022620 - Southern California Midweek Edition

February 26-28, 2020 Volume 30 - No. 14 • 2 Sections - 18 Pages

USA

DATELINE Film on Filipino nurses debuts to celebrate launch of Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

A SHORT film highlighting Filipino nurses and their contributions to the labor movement was screened over the weekend to celebrate the launch of the Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies at UC Davis in Sacramento, California.

Co-hosted by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU) on Saturday, Feb. 22, “The Strength of Many” by Emmy-winning director Marissa Aroy chronicles the Filipino nurse experience as seen through the eyes of nurse labor activists.

The screening was held at UC Davis’ Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing and featured remarks from Aroy; Robyn Rodriguez, chair of the university’s Asian American Studies and director of the Bulosan Center; Zenei Cortez, president of California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United; and Bonnie Castillo, executive director of NNU and CNA/NNOC. Aroy previously produced and directed “The Delano Manongs” about Filipino farm labor activist Larry Itliong and other Filipino activists who took part in the Delano Grape Strike of 1965.

Duterte: Defend legacy of EDSA revolt

by CHRISTINA

MENDEZ

Philstar.com

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte stressed the importance of defending the legacy of the country’s bloodless revolution that toppled the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos and installed Corazon Aquino as president.

While he skipped the rites marking the 34th anniversary of the People Power Revolution on Monday, February 24, Duterte issued a statement in which he recognized how the uprising led to the restoration of democracy. He called for unity, urging allies and critics to rise above political differences.

“Inspired by the freedoms that we secured in February 1986, let us all rise above our petty po-

AFTER several legal battles, the Trump administration’s changes to the public charge rule that could deny legal permanent residency status to certain immigrants if they are likely to require government assistance in the future took effect on Monday, February 24.

The public charge rule, originally published by the Department of Homeland Security in August 2019, expands the test immigration officials use on immigrants to determine whether or not government programs will become their sole source of financial, nutritional and shelter support.

Ken Cuccinelli, acting deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, hailed the expansion as President Donald Trump de-

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Duterte tops De Lima list of people she wants banned in US

by FRANCO LUNA Philstar.com

PRESIDENT Duterte leads the personalities detained Sen. Leila de Lima wanted banned in the U.S. for her detention over the past three years.

Ferdie Maglalang, the senator’s media officer, confirmed to Philstar.com that a “longer and more detailed” list than that which the senator released last October was submitted to the U.S. embassy in the second week of January.

The embassy would then have sent the document to the U.S. State Department, which will be responsible to implement a U.S. budget provision that prohibits entry to U.S. shores of people responsible for De Lima’s “wrongful imprisonment.” The embassy has yet to respond to our inquiries as of this posting.

While he declined to provide the complete list, Maglalang responded “yes” to Philstar.com through u PAGE A3 a text message when we asked whether “all those on the initial list are on the final list.”

The initial list of individuals, contained in Dispatch from Crame 612 last October 17, named Duterte and

Trump administration’s expanded ‘public charge’ rule for immigrants takes effect

litical differences so that we may, together, ensure that the legacy of EDSA will remain relevant in the years ahead,” the Chief Executive said in a onepage message.

He also underscored the need to “defend and preserve” the freedoms we gained during the first EDSA people power.

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REMEMBERING PEOPLE POWER. Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Vice-Chairman of the EDSA People Power Commission Joey Concepcion leads the wreath-laying ceremony during the 34th Anniversary of the 1986 EDSA People Power held at the EDSA People Power Monument in Quezon City on Tuesday, February 25. Also in photo are National Historical Commission Chairman and EDSA People Power Commission chief Rene Escalante; and Spirit of EDSA Foundation Inc. Commissioner Christopher Carrion (center).

PNA photos by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

A city in mourning: Kobe Bryant memorial draws 20,000 grieving fans Bryant’s widow Vanessa Bryant delivers heart-wrenching eulogy to late husband and daughter

by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

AT the time this story is published, it will have been exactly a month since beloved Los Angeles Laker and NBA legend Kobe Bryant tragically died in a helicopter crash along with his 13-year-old prodigal daughter Gianna “Gigi” Bryant and seven other individuals on January 26.

It was a Sunday, a day that felt

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ABS-CBN President and Chief Executive Officer Carlo Katigbak and ABS-CBN Chief Operating Officer Maria Socorro Vidanes face senators led by Mary Grace Poe during the public hearing conducted by the Senate Committees on Public Services, Economic Affairs and Finance.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Mike Alquinto

ABS-CBN apologizes for 2016 election ad mess

by LEILA

B. SALAVERRIA Inquirer.net

MANILA — The mea culpa came four years late and was issued while the media conglomerate was facing an existential threat.

At the hearing of the Senate public services committee, a chastened ABS-CBN Corp. on Monday apologized to President Rodrigo Duterte for airing an advertisement critical of him and for failing to air his provincial or regional political commercials during the Some 20,000 individuals, including Kobe Bryant’s family, NBA stars and various 2016 presidential campaign.

Asked by senators about the celebrities, filled the Staples Center on Monday, February 24 for a celebration Ticket holders at the celebration of life on Monday, February 24 were given pins with Bryant’s initials and a of life for Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, who were among nine President’s public tirades against victims of a helicopter crash last January 26. AJPress photos by Victor Sy the network, ABS-CBN presit-shirt with images of Bryant and Gianna and their jersey numbers, 24 and 2, respectively.

dent and CEO Carlo Katigbak explained why ABS-CBN felt that it had to air the anti-Duterte ad that featured children questioning his profanity-laden statements.

He also detailed why the network had failed to air some of Duterte’s ads promoting his candidacy.

Palace ‘glad’ “[W]e were sorry if we offended the president. That was not the intention of the network. We felt we were just abiding by the laws and regulations that surround the airing of political ads,” Katigbak said.

He added that ABS-CBN along with its chair, Mark Lopez, “does

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A February 26-28, 2020 • SoCal aSIaN JOurNaL

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From the Front Page

Duterte: Defend legacy of...

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Street sweepers clean the People Power Monument along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue on Sunday, February 23. The monument stands as a reminder of a massive but ‘friendly revolution’ on Feb. 22 to 25, 1986 that overthrew the Martial Law dictatorship.

ManilaTimes.net photo by John Orven Verdote

“I therefore join the valiant heroes of EDSA and the countless others whose lives were touched by this bloodless uprising in commemorating its 34th anniversary with renewed hope that the succeeding generations of Filipinos will also have the courage, strength and determination to protect, defend and preserve the liberties that we have won during that historic revolution,” Duterte said.

Although the President opted not to attend the commemoration activities at either the EDSA Shrine or the EDSA Monument, he still recognized the importance of the Feb. 25 peaceful revolution in the country’s history.

“For its important role as a catalyst for the restoration of our democratic institutions more than three decades ago, the People Power Revolution remains as, beyond doubt, one of the most remarkable events in our nation’s history,” the President said. “Let us all have a meaningful commemoration.” n

Trump administration’s expanded ‘public...

PAGE A1 livering on his “promise to the American people to enforce our nation’s immigration laws.”

“This rule enforces longstanding law requiring aliens to be self-sufficient, reaffirming the American ideals of hard work, perseverance and determination. It also offers clarity and expectations to aliens considering a life in the United States and will help protect our public benefit programs,” Cuccinelli said in a statement.

The implementation comes a month after the conservativeleaning Supreme Court ruled in favor of the administration’s request to lift a lower court injunction that blocked the policy change from proceeding last October.

The new regulation does not affect those who already have green cards. However, if a legal immigrant uses one or more designated benefits for more than 12 months of a 36-month period, he or she may be deemed a “public charge,” which could threaten chances at getting a green card or lawful permanent resident status.

Under the test, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers will consider an applicant’s age, income, health and education, among other factors.

The changes now look at whether a person has used or is likely to use programs like most forms of Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Section 8 housing vouchers and assistance.

The previous criteria only counted cash assistance, such as

Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) or Supplemental Social Security Income (SSI), or institutional care paid for by Medicaid, as grounds for public charge.

The Department of Homeland Security won’t consider certain benefits, such as the national school lunch programs, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, subsidies for foster care and adoption, and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.

Some Medicaid benefits will be excluded, including those received by individuals under 21 years of age and pregnant women, those in connection with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and treatment of an “emergency medical condition.”

With around 544,000 individuals who apply for green cards each year, 382,000 of them are in categories that would fall under the expanded test, the Associated Press said in a report.

More than 260,000 public comments were filed in response to the proposed rule, a majority of which were in opposition. Advocacy groups have sounded the alarm on the new regulation, arguing that it is another attempt by the current administration to limit legal immigration.

“We condemn these racist policies, which seek to dramatically undermine the family-based immigration system that has been the backbone of our country and instead prioritizes wealthy and white immigrants,” Asian Americans Advancing Justice, an affiliation of five civil rights

organizations, said in a statement on Monday. “The public charge rule change continues the administration’s inhumane assault on immigrant families by increasing denials of green card applicants.”

About 17.8% of Asians and Pacific Islanders were said to have used government assistance programs in an average month, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released in 2015.

Geraldine Alcid, executive director of Filipino Advocates for Justice in Oakland, California, said that while the public charge expansion is “heartbreaking,” the organization will continue to fight for immigrant rights.

“While the public charge ruling is heartbreaking with lasting impact to our community, our spirits are not broken. In fact, we’re emboldened to continue to fight as we hold our vision for justice and equity and make our voices heard this November,” Alcid told the Asian Journal.

Non-cash benefits, such as Medicaid, SNAP, HUD public housing, and Section 8 housing, received before February 24, 2020 will not be considered in the public charge determination.

Exemptions to the public charge grounds of inadmissibility include refugees, asylees, certain T and U nonimmigrant visa applicants, and certain self-petitioners under the Violence Against Women Act, the USCIS said.

Immigrants applying for citizenship or naturalized citizens are not impacted by the changes as well. (Christina M. Oriel/AJPress)

A city in mourning: Kobe Bryant memorial...

PAGE A1 stuck out of time and of which the impact continues a month later.

Since then, L.A. Live has been the nerve center for grieving fans with some 350,000 people visiting and leaving a sea of flowers, candles, basketballs, jerseys and shoes and personalized messages.

The solemn aura of the city, especially downtown, has yet to lift, and the public memorial at Staples Center on Monday, February 24 included Bryant’s family, fellow retired NBA players like Michael Jordan and Tim Duncan, celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez and 20,000 fans, many of whom called off of work to pay respects to the Black Mamba.

Fans began lining up at the crack of dawn on Monday morning although the service was set to begin at 10 a.m.

Filipino American construction worker Gil Guevara took the day off and allowed his two kids to skip school to attend the once in a lifetime memorial.

“We got there around six in the morning, and the line was already wrapping around Olympic [Boulevard],” Guevara, 41, told the Asian Journal in a phone interview after the memorial. “We all wished this memorial wasn’t happening and that we wouldn’t be feeling this way. To be honest, I’ve not fully healed, and I don’t think I will for a while.”

Inside the Staples Center, a 24foot-by-24-foot stage was framed with 33,643 red roses, each one representing every point the Black Mamba scored throughout his unforgettable 20-year career as a lifetime Laker. The memorial opened up with Beyonce Knowles-Carter performing her song “XO” — “one of [Bryant’s] favorite songs,” she said — in front of Bryant’s family.

The esteemed list of speakers included NBA legends like Michael Jordan, who referred to Bryant as his “little brother” and late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel, who articulated the overall feeling following the deaths of the nine people on board the helicopter on that fateful Sunday.

Kimmel, whose LA-based show frequently hosted Bryant as a guest, said that it was difficult to find a silver lining amid the tragedy saying, “The best thing I was able to come up with is this: gratitude. It seems to me that all we can do is be grateful for the time we had with them and for the time we have left with each other.”

