022719 - Southern California Midweek Edition

February 27-March 1, 2019 Volume 29 - No. 15 • 3 Sections - 20 Pages

Duterte: ‘Don’t harm priests or you will answer to me’

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

INSTEAD of launching into another series of tirades against Catholic Church officials and the religion itself, President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday, February 24 issued a warning to anyone who would harm priests and bishops.

The warning came after Duterte was informed about rumors that some individuals claiming to be working for his family have been sending death threats to some members of the religious sector.

“Do not touch the priests, they have nothing to do with politics. Either Muslims or Christians, they have nothing to do with us. Do not do it. Do not try to do it.

A religious (sector) has nothing to do with the vagaries of life,” Duterte said at the PDP-Laban campaign rally in Cebu.

“Lay off! The moment you touch nuns or priests...

President Rodrigo Duterte

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Malacañang photo

USA

DATELINE Philippine Embassy decries Washington Post feature on drug war victim

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US State Sec. Pompeo to meet Duterte in PH visit UNITED States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit the Philippines next week to meet with President Rodrigo Duterte and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. The U.S. official’s visit comes at a time when its former colU.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo ony is increasPhoto from Twitter/@SecPompeo ingly flirting with China, whose growing military might is worrying the U.S. and its allies.

Pompeo will be in the Philippines from Feb. 28 to March 1, State Department deputy spokesman Robert Palladino said in a statement on Friday, February 22.

He will travel to Manila after attending the scheduled summit of U.S. President Donald

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EDSA 33 years later: On preserving democracy and learning its lessons Political analyst say nothing much has changed, FVR skips leap

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

THE Philippine Embassy in the United States has cried foul over an article of The Washington Post telling the story of one of the victims of the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

In its article titled “This is Manila,” The Post narrated the story of Ferdinand Santos, whose body was found floating under a bridge off Pasig River last month.

The victim’s legs and arms were tied with a rope while his head wrapped in packing tape when his corpse was discovered on January 14.

“Whether the deaths are mostly related to Duterte’s war on drugs is unclear. But what connects them all is a kind of numbed silence,” the article read.

In a statement released Tuesday, February 26 (Manila time), the Philippine Embassy insisted that The Post article does not paint a picture of

33RD EDSA PEOPLE POWER COMMEMORATION. Red, white and blue confetti abound during the commemoration of the 33rd anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution with “EDSA 2019: Pagkakaisa tungo sa Pambansang Kapayapaan” as the theme held at the EDSA People Power Monument at the corner of EDSA corner White Plains Avenue in Quezon City Monday, February 25. The National Historical Commission of the Philippines, in coordination with the EDSA People Power Commission, Spirit of EDSA Foundation and other national and local government agencies representatives, led the commemoration rites.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

“Let us never forget the sacrifice of those who came before us so that we may always be AS the entire nation commemo- motivated to preserve and prorated the 33rd anniversary of the tect the democratic way of life 1986 People Power Revolution that we enjoy today,” Duterte on Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue said as reported by Rappler.

(EDSA) on Monday, February In his speech during the Par25, Philippine President Rodrigo tido Demokratikong PilipinoDuterte urged the public to up- Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) hold democracy in high regard. campaign rally in Cebu, the

by NATHALIE

ROBLES

AJPress

Vice President Leni Robredo

Inquirer.net photo

Robredo twits Duterte over end of Catholic Church remark

by GABRIEL

PABICO Inquirer.net

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Palace: Immigration laws to be enforced by government

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

LALU

VICE President Leni Robredo has declined to comment on President Rodrigo Duterte’s claim that Catholicism would end in around 25 years, and took a swipe at the chief executive for missing self-imposed deadlines.

Robredo was alluding to Duterte’s campaign promise to end the illegal drugs menace in 3 to 6 months, which the President previously admitted was impossible.

“Hindi na lang siguro ako magko-comment, kasi marami naman siyang binitawan na salita na “will end in 3 months, will end in 6 months,” so baka later on sabihin, bawiin ulit (I’d rather not comment. He has earlier set deadlines, that such will end in 3 months, 6 Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo

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chief executive said that the “freedom and liberty” won in the bloodless revolt must be valued and cared for by the younger generation.

“I am hopeful that this occasion will inspire all of us, especially the younger generation, to deeply value the freedom and liberty that we won in EDSA.

Inquirer.net photo

IMMIGRATION laws will be fully enforced against illegal foreign workers in the Philippines, Malacañang announced on Monday, February 25.

This was issued after President Rodrigo Duterte drew flak for saying he cannot deport Chinese workers in the Philippines because there are illegal Filipino workers who also benefit from China.

In a statement, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo clarified that “the president’s

policy on Chinese workers who are illegally staying in the country remains the same, which is the enforcement of immigration laws against violators.”

“Our laws will be applied with full force and effect equally to all foreign nationals who violate them,” he added.

Panelo also said Chinese workers who have working permits and are compliant with immigration rules will be given the protection they are entitled to.

Ambassador Zhao Jianhua recently told Duterte that Philippine laws should be enforced

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‘This is the most dangerous time for anybody to be playing with drugs’

by AJPRESS

Surigao del Sur authorities recovered on Sunday, February 24, 34 bricks of suspected cocaine with the same packaging and markings as the ones found on the shore of Dinagat Island in the Caraga region last week. Police personnel from Surigao del Sur led by Senior Superintendent Francisco Dungo recovered the 34 cocaine bricks from two fishermen who found the contraband off Tandag City.

Philstar.com photo

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday, February 24, said that now is the most dangerous time to be involved in illegal drugs.

People who profit off of narcotics should find another income source or they will lose their lives quickly, the president added.

“Don’t ever enter into that. Those who haven’t tried it yet, don’t... You’ll earn money there quickly, but you’ll lose your life just as quick,” he said during the distribution of grants to cash transfer beneficiaries in Cebu.

Duterte, who vowed to launch a harsher and bloodier war against illegal drugs last

week, reiterated that the illegal drugs menace is destroying the country and making families dysfunctional.

“I’ll make it simple. I will finish you off because my nation is going insane. You know, you create so many social dysfunctions.

When you enter into drugs, the head of the family becomes inutile,” he said.

“If you remain like that, I still have three years. I told you I will really finish the war against drugs in three years’ time,” he added.

The president also issued a warning to human rights advocates who are planning on interfering with his anti-drug crackdown.

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From the Front Page Palace: Immigration laws to be enforced...

PAGE A1 against foreign citizens who violate them — Chinese nationals not exempted, according to Panelo.

However, he maintained that the government would not act recklessly against perceived violations of Chinese citizens.

“To do so would be a dangerous policy as we have, as the

president stressed in his campaign rally speech, thousands of Filipinos in China and its government might enforce a policy of tit for tat to the detriment of our countrymen in China,” Panelo said.

“The government will tread cautiously and in accordance with the Constitution in dealing with any matter involving

Chinese migrants perceived or alleged to be staying illegally, given the situation of thousands of Filipinos staying in China not in accordance with its laws,” he added.

The Senate recently launched a probe into the rising number of Chinese workers in the country. This is to check whether foreigners are taking over jobs that could have been for Filipinos since labor officials have admitted that more than 119,000 tourists, most of them Chinese, entered the country and were able to skirt Philippine labor regulations.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) cited the country’s laws, policies as well as rules and regulations saying that “all jobs including skills and professions must be given to Filipino workers and professionals.”

“However, if there are specialization and skills unavailable in the labor market, these should be given to foreign workers who must apply for alien employment permit (AEP) from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and work permits from the Bureau of Immigration (BI),” said TUCP president Raymond Mendoza.

TUCP also insisted Filipinos should get the jobs generated by the government’s Build Build Build infrastructure program before other foreign workers.

Where the problem thrives Dominique Tutay, DOLE’s Bureau of Local Employment director, said Chinese workers should enter the country legally.

“They should be documented,” she added.

Tutay noted that Chinese construction workers comprised only less than one percent of the foreign nationals who received AEPs from DOLE, and that Chinese nationals employed in the local construction industry hold highly technical positions and other jobs that require proficiency in Chinese language.

Mendoza, however, said there is no coordination between DOLE and BI when giving out permits.

“This is where the problem thrives. Each agency issues permits allowing foreigners to PAGE A3

MISS UNIVERSE 2018 VISITS SENATE. Senate President Vicente Sottto III (left), together with Senators Nancy Binay and Gregorio Honasan II, present a copy of Senate Resolution 140 to Catriona Gray on Tuesday, February 26, congratulating and commending her for winning the Miss Universe 2018 title in Bangkok, Thailand.

Senate photo by Alex Nueva España

Duterte: ‘Don’t harm priests or...

PAGE A1 Do not touch them because those are religious people. If you touch them, you will answer to me,” he added.

Duterte, in the middle of his speech, revealed he received a text message from Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle. In his message, the Cardinal expressed concern over threats against clerics.

“Good day po! Greetings from Rome! I was informed by Bishop David and some priests got death threats from someone to be claiming to be working for the president’s family.

Just to let you know. Baka may naninira (Someone might be defaming). Thanks! We pray,” the text read.

In response, Duterte denied any ties with these groups. Instead, he claimed there were groups seeking to sow controversies.

“I do not have such groups.

Thank you, Cardinal. Just to let you know that there are persons using the name of the president and his family to threaten. You should know. Please take care,” he told Tagle.

‘Only solution’ Earlier that day, Duterte proposed a “solution” for the Catholic Church.

“Priests should be allowed to marry. That’s the only solution there. Even the gay ones, allow them to marry, same-sex marriage. I am in favor of that so the problem is over,” he said in a speech during the distribution of grants to unconditional cash transfer beneficiaries at the Cebu Technological University Gymnasium.

Duterte did not elaborate on what problem would be solved if priests were allowed to marry.

His statement, however, came a few days after the Vatican called for a summit to address the issue of sexual abuse among Catholic priests.

In his speech, Duterte also mentioned he was in favor of same-sex marriage.

“We are not fooling around here because I — I have two brothers-in-law who are gay.

They are mestizos. But I am not ashamed to tell the world that the brothers of my — are gay,” he said.

“Allow them to marry. Samesex, sure. Live together. The Catholics… The Muslims can only have four. The Catholics can have up to three wives. I’ll add more for us because there are those who have not been married yet,” he added.

Duterte recounted the sexual

abuse he experienced under the hands of Catholic priests, as well. He claimed that he was touched inappropriately by a priest during the sacrament of confession. Afterward, he said four out of five priests are gay.

So, I am not… I am just telling you bishops, you sons of b— hes. You… It is true. Almost all of them are gay. Look at it. I do not have anything bad for gays.

My roommate in my dormitory before was gay,” he said.

“The gay [priests]… They should come out in the open, cancel celibacy, and allow them to have boyfriends also. The problem is, who will believe you?” he added.

The president has routinely slammed the Catholic Church.

He has accused it of corruption and abuse, and mocked its practices and beliefs. He claimed Catholicism will disappear in 25 years due to the clergy’s alleged abuses.

“This Catholic will disappear.

In almost 25 years, it will disappear. No more, people will forget it,” he said in a speech on Sunday.

“When they are aroused, they abuse nuns. If they’re gay, they go to children. Who needs a religion like that?” he added. n

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A

Bill that would block debt collectors from levying last dollars from California’s poor introduced With the highest poverty rate in the nation, low-income Californians need the protection offered by SB 616

FREEDOM AWARDS. Veteran photo-journalist Eufrosino “Sonny” Camarillo (left) receives the Conferment of the Freedom Awards from Rene R. Escalante, chairman of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and EDSA People Power Commission (EPPC), during the 33rd anniversary of the 1986 People Power Revolution with this year’s theme: “EDSA 2019: Pagkakaisa Tungo sa Pambansang Kapayapaan” held at EDSA People Power Monument at the corner of EDSA and White Plains Avenue in Quezon City Monday, February 25. Also in photo are Joey Concepcion, EPPC vice-chairman and presidential adviser for entrepreneurship and Pastor “Boy” Saycon, EPPC commissioner.

PNA photo by Ben Briones

EDSA 33 years later: On preserving...

PAGE A1 May we all have a profound sense of appreciation and understanding of what we lost and what we reclaimed,” he said.

“As the entire nation prepares for the upcoming midterm elections this May, let us always remember how this historic revolution restored our power to collectively chart our future through the ballot,” the president added as reported by The Philippine Star.

As observed in the previous years, Duterte once again skipped the commemoration rites in EDSA. Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo denied that it was because of the leader’s close relationship with the Marcoses whose patriarch was ousted in power 33 years ago.

“The president has been working tirelessly, including on weekends. (Duterte would be) in union with the celebrators as well as in recognition and reminder to all that our government is a fruit of democracy,” the spokesperson said.

Robredo: EDSA is not about the ‘dilawans’ Vice President Leni Robredo appealed to the people to refrain from associating the EDSA Revolution to her “yellow-tagged” opposition group — Liberal Party and remember the momentous

event as a celebration of unity among Filipinos.

“Sana ma-break lang iyong misconception na iyong EDSA ay mga ‘dilawan.’ Hindi ito defined by isang kulay, hindi siya defined by any group, hindi siya defined by pulitika (I hope we break the misconception that EDSA is just all about the dilawans. It’s not defined by one color, it’s not defined by any group, it’s not defined by politics),” Robredo said.

“Kapag ganito iyong pagtingin natin, insulto ito sa napakaraming mga Pilipino na wala namang political affiliations noong 1986 (If we view the EDSA Revolution that way, it would be an insult to so many Filipinos who didn’t have any political affiliations in 1986),” she added.

