goes: “Ako ang mas malambing sa amin ni Liv (his wife Isabel Oli).

“I still get nervous even when I do the same thing for a long time. My hands get cold before the start of the show.

In ‘Banana Sundae,’ sobrang pinagpapawisan ‘yung kamay ko sa nerbyos.

“I don’t eat dinuguan even if it’s Liv’s favorite. Although, I’ve tried it at okey naman.

“It’s a tough thing for anyone to wake me up in the Photo from Instagram/@iamjohnprats morning.”

entertainment Enrique Gil: ‘Family, career and Liza...

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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 21, 2018

From Page 2 happy. I promise to make you smile for the rest of my life i love you happy birthday mi Corazon.”

More boldly on Valentine’s Day last week, Gil posted, “Happy valentines my heart…

Ikaw na talaga ang forever ko, I

love you.”

‘Bagani’ Unlike most celebrities who are accused of upping the ante of a romance when a new project is about to hit the screen, Gil is happy that the public finds his declarations for Soberano sincere.

He told The Manila Times he’s just being true to his feelings even as he and Soberano have a historical fantasy TV series coming up on their home network.

Titled “Bagani,” Gil related how the story will go as far back as the birth of the Philippines, seeing him in the lead role of Lakas.

“Lakas’ role in Sansibuko, the mythical set of the show, a protector of their land whose weaknesses lie in the love of his life, Ganda played by Liza and his family,” the actor further detailed.

He then detailed how rigorous his physical preparations were before taping began in 2017, what with Lakas’ many fight scenes.

“I’ve hardly had to do stunts before so you can imagine how challenging ‘Bagani’ has been for me,” Gil elaborated.

Aware of an ongoing issue online that Bagani is a mere copy of GMA Network’s “Encantadia,” the actor acknowledged, “Hindi mo maiiwasan and comparisons kasi iilang fantaserye lang ang ginawa on Philippine television. So pag may lumabas na ganito, of course they will say it’s a copy.

But having read the script and acting it out already, I am proud to say that Bagani is very original.”

Bagani, which also stars Matteo Guidicelli, Sofia Andres and Makisig Morales, among many others, will replace “La Luna Sanggre” on ABS-CBN’s prime-time line up beginning March 5.

With a string of endorsements, a big TV show to hit the airwaves and reportedly a new movie in the works with his perennial love team, Gil finally shared with The Manila Times he couldn’t ask for more in his life.

“I have my family, career, and then there’s Liza all making my life colorful every day,” Gil ended.

Marvel illustrator confirms Filipino elements in ‘Black Panther’ costumes

by Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

ONE of Marvel’s illustrators, who grew up in the Philippines, confirmed in an interview with Buzzfeed that some costumes in Marvel Studio’s latest hit maker, “Black Panther,” have been inspired by Filipino artifacts.

Anthony Francisco, who is among Marvel’s senior visual development illustrators, said in the interview that as he was growing up in the Philippines, their house was replete with many Filipino tribal decorations, which later on inspired the costumes he codesigned for the Dora Milaje, a group of female special forces in “Black Panther.”

The red and gold costumes were also inspired by African regalia, ninja shoes, samurai armor, and even friendship bracelets.

In his Instagram account, Francisco describes himself as “best-known for designing one of Marvels cutest characters, Baby Groot! and Loki for Thor3, and the Dora Milaje for Black Panther film.”

A petition on Change. org demanded Marvel Studios and its parent company Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures to contribute 25 percent of the “Black Panther” movie’s profits worldwide to black communities to fund their programs.

Petitioned by a certain Chaz Gormley, the appeal now has

Scene from ‘Black Panther’ showing members of Dora Milaje wearing red and gold costumes inspired

by Filipino tribal elements.

Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios

lots of support on social media, as seen through the hashtag #BreakBreadMarvel. The “Black Panther” movie marks a milestone in black culture in Hollywood as almost 90 percent of the cast is composed of black people.

“As black communities across the United States continue to grapple with issues such as gentrification, police brutality, and substandard living conditions, we cannot continue to recklessly support these conglomerates, allowing them to profit off of us without demanding something more than just their products in return,” Gormley wrote in the petition.

“We have the ability to change the conditions our communities and us as a people face, by leveraging the strongest

resources we have: our strength in numbers, and our combined ‘spending power.’ Income inequality is real, and the continued decline of black wealth is something that need not only be addressed, but solved. Underprivileged communities that are only seen as contributors to profit margins must wield their collective power, and become more than just consumers of products; whether that be in the realm of material goods or the arts,” Gormley added.

Starring Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa / Black Panther, alongside Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker and Andy Serkis, the movie is showing nationwide.

Happy new look...

From Page 2 me. He said, ‘Vicki! They say I lost my wife, replaced by a new girlfriend!’ I think he is pleased.

Maybe. Hahahaha!!!”

What kind of treatment did you undergo at The Belo Medical Group?

“It was a three-step process for my face. I do Thermage with Belo once a year. This is deep penetrating heat infusion that causes tightening of the skin.

After I lost 15 pounds from dieting and physical activity, there was sagging, especially by the jawline. Dra. Vicki did protein infused short threads and the result is an instant lift. Amazing! In 30 minutes, we were done. I had eight threads per side but you can have as more as necessary.

