022318 - San Francisco Edition

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

w w w. a s i a n

.com T H E F I L I P I N O A M E R I CA N C O M M U N I T Y N E WS PA P E R

Volume 17 - No. 8 • 3 Sections – 22 Pages

1799 Old Bayshore Hwy, Suite 136, Burlingame, CA 94010 • Tel: (650) 689-5160 • Fax: (650) 239-9253 • www.asianjournal.com

USA

DATELINE Hospitals want to cut back on free care; critics say no way FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

FIVE years after Fresno-based attorney Joy Dockter started fighting for patients saddled with medical debt, hospitals continue to go after them — even though most are now insured.

Hospitals that used to sue uninsured patients for large sums of money before the Affordable Care Act expanded coverage now press to collect as little as $500 from insured patients who can’t afford their copayments and deductibles, she said.

u PAGE A4

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 result-

u PAGE A3

F E BR U A RY 2 3 - MA R C H 1 , 2 0 1 8

Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY

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 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

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, 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

u PAGE A2

Palace on US intelligence report: Duterte ‘adheres to the rule of law’

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte “has no autocratic tendencies” and “adheres to the rule of law,” Malacañang affirmed as it slammed a United States intelligence report tagging the Filipino leader as a threat to democracy and human rights in Southeast Asia.

In a statement on Wednesday, February 21, Palace Spokesperson Harry Roque dismissed the U.S. intelligence community’s 2018 Worldwide Threat Assessment as “myopic and speculative at best.”

“For one, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is no autocrat nor has autocratic tendencies. He adheres to the rule of law and remains loyal to the Constitution. An autocracy is not prevalent, as they would like everyone to believe,” Roque said.

The U.S. intelligence community re-

u PAGE A2

DUTERTE MEETS US-PH SOCIETY OFFICIALS. President Rodrigo Duterte discusses matters with Ambassador John Negroponte and other U.S.-Philippines Society officials who paid a courtesy call at the Malacañang Palace on Tuesday, February 20. Joining the president are Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez, Department of Interior and Local Government Officer-in-Charge Eduardo Año, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo. Malacañang photo by Ace Morandante

OFW deployment ban may expand coverage House panel approves divorce bill in PH

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.

u PAGE A4

After Boracay, Panglao may also face shutdown

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

to face shutdown over environmental issues.

According to Socioeconomic AFTER Boracay, another tour- Planning Secretary Ernesto Perist island in the Visayas is likely nia, President Rodrigo Duterte

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

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 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.

“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

u PAGE A3

by AJPRESS THE House Committee on Population and Family Relations has approved a measure legalizing divorce and the dissolution of marriage in the Philippines.

The House panel, chaired by Laguna Representative Sol Aragones, approved the substitute bill for four divorce bills — House Bills 116, 1062, 2380, and 6027 — on Wednesday, February 21, with no contention.

The four bills were authored by lawmakers across party-lines, including Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez of Davao del Norte, Rep. Edcel Lagman of Albay, Rep. Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte, and Rep. Emmi de Jesus and Arlene Brosas of Gabriela party-list, among others.

The new bill was entitled “An act instituting absolute divorce in the Philippines,” which followed

the title of Lagman’s House Bill 116.

The substitute bill aims to give “the opportunity to spouses in irremediably failed marriages to secure an absolute divorce decree under limited grounds and well-defined judicial procedures to terminate a continuing dysfunction of a long broken marriage.”

During a press briefing, Lagman described the approved measure as a “pro-woman legislation.”

“Because in most cases it is the wife who is entitled to an absolute divorce in order to be liberated from an abusive situation and also for her to redeem her dignity and self-respect,” he added.

Lagman also noted that the measure aims to make divorce more affordable for Filipinos.

“We are proposing an inex-

u PAGE A2

A

february 23-march 1, 2018 • NOrcaL aSIaN JOurNaL

Palace on US intelligence...

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

From the Front Page

PAGE A1 t cently released a report listing Duterte as among the Southeast Asian leaders who pose a threat to democracy and human rights, along with ruling Thai officials and Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen. “In the Philippines, President Duterte will continue to wage his signature campaign against drugs, corruption, and crime.

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

It also cited a Freedom House report that tagged the Philippines as among countries “whose governments used social media to spread government views, to drive agendas, and to counter criticism of the government online.”

But Roque maintained that autocracy does not exist under the Duterte administration, saying that the “media are still able to broadcast and print what they

Palace Spokesperson Harry Roque

want – ’fake news’ included.”

“Our judiciary and the courts are functioning as usual. Our legislature remains independent and basic services are still being delivered,” he added.

The Palace official also insisted that “there is no revolutionary government or nationwide martial law, which U.S. intelligence officials are saying that the president might declare or impose.”

Defending the administration’s use of social media, Roque pointed out that it is “foolhardy not to tap social media as a tool when the technology exists for free.”

Philstar.com photo

“While it is true that the administration uses and maximizes social media to promote government messages and accomplishments, members of the political opposition and other cause-oriented groups use the same media platform to advance their agenda,” Roque said.

He continued, “I don’t know of any government in the free world which does not use the internet and social media to promote its agenda. This is very true espe- AWARD FOR CUISIA. United States Ambassador Sung Kim (center) presents an award to former Philippines Ambassador to the U.S. Jose L. cially in the case of the U.S. This Cuisia Jr. assisted by American Association of the Philippines Chairman Rick Sobrevinas during the American Association of the Philippines latest intelligence assessment is 70th anniversary celebration of George Washington Charity Ball held at the Alphaland Makati on Saturday, February 17.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan a classic case in point.” n

Duterte: ‘PH Rise is ours...

PAGE A1 t

country’s sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea, which is part of the highly disputed South China Sea. “I am ready, to put my presidency, my career as president, my life and honor [on the line].

Atin ‘yan (That is ours). It has been the claim of the Republic of the Philippines na atin ‘yan (that that is ours)… which we called before the [South] China Sea,

now the West Philippine Sea,” he stressed.

The president, however, noted that the Philippines could only make “diplomatic” moves in dealing with territorial disputes concerning the South China Sea. Duterte maintained that the Philippines will continue to assert its maritime claims but could not go into war with China—which nearly claimed the entire South

House panel approves...

PAGE A1 t

pensive and affordable divorce process which would also observe a decent process in which case, litigants or petitioners will be given the opportunity to file their petitions without paying the penalties and cause of litigations,” he said.

As for the grounds of divorce, Lagman said that the provision regarding irreconcilable differences and the right of the spouses to file a joint petition for divorce, cited in Alvarez’ bill, was

adopted.

“Chronic unhappiness,” on the other hand, was dropped because it was “hard to determine, it’s so subjective and it approximates an esoteric ground,” according to Lagman.

“The grounds for absolute divorce are the existing grounds for legal separation, annulment of marriage and nullification of marriage, more particularly the psychological incapacity. But there are additional grounds like the de facto separation for five

China Sea—and with other rival claimants.

“Well, we can only be diplomatic. We can only be talking on friendly and civilized terms,” Duterte said.

He added, “We cannot go there, ride in our whatever, Navy, the gray ships, the Coast Guard and start waving our rifles. We cannot do that today.

It is unrealistic. It cannot be true.” n years and the marriage is beyond repair,” Lagman said.

The five-year de facto separation provision was taken from the divorce bills authored by Barbers, and De Jesus and Brosas.

“Another ground is if one of the spouses had undergone change in sex or what is known sexual reassignment,” Lagman added.

The Philippines is among the only two nations in the world that does not have divorce law.

The other one is the Vatican City, an ecclesiastical sovereign citystate. n

* "9 /Ê 7 7 Ê Ê "1, ÀiÊÞ ÕÊ«> `Ê>Êv Ýi`ÊÀ>ÌiÊÀi}>À` iÃÃ vÊÌ iÊ Õ LiÀÊ vÊ ÕÀÃÊÜ À i`¶

ÊÞ ÕÊÜ À Ê>vÌiÀÊV V }Ê ÀÊà } }Ê Õ̶ ÀiÊÞ ÕÊ«> `Êv ÀÊ> Ê ÕÀÃÊÜ À i`¶

ÊÞ ÕÊÀiVi ÛiÊÌ iÊ Õ ÊÜ>}i¶ ÃV >ÃÃ v i`Ê>ÃÊ> ÊiÝi «ÌÊi « Þii¶

i i`Ê ÛiÀÌ iÊ«>Þ¶Ê i i`Ê i> Ê> ` ÀiÃÌÊLÀi> ö

- , / "

Ê , -- / UÊ-iÝÕ> Ê >À>ÃÃ i Ì UÊ ÃVÀ >Ì UÊ7À }vÕ Ê/iÀ >Ì

([[` =PSSHU\L]H OHZ VI[HPULK TPSSPVUZ VM KVSSHYZ MVY JHYLNP]LYZ PU ^HNL HUK OV\Y SP[PNH[PVU

Ê ° Ê 6 //",

1 6

9Ê /Ê 7

£ää£Ê 9 Ê , 6 ]Ê-1 / ÊÓää - Ê ,1 "]Ê Ê {äÈÈ

ÈÇä£Ê " Ê / ,Ê* 79]Ê-1 / ÊÓxä * - /" ]Ê Ê {xÈÈ

­Èxä®ÊÈ£È {£{{

­ Óx®Ê Èn {ÎÓx

, Ê " - 1 / / " 7 7 7°

6

1 6 7° "

Dateline USa

(650) 689-5160 • http://www.asianjournal.com

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • febRUARy 23-mARCh 1, 2018

A

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

A neighbor’s smoke is toxic – especially to children THaT nasty smell is the first thing you notice. Cigarette smoke is inside your house.

But you don’t smoke – so how’s it getting in there?

Truth is, secondhand smoke is sneaky. it doesn’t need an open door or window to enter your apartment. a neighbor’s smoke can travel through tiny cracks in the floors, walls, pipes, ventilation systems, and even electrical outlets. each year secondhand smoke kills 41,000 nonsmoking adults and 400 innocent children. in adults, secondhand smoke causes stroke, heart disease and lung cancer. To top it off, children exposed to secondhand smoke are at increased risk of sudden infant death

syndrome, asthma attacks, and bronchitis.

Bottom line, unless your complex is completely smoke-free, you and your family could be in danger. secondhand smoke has over 7,000 chemicals—70 of which are cancer causing— and even brief exposure to it is toxic.

You do so much to protect your family. You put up fences and gates. You install alarm systems. You put baby monitors around the house. But your neighbor’s secondhand smoke can’t be ignored. Not anymore.

Talk to your landlord today about making your apartment building completely smoke free.

Protect your family. Learn how at TobaccoFreeCa.com. n

After Boracay, Panglao may also...

PAGE A1 t 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 “conduct 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

Hospitals want to cut back...

PAGE A1 t

“Our folks are already stretched, and they’re stretched far,” said Dockter, who works with Central California Legal services. Patients are treated as if they “just went out and bought a big-screen TV and need to pay for it,” when in fact they may qualify for free or reduced care, she said.

Though millions of previously uninsured people now have coverage under the aCa, Dockter and other health consumer advocates argue that the need for free or discounted care is still great — even among people with insurance. However, four California hospitals are asking state attorney General Xavier Becerra to reduce how much of it they’re required to provide. The hospitals claim there’s less need for charity care because the share of Californians without insurance has dropped significantly under the aCa, from 17 percent in 2013 to 6.8 percent last year. “it’s not that they are trying to walk away from their charity care obligations,” said Jan emersonshea, spokeswoman for the California Hospital association. But “they would have to essentially bus people in from other parts of the state” to meet their requirement because there are not enough patients in need.