But among all the speakers and speeches of the day, none was more emotional than the eulogy delivered by Vanessa Bryant, Kobe’s widow and mother of Gianna.

“I couldn’t see him as a celebrity, nor just an incredible basketball player. He was my sweet husband and the beautiful father of our children,” the widowed Bryant said, calling her late husband an “MVP of girl dads.”

Through tears, she shared memories of her late husband and daughter, noting Gianna’s

The program for the celebration of life for Kobe and Gianna Bryant on Monday, February 24 featured a photo of the father and daughter watching a Lakers game at the Staples Center.

Contributed photo

intelligence and inherent skill on the basketball court. Gianna, who played for an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball team coached by her dad, showed exemplary skill on the basketball court and was poised to carry on her father’s legacy, and “Gigi would have most likely become the best player in the WNBA,” Bryant proudly said.

“She would have made a huge difference. She would have made a huge difference for women’s basketball. Gigi was motivated to change the way everyone viewed women in sports. She wrote papers in school defending women and wrote about how the unequal pay difference for the NBA and the WNBA leagues weren’t fair.”

Bryant’s remarks hit home for fans whose experience of losing Bryant, although respectively intimate and meaningful, were vastly different from that of his wife and daughters.

“Hearing Vanessa’s words,” Guevara said, pausing for a few seconds before continuing. “That was the hardest part. Nobody could ever imagine what she’s going through, and I thought it was brave of her to come here and share these intimate memories with us. I think we get so worked up thinking about Kobe as the

iconic athlete, but we forget that he had a family, a wife, kids, a normal everyday life as a husband and father.”

As previously written in the Asian Journal, Bryant established himself as a cultural mayor of Los Angeles that began in that historic trade between the Lakers and the Charlotte Hornets that brought the young 16-year-old draft pick to LA in 1996.

For the next 24 years, Bryant’s impact on the city was undeniably enormous, from aiding the team through the 3-peat years of the early aughts to mentoring his younger teammates as a captain toward the tail end of his career.

It’s been said many times: Kobe Bryant was more than just a marvelous basketball player. He was the symbol of resilience and diligence. He was the Black Mamba.

“It still hurts like it did when I first found out, and I think as Lakers fans, die-hard Lakers fans, it’ll hurt for a long time,” said Ernie Pascal of Gardena, California.

“If you grew up in SoCal then you know how much this guy meant to us,” Pascal added. “Even if you’re not an athlete or whatever, Kobe was a hero. There’s nobody like him, and there won’t be anyone like him ever again.” n

PH House of Representatives pays tribute to Kobe Bryant

by Joaquin

Henson Philstar.com

MANILA — The House of Representatives paid tribute to the late Kobe Bryant in a display of memorabilia from Speaker Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano’s private collection at the Batasan Plenary Hallway, Quezon City, last Monday, the same day that the Staples Center held a Celebration of Life memorial to honor the former Los Angeles Lakers star.

The date was particularly appropriate – 2/24/20 as 2 was Bryant’s daughter Gianna’s jersey number, 24 was the Laker guard’s jersey number and 20 was how many years he played in the NBA. House Committee on Youth and Sports Development chair Rep. Eric Martinez welcomed the guests who attended the early afternoon ribbon-cutting ceremony and spoke about Bryant’s “Mamba” mentality, “the pursuit of excellence to be relentless, resilient and fearless through hard work, sacrifice and self-discipline.” He said Bryant’s legacy is an inspiration for everyone to be a better person and for public servants to work hard in the service of others.

Martinez recalled a story about former Chicago Bulls guard Jay Williams surprised to find Bryant taking warm-up shots four hours before a Lakers game at the Staples Center. Williams thought he would be the earliest to practice but Bryant was ahead. In the game that followed, Bryant scored 40 points. Martinez said when Williams asked Bryant why he warmed up for so long, the Laker replied, “Because I saw you come in and I wanted you to know that it doesn’t matter how hard you work, that I’m willing to work harder than you.”

Martinez said on the day Bryant and his daughter perished in a helicopter crash last Jan. 26, he inaugurated the House of Kobe in Valenzuela. It’s one of six NBA-

themed wooden courts he has put up in barangays at no expense to the city. There are also courts honoring Michael Jordan, Houston Rockets and Boston Celtics.Around the city are murals of June Mar Fajardo, Gabe Norwood, Jimmy Alapag, Mark Caguioa, Jayjay Helterbrand, Robert Bolick and C. J. Perez on walls of buildings and playgrounds. A Samboy Lim statue is a visitor’s attraction. Soon to open are “Bahay Alamat,” honoring the Philippines greatest basketball players and a Golden State Warriors-themed court.

“On video, I even called on Kobe to visit the court dedicated to him in Valenzuela, not knowing that eight hours later, he would die,” said Martinez. “I cried for two days. Since we opened the House of Kobe, we’ve received over 3,000 visitors, many of them Laker fans from the U.S. who traveled just to see it. I think it’s the only one of its kind. My dream is to make Valenzuela the basketball capital of the Philippines and maybe, the world.” The House of Kobe opens at 8:24 a.m. and closes at 8:24 p.m. It’s located at Tomas Manuel Subdivision, Barangay Karuhatan.

Several PBA players, Meralco coach Norman Black, Phoenix team manager Paolo Bugia, NLEX marketing officer Alan Gregorio, Sangguniang Kabataan officials led by Margo Dantes and coach Vis Valencia’s St. Vincent School Golden Wings six-peat basketball champion team of the Athletic Association of Private Schools, District 1-Quezon City attended the exhibit opening. Among the PBA players were Larry Fonacier, Asi Taulava, Cyrus Baguio, Cliff Hodge, Simon Enciso, Jammer Jamito, Jay-R Reyes, R. J. Jazul, Nico Salva, Almond Vosotros, Prince Rivero, Ryan Araña, Bobby Ray Parks, Adrian Wong, Bong Quinto, J. C. Intal, Ryan Reyes, Lervin Flores, JayJay Alejandro and Jaypee Mendoza. n

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Dateline USa

Registered nurses featured in Marissa Aroy’s “The Strength of Many” — Gina Macalino, Jane Sandoval, Dahlia Tayag, and California Nurses Association/National Nurses United President Zenei Cortez — speak about their experiences in fighting for nurses’ rights ahead of the film’s debut at the UC Davis Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing on Saturday, February 22. Robyn Rodriguez, professor and chair of the Department of Asian American Studies at UC Davis and director of the Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies is also pictured (far right).

Photos courtesy of National Nurses United

Film on Filipino nurses debuts to celebrate launch...

PAGE A1 Introducing the 13-minute film was Cortez — a registered nurse for over 40 years advocating for workplace democracy and patient advocacy — who said that the Bulosan Center was a fitting place to screen it given that 20% of California’s registered nurses workforce is of Filipino descent.

It is named after Carlos Bulosan, a poet, writer, and labor activist known for his book, “American Is in the Heart.”

“Carlos Bulosan was a labor leader who met a lot of opposition and discrimination during his lifetime, much like the stories of nurses who were interviewed in the film,” Cortez told the Asian Journal.

Cortez is the first Filipina president of CNA, which has 100,000 members, and is the only Filipina president of a national labor union in the United States.

She added, “As our stories are told, I am hoping that we, too, can inspire the younger generation, so that they strive to always do better, continue to make a name for the Filipino Americans, and keep the ‘bayanihan’ spirit alive.”

The Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies, which received $1 million in California state funding last fall, was launched in October 2018 with the goal of continuing Bulosan’s legacy through education, advancing research, and

Nurses and esteemed guests at the screening on Saturday, Feb. 22 included CNA/NNOC and NNU Executive Director Bonnie Castillo (top row, third from left), Robyn Rodriguez of UC Davis (top row, fourth from the right), and CNA/NNOC and NNU President Zenei Cortez (bottom row, fourth from the right).

promoting advocacy for both contemporary and historical issues faced by Filipinos both in the U.S. and abroad.

With the funding, the center plans to hire staff, support graduate students, launch a major national survey on Filipino American health and well-being, continue research on Filipino migrant workers, expand the digital archive and oral history projects, and start an annual national conference on Filipino studies.

Among the center’s programs is the Welga! Filipino American Digital Archive, an online archive that serves as the center’s informational repository, and is free for researchers. The archive was established in 2014 and cur-

rently has collections primarily on Filipino American labor history, but will expand to include research material on other aspects of the Fil-Am experience such as immigration, culture, neighborhoods and historic buildings, the workforce, and veterans.

Other planned projects mentioned at the center’s opening last year included an oral history project called “Preserving California’s Historic Filipino American Sites,” which will conduct interviews to record and preserve the movements, successes, and experiences of those who have worked to preserve and promote their Fil-Am communities.

UC Davis has about 1,800 FilAm students. (AJPress)

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • FebRUARy 26-28, 2020

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Dateline PhiliPPines

Palace: ‘Build, Build, Build’ program can help ABS-CBN apologizes for 2016 election ad... workers displaced by Honda plant shutdown by alexis

romero Philstar.com

MANILA — Malacañang on Sunday, February 23, promised to look for new jobs for workers who will be displaced by the shutdown of the manufacturing operations of Honda Cars Philippines Inc. in Laguna next month.

Honda announced on Saturday that it would close its automobile production operations in Santa Rosa City, a move that it said was in line with its “optimization efforts in the production operations in Asia and Oceania region.”

A total of 387 employees would be affected by the shutdown and would be given separation packages that the car manufacturer would be more than the law requires.

“We will have to find new

jobs. If they (Honda) decide to shut down (its operations), what can we do? They incurred losses. We will have to look for jobs for them,” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a radio interview.

“That’s why we have the ‘Build, Build, Build’ (infrastructure) project so that other displaced workers would find another job,” he added.

Vehicle sales dropped for the first time in seven years in 2018, the year higher automobile taxes started to take effect.

Total sales went down by 16% to 357,410 units two years ago from 425,673 vehicles in 2017, according to a report by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. and the Truck Manufacturers Association.

Panelo, however, said he believes that the closure was not due to the higher taxes on some vehicles, which took effect in January 2018.

“How come the others did not shut down (their operations). Maybe they incurred losses, maybe fewer people bought cars from them,” the Palace spokesman said.

“Perhaps the problem of the company you mentioned lies on promotion and quality. If consumers find better, more quality items, they would patronize them,” he added.

Panelo said the impact of the closure would just be “minimal” because “many companies are entering” the Philippines.

The Honda plant in Laguna started operations in 1992 and locally produces Honda models BR-V and City. n

PAGE A1 not have and will not have its own political agenda.”

While Malacañang is “glad” that ABS-CBN has “finally admitted” its lapses, it is entirely up to the President if he will accept the apology, according to his spokesperson, Salvador Panelo.

At a press briefing in Malacañang on Monday, February 24, Panelo said ABS-CBN should have apologized a long time ago before the Chief Executive expressed his “displeasure” at the network.

“If you are bad to the president, he would be worse to you.

If you are kind to the president, he would be kinder to you,” Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, Duterte’s former aide who still maintains close contact with the Chief Executive, said at the hearing.

While he acknowledged that the network had shortcomings it was working to resolve, Katigbak said ABS-CBN had not violated the law or the terms of its legislative franchise.

House, SolGen ABS-CBN’s 25-year franchise ends on May 4 (not March 30 as earlier reported), but the House of Representatives has yet to hear bills that would renew its franchise, raising the specter of the network signing off.

In addition, Solicitor General Jose Calida petitioned the Supreme Court on Feb. 10 to void the franchise, saying that the media conglomerate violated not only the constitutional ban on foreign ownership of media but also its franchise.

Katigbak said ABS-CBN decided to air the anti-Duterte ads paid for by former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV because the Fair Election Act considered ads against a candidate to be lawful election propaganda.