“The third step is this machine which only Belo has, called Belo Vita. It is micro-needling of the skin with hyaluronic acid and some other secret cocktail that promotes collagen growth and nourishes the skin. Wow! I became an instant fan of this and I’ve gone back twice already to the clinic to do more Belo Vita.

The skin instantly becomes baby smooth and just looks nourished.

“What a great thing that you can now revitalize your appearance so fast, and so simply. It is important to try and stay healthy and fit, especially at middle age. Just like maintaining a car, you need to check up on things now and then and rev it up not just from inside, but also on the outside. I feel great inside and I think it’s natural that I want to match how I look outside.”

What have people told you about the billboard?

“Dra. Vicki knows that I was never very fussy or diligent about caring for my skin.

Nagse-sermon ‘yan. She would say, ‘Can you please go to the clinic and have a facial?’ My work as a journalist and a daily news anchor kept me from caring for myself the right way. So now that I’m not doing a daily show, the first time in 30 years that I’m not doing daily TV and radio, I’ve finally invested more in myself. Many of us forget ourselves in the process of making a living…like forgetting to actually LIVE. “A male friend who saw the Belo billboard called me suddenly and said, ‘Korina, what a wonderful inspiration the ad campaign gives us in middle age. We can still look good, and we should. I’ve been thinking about it for some time now but when I saw your billboard I just made up my mind. I’m going for a consultation tomorrow.’ Many of my friends felt the same way.

And I say, ‘How many more of our best years are left…20, 30, 40 years na lang?’ I choose ‘live our best life!’”

What is your daily health and beauty regimen?

“Well, now I am more careful of what I eat. The Keto diet worked excellently for me. But

Korina and husband, former DILG Sec. Mar Roxas are, as she puts it, ‘living the best life’…and how!

if you intend to try Keto you should monitor your cholesterol numbers and ask your doctor about it. I lost 15 pounds in less than a month. But then, any diet will require you to stay away from carbs and sugar. And any diet can only work if you stick to it for at least a month before you see the results. And then the test of discipline to maintain it.

“It so happened, too, that Mar and I became very active.

We took up a technical diving course that required me to learn how to swim. I never knew how.

I deep-dive but I can’t swim. So in two months I had to pass this test of swimming 300 meters in 12 minutes. Considering I started from zero and passed this test — it is something short of a miracle, hahaha!!! So I’m often in the pool doing laps.

“And then the mountain climbing and camping became Mar’s thing. We’ve climbed Mt. Pamitinan in Rizal, the crater of Mt. Pinatubo and Mount Pulag thrice. Climbing is a great workout. Ang hirap! For aches and pains, I discovered stretching is my antidote. So I’ve been doing mild yoga. I have a five-pound dumbbell inside my car. In traffic, I do repetitions for my arms.

I do this in the morning or at night, too.

“Inside is more important than outside. So I also consulted an internist and preventivemedicine specialist to look at my blood work and determine every area that needs help. So, with natural supplements I’ve addressed issues with energy, stamina, joint pains, digestion, metabolism, etc. I tell you, it’s a total overhaul, hahahaha!!! If not now, when?”

Any “surprise” revelation from you and Mar this year?

“Huh? Eh, kung surprise bakit ko sasabihin? Hahaha!!!

I’m kidding.” (Stay tuned, folks!

Hehehe!!! -— RFL) Since your workload (limited to your Sunday show “Rated K”) has been considerably reduced, what else occupies your time?

“Ay naku, my workload is definitely NOT reduced. It has considerably increased. In fact, I have a bit too much on my plate right now and I have to manage the stress better. It is self-inflicted, really. I’m doing things I’ve always wanted to do

and I’m doing it all at the same time like there’s no tomorrow.

“I’m currently working on a documentary on HIV/AIDS, which was the subject matter of my thesis in school in 2016.

I’m committed to this because people need to know what’s really going on about this epidemic before it becomes uncontrollable and tragic for the country. It already is, actually.

“I’m much more active now with my advocacies and charities. I’m actively working on providing artificial legs, prosthesis for legless kids. Every leg costs about P30,000 so it’s no joke finding the money for this.

But I’m pleasantly surprised that people have been responding to my posts about children and the past month alone, five more children are receiving their new limbs — for a more normal, dignified life and a more ambitious future.

“We’ve also been more active bringing a one-day fiesta to very poor barangays where every member of the family gets something to make them smile: A free haircut for Tatay, groceries for Nanay, school supplies, vitamins and, of course, the slippers for the children. Then we do a boodle fight. Ang saya! Like, a day of happiness.

“I’m also very involved with the rescue, rehabilitation and adoption of abused and neglected dogs and cats.

They’re helpless and voiceless against human cruelty. Grabe super kawawa ang animals dito sa Pilipinas. We do what we can and we have so many happy endings for many of these godly creations.

“May I plug? Hahaha!!! I’ve also started a few businesses.

One of them is my personal care line called K Everyday. I have a really good shampoo and conditioner which I personally formulated and I’ve not used anything else since. Our bestseller K Magic Skin Cream is a hit. If you’re curious, please visit the K Everyday Facebook Page to know about it and where to get it.”

“So, kulang talaga ang oras. Life is so good. And it’s so short. We have to do the good work, strive to be in top health, fight age like a gladiator, look fabulous and live our best life.

Don’t you agree?”

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 21, 2018

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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 21, 2018