Tam Ma, legal and policy director at the health consumer advocacy coalition Health access, rejected that argument. “We find it hard to believe that these hospitals … can’t find people who need the charity care,” she said.

Under federal law, nonprofit hospitals must provide an unspecified amount of free or discounted care — or other charity, such as donations to community groups — in exchange for considerable tax breaks.

However, a separate California law empowers the state attorney general to establish specific charity care requirements when a nonprofit hospital changes ownership.

Three southern California hospitals petitioned Becerra to reduce these state-based charity care obligations by about half. a fourth hospital, emanuel Medical Center in Turlock, has asked for a 79 percent cut.

Becerra, who declined to comment for this story, has 90 days to respond to each hospital’s petition.

He has scheduled a hearing for Thursday to consider the request by emanuel Medical Center.

The California Hospital association sent a letter to Becerra last september, saying that 32 hospi-

tals want more “flexibility” in their charity care obligations. That letter suggests more petitions may be forthcoming, confirmed anne McLeod, the association’s senior vice president for health policy and innovation. about 20 states have laws that give their attorneys general or other officials specific ways they can intervene in nonprofit hospital sales, including the ability to hold hearings or set charity care quotas.

But California is unique because of the “significant requirements” it imposes, said steve Valentine, a vice president at Premier inc., which advises nonprofit hospitals going through ownership changes. in addition to charity care requirements, the California attorney general has the power to establish other mandates, such as how many emergency room beds must remain open, Valentine said.

The mandates vary by hospital.

Frederick isasi, executive director of the national consumer advocacy group Families Usa, said he’s not aware of hospitals outside of California that are challenging their charity care requirements.

He believes all nonprofit hospitals have a duty to help patients afford care, including people who have insurance but are struggling with copayments and deductibles. “as long as families in this country cannot afford the health care they’re receiving, there’s the need for hospitals to do everything they can,” isasi said.

The american Hospital association said nonprofit hospitals already give back more to their communities than they get in tax breaks.

“For every dollar invested in nonprofit hospitals and health systems through the federal tax exemption, they deliver $11 in benefits back to their communities,” said Mindy Hatton, the association’s senior vice president and general counsel.

California’s previous attorney general, Kamala Harris, denied similar requests from hospitals in 2016, including a few from the same institutions that have recently petitioned Becerra.

Becerra “may have a different point of view on it,” emersonshea said. “You never know unless you ask.”

Health advocates are urging Becerra to deny the four hospitals’ requests. They point to California’s nearly 3 million uninsured residents, not to mention countless others with high-deductible,

u PAGE A4

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-to-skin contact and good nutrition.”

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

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

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 facility 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

u PAGE A4

A

february 23-march 1, 2018 • NOrcaL aSIaN JOurNaL

OFW deployment ban...

PAGE A1 t

he can help his family because The president, however, did the economy here, local, cannot not name any country where he absorb the entire workforce who is planning to impose the de- would want to,� he added.

The president appealed to othployment ban.

Earlier this month, the Phil- er nations to treat Filipino workippine government has en- ers with dignity and respect. “The only thing‌ that we ask forced a complete ban on the deployment of Filipino work- is that you give us the dignity ers to Kuwait over reported of a human being, you treat us abuses. The order came fol- humanely, be tolerant of our lowing the death of Filipina cultural differences and do not Joanna Demafelis was found abuse our women because it will inside a freezer while working inflict a long and lasting wound.

Maybe this generation cannot in the country.

In his speech, Duterte stressed and will not forget it,� Duterte that “the Filipino is a slave of no- said.

He continued, “That is why, body.� “The Filipino seeks to work I’m addressing myself, not only abroad to earn a living so that to Kuwait but to the entire na-

Dateline USa tions 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 food).� n

UNICEF: Babies born in poorest...

PAGE A3 t

that “political will to invest in strong health systems‌ is critical,â€? 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)

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

Fil-Am Cook County Circuit Court...

PAGE A1 t ed 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 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

Hospitals want to cut back...

PAGE A3 t high-cost plans.

Ma, of Health Access, suggested hospitals consider extending charity care to middle-income Californians who are having difficulty paying their medical bills. “How many GoFundMe accounts, campaigns, do you see out there?� asked Ma, referring to the increasingly common practice of people fundraising online to pay their medical bills. “All those folks should be screened for charity care.�

Most California hospitals create their own policies that govern who qualifies for charity care and how much.

Dockter helped 120 people who were struggling with medical debt last year, including insured patients who couldn’t afford $50 copayments, she said. “We ask them, ‘Did you apply for charity care?’� Dockter said of her conversations with clients. “Almost without exception the answer is, ‘What’s that?’�

Patient advocates say the number of uninsured people might soon grow if Medicaid and private insurance enrollment erode under the Trump administration. The recently adopted federal tax law eliminates the penalty for people without health insurance, starting in 2019.

Turlock’s Emanuel Medical Center, which became for-profit in 2014, must comply with a six-year charity care requirement. It was supposed to spend $3,348,377 on charity care in 2016. Now the hospital wants to cut its obligation retroactively by nearly 80 percent, according to the hospital’s proposal to the attorney general. The reduction would also apply to subsequent years.

Emanuel officials didn’t respond to repeated requests for comment or information for this story.

Verdugo Hills Hospital, acquired by the University of Southern California in 2013, has requested a 45 percent reduction in its charity care obligation for 2015

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 FilipinoAmerican 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) and subsequent years, according to its proposal.

The nonprofit hospital serves the community in other ways that aren’t reflected in the charity care requirement, such as free mental health programs and injury prevention classes, said its CEO, Keith Hobbs.

And since its acquisition, Verdugo Hills has invested $30 million to improve and expand facilities such as the emergency department, which has reduced wait times, Hobbs said. “I feel really confident in the efforts that we’re taking� to help the community, he said.

Money saved from reducing its charity care requirement could enable Verdugo Hills to “keep looking at other ways to invest those dollars,� such as building a neonatal care unit, he said.

The two other hospitals that have applied to reduce charity care are PIH Health Hospital in Downey and Mission Community Hospital in Panorama City.

(Pauline Bartolone/Kaiser Health News)

NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS February 23, 2018 City of Alameda 2263 Santa Clara Avenue, Room 190 Alameda, California 94501 510-747-4349 This Notice shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the City of Alameda.

REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS On or about March 12, 2018 the City of Alameda will submit a request to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the release of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended, to undertake a project known as Eagle Avenue Water Pipeline Project for the purpose of assisting the East Bay Municipal Utility Water District (EBMUD) ZLWK LPSURYLQJ DQ H[LVWLQJ ZDWHU PDLQ ORFDWHG LQ (DJOH $YHQXH WR SURYLGH VXI¿ FLHQW ¿ UH À RZ WR WKH (DJOH $YHQXH Family Housing Project located at 2437 Eagle Avenue, Alameda, California 94501.

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT 7KH &LW\ RI $ODPHGD KDV GHWHUPLQHG WKDW WKH SURMHFW ZLOO KDYH QR VLJQLÂż FDQW LPSDFW RQ WKH KXPDQ HQYLURQPHQW Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 is QRW UHTXLUHG $GGLWLRQDO SURMHFW LQIRUPDWLRQ LV FRQWDLQHG LQ WKH (QYLURQPHQWDO 5HYLHZ 5HFRUG (55 RQ Âż OH DW the Housing Authority of the City of Alameda at 701 Atlantic Avenue, Alameda, California, 94501 and may be examined or copied weekdays between the hours of 8:30 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. PUBLIC COMMENTS Any individual, group, or agency disagreeing with this determination or wishing to comment on the project may submit written comments to the Housing Authority of the City of Alameda at 701 Atlantic Avenue, Alameda, California, 94501. All comments received by March 10, 2018 will be considered by the City of Alameda prior to submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice they are addressing.

RELEASE OF FUNDS 7KH &LW\ RI $ODPHGD FHUWLÂż HV WR +8' WKDW 'HEELH 3RWWHU LQ KHU FDSDFLW\ DV 'LUHFWRU &RPPXQLW\ 'HYHORSPHQW consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation WR WKH HQYLURQPHQWDO UHYLHZ SURFHVV DQG WKDW WKHVH UHVSRQVLELOLWLHV KDYH EHHQ VDWLVÂż HG +8'ÂśV DFFHSWDQFH RI WKH FHUWLÂż FDWLRQ VDWLVÂż HV LWV UHVSRQVLELOLWLHV XQGHU 1(3$ DQG DOORZV WKH +RXVLQJ $XWKRULW\ RI WKH &LW\ RI $ODPHGD WR use program funds.

OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS +8' ZLOO DFFHSW REMHFWLRQV WR LWV UHOHDVH RI IXQGV DQG WKH &LW\ RI $ODPHGDÂśV FHUWLÂż FDWLRQ IRU D SHULRG RI Âż IWHHQ days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if it is on RQH RI WKH IROORZLQJ EDVHV D WKH FHUWLÂż FDWLRQ ZDV QRW H[HFXWHG E\ WKH &HUWLI\LQJ 2IÂż FHU RI WKH &LW\ RI $ODPHGD E WKH &LW\ RI $ODPHGD KDV RPLWWHG D VWHS RU IDLOHG WR PDNH D GHFLVLRQ RU Âż QGLQJ UHTXLUHG E\ +8' UHJXODWLRQV DW &)5 3DUW F WKH JUDQW UHFLSLHQW RU RWKHU SDUWLFLSDQWV LQ WKH GHYHORSPHQW SURFHVV KDYH FRPPLWWHG IXQGV incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by +8' RU G DQRWKHU )HGHUDO DJHQF\ DFWLQJ SXUVXDQW WR &)5 3DUW KDV VXEPLWWHG D ZULWWHQ Âż QGLQJ WKDW WKH project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to the US Department of Housing & Urban Development at One Sansome Street, Suite 1200, San Francisco, CA 94104.

Potential objectors should contact HUD to verify the actual last day of the objection period.

Debbie Potter Director of Community Development PROVISIONS FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ,I DQ\ SHUVRQ ZLWK DQ LQWHUHVW LQ SDUWLFLSDWLQJ LQ WKH DERYH SURFHVV LV D SHUVRQ ZLWK D GLVDELOLW\ DV GHÂż QHG E\ Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1974 who requires an accommodation to participate or take interest, that person must make a request for accommodation to Tonya Schuler-Cummins at (510) 747-4342 or email ra@ alamedahsg.org. Such request shall include a description of the accommodation sought, along with a statement of the impairment that necessitates the accommodation. Any request for accommodation shall be reviewed and D UHVSRQVH SURYLGHG ZLWKLQ Âż YH EXVLQHVV GD\V RI UHFHLSW RI VXFK UHTXHVW 1RWLFH RI DQ\ DFFRPPRGDWLRQ JUDQWHG will be promptly provided to the requester. The Section 504 coordinator for the AHA is Tonya Schuler-Cummins. A FRS\ RI WKH $+$ÂśV JULHYDQFH SURFHGXUH FDQ EH IRXQG RQOLQH DW Zww.alamedahsg.org.

RPROVISIONS FOR NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING RESIDENTS The City of Alameda has a network of employees speaking some 45 languages who can act as interpreters for UHVLGHQWV VHHNLQJ LQIRUPDWLRQ UHJDUGLQJ IHGHUDO SURJUDPV ,I QRWLÂż HG Âż YH EXVLQHVV GD\V LQ DGYDQFH WKH &LW\ ZLOO arrange to have an interpreter available. Please contact the City at (510) 747-4349 (Voice), (510) 522-8467 (TDD), RU HPDLO OÂż WWV#DODPHGDKVJ RUJ NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY Federal law prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, familial status, and disability. The California Fair Employment and Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on these same bases, as well as gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, ancestry, source of income, and genetic information. The AHA will comply fully with all federal, state, and local nondiscrimination laws, and with rules and regulations governing fair housing and equal opportunity in housing and employment.