As she led the EDSA rites in Naga City, Robredo said that the Filipino people should be inspired by the power of unity. She also emphasized the sacrifices made by those who endured the atrocities of Martial law declared by late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

“Kahit gaano ka-imposible iyong tinitingnan na task, iyong pinaka-lesson sa atin ng EDSA, basta magkaisa iyong mga Pilipino, iyong imposible puwedeng puwedeng maging posible (No matter how impossible the task

is, the main lesson from EDSA is that if Filipinos unite, the impossible can certainly become possible),” Robredo stated.

Ito, talagang pag-alala sa lahat nang Pilipinong nagsakripisyo.

Kasi nangyari lang naman ang EDSA dahil nagkaisa iyong mga Pilipino (This is really a commemoration of all Filipinos who made sacrifices. The EDSA Revolution only happened because Filipinos became united),” the vice president added.

Noynoy, other officials and sectors on EDSA’s 33rd Former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III said that people must remember the lesson of EDSA Revolution that elected her mother the late Corazon Aquino as the Philippines’ first female president.

“Kung hindi na relevant, malimutan niyo ang aral ng nakalipas, garantisadong uulitin niyo ang pagkakamali (If it’s no longer relevant and you’ve forgotten the lessons of the past, guaranteed, you will repeat the mistakes),” Noynoy said.

The young Aquino noted that forgetting the dark days of Martial law would subject the people to yet another tyrannical rule.

However, he said that it is up to the electorate to decide who to place in the political seats this PAGE A4

SACRAMENTO – Low-income Californians would finally get the protection they need from debt collectors who are attempting to zeroout their checking accounts with a bill introduced Friday, February 22, by Senator Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont). SB 616 prevents collectors from taking the last $2,000 from an individual’s account, ensuring that people have some minimal money to pay for daily living expenses.

“A substantial number of people are surviving paycheckto-paycheck and our current laws are inadequate to protect them against a debt collector who seeks to empty out every last penny of their account,” said Wieckowski, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “Current law recognizes the importance of making sure

people can pay for the basic necessities, but fails from a practical standpoint because the process to seek exemptions from a bank levy is too slow and cumbersome to match the speed with which collectors move.”

Currently, procedures for recovering levied funds through the courts can take several months. But families can have their lives turned upside down by a sudden illness or injury, unemployment, or an eviction before they get their money returned to their account.

Creditors also have other steps they can take to collect a debt, such as garnishing wages, seizing assets or putting a lien on real property. But unlike with wage garnishments, there are no limitations on how much money can be seized in a bank levy.

“In over 10 years as a legal aid attorney, I saw how many families are one financial set back away from crisis. California’s bank levy laws allow creditors to empty people’s bank accounts down to the last penny, meaning no money for rent, transportation to work, or child care,” said Rebecca Miller, an attorney with the Western Center on Law and Poverty.

“California should join other states that protect a minimal amount in a person’s bank accounts so they can afford their basic needs.”

The $2,000 that is protected from a levy by SB 616 is less than the amount allowed under the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. If the bill is signed into law, California would join more than 15 other states that provide protection from bank levies. n

Palace: Immigration laws to be enforced...

PAGE 2 stay and work here using different criteria,” he said.

According to him, permits issued by DOLE and the BI must be enforced with routine coordination, monitoring and implemented free from corruption.

An affront to the dignity of Filipino workers Duterte received criticisms from Partido ng Manggagawa, Federation of Free Workers (FFW), and party-list group Sulong Dignidad for favoring Chinese workers. They said “it’s incumbent upon the President to enforce the country’s laws.”

According to FFW, Duterte’s

statement was irresponsible and encourages foreign workers to violate the laws.

Lawyer Rico Paolo Quicho, president of Sulong Dignidad, meanwhile said Duterte’s remarks were “demeaning” and an affront to the dignity of Filipino workers.

“Our workers in China entered their country through legitimate means. The same cannot be said for Chinese workers who came here taking advantage of loopholes in our laws,” he said.

Quicho said that instead of worrying about the Chinese, Duterte should prioritize how

to provide decent jobs for Filipinos.

Thorough processing BI spokesperson Dana Mengote-Sandoval, for her part, assured they will be more thorough in their screening and investigations of Chinese nationals in the country. This is to ensure that only those who violate Philippine laws will be deported.

However, Sandoval insisted they have been compliant with Duterte’s orders to rid the country of illegal and overstaying aliens.

“We do not arrest aliens arbitrarily,” she said. n

Robredo twits Duterte over end of...

PAGE A1 months, which he may later retract),” she said in an interview on Tuesday, February 26, after the Ka Pepe Diokno Human Rights Awards ceremony.

“So siguro mas tuonan na lang ng pansin ano iyong gagawin ng pamahalaan sa mga problemang bumabagabag sa ordinaryong Pilipino ngayon (It would be better if the government focuses on problems hounding ordinary Filipinos),”

she added.

In a speech in Pasay City on Monday, Duterte told members of the Liga ng mga Barangay that Catholicism would disappear in around 25 years, largely because of the abuses perpetrated by its priests.

During the same event, the president also backpedaled on his previous advice to kill and rob bishops and priests, saying that those who harm the clergy would be his enemy.

This came after Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle told Duterte that some priests have received death threats from individuals claiming to be connected with the Duterte family.

The president has denied the involvement of members of his family.

But for Robredo, the threat on priests proves that the culture of impunity in the country is worsening. n

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International rights exec to PH gov’t: Stop ‘harassment’ of de Lima person Charles Santiago said in a statement on Saturday, February Inquirer.net 23.

AN EXECUTIVE of the ASEAN “The charges against her fly in Parliamentarians for Human the face of justice and the PhilipRights (APHR) has called on the pine government must end its Philippine government to stop judicial harassment against her the “judicial harassment” against without further delay,” Santiago Senator Leila de Lima, who is cur- added. rently detained due to alleged drug De Lima is detained at the cuscharges. todial center of the Philippine Na“The two years Senator de Lima tional Police (PNP) inside Camp has spent languishing in prison Crame in Quezon City for almost serve as a dark reminder of Presi- two years. dent Duterte’s zero-tolerance for She was arrested on Feb. 24, scrutiny and the eroding state of 2017, based on the testimonies democracy and human rights in of convicted drug suspects at the the Philippines,” APHR Chair- New Bilibid Prisons.

by ConsueLo

Marquez

Senator Leila de Lima

Inquirer.net photo by Marianne Bermudez

Santiago then dubbed the drug charges filed against De Lima as “politically motivated,” saying her imprisonment aimed to silence the senator, who has been a vocal critic of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“It’s clear that the charges against her are politically motivated. Her prolonged and unjust imprisonment has been nothing but an attempt to deliberately silence Senator de Lima’s efforts, which were focused on important matters of public interest,” he said.

Santiago was referring to De Lima’s criticisms on Duterte’s bloody crackdown on illegal drugs.

Before being a senator, De Lima, who was then the chairperson of Commission on Human Rights (CHR), led a probe into Duterte’s alleged involvement in extra-judicial killings when he was still serving as Davao City mayor.

Santiago said De Lima was only trying to end the drug-related killings under the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign.

“Senator de Lima’s only ‘crime’ was trying to end the bloody antidrug campaign unleashed under the current government. The Philippine people need more champions for justice like the senator,” he said.

Santiago added that while the senator is in detention, her “regional peers are standing in solidarity with her” and will keep supporting her until she “walks free again.” n

‘This is the most dangerous time for...

PAGE A1 He claimed he was not afraid to be assassinated.

“Don’t mess around with me.

You do not scare me a bit. You scare people by killing people, that you will kill the president. Son of a b****, do you want us all to fire at each other at the same time?” he said.

“It will make me very happy for things to reach an end. Don’t try to scare me about assassination.

I will walk when I want to walk.

When the time comes that I will no longer be able to walk on my own, I will tell God, ‘I am useless here.

Kill me,” he added.

Duterte also threatened to kill Peter Lim, a businessman accused of drug trafficking and money laundering.

“I warned you on TV. I already warned you. That’s true. I will kill you. Do not show yourself to me.

Find a hell where you can hide.

Do not ever show yourself in the Philippines. I will finish you off,” he said.

Lim, who has denied his involvement in illegal drugs, has not been seen since last year. Last week, Duterte told him to commit suicide or he would imprison him for 200 years.

ICC withdrawal Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Monday said the drug trade profiting from the International Criminal Court (ICC)’s “self-seeking” publicity led to the Philippines’ withdrawal from the international tribunal.

The ICC is a court of last resort for the prosecution of serious international crimes, including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. In July 1998, the Rome Statute, its treaty, was adopted.

“What triggered my unilateral withdrawal was embarrassment by threats from Manila to withdraw and the reasons for it. I don’t do empty threats nor abide stupid reasons. So I withdrew with only valid one: the drug trade was profiting from the ICC’s self-seeking publicity. Sad,” Locsin posted on Twitter.

“It will change when the drug trade lets up its pressure on the Philippine government to give up its war on drugs and against terrorism, both of which we aim to destroy and never to accommodate in our society. A little patience,” he added.

The Philippines withdrawal from ICC was in response to the ICC’s move to launch a preliminary examination of Duterte’s “drug war” killings to determine whether to open a full-blown investigation back in February 2018. n

CELEBRATION. Confetti rain on the people who went to the People Power Monument on EDSA to commemorate the 33rd anniversary of the People Power Revolution that ended the Marcos regime.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez

United Nations: ‘Crimes vs journalists, media workers intolerable’

by Pia Lee-Brago

ten result in actual violence,” Guterres said.

Harassment and attacks are on CRIMES against journalists the rise, he added. and other media workers must The secretary-general noted not be tolerated, the United Na- that over a thousand human tions has said. rights defenders and journalIn his remarks Monday, Feb- ists were killed in the last three ruary 25, to the Human Rights years.

Council, UN Secretary-General “We must do more to defend Antonio Guterres said he was defenders and end reprisals alarmed by the “shrinking civic against those who share their space in every region of the human rights stories and we globe and every corner of the in- must hold accountable those ternet.” who commit such acts,” Guterres “Activists and journalists are said. being targeted by surveillance, Respect for human rights, he misinformation campaigns and said, is just a game of words if threats of violence that too of- there is no respect for people.

Philstar.com

Meanwhile, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNCHR) called for an independent and thorough review of all charges against Rappler chief executive officer Maria Ressa and other media professionals in the Philippines.

Rupert Colville, spokesman for UNCHR chief Michelle Bachelet, urged the Philippine judiciary to “safeguard their own independence by throwing out cases that are clearly politically motivated or are not in line with international human rights standards, including freedom of opinion and expression.” n

Philippine Embassy decries Washington Post...

PAGE A1

Manila, contrary to its title, “but of a hasty generalization that has no foundation in reality.”

“It is disappointing how this article hides behind the guise of journalism to advance an agenda that seeks to discredit the Philippines in the eyes of the international community,” the embassy said.

Citing previous surveys of the Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia, the Philippine Embassy stressed that majority of Filipinos continue to support the government’s crackdown against illegal drugs.

The embassy also pointed out that total crime volume decreased by 30 percent, based on Philippine National Police data.

“The PNP believes that there is a strong correlation between illegal drug use and focus crimes,” the statement read.

The embassy also stressed

that erring police officers from January 2016 to December 2018 have faced disciplinary actions such as dismissal from service, demotion, suspension, forfeiture of salary, reprimand, restriction and withholding of privileges.

The Philippine embassy reiterated that the country upholds the rule of law and human rights in all of its endeavors.

“We will continue to engage in sincere, constructive and evidence-based dialogue with our international partners in the pursuit of common goals and mutual interests,” it said.

The Post article noted that there have been at least 20,000 killings and drug-related deaths since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office in 2016. This number is based on estimates of rights groups.

Aside from Santos, the main character in the “This is Ma-

nila” story, two bodies were also found under the same bridge on the same day the victim was discovered.

New York-based watchdog Human Rights Watch earlier warned that the human rights crisis in the Philippines has “deepened” during Duterte’s second year in office.

In its annual report released last month, the human rights watchdog noted that Duterte’s drug war has expanded outside Metro Manila.

“President Duterte has used the killing of thousands of largely poor drug suspects as a tool to bolster his popularity. He’s also targeting anyone who might undermine that popularity, from outspoken senators to journalists documenting his abuses,” HRW Asia director Brad Adams said.

(Patricia Lourdes Viray/Phisltar. com)

US State Sec. Pompeo to meet Duterte...

PAGE A1 Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Hanoi, Vietnam from Feb. 26 to 28.

After winning the presidency in 2016, Duterte threatened to split with the U.S. and cozied up to Beijing despite a long-running maritime dispute sparked by China’s seizure of land features belonging to the Philippines.

President Xi Jinping visited the Philippines last November, offering trade and investment incentives.

Responding to an inquiry on possible discussion points of his upcoming meeting with Pompeo, Locsin on Twitter said that he is not yet aware of the agenda of the visit.

“He did tell me first time we talked not to turn our noses up at China deals; just to read the fine print as we should in every

agreement,” he wrote.

“Last time we did not read the fine print we fell into the worst debt trap of all: that laid by New York banks, World Bank and International Monetary Fund,” he added.

Locsin earlier said the Philippines is not afraid of the socalled Chinese debt trap, saying the country has experienced worse in the past under the Western financial system.

“The West went into paroxysms of ecstasy over our people power revolution – which was a rebuke to Communism as a way forward,” he said in a speech in Hungary last Feb. 14.

“Still the West threatened our new democracy with financial destruction if it did not pay back every dollar lent by Western banks to the dictatorship which stole every cent of it. Democratic

victory was good for a pat on the back; but not good enough for debt forgiveness,” he added.