Another reason ABS-CBN’s internal committee greenlit the commercial was that its revised version showed the children merely asking questions.

“We felt that it did not violate any of our internal policies,” Katigbak said.The third reason: Under the code of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, the network was required not to discriminate against any candidate and must accommodate anybody who brings a legal advertisement.

As for the unaired ads of Duterte, Katigbak said ABS-CBN had shown all of his national ads worth P117 million during the 2016 campaign, but it had not aired all of his provincial or regional ads.

The unaired ads were a frequent subject in the President’s tirades against the network and he had even threatened to file estafa charges against it.

First-come, first-served Katigbak said Duterte ordered P65 million worth of provincial or regional ads, but ABS-CBN failed to air ads worth P7 million.

This was because the network had a first-come, first-served policy, and many of Duterte’s spots were ordered on May 3, four days before the last day of the campaign period.

Katigbak noted that there were many previous telecast orders that came ahead of Mr. Duterte’s.

He added that ABS-CBN had refunded P4 million, which Duterte accepted, but it was delayed in returning P2.6 million, which the President did not accept.

“On this issue, I think we acknowledge our shortcoming in our failure to release that refund in a timely manner and we corrected that,” the network head said, adding that in the 2019 campaign, ABS-CBN implemented a policy of returning a check if the ad was not aired in seven days.

Other unaired ads The discussion of the issue also prompted senators to complain about unaired ads.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said Duterte was not alone in having unaired ads

from ABS-CBN. Candidates feel bad if the spots they paid for do not appear on TV, even if the money was refunded later, said Zubiri. He also said the next franchise of the network could include provisions to prevent this.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan also said that even some of the ads of the candidates of the Liberal Party did not air over ABS-CBN, so both sides of the political divide experienced the same thing.

It was Sen. Lito Lapid, a former ABS-CBN talent in the top-rating television show “Ang Probinsyano,” who brought up the President’s anger at the network and asked if this was why it was having difficulty getting its franchise renewed.

ABS-CBN chair Mark Lopez said the network did not know the reason for the President’s anger except for what he said in his speeches.

Go also brought up the issue about Trillanes’ ad and the unaired ads.

President ‘hurt,’ ‘insulted’ Go said Duterte’s reasons for complaining about the network were not “shallow.”

“The President was hurt. The President was insulted. The President is not vindictive, but it is clear that someone went overboard trying to malign him,” he said.

He considers the issue “troublesome” because, according to him, the media are supposed to be neutral and impartial. He asked about guarantees that ABS-CBN’s actions would not be repeated.

“If this was done to a candidate who is a mayor in Davao, what more to ordinary Filipinos and ordinary citizens who are afraid to fight back?” Go asked.

All the President wants is fair and true reporting, he said. (With a report from Julie M. Aurelio/Inquirer.net)

PH facing int’l scrutiny over rising attacks on lawyers

by TeTch

Torres-Tupas Inquirer.net

MANILA — On Feb. 19, Atty.

Fredric Anthony Santos, the lawyer that got tangled in the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) controversy and revealed massive corruption inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), was killed in broad daylight in front of his daughter’s school.

“The BuCor strongly condemns this kind of senseless violence and utter disregard for human life. As a continuing precaution, all BuCor personnel is directed anew to be more vigilant and heighten their security awareness at all times,” BuCor Director General Gerald Bantag said in a statement. Bilibid or NBP is one of the seven penal institutions operated by BuCor. “Let us not allow this incident to diminish our individual and collective resolve to perform our mandate with commitment and integrity. An unblemished and excellent service reputation is a heritage we can offer to ourselves, our family and to our country,” Bantag added.

Several lawyers groups, as well as human rights organizations, have expressed concern over the spate of attacks against members of the legal profession in the country. Based on a report published on December 2014

by The Foundation of the Day of the Endangered Lawyer, the Association of European Democratic Lawyers (AED-EDL), the European Association of Lawyers for Democracy (ELDH) and the Philippine Association National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), 41 lawyers have been killed in the Philippines since 2001.

The number is low compared to the 47 lawyers killed since 2016 only. Santos is the 47th lawyer killed. The list includes seven prosecutors, one retired prosecutor, five judges, and one former judge. Santos also is the fourth Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) personnel killed since 2018.

Next month, the United Nations Human Rights Committee will review the country’s compliance with its international human rights obligation particularly the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

International organization Lawyers for Lawyers has given the UN Human Rights Committee a submission about the situation in the Philippines. The data they had gathered was collected through interviews and engagement with and reports from Filipino lawyers and other local and international stakeholders.

The submission focuses on four main issues: interference with the independence of the legal profession, the practice of labeling of lawyers and lawyers’ organizations, surveillance of lawyers and lawyers’ groups and culture of impunity.

“The situation of lawyers in the Philippines is highly alarming and threatening. Lawyers for Lawyers is deeply concerned over the increasing attacks against lawyers in the Philippines and the oppressive working environment,” the organization said in a statement posted on its website.

In its submissions, it urged the country to provide information on the following: How did the 2012 Administrative Order 35 that created the Inter-Agency Committee on Extra-legal killings led to the prevention of attacks against lawyers?

What other measures were taken to ensure that members of the legal profession can carry out their professional functions safely?

How did the government respond to persistent reports of harassment, red-tagging in politically sensitive cases?

Progress on the investigation into the deaths, attacks against lawyers including perpetrators, outcome, the status of cases. n

Duterte tops...

PAGE A1 his spokesperson, Salvador Panelo, as people who orchestrated her “persecution.” “My persecution started with a daily public media demolition by none other than Duterte, using all his powers as president,” she said then.

At the time, the senator also included in the list Solicitor General Jose Calida, former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre, Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, public attorney’s office chief Persida Acosta, and former Lower House legislators Reynaldo Umali and Rudy Farinas.

These people, the senator said then, were responsible for the “public circus” that is the Lower House investigation into her supposed illegal drug links.

Testimonies in the House probe later on served as basis for illegal drug charges against De Lima.

De Lima, who marked her third year in detention at Camp Crame on Monday, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

Mocha Uson, deputy executive director at the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration, and Sandra Cam of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office were also part of De Lima’s initial list, as well as bloggers Sass Rogando Sasot and RJ Nieto.

In this file photo taken July 25, 2016, President Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Leila de Lima shake hands after the President delivered his 2016 State of the Nation Address at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City.

Philstar.com photo by King Rodriguez

Slammed In a message to reporters on Tuesday, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said: “I trust that the U.S. State Department will exercise its own independent evaluation and exercise prudence and circumspection.”

De Lima’s list will serve as basis for the implementation of a U.S. budget provision that imposes a U.S. travel against people she considers her “persecutors.” Duterte has repeatedly said he would not travel to the U.S. during his term as president.

A separate U.S. resolution was likewise passed calling for the same ban as well as financial sanctions against the same people. The resolution invoked a bipartisan law called the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act which affords the U.S. government power to

sanction those deemed to be human rights violators.

Rising tensions If implemented, a U.S. travel ban on government officials would only increase tensions between the Philippines and its oldest ally.

When the U.S. budget law was passed, Malacanang slammed the provision on the travel ban, calling it a violation of Philippine sovereignty. Months after, Sen. Ronald dela Rosa’s U.S. visa was canceled in January, although it is unclear whether the move was an implementation of that provision.

Duterte then retaliated by ordering the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement with the U.S. The cancellation of military alliance will take effect within 180 days from the receipt of notice by the U.S. earlier this month. n

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SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • FebRUARy 26-28, 2020

A

A6 FEBRUARY 26-28, 2020 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPINION

Still a work in progress

FEATURES

THE nation commemorates the 1986 people power revolution today with the country’s largest broadcast network facing possible closure chiefly because it has incurred the ire of the top official of the land.

ABS-CBN’s president and CEO publicly apologized on Monday, February 24 after it was revealed at a Senate inquiry that the chief executive resented the broadcast network’s “unfair reporting” and airing of an anti-Duterte political ad during the 2016 presidential campaign, and then failing to air his own ad to rebut the attack.

At the same inquiry, the National Telecommunications Commission explained that ownership issues raised against ABS-CBN are gray areas that have yet to be settled amid a rapidly evolving media and telecommunications landscape.

The NTC explanation provides fodder to those who see the travails of ABS-CBN — which was seized by the Marcos dictatorship during martial law — as a serious threat to press freedom. It fuels concerns that 34 years after the people power revolt, the country is in danger of sliding back to authoritarian rule.

The administration has dismissed such fears as baseless fake news bordering on paranoia. President Duterte has often vowed that he does not intend to spend a moment longer in power than

what is allowed by law, and that in fact he is prepared to leave office any time, even ahead of schedule.

There are Filipinos who have been disillusioned by people power, mainly because the revolt failed to bring about the expected dramatic reforms.

Corruption has become endemic; human rights are violated with impunity; cronyism is galloping back. Democratic institutions remain fragile and the country remains controlled by a miniscule elite. The frustration with democracy has made Filipinos accept short cuts to law enforcement and embrace populism.

But the revolt is a work in progress, and building a strong democracy does not happen overnight. The significance of the seemingly impossible feat that was accomplished in those four days in February 1986 cannot be diminished by the disappointments. Thirty-four years after Filipinos restored democracy in a peaceful uprising, the saying holds true: the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. And building a strong, dynamic and free republic requires a lot of hard work. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

ABS-CBN’s case: Believe facts delivered under oath and not lies and fabrications peddled on social media

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS PERJURY is the intentional act of swearing a false oath or falsifying an affirmation to tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to an official proceeding.

It is considered a serious offense, as it can be used to usurp the power of the courts, resulting in the miscarriages of justice.

On Monday, February 24, ABS-CBN was finally given the chance to address allegations of franchise violations, among others, circulated by no less than the supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte before the franchise of the broadcasting network is set to expire on March 30.

Despite more than 11 bills waiting to be heard in the House of Representatives, and despite the public threats by the president himself to shut down the broadcasting company echoed by his minions of adoring fans and ever-loyal followers, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano determined the issue of the renewal of the franchise of ABS-CBN as not an urgent matter. This is unlike a charter change, as his statements suggested to be of paramount importance that the lawmakers should be prioritizing.

The Senate asserted its over-

sight function and held this hearing, notwithstanding the gag order filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida to silence ABS-CBN and its people — and arguably, even the Senate itself — over alleged franchise violations of the broadcasting network.

As reported by ABS-CBN News, “Senate Minority leader Franklin Drilon cited a 25-year old Supreme Court ruling that said the Senate could tackle bills simultaneously with the House of Representatives.” This is a principle being challenged by Cayetano.

“The Supreme Court squarely ruled that there is nothing in the Constitution that prohibits the filing of counterpart bills in the Senate as long as the filing of a committee report in the body is withheld,” Drilon said. Senate Chairwoman of the Committee on Public Information and Mass Media Sen. Grace Poe said simultaneous hearings would make the process even faster.

ABS-CBN News reported that in his opening statement, ABSCBN President and Chief Executive Officer Carlo L. Katigbak maintained under oath that “it did not violate any of the provisions of its franchise, and emphasized that it operated based on its mission to be in the service of the Filipino people.”

This assertion had been corroborated by government officials and regulatory bodies called in the hearing to testify under oath.

After the hearing the network issued on the statement on the Senate Hearing on the ABS-CBN franchise issue: “We are very grateful for the opportunity given to us by the Senate to air our side and clarify issues about our franchise.

As we have heard today, ABSCBN has not been cited for any violations with regard to tax payments, election laws, or compliance with the National Telecommunications Commission, and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Like many other companies that have been operating or providing services for a long time, we have pending issues associated with labor as well as other matters related to the regular course of doing business. We believe in due process and will comply, as we always have, with any decisions made by the proper authorities.