(650) 689-5160 • http://www.asianjournal.com

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 23-MARCH 1, 2018

DATELINE PHILIPPINES

A5

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 PNA photo by Joey O. Razon maintained, that the cases filed promote a healthy lifestyle and encourages people to rediscover the joy of outdoor adventures. 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.” ■ 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, on the ground were still ripe for 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. another Marawi-style siege.

But an unfazed Duterte ex- of this year.

“This ISIS group continues to case against President Rodrigo In a recent statement, the penetrate us because they are be- Duterte as the ICC is only con- pressed his administration’s ing displaced in the Middle East ducting a preliminary examina- readiness to face the ICC as he PDEA said it is willing to cooperand they want to have another tion 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 place,” Murad said, using an an- troversial drug war.

“First, the (ICC) prosecutor also said he’s ready to face ex- relevant documents. other name for IS. “This is precisely why we “The chances of having another 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 Marawi cannot be overruled.” so we can be transparent in the The Marawi attackers found there is no investigation yet. It is ting crimes against humanity.

Despite the ICC’s move, conduct of the anti-drug camand looted stockpiles of munitions, just a preliminary examination. cash and jewelry from homes 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 — some owned by MILF members dzMM. hearing, PDEA will support He added, “It only means his term in 2022.

— before the city was retaken by “Drugs — I like to address in terms of the data,” PDEA U.S.-backed Filipino troops in Oc- that the prosecutor is studying whether to conduct a preliminary myself to the International Court Spokesperson Derrick Arnold tober, he said.

PAGE A8 investigation. And based on the of Justice and to the prosecutors Carreon said last week. ■

‘PRO-ISLAMIC STATE GROUPS INFILTRATING SCHOOLS’

MILF chief warns of ‘another Marawi’

by LLANESCA

PANTI ManilaTimes.net

lic nation.

Murad said the MILF was battling pro-IS groups for influence THE chief of the country’s main in schools as the jihadists worked Muslim rebel group warned Tues- to infiltrate madrasas (Islamic reliday, February 20, that jihadists gious schools) and secular univerloyal to the Islamic State group, sities.

At the same time IS gunmen flush with looted guns and cash, could seize another Filipino city af- were making their way into the ter the five-month siege of Marawi southern Philippines from Malaysia and Indonesia, he added, but City last year.

Murad Ebrahim has billed his gave no estimates.

A five-month battle flattened the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which has made peace city center of Marawi on the southwith the government, as a rival to ern island of Mindanao, the PhilIS for the hearts and minds of an- ippines’ main Islamic center, and gry young Muslims in the impov- claimed more than 1,100 lives.

Murad told reporters conditions erished south of the mainly Catho-

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

A6

FEBRUARY 23-MARCH 1, 2018 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

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

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

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

(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

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

Different nations, a shared destiny

PeaceMaker FORMER SPEAKER JOSE C. DE VENECIA, JR.

Philstar.com photo

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,

democratic institutions with its 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 A8

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.

ROGER LAGMAY ORIEL Publisher & Chairman of the Board CORA MACABAGDAL-ORIEL President Main Office: 1210 S. Brand Blvd Glendale, CA 91204 Tels: (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 Fax: (818) 502-0858 e-mail: info@asianjournalinc.com http://www.asianjournal.com Northern California: 1799 Old Bayshore Hwy, Suite 136 Burlingame, CA 94010 Tel.: (650) 689-5160 • Fax: (650) 239-9253 Las Vegas Sales Office: 2770 S. Maryland Pkwy., Suite 200 Las Vegas, NV 89109 Tel.: (702) 792-6678 • Fax: (702) 792-6879

Manila Office: 2/F D&E Fort Palm Springs Cond.

30th St., Cor. 1st Ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig Tel.: (632) 856-4921 • 856-0397 Fax: (632) 856-1661 New York Office: 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 Tel.: (212) 655-5426 • Fax (818) 502-0858 New Jersey Office: 2500 Plaza 5, Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, NJ 07311 Tel: (212)655-5426 • Fax: (818)502-0858

ELIZABETH HILARIO SISON Chief Financial Officer JOSEPH PERALTA Vice President & General Manager Northern California Asian Journal MOMAR G. VISAYA Executive Editor MALOU LIWANAG-BLEDSOE Editor-in-Chief Northern California Asian Journal GERMAN P. PALABYAB Advertising and Business Development Director

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

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

Publition of a Client’s Material does not constitute an agreement to continue publition.

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

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

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

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

Articles published in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. Letters to the Editor are welcome. Letters must contain complete name and return address. The materials, however, are subject to editing and revisions.

Contributions and advertising deadlines are every Mondays and Thursdays. For advertising rates and other informations, please ll the L.A. office at (213) 250-9797 or the Las Vegas Sales Office at (702) 792-6678 or send us an email at info@asianjournalinc.com

(650) 689-5160 • http://www.asianjournal.com

Dateline PhiliPPines

AERIAL DISPLAY. A fireworks show from the Philippine Platinum Team illuminates Manila Bay during the start of the International Pyromusical Competition 2018 at the SM Mall of Asia on Saturday, February 17.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma

Duterte vows to stop cursing — again

by Alexis

RomeRo Philstar.com

MANILA — Is it for real this time?

President Rodrigo Duterte has again vowed to refrain from cursing, a promise that he has made and broken many times before.

“Good boy na ako. Wala na kayong marinig na mura (I am now a good boy. You won’t hear any curses anymore),” the President said during the 20th anniversary of the Chinese-Filipino Business Club in Manila last Monday, february 19.

“I had a dream two months ago and my mother appeared before me and said, ‘Hoy, g***. Tama na

‘yang pagmumura mo (Hey, stupid. Enough of your cursing),” he added.

Duterte’s mother Soledad was a devout Catholic. In his previous speeches, Duterte said his mother would ask him to kneel before an altar for being naughty.

It was not the first time the tough-talking President promised not to say vulgar words in public.

After his trip to Japan in October 2016, Duterte claimed that God had told him to stop cursing or his plane would crash.

He then claimed that he was just joking and even advised foreign and Manila-based media to talk to Davao reporters so they would learn when he is serious

and when he is just making a light-hearted comment.

In a speech delivered on Feb. 8, 2017, Duterte admitted that only two in every five of his statements are true, while the rest are mere wisecracks.

“And so I’m just fond of doing it. Gusto ko lang tumawa (I just want to laugh). Well, at the expense also of myself sometimes,” he added.

Duterte has courted controversy for his frank and outlandish statements and his officials claim he should be taken seriously but not literally.

Duterte has argued that he never aspired to be a statesman or sought the presidency.

Pacquiao seeks probe of OFWs deaths

by BeRnAdette

e. tAmAyo

ManilaTimes.net

SEN. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao wants the Senate to investigate the deaths of at least eight overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Kuwait since 2016 as well as the government’s labor and foreign policies in relation to the deployment of migrant workers.

He filed Resolution 626 on February 13 urging the Senate committees on Labor and Foreign Relations to conduct the probe amid the repatriation of Filipino workers in Kuwait.

President Rodrigo Duterte banned the deployment of OFWs to Kuwait following the death of Joanna Daniela Demafelis, 29, whose body was found inside a

freezer in an abandoned apartment in the Al Shaab area.

Authorities revealed that Demafelis’ remains may have been in the freezer for over a year and there was a possibility that she was tortured and strangled to death.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) issued Administrative Order 54 on February 12 totally banning the deployment of OFWs to Kuwait.

The department is also investigating the death of seven OFWs — Liezl Truz Hukdong, Vanessa Karissha Esguerra, Marie Fe Saliling Librada, Arlene Castillo Manzano, Devine Riche Encarnacion, Patrick Sunga, and Mira Luna Juntilla. They reportedly worked as household service workers in Kuwait.

Sen. Nancy Binay, on the other hand, filed Resolution 627 on February 14 directing the proper committee to conduct an inquiry on the deployment ban to Kuwait “in the light of the tragic fate” of Demafelis.

“The gruesome story of Joanna mirrors the narrative of million other Filipinos who have sacrificed their lives to feed their families and incidentally boost our country’s economy only to be at the receiving end of abuses and maltreatment of foreign employers,” Pacquiao said.

An estimated 250,000 Filipinos are working in Kuwait, 75 percent of whom are household service workers. Over 400 OFWs have been repatriated since February 12.

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • febRUARy 23-mARCh 1, 2018

A

A

Dateline PhiliPPines

february 23-march 1, 2018 • NOrcaL aSIaN JOurNaL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

Palace: DOT chief still enjoys Duterte’s trust

by Alexis

RomeRo Philstar.com

MANILA — Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo still enjoys the trust and confidence of President Rodrigo Duterte despite allegations that she brought too many people with her on her foreign trips, Malacañang said.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Teo has already explained her side on the issue, which stemmed from a report

by The Star last Feb. 14.

“All members of the Cabinet have the trust of the President.

Secretary Teo has explained that there is no truth to the allegations against her,” Roque told radio station dzMM. “We maintain that everything is documented. It’s not true that she brought with her a makeup artist.

She was accompanied by an executive assistant. This will be proven.

Since he (assistant) is part of the official delegation, COA (Commission on Audit) will not pay for it if he has no appointment as execuGIRL POWER. Winning team Centro Escolar University displays its signature routine during the Women’s National Collegiate Athletic tive assistant,” he added.

Association (WNCAA) Cheerleading Competition 2018 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on Saturday, February 17.

ManilaTimes.net photo by John Micah Sebastian

MILF chief warns...

PAGE A5 t “When they (MILF members) fled from Marawi they [could]not bring their vaults. That is where the ISIS was also able to get so much money and now they’re using it for recruitment,” he added.

“It’s very sad. In our country some people say buying weapons and ammunition is just like buying fish in the market.”

The combination of weak central government authority, the presence of rebel groups and long-running blood feuds means Mindanao is awash with weapons, he added.

Manila signed a peace deal with the 10,000-member MILF in 2014 after decades of Muslim rebellion in Mindanao for independence or self-rule that had claimed more than 100,000 lives.

Murad urged President Rodrigo Duterte’s government to speed up the passage of a Muslim selfrule law, the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), to flesh out the peace accord, warning pro-IS militants were recruiting for a new attack.

“If the [self-rule law] will not be passed now I think it will develop a situation where these extremist groups can recruit more adherents, because it will prove their theory that there is no hope in the

peace process,” he said.

“Since they have the capability also to supply money and then they also have the ability to make explosives, bombs, they can just use these young recruits to work out their plan.”

Also on Tuesday, the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) stood firm on the inclusion of a provision in the draft BBL that allows contiguous areas to join the proposed Bangsamoro Region through a plebiscite.

MILF Vice Chairman Ghazali Jaafar and BTC members Jose Lorena and Datu Omar Yasser Sema made the statement after Representatives Ruwel Gonzaga of Compostela Valley and Ferdinand Hernandez of South Cotabato raised alarm over the provision.

It provides that contiguous areas where there is a resolution of the local government unit, or a petition of at least 10 percent of the registered voters, asking for inclusion in the Bangsamoro Region at least two months prior to the ratification of the BBL, will be included in the region, as long as the majority of the votes cast in each of these local government units are in favor of inclusion.

