030219 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

MARCH 2-5, 2019 Volume 29 - No. 16 • 4 Sections – 30 Pages

DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

‘Immigration rights in limbo’ say immigration reform advocates AS President Donald Trump marked the completion of two years into his presidency just last month, immigration remains to be the biggest issue for his administration, which has remained persistent in its immigrant curbing efforts and the wall along U.S.-Mexico border.

In an immigration rights briefing on Thursday, February 28, immigration reform and rights advocates highlighted what they saw were the key issues still yet to be resolved.

“As we’ve seen, the White House has rolled out dozens and dozens of anti-immigrant policies over the last two years in everything starting with the Muslim ban, attacks on refugees, to last year’s family separations, anti-immigration legislative proposals, the public charge rule, and many other attacks,” said Kerri Talbot, director of federal advocacy at The Immigration Hub based in Washington, D.C. “The immigration community has just had so much to deal with within the last two years,” she added.

Continuous DACA challenges Among the policies continuously challenged policies since Trump came into office were the u PAGE A4

There’s a new ‘Medicare-for-all’ bill in the House MEMBERS of the House on Wednesday, February 27 offered their version of a “Medicare-for-all” bill that is broader than what’s been put forth by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), whose 2016 presidential run pushed the issue into the political mainstream.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) unveiled the “Medicare for All Act of 2019,” which redefines what the change in health care coverage might mean. The specifics included in the bill could play a role in the upcoming Democratic presidential primary campaign because candidates seeking support from the party’s progressive wing leverage the phrase. But often, they use it to mean various things.

Is this bill so different from Medicare-forall proposals that have come before? And why would those differences matter? Here are the essential takeaways: In terms of the policy 411, the Jayapal-Din-

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo assures US will defend PH against any attack

by NATHALIE

ROBLES

AJPress

UNITED States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo this week assured that the U.S. would uphold its treaty with the Philippines in the event the latter country is attacked in the South China Sea. Pompeo, who arrived in Manila on Thursday night, February 28, said during his joint press conference on Friday with Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)

Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. that under the two countries’ 68-year-old Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), any attack on Philippine forces or vessels would provide certain protections.

Pompeo’s two-day state visit marks his first time in the Philippines as secretary of state.

“As the South China Sea is part of the Pacific, any armed attack on any Philippine forces, aircraft, or public vessels in the South China Sea will trigger mu-

tual defense obligations under Article 4 of our mutual defense treaty,” he said.

He added that China’s island-building and military activities in the South China Sea threaten the Philippines’ “sovereignty, security, and economic livelihood as well as that of the U.S.” Ahead of Pompeo’s visit, both U.S. and Philippine officials have been discussing the review of the MDT, u PAGE A2

Locsin: No details yet on Duterte’s US state visit

by DAPHNE

GALVEZ Inquirer.net

FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. said on Friday, March 1 they have yet to finalize the details of President Rodrigo Duterte’s visit to the United States, which may happen after the 2019 midterm elections. u PAGE A2

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo shakes hands with Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin after their meeting in Manila on Friday, March 1.

PNA photo by Oliver Marquez

COURTESY CALL. President Rodrigo Duterte discusses matters with United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during their meeting at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Thursday, February 28.

Malacañang photo by Simeon Celi

‘Anti-palo’ bill vetoed by Duterte

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

A BILL prohibiting parents from using corporal punishment to discipline their children has been vetoed by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Malacañang on Thursday, February 28 released documents that showed the president vetoing the measure last February 23.

The measure seeks to promote “positive and non-violent discipline” and protect children from punishments that range from physical to degrading acts.

The bill also prohibits acts like kicking, beating, and slapping, as well as non-physu PAGE A3 ical forms of violence like embarrassing a

child in public and cursing.

According to Duterte, responsible parents can and have administer corporal punishment in a self-restrained manner, such that the children think of it not as “an act of hate or abuse” but “a loving act of discipline that desires only to uphold their welfare.”

“However, I am gravely concerned that the bill goes much further than this act as it would proscribe all forms of corporal punishment, humiliating or not, including those done within the confines of the family home. I do not share such an overly sweeping condemnation of the practice,” Duterte added.

Restrained corporal punishment has giv- PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde u PAGE A2

Inquirer.net photo

PNP ready to provide ANA completes investment in Philippine Airlines protection for priests facing death threats

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

In photo during PAL’s 78th anniversary celebration at Century Park Hotel in Manila are (from left) Eric Tan, senior assistant vice president for sales; Ryan Uy, vice president for sales; Jaime Bautista, president and chief operating officer; Ria Domingo, vice president for marketing and Josen Perez de Tagle, vice president for corporate communications. Philstar.com photo

FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines’ landmark investment deal with All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan’s largest airline group, was finalized this week.