We continue to trust in the legal processes and the fairness in the hearings for our franchise renewal.

Thank you to everyone who showed support for us today. We hope for your continued support

WALK OF FAITH. Supporters, media workers, artists and ABSCBN employees wear white shirts, light up candles and occupy Sgt. Esguerra Avenue in Quezon City to protest and demanded to junk quo warranto case versus the network and allow renewing franchise. Cars and passing vehicles were requested to honk their horns by the protesters in support of their cause on Monday, February 24.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Ace Castillo

and prayers as we pursue the chance to continue providing meaningful and important service to the Filipino people. This is what we, and all employees of ABS-CBN, believe in.”

In contrast, the critics, bloggers, some news personalities and supporters loyal to the president would freely castigate and declare the shutdown of ABSCBN, but no one among them

had testified under oath in a formal hearing to swear by the veracity of their allegations. Some have even spread malicious lies and fabrications against ABSCBN, its management, owners, personalities and supporters.

So what could be the cause of the threat of Duterte to shutdown ABS-CBN? “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth?”

Abangan ang susunod na kabanata... *** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community.

You may contact her through email at gelrelos@ icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos.

Illegal immigration: Very alarming

Babe’s Eye View BABE ROMUALDEZ THE expose made by Senator Risa Hontiveros put the spotlight on the lucrative business that corrupt Bureau of Immigration personnel are making by allowing Chinese tourists who are in a special “list” to enter the country without having to go through any screening. President Duterte swiftly relieved the Bureau’s officials implicated in the bribery scandal where Chinese nationals could easily enter the country by paying as little as P10,000.

It’s not as if this kind of modus operandi has not been going on for years, but what makes it absolutely alarming are allegations by a whistleblower that about 90 percent of BI personnel are involved in the scheme, with even fugitives given VIP treatment in exchange for amounts ranging from P50,000 to as much as P200,000 per person. Data from the Bureau of Immigration indicates that some 1.8 million Chinese tourists have come to the

country in the past few years, with arrivals estimated at 2,000 per day.

Apparently, the system has become even more sophisticated with the use of apps like Viber and other information and communications technology to centralize the operations of the “pastillas” syndicate (so-called because the grease money was initially wrapped in paper used for the milk sweets). By the reckoning of Senator Hontiveros, the pay-offs for years could have been as much as P10 billion.

What is becoming apparent is that we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg, with a great possibility that the bribery scheme is also happening in other airports — not just the NAIA terminals — and ports all over the country.

As Senator Hontiveros described it, the Philippines has become virtually “borderless” where everybody can just come in. This is why a sophisticated satellite tracking system covering all our borders is absolutely needed.

Illegal immigration all over the world is on the rise, and countries are snapping up sophisti-

cated systems to protect their borders. The visa upon arrival program is not a good idea either because it becomes easy for tourists to overstay and become illegal immigrants. We need to vet people from their country of origin before issuing a visa. Who knows, we could be welcoming all kinds of criminals or terrorists.

U.S. president Trump is correct in protecting U.S. borders and tightening immigration laws to prevent the influx of illegals.

As of 2017 data, an estimated 10.5 million individuals living in the U.S. are undocumented — three times more than the number recorded in 1990. While the U.S. welcomed immigrants during the 1900s — with cultural diversity going a long way in enriching America — things are entirely different today. The U.S. has become the target of all kinds of terrorist extremists, making it necessary to tighten immigration rules to protect American citizens by preventing criminals and terrorists from entering the U.S. While there has been some debate on the correlation between

illegal immigration and criminality, a report from Europol — which is the law enforcement agency of the European Union headquartered in the Hague in the Netherlands — showed a “complex, ruthless and multinational migrant-smuggling network” that has developed around Europe’s “unprecedented migration crisis, thus generating billions of euros for criminal groups involved.”

The surge in the number of illegal immigrants has had “a profound impact on Europe’s criminal landscape, with criminal networks substantially increasing their involvement in migrant smuggling. More than 90 percent of the migrants travelling to the EU used facilitation services. In most cases, these services were offered and provided by criminal groups,” the Europol report further noted.

What’s also unfortunate is that many of these illegals end up getting exploited and forced to work under brutal conditions to pay off their large debts with the smugglers.

If a rich and prosperous coun-

try like the U.S. has seen it fit to tighten its immigration policies to prevent illegals from entering, then all the more so for a country like the Philippines whose porous maritime borders make it easy for drug traffickers to use the country as a transshipment point for the distribution of illegal drugs, not to mention gun smuggling and other international crimes. A bigger problem is coming from terrorists who are using our borders as gateways or exit points in the conduct of their criminal activities that include smuggling and kidnapping for ransom, especially in the Sulu Sea area.

Realizing the security implications, the Philippines and Indonesia have agreed to heighten cooperation on maritime security and increase joint maritime border patrols to restrict the movement of terrorists across the porous borders of both nations. In fact, the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia have been conducting trilateral maritime and air patrol exercises, with a land component recently added to boost efforts in fighting

transnational criminal activities, in particular the activities of Islamic State-affiliated extremists operating in the region.

According to the 2019 Global Terrorism Index (GTI) released in November last year by the Institute of Economics and Peace, the Philippines is No. 9 in the list of 10 countries that are most impacted by terrorism. In fact, the Philippines is the only country in Southeast Asia that made it in that list.

According to the report, “Terror groups were most active on the southern island of Mindanao with the resurgence of the New People’s Army (NPA) and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)-affiliated groups. The government’s response to the terrorist threat has been hampered by limited coordination, lack of capacity, and geographical challenges.”

Filipinos expect more heads to roll in the coming days and rightly so, because these corrupt BI officials and employees are not only undermining our security, but are literally destroying the country. (Philstar.com)

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

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SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • FebRUARy 26-28, 2020

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A February 26-28, 2020 • SoCal aSIaN JOurNaL

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Holy Buddhist Gurus set up a Difficult Situation for the “Lifting the Pestle onto the Platform” Dharma Assembly; H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Lifted the 420-pound Vajra Pestle with One Hand to Resolve the Conundrum Introduction: According to the teachings imparted by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, to learn from Buddha to cultivate oneself, one must practice in accordance with the Xiaman Most Excellent Oceanic Mind Essence and the Most Excellent Enlightenment Emptiness Practice Oceanic Mind Essence; abstain from doing any bad deeds, do all kinds of good deeds, and benefit living beings.

Only this is the proper undertaking. That is why His Holiness the Buddha did not agree that the Exam of Lifting the Pestle onto the Platform should be conducted. In order to obtain the support of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III for conducting the Exam, the Holy Gurus deliberately set up a ruse and then requested that His Holiness the Buddha be present to observe the proceedings. Consequently, when H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III did come, the situation was set up in such a way that His Holiness the Buddha could not decline to help and took action to resolve the conundrum.

The criterion a Vajra King of Great Strength must meet is to lift the Pestle onto the Platform at a weight surpassing His base standard by 30 levels. That is the highest level. That is to say, throughout history, the maximum level that any powerful Champion of Great Strength, Tremendously Great Holy Guru of Marvelous Enlightenment, or Tremendously Great Holy Guru of Equal Enlightenment had been able to attain was 30 levels above Their base standard.

Astonishingly, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III lifted the 420-pound Supreme Holy Vajra Pestle with one hand and held it for over 13 seconds, surpassing His base weight standard by 56 levels.

It was proven that His Holiness the Buddha is an unprecedented Vajra King of Great Strength for Lifting the Pestle onto the Platform. The Holy Gurus said that the record set by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III clearly pointed to the fact that the intrinsic quality of His Holiness the Buddha is that of a true Buddha.

They also said that this record was unprecedented in history and They dared to predict that no one in the future will ever be able to break this record.

This Supreme Holy Vajra Pestle is kept at the Holy Miracles Temple in California in the United States. All are welcome to come and, with sincere respect and piety, lift the Supreme Holy Vajra Pestle. Doing so will bring magnificent blessings and auspiciousness to you.

the level achieved by the no. 1 strongman of Asia. That was shocking to the world.

1. How does the Holy Power of Kaichu Jiaozun compare to the Strength of World Class Strongmen?

It was reported that many people personally witnessed Long Wu, the strongest Man of Asia, formally perform “Lifting the Pestle onto the Platform” in Xi’an in December 2019. even though he torn his fingers and bled while doing so, he did successfully surpass his base weight standard by 10 levels and was awarded the title and golden Belt of grand Master of strength, World’s strongest Man for Lifting the Pestle onto the Platform. However, he was unable to attain the standing of an elementary level Holy guru that Kaichu Jiaozun achieved.

Lyu Xiao is the 36-yearold Champion strongman of Asia with a body weight of 350 pounds. He represented China in the World’s strongest Man Competition held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in november 2014 and won the Asian Championship. In 2017, he demonstrated marvelous strength by pulling a 184-ton train forward for 20 meters in Liaoning, China, during a Chinese new Year’s gala TV show. on December 27, 2019, when Lyu Xiao formally performed “Lifting the Pestle onto the Platform” in shenyang, China, he was only able to surpass his own base weight standard by two levels, successfully attaining the standing of a Competent strongman. Lyu Xiao’s physical strength is inferior to that of strongman Long Wu who surpassed his own base weight standard by 10 levels, and significantly inferior to the holy power of Kaichu Jiaozun.

2. What is meant by “Lifting the Pestle onto the Platform”?

What is the purpose of conducting this kind of Dharma Assembly to test Buddhist practitioners’ realization power? Why are the physique and strength of professional strongmen, who do weight training all day long, inferior to that of a Buddhist cultivator who does none of that strength training but only cultivates His conduct and practices meditation?

In fact, “Lifting the Pestle onto the Platform” is the most direct testing mechanism in the field of Buddhism for assessing whether a practitioner is practicing true or false Buddha Dharma, and whether he is a true or false holy person.

This method has been used since ancient times in the field of Buddhism for directly evaluating the realization power of Buddhist cultivators. Those who take the test are required to lift the vajra pestle off the ground with one hand, hold it for a required duration of time and then place the pestle onto the platform.

This kind of test is called “Lifting the Pestle onto the Platform.”

Through this test, it can be clearly seen whether one is a holy or an ordinary person. Although both a holy person and an ordinary person likewise have a human appearance, the composition of their physiques and inner bodily properties are completely different. Just like a pigeon and an eagle. They likewise have a bird-like appearance, but their strength and inner bodily structures are vastly different. such differences naturally exist.

A professional strongman trains himself every day. It takes more than 10 years, even up to almost 20 years, for him to become a strongman of exceptionally strong physique. However, the essential nature of his physique is still the same. He is

still unable to transform his physique or physical functions of an ordinary person. Whereas, the holy physical strength from the holy physique of a holy person, who has learned and practiced true Buddha Dharma, will far exceed the physical condition and strength of a strongman without doubt. such holy strength is absolutely not something anyone with the physique of an ordinary person can hope to attain. otherwise, that would not be holy strength.

As proven by many facts, even if a strongman can lift 1,000 catties (approximately 1,100 pounds) with two hands, he would not be able to lift a 300-catty (approximately 330 pounds) Platform Pestle off the ground with one hand. He can only lament over the sight of such a Pestle.

Knowing that there is such a difference between a holy person and an ordinary person, it is not difficult to understand why the elementary level Holy guru Kaichu Jiaozun—who has never practiced any kind of exercises to improve His physical well-being, learned any martial arts or done any weight training, but is simply a scholarly person who cultivates His conduct, practices meditation and Dharma—was able to lift the Vajra Pestle effortlessly with the hand that was deformed in an old injury, hold the Pestle for seven seconds for the duration of a mantra chanted seven times, then place the Pestle onto the Platform. He successfully surpassed His base weight standard by 16 levels.