Duterte has bristled at all criticism over his sweeping crackdown on drugs and crime, which has killed thousands of people since mid-2016, and lashed out at critics who accuse his government of human rights violations and lack of due process.

But Trump has hailed Duterte’s action as a sign of toughness — a marked contrast with previous U.S. president Barack Obama, Duterte’s target of expletives.

The Trump administration has downplayed human rights except when pressing adversaries and has set an overall priority of reducing the global influence of China and Russia. (Janice Mateo/Philstar.com)

EDSA 33 years later: On preserving...

PAGE A3 upcoming midterm election.

Nasa inyo ’yun, demokrasya.

Nasa inyo kung gusto niyong ulitin ang madilim na bahagi ng kasaysayan. (It’s on you, the democracy. It’s on you if you want to experience again the dark chapter of our history),” he added.

Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Menardo Guevarra emphasized that the current administration is still upholding to the democratic government acquired from the victory of the People Power Revolution.

“We Filipinos continue to enjoy the liberties that we regained after the People Power revolution in 1986. Our government institutions function with vibrancy under a democratic regime,” Guevarra said.

EDSA People Power Commission chairman Pastor Saycon said in English and Filipino said that the two million “countrymen, nameless, faceless and colorless. No yellow, red, left or

right” Filipinos who marched in 1986 should be deemed as “the real heroes.”

Analyst: Nothing much changed since; Ramos skips leap University of the Philippines political science professor Clarita Carlos explained in a panel discussion aired by TMT TV that the revolt had impacted a very little change in the political landscape of the Philippines “There hasn’t been much change after 33 years. We should not call it a revolution because there was just a circulation of elites. Pinalitan mo si Marcos et al, ng Aquino, Roxas (You just changed Marcos et al, with Aquino, Roxas),” Carlos said as reported by The Manila Times.

The analyst emphasized that the country’s political system “is still broken” due to the fact that the EDSA rally did not impact a structural change.

“First, we are still under a presidential system, where every

2,000 days you change the face of the president; and every 1,000 days you change the face of Congress,” Carlos explained.

Prominent people who participated in the revolt agreed with such a sentiment. Theater artist Cecile Alvarez said that despite such, the fruits of EDSA revolt must not be dismissed, including the freedom of the press.

“The freedom of the press was restored nu’ng ibinalik natin ang demokrasya at sa EDSA mapayapang itinakwil ang diktadurya, walang karahasan at naging modelo sa buong mundo (when we restored democracy and we rejected dictatorship without violence and has become a model globally),” Alvarez said.

Former president Fidel Ramos skipped the anniversary rites this year as he was in much pain due to his gout. The 90-year-old leader annually reenacts the famous leap he did when he was misinformed that the Marcos family fled the country in the height of the revolution. n

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A5

DATELINE PHILIPPINES

Sara controls political decisions - Duterte

by NATHALIE

ROBLES

AJPress

ANTI-MEASLES DRIVE. A fast food chain mascot entertains children who were about to receive anti-measles vaccine at the Ayala Mall Serin Activity Center in Tagaytay City on Sunday, February 24. The Department of Health has urged parents to bring their children to the nearest health center so that they can be vaccinated and be protected from measles.

PNA photo by Oliver Marquez

Duterte: No promise I haven’t kept except fixing traffic in EDSA

by AJPRESS PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte said on Saturday, February 23, during a Partido Demokratikong Pilipino (PDP-Laban) event that he has kept all his campaign promises except fixing the traffic in the Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA).

“Wala akong pangako na hindi ko natupad except ‘yang EDSA (There is no promise I haven’t fulfilled except for the one about EDSA),” Duterte said in Binan, Laguna as reported by The Philippine Star.

The president stated that he could have addressed the worsening vehicular traffic in the main highway if given the resources.

However, “others said” that the legislative body must grant him emergency powers.

“I said I would need money to repair or rehabilitate or do away with the present situation. Others said, ‘Let us give Duterte the power, extraordinary power.’ You did not hear that from my mouth, not even once,” the chief executive said.

“Ako sabi ko, EDSA yan lang ang hindi ko mapangako, pangako na palpak. Sabi ko, I have to

have the authority kagaya yung binigay kay Cory, Ramos. ‘Yung sa electricity. They were given extraordinary powers, wala nang bidding bidding. Ako naman di ko sinabi na walang bidding (I said, EDSA, that’s the only thing I can’t promise, promise I failed.

I said I have to have the authority they gave Cory Aquino and Fidel Ramos for the electricity.

They were given extraordinary powers with no bidding. I didn’t say there’s no bidding),” Duterte added.

The chief executive emphasized the need for such since addressing a long-existing problem requires a huge sum of resources and money. However, he said he was thrown off when the lawmakers hinted the possibility of corruption.

“I said I would need big money because it is a big-ticket project.

So ano narinig ko sa Congress, ‘di pwede ito, you know graft and corruption papasok dito (I heard the Congress say it’s not allowed — graft and corruption would enter),” he said as reported by ABS-CBN News.

“Sabi ko nung narinig ko it’s off. Ayaw ko. Umpisa pa lang nag-iistorya ka ng corruption eh

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte admitted on Monday, February 25, that all political decisions in the country are orchestrated by his daughter — Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

“Even in politics. She is [the] one orchestrating, not me anymore. She practically ignores me,” Duterte said in his speech at the first national assembly of the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

“But now Inday (Sara’s nickname) is the one taking the lead.

Inday is the one who controls the (political decisions). Wala na ako eh (I will be gone). I know that after three years, wala na talaga ako (I will be really gone),” Duterte added as reported by The Philippine Star.

The president emphasized the fact that his daughter is so much tougher than he is. He recalled the physical confrontation

Duterte-Carpio had with a court sheriff during an informal settlers’ demolition in 2011.

“If you go to Davao, you have to go about it carefully. I beat people up too but Inday is worse than me. Have you seen the sheriff that she punched? She even pulled his hair. He was almost bald,” the president said.

Duterte also explained that he “could not control his daughter” as she was “really hard to deal with.” He mentioned the rift she had with former House Speaker Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez that led to his ouster during Duterte’s State of the Nation Address (SONA).

“She started planning it in Davao. Alvarez was replaced. I wasn’t even aware that she was angry. But with Inday, you just can’t. I did not know about it ‘til the day I was there to deliver my SONA,” the Chief Executive explained.

“Have you seen Inday? Alvarez was just kidding around.

But I can also impeach him. So if you will make a joke, don’t joke around with someone who has a father, mother, sibling and children behind her. You better watch out,” he added.

Sara in 2022: Duterte’s insurance against ICC arrest - journalist An opinion column written by veteran journalist Ellen Tordesillas entitled “President Sara” in 2022 is Duterte’s insurance from ICC arrest when he is out of Malacañang was posted on Saturday, February 24, in ABS-CBN News website.

The article earned the ire of Duterte supporters as presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo labeled it as “black propaganda” dismissing the written work as nonsensical.

Tordesillas echoed Malaya columnist JB Baylon’s social media post wherein he said that Sara Duterte “is the term extension” herself. The journalist explained PAGE A7

p*** inyo na yan. Kaya ang EDSA hanggang ngayon wala akong magawa (I said when I heard it, it’s off. I don’t want. You are initially bringing up corruption, son of a bitch, it’s yours. That’s why EDSA, until now, remains unresolved),” he added.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) earlier issued the data stating that the congested roads are primarily caused by the spike in vehicle ownership to 500,000 in 2018 from 450,000 in 2017, with three out of 10 new cars used in Metro Manila.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) previously urged lawmakers to grant the administration with three-year emergency power. They included a list of road, rail and air projects for direct contracting, repeat order and direct negotiation in the proposed Traffic and Congestion Crisis Act. While the president admitted his inability to solve the land traffic in the capital’s busiest thoroughfare, he highlighted some promises he was able to keep.

Among those were the sacking of perceived corrupt officials and PAGE A7

ALL TOGETHER NOW, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Conserve natural gas during a Dial It Down Alert As the winter weather gets cooler, the demand for natural gas tends to be higher.

SoCalGas® may issue a Dial It Down Alert on certain days so that we can all work together to conserve natural gas.

If a Dial It Down Alert is issued:

Lower your thermostat to 68 degrees

Wash your clothes in cold water

Visit SoCalGas.com/DialitDown to learn about more ways to conserve. © 2019 Southern California Gas Company. Trademarks are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

Take shorter showers to use less hot water

A6 FEBRUARY 27-MARCH 1, 2019 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPINION

Universal health care

FEATURES

IT’S a dream measure for the millions of Filipinos for whom decent health care is a luxury beyond their reach. President Rodrigo Duterte has signed the Universal Health Care Law, which expands the services covered by state health insurance and intends to include all Filipino citizens in the program.

AS in many other laws in this country, of course, the devil will be in the implementation. The government has tried to temper high public expectations, pointing out that the wider benefits and coverage will not happen overnight.

While public impatience could set in, the measured rollout should help ensure the efficient implementation of the new law. The implementing rules and regulations are still being drawn up, with proponents acknowledging that with limited resources, the new law could fail to live up to expectations.

As things stand, the country’s health care facilities, whether state-run or in the private sector, cannot meet the demand. Government hospitals in Metro Manila are overwhelmed, with patients spilling outside the emergency sections and new mothers sharing beds.

How to finance the expanded services promised under the new law is a big question. Apart from higher sin taxes, Republic Act 11223 intends to increase PhilHealth premiums. How much will still have to be worked out in the IRR, but certain workers’ groups are already protesting against any hefty increase.

The extent of free or subsidized treatment also

still has to be specified, especially for those involving costly medication or services such as sustained treatment for cancer and AIDS. Will mental health care and drug rehabilitation be covered?

There are also concerns about the capability of PhilHealth to process claims quickly and efficiently.

PhilHealth officials have reassured the public that they are up to the job.

The private sector will also need a capacity boost to deliver on the promise of the new law. Quality health care facilities and equipment, however, require substantial investments that only a few hospital operators can afford.

There’s also the question of human resources. Will there be enough medical professionals to handle universal health care coverage? The law aims to encourage students to take up health-related courses, with government scholars required to render three years of paid service in the country once they become professionally eligible.

Proponents acknowledge the challenges facing the implementation of the new law. Every effort is needed to ensure that this law delivers on its promise. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Mounting opposition against Trump’s national emergency declaration to use funds to build border wall

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS

chose to side with Trump.

As the Washington Post reported, Democrats contend that Trump’s claim of an emergency crisis at the border was baseless, and that “he was embarking on the road to dictatorship by unilaterally declaring an emergency to try to get money from U.S. taxpayers to fulfill an unpopular campaign promise” to build a wall in the U.S.-Mexico border, which he said Mexico would pay for during the campaign season.

The Post further reported that the Tuesday vote by the House was the first time since the passage of the Emergencies Act of 1976 “that the Congress has invited provisions allowing for passage of a disapproval resolution to nullify a presidential emergency declaration.”

Trump accused Democrats of not wanting to protect the borders by denying his demand for $5.57-billion downpayment for his wall. Congress has previously approved $1.6 billion toward

strengthening border security through smart and modern technology and adding manpower in legal points of entry and parts of the border, as well as improving barriers already in place in critical areas of the border.

But Congress is not alone in this opposition to Trump’s declaration of a national emergency. On February 18, a coalition of 16 states, including California and New York, challenged the constitutionality of Trump’s declaration in a lawsuit filed in Federal District Court in San Francisco. According to the New York Times report, “the suit argues that the president does not have the power to divert funds for constructing a wall along the Mexican border because it is Congress that controls spending.”

On February 25, 48 former national security advisers and officials who served in both Democratic and Republican administrations — including former Secretary of State Mad-

eleine Albright and former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel — sent a letter to President Trump, sending the message they are not aware of any emergency that “remotely justifies” redirecting funds to begin construction of a barrier along the southern border.

These officials pointed out that Trump had no basis for such declaration, arguing that illegal border crossings are at near-40 year lows, that there is no documented terror threat as Trump has been claiming without evidence, that immigrants are in fact not found to commit violent crimes as much as Trump paints. U.S.-born Americans have a higher rate of violent crimes committed per government data. Human and drug trafficking will not be affected by the construction of a massive wall as most of these crimes happen at legal points of entry and through tunnels built under whatever existing walls.

Also on Tuesday, February 26,

PBS reported that top U.S. military officials told senators in a committee hearing that there is no military threat on the southern border. But Air Force Get. Terrence O’Shaughnessy, commander of the U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command said, “Russia’s advancements in training and capabilities, and its intent to hold the US at risk, present an urgent threat to America,” in addition to “real threats” from China.

Trump’s judgment call is indeed questionable. Why is he cozying up with these dictators while alienating our allies, undermining the democratic institutions and the rule of law of the United States of America? ***

PRESIDENT Donald Trump, as of press time, is in Hanoi, Vietnam for his second rendezvous with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to talk about denuclearization.

This comes despite no concrete verifiable evidence that North Korea has started to comply with the United States’ denuclearization requirement of the United States during their first summit in Singapore.

“We fell in love,” Trump said, touting the “love letters” he received from the dictator and the “love” felt during the summit.

Meanwhile, at the same time in Congress, Trump’s former long-time personal lawyer/fixer Michael Cohen has started giving his testimonies to reveal what he said everything the public needs to know about Trump’s evil deeds in violation of the laws of the land, offering to turn in more evidence to substantiate his allegations.

These are all happening as

more people and institutions continue to challenge President Donald Trump’s declaration of a national emergency just so he could get $8 billion from funds already appropriated by Congress for military projects and disaster relief programs — a blatant attempt to circumvent the power of the purse accorded by the Constitution to Congress.