ANA Holdings on Thursday, February 28 completed the acquisition of a 9.5-percent stake in the operator of PAL, PAL Holdings disclosed in a stock exchange filing.

The deal involved 1.1 billion shares of PAL Holdings, which were transferred to ANA via a special block sale at the Philippine Stock Exchange.

Previously, ANA announced in a joint statement with PAL that it was buying the stake for $9.5 million.

A disclosure showed that the funds made from the sale would be used by Lucio Tan, PAL’s controlling stockholder, “to continue u PAGE A4

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE Philippine National Police on Thursday, February 28 offered to protect priests who are facing death threats.

Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David earlier confirmed that he had been receiving death threats from unknown people since early February.

David, who is one of the targets of President Rodrigo Duterte’s speeches in the past, said he began receiving threats after Duterte said bishops are “better

off dead” and accused David of stealing donations.

Duterte later issued a warning to everyone who would harm priests and other members of the clergy. He said not to harm priests and bishops, or else they would answer to him.

PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle informed him of the death threats circulating around members the clergy, especially in Caloocan.

He disclosed that he offered security and even threat valida-

u PAGE A3

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From the Front Page

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo...

PAGE A1 t

to which Locsin on Friday said would require “further thought.”

“We are very assured, we’re very confident, that the United States has — in the words of Trump to our president: We have your back,” Locsin said during the joint press conference.

South China Sea expert Greg

Poling welcomed Pompeo’s remarks as a “huge” development, noting that the U.S. presence would help in discouraging China in its claim towards the said territory.

“I think it’s huge. This establishes a clear deterrent for the Chinese. It says that there should be no question that violence

against Pag-Asa (Island) or the Sierra Madre, for instance, would result in a U.S. response,” Poling told Rappler.

The U.S. secretary of state was welcomed by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte at Villamor Airbase on Thursday night, after the latter arrived from Hanoi, Vietnam.

He was scheduled to update Duterte on the developments from the nuclear summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean President Kim Jong-un, according to Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez.

Also present at the meeting were Locsin, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Assistant Secretary Lumen Esleta of the Office of American Affairs and Duterte’s former aide Christopher Go. Pompeo was accompanied by Ambassador Sung Kim, Senior Bureau Official Patrick Murphy and State Department Deputy Spokesman Robert Palladino.

Pompeo warns PH of Huawei During his joint conference with Locsin on Friday, Washington’s top diplomat issued a warning against the use of devices from Chinese communications equipment provider Huawei Technologies.

“We believe that competition, whether it’s in 5G or some other technology, ought to be open, free, transparent, and we worry that Huawei is not that,” Pompeo said.

He noted that the Chinese provider might prevent the United States from operating its own equipment in the Philippines.

There is a risk “that America may not be able to operate in certain environments if there is Huawei technology adjacent to that,” he added.

He championed partnering with American companies for infrastructure and digital projects because of how they “operate with the highest standards of transparency and adherence to the rule of law.”

He said, “Our task has been to share with the world the risks associated with that technology, the risks to the Filipino people, the risk to Philippine security. The same cannot be said for Chinese state-run or state-backed enterprises.” n

NPC ELECTION PULSE. Atty. Florante Miano (left), legal counsel of Speedgame Inc., exposes the alleged proliferation of jueteng in Pangasinan during the weekly “Election Pulse 2019”, a media forum organized by the National Press Club (NPC), held at its headquarters in Intramuros, Manila on Friday, March 1. Also in photo are NPC president Rolly “Lakay” Gonzalo (center), and NPC Vice President Paul Gutierrez.

PNA photo by Gil Calinga

Locsin: No details yet on Duterte’s...

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Locsin said the president is “aware” of invitations for him to visit the U.S. However, he has yet to make arrangements as he is still busy with the campaign of his senatorial slate for the 2019 elections.

“He has been repeatedly invited to go to the United States. We have conveyed this to the President. The president is aware of it,” Locsin said.

“The exact details of the arrangements that will be made, the

specific dates, we’ll have to wait for the end of the elections,” he added.

Locsin issued the remark after U.S. State Secretary Mike Pompeo’s two-day state visit to the Philippines.

Pompeo arrived at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City around 9 p.m. on Thursday. He met with Duterte to reaffirm the alliance between the two nations.

The U.S. State Secretary also met with Locsin at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)

‘Anti-palo’ bill vetoed...