The proposed BBL, a product of the peace agreement between the

government and the MILF, abolishes the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and replaces it with the Bangsamoro Region.

Gonzaga and Hernandez claimed the provision could mean annexing territories in the Visayas and Luzon.

Lorena stressed that the proposed BBL was clear that those wishing to join the Bangsamoro region would be given the opportunity to do so provided that they were geographically contiguous to the Bangsamoro Region.

Hernandez, however, said the opt-in provision would set a dangerous precedent that could hamper the passage of the BBL and go against the Duterte administration’s plan to change the Constitution to pave the way for a transition to a federal system of government.

He pointed out that under the proposed BBL, only 300 people were needed in his district’s 3,000-strong Poblacion to initiate a plebiscite.

“If you will be able to influence around 300 people [to initiate a plebiscite], then we won’t have peace of mind. We want to give our 100-percent support, so we want to see you initiate progress in your area first before adding new areas. Otherwise, our support could be half-hearted,” Hernandez added.

Roque reiterated that Teo’s foreign trips are justified because it is her job to promote the Philippines to tourists.

“The number one rule of the president is the travels should be related to one’s mandate. As I said before, as Department of Tourism secretary, it’s really the job of Secretary Teo to sell the Philippines.

If she does not do it, she would be remiss in her duty,” the spokesman said.

Last week, The Star reported that a makeup artist and office clerks accompanied Teo on her trips to different countries in 2016 and 2017. Teo reportedly traveled to the United Arab Emirates, Italy, United Kingdom, Russia, Japan, U.S. and Canada to attend international travel fairs and to conduct an inventory of foreign offices of her agency.

Tourism department spokesman Frederick Alegre has described the report as “a malicious and foul attempt to divert attention from the good works and representations” of the tourism department.

Different nations...

PAGE A6 t 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

Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo Philstar.com photo

According to him, the employee described as makeup artist in the article is Angelito Ucol, an executive assistant at Teo’s office.

He has also claimed that no government funds were used during the Star Cruises trips, saying it was a result of a partnership between the DOT and the cruise liner. The project allowed “marginalized” tourism employees who have been working at the agency for years “to gain actual cruise experience,” Alegre said. 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 GuineaBissau 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)

(650) 689-5160 • http://www.asianjournal.com

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • febRUARy 23-mARCh 1, 2018

A

A10 february 23-march 1, 2018 • NOrcaL aSIaN JOurNaL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

(650) 689-5160 • http://www.asianjournal.com

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 23 - MARCH 1 , 2018

CJ1

BUSINESSJ& COMMUNITY OURNAL

Visitors report increasing challenges at US Ports of Entry EARLIER this week, President Trump issued a memorandum establishing a “National Vetting Center” aimed at enhancing border security and identifying individuals who pose a threat to national security and public safety. The National Vetting Center, which will be led by the Department of Homeland Security, is another step towards President Trump’s pledge to “step up our already Extreme Vetting Program.” While the memorandum was issued just a few days ago, heightened screening and vetting of applications for visas and other immigration benefits has been underway for the past several months. One area where noncitizens have recently reported challenges is during their screening for admission into the United States as visitors for business and tourism.

For years, individuals from all over the world have utilized the B visa to enter the United States. In order to be eligible for a B-1/B-2 visa, a noncitizen must demonstrate that he or she has a foreign residence that he or she has no intention of abandoning and will be visiting the United States temporarily for business or pleasure. Visitors seeking to enter the U.S. for business are admitted in B-1 status and visitors seeking to enter for pleasure or tourism are admitted in B-2 status. While many noncitizens are able to successfully secure B-1/B-2 visas at consular posts, it should be noted that possession of a valid visa does not guarantee admission into the United States. Admission is to the discretion of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer who makes a determination as to whether a B-1/B-2 visa holder may enter the United States and for how long he or she is authorized to stay. Applicants for B visas should be aware that, in all cases, they have the burden to show they do not have “immigrant intent”—that is, their visit to the United States will be only

Your Immigration Solution BRITTANY M. MILLIASSEAU LORELLA T. HESS AND NANCY E. MILLER temporary.

In the event a CBP officer deems a noncitizen to be inadmissible, the individual may be placed in removal proceedings or expeditiously removed – that

to consult with a knowledgeable immigration attorney before presenting themselves for admission. Visitors who have past criminal issues, have previously been denied admission, expeditiously removed, or who may have otherwise violated the terms of their visas, should consult with an experienced immigration attorney who can evaluate their eligibility. Similarly, visitors who travel frequently to the United States, have close relatives in the United States, or whose past visits lasted for longer than a few weeks, should also consult with an experienced immigration attorney.

As vetting procedures increase, individuals that are interested in traveling to the United States with B-1/B-2 visas or under the visa waiver program, should seek competent immigration counsel to discuss their specific case history. Even if you or someone you know has traveled to the United States many times before as a visitor and has never faced any issues, it is important to keep in mind that admission is not guaranteed, especially with the increase in “extreme vetting.” Speak with a knowledgeable immigration attorney for information on how to best prepare for travel as a visitor and how to respond in the event that you face challenges at the port of entry. *** Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration firms in the United States with offices in Pasadena, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manila and China.

Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com website: www.rreeves.com

“ For years, individuals from all over the world have utilized the B visa to enter the United States.” is, removed from the United States immediately, in the absence of an Immigration Judge and without a hearing or review.

While it is extremely tolling for one to be sent back to his or her country of origin after being detained for hours and questioned, it is often most difficult for one to be faced with the harsh reality of not knowing when or if he or she may be permitted to return to the United States. For those who receive an expedited removal order, the consequences are heavy.

Noncitizens who have been expeditiously removed are barred from re-entering the U.S. for a five, ten, twenty-year period, or even indefinitely depending on several factors.

In certain circumstances, an arriving alien may be permitted to withdraw his or her application for admission and depart the U.S. immediately, in lieu of expedited removal or a removal proceeding, however this is no guarantee. As such, B-1/B-2 visitors planning to travel to the United States are strongly encouraged

*** The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case.

(Advertising Supplement)

ADB prepares $11-B Philippine infra projects for feasibility studies The Department of Public Works and Highways signed yesterday the contract with Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Ltd. for the preparation of feasibility studies and detained engineering designs for new projects consisting mainly of inter-island bridges, tunnels and highways.

Philstar.com file photo

by CZERIZA

VALENCIA Philstar.com

AROUND $11 billion worth of complex infrastructure projects would be initially prepared using the $100 million technical assistance loan provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) last year for project preparation.

The Department of Public Works and Highways signed yesterday the contract with Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Ltd. for the preparation of feasibility studies and detained engineering designs for new projects consisting mainly of inter-island bridges, tunnels and highways.

Arup was selected by the DPWH using ADB’s procurement

standards in line with the provision of the technical assistance.

The contract with the Hong Kong-based firm is the first of three consulting packages meant to help the Philippines prepare key infrastructure packages.

“The Philippine government is embarking on an ambitious, but much-needed infrastructure development program,” said DPWH Secretary Mark Villar.

“Major infrastructure projects involving the construction of tunnels through mountainous areas and long-span bridges across islands are unprecedented in the Philippines. A world-class firm like Arup will help our government generate large-scale, stateof-the-art infrastructure projects,

optimize public investment, and realize our infrastructure vision,” he added.

Hiroaki Yamaguchi, director of the Transport and Communications Division for ADB’s Southeast Asia Department, said Arup has decades of experience in mega transport projects and can help the country maximize its investments.

“DPWH’s selection of Arup, which has decades of experience in mega transport projects, shows that the Philippine government is becoming increasingly savvy in managing large-scale infrastructure projects,” said Yamaguchi.

“We expect Arup to share its cutting-edge technology, inno-

u PAGE CJ4

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.

“Aside from China, we are also looking at other new markets like France, Spain, the Middle East even as far as Israel,” Canizal said.

“These markets have a very big outbound market and at the same time, we are looking at quality

“Aside from China, we are also looking at other new markets like France, Spain, the Middle East even as far as Israel,” Tourism Undersecretary Rolando Canizal said.

Philstar.com file photo

u PAGE CJ4

CJ

Community Journal

february 23 - MarCH 1, 2018 • NOrCaL aSIaN JOurNaL

The CTV Files

Immigration updates

Moreover, USCIS will not accept or approve applications for Advance Parole request from DACA recipients.

If you are a previous recipient atty. lilli B. BaCuli of a DACA grant and your DACA expired on or after September DEFERRED Action (DACA) 5, 2017, you may still file your renewals. Due to a Federal Court DACA renewal request. order, the U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services (USCIS) has resumed accepting requests to renew a grant of deferred action under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Until further notice, the DACA policy will be operated on the terms that were in Credit card payments now place before the program by reaccepted for filing fees. USCIS scinded on September 5, 2017.

Individuals who were previ- recently announced that it will ously granted DACA may request accept credit cards as a form of renewal of their deferred action payment for certain applications, and their employment authoriza- such as Adjustment Applications. tion with the appropriate fee or Previously, USCIS had begun to approved fee exemption request accept credit cards as a form of at the USCIS designated filing payment for Naturalization applilocation, and in accordance with cations. However, Form I-821D instructions in the Form I-821D (DACA Application) is not among those applications which can be and form I-765 applications.

USCIS is not accepting re- paid via credit card.

Consult with a licensed and quests from individuals who have never been granted de- experienced immigration attorferred action under DACA. ney before filing. While it is very

“ Moreover, USCIS will not accept or approve applications for Advance Parole request from DACA recipients”

good news that (1) individuals are still able to file for renewal DACA requests; and that (2) more applications are now payable via credit card, individuals must nevertheless proceed with caution when filing for any application with USCIS. Just because it is easier now to file for an application does not mean that you should. We urge individuals to pause and take the time to consult with a licensed and experienced immigration attorney before submitting any application with USCIS. *** Atty. Lilli Berbano Baculi is an associate attorney with Chua Tinsay & Vega, A Professional Legal Corporation (CTV) - a full service law firm with offices in San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento and Philippines. The information presented in this article is for general information only and is not, nor intended to be, formal legal advice nor the formation of an attorney-client relationship. Call or e-mail CTV for an in-person or phone consultation to discuss your particular situation and/or how their services may be retained at (619) 955-6277; (415) 4958088; (916) 449-3923; lbaculi@ctvattys. com. For general information visit www. chuatinsayvega.com.

(Advertising Supplement)

:8IG< ;@<D 8KK<EK@FE @DD@>I8K@FE C8NP<IJ C<>8C @DD@>I8K@FE `j X 9@> @JJL< k_\j\ [Xpj% D8EP `e fli Zfddle`kp E<<; pfli j\im`Z\j% K_\i\ Xi\ k_fljXe[j n_f dXp nXek kf \og\[`k\ k_\`i i\j`[\eZp fi glijl\ ]lcc Z`k`q\ej_`g Ylk [feËk befn _fn kf Y\^`e Xe[ n_\i\ kf ^f%

JK8E; FLK =IFD K?< G8:B% 8J@8E AFLIE8CËJ GIF=<JJ@FE8C J<IM@:<J ;@I<:KFIP# n`cc efn Y\ ilee`e^ n\\bcp# \m\ip =i`[Xp f] Efik_\ie :Xc`]fie`X <[`k`fe%

8AËj GJ; ZXe _\cg PFL i\XZ_ flk kf k_\d X]]fi[XYcp Xe[ \]]\Zk`m\cp%

:8CC PFLI 8::FLEK D8E8><I -,' -/0$,(-' 8jb XYflk fli GIFDFK@FE8C @EKIF;L:KFIP G8:B8>< GI@:@E> n_`Z_ ilej pfli X[ n\\bcp ]fi dXo`dld \ogfjli\ Xk kilcp X]]fi[XYc\ iXk\j%

Fli gi`ek \[`k`fej ile `e kXe[\d n`k_ 8AËj Gi`ek <[`k`fe Fec`e\% Fec`e\1 _kkg1&&`jjll%Zfd&Xj`XeaflieXc[`^`kXc\[`k`fe

Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS IN the book on disease prevention at the cellular (DNA) level, entitled, Let’s Stop “Killing” our Children, I have highlighted tobacco and alcohol as the two major causes of most maladies known to man, including cancer.