Whereas, the Asian Champion of the strongest Man Competition Lyu Xiao could not match the performance of Kaichu Jiaozun who is almost 90 years old.

That is because the physiques and physical functions of a holy and an ordinary person are different.

According to the Dharma rules of the “exam of Lifting the Pestle onto the Platform,” each candidate has a base weight standard that he has to reach based on his respective age and body weight. one who reaches his standard is called a Healthy Physique Man. exceeding the level of Healthy Physique Man is surpassing the standard. going below the level of Healthy Physique Man is subpar. There are, in total, 30 levels above, and five levels below.

It is stipulated in the Dharma rules that one who surpasses his own base weight standard by 12 to 19 levels is an elementary level Holy guru, by 20 to 25 levels is a mid-level Holy guru and surpassing 26 to 29 levels is a great Holy guru. one who surpasses his own base weight standard by 30 levels to reach the pinnacle is a Tremendously great Holy guru and a Vajra King of great strength.

Under normal circumstances, it is very difficult for a normal person of good strength to surpass his own base weight standard by two to three levels. A national level strongman can surpass up to nine levels. A world-class strongman can surpass 10 levels, but not beyond that.

For example, strongman Long Wu won the golden Belt and title of grand Master of strength, World’s strongest Man for Lifting the Pestle onto the Platform. even though his fingers were torn and bled during the process, he was only able to surpass his own base weight standard by 10 levels. Yet Kaichu Jiaozun, who is almost 90 years old, was able to surpass His own base weight standard by 16 levels. This has proven that Kaichu Jiaozun has attained the supernormal physique and physical strength of an

The site where the Dharma Assembly was held for “The Exam for Lifting the Pestle onto the Platform” to distinguish between true and false holy ones by assessing their realization power.

(Photo by Christine Yang)

elementary level Holy guru. This is the difference between a holy one and an ordinary person.

3. Personally witnessing H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III perform a feat of holy strength beyond compare with other holy ones During the Dharma Assembly for assessing Dharma realization power through “Lifting the Pestle onto the Platform” held on February 9, the congregation had the good fortune to witness H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III achieve a feat of holy strength that is beyond compare with any other holy ones. on that day, there was a huge, 420-pound vajra pestle inside the Hall of shakyamuni Buddha at the Holy Miracles Temple.

This pestle was placed on the golden step Dharma Platform during a Dharma Assembly held two days earlier by Holy gurus.

It should be especially pointed out that only a Tremendously great Holy guru with the ability to surpass His own base weight standard by 30 levels at the pinnacle is able to lift this supreme Holy Vajra Pestle “onto the golden step,” or “off the Holy seat.” Prior to this, no one in this world has ever been able to lift the Pestle up one bit. Lifting such a level of weight will break the bones, tear the tendons and muscles, and dislocate the joints of an ordinary person.

It is stipulated by the Dharma rules that when the supreme Holy Vajra Pestle is placed on top of the golden step, no Dharma activities can be conducted in the grand Hall unless the Pestle is lifted off the golden step. nat(Los AngeLes) on Februurally, the “exam of Lifting the ary 9, 2020, in the great Hall Pestle onto the Platform” could of shakyamuni Buddha at the not take place in this Mandala.

Holy Miracles Temple, a DharThe Vajra Hook absolutely must ma Assembly was held for “The not be used to lift any pestle, or exam of Lifting the Pestle onto else the Dharma rules will be viothe Platform” to distinguish belated. tween true and false holy ones What could be done? everyby assessing their realization one was looking at each other power. The purpose of this exam and was extremely anxious. All is to verify how and to what dethose of good physical strength gree true realization power of came forward to try to lift the Buddhist cultivators, who are huge Pestle off the golden step. learning from Buddha to cultiDespite the fact that everyone vate themselves, transform their exerted utmost physical effort, physical qualities and bodily no one was able to lift this Pestle structure. with one hand at all, not to menDuring the Dharma Assembly, tion lifting it off the Holy seat. witnessed by the congregation, The Dharma Assembly could not Kaichu Jiaozun who is an elproceed. derly Holy Buddhist guru at the It happened that His Holiness age of 88, with a body weight of Dorje Chang Buddha III had acbetween 180 and 190 pounds, cepted a respectful request to be lifted a 200-pound Vajra Pestle present at this Dharma Assembly onto the Platform with only his to observe the proceedings. The right hand that was deformed congregation then beseeched in an old injury in which three H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III to of his fingers were broken. He resolve this difficult situation. demonstrated His holy power by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III surpassing His base weight stansaid: “From the beginning, I have dard by 16 levels, far exceeding disagreed with your using this as an exam subject. After all this time, all those who were tested were but ordinary people. How many of them are elementary level Holy gurus? Those who are not holy ones could not surpass more than 10 levels! Have whoever put this Pestle onto the golden step take it down!”

The Dharma masters replied that it was placed up there by a Holy Monk. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III said: “This is absolutely a mischief. Isn’t this a deliberate intention to make things difficult? He clearly knew that you had to take the exam today, yet He deliberately set up such a difficult barrier here! Have Him take it down!” The Dharma masters replied that this Holy Monk had already left the day before to propagate Dharma in another state.

Compelled by the circumAfter Buddhist disciples who signed up for the Exam all failed to lift the Vajra Pestle with the starting weight of 180 pounds, Kaichu Jiaozun, who is almost 90 years old, surprisingly lifted the 180-pound Pestle, and was further able to lift the Pestle with the weight increased to 200 stance, H.H. Dorje Chang Budpounds and hold it for seven seconds to fulfil the rules. The congregation was amazed by such wondrous physical power. Buddhist nuns in dha III ascended to the Dharma the photo were each carrying out their responsibilities in proctoring the Exam and recording the results. platform and said: “I did not

Kaichu Jiaozun who is an elderly Holy Buddhist Guru of almost 90 years old lifted the 200-pound Vajra Pestle onto the Platform with only his right hand that was deformed in an old injury in which three of his fingers were broken. He demonstrated His holy power by surpassing His base weight standard by 16 levels, far exceeding the level attained by the No. 1 Strongman of Asia. That was shocking to the world.

(Photo by Christine Yang)

come here to take part in your event to lift the Pestle, I am just helping you. I will give it a try.

I don’t know yet whether I am able to help you bring the Pestle down.”

After saying that, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III went in front of the supreme Holy Vajra Pestle, lifted this 420-pound Vajra Pestle off the Holy seat with one hand and held it for 13 seconds, far exceeding the requisite duration of seven seconds stipulated by the Dharma rules. The Vajra Pestle was taken off the golden step in accordance with the Dharma rules.

At that moment, the Buddhist disciples marveled tremendously at such a feat. even the World’s strongest Man for Lifting the Pestle onto the Platform with a body weight of more than 300 pounds could not lift the 420-pound Vajra Pestle slightly.

Yet H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, who only weighs between 100 and 200 pounds, lifted the 420-pound supreme Holy Vajra Pestle with one hand. Base on the corresponding weight level calculations, His Holiness the Buddha has surpassed His base weight standard by 56 levels, setting an unprecedented record in this world that is beyond compare to any holy ones. This kind of holy physique and holy physical power never existed in this world before.

Although the supreme Holy Vajra Pestle had been lifted off the golden step, there remained another conundrum. on the floor, there was another golden step on which a 280-pound exam pestle was placed. That pestle also needed to be lifted off the golden step before the Dharma Assembly for the exam could commence. In fact, everyone knew that even the Champion strongman out of 3 billion people in Asia had not reached the level to lift this Pestle onto the Platform. How could anyone in the congregation lift this Pestle off the golden step with one hand? All the strongmen there were unable to do anything. In the end, only after H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III lifted this Pestle off the golden step with one hand was the conundrum

resolved. The Dharma Assembly of the exam was finally able to proceed.

Before the candidates took the exam, not only did the congregation have the good fortune to witness the feat of holy power achieved by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, they were also joyfully surprised to discover that the rejuvenation achieved by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III did not only bring back the youthful physical appearance of His Holiness the Buddha, but His inner physical qualities were equally youthful. The youthful elements of His Holiness the Buddha are so many times more than that of young people.

A disciple of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Kaichu Jiaozun of the World Buddhism Association Headquarters said, “I dare say for certain here, except for H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III who has such holy power, any Dharma king, great rinpoche, or Dharma master in this world wouldn’t dare think about being able to lift the supreme Holy Vajra Pestle at all! They have absolutely no chance of breaking the record of surpassing the base standard by 56 levels set by His Holiness the Buddha!”

This is the fact. except for H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III whose innate quality is that of a Buddha, who would have such great holy strength? Who else in this world can achieve that? Whether you believe it or not, and whether you accept it or not, such is the fact. no tricks could have been used. That was a direct lift of an actual weight. other than marveling at and acknowledging the profundity of Buddha Dharma power, what else could be said?

Through the “exam of Lifting the Pestle onto the Platform,” the fulcrum supporting all the ambiguous, mystical and empty theoretical talk throughout the history of Buddhism is finally broken. The truth has been revealed through real facts!

True Buddha Dharma factually manifests realization power, false Buddha dharma is only empty theoretical talk. n

By Zhuowa Gongbo; on site fact validation by Jennifer HW Tsai, Esq

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

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • FebRUARy 26-28, 2020

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cover story The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 26, 2020

PH tourism notches wins in 2019, sustainability remains as target by

MoMar G. Visaya / AJPress

MORE people around the world travelled in 2019 with overseas trips hitting 1.5 billion, up four percent from 2018, according to the latest statistics from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

France remained the mostvisited country with more than 90 million visitors, followed by Spain’s 83.8 million.

Despite the outbreak of COVID-19 setting 2020 off to a rocky start, countries like the Philippines are optimistic that this hiccup does not affect the numbers for this year.

To mitigate the impact on inbound tourism, DOT and the tourism sector are rolling out a tactical program that will offer more value-added tour packages, discounted accommodation rates and marked-down prices for domestic flights.

The guidelines in handling guests in tourism enterprises during this global emergency are being implemented in hotels and resorts around the country and facilities are equipped with infrared thermometers and more hand sanitizers. Preventive and precautionary measures have been put in place by the national government to contain the spread of the COVID-19.

Philippine tourism grew in 2019 as international visitors reached 8.26 million, exceeding the 8.2 million annual target set in the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) for 2016-2022.

The country’s tourism prospects are buoyed by glowing

reviews from international media and savvy travelers on social media, including the continued recognition of the country’s islands as among the world’s best.

“This heralds a new milestone in the country’s tourism history, breaching the eight millionth mark,” said Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.

“Without doubt, our convergence programs with other government agencies, particularly in improving access as well as product development and marketing initiatives with local government and private sector have greatly paid off. These gains we hope to sustain even as we face global challenges.”

The DOT year-end visitor arrival report cited a 15.24 percent growth over 2018’s yearend figure of 7.16 million. Almost all months, except January, registered double-digit growth rates, the largest of which was August at 27.54 percent while December recorded the highest volume at 776,798.

This growth was enough for the Philippines to make it in eighth place among the countries that saw the highest jump in visitor numbers year-on-year increase in visitors. Myanmar with 40.2% topped the list of the countries, followed by Puerto Rico (31.2%) and Iran (27.9%).

This year, the DOT is targeting to attract 9.2 million international visitor arrivals.

VIP Tour Among the programs that the DOT is continuing is the

Tour operators and guests joined the officers of the Department of Tourism, Rajah Tours Philippines and Philippine Airlines at the launching of the 2020 VIP Tour.

VIP (Very Important Pinoy) Tour, which was launched at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Consulate General in New York a few weeks ago. The tour is now on its 14th year.