PAGE A1 t en rise to “beneficial results” for society, Duterte said. One benefit is seeing countless children “become law-abiding citizens with a healthy respect for authority structures in the wider community.”

“Regrettably, this bill places such responsible disciplining of children in the same category as humiliating and degrading forms of punishment and condemns them all in one broad stroke,” he said.

He further explained that such

a bill would reportedly “extend its reach into the privacy of the family, authorizing measures aimed at suppressing corporal punishment regardless of how carefully it is practiced.”

Duterte also urged Filipinos to show resistance when it comes to the prevalent trend in western nations that sees all forms of corporal punishment as an outdated form of disciplining children. He maintained that cultural trends in other countries are not necessarily healthy for the Philippines.

main office in Pasay City to discuss “issues of mutual interest.”

Locsin said they had a “very productive meeting with frank exchanges” on the two nation’s “future long-standing alliance” as well as bilateral relations and issues of security and commerce.

Pompeo’s visit to the country comes amid the Philippines’ warm ties with China, despite the latter’s aggression in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea). n

“I strongly believe that we should resist this trend in favor of a more balanced and nuanced approach, one that is both protective of the child as well as cognizant of the prerogatives of devoted parents who believe in the merits of corporal punishment rightly administered,” Duterte said.

He added, “To uncritically follow the lead of these countries, especially in matters as significant as the family, would be a great disservice to the succeeding generations.” n

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A3

Princeton newspaper calls out PH Senate candidate Imee Marcos for false degree claim

by NATHALIE

ROBLES

AJPress

GROUNDBREAKING OF NLEX-SLEX CONNECTOR ROAD. President Rodrigo Duterte leads the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the NLEX-SLEX Connector Road Project in Caloocan City on Thursday, February 28. Also in the photo are Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, and Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar.

Malacañang photo by Rey Baniquet

There’s a new ‘Medicare-for-all’...

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gell bill includes provisions not in other proposals.

In many ways, the proposal sounds familiar: The government would establish a health plan that pays for basically all forms of medical care for all citizens.

That’s how it gets the moniker “Medicare-for-all.”

Under this plan, patients would not be responsible for any cost sharing of medical expenses, and the government coverage would include hospitals, doctors, preventive care, prescription meds and dental and vision care.

Private insurers would not be allowed to sell plans that compete with the government program.

Senior citizens would be folded into the new Medicare plan, which would be more generous than their current coverage, and the government would make sure any medical care they are getting is not disrupted. The bill leaves two other government health care payers intact: the Veterans Health Administration and the Indian Health Service. Beneficiaries enrolled in these programs would have a choice of enrolling in the new Medicare-for-all plan or sticking with their current coverage.

Just like the Sanders bill, the House legislation covers what it calls “comprehensive reproductive health.” Backers say it is meant to cover abortion — a controversial provision. Right

now, government-funded health plans are legally prohibited from providing funds for abortions.

There are differences, too. For one, the transition to the new Medicare-for-all system would take place over two years, which would be a fast turnaround for a substantial task. Sanders’ bill suggested a four-year transition.

The biggest difference: This House vision of Medicare-for-all would also cover long-term care.

That isn’t part of the Sanders bill, and it is not covered by Medicare. But for people with disabilities and the elderly, it’s a significant benefit — and one that can get very expensive to pay for out-of-pocket. (The Affordable Care Act included a long-term care provision that was eventually scrapped because of its high cost.)

The House bill also would take a swipe at high prices for prescription drugs by empowering the government to negotiate prices directly with manufacturers and to take away and reissue drug patents if such efforts faltered. This idea, known as “compulsory licensing,” has appeared in drug-pricing bills, but not in other Medicare-for-all legislation.

And the bill wades into one of the hottest Medicare-for-all controversies: the role of private health care. Notably, it permits it. Private plans can cover services not included in the single

government health plan. Doctors can also refuse to participate in the program and charge patients cash for medical treatment instead.

“Whether there’s someone out in Beverly Hills who sees the stars and doesn’t partake — that would be possible,” said Dr. Adam Gaffney, a doctor and president of Physicians for a National Health Program, a singlepayer advocacy group that supports the legislation. “The way the whole program is structured is to really make it such that that’s a very insignificant overall phenomenon.”

And the legislation takes on wonkier questions, like health care costs — proposing socalled global budgets that set a firm amount the federal government would pay for hospitals, for instance, as a strategy to bring down spending.

Still, the legislation leaves a lot of meaningful details open to interpretation.