They all argue that there is is NO national emergency and that Trump is abusing his executive power, which could pose a threat to the country’s national security.

On Tuesday, February 26, the House of Representatives passed a resolution to overturn Trump’s declaration of a national emergency on the southern border.

With a 245-182 vote, the resolution was passed mostly along party lines, with 13 Republicans voting with the Democrats.

This vote, however, fell short of the two-thirds majority required to overcome Trump’s veto threat because more Republicans

PeaceMaker

Rebuilding new roads to peace, security and human development

FORMER SPEAKER JOSE C. DE VENECIA, JR. Part 3 of 3

(Remarks of former Philippine speaker Jose de Venecia - founding chairman, International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP); co-chairman, International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP); chairman emeritus, Universal Peace Federation (UPF); Special Envoy of the President to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and for Intercultural Dialogue at the UPF World Summit 2019 “Peace, Security and Human Development” Seoul, Republic of Korea; February 7-11, 2019) The challenge to Asian countries Excellencies, friends: Our task is to ask ourselves why this is happening and how we can keep peace within our region despite the stiff economic competition our countries face.

We must be aware of all the pitfalls and failings of democracy and free market competition.

What ethical standards can we bring in so that we can bring all our entrepreneurial skills but operate fairly and with civility?

Perhaps, the answer is in our distant past when the maritime highways linked our nations to one another and participated in a trade where one country supplied what was needed in another, for which they bartered for what they needed.

My own country the Philippines, located as it is on the margins of islands in Southeast Asia, developed virtually on its own, though it did take part in a long-distance trading system, that encompassed both the Indian Ocean and the China Sea and reached past Madagascar in East Africa to Nagasaki, Japan.

Most practical solution in China Sea crises Excellencies, friends: As we pointed out much earlier, the raging conflict in the South China Sea, West Philippine Sea to the Filipinos, and East Sea to the Vietnamese, with conflicting sovereignty claims, may be settled by temporarily shelving the issue of sovereignty, as earlier proposed

by Deng Xiaoping, the paramount leader of China’s peaceful rise: revive the Seismic Survey Agreement signed by China, the Philippines, and Vietnam, which we had the priviledge to inititate in 2004; undertake joint oil/gas exploration and joint develop-

ment with an equitable sharing of production and profits; designate “fishing corridors”; demilitarize the disputed islets through the phased withdrawal of armed garrisons; and convert the zone of conflict into a Zone of Peace, Friendship, Cooperation and Development.

This is perhaps the most realistic, most common-sensical solution to the problem of the Spratlys and Paracels, and which could subsequently be joined by Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan, and could also be the solution to the problem between China and Japan in the Senkaku Straits or Diaoyu in the East China Sea. Easier said than done but this is now the time to consider the practical, principled, commonsensical win-win compromises necessary for the geo-political settlements in the China Sea. Our own road to the future Excellencies, friends: We must make our own road to the future.

And in this task we should take hope from the writer Lu Hsun, a hero of China’s revolutionary period.

“Hope [says Lu Hsun] cannot be said to exist. Nor can it be said not to exist. It is just like roads across the earth. For actually the earth had no roads

to begin with; but when many people pass one way a road is made.”

Here in our meeting in Seoul, we know the journey will be difficult. The journey will be long.

But the rewards at the journey’s end will be more than justify every tear, every hurt, every fall.

It is in this spirit that we in the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP), and the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) join hands with all of you, distinguished delegates from around the world, all advocates of reconciliation and peace – peace in our time, hopefully sooner than later in this century – peace in the Korean Peninsula, peace throughout in our planet Earth.

For we share rebuilding new roads to the future for mankind, for all our peoples.

Two Koreas should adapt to global changes Excellencies, friends: We must point out that despite the occasional harsh rhetoric on both sides of the 38th Parallel, we believe governments, parliaments, political parties, civil society organizations, and religious groups must encourage and support

direct talks between Seoul and Pyongyang.

Indeed, direct talks between North and South will complement these high-level explorations. Perhaps they could even catalyze the long-suspended SixParty Talks to prevent nuclear proliferation in the Korean Peninsula. Perhaps direct bilateral or multilateral talks could even lead to agreement on a road map to eventual unification. But these talks have not been reopened for a long time now.

We in Asia and the global community most acknowledge and applaud the forthright efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong-Un, consistently supported by the South Korean President Moon Jae-In, which have the potential for a breakthrough, hopefully sooner than later, towards a final peace in the Korean Peninsula.

Today the basic fact is that the distribution of power in the world is fast-changing–particularly in East Asia–and the Korean Peninsula must adapt to these epochal transformations.

Vietnam itself emerged from three difficult successive wars, winning against great powers, and its socialist government

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

adopting a market economy, lifted its people from poverty to become today a rising peaceful economic power. North Korea can be like Vietnam, which is already emerging as a significant state in Southeast Asia.

The great example of course is how the two Germanys finally emerged from Cold War confrontation and totally united under then Chancellor Helmut Kohl, to become today the predominant economic power in Europe.

And China, under the unforgettable leader Deng Xiaoping, opened China to the world, lifted more than 500 million people from poverty and introduced appreciable elements of free enterprise capitalism to China’s socialist economy, which has propelled China to the second largest in the global economy with the potential to become No. 1 within 10-15 years.

In my view, the immediate task of the parliaments and mainstream political parties of the Republic of Korea and the Communist Korean Workers’ Party (KWP) of the North, aided by the parliaments, political parties, civil society, and business leaders of the global community, is to draw up a clear, distinct and workable road map toward unification. ■

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

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A

Joma Sison: ‘Gay rebels molesting Baste Duterte a fake story’

by Jose

rodeL CLaPano Philstar.com

MANILA — President Duterte just invented the story that members of the New People’s Army kissed his son Baste during the turnover of policemen who were captured by the NPA, Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison said.

In a statement posted on the National Democratic Front (NDF) website, Sison said the NPA has a strict rule on discipline against sexual molestation.

“In making a joke, Duterte has obviously invented the story that gays in the NPA brought his son Baste to the woods to be subjected to kissing, mashing and other

acts amounting to molestation,” Sison said.

He added that, if true, the rebels who kissed Baste would be subjected to disciplinary action.

“There is a strict NPA rule of discipline against sexual molestation and taking sexual liberties against the will of others. It is up to the NPA command concerned to inform us how Baste was treated,” the communist leader said.

Aside from disciplinary action, those rebels who did it might have experienced discomfort upon discovering the truth of what Duterte had earlier said that he and Baste are “congenital stinkers because the sewage system of their bodies cannot dispose of the waste of their food

intake and they suffer long periods of constipation.”

Sison said the most unbelievable part of the Duterte joke is the claim that 40 percent of NPA fighters are gay.

“How can he make such a survey finding when his military and police minions cannot even locate the thousands of Red commanders and fighters in more than 110 guerrilla fronts?

These armed revolutionaries reveal their momentary loca- CAMPAIGN RALLY IN CEBU. President Rodrigo Duterte raises the hands of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) senatorial bets tion only when they are already during the party’s campaign rally at the Plaza Independencia in Cebu City on Sunday, February 24.

Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez ambushing or raiding his armed minions,” he claimed.

For him, Duterte is again exposing his misogynist and antigay character with machismo MANILA — A local prosecutor of Proclamation 572 that voided of the community, the safety and humor. n has found probable cause to in- the amnesty granted to him dur- order of the government, or who dict Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV on ing the previous administration.” shall knowingly conceal such evil Article 142 of the Revised Penal practices.” inciting to sedition raps over the senator’s remarks against Presi- Code states that inciting to sediTrillanes is being sued over his tion can be done through speech- media interview on Sept. 4, 2018. dent Rodrigo Duterte.

Assistant City Prosecutor Rey- es, proclamations, writings, emTicyado said the words “were ate investigations into these in- naldo Ticyado held in a resolution blems, cartoons, banners or other intended to instill in the minds of cidents.” dated Jan. 29, 2019 that inciting representations “that tend to dis- the people a feeling of hatred and In its report titled “World Re- to sedition charges should be filed turb or obstruct any lawful officer distrust towards the President of port 2019: Philippines,” HRW against Trillanes. in executing the functions of his the Philippines, the Government said the human rights crisis in Labor Undersecretary Jing office, or instigate others to cabal and its duly constituted authorithe Philippines unleashed since Paras and Presidential Anti-Cor- and meet together for unlawful ties.”

Duterte took office in June 2016 ruption Commissioner Manuelito purposes, or which suggest or Trillanes in his counter-affideepened in 2018 as Duterte Luna, who filed the raps, wanted incite rebellious conspiracies or davit asserted that he was intercontinued his murderous “war Trillanes charged over his “incen- riots, or which lead or tend to stir viewed by media in his capacity on drugs” in the face of mount- diary and hateful speeches against up the people against the lawful as a lawmaker. (Kristine Joy Paing international criticism.

President Duterte after issuance authorities or to disturb the peace tag/Philstar.com) In March 2018, the president announced that the Philippines would withdraw from the International Criminal Court “effec- PAGE A5 will also continue to clamp down over and for that matter any Filipitive immediately” in response to the ICC’s move in February that constitutional revisionism on the Anti-Money Laundering no citizen. It is a no brainer that a to launch a preliminary exami- will not be necessary should an- Council and the Ombudsman biased journalist or columnist like nation of “drug war” killings other Duterte be seated in the so the case of Duterte’s unex- Ms. Tordesillas would regularly plained wealth would remain come up with conjectures inimical to determine whether or not country’s highest post.

“Sara succeeding him in uninvestigated,” she added. to the president. That is what we to open a full-blown investigaMalacañang will assure Duterte Panelo refuted Tordesillas’ call black propaganda,” he said. tion.

“His record of not filing any liLast week, Duterte warned that the International Criminal claim by calling the journalist “bithat his anti-narcotics campaign Court (ICC) won’t be allowed in ased” and a “vocal sympathizer” bel case against any member of will be even harsher in the days the country to arrest him when of one of Duterte’s staunchest the media in his more than forty to come, signaling no letup in the case progresses to that stage. critics, Senator Antonio Trillanes years as a public servant is res a bloody crackdown that has He would not have to answer for IV. However, he said that the ad- ipsa loquitur (the thing speaks alarmed the international com- the extra-judicial killings attrib- ministration continues to respect for itself),” the spokesman adduted to him,” Tordesillas said. the freedom of expression. ed as reported by The Manila munity.

“Sara as the next president “The ICC has no jurisdiction Times. n Meanwhile, Locsin on Monday, February 25, labeled Henze a “Forgeter” whom he asked to consult the experience of Germans in handling what only they PAGE A5 all came from the Tax Reform else do you want),” Duterte said. called “the Jewish problem.” intensifying the war on illegal for Acceleration and Inclusion “I mentioned infrastructure “Yes, there are very few firm drugs, ridding the country of cor- (TRAIN) Law. such as schools. How many ‘Forgeters’ among Germans and ruption and drug-related crimes.

“Nangako ako na free tuition, teachers are there? Pantawid I had the luck to meet one of He also mentioned the bills nandyan na ang batas. Nangako (to tide over). Universal (health them and it was he who brought he signed including the Univer- ako na free universal health care, care). Everything is for free now. up the matter and forced me to sal Healthcare Law and a law pirmado ko na ang batas (I prom- The only thing you didn’t ask for make the distinction between granting free tuition in state-run ised free tuition, the law is there. [are] my balls,” he jested as remetaphor and murder. Sad,” institutions. He explained that I promised free universal health ported by The Philippine Daily Locsin said on Twitter. n the money financing those laws care, I have signed the law. What Inquirer. n

Trillanes charged over remarks against Duterte

‘Germany to keep hitting Philippines’ rights violations’

by Pia Lee-Brago Philstar.com

GERMANY will continue to denounce human rights violations and extrajudicial killings in the Philippines and consult with European Union (EU) partners on legal and political action, according to a German journalist.

Arnd Henze of Berlin-based ARD-Hauptstadtstudio said Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. had “embraced remarks of President Duterte about Adolf Hitler and slaughtering three million drug addicts,” and it was not the first time he made extremely offensive comments with reference to the Shoah.

The Holocaust is also known as “the Shoah” or Ha-Shoah in Hebrew.

Locsin’s remarks were “unacceptable,” according to Henze.

Henze also responded to Locsin’s tweet that only a handful of Germans are stupid like the German journalist.

“The interesting part of this tweet is his notion that Germans are coldly efficient & sympathetic. I‘m sure the ambassador of @auswaertigesamt will respectfully explain @teddyboylocsin Germany’s firm condemnation of all human rights violations in #Duterte’s anti drug campaign,” Henze tweeted.

Lotte Leicht, EU advocacy director and director of Human Rights Watch (HRW)’s Brussels office, urged Germany to join

Iceland and others for the adoption of a United Nations Human Rights Council resolution for the creation of a UN-led investigation into the thousands of killings linked to the Philippine government’s war on drugs.

On Sunday, February 24, Locsin tweeted, “It is good to remind the Germans that while Britain can exit, they cannot from the Holocaust.”

The German Foreign Ministry summoned the acting Philippine ambassador to Germany after Locsin defended Duterte’s remarks on Hitler in the interview.

Lilibeth Pono is currently the chargé d’affaires at the Philippine embassy in Germany.

Germany Foreign Office spokesman Rainer Breuer said his ministry had called in the Philippine envoy to discuss comments by Locsin defending the 2016 statements by Duterte concerning Hitler.

HRW said a UN-led probe would both help clarify the disparity in official and independent estimates of killings in the anti-drug campaign and facilitate accountability for unlawful deaths.