Formerly called the Ambassadors’ Tour, the VIP Tour is a collaboration between the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Tourism and Rajah Tours Philippines. This year, the tour from July 19 to 26 will bring the guests to Manila, Iloilo and Boracay.

Francisco Lardizabal, the new Tourism Attaché, also promoted the project at the New York Times Travel Show and the General Assembly of Filipino community organizations.

“We encourage you to visit the Philippines this year and see what we have been doing in order to promote more sustainable tourism,” Lardizabal said. He also showed a video on the successful reopening of Boracay after being off limits for six months to undergo a massive and extensive cleanup and rehabilitation.

Sustainable Tourism The DOT launched its refreshed branding campaign last year, continuing the “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” slogan but repurposing it to advocate for sustainable tourism. The local launch was held in the National Museum of Natural History while the international event was in Berlin during the Internationale Tourismus-Börse (ITB).

To complement the new direction towards sustainable tourism, the DOT launched a movement called “Save Our Spots” to call for each individual to be a responsible tourist and encouraging the same behavior towards others to preserve the country’s natural and man-made wonders.

Aside from Boracay, Lardizabal also mentioned government efforts to clean up Manila Bay and plans to do the same in Baguio and Palawan.

The Philippine tourism industry also received a number of international awards and recognitions in 2019 such as the World’s Leading Dive Destination at the 2019 World Travel Awards, Asia’s Leading Tourism Board at the 2019 World Travel

Emerging Filipino designer Jhay Layson to showcase at Asia Pacific Fashion Week in LA by aJPress CONSIDERED as one of the Philippines’ emerging fashion designers, Jhay Layson has made a name for himself in the industry with his brand of sartorial elegance that has been worn by various models and celebrities.

He began his career in fashion designing when he joined the second season of “MEGA Fashion Crew: Gen M,” a search for the quintessential fashion crew spearheaded by the country’s pioneer fashion magazine, Mega Magazine.

From then on, he’s proved to be a designer to watch out for, with his designs gradually appearing on various editorials, TV shows, advertising campaigns, and pageants.

His remarkable success has been the dream of other fashion designers, but Layson continues to make headway in the Philippines and abroad. He’s launched new collections for the Manhattan Fashion Week 2020 this past February, and will be debuting at the Asia Pacific Fashion Week in Los Angeles in April and the “Best of the Islands (Luxe Tour)” series in San Diego, Seattle and Montreal, Canada in May. In a recent interview with the Asian Journal, Layson talks about his journey as a fashion designer.

Asian Journal (AJ): What made you take fashion seriously enough to make a career out of it?

Jhay Layson (JL): I have loved fashion since I was in elementary school. I love that it gives me the opportunity to transform elegance into something people can wear, and this opportunity is why I am here today.

AJ: Are you self-taught or did you study fashion design?

Jhay Layson (2nd from right) with models wearing his designs.

JL: I’m self-taught. Most of the things I learned about fashion designing, I learned through my experiences and also working with some other top fashion designers like Renee Salud.

AJ: What is your favorite part about being a designer?

JL: My favorite part is that I get to showcase my collections on different runways. I also like that I could provide entertainment and glamour from fashion styles — it makes me proud.

AJ: How do you want people to feel when they wear your designs?

JL: I want them to feel comfortable in the sense that they like my style. In the sense that they like my designs.

AJ: How has your work evolved from when you started to now?

JL: I think I improved a lot.

I started as a fashion stylist, and when I decided to become a fashion designer, I traveled to different countries like the United States and Europe to expand my knowledge and further my potential.

AJ: Is there a difference

Awards and Excellent Partner Award (for Sustainable Efforts in Boracay, among others.

“This is a high point for Philippine tourism as it depicts our solidarity and commitment to make tourism work and prove its full potential as a sustainable and inclusive economic activity. The record-breaking numbers solidify the effectiveness of the Tourism Act of 2009, which celebrated its 10-year anniversary in 2019.”

Secretary Puyat remarked.

Travel Statistics According to UNWTO data, the Middle East was the fastestgrowing region, followed by Asia and the Pacific, up by 8% and 5%, respectively.

Myanmar topped the list of the countries that saw the highest jump in visitor numbers year-on-year. The Philippines is in eighth place, trailing Uzbekistan, Montenegro, Egypt and Vietnam. Maldives and Bahamas round up the Top 10.

Among the other trends: Central Asia increasing in popularity, with Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan all in the top 20 fastest growing destinations; Caribbean destinations like Anguilla, St Maarten, Dominica and the US Virgin Islands making a comeback, recovering from the devastating effects of Hurricane Irma in 2017 and Middle East destinations like Egypt, Turkey and Tunisia all gaining tourist arrivals.

On the other end of the spectrum, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and the United States all saw a dip in their tourist arrivals due to political turmoil, terrorism, protests and social unrest.

In the Philippines, Korea maintains its position as the top source market for ten years now with a total of 1.98 million arrivals in 2019, for a 22.48 percent increase. China follows closely on second with 1.74 million, boasting of a 38.58 percent growth.

The United States of America is third, bringing 1.06 million visitors for a 2.90 percent increase.

Japan is fourth at 682,788 arrivals, with an 8.07 percent growth followed by Taiwan reporting an equally impressive double-digit increase of 35.01 percent for its 327,273 arrivals.

Rounding up the top 12 visi-

FULL FORCE. Tourism officers and industry stalwarts joined the New York Times Travel Show at the Javits Convention Center to promote various Philippine destinations. From left: Tourism Officer Luz Alquisola, Orientours’ Joebert Opulencia, Consul General Claro S. Cristobal, Tourism Attache Francisco Lardizabal, Rajah Tours’ Alejandra Clemente, Caterina Collodel and Guenevere Domdom of Shangri-la Hotels and DOT-NY’s Joey Chanco.

AJPress Photos by Momar G. Visaya

Tourism Attache Francisco Lardizabal (extreme right) explains how the Philippines is focusing on sustainable tourism, beginning with the massive cleanup of Boracay last year. Lardizabal spoke at a panel that featured travel to Asia at the annual New York Times Travel Show held in New York City a few weeks ago.

Mr. Lardizabal is flanked by Charisse Arboleda of Philippine Airlines (left) and Rajah Tours Philippines founder Alejandra Clemente at the launching of the 2020 Very Important Pinoy Tour held at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Consulate General in New York.

tor markets with their volumes and respective growth rates are: Australia with 286,170 (2.27 percent), Canada with 238,850 ((5.48 percent), the United Kingdom with 209,206 (4.06 per-

cent), Singapore with 158,595 arrivals (-7.68 percent), Malaysia with 139,882 (-3.69 percent), India with 134,963 (11.43 percent) and Germany with 103,756 (12.66 percent).

Alex to star in int’l movie with ‘Avatar’ actor Sam Worthington ALEX Diaz has been tapped for an international feature alongside Australian actor Sam Worthington, known for starring in James Cameron’s “Avatar” film series.

The action thriller, titled “CounterPlay”, will see Diaz playing a man wrongly accused of drug trafficking. Worthington will play a retired hostage negotiator recruited to help Diaz escape to Australia, as per The Hollywood Reporter on Friday, Feb. 21.

The former VJ could not hide his being starstruck

at his Hollywood costar.

“Geekin’ pretty hard [right now] guys, [I’m] in the same paragraph as Sam Worthington,” he said on Twitter yesterday as he posted an article about the project.

Pedring Lopez will direct.

He helmed last year’s “Maria” starring Cristine Reyes as an assassin. Filming will take place in Manila this August.

“CounterPlay” is being produced by MAM Media in association with indie production company BlackOps Studios Asia, of which Lopez is a founding partner. (Niña Guno/Inquirer.net)

Alex Diaz Photo from Instagram/@alexandermcdizz

Neri shares how Chito changed his rock star lifestyle

ni Chito ‘yun, mas more on mababa ‘yung baga namin, mga ganon lang. Pero nagkaFORMER Kapamilya actress kasundo kami sa food, mahilig and now businesswoman Neri kami sa fish, since pinanganak Naig revealed that her rock star ako sa Subic kaya mahilig kami husband Chito Miranda almost sa seafood and vegetables kasi quit his band Parokya ni Edgar mahilig akong magtanim-tanupon knowing that he had im, kaya natutuwa siya sa mga high bad cholesterol levels that pinagkakaabalahan ko. Aside could lead to heart problems. sa mga negosyo, kinukuha ko When Chito turned 44 last lang ‘yung mga ginigisa so February 7, Neri dared him to organic talaga, ‘yun yung mga Designer Jhay Layson go the doctor for an executive trip ko,” she narrated in an excheckup. clusive interview with Philstar. to your approach in mens“Sabi n’ya, ‘Ma, I’m com. wear and womenswear? healthy,’ wala pa s’yang But when Chito is in the JL: For menswear, my nararamdaman, sabi ko, ‘No!’ road with Parokya ni Edgar, designs are all classic. For Kailangan ka magpa-executive he indulged in high-cholesNeri Naig with husband Chito Miranda women, it’s all luxury and checkup. Sasamahan kita.” terol food such as red meat, Photo from Instagram/@mrsnerimiranda glamour because women like She said Chito told her: chicharong bulaklak, sisig at crystals, they like stones, they “Sige, just to prove to you that “The doctor told him: papaitan. like pearls. The only thing that I’m healthy.”

‘Nasasa’yo ‘yan kung gusto mo “Alam mo naman ‘yang my designs have in common is So, she pulled him out of pa makasama ‘yung family mo mga boys!” she said. that they’re all comfortable to his busy schedule and brought nang matagal’,” Neri shared.

“So, masyado kasi syang wear. him to the hospital.

“Sabi ni Chito, ‘Sige, ‘di na focus sa work niya kaya hindi AJ: How do you find influUpon confirming that he ko magpa-Parokya,’ Sabi ko, na niya nararamdaman ‘yung ences/inspirations for your was high in bad cholesterol, ‘Wag!” Neri enthused. pain or kung ano. Kaya sabi ko designs? the cardiologist prescribed a At home, she serves her sa kanya, ‘You should take care JL: Alexander McQueen, number of things Chito should family usually fish and vegetana kasi 44 ka na, hindi ka na Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana change from his lifestyle and bles. ‘yung ano kumbaga binabawi are some of my fashion inspidiet, especially those that “With food naman wala na ‘yung mga kalokohan mo rations to name a few. I like include being a member of a naman sa history ng family ko nu’ng alam mo ‘yon, ‘yung nagContinued on Page 4 rock band. na inaatake sa puso, sa side Continued on Page 4

By Deni rose M. afiniDaD-bernarDo Philstar.com

entertainment

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 26, 2020

Aubrey and Troy power modern family values

By Nika

Roque ManilaTimes.net

LOCAL showbiz has its own list of power couples, and it is not hard to put Aubrey Miles and Troy Montero in the list.

Together for almost 17 years, their modern family is built on the kind of foundation that only the bold and the strong can pursue.

They are very open about their family life, particularly about sustaining their relationship and raising three kids.

Miles has a college level son Maurie Obligacion from a previous relationship, and with Montero, they have 11-year-old Hunter and their only daughter, one-year-old Rocket.

But being in the public eye, things can undoubtedly get very difficult. In an interview for Cadbury Promise Park launch, The Manila Times asked about the lessons they have learned to keep their relationship healthy in these modern times.

“From our relationship, respect talaga [is the biggest value. We don’t embarrass each other. If we fight, you will never know,” Miles answered on the sidelines of the Cadbury Promise Pack launch.

“If you know and you see your future with this person, why embarrass them? Even with other people, parang nakakahiya naman sa kanila pag nakita nila. We’re not perfect. Sometimes may mga moments talaga pero you gotta step back and think ‘okay, I cannot do that,’” she continued.

Montero agreed, “I think respect goes so far especially when you’ve been together that long. This is one of the things that kind of [make a couple].