Besides those two risk factors, I pointed out that other unhealthy lifestyle behaviors and habits immensely contribute to the development of many illnesses. The main ones among those are diet (too much food intake) and (too little or no) exercise.

A report in New York published a new study of cancer in the United States, which showed that “nearly half (50 percent) of cancer deaths were caused by smoking, poor diet and other unhealthy behaviors.” That’s even less than what has been reported more than three decades ago.

Smoking had slowed down in the U.S. while obesity has dramatically gone up.

“Forty five percent of cancer deaths and 42 percent of diagnosed cancer cases could be attributed to modifiable risks factors,” according to this study.

This means the risk factors were not inherited or genetic, basically the result of unhealthy behavior and habits, like sedentary life, lack of exercise, eating a lot of red meat, not eating enough vegetables and fruits, eating processed meats, alcohol abuse, sun exposure, and worst, smoking. Regrettably, most of these deaths were preventable!

In 1981, a British research revealed that more than 2/3 (or more than 66 percent) of cancer deaths were due to those factors.

Smoking was the number 1 risk, causing 29 percent of deaths, followed by excess weight at 6.5 percent as a cause of death, and alcohol use at 4 percent.

“Exposure to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight or tanning beds was associated with 96 percent of skin cancers in men and 94 percent in women,” according to the new study.

Scary data on smoking There are 4,000 chemicals (600 of them poisons, 69 cancer-causing) in every stick of cigarette, toxic chemicals like those found in paint stripper, toilet cleaner, rocket fuel, lighter fuel, chemicals in moth balls, the poison used in the gas chamber, and other toxins.

Smoking causes almost 1/3 of all cancer deaths in the world.

Smokeless tobacco — 50 times worse than regular cigarettes.

Passive smoking is responsi-

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

Self-induced cancer

ble for about 6,000 lung cancers among non-smokers and 35,000 deaths from secondhand smokerelated diseases per year.

More than half a million are killed each year in the U.S. alone by smoking-related illnesses; 10 times more than car accidents; 12 times more than AIDS. And a lot more than all the military casualties in all wars in this century put together.

One person in the U.S. dies of a heart attack every minute (mostly smokers). One dies of other smoking-related illness every 3 minutes!

Smoking has orphaned billions of children around the globe, greater than all the wars combined has caused.

Smokers die 13-14 years earlier than non-smokers.

The risk of dying from lung cancer among smokers compared to non-smokers: 22 times greater in men and 12 times greater among women.

Since 1950, lung cancer deaths among women have increased 600 percent.

Smokers have three times risk of dying from heart attack.

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable deaths.

Smoking kills 250 daily.

At least 250 Filipinos die each day — yes, each day — or about 90,000 a year, from smoking-related illnesses, cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic diseases, and cancers, especially lung cancers. In Malaysia about 10,000, and Vietnam at least 40,000, die annually from tobacco-related conditions. Indonesia’s death toll is the worst: 400,000 a year.

The sad fact is that official global tobacco youth survey has revealed that the “smoking prevalence among Filipino youth had jumped and extrapolated to go even higher.”

Obviously, for political correctness and expediency, majority of our legislators in Congress prefer to protect the tobacco industry and allow tobacco to continue to kill our people. What money from the tobacco lobby can do!

Smoking kills. It is that plain and simple. There is no more doubt today that tobacco (cigarette smoking) is the predominant cause of lung cancer, besides other malignancies and cardiovascular diseases that maim, kill men and women and hurt our society, especially our children. In the United States alone, almost half a million die each year from smoking-related illnesses. These are preventable deaths! Demographic studies have shown that smokers are about 10 times more prone to die premature deaths than nonsmokers. This unnecessary loss of lives is at an immense direct cost for non-smokers in terms of

increased health risks from passive smoking, in higher health insurance premiums and taxes, not to mention personal and family tragedies in all shapes and forms.

As we have alluded to in a previous column, secondhand smoke is even more dangerous.

Innocent bystanders are forced to inhale cigarette smoke at their workplaces or in public places, thus increasing their health risk.

The Environmental Protection Agency engineers have shown that even the best available ventilation and air-moving equipment were unable to reduce carcinogenic (cancer-causing) air contamination to a safe level for a non-smoker sharing work space with a habitual smoker.

Why governments around the world allow and protect an industry that victimizes and hooks their young, poisons and kills their people, is incomprehensible, however you look at it.

If you think about it, our government and those of other nations are peddling drugs (albeit addictive tobacco is a milder killer substance) in the name of profit, wantonly sacrificing their citizens’ health and future, shortening people’s lives, causing trillions of dollars or more of expenditures for research as to how to fight the habit, how to cure the tobacco-induced illnesses, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, and cancer, etc. This is plain stupidity.

The solution is obvious: Eliminate the cause, the poison! Then, we don’t have to do expensive researches looking for the “antidote” or finding the cure, etc.

Eliminating the cause would even reward us these added bonuses: a smokeless society, a healthier citizenry, a nobler nation, and a less polluted environment, ecologically friendlier to Mother Earth!

Unfortunately, the senseless global smoke-filled “killing field,” protected by governments, like in the Philippines, will continue.

We, The People, should be fuming mad! *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. For more data, visit philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com (Advertising Supplement

Of charmed lives

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 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

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 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

“Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this son of York.”

— “Richard III” by William Shakespeare 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.

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.

u PAGE CJ3

(650) 689-5160 • http://www.asianjournal.com

COMMUNITY JOURNAL

Why did the embassy cancel my interview?

Immigration Corner ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ DEAR Attorney Gurfinkel: I was petitioned in November 2006 as a single adult child of my immigrant (green card) parent, in the F-2B category. I waited many years, and in November 2017, the embassy scheduled my interview for January 2018. I went ahead and had my medicals, paid all the fees, and submitted all the forms, and was excited, looking forward to my interview.

A few weeks later, I received an email from the embassy, notifying me they canceled my interview.

I do not understand why they did that, or how I can reschedule my interview. What is going on, and why was my interview canceled?

Very truly yours, LB Dear LB: It appears that what happened was your priority date which was current in November retrogressed, or “moved backwards,” such that your visa became unavailable at the time of your visa interview in January 2018. In November 2017, the priority date in the F-2B category for Philippines was January 1, 2007. Therefore,

anyone with a priority date earlier than January 1, 2007 could be queued for interview, as visa was “available.”

However, in December 2017, the F-2B priority date retrogressed, or moved backwards to July 1, 2006. Therefore, since your priority date was November 2006, it was current in November 2017, but no longer current as of December 2017. In fact, as of March 2018, the F-2B priority date is September 8, 2006, which is still not current for you, as your priority date is November 2006.

What may have occurred was the Embassy sent out your interview date in November 2017, when your priority date was current, anticipating it would continue to remain current up until the time of your interview. However, when the State Department retrogressed the priority date, your visa was no longer available, and the embassy therefore could not go forward with your interview.

At this time, you would have to monitor your priority date on the monthly Visa Bulletin. Also, if you have children included under your petition, make sure you protect their eligibility under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA), in case they “age out” (or turn 21 years of age),

while you wait for your priority date to become current again.

There are several requirements or steps that a child would need to take within a year to preserve CSPA eligibility. You may want to consult an attorney to assist you in preserving your children’s eligibility. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bar of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different. The information contained herein including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and re-enactments) is of a general nature, and is not intended to apply to any particular case, and does not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: (866)—GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES

(Advertising Supplement)

Find out how a trip to the US as tourists changed the lives of this family on ‘Citizen Pinoy’ WHEN Danilo and Millet entered the U.S. as tourists in 2002, they did not realize that would be a major turning point for their family. Like many other families, they had a notion of the American Dream. They just did not know how to make it a reality. So when they were offered a job as caregiver, they grabbed the opportunity.

Of course, there were challenges. The lawyer they were making regular payments to, was not

able to do anything for their case, until they eventually became outof-status. There was the constant fear of living in the shadows.

Even their children, who excel in school, had to tone their achievements down in order not to attract attention. They felt like “prisoners” in the land of the free.

They then went to see “Attorney-of-Last-Hope” Michael J. Gurfinkel, who was able to help Danilo and Millet on their

journey towards acquiring their green cards. Their two daughters were also able to avail of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), with the approval of their green cards the same day Trump cancelled DACA. Learn valuable lessons in this brand-new episode of CITIZEN PINOY this Sunday at 6:15 p.m.

PST/EST (9:15 p.m. EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers).

(Advertising Supplement)

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 23 - MARCH 1 , 2018

Calendar of Events across

CJ3

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 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.

City of Carson Gala Ball The City of Carson, California is marking its 50th anniversary of incorporation on Saturday, February 24 with a gala ball. It will be held at Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald Community Center at Carson (801 E. Carson Street, Carson, CA 90745) at 6 p.m. Tickets are $50 / person and $400 / table (seats 8). For more information, please call the Community Center at (310) 835-0212 or visit ci.carson.ca.us.

Free workout with Assemblymember Philip Chen in Walnut, CA California state Assemblymember Philip Chen will host a free workout event in Walnut, CA on Saturday, February 24 to promote wellness and fitness. The event will be held at Walnut Crossfit Insurgent located at 351 Paseo Sonrisa, Walnut, CA from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Participants are encouraged to wear comfortable workout clothing and shoes. Light refreshments will be provided.

F E B R UA RY 27

Workshop on how to brand your small business online in Los Angeles Tara na! Kita tayo sa SIPA! Come and join Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) in Historic Filipinotown on Tuesday, February 27 and start branding your small business effectively! Branding is not just for big corporations. A small business would benefit greatly from effective branding. This will make people want to do business with you. Establish your own business identity and learn how to convey your brand to your customers. It’s a FREE event! It will be held at Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (3200 W Temple St. Los Angeles, CA 90026) from 6 to 8 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided. There is free parking at 2 SIPA parking lots located on the corner of Temple and Robinson St. and the corner of Temple and Dillon St. Don’t forget to bring business cards for networking! Registration is REQUIRED at https:// www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-brand-your-small-business-online-tickets-42550341216 or you may contact Fidji Victoriano for any questions at fvictoriano@esipa.org or (424) 235-5011.

MARCH 11

Fil-Am Association of SCV’s fundraising event and inaugural ball in Valencia, CA The Fil-Am Association of Santa Clarita Valley (SCV), Inc. invites the community to a fundraising event and inaugural ball of the board of officers and trustees on Sunday, March 11 at 5 p.m. It will be held at the Hyatt Regency Valencia — 24500 Town Center Dr., Valencia, CA 91355. The Fil-Am Association of SCV, Inc. is a non-profit that engages in cultural, social, outreach and community service to approximately 8,000 Fil-Ams living in Santa Clarita Valley.

This 2018 marks the associations 35th year in serving the community through its outreach and Fil-Am academic and cultural enhancement programs which include scholarship achievement awards, programs for the seniors, youth and single programs, as well as cultural events. For tickets, please contact Josie Maglalang at (661) 607-5665, Zeny Justiniano at (661) 645-0948, Emie Carrillo at (661) 877-2699, and Zony Gordon (661) 312-3422.