In 2017, governments led by Iceland issued two joint statements that urged the Philippine government to “take all necessary measures to bring these killings to an end” and to “cooperate with the international community to pursue appropri-

Sara controls political decisions...

Duterte: No promise I haven’t kept...

A february 27-March 1, 2019 • Socal aSIaN JOurNaL

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SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 27 - MARCh 1, 2019

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BUSINESS& DON'T FILE BANKRUPTCY COMMUNITY Journal BSP charter changes, rice tariff credit positive for Phillippines

A man counts dollar remittance at a money changer in UN Avenue in Manila.

to the charter of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) as well as the rice tariffication law, proMOODY’S Investor Service motes greater macroeconomic said the recent signing of two stability.

“These measures will enhance landmark laws crucial in enhancing macroeconomic and financial macroeconomic and financial stability is positive for the credit stability, a credit positive for the sovereign,” De Guzman said. rating of the Philippines.

Last Feb. 14, President Duterte Christian de Guzman, vice president and senior credit offi- signed Republic Act 11211 or an cer at Moody’s, said the signing act amending RA 7653 otherwise of multiple economic reforms known as The New Central Bank into law, including amendments Act and RA 11203 or the Rice

by Lawrence

agcaoiLi Philstar.com

Manilatimes.net photo by Russell Palma

Import and Export Liberalization Act set to take effect on March 5.

De Guzman said the amendment to the BSP’s charter expands the regulator’s supervisory oversight over non-bank financial institutions such as money service businesses, credit granting businesses and payment system operators that would enhance financial stability given the linkages between the banking sys-

L. Lucas

all stakeholders in political, business and financial circles.

For many in the banking comTHE announcement of Finance munity, however, the decision to Secretary Carlos Dominguez III appoint the veteran regulator of last May 8, 2017, that Rodrigo over three decades as the helmsPresident Duterte had named man of the Philippine banking Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas(BSP) industry was met with quiet trepiDeputy Governor Nestor Aldave dation.

Espenilla Jr. as the country’s next Espenilla had, after all, cut his central bank chief was, as to be teeth as the proverbial “bad cop” expected, welcomed roundly by in charge of the BSP’s superviInquirer.net

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Many reforms, little time: BSP chief passes away at 60

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sion and examination department — the unit responsible for strictly keeping financial institutions in compliance with banking laws, and meting out harsh penalties for those that don’t. He was the the enforcer, the sharp end of the spear, of the central bank.

“Nesting,” as he was known to friends, died Saturday evening, Feb. 23, 2019, after a 15-month

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B FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 1, 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

Minding Your Finances Atty. RAymond BulAon ARE you in debt and are starting to feel very frustrated with your situation? Do you find yourself always worried and stressed because you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have enough money to pay all your bills? Has the idea of filing bankruptcy crossed your mind but you just donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know enough about it to know whether or not itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right for your situation?

The decision to go the bankruptcy route is not always an easy one to make. But sometimes, the hole youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve dug up is too deep that there is no other way out. Bill collectors are harassing you. Maybe theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re already threatening to take you to court, garnish your wages and take everything youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got. Maybe you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even sleep at night asking yourself: â&#x20AC;&#x153;What should I do to solve my debt problems and protect myself and my family?â&#x20AC;?

The answer, of course, doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always come quick and easy. Most people will postpone making a decision until they have their back

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond monette AdevA mAglAyA I AM suspending my idea series for a Bucket To-Do List for the time being to share a story told to me by Sister Anna.

A little back storyâ&#x20AC;Ś Anna Cinco was a classmate in high school who graduated way up the rungs and copped a college degree majoring in Mathematics. She taught at the International School in Manila for a while and decided to join the religious life thereafter.

She lived in Rome for more than a decade working on the canonization of Mother Candida Maria de Jesus, foundress of her religious order, Hijas de Jesus.

Mother Candida is now a saint with documented miracles ascribed to her intercession. Sister Anna speaks Spanish and Italian fluently.

Her story is not cut and dried as all that. There are twists and turns in every life story and hers is no different. She told me the Cliff Notes version of her conver-

Business news

Is filing bankruptcy the right move for you? into a corner and they feel like the walls are caving in. If you are in this situation, I know how you feel.

At what point does it make sense to file bankruptcy and get legal protection? If your financial situation is causing you a lot of stress and worries, perhaps bankruptcy is the best solution for your mental well-being if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re already doing your best but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still not good enough.

Of course, bankruptcy is not always the best solution. Not everyone who faces debt problems should file for bankruptcy because not all cases are the same. But when advisable for your situation, it could be exactly what you need to put your problems behind you and move on.

Filing bankruptcy immediately stops collection actions against you and your property. That means no more collection calls, lawsuits, wage garnishments and no more sheriffs at your door. For the first time after a long while, you can finally breathe better and feel like a human being again. In Chapter 7, credit card debts, personal loans,

medical bills and other unsecured debts are erased completely.

Although in Chapter 7 non-exempt property can be taken to pay creditors, this is very rare because most Chapter 7 cases are no-asset cases. If your case is such, you lose nothing but your debts and you get to keep your home, automobile, bank accounts, retirement plans, etc.

In Chapter 13, you agree to repay all or a portion of your debts over 3 to 5 years. In most cases, you can cut your current credit card payments in half or even more, depending on your income and expenses. So, rather than struggling to pay your debts and the ridiculous interest rates that the credit card companies are charging you, you can be out of debt in a much shorter period of time while paying zero percent interest on your credit cards. Did you know that most people will never get out of debt with the 2229% interest that they are paying on their credit cards? And after youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve paid your debts,

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The bucket list God has a list, too.

(8th of a series)

â&#x20AC;?Sister, do you speak Italian?

Can I talk to you?

I am very angry with God.â&#x20AC;?

I turned my head and it was a beautiful lady, elegantly dressed.

I thought, â&#x20AC;&#x153;She has tortured eyes.â&#x20AC;? sion from someone who repudiated and did not need God at one point. But that riveting story when she became, as she describes how her young, irrepressible students at the International School saw her at the time of her epiphany, â&#x20AC;&#x153;positively radiant,â&#x20AC;? is for yet another day.

I reconnected with her on a trip to Europe in 2011 with my husband spending a wonderful spring day in Rome: dusting off the cobwebs of the past, cracking jokes (yes, religious people have a squeaky clean sense of humor that will have you ROTFLOLing,

that is, rolling on the floor laughing out loud), scarfing down pizza margherita at one of those small joints by the Vatican and walking aimlessly about, shopping for Italian-made sandals on the sidewalks while slurping on scoops of gelato, all three of us looking positively ghetto. HAH! A perfect day in my book â&#x20AC;Ś I emailed her just recently hoping to see her in Rome again this summer, mentioning in passing that I am putting together a Bucket List series of sorts.

Her story stuns me. It never

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Senior scammed out of $100K by internet boyfriend needs Chapter 7 relief THE client is 65 and a widow.

Wanting some male attention, I guess, she posted her picture on the Internet. She looks much younger in the posted picture, which she showed me. She looked like she was 48. But she said that the picture was taken only last year. If her purpose was to get some male attention to her picture, she certainly got it.

Ah, the wonders of the internet where romance can bloom without people actually physically meeting each other. I asked her if she ever met the guy. She said she could not believe how stupid she was. I asked her if the guy was American. She said she doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even know if the picture he sent was really he.

It started with him asking her for money for legal expenses, then money for this, and money for that. So, I asked her how long has it been going on? It started about nine months ago. Then I asked her how much she had given him. She said she had given him $100,000 in nine months. I said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Are you serious, you must be kidding!â&#x20AC;? She said she was not kidding. She admitted that her children told her not to do it, as did her friends and other relatives. So I said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;so, why did you do it? How can you give a

Barristerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Corner Atty. Kenneth uRsuA Reyes ALL property, real or personal, wherever situated, acquired by a married person during the marriage while domiciled in California is community property. Family Code 760. However, there are situations in which the marriage may be held to be null and void. These situations include, but are not limited to entering into a bigamous marriage, fraud and misrepresentation in entering into a marriage, etc. The legal consequences of having your marriage annulled by your spouse is that it results to you not having any community property interest on property acquired by your spouse during the marriage. A nullity may also cut off your claim for spousal support.

What options do you have if your spouse files a nullity against

Debt Relief

Atty. lAwRence yAng guy that you have never met, $100,000?â&#x20AC;? And her explanation was â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was crazy, I was insaneâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;? It really looks like she went nuts for a while there.

Then I asked her where she got the $100,000. She said I borrowed from credit cards, banks and relatives for a grand total of $100,000.

So now she wants to have the guy arrested. Even if she files a police report, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next to impossible to find who the guy really is, much less arrest him.

This guy could be anyone in the world who he lives in Timbuktu but pretends that he is a goodlooking American guy. I asked her how come she never met the guy in person. She said that he was working as a seaman so he would be in port for a short time and then would be out at sea for a long time. I asked her for a picture of the guy. She showed it to me. I said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen that guy somewhere before. Wait,

thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the most interesting guy in the world, the guy who is the spokesman for some European whiskey brand. Well, obviously, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not his real picture.â&#x20AC;?

The real guy could be somewhere in Nigeria laughing his way all the way to the bank. I asked her if sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ever heard of the scams where you get a call telling you that he is some kind of royalty from Nigeria whose assets have been frozen by the bank. If you wire him $1,000, he will be able to unfreeze his bank accounts and send you $1.0-M immediately.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so unfortunate that senior women fall for the oldest trick in the gigolo book. I had another client who was 50 but she actually had a real boyfriend who asked her to bring him around the world. The guy treated her as a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;sugar mommy.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; You know how that works, right? The woman being older, the man is younger.

He professes that he loves her but that love has to be â&#x20AC;&#x153;sugaredâ&#x20AC;? with cash and exotic trips around the world. Well, the easiest way to sugar this love is to use credit cards. My other client maxed out her credit cards at $180,000 for so many trips around the world. Cruises galore! Lifestyles

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Putative spouse status as a defense to a petition for nullity of marriage you? You may still have a claim to community property and support as a putative spouse. A party to a void or voidable marriage has â&#x20AC;&#x153;putative spouseâ&#x20AC;? status only if he or she believed in good faith the marriage was valid. Family.Code. § 225; Marriage of Guo & Sun (2010) 186 CA4th 1491, 1493, 112 CR3d 906, 908; Marriage of Vryonis (1988) 202 CA3d 712, 721, 248 CR 807, 813.

A party who has the requisite objectively reasonable â&#x20AC;&#x153;good faithâ&#x20AC;? belief may be a putative spouse where any legal infirmity in formation of the marriage renders the marriage invalid. Domestic Partnership of Ellis & Arriaga (2008) 162 CA4th 1000, 1005, 76 CR3d 401, 404; Estate of DePasse (2002) 97 CA4th 92, 107, 118 CR2d 143, 155; see Marriage of Vryonis, supra, 202 CA3d at 718â&#x20AC;&#x201C;719, 248 CR at 811â&#x20AC;&#x201C;812.

A partyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;good faithâ&#x20AC;? belief in the validity of the marriage is not tested by whether he or she

believed a â&#x20AC;&#x153;marriageâ&#x20AC;? lawfully occurred under some private, secular or spiritual set of standards. A putative spouse must have had a good faith belief in the existence of a lawful California marriage. Estate of DePasse (2002) 97 CA4th 92, 107â&#x20AC;&#x201C;108, 118 CR2d 143, 156; Welch v.

State of Calif. (2000) 83 CA4th 1374, 1378â&#x20AC;&#x201C;1379, 100 CR2d 430, 432â&#x20AC;&#x201C;433; Marriage of Vryonis (1988) 202 CA3d 712, 723, 248 CR 807, 814â&#x20AC;&#x201C;815 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Good faithâ&#x20AC;? belief is tested by an objective standard based on facts that would cause a reasonable person under the circumstances to harbor a good faith belief in the existence of a valid California marriage. Domestic Partnership of Ellis & Arriaga, supra, 162 CA4th at 1005, 76 CR3d at 404; Marriage of Guo & Sun (2010) 186 CA4th 1491, 1497, 112 CR3d 906, 911; Marriage of Ramirez & Llamas

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COMMUNITY JOURNAL

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 1, 2019

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Many reforms, little time: BSP chief... Is filing bankruptcy the right move...

PAGE B1 t

battle with cancer that was first diagnosed in his tongue.

During his abbreviated tenure as central bank chief, however, Espenilla surprised his stakeholders in the banking community not by clamping down on financial activities, but doing the exact opposite: He liberalized many restrictive financial market rules and gave banks free rein to conduct their business — as long as they fully recognized the risks and remained accountable for any financial trouble they might get themselves into.

In the case of the country’s volatile foreign exchange market, the new BSP chief bewildered many bankers by refusing to intervene to prop up a steadily weakening peso in late 2017 and 2018, when wary investors were converting their assets into U.S. dollars and pulling them out of the country.

“What’s he doing? Why is he allowing the peso to fall?” asked many a banker during those months, most of them used to the financial market micromanagement styles of the three previous central bank governors going all the way back to the early 1990s.

In previously unpublished comments made to the Inquirer in Dec. 2017, Espenilla gave a key insight as to why he was turning the central bank regulatory model on its head, after faithfully serving as “chief enforcer” of the conservatives rules of BSP Govenors Gabriel Singson, Rafael Buenaventura, and Amando Tetangco Jr. “When you’re working for a particular governor in a specific role like mine, you have to execute their game plan,” he said, explaining what appeared to many as a 180degree philosophical shift. “But now that I’m governor, it’s time to implement the reforms that I really believe in. And liberalization is one of them.”

“It’s time to stop treating banks like small children, and let them progress on their own merits or make mistakes at their own expense,” added the man who was, for most of his career, in charge of disciplining erring bankers and financial institutions.