You get used to each other so much and all of a sudden, you forget kind of why you started in the first place.

“You don’t want to rest on your time together and say, ‘oh my gosh, we’ve been together this long.’ It shouldn’t be an excuse. Always keep it fresh and keep it like you’re still in the first two years or whatever.”

Troy and Aubrey are happy parents of three kids – Maurie, Hunter and Rocket.

Photo from Instagram/@troymontero

As such, they still have their personal boundaries despite being comfortable with each other, similar to a couple that has just started dating especially when it comes to having some privacy.

In addition, they still make it a point to dress up for each other and go on dates to keep the spark going. The key, they said, would be having relaxed experiences as well as those that are more exciting.

Classic principles With their kids in mind, they want to instill the same values of respect even while being public figures.

“Kahit makakita ka ng taong nasa labas o yung makita nilang madumi o ganito, I still want them to see na everyone’s equal. Walang mataas or walang iba. I want them to know na ‘wag mamili,” explained Miles.

As old fashioned as it may seem, they do emphasize respect for the elderly through their words and actions, like the mano and beso. For their two boys, they are taught to be gentlemen not just for their family but even in school and other places.

A proud feat for the couple is how Maurie is enjoying life as a college freshman since they did not have the opportunity

to finish school, and how he is making a name for himself as an influencer.

For their only girl Rocket, it has been a huge adjustment.

The couple have made an effort to be more particular with the clothes that she wears as well as going to places that would also be a good environment for the one-year-old.

The family has been very open with Maurie’s relationship with stepdad Montero. Since they met when the former was only a year-old, their bond goes beyond being related by blood and has been praised by the media and their fans.

“We all have a healthy relationship which is really amazing.

May dinner from time to time with his dad,” shared Montero.

“Maurie knows naman na dad is there, real dad is there.

Parang okay lang, they’re friends naman,” reiterated Miles.

Communication style Another perk of their longterm relationship is understanding one another’s communication style which complements the way they build their family.

“We have to be on the same page. Otherwise they’ll end up saying ‘let’s ask daddy instead of mommy because daddy will always say yes,’” Continued on Page 4

entertainment The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 26, 2020

Emerging Filipino designer...

From Page 1 seeing their designs because they inspire me to design in my own way.

AJ: What do you think is the role of social media in fashion?

JL: Social media helps me a lot since it connects me all over the world. I can express my designs on social media. People can give both critique and compliments through it. I can also get clients through social

media as well as build connections and gain friends on it.

AJ: You are part of the Asia Pacific Fashion Week.

What made you decide to join this show?

JL: I’m very excited to join the APFW because I want to showcase the fabric from Asia, especially the fabric from the Philippines. I want to make everyone see the beauty and potential of Filipino fashion designers.

AJ: Any advice for young fashion designers out there?

JL: Express yourself and express your creativity. Don’t compare your work to others and always move forward.

Asia Pacific Fashion Week will be held from April 25-May 3 in Los Angeles, California.

For more information on events, sponsorships and other opportunities, please visit https://asiapacificfashionweek. com/.

Neri shares how...

From Page 1 smoke siya, inom, puyat and kain ng kung ano-anong food.”

Neri said that her rock star husband needed to adjust to her because she doesn’t smoke, drink and go on night outs. “‘Yung lifestyle niya nag change into 360 degrees because ako hindi ako nag iis-smoke, hindi ako umiinom, hindi ako lumalabas. Hindi naman sa healthy lifestyle, hindi lang talaga ako palalabas kapag gabi or gimikera. Mas gusto ko sa bahay matulog or magbasa ng libro,” Neri said.

Since Chito has given up smoking and drinking, the challenge is on his diet modification.

“So ‘yung food na lang at saka ‘yung rice n’ya, sobrang parang maliit na kaldero, isa-isa sila. Totoo, ang lakas n’yang kumain! Kaya pagod na pagod sila. Tapos may dessert pa ‘yan, tig-iisa silang leche flan…

trition Foundation of the Philippines, Inc. “Scientific studies have shown that beta-glucan Meron naman silang vegetable is capable of lowering the cholesterol level in the blood, pero isa lang, hati-hati pa sila particularly LDL-cholesterol.” d’un!” Neri quipped.

Since February is not only “Ang hirap pa nito kasi gabi Love Month but also Philippine sila tumutugtog… Kulang na Heart Month, Neri emphasized sila sa tulog tapos heavy meal that apart from being loving pa, talagang bad combinawife, her role in Chito’s life is as tion.”

So now, Chito has changed private nurse.

“Kasi matigas ‘yung ulo his diet. He now measures his rice and made bitter gourd and n’yan e. ‘Pag sinabi ko na i-check mo nga ‘yung ganon, salad a part of his daily diet. alam mo na hindi niya inaano Instead of snacking on ‘yung sakit... So ‘pag nagsabi junk food, Chito grabs on oats na siya parang dati nag-kawhenever he is hungry, said Neri, who was recently a guest UTI na s’ya tapos naospital siya, do’n palang niya nalain Quaker’s launch of its new man na may UTI na s’ya, hindi Smart Heart Challenge, developed in 2004 in the Philippines niya nararamdaman, parang gano’n,” she said. to demonstrate how adding Now that the Parokya ni oatmeal to your daily diet helps Edgar frontman is on the road reduce bad cholesterol. to a better lifestyle, Neri as“Oats is a common cereal sured that he will not quit the noted for its heart benefits, 27-year-old band anytime soon. owing particularly to its high “Ay hindi, hindi pa pwede, soluble fiber content called marami pa kaming bayarin!” beta-glucan,” said Dr. Rodolfo quipped the former Star Magic F. Florentino, Immediate Past Chairman-President of the Nu- talent.

Aubrey and...

From Page 3 said Montero. “We’ve gotten better and we both have to say that ‘no’ means ‘no’ for both of us. That way, they respect both of our rules and decisions.”

Finally, though their relationship has endured so much even without tying the knot, do they plan of doing it any time soon?

“We can get married anytime. Marami kaming usap na ‘time na? Now na?’ Alam mo

EMPLOYMENT

[it’s] weird, di rin namin alam bakit we don’t plan it. Pero we can see it now that it’s probably happening soon. Wala naman kaming problem to get married, di lang namin napa-plan,” Miles said.

She further explained that they do also treat their relationship as though they were already married, adding that they would work through disagreements instead of just brushing it under the rug.

“This has been working for us for so long. We’re not saying we won’t get married. We talk about it, parang we’re saving something like one big adventure to Africa or something like that. We’re not just making it stronger because I know we’re already strong, but maybe just for something else to look forward to,” added Montero.

“Kids will really make things tight. Every kid, parang nagle-level up yung relationship namin. Three kids are like three marriages!” Miles happily said.

EMPLOYMENT

Island Pacific Supermarket launches community-driven initiatives with ‘Bangon Batangas’ campaign following Taal eruption FILIPINO American supermarket chain Island Pacific Supermarket, currently with 16 locations serving communities in California and Las Vegas, is shifting its organizational culture for 2020.

The purpose-driven focus of the Island Pacific company will specifically develop tangible and measurable community initiatives to create opportunities for partnerships that transform their store spaces as the hub for Filipino American diasporic society and life, and its ever-evolving culture.

Following the Taal Volcano eruption in the Philippines on January 13, 2020, which forced thousands in the Batangas province in the region of Luzon to evacuate, Island Pacific founder Nino “Jeff” Lim called upon all stores to participate in a “Bangon Batangas” campaign to give back to the community.

With donations from loyal customers over a period of a little over a week, Island Pacific was able to raise over $25,000 to donate to relief efforts to nonprofit organizations within the vicinity of the eruption.

Marketing Consultant Giselle Tongi-Walters, who personally delivered the monetary donations, also shared how the “Bangon Batangas” campaign was particularly meaningful because of her provincial Tagalog roots. “Island Pacific in 2020 has committed to community-driven initiatives to give back, and the company really exemplifies the ‘Bayanihan’ spirit abroad, which in Filipino means the act of lifting each other up in challenging times of crisis and peril,” said Tongi-Walters.

Top Island Pacific cashiers who participated in the Bangon Batangas campaign — Marilyn and Jenica from the Tropicana store in Las Vegas, together with Freda from the Elk Grove, California store — were internally recognized for raising the most monetary donations.

Representing Island Pacific, Tongi-Walters recently pre-

Island Pacific Supermarket marketing consultant Giselle Tongi-Walters (right) presents a check for P1,000,000 ($20,000) on February 9 to Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas.

Island Pacific Supermarket presented Good Samaritan Foundation’s Ramon Tulfo with a donation amounting to P200,000 ($4,000) on February 10.

A representative of the Pink Sisters of Tagaytay receives a donation of P100,000 ($2,000) from Tongi-Walters on behalf of Island Pacific Supermarket.

sented three ceremonial checks in the Philippines. To the most in need, Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas was presented the amount of P1,000,000 ($20,000) on February 9 in Batangas City. Good Samaritan Foundation’s Ramon Tulfo was given the amount of P200,000 ($4,000) on February 10. Lastly, the Pink Sisters of Tagaytay were presented with P100,000 ($2,000).

Island Pacific has overhauled

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FOR RENT

its mission statement for 2020 to unite communities by celebrating Filipino fiesta culture, creating pride amongst our people and bringing awareness of our diverse culinary traditions so that our culture is recognized and acknowledged as part of American life and society. To participate in Island Pacific’s community-driven initiatives, go to www.islandpacificmarket.com to inquire and find out more.

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Barrister’s Corner

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 26, 2020

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA THINGS break. Once broken, a thing loses its value. If it is worth fixing, it can be fixed and in the hands of a whiz, can be as good as new.

In our throw-away consumerdriven, impatient society where quality has taken a back seat to quantity in the name of profit and the bottom line, we are encouraged to simply toss away the broken item in the trash heap and replace it with a new one.

For those of us who grew up and were trained by mothers, fathers, teachers and even great nuns (in my book) who taught us the meaning and value of preserving items, we tend to find the fix for the broken item.

We look at the rip in the hemline of a nice dress and figure out carefully how a stitch here and there can make it good as new. That is probably why I can never get on with the supposedly “fashionable� items of ripped jeans. It is, to me, a nod toward rottenness and ugliness.

Why pay good money for something so downright ugly? Oy Vey indeed!

We look at holes in the wall and buy spackle and paint to patch it up and smooth out the flaws. We crazy glue crockery to weld things back. We solder metals so that the thingamajig, whatever it is, functions once again. We replace batteries so watches and clocks go tick-tocking again.

We repair broken items. That is our default setting when we

Debt Relief

Atty. lAwrence yAng EVEN though the economy and stock markets are positive, the coronavirus problem has dampened business outlook worldwide. Given this environment, not all businesses here are able to survive.

For instance, even if phase 1 of the trade deal with China has been signed, many businesses that cater to the Chinese trade business cannot continue operating because they’ve been operating at a loss for some time and are no longer liquid enough to pay their debts. Small businesses like Asian restaurants are suffering large reductions in sales.

Some have lost 50% of sales just because of the perceived virus problem. I don’t want to get further into it, except to say that many small businesses are now suffering. They can’t repay debt.

Now comes a client who owns several businesses. Some of his businesses are losing money, while one remains profitable.

The ones losing money cannot continue operating due to the lack of funds. They cannot pay their debts as they come due.

The ones losing money can’t pay their debts so they need bankruptcy relief. The problem that comes to mind is: How does the owner of the businesses as an individual, get affected by the bankruptcy of the unprofitable businesses?

You need to see if the owner has made himself liable in his

Bucket list No.7 Fix the broken

see things that are broken. But how about when the breakdown is with affairs of the human heart?

How do you fix a broken heart?

There are no easy answers.