MARCH 14

Philippine American Bar Association’s 32nd installation & awards gala in Los Angeles

CONQUERING THE FEAR OF UNCERTAINTY AND SIX ICE AGENTS KNOCKING AT THEIR DOOR ON THIS SUNDAY’S “CITIZEN PINOY”! After they were offered a job as caregivers, Danilo (left) and Millet (center) took a big gamble when they decided to stay in the U.S. to pursue their American dream. It was not easy, especially after their hard-earned money was lost to a lawyer who hardly did anything to move the case forward. They eventually lost status, and even had ICE agents come knocking on their door.

The couple then consulted with the Law Offices of Michael Gurfinkel, who took over the case, and helped them in acquiring their green cards. Leading U.S. immigration attorney Michael Gurfinkel (right) was also able to help their two daughters avail of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, getting approval on their green cards the same day President Donald Trump cancelled DACA. Watch this all-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)

Business News 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

PAGE CJ2 t

countries except Singapore precludedaone-size-fits-allapproach.

“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 eCom-

merce operator,” the report 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.■

Of charmed lives...

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

The Philippine American Bar Association (PABA) invites you to its 32nd Installation and Awards Gala on Wednesday, March 14. This year’s Gala will feature keynote speaker California Supreme Court Justice Goodwin Liu, a menu of Filipino flavors, and special performances.

During the gala, PABA also will formally unveil its new logo and website, both of which were developed by a Fil-Am-owned start-up and involve colors and designs deeply rooted in the cultural history of the Philippines. To purchase tickets or a sponsorship, please visit: https:// www.z2systems.com/np/clients/paba/giftstore.jsp.

MARCH 19

Glenn Miller Orchestra to perform in Stevenson Ranch, CA The world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra will swing into the Santa Clarita Valley for a special one-night only event to be held at West Ranch High School (26255 Valencia Blvd. Stevenson Ranch, CA 91381) on Monday, March 19 at 7 p.m. The most sought-after big band in the world will take the stage with bandleader Nick Hilscher at the helm, performing beloved hits from their extensive library, which includes “In the Mood,” “Moonlight Serenade,” and “Pennsylvania 6-5000.” Hosted by West Ranch High School’s music program, the concert will be an event for all ages and offers the chance to experience history, enjoy the magical melodies and walk away knowing you’re supporting a new generation of talented musicians in the processes. Tickets are $25 for seniors/students, $30 for general, and $35 for VIP. Prices increase by $5 at the door the day of the event. Tickets are available online at westranchmusic. com, by phone at (661) 222-1220 ext. 645, or at one of the locations: Nick Rail Music - 25868 McBean Pkwy., Valencia, CA, (661) 288-2345; Nationwide Insurance, 23236 Lyons Ave. #205, Newhall, CA, (661) 254-1714; Innovations Salon - 25830 The Old Road, Stevenson Ranch, CA. (661) 255-5580; or Bella Cucina - 27911 Seco Canyon Rd. in Saugus, (661) 263-1414.

APRIL

East West Players’ 52nd Visionary Awards & Silent Auction in Los Angeles East West Players celebrates its 52nd Anniversary at the Annual Visionary Awards Dinner & Silent Auction. The Visionary Awards laud the achievements of individuals who have raised the visibility of the Asian Pacific American (APA) community through their craft. Proceeds from the gala will benefit East West Players’ educational and artistic programs. It will be held at the Hilton Universal City (555 Universal Hollywood Drive, Universal City, CA 91608) on Monday, April 30. At 5:30 p.m., VIP Reception*, silent auction, and registration begin.

Dinner and awards show begin at 7:00 p.m. For more information, please visit: http://www. eastwestplayers.org/news/east-west-players-52nd-anniversary-visionary-awards-dinner-andsilent-auction/.

APRIL 14

SALIDA: Simbolo at Kultura in Queens, NY AFTA presents its latest fundraising event - “SALIDA: Simbolo at Kultura” – a cultural dinner show featuring the internationally recognized dance troupe from the Philippines, the Leyte Dance Theater, which will kick off their USA TOUR 2018 in NYC. The event is on April 14, 2018, 3:00 pm at the Rock Church in Woodside, Queens. “Salida” aims to raise funds and awareness to support the flagship projects of the Association of Fil-am Teachers of America, Inc. (AFTA) with their partners: The Rock Churches Worldwide and the Leyte Biliran & Samar Federation.

Proceeds of this fundraiser will finance AFTA’s projects in the Philippines like Adopt a School (Marawi City, Biliran and Albay, Adopt a Scholar, and Balikturo). For Sponsorship opportunities, contact Roxanne at 347-932-6631 or Nitz at 862-368-1706 or any AFTA officer/ board member.

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

CJ

february 23 - MarCH 1, 2018 • NOrCaL aSIaN JOurNaL

Business news

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

Alibaba urged to partner with government NAIA proposal of super consortium

by Mary

Grace Philstar.com

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 Febru-

ary 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.

“I will report to the president that there are many elements here that we could use in the Philippines, including in the area of security management,” Dominguez said during the meeting.

Dominguez said technology is a tool that can help not only in reducing poverty, but also in maintaining law and order.

Ma, for his part, said the Phil-

ippines has a “huge potential” to embrace the digital revolution, especially because he believes e-commerce was designed for developing countries.

“This delegation coming here made a very brave and inspiring step forward to embrace and understand the technology revolution. Someday, I think the Alibaba people would be very happy to go to the Philippines to learn from you,” Ma said.

“The Filipinos are a great and kind people and I have a lot of people working together who come from the Philippines. I think they are intelligent, hardworking and professional,” he said.

The New Economy Workshop for Philippine officials is the first overseas government training program organized by the Alibaba Business School.

The workshop included topics on e-commerce development in China, inclusive finance through digital technologies, rural e-commerce development, and smart logistics in the digital economy. n

Philippine infra projects for feasibility...

PAGE CJ1 t

vation, and know-how with the government. ADB looks forward to continuing to work with both DPWH and Arup to help the government realize its ambitious projects under the Build Build Build program,” he added.

In October last year, ADB extended a $100 million technical assistance loan, also known as the Infrastructure Preparation and Innovation Facility (IPIF), to the Philippine government to fund pre-investment activities for connective infrastructure projects and other vital projects. This is meant to accelerate the delivery of high-quality public infrastructure projects under the ambitious Build Build Build program.

This will support the preparation of several flagship infrastructure projects implemented by the DPWH and Department of Transportation (DOTr). These cover public infrastructure investments in complex road networks, long-span bridges, flood control systems, ports, airports and railways.

The Philippine government would contribute $64.06 million to the fund, bringing the total cost of the facility to $164.06 million.

On top of the fund is a $5 million technical assistance grant

EMPLOYMENT

which would be used for capacity building in relevant government agencies with regards to project facilitation, monitoring and reduction of infrastructure bottlenecks, as well as addressing operational issues in various stages of project planning, construction, and operation.

Specifically, the fund may be used for the conduct of masterplanning, feasibility studies, and detailed engineering design and preparation of bidding documents.

The fund may also be tapped to conduct due diligence review of existing feasibility studies conducted by the government with other development partners.

Use of the facility is expected to shorten the startup periods for priority infrastructure projects without compromising quality as the government will have ready access to ADB’s competitive bidding process for international consultants that will be engaged for project preparation. This process will take several months to complete using the government’s procurement system.

DPWH’s contract with Arup is the first of the three consulting packages under the IPIF. ADB said the remaining two contracts covering the preparation of DPWH’s flood manage-

ment projects and the DOTr’s projects are expected to be finalized shortly.

Projects lined up for the conduct of pre-investment studies as identified by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)—where project approval goes through--include the following: North Eastern Luzon Expressway, revisiting of the Laguna Lakeshore Project, LeyteSurigao Bridge, Sorsogon Samar Bridge, Panay-Guimaras-Negros Bridge, Samal Island-Davao Connector Project, Cebu-Negros Bridge and Bataan-Cavite Bridge.

River basin projects meant to improve water resource management and flood control include the Apayao -Abulug, Abra River, Jalaur River, Agus River, BuayanMalungon and Tagum-Libuganon.

For rail and transportation, the IPIF would be used to “improve the viability and costings” of the following projects: PNR South Long Haul and PNR South Commuter, M’Lang Airport, Mindanao Railway, New Cebu International Container Port and New Cebu International Container Port.

Also lined up for pre-investment preparation is the National Greenways and Non-Notorized Transport Development Project of the DPWH. n

SERVICES

to undergo 2-month evaluation

by LooueLLa

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 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.

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

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. n

Department of Tourism targets...

PAGE CJ1 t

als 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 continue to look for new geographic markets this year as it expands its foot-

print 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

SERVICES

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. n

(650) 689-5160 • http://www.asianjournal.com

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 23 - MARCH 1 , 2018

CJ5

People & Events Home for all launches online second Emergency preparedness – CERT Training

unit center to promote new housing

LIVING on a fixed income, Anna didn’t know what to do when her Pacifica landlord doubled the rent. Bill and Ruthie in Half Moon Bay wanted to give their adult developmentally challenged son his own space but had few feasible housing options.

Surinder sought a way to generate income from her Menlo Oaks property. Three different cases, one growingly simple answer — second units.

These local success stories are among the examples, tips and tools offered on the new Second Unit Resources Center, a onestop webpage developed by regional housing initiative Home for All. Also known as in-law suits, granny flats and accessory dwelling units, these self-contained secondary housing options benefit their owners and contribute to filling the housing gap on the Peninsula.

Visitors to www.secondunitcentersmc.org can be inspired by real-life stories, consider very real floorplans design templates, calculate potential costs and learn about specific construction and permit regulations in the city or unincorporated area where they live.

“Recent changes to state law make the process of building a second unit more streamlined and efficient. And in fact, they are one of the simplest solutions to expand housing in our single-family residential neighborhoods,” said County Supervisor Warren Slocum, who co-chairs Home for All . “But the partners in Home for All realize the process can still be daunting which is why we created the Second Unit Resources Center to help homeowners navigate the steps through this opportunity.”

Home for All formally unveiled the Second Unit Resources Cen-

ter last week at a convening of its members and other stakeholders. Author Kol Peterson, owner of the world’s first tiny house hotel and author of “Backdoor Revolution — the Definitive Guide to ADU Development,” addressed the group about how the second unit success of Portland, Oregon might be replicated here.

“ADUs are going to become very mainstream in the next two to five years in major U.S. cities.

ADUs are poised to present a viable solution for cities that are experiencing a housing crisis, and exploring how to increasing housing opportunities within their single family residential zones,” Peterson said.

In San Mateo County, those opportunities are abundant. A 2017 study by U.C. Berkeley’s Center for Community Innovation concluded that: • In the unincorporated area of the county alone, there are 726 permitted second units; • In the same area, the study identified 15187 parcels that could accommodate a second unit based on recently updated County regulations; • Approximately 54 percent of single-family homes in the county are deemed “underutilized,” meaning they have more bedrooms than occupants; • 18 percent of homes in the county have adult children; • 7 percent of homes include extended family.

County housing and planning staff also project that building a $100,000 second unit and renting it out at market rate could produce cumulative net income of more than $1 million over 30 years.

“In an area like ours which has more jobs than homes and limited space for development of new affordable housing, adding these

units to existing parcels can be a win-win,” said County Supervisor and Home for All Co-Chair Don Horsley “They help families stay together, ease traffic by providing a home closer to a Peninsula job and offer the chance for extra income.”