Espenilla joined the BSP just two years before an economic crisis pushed the Philippines into de

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The late BSP Governor Nestor A. Espenilla Jr.

BSP photo

facto bankruptcy in 1983, stopping its repayment of foreign debt due to a lack of dollars.

After graduating magna cum laude from the University of the Philippines with a degree in business economics, he worked for an honors MBA degree in 1982 and steadily rose through the ranks at the BSP until he was appointed deputy governor in 2005.

Espenilla accumulated over 37 years of experience in all aspects of modern Philippine central banking like monetary policy, banking supervision and financial regulation, payments system oversight, capital markets development, currency management, consumer protection, and financial inclusion advocacy.

Apart from foreign exchange changes, he started many other reforms as BSP chief, some of which were unpopular with banks whose status quo he was upsetting.

These included pushing them to start a formal bond repurchase market, ordering banks to make the peso directly tradeable with the Chinese yuan, and starting the ball rolling toward substantially reducing the amount of cash banks must hold in reserve — funds that he felt could be used more productively as loans.

Espenilla’s penchant for disrupting the status quo extended into his own backyard, ordering an organization-wide periodic reshuffling of employees — a move meant to provide key personnel with better-rounded skills but opposed by many bureaucrats who were hesitant to adapt to his new methods.

This was complicated by Espenilla’s well known professional ri-

valry with Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo with whom he would sometimes clash, sometimes quietly but sometimes played out in public through diverging policy statements.

Externally, he was faced with the toughest macroeconomic environment faced by the country in almost a decade, with inflation soaring to a nine-year high, due mostly to factors beyond his control, but possibly aggravated by divisions among policymakers about how best to fight high prices.

Espenilla lived long enough to see the end of the 2018 inflation crisis, but worried reporters earlier this month when he failed to reply to queries about the receding price threats sent to him via the central bank press’ WhatsApp message group.

Most importantly, however, the BSP chief will be remembered best for his personal advocacy of improving financial inclusion among the large swath of the Filipino population that continues to be “unbanked.”

Under Espenilla, the central bank made substantial inroads into making it easier for millions of Filipinos to have access to the formal banking system, many via electronic payment systems or “ewallets” available on their mobile phones.

All told, he served as the BSP governor for one year, seven months and 22 days — the shortest stint on record for the country’s central bank governor. But in this brief period, he dared to begin many reform measures much needed by the banking system which his predecessors found too challenging to commit to. ■

The bucket list

occurred to me that while we are busy making plans, the Big Man upstairs also has plans. And whether we like it or not, we are part of His plan. It is up to each one of us to find out our part in God’s grand plan and decide to get in with the program or not.

Yes, God loves us so much, He gave us free will.

So enjoy this story. The actions happened in airports just before boarding. Time was on her side.

She checked in way early and didn’t miss her flight. We might be able to widen our perspective just a tad and realize in time that we are each a piece of colorful mosaic in God’s Grand Mural for HIS story about us.]

HE HAS PLANS, TOO.

By Sister Anna Cinco, Hijas de Jesus In 2015 I had to make a 12-day trip to Spain and then a 9-day trip to Rome. Usually, for these short trips, I plan and make todo lists way ahead, because I cannot afford to miss anything.

One day, as I was coming to the end of my stay in Salamanca, I was praying in the chapel before the Blessed Sacrament. I took out my to-do list for Spain, checked it carefully, and saw that I had pretty much achieved what I had come for. I was very satisfied with myself, when the thought came to me, “I have a list, too.” Startled, I looked at the tabernacle.

“I have a list, too.”

“You have a list, Lord?”, I asked.

“Yes, I have a list.”

I pondered that for a few moments. Of course, He has a list.

So I prayed, “Make me open

to Your plans, Lord. Give me a docile heart, a docile spirit.”

The day after, I left for Madrid for a 2-day stay. I had a few things more to do there. When the day of my departure for Rome came, since I was going to the airport alone, I decided to go early and leave a wide margin for the unforeseen. When I reached Barajas, I had almost the whole morning to wait. So I sat by my boarding gate and buried my head in a book about causes for canonization.

Suddenly I heard someone say, “Anna Cinco!” Surprised, I looked up - it was a young woman in jeans but wearing a silver cross like mine. She smiled and came over and introduced herself. She was a young sister of ours from the Dominican Republic who had been in one of our houses in Brazil, and said that she had met me in one of my trips there. (We have a cause for canonization which had been initiated in Brazil.) So I asked why she was in the airport, and she said she had just come from Rome where she had participated in the preparatory course for final profession, and that she was on her way to her boarding gate for her flight to the Dominican Republic. Since she was young and was not familiar with Madrid airport, and I knew her boarding gate was half an hour’s walk away, I insisted on going with her. We laughed and chatted along the way, and I was sorry to leave her at her boarding gate. I still had plenty of time before my scheduled flight, so without any hurry, I began walking back to my own boarding gate.

Then I heard a voice say in Spanish, “Sister, Sister!” And as I stopped and looked back, I saw a dark young man running towards me. And he said, “Sister, do you speak Spanish? Can I talk to you, please?” I wondered what for, but stopped. And he began to walk with me, and tell me about his problems. It was hard to talk while walking, and I was afraid we were getting too far from his boarding gate, so I invited him to sit down with me.

He was a migrant worker from Mexico who had marital problems and did not know what to do. I listened to him in sympathy, and pretty soon he was in tears. I looked around with some embarrassment. People were beginning to look at us. I prayed for wisdom. After some time, he stopped and asked me, “Sister, is there still hope for us? for me?”

I directed that question to the Lord, and found myself saying, “Of course, there is hope for you.

Look, I shouldn’t even be here.

My boarding gate is half an hour away, on the other side of the airport. But the Lord brought me here because He wanted to reach you! So yes, there is hope for you.” I myself was surprised at my answer... His face began to clear, and then light up, and by the time we parted, he was smiling. He still emails me once in a while.

So I continued with my trip to Rome, still pondering what had happened. Toward the end of my stay in Rome, I did the same thing – tick off items on my list. Then, on the day of my departure, the Superior, who

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Putative spouse status as a defense...

PAGE B2 t (2008) 165 CA4th 751, 756, 81 CR3d 180, 183. Whether a party had an objectively reasonable “good faith” belief is a question of fact to be determined in light of all the circumstances.

Successfully proving putative spouse status or putative marriage status in court gives rise to certain property, support and attorney fees/costs rights, as well as certain other rights that ordinarily attach only between lawfully married persons. Property that would have been community or quasi-community property had the marriage been valid is deemed “quasi-marital property” and, in a proceeding to terminate the invalid marriage, “shall” be divided between the parties as if it were community.

Family.Code. § 2251(a)(2); Marriage of Tejeda (2009) 179 CA4th 973, 983, 102 CR3d 361, 368; Quasi-marital property divided pursuant to § 2251 is also liable for the parties’ debts to the same

extent as if it had been community or quasi-community property.

Family.Code. § 2252.

In addition, “temporary” and “permanent” spousal support may also be awarded in a nullity proceeding in favor of a putative spouse “in the same manner as if the marriage had not been void or voidable” Family Code Section 2254. The court may also award attorney’s fees pursuant to family code section 2030 in favor of a party found to be “innocent of fraud or wrongdoing in inducing or entering into the marriage, and free from knowledge of the then existence of any prior marriage or other impediment to the contracting of the marriage for which a judgment of nullity is sought.”

Family Code Section 2255. *** 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 HYPERLINK “mailto: kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com” kenneth@ kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com (Advertising Supplement

most likely you’ve paid your creditors more than twice your debt amounts in interest alone.

Could this be the reason why a lot people retire broke? Instead of saving the money for their retirement, they give the money to their bank and their creditors in interest charges.

If you are facing possible loss of your home through foreclosure, you need to find out what your legal options are under Chapter 13. If you have fallen behind on your mortgage payments

and can’t afford to pay what the bank is asking you to bring your account current, Chapter 13 will allow you to pay back the amount in arrears for as long as 5 years.

Foreclosure will stop on the day that your case is filed and you can start making your regular mortgage payments without worrying about losing your home. If you need to apply for a loan modification to lower your mortgage payments, you can also do this while you are in Chapter 13.

If you are in debt and feel like there is no way out, I would like

to help you figure out your best solution. For a free consultation, call my office at Toll-Free 1-866477-7772 so I can carefully evaluate your case. I have offices in Glendale, Cerritos and Valencia. *** None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped thousands of clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1 (866) 477-7772.

(Advertising Supplement)

Senior scammed out of $100K...

PAGE B2 t

of the rich and famous for as long as there are credit cards to use. But as soon as the money ran out, goodbye, my one and only love…it’s time to look for another sugar mommy with unused credit cards.

Fortunately, the client victim can discharge her $100,000 debts with a Chapter 7 petition to have a fresh start. By next year, her credit score will start going up. If she handles the new credit cards in a timely manner, she can be up and running around with another boyfriend all over the world with her new credit cards. But this time around, I hope she can at least meet Mr.

Romeo in person and spend a romantic year with a real guy while her new credit cards are not maxed out.

Client filed for Chapter 7 without lawyer in 2008 did not get discharge The next client is 56. She says she filed for Chapter 7 in 2008 but never got a discharge.

I asked her how she knew that no discharge was given to her.

She showed me a notice that her case was closed without a discharge. Since then, she obtained new credit cards of $30,000. She was just disabled and can’t pay the cards anymore.

I asked her who her lawyer

Calendar of Events across

was. She said she had no lawyer and filed it herself. She said now she wants to re-file with a lawyer so she can get a discharge.

Can she file another Chapter 7 now? Yes, because it’s at least eight years from the first filing date even if she did not get a discharge. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy, business, real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S. Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, Building A-1 Suite 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803.

(Advertising Supplement)

America

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS MARCH 9

LolaLand: The Grandmother of All Shows in Los Angeles Rejoicers Events brings to Los Angeles, “LolaLand: The Grandmother of All Shows,” the show that sold out in Manila, and soon restaged in New York and the Bay Area. It will be held on Saturday, March 9 at the Aratani Theatre (244 San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90012) at 7 p.m. Headlined by comedienne Fe delos Reyes, award-winning songwriters Cecile Azarcon and Odette Quesada are joined by singers Jam Morales and Chiqui Pineda, who popularized numerous OPM Songs. Part of the proceeds of this much-anticipated concert benefit Philippine Patrons of the Arts USA, a non-profit organization that helps bring Filipino Artists to U.S. stages.

MARCH 30

Philippine Medical Society of Northern California installation of officers in Foster City, CA The Philippine Medical Society of Northern California will hold its 47th anniversary and installation of officers for 2019-2021 at the Crowne Plaza in Foster City, CA on Saturday, March 30. For sponsorship information, please contact Dr. Clementina Manio at drtina0427@gmail. com or visit https://www.pmsnc.org/.

United Bicolandia Los Angeles induction in Montebello, CA United Bicolandia Los Angeles will hold its 45th Anniversary and Induction Ceremony at Quiet Cannon in Montebello, CA on Saturday, March 30. For tickets and sponsorship information, please contact Lanie Berrei at lanieberrei@hotmail.com or (818) 281-3169.

APRIL 7

Ryan, Ryan! The Maestro and the Ryan Cayabyab Singers in Glendale, CA Recently proclaimed National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab’s works will be showcased on Sunday, April 7 at the John Wayne Performing Arts Center (1440 E Broadway, Glendale, CA 91205) at 6 p.m. by his multi-talented singing group, the Ryan Cayabyab Singers joined by some local artists like Mon David, Annie Nepomuceno, Louie Reyes and many more. Come and hear how his work that spans five decades has made an indelible impact on Filipino culture. Copresented by Philippine Patrons of the Arts USA, a 501 (c) 3 organization that brings exemplary Filipino Artists to U.S. stages. For ticket information ($35-$125) visit www.philpatrons.org and to learn about other tour stops in Las Vegas (April 7), San Diego (April 12) and Seattle (April 14).

APRIL 13

2nd annual Filipino mental health well-being summit in LA The 2nd annual Filipino mental health well-being summit will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 13 at The Center of Cathedral Plaza (555 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012). In partnership with the LA County of Department of Mental Health, registration begins on March 11. This is a FREE event for all. Breakfast and lunch included with registration.

Please email FilipinoWellBeing@Gmail.com or visit https://www.facebook.com/FilipinoWellBeing for more updates.

A P R I L 25 -28

Philippine Nurses Association of America - North Central Regional Conference in Columbus, Ohio The Philippine Nurses Association - Central Ohio will hold a regional conference from April 25 to 28 at the Embassy Suites (2886 Airport Drive, Columbus, Ohio). For more information, please visit http://www.mypnaa.org/.

M AY 1 7-1 9

Santa Maria Ilocos Sur 12th Global Reunion in Honolulu, Hawaii The Santa Maria Ilocos Sur Global Association (SMISGA) and the Santa Marians of Hawaii are sponsoring the Santa Maria Ilocos Sur 12th Global Reunion in Honolulu, Hawaii from May 17-19, 2019. The festivities will start with a meet and greet on May 17 at 5 p.m. at the Ala Moana Hotel Hibiscus Ballroom to be followed by a gala night on May 18 at 5 p.m. at the Dole Cannery Pomaikai Ballroom. A picnic is also scheduled at Ala Moana Beach Park’s Magic Island on Sunday, May 19 starting at 10 a.m. The ticket to attend all the events is $130.00 per person.