In the physical realm, if something is broken, you can fix it.

And if you can’t, you relegate it to the trash heap. But not so with the human heart ‌ Though broken to a thousand pieces, the heart can live through the dark days until time brings

“Broken hearts?

Broken relationships?

The solution is always the same. FORGIVE. Forgive as you have been forgiven. And while you’re at it FORGET.� its healing effects. The pain becomes dull and as life goes on, the sunlight breaks through the darkness and the heart is made whole.

Resiliency of the human heart is based on the deep and enduring understanding in the wisdom of the words: “This too, shall pass.�

But when the pains and the hurt are forged into the deep recesses of the memory and the wounds are encouraged to fester, the brokenness can be as deep as the Grand Canyon.

These are the very sad cases, when the heart never heals. It is true what they say about dying of a broken heart.

There is that thing called pride and in extreme cases, hubris, the kind that damned the fallen angels. This is the one that makes it hard to fix brokenness. We become so big for our britches that forgiveness is beyond us. We equate forgiveness with weakness and our supreme pride won’t let us do it.

Broken hearts? Broken relationships? The solution is always the same. FORGIVE. Forgive as you have been forgiven. And while you’re at it, FORGET. You do yourself no favors by letting the pains and hurts fester.

Not that it’s easy to forgive and forget. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy.

But that’s the whole story of our redemption. God forgives and forgets our iniquities. Who are we not to try and do likewise during our short time here on earth?

The full benefits of forgiveness accrue first to the aggrieved party, the one who forgives and forgets. Why? Because then the heart is allowed to mend and heal with time, it becomes whole once again.

There is a play on words about time and healing that one wit wrote. It is said that. “Time heals all wounds.� And if you believe in the laws of karma, “Time wounds all heels.� Let that sink in for a moment.

God makes the prayerful heart resilient. In time, the human heart can love again as though it was never broken. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

Owner of several businesses needs bankruptcy relief personal capacity. For instance, if one business rents a warehouse that the owner personally guaranteed the lease of, then there’s a problem. If the business can’t pay the warehouse lease, then the landlord will go against the owner as a guarantor. This can become a big problem. Why? If there are three more years of the lease and the monthly lease is $20,000, then the personal liability of the owner as a guarantor of the lease is $720,000. This is a large amount of debt. Thus, if this were to happen, then the owner himself has to look at the possibility of his own personal bankruptcy. So the idea is if you are a business owner, as much as possible, do not guarantee the debt of the business. Let the business stand by itself. Of course, in reality, this is not easily done. Most creditors require owners to put some skin in the game. This defeats the purpose of setting a corporation for the business because the personal guarantee makes the corporate veil useless.

When the owner files for personal bankruptcy, you have to be able to exempt the value of the profitable business, which operates as a corporation. It is the market value of the ownership that is scrutinized. Of course, in private companies, it’s not easy to determine the value of the business. If there are no buyers, then the private business is almost zero in value. This is a tricky question. A public company can be easily valued because the

shares are publicly traded. If you own 10 shares of Tesla right now, you can sell that for $700 more or less in the open market, so the market value is $7,000. But if you own all the shares of private company A that with gross receipts of $1 million a year and just barely breaks even, what is the value of that?

Seniors need bankruptcy relief for credit cards The second client is 62 and owes $40,000 of credit cards. He still works in the post office and makes a gross of $70,000. He is married and the wife grosses about $30,000. She’s about five years younger. They gross $100,000 together but net about $70,000, which is about $5,800 a month. They have two teenage sons. They rent a house for $2,100, and have a car payment of $500. It’s getting really tight because $40,000 of credit cards require $1,300 a month of minimum payments to keep them current. Almost 25% of their net household income goes to credit card payments every month.

This demand on their income is becoming a big strain on the household since their sons are going to college soon. With college, they will have new and more expenses. So you see the problem. They need to get rid of the $40,000 cards now. Either pay them off, which they can’t.

Or, wipe them out or cut them down substantially. Chapter 7 will wipe them out. Chapter 13 will provide them with a reorgaContinued on Page 6

Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes AN action under the DVPA (Domestic Violence Protection Act) seeking a restraining order often is necessary to protect parties from abuse or domestic violence perpetrated by the other spouse or significant other. At times, it is effective in preventing harm to one of the parties. At the same time, this process is sometimes abused by family law litigants as a strategy for obtaining an advantage in a child custody case. The basis for this is the presumption against sole or joint custody under California family code section 3044.

California Family Code Section 3044 (a) provides “Upon a finding by the court that a party seeking custody of a child has perpetrated domestic violence against the other party seeking custody of the child or against the child or the child’s siblings within the previous five years, there is a rebuttable presumption that an award of sole or joint physical or legal custody of a child to a person who has perpetrated domestic violence is detrimental to the best interest of the child, pursuant to Section 3011. This presumption may only be rebutted by a preponderance of the evidence.

In determining whether the presumption in family code 3044(a) has been overcome, the court shall consider all of the following factors:(1) Whether the perpetrator of domestic violence has demonstrated that giving sole or joint physical or legal custody of a child to the perpetrator is in the best interest of the child. In determining the best interest of the child, the preference for frequent and continuing contact with both parents, as set forth in subdivision (b) of Section 3020, or with the noncustodial parent, as set forth in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 3040, may not be used to rebut the presumption, in whole or in part.(2) Whether the perpetrator has successfully completed a batterer’s treatment program that meets the criteria outlined in subdivision (c) of Section 1203.097 of the Penal Code. (3) Whether the perpetrator has successfully completed a program of alcohol or drug abuse counseling if the court determines that counseling is appropriate. (4) Whether the perpetrator has successfully

Will a domestic violence finding affect my claim for sole or joint custody of our children? completed a parenting class if the court determines the class to be appropriate. (5) Whether the perpetrator is on probation or parole, and whether he or she has complied with the terms and conditions of probation or parole. (6) Whether the perpetrator is restrained by a protective order or restraining order, and whether he or she has complied with its terms and conditions. (7) Whether the perpetrator of domestic violence has committed any further acts of domestic violence.

A person has “perpetrated domestic violence� when he or she is found by the court to have intentionally or recklessly caused or attempted to cause bodily injury, or sexual assault, or to have placed a person in reasonable apprehension of imminent serious bodily injury to that person or to another, or to have engaged in any behavior involving, but not limited to, threatening, striking, harassing, destroying personal property or disturbing the peace of another, for which a court may issue an ex parte order pursuant to Section 6320 to protect the other party seeking custody of the child or to protect the child and the child’s siblings.The requirement of a finding by the court shall be satisfied by, among other things, and not limited to, evidence that a party seeking custody has been convicted within the previous five years, after a trial or a plea of guilty or no contest, of any crime against the other party that comes within the definition of domestic violence contained in Section 6211 nd of abuse contained in Section 6203, including, but not limited to, a crime described in subdivision (e) of Section 243 of, or Section 261,262, 273.5, 422, or 646.9 of, the Penal Code.The requirement of a finding by the court shall also be satisfied if any court, whether that court hears or has heard the child custody proceedings or not, has made a finding pursuant to subdivision (a) based on conduct occurring within the previous five years.

In Christina L v. Chauncey B, 229 Cal. App 4th 731 (2014),the Court of appeal held that because a Domestic Violence restraining order must be based on a finding that the party being restrained committed one or more acts of domestic abuse, a finding of domestic abuse sufficient to

support a DVPA restraining order necessarily triggers the rebuttable statutory presumption that an award of sole or joint physical or legal custody of a child to a person who has perpetrated domestic violence is detrimental to the best interest of the child. �

Cal. Fam. Code §§ 3044. The presumption that an award of sole or joint physical or legal custody of a child to a person who has perpetrated domestic violence is detrimental to the best interest of the child changes the burden of persuasion, but may be overcome by a preponderance of the evidence showing that it is in the child’s best interest to grant joint or sole custody to the offending parent.

In that case, the father had a history of perpetrating domestic violence against the mother. Domestic Violence restraining orders has been issued multiple times over the years including within the last 5 years. The trial court ignored both the existing restraining order, the legal effect of such a judicial finding, and failed to apply the family code 3044 presumption and instead awarded joint custody to father. The Court of appeal reversed and remanded the case back to the trial court. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice.

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

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

The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com (Advertising Supplement)

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

Technology 101 Workshop in Los Angeles Please join the Pilipino Workers Center and UCLA Interns for the highly anticipated Technology 101 Workshop on Saturday, February 29. The instructors will on improving participants’ skills and knowledge of cellular phones and personal computers. Food will be provided! It will be held at Pilipino Workers Center at 153 Glendale Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please bring your laptops and phones if possible. To RSVP, please call (213) 2504353.

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

people & events 6 Sangkap: A Filipino food history experience The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 26, 2020

Celebrating cuisine of the Philippines at the birthplace of Los Angeles

“SANGKAP” (“ingredient” in the Tagalog language) is a project of the City of Los Angeles’ El Pueblo Historical Monument that explores Filipino American history through a culinary experience.

The first event of its kind in Los Angeles, Sangkap Filipino Food History presents and celebrates the confluence of Spanish, Mexican, Chinese, and other historic and cultural influences in a gastronomic experience of Filipino ingenuity. This event takes place at El Pueblo Historical Monument on February 29, 2020, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This event features renowned chefs and restaurants in Los Angeles including: Discovery Channel’s “Prison Food” host - Chef Johneric Concordia, DTLA’s rising star - Chef Isa Fabro, Gregory Berber of La Luz de Dia - a landmark restaurant that just celebrated 60 years on Olvera Street, and one of America’s Outstanding Chefs - multi-awardee Chef Andre Guerrero.

There will also be a food history presentation by Professor

Multi-award winning chef Andre Guerrero of Oinkster, Maximiliano and Little Bear

Isa Fabro of IsaMADE

Susie Ling, a historian from Pasadena City College, followed by a panel discussion. This event also features live cultural performances, public art displays, and other family-friendly activities.

“Filipino food today as shaped

by Philippine history consists of Malay matrix, into which melded and blended influences from China and India (through trade), Spain and America (through colonization), and more recently the rest of the world (through global cultural communication).” wrote the late food critic and author, Doreen G. Fernandez. According to the New York Times, other Asian cuisines have been part of the American landscape for decades, but only in recent years have Filipino dishes started gaining recognition outside immigrant communities.

Sangkap Filipino Food History is sponsored by ABS-CBN / The Filipino Channel and El Pueblo Park Association. This is in partnership with The Parks Finest, Thunderbolt Bar, The Oinkster,

Johneric Concordia of The Park’s Finest, Thunderbolt bar, and host of Discovery Channel show, “Prison Food”

La Luz Del Dia, and IsaMADE, with support from the Arts Management Program at Claremont Graduate University, and UCLA Asian American Studies Department.

The VIP reception starts at 11:00 until 12:30 p.m., and the event opens to the general public from 12:30 - 5 p.m. For tasting tickets and more event info: https://tinyurl.com/sangkap2020.

Owner of several businesses...

From Page 5 nization plan that provides for a manageable monthly payment, a partial payment of the $40,000.

And, whatever you decide to do, do not liquidate your 401K to pay the $40,000 because 401Ks up to $1 million are exempt in bankruptcy. Keep the $1 million for your retirement, that’s what it’s for. That’s why the law exempts 401K and other ERISA qualified retirement accounts up to $1 million. Actually, a little more than $1 million now. In other words, you can wipe out the $40,000 credit cards, while keep-

ing your 401K, or without touching your 401K. If you need debt relief, please set an appointment. I will analyze your case personally. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Bankruptcy, Business, Real Estate and Civil Litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789 or 1000 S. Fremont Ave., Mailstop 58, Building A-10 South, Suite 10042, Alhambra, CA 91803.

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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 26, 2020

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 26, 2020