Solving the problems of housing and traffic spurred the Closing the Jobs/Housing Taskforce in 2016. That taskforce developed a menu of possible housing solutions that each jurisdiction could tailor for its own needs and established a work plan for the subsequent Home for All initiative. Along with securing support, funding and land, the initiative also set out to establish an online Second Unit Center.

“I am proud to see this goal come to fruition and will be even prouder when we see the growing number of second units strengthening the fabric of our community,” Horsley said.

The Second Unit Resources Center does not address issues related to unpermitted second units. However, the Board of Supervisors at is Jan. 23, 2018, meeting did adopt a Second Unit Amnesty Program to rehabilitate and improve the safety of such units in the unincorporated area.

About Home for All The Home for All Initiative builds on the work of the Closing the Jobs/Housing Gap Task Force and is led by County Supervisors Don Horsley and Warren Slocum.

Members include the County, its cities, community partners and agencies focused on housing, education and government. It’s mission is closing the 26:1 jobs/ housing gap through collaborative efforts and establishing a climate in San Mateo County where a diversity of housing is produced and preserved. Learn more at www.homeforallsmc.com

ARE you prepared if a disaster strikes? Join the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training presented by the San Bruno Fire Department! Participants in the 20-hour series of classes will learn how to be part of neighborhood response teams and cross-trained in basic emergency skills.

See the flyer at www.sanbruno.ca.gov/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=28950 for additional details on dates, times and location.

To register, contact the San Bruno Fire CERT Hotline at (650) 616-7015 or swaldvogel@sanbruno.ca.gov

SSF Veterans Resource Center now open WE would like to say thank you to all that attended the grand opening of the South San Francisco Veterans Resource Center.

Late last year we signed up to participate in the Veterans Connect @ the Library project, to be a place where military veterans can find out information on the services and resources available to them in San Mateo County and California.

In partnership with CalVet, our number one objective is to teach veterans and their families about state and federal education, employment, housing, health, disability and other benefits that may be available. Our brand new center will be continuously evolving as we begin interacting with the north county veteran community. Veterans can drop into our center during designated hours or make an appointment to speak to a trained volunteer.

Please visit our website for more information.

Volunteers wanted We are seeking compassionate, service oriented volunteers to improve the lives of veterans and their families by assisting in our Veterans Resource Center.

If you would like to volunteer as a Veterans Benefits Coach or a Community Outreach Specialist, please email Stacy Lein at ssfpladm@plsinfo.org.

WE ARE

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

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

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

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

HIRING Asian Journal Publications is now looking for:

Customer Sales and Service Representative Fax résumé to:

CJ

february 23 - MarCH 1, 2018 • NOrCaL aSIaN JOurNaL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

Friday, February 23, 2018

SF2

cover story The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - February 23, 2018

‘The King and I’ goes onstage in the Bay Area Fil-Am artists Brian Rivera and Joan Almedilla take lead roles

RodgeRs & Hammerstein’s “The King & I” goes onstage at the Center for the Performing Arts in san Jose from February 20-25. The Lincoln Center Theater’s critically acclaimed production is directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett sher and has won four 2015 Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical.

“The King and I” is one of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s finest works, and boasts a musical score which features such beloved classics as “getting To Know You,” “I Whistle a Happy Tune,” “Hello Young Lovers,” “shall We dance” and “something Wonderful.” set in Bangkok in the 1860’s, the musical tells the story of the unconventional and tempestuous relationship that develops between the King of siam and Anna Leonowens, a British schoolteacher whom the modernist King, in an imperialistic world, brings to siam to teach his many wives and children.

Headlining as the King of siam for part of the performances is Bay Area native and Filipino-American Brian Rivera. Born and raised in sacramento, Rivera has a drama degree from san Francisco state.

Aside from being in the cast of “The King

and I,” Rivera has also performed in a number of stage productions such as “The orphan of Zhao,” and “Major Barbara” with the American Conservatory Theater; “American Night” and “Hamlet” with California shakespeare Theater.

He also has appeared on TV shows like “Trauma” and “Cuff Me If You Can.” Rivera will be playing the King of siam on February 20, 24 and 25, and is also performing as the Kralahome.

Another Fil-Am artist in the cast is Joan Almedilla as Lady Thiang, who is also no stranger to Broadway, as she has starred as Kim in the musical “Miss saigon,” and Fantine on the Third National Tour of “Les Miserables.” she also starred as Imelda Marcos in “Here Lies Love,” at Carnegie Hall.

Joining Rivera and Almedilla are Laura Michelle Kelly as Anna Leonowens, darren Lee as the Kralahome, Q Lim as Tuptim, Kavin Panmeechao as Lun Tha, Anthony Chan as Prince Chulalongkorn, Rhyees stump as Louis Leonowens and Patrick Boll as Captain orton/sir edward Ramsey.

Presented as part of the Broadway san Jose,

Joan Almedilla

Brian Rivera

“The King and I” will be onstage until February 25 at the Center for the Performing Arts, 255 s.

Almaden Blvd. in san Jose. schedule performances are: Thursday, February 22 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, February 23 at 8 p.m.; saturday, February 24 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and sunday, February 25 at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. single tickets are $48-$128 and on sale online at www.ticketmaster.com, in-person at the City National Civic Box office (150 W. san Carlos st., san Jose) or by calling 800-982-ARTs

Laura Michelle Kelly as Anna and the Royal Children.

(2787).

For more information, please visit www. thekinganditour.com. (AJPress) *On cover: Top left: Michiko Takemasa as Little Eva. Top right: Joan Almedilla as Lady Thiang.

Middle: The cast of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “The King and I.” Bottom: Q Lim as Tuptim and Kavin Panmeechao as Lun Tha. (Photo by Jeremy Daniel) All other photos by Matthew Murphy

Enrique Gil: ‘Family, career and Liza make my life colorful’

by Christina

alpad ManilaTimes.net

WHILe the flowers he sent to on-screen partner and special friend, Liza soberano, on Valentine’s day have probably wilted by now, enrique gil continues to declare his feelings for the beautiful actress via social media. And, as two of the hottest young stars today, every one of his posts turns viral, collecting hundreds of thousands of hearts—the icon for “like”—along the way. sitting down with The Manila Times, the 25-year-old explained his expressive ways are the result of soberano’s inspiration.

‘Forever’ Indeed, gil and soberano have come a long way from their very first team up in the 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 Bernardo-daniel Padilla movie “Must Be Love” and TV show “got to Believe.”

Enrique Gil

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

ABS-CBN photos

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 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 furContinued on Page SF3

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

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?

Can you spot Korina in this photo with friends led by Dr. Vicki Belo who is credited for creating the Rated K host’s ‘new look’?

“My activities and the instant snapshots could not have been altered. I use the Instagram shot 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 Continued on Page SF3

features SF3 The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE – February 23, 2018

Lombard by The Bay: Your best option for property investment

Be fair to your hair

By Monet

“FIRST BUYER. Vince Samson, vice president of marketing; Geralou Sagun, chief admin officer; Rene Cinco, Premier Asia president and CEO; Victor Sy, CPA; Roger Oriel, Asian Journal Publications CEO in the Asian Journal headquarters for the contract signing of Lombard by The Bay on Wednesday, February 21.”

PREMIER Asia Pacific’s newest residential and commercial development, Lombard by The Bay, is garnering an influx of interested buyers looking to own one of the semi-modern condominium units.

Victor Sy, a balikbayan and Lombard

by The Bay’s official first buyer, admitted that he initially didn’t have plans in buying a property when he was invited to go to Montemaria. “But I was so moved by the scenery, the beauty, the bay, and the statue of Mama Mary,” he explained. “I was even more amazed by the size of it, dwarfing the famous Christ the Redeemer in Brazil and the Statue of Liberty in the United States in height.”

Lombard by The Bay’s amenities and facilities make it an excellent choice as the future home for hundreds of locals and overseas Filipinos. One can utilize the condominium’s gym, take a refreshing dip in the pool, and hang out in the clubhouse. The manicured gardens resembling the famous Lombard street in San Francisco, the 180 degree view of the Batangas bay, and the proximity to the tallest statue of the Virgin

Mary, make Lombard by The Bay perfect for a religious tourism destination for pilgrims, devotees, and tourists alike.

“I would recommend Lombard by The Bay [to others] for the same reason I bought [a property] for myself,” Sy said, reiterating the condominium’s various amenities that enticed him to buy a penthouse unit and a one-bedroom unit in the first place. “It will definitely make me travel and visit the Philippines more often.”

The 2.1 hectares development is a joint venture between Premier Asia Pacific Real Estate and Development, Inc. and Omnicor Industrial Estate & Realty Center, Inc Premier Asia Pacific Real Estate and Development is a real estate company that believes in the economic development of the Philippines and catering to the needs of developers and buyers looking to expand their property and investment portfolio.

Premier Asia Pacific’s mission is to reconnect overseas Filipinos back to their Philippine roots by offering a complete package of real estate investment services in the Motherland.

Enrique Gil: ‘Family, career...

From Page SF2 ther 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

Happy new look...

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.

ful of what I eat. The Keto diet worked excellently for me. But From Page SF2 if you intend to try Keto you ance so fast, and so simply. It is more salbabida around his waist. important to try and stay healthy should monitor your cholesterol numbers and ask your doctor Mine is just a happy and fortuand fit, especially at middle about it. I lost 15 pounds in less nate by-product of his efforts, age. Just like maintaining a car, than a month. But then, any diet kasi sabit ako sa kanya. I had to you need to check up on things will require you to stay away show him the photos before the now and then and rev it up not from carbs and sugar. And any billboard came up on EDSA, of just from inside, but also on the diet can only work if you stick to course. He didn’t react, hahaoutside. I feel great inside and it for at least a month before you haha!!! But I think it grew on him. I think it’s natural that I want to see the results. And then the test One day, I was speaking with match how I look outside.”

Dra. Vicki on the phone and Mar What have people told you of discipline to maintain it.

“It so happened, too, that grabbed it from me. He said, about the billboard?

Mar and I became very active.

‘Vicki! They say I lost my wife, “Dra. Vicki knows that I was We took up a technical diving replaced by a new girlfriend!’ never very fussy or diligent about course that required me to learn I think he is pleased. Maybe. caring for my skin. Nagse-serhow to swim. I never knew how.

Hahahaha!!!” mon ‘yan. She would say, ‘Can I deep-dive but I can’t swim. So What kind of treatment did you please go to the clinic and you undergo at The Belo Medi- have a facial?’ My work as a jour- in two months I had to pass this test of swimming 300 meters in cal Group? nalist and a daily news anchor 12 minutes. Considering I started “It was a three-step process kept me from caring for myself from zero and passed this test for my face. I do Thermage with the right way. So now that I’m — it is something short of a Belo once a year. This is deep not doing a daily show, the first miracle, hahaha!!! So I’m often in penetrating heat infusion that time in 30 years that I’m not docauses tightening of the skin. ing daily TV and radio, I’ve finally the pool doing laps.

“And then the mountain After I lost 15 pounds from diet- invested more in myself. Many climbing and camping became ing and physical activity, there of us forget ourselves in the Mar’s thing. We’ve climbed Mt. was sagging, especially by the process of making a living…like Pamitinan in Rizal, the crater of jawline. Dra. Vicki did protein forgetting to actually LIVE. Mt. Pinatubo and Mount Pulag infused short threads and the re“A male friend who saw the thrice. Climbing is a great worksult is an instant lift. Amazing! In Belo billboard called me sudout. Ang hirap! For aches and 30 minutes, we were done. I had denly and said, ‘Korina, what pains, I discovered stretching is eight threads per side but you a wonderful inspiration the ad my antidote. So I’ve been doing can have as more as necessary. campaign gives us in middle “The third step is this maage. We can still look good, and mild yoga. I have a five-pound dumbbell inside my car. In traffic, chine which only Belo has, called we should. I’ve been thinking I do repetitions for my arms. I do Belo Vita. It is micro-needling about it for some time now but this in the morning or at night, of the skin with hyaluronic acid when I saw your billboard I just and some other secret cocktail made up my mind. I’m going for too.