Due to limited space, reservations must be made not later than March 31, 2019. Hats and tshirts will also be on sale for $20. For further information, call Nena Empleo at (808) 384-0394, Carlito Soria at (808) 487-3370, Alex Pena at (702) 373-9522 or Orlino Baldonado at (865) 7898324. Leave a message if there’s no answer. Additional information is also on SMISGA.com and Facebook @ SMISGA19FB. Proceeds from the events will be for various projects in Santa Maria Ilocos Sur and in Hawaii. Donations are tax deductible since SMISGA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization approved by the Internal Revenue Service.

JUNE 1

7th Historic Filipinotown Kalayaan Parade and Festival in LA The 7th Historic Filipinotown Kalayaan Parade and Festival Committee (7KPFC) announced that it will holding the 7th Kalayaan Parade in Los Angeles on Saturday, June 1, 2019 in commemoration of the 121st PH Independence Day on June 12, 1898. This will be the 7th Kalayaan Parade and Festival in Historic Filipinotown, as the first was held in 2013 in cooperation with the PH Consulate General in Los Angeles. This is the only Independence Day parade and Festival in Los Angeles and is held every year in Historic Filipinotown. For more information, please call Freddie at (818) 220-2075 or email at jfavusa8@gmail.com.

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

B FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 1, 2019 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

BSP charter changes, rice tariff credit...

PAGE B1 t

lows the BSP to issue its own debt securities, providing another tool to fine tune liquidity management and improve the effectiveness of monetary policy.

“The issuance of its own debt will enhance the BSP’s ability to better calibrate liquidity condition through open market operations, allowing it to rely less on its deposit facilities and reserve requirements, which at 18 percent is one of the highest globally,” he said.

The BSP’s Monetary Board slashed the level of deposits banks are required to keep with the central bank by 200 basis points, releasing close to P200 billion or 1.1 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), as part of the commitment of the late BSP Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. to bring down the level to single-digit by the end of his term.

Excess liquidity, as reflected in BSP’s overnight deposit and term deposit facilities declined to P120 billion or 0.7 percent of GDP as of end-November from as high as P1 trillion or 7.6 percent of GDP in mid-2016.

“The BSP’s intention to gradually reduce the reserve requirement will further ease liquidity

EMPLOYMENT

constraints notwithstanding policy rate tightening since May 2018,” De Guzman said.

The BSP raised interest rates by 175 basis points in five straight rate-setting meetings from May to November last year to prevent inflation from spiraling out of control. The consumer price index accelerated to 5.2 percent last year from 2.9 percent in 2017, exceeding the BSP’s two to four percent target, due to elevated oil and food prices as well as weak peso.

The Moody’s executive said, other notable changes include the official removal of money supply and credit levels as a basis to determine monetary policy; the prohibition of any injunction or restraining order on the BSP, except by the Philippines’ two highest courts; an increase in BSP’s capitalization to P200 billion from P50 billion; and the exemption of the bulk of its activities from taxation.

“Over the past decade, the Philippines has been one of the fastest growing economies in Asia Pacific, with accelerating credit growth contributing to a decline in domestic liquidity, which contributed to rising domestic interest rates last year,” he added.

On the other hand, De Guzman

said the rice tariffication scheme would help alleviate local supplydemand imbalances by eliminating quantitative restrictions on rice imports.

Last year, he pointed out weather-related supply disruptions led to a decline in the growth of rice production, leading to an uptick in domestic rice prices as rice accounts for nearly 10 percent of the entire consumer price index basket.

“We expect the expected increase in the volume of rice imports will diminish the price volatility of rice, helping to insulate Filipino households’ consumption to adverse agricultural shocks,” De Guzman said.

The BSP estimates the rice tariffication law would reduce inflation by 0.6 percentage point this year and 0.3 to 0.4 percentage point next year.

Moody’s, along with S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Rating, has assigned a notch above minimum investment grade rating for the Philippines.

Investment grade rating leads to lower borrowing costs for the national government and Philippine companies in international markets, allowing higher valuations for their issuances. n

EMPLOYMENT

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

PAGE B3 t

The bucket list

was bringing me to the airport, asked if I would mind leaving early for the airport, since she had to get back to the house for an appointment. I said, why, no, I would not mind at all. I always bring material to read.

So we reached the airport early, and I found that my boarding gate had not even appeared on the screen. I took one of the seats nearby. You know, those airport seats where people sit back to back. I had just opened my book, when I heard a voice behind me say in Italian, “Sister, do you speak Italian? Can I talk to you? I am very angry with God.” I turned my head and it was a beautiful lady, elegantly dressed. I thought, “She has tortured eyes.”

Saying, “May I sit beside you, then?”, I went over to do so.

Then I saw that she was reading a Spanish book, so I asked, “Do you speak Spanish?” And she said she was from Argentina.

“Fine,” I said, “I speak Spanish better than Italian. Let’s talk in Spanish.” And she began talking. I listened to her (prayerfully) for about an hour - it was a list of problems, sick family members,

one trial after another, anger with God, etc. And I thought, looking at her, “Without those problems, she would be very self-satisfied, with no thought of God whatever, angry or not.”

So when she had come to the end of her list and was looking at me expectantly, I said, “So now you wanted to tell God how angry you are with Him?” And she nodded her head vigorously and asked, “Is that wrong, Sister?”

I answered slowly, “I guess, when things were going right, you never talked to Him. Now you are angry with Him, but at least you are talking with Him, right?”

Her eyes flew open in surprise, then she began to nod slowly, and as she saw me smile, she began to laugh. We laughed together for a while. And I said, “Don’t you think God prefers this, than have you go back to ignoring Him?” Her face changed completely. And we continued talking happily, and she laughed heartily when I told her that story of St. Teresa of Avila, that in one of her travels, “... her saddle slipped, and she found herself head down under the belly of a donkey as

EMPLOYMENT

she crossed a stream. Complaining to the Lord of her treatment, she heard him reply, “Teresa, whom the Lord loves, he chastises. This is how I treat all my friends.” She replied tartly, “No wonder you have so few!” (http://www.paceminterris.org/ experience-pacem/the-hermitages/st-teresa-of-avila/) Time passed quickly, and I had to catch my flight. The lady had already told me her name (she was from Argentina but she was married to an Italian), and said she was so happy to have met me and talked with me. She invited me for coffee, but I had to go.

And as I walked to my boarding gate, I remembered that thought, “I have a list, too.” And I realized that had I fallen short of my to-do lists for Salamanca and Rome, the entire trip would still have been worthwhile if only for these two of His children...

Next week: Back to yet another idea to consider for The Bucket List … *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

B FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 1, 2019 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

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SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • FEBRUARY 27 - MARCh 1, 2019

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cover story The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 27, 2019

From plate to print: How a Fil-Am couple created a home for cookbooks and food conversations BY

CHRISTINA M. ORIEL / AJPRESS

IT’S hard to believe that before 2017, the city of Los Angeles had gone eight years without a dedicated cookbook store after Cook’s Library on Third Street closed in 2009.

Sure, there are a handful of general bookstores with a shelf or more of cookbooks, or kitchenware stores that happen to carry such books.

But there had not been a retail space for books specifically catering to the food community (and home cooks too). That was until Now Serving opened at Chinatown’s Far East Plaza in September 2017.

Behind Now Serving are Ken Concepcion and Michelle Mungcal, a Filipino-American married couple who met at a Hollywood Bowl concert almost 10 years ago.

“With all of the talk of how influential and vibrant the food scene is here in LA, it didn’t seem right that it didn’t have something like this dedicated to cookbooks, food writing and food magazines,” Concepcion said in a recent interview with their 11-monthold daughter Frankie in tow.

The couple landed upon the plaza back when Fil-Am chef Alvin Cailan had his culinary incubator Unit 120 and Filipino food window Amboy. The space has since been turned over, as you may know, for Chad and Chase Valencia’s LASA. “We came down here and really connected with the food community,” Concepcion, former chef du cuisine at Wolfgang Puck’s steakhouse CUT, said. “Chinatown still feels like a neighborhood.”

Concepcion, who has over 20 years of experience under his belt as a chef but was not formally trained, has a particular soft spot for books because he learned to cook from them, crediting titles like “Culinary Artistry” by Andrew Dornenburg, “Becoming a Chef” by Dornenburg and Karen Page,” and “The French Laundry Cookbook” by chefs Thomas Keller, Michael Ruhlman, and Susie Heller.

The latter “was the big American fine-dining book that also restarted the whole cookbook industry in a sense because it showed that cookbooks weren’t just meant to be in the kitchen, but they could be in the living room and they were beautiful enough to stand on their own,” he narrated.

When one walks into Now Serving’s 450-square-foot space, you’ll notice three groupings — books divided by general cooking, region/ country, fermentation, and food writing in one area; food magazines and zines to the right; and single-subject books straight ahead. The table in the middle of the shop features a rotation of new releases.

One shelf houses some Filipino cookbooks, such as “I Am a Filipino: And This Is How We Cook” by Nicole Ponseca and Miguel Trinidad and “Milkier Pigs & Violet Gold: Philippine Food Stories” by Bryan Koh. The couple noted that their travels and seeing other cities’ cookbook shops, namely Kitchen Arts & Letters in New York and Omnivore Books in San Francisco, were influential to them in opening up and designing Now Serving. The name itself is a reference to the restaurant and service culture and menu signs.

“The book and retail industries are new to us. This is obviously not what we’ve been doing for a long time so both of us feel like we’re still learning,” Mungcal, a professional makeup artist who grew up in

open, the couple sees a mixture of individuals from the culinary industry, home cooks and books, cookbook collectors and even those who stumble in because they ate at one of the establishments in the plaza.

“We hope nobody feels intimidated to ask us questions,” Mungcal said. “I never want people to feel like, ‘they told me to buy this but it was crap.’”

Concepcion and Mungcal — who are the only ones manning the store aside from the latter’s sister occasionally — try to tailor everyone’s experience to address their needs and ask questions to gauge their skill level, and what they want to cook and eat. Perhaps a food magazine might be better suited versus an actual book.

“It’s like saying, ‘I want to learn how to play music.’ You have to know what you want first,” Concepcion said. “If you look at somebody’s books they have at home on food and cooking, I can look right away and know how to help them.”

The store also has a few ceramics, utensils, cooking devices, textiles and aprons for sale to “warm up the store,” Mungcal said.

“It’s important that when someone comes in from the [food] industry...they’d look at the collection and not feel like this isn’t anything they would cook out of...or inspire them,” she said. “I always love when people come in and say ‘I have that, I have that.’ I also believe that if you’re going to buy something…really trend-driven…you’re going to go online to buy that. There’s nothing wrong with that. But if you’re going to come into this store, I want to show you some stuff you may not know about or... that’s unique. There’s a sense of discovery that maybe you don’t get online.”

While a recipe for a certain dish can easily be found via an internet search nowadays, there’s still a craving for hardcopy cookbooks. The first half of 2018 saw a 21 percent increase in cookbook sales compared to the same period the year prior, according to data from the NPD Group.

The number of cookbook sales has been driven by a host of reasons including the preference of dining at home, learning about regional cuisines, or to keep the book on a coffee table or kitchen shelf for display and aspirational purposes.

“What’s also interesting —

Ken Concepcion and Michelle Mungcal with their daughter Frankie inside their store Now Serving at Far East Plaza in LA’s Chinatown.

“With all of the talk of how influential and vibrant the food scene is here in LA, it didn’t seem right that it didn’t have something like this dedicated to cookbooks, food writing and food magazines,” Concepcion said.

Glendora, said. “We’ve been around for a year and a half but we still feel brand new. There are so many cookbooks out there.”

A distinct narrative, curated recipes and beautiful visuals are among the fundamental ingredients behind a great cookbook, the couple shared.

At any given time, the shop holds around 1,500 titles, which are carefully selected to sit on the oversized shelves that were intentionally built not to maximize the space.

“The oversized shelves give more of a feeling that you’re not in a ‘bookstore,’” Concepcion added. “This could be in someone’s home. It has a different feeling than traditional retail.”

You won’t find diet or trend-driven books, either because Concepcion hopes that if you purchase something from Now Serving, “it hopefully will still apply and be relevant 10 years from now.”

Since the time they’ve been

The center table of the store houses the new and notable releases.

A row of Filipino cookbooks can be found at Now Serving.

Now Serving carries an array of cooking and food writing books, magazines, select ceramics and utensils, and aprons.

and no one really talks about — is that a lot of these food bloggers who have let’s say, a recipe on salad, that original recipe comes from a cookbook and it just keeps getting adapted, doctored up and mutated,” Concepcion said. “That’s my opinion on most of the food bloggers out there who post their own recipes. They’re actually just adaptations of recipes that have existed already. A [cookbook] is a way to get to the original voice.”

Beyond printed books, Now Serving gathers a community for conversations around different cuisines and the art of cooking. Ticketed events, featuring talks and signings from some of the best culinary authors and personalities around the world, are held nearly every week and sell-out.

One of the first gatherings they ever held was a screening of the 2017 documentary “Wasted! The Story Of Food Waste” and a dinner by 10 chefs who used food waste and scraps.

In the past year, Now Serving has had talks from René Redzepi of Copenhagen’s two-Michelin-star restaurant Noma, and former Los Angeles Times food editor Russ Parsons in conversation with Dorie Greenspan and her book “Everyday Dorie: The Way I Cook,” to name a few. Ponseca and Trinidad had a signing for “I Am Filipino” back in November, which Mungcal said is “a great book if you want to learn how to cook Filipino food.”

Now Serving has six events lined up this March, such as Elisa Callow discussing her book “Urban Forager,” and a signing and talk about “Viet-

AJPress photos by Noel Ty

Ken Concepcion and Michelle Mungcal run the cookbook store five days a week and suggest titles based on customers’ needs and skill sets.

namese Food Any Day” by Andrea Nguyen moderated by Evan Kleinman, host of KCRW’s “Good Food.”