“Inside is more important that promotes collagen growth a consultation tomorrow.’ Many than outside. So I also consulted and nourishes the skin. Wow! I of my friends felt the same way. an internist and preventivebecame an instant fan of this and And I say, ‘How many more of medicine specialist to look at I’ve gone back twice already to our best years are left…20, 30, my blood work and determine the clinic to do more Belo Vita.

40 years na lang?’ I choose ‘live every area that needs help. So, The skin instantly becomes baby our best life!’” with natural supplements I’ve smooth and just looks nourished.

What is your daily health addressed issues with energy, “What a great thing that you and beauty regimen?

Continued on Page SF4 can now revitalize your appear“Well, now I am more care-

Lu

IN my previous articles, I have featured entertainment, personality, fashion, style, love story and other happenings in showbiz and community events.

This week I want to answer some queries from our readers, who emailed me about their hair concerns.

With my experience in the hair and beauty industry, I was able to gather information and answers about this topic. Some of these concerns are common.

I’ve encountered most of them personally in my salon.

I am frequently asked if hair color causes major damage to hair. Hair coloring products today are not enough to weaken hair. In fact, some contain extra ingredients that may leave hair shinier than before. It can’t hurt to consult a professional stylist the first time you do anything permanent to your hair or scalp, for the right tone and shades.

Scientifically hair grows a half-inch per month. Whether you cut it or not, it will grow slightly faster during summer, but that has nothing to do with cutting it often. Doctors say that it is because of hormones, which affects hair growth. The only thing a trim will do is to take out and eliminate split ends, to make hair look better.

Comb your wet hair from roots to ends. A comb is easier on fragile wet hair than a brush is. Stretching it from scalp to tips can cause damage. First, smooth out knots with a leavein detangler. Then start to comb at the ends, working up in sections.

Hair looks its best when the natural oils from the scalp are allowed to reach tends.

That’s why I suggest it for a person with dry hair or scalp to shampoo every other day and let the natural oil add shine to your hair. If you feel you need

My client Saleen shows off her new hairdo.

a freshener, simply spritz roots with water and restyle with a blow dryer. Some say that it’s healthier to switch shampoo from time to time, but hair can’t tell the difference between brands or build up the tolerance to any product. Your favorite shampoo will work the same every time you lather up, week after week, month after month. If you have very oily hair or favor a particularly sticky styling product that contains wax, it does pay to use a clarifying shampoo once a week to wash away residue and product build-up.

I was also asked if stress can make your hair fall out.

Although your hair is falling out all the time, approximately 50 to 120 strands per day. It’s possible that you may lose a few more strands when you’re “catastrophically” stressed, meaning you have experienced a major life change such as a divorce, lost job, or surgery, says Gerome Litt, MD, an assistant professor of dermatology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland.

“Other culprits are pregnancy or antibiotics. After a few weeks, it will almost certainly

grow back.” I totally agree with him.

The road to healthy hair is paved with products, potions, protein, and deep conditioners.

If your hair is fried or suffering from split ends, sun damage, tangles, and broken brittle pieces, it’s time to take charge of your hair’s health.

It’s easy to forget that our hair can be very fragile. Exposure to the sun, hair dryers, flat irons, and even daily brushing can take its toll and really mess up your mane.

It’s important to remember that repairing damaged hair won’t happen overnight, but over time. Developing these habits will aim you down the road to recovery Entrust the care and welfare of your hair to a trusted hairstylist. Turn to them when you feel your hair is under the weather, for a review of how you should properly take care of your hair.

Brittle damage and breakage due to too much chemical process, after the summer or do-it-yourself-color went bad, needs a professional salon visit. We can trim away damaged hair and fix the bad Continued on Page SF4

celebrityworld

SF4

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - February 23, 2018

celebrity world

By Ferdie Villar AFter so much controversy about her break up with ex-boyfriend Daniel Matsunaga last year, actress erich Gonzales has taken a backseat on love and is instead focusing her career now.

Of course, there was no question that the ex-couple loved each other very much (everybody thought that they were headed towards marriage), as evident to the whole confusion of why they really separated to the point that Star Magic and ABS-CBN had to intervene to mediate. today, Daniel is happy with the current love of his life — Polish top model Karolina Pisarek, while erich focused on herself

Actor Aljur Abrenica has made peace with his future father-in-law, Robin Padilla. He and Kylie Padilla are rumored to tie the knot this July.

and her career.

After going on a fitness regimen, the actress slowly picked up the pieces and is now receiving all the fruits of her labor. Aside from being one of the leading stars of the new film, “the Significant Others” with tom rodriguez and Lovi Poe; erich is also busy with her teleserye “the Blood Sisters,” where she plays the role of three sisters — erika, Carrie and Agatha. the actress shared that the effort is times three to make sure that every scene is perfect.

“Madugo lang, kasi sa isang eksena lang dapat paulitulit. Pero tulong-tulong naman

Action star Robin Padilla was elated that his prayer was answered when he and Aljur Abrenica finally talked and made peace. Aljur is the fiance of Robin’s daughter, Kylie, and the father of his grandson Alas Joaquin.

Actress Erich Gonzales takes a backseat on love, focuses on career

sa lahat kaya kayang-kaya po,” she explained in an interview with Push.com.

When asked where she gets the inspiration to play the roles of three different women, she jokingly said, “Sa mga panahon na midnight na, sa kape at sa tsaa na lang po tayo humuhugot ng pampagising (laughs).

Tsaka pisil pisil ng sarili, ‘Gising ka! Gising ka!’ (laughs) Yun po.” erich added that for now, she would like to call a time out for her love life.

“Nako, tatlo po ang character ko na pino-portray. Makakapaghintay po yan. Saka na po yan, makakapaghintay ang pag-ibig. Trabaho po muna.” *** An answered prayer — that was what actor robin Padilla described that moment when he and Aljur Abrenica (his daughter Kylie Padilla’s fiance) finally made peace.

In a Facebook post last Monday, February 19, robin wrote, “Purihin Ang Panginoon!

Isa sa mga Dasal ay nagkaroon ng kasagutan.” the rift between them started when Aljur and Kylie announced that they have been engaged twice, which robin didn’t like.

After that, the young couple announced that Kyle was pregnant and that marriage was not in their plans because

Handsome actor and model Benjamin Alves is the lead star of Manny Pacquiao’s primetime monthly series, “Story of Soul” on GMA Kapuso Channel 87.

Actress Erich Gonzales has said that she is taking a backseat from love and is focusing on her career.

She is now the lead star of the newest teleserye on ABS-CBN 2, “The Blood Sisters.”

Actor Gardo Versoza in now part of GMA 7’s newest teleserye, “Sirkus.”

Health Professionals, Inc. president and owner Rey Benitez Satorre was recently elected as president of Pilipino Bayanihan Resource Center for 2018 to 2020.

Model Daniel Matsunaga has moved on with his break up with actress Erich Gonzales a year ago and is Photo from Instagram @dandanmatsunaga happy with Polish model girlfriend Karolina Pisarek.

their priority was their baby.

In the past, Aljur attempted to talk to robin, but the latter refused because he wanted them to get married first.

However, like every parent (grandparent to Alas Joaquin), all differences and hurt were set aside when Aljur’s family went to see robin and

the family for the traditional pamamanhikan last Saturday, February 17. there is also the rumor that Aljur and Kylie will tie the knot this July.

Liza Soberano hits back at netizens Why John Prats enjoys directing saying she’s not Pinoy enough

by Boy

ABundA Philstar.com

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 action-packed and with

Liza Soberano

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 pre-colonial Pinoys.

Liza’s mother is American while enrique Gil, her LizQuen love team partner and love interest in the teleserye, hails

Be fair to your...

From Page SF3 color. Avoid split ends and enjoy shiny healthy hair by trimming every eight to 12 weeks.

Do not overuse heat-styling products. they damage hair from root to sorry splitends. Fortunately, hair now has a lot of new innovations, with new solutions like keratin treatment, hair spa and products designed to repair the damage.

For extremely dry hair use an extra moisturizing shampoo and conditioner.

When choosing your heat styling tool, look for the new hair care words and descrip-

tions: tourmaline, ionic, and ceramic. they are better than your everyday tools. Unlike traditional dryers and flat irons that stripped hair of moisture as they dry, the new generation of tools helps hair stay hydrated and conditioned, as moisture, natural oils, and even your styling product enter the hair shaft which gives you shine a healthier hair. For overprocessed dry damaged hair, the hair reborn spa treatment is definitely a must!

I hope that these beauty tips will help you. I hope I was able to share you my knowl-

Happy new look...

From Page SF3 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 uncontrol-

become a director?”

Nonetheless, John said, JOHN Prats is the latest he decided to try it. He began addition to the long list of wellwalking to meetings with Dyogi, loved actors to step behind the reilly Santiago and the heads camera. John (Pratty as I call of non-narrative shows that rehim) is into directing. Many may sulted to the start of his directonot have probably known that rial training.

John sat as director in several “During my training, I called episodes of “tonight With Boy up direk Arnel to inquire about Abunda” under the guidance of his shows and the possibility of director Arnel Natividad. me going with him on the set From the early days of his so nag-sit in ako sa kanya and I acting career, John had proven will never forget the first night his acting chops in both comedy I was with him in ‘tonight with and drama. thus, the idea of Boy Abunda.’ He handled its working behind the scenes first episode and then in the never crossed his mind. He second episode, he let me do revealed to have had felt slightly the task, ako ‘yung pinaupo n’ya.

Photo from Instagram/@lizasoberano offended when director Laurenti My gosh, talagang grabe ‘yung from German and Spanish Dyogi asked him if he wanted pawis ko kasi di ko pa alam ang ancestry. Matteo Guidicelli is to direct. gagawin ko. I was really stressed also in the show and his father “that was two years ago that time.” is Italian. and that time I still did not have Well, the first time is always the teleserye drew flak a contract with ABS-CBN, so the hardest, isn’t it? there’s realcoincidentally at around the when direk Lauren said that ly a daunting feeling that comes same time as the trending he felt I needed to become a with going into something new. of Marvel’s “Black Panther,” director, I admit that at first, I But look at him now. Apart which pays homage to African felt offended,” John recalled. from having had the chance to culture.

“And then I began asking myself direct some episodes of “towhy, am I not fit anymore to night With Boy Abunda” and do acting and instead, I should “Gandang Gabi Vice,” John was

Photo from Instagram/@iamjohnprats

also behind Moira dela torre’s music video for “Malaya” and he, likewise, is handling the singer’s concert titled “tagpuan” at the Kia 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 morning.”

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?”

edge on how to take care of your hair, your one and only crowning glory. If you need more info please call us at (213) 216-4923 or www.monetsalon. com. *** Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, awardwinning celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of Monet Salon salons across Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada.

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

lable 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

John’s wife Isabel Oli and daughter Olivia.

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

John Prats

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - February 23, 2018

SF5

SF6

The Asian Jo ur na l SF M A G A Z I NE - Februa ry 2 3 , 2 0 1 8

seafood city fpfc roger