A priority for 2019 is to get an online store up and running, which will help the couple further engage their digital community (over 10,300 followers on Instagram as of this writing).

“That’s the beauty of social media — you can connect with anybody, anywhere.

We’ve done a ton of events with authors and chefs where we’ve basically reached out to them on Instagram and shot them a [direct message] and they replied just as quickly,” Concepcion shared, adding that people will also message them with cookbook suggestions that they may not have heard of.

The couple also owns the space next door, which is currently separated from the main bookstore by a temporary wall of collaged restaurant menus.

They have plans to convert it into a luncheonette that “would mimic the same hours so the spaces would be open to one another so people dining can come and shop, while people shopping can go dine and eat,” Mungcal said.

At night, they could fit more attendees for their usual events and have pop-up dinners.

Though the couple says that they are still learning the business side, being in LA’s creative and food-curious environment has brought in a lot of customers and attention their way (like features in Bon Appetit and the LA Times).

“Maybe it’s not a ‘restaurant’ city but it’s definitely a food city,” Mungcal noted.

“We’ve been fortunate enough to have some big names in the food world come in,” Concepcion said. “If we’re regarded as a part of the food community here, then we’re very happy.”

One shelf carries single-subject books and woven baskets. The righthand wall, featuring a collage of restaurant menus, separates the bookstore with another space that is slated to be a luncheonette.

Carlo and Nadine as credible lovers on screen by ricky lo Philstar.com

THERE are loveteams and there are loveteams, and then come Nadine Lustre and Carlo Aquino who created some kind of chemistry on set and became credible lovers even if, as we all know, Nadine is committed to James Reid and Carlo to a non-showbiz girl, never mind if his highly-monitored rumored romance with Angelica Panganiban turned out to be, “false alarm.”

Their starrer, Ulan, directed

by Irene Villamor for Viva Films from her own screenplay, is a romance-drama about hopeless romantic Maya (Nadine), a young woman who, after getting her heart broken many times, unexpectedly meets Peter (Carlo), a young man who gives her new hope. But will her new-found love last forever?

Asked if she has ever been broken-hearted, Nadine was mum while Carlo admitted that eight years ago he suffered his worst heartache without naming the girl who broke his heart. “I didn’t handle the situation very well. Buti na lang I had friends who helped me heal and, of course, my family was a big help, too.”

But Carlo was rather coy when asked, honestly now, what is his current status (single or committed?). Nadine was straight-forward about her relationship with James. “I am on Cloud 9 with him,” she said.

Describing her character, Nadine said, “I’m a big advocate of self love. That’s what Maya is missing. And there lies the difference between Maya and me.”

Said Carlo, “l love my character, Peter. He’s very optimistic, maganda ang pananaw sa buhay, and you can see that in how he deals with people, even those he’s meeting for the first time. He loves doing charity work and he learns even from small kids.”

Since they come from different partners, how did they manage to create chemistry to make their characters credible?

Nadine: “I think we both just started talking, started making conversations. We

entertainment

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 27, 2019

Vogue features Darren Criss in Francis Libiran barong Tagalog

by Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

INTERNATIONAL lifestyle magazine Vogue featured Filipino designer Francis Libiran’s barong Tagalog in an article about the wedding of FilipinoAmerican actor Darren Criss and wife Mia Swier.

The magazine recently published the article on the wedding that was held in New Orleans. In the photo gallery, Vogue showed Darren wearing the Libiran-designed barong Tagalog as he danced with his Filipino mother.

“Darren honored his Filipino heritage by wearing a traditional barong Tagalog by designer Francis Libiran while dancing with his mother,” the caption said.

“This custom-designed piece was hand-loomed from pure pineapple fabric, and the Paired for the first time in Viva Films’ Ulan, Nadine Lustre and Carlo Aquino started warming up intricately embroidered design to each other by engaging in deep conversations. In photo with them are co-stars Marco Gumabao was inspired by the famous tat(seated, left), child star Elia Ilano, and writer-director Irene Villamor (in black).

Photos courtesy of Viva Films too patterns of the indigenous people of Cebu,” Vogue added. talked about random stuff.

The Filipino designer shared Direk Irene was a big help. She the news on his Instagram page, joined us in deep conversatogether with photos from the tions. I think the three of us wedding. have a good connection.”

“What a great Pinoy Pride Carlo: “Surprisingly, Nadine moment!! It feels wonderful to is very open. I never felt any be featured on Vogue Magaresistance or any sign na ayaw zine as the fashion designer of niya ng ibang partner other multi-awarded Hollywood star than James. That’s important Darren Criss (@darrencriss), who to me because I am very shy, honored his Filipino heritage by especially with a new acquaintproudly wearing the traditional ance. Importante sa akin na Barong Tagalog I designed for mag-try din ‘yung co-star ko him on his extravagant wedding. to converse with me and reach Mabuhay!!!” Francis proudly out to me.” shared.

How do they know that A GMA News report narratthey are in love? ed that Francis and Darren met Nadine Lustre Nadine: “I get awkward at the Golden Globe Awards when I am with him.” (“Better ask my ‘ex’,” he said last January 6 in Hollywood. A Carlo: “I don’t know. without saying who his “ex” is), few days later, Darren’s fashion Siguro it’s more ‘I feel’ than Nadine flatly replied, “No!” stylist Ashley Weston got in ‘I think.’ Your heart tells you By the way, what has the touch with Libiran’s business na you’re fond of someone rain (ulan) and water got to do partner, Arsi Baltazar, to inquire na hindi mo kayang hindi siya with Maya and Peter? if Libiran can create a modern makikita or makakausap. It’s Well, it was raining when barong Tagalog for the Hollysweeter to feel it rather than to Maya went through tragedies wood star. think about it.” in her life such as when her “Seeing Darren Criss wear And while Carlo excused parents perished in a shipmy design makes me extremely himself from answering the wreck and when her grandhappy and proud to be Filipino. question if he’s the possesmother first kissed the man in What better way to promote sive/jealous/suspicious type whom she found true love. the Philippines but through the

Darren Criss with wife Mia Swier

Barong Tagalog, and worn by a multi-awarded Hollywood star, who happens to be half Pinoy!

How awesome is that!” Francis said.

“The entire process was smooth and I am so honored to have the privilege to be part

Photos from Instagram/@francislibiran

of his very special day. What makes it even more special is that he chose to pay homage to his Filipino roots by wearing our national dress on his wedding day. This, for me is what makes Filipinos so amazing!!!” Libiran enthused.

entertainment The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 27, 2019

Rochelle Pangilinan gives birth to baby girl

by Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

ACTRESS Rochelle Pangilinan has given birth to her first baby girl via Caesarean

section at the Medical City in Ortigas, Pasig City on February 24.

Rochelle was reportedly with her husband Arthur Solinap during the entire process.

The baby reportedly weighed seven pounds. Reports added that the new parents still has no name for their daughter.

The couple announced last August 2018 that Rochelle was pregnant. In November, they revealed the baby’s gender.

In an interview with Philstar.com before giving birth, the former Sexbomb dancer revealed she had no diet restrictions during her pregnancy.

“Lahat kinakain ko. Kung ano ‘yung naisip ko, kinakain ko. Wala na kong morning sickness, noong first trimester meron. Nilabanan ko with happy hormones and ginger tea,” said the star of drama series “Onanay.”

Meanwhile, Arthur gave tips on how to start a family: “Yung ginawa namin, hiningi muna namin kay God ‘yung perfect timing. Pag nabigay na niya, make sure to enjoy every step tapos ibigay ‘yung best kasi minsan lang ‘yan e.”

Arthur said Rochelle is fine and is now recovering.

“Okay naman siya now.

Recovering na lang,” he told Pep.ph in an interview.

Christopher de Leon and Sandy Andolong renewed their vows in the scenic Halong Bay in Vietnam to mark their 39 years together.

Photo from Instagram/@sandy_andolong_de_leon

Christopher de Leon, Sandy Andolong renew vows overlooking Halong Bay by cody

cepeda Inquirer.net

CHRISTOPHER de Leon and Sandy Andolong renewed their vows in the scenic Halong Bay in Vietnam to mark their 39 years together.

Andolong shared the special moment via Instagram on Feb. 25, which showed her and De Leon looking all loved up during their bridal shoot and the intimate wedding-vow renewal itself.

“Bridal shoot at Halong Bay,” said Andolong.

In her pictures, she and De Leon can be seen posing while on a cruise, with Halong Bay as their backdrop.

Andolong further shared that the bridal shoot is for The Wedding Library’s bridal fair slated for May at the Megatrade Hall in SM Megamall.

In her other post, the couple can be seen renewing their vows in the presence of

their loved ones. Andolong sported a sophisticated and elegant white gown by fashion designer Mikee Andrei, while De Leon wore a crisp black suit for the occasion.

“To make our trip more memorable @theweddinglibraryph held an intimate renewal of vows to celebrate our 39th year,” said Andolong.

Clebrities and fans alike took to Andolong’s post, in which they congratulated the couple, such as actress Janine Gutierrez, actor-singer Ogie Alcasid, beauty queen Lara Quigaman and, of course, De Leon’s adoptive daughter with Nora Aunor, Lotlot de Leon.

“So beautiful, nanay!!!!”

Gutierrez quipped. Gutierrez is Lotlot de Leon’s daughter with ex-husband actor Ramon Christopher.

“Happy 39th!!” said Alcasid. “God bless you both.”

Lotlot, meanwhile, greeted

De Leon and Andolong a happy anniversary, calling them “nanay and daddy.”

De Leon has shared in the past that he first knew of Sandy through a feature story about her in a magazine.

“I said, ‘This is the girl I will marry!’” De Leon said back in February 2018.

The two eventually met when they got to work together for a documentary on the late President Ferdinand Marcos and his wife, Imelda.

They then began dating a couple of months later.

Andolong and De Leon tied the knot in a civil union in 1981 and reaffirmed their marriage in a Catholic ceremony in 2001. Together, they have five kids: actress-singerbeauty queen Mariel de Leon, Rafael Sandino, Juan Carlos Miguel, Augusto Gabriel and Maria Mikaela.

Happy anniversary, Sandy and Christopher!

Why Angel walked out of ‘General’s Daughter’ set by ricky

calderon ManilaTimes.net

THE buzz is getting louder about Angel Locsin’s walkout on the set of ABS-CBN’s “The General’s Daughter” last Friday, February 22, but reports as to why she did are still quite sketchy.

Rochelle Pangilinan There are those who say it Photo from Instagram/@rochellepangilinan was because of something JC de Vera did while they were taping a scene, while others blame it on director Manny Palo who allegedly shouted at the actress complete with pointed invectives.

A source close to the director, however, came to his defense and insisted Palo is not the type who’d scold his stars. Direk Manny, the source continued, is mild-mannered and if forced to raise his voice, it must mean someone in the production did something very wrong.

“But I maintain he will never shout at his stars,” reit-

Angel Locsin

erated the friend.

Meanwhile, another source said that Angel was peeved over the inefficiency of the wardrobe department but allegedly put the blame on the director.

Given all these, there is no one who can say for certain up to now what happened that

ABS-CBN photo

fateful day on the set of “General’s Daughter”. No one has issued a statement —whether Angel, the director or ABSCBN — but for the Roving Eye a walk out is uncalled for no matter what happens during taping. It affects and delays everyone involved, especially if you’re the lead.

Maymay Entrata as beauty queen? Ariella Arida agrees by deni roSe M. afinidad-Bernardo Philstar.com

MISS Universe 2013 third runner-up Ariella Arida posted a picture with fellow beauty queens and Kapamilya star Maymay Entrata on February 25 and captioned it: “2010-2011-20132014 and 2022? Pwede di ba?”

Ariella referred to the years she and fellow beauty queens in the picture represented the Philippines in Miss Universe.

These include Miss Universe 2010 fourth runner-up Venus Raj, Miss Universe Philippines 2011 Shamcey Supsup-Lee and Miss Universe 2014 top 10 finalist Mary Jean Lastimosa.

In the caption, Ariella insinuated that Maymay could be the country’s Miss Universe representative in 2022.

“Pwedeng pwede po!” many of Maymay’s fans commented on the post.

“Pwede po! Pero po pwede magtanong – pwede kaya kay Edward ‘yun?” a netizen said, asking if Maymay’s MayWard love team partner, Edward Barber, would like to see Maymay as a future pageant titleholder.

“Ano kayang sasabihin ni Edward ‘pag nakitang nakabikini si Maymay?” mused another netizen, who speculated if Edward would praise or tease Maymay, as he usually does.

Ariella’s post came after the video of Maymay’s fashion show with Binibining Pilipinas queens during Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray’s homecoming show last weekend went viral.

In the show, Maymay wore another version of Catriona’s winning lava gown, also designed by Gray’s designer, Mak

Singer-actress Maymay Entrata (center) flunked by (from left) Miss Universe 2014 top 10 finalist Mary Jean Lastimosa, Miss Universe 2010 fourth runner-up Venus Raj, Miss Universe Philippines 2011 Shamcey Supsup-Lee and Miss Universe 2013 third runner-up Ariella Arida.

Photo from Instagram/@araarida

Tumang.

“Hanggang ngayon nag uumapaw ang aking kasiyahan!

Di makapaniwala na maging parte ng fashion show with our beloved beauty queens!” May-

may told her Instagram followers after the show.

In November last year, Maymay became the first Filipina to walk on the runway of Arab Fashion Week in Dubai.

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 27, 2019

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - February 27, 2019