Three big ones: what precisely would be covered, what doctors would be paid and how the program would be financed.

Generally, Medicare-for-all would provide “comprehensive benefits,” accounting for health care needs as “medically necessary or appropriate.” That means covering hospital and doctor visits, but also, for instance, mental health, maternity services, adPAGE A4

AN independent student newspaper at Princeton University released an article entitled “Filipino governor, Senate candidate falsely claims to have graduated from U,” in response to claims that Philippine Senate candidate Imee Marcos received a degree from the institution.

According to the article, published on Tuesday, February 26, Marcos is “a Filipino governor that has stirred up controversy recently after falsely claiming that she graduated from the University” in 1979.

The Ilocos Norte governor, also known as the daughter of former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, had enrolled at the university in 1973, but “no record shows that she graduated,” the report said.

The report revealed how Marcos was persistent in making the public believe that she indeed received a degree in the Ivy League university. She even included the detail in her curriculum vitae as a lawmaker.

“Marcos’ biography on her official Facebook account states that she is ‘one of the first female graduates from an Ivy League School — Princeton University, graduating with honors,’” the report stated.

“The 63-year-old former representative for the Philippine House of Representatives also included this information in her official curriculum vitae during her time in the Philippine House of Representatives,” it added.

The Daily Princetonian also reported that “On February 14, Marcos posted photographs

of an invitation to the Class of 1979 reunions to her Facebook account. The validity of the invitation, which was dated August 2018, has not been confirmed.”

The university paper sought the confirmation of the Ivy League school itself. As a response: “Deputy University Spokesperson Michael Hotchkiss wrote that Marcos attended from fall 1973 to spring 1976 and returned again for fall 1977 to spring 1979.”

However, Hotchkiss highlighted the fact that despite the records that Marcos’ had an independent concentration in Religion and Politics, the records do not show that Marcos was awarded a degree.

The article, written by Karolen Eid, incorporated a narrative of what the situation was like back when the senatorial candidate was a student at Princeton. Eid revealed a letter from the Philippine Consul General Ernesto Pineda addressed to Dean of Student Affairs Adele Simmons dated July 30, 1973.

“Pineda described different accommodations that would be arranged for Marcos. She would live off campus, be escorted by Philippine security personnel, and be driven to and from campus by a Filipino chauffeur,” Eid wrote.

The newspaper also emphasized that the Marcos dictatorship in the Philippines had an impact on the living conditions of the female Marcos in the United States. It also posed a danger since the “presence of Marcos and her security personnel would be threatening to students who were critical of her father’s dictatorship.”

Senate candidate Imee Marcos Philstar.com photo

“When Marcos first enrolled in the University, her father was a dictator ruling under martial law in the Philippines. Records show that Marcos was not an average student during her time at the University,” the newspaper stated.

It added, “The Marcos family has also been involved in several scandals throughout the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos from 1965 to 1986 and the political careers of his children. In the 2015 leak of the Panama Papers, Imee Marcos was listed as a beneficiary of offshore holdings belonging to the family.”

The paper requested a statement from Marcos, however, her camp had yet to respond to the request by the time the article was published. ■

PNP ready to provide protection for...

PAGE A1 t tion to priests.

“Inassure naman natin po si Cardinal Tagle na tutulong tayo ‘pag may mga threat po na natatanggap iyung mga kaparian.

(We assured Cardinal Tagle that we will help if priests receive threats),” Albayalde said.

‘Duterte not fooling anyone’ Opposition Senators Leila de Lima and Risa Hontiveros put the blame on Duterte for the death threats.

“The Catholic clergy was never threatened with harm by anybody

until Duterte said that they are better off dead,” said De Lima on Wednesday.

“Duterte is not fooling anyone with his Pontius Pilate act,” she added.

Meanwhile, Hontiveros said, “Not even President Duterte’s sudden turnaround will absolve him of his role in this matter.”

“This is what happens when you have a leader who encourages violence through his words,” she added.

Malacañang, for its part, refused to take the blame for the

death threats against Church officials. It said Duterte’s statements were just “hyperbole.”

Several priests have been killed by unknown assailants since Duterte took office. Critics have pointed out that the alleged climate of impunity under the current administration has emboldened the killers.

Duterte has routinely slammed the Catholic Church, its members, and its beliefs with his words. Recently, he drew flak for saying Catholicism will be gone in 25 years. ■

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Virginia gov’t pays tribute to Fil-Am domestic violence victim

RICHMOND, Virginia – Lawmakers and Virginia’s governor honored a Virginia Beach Filipina American woman who was a victim of domestic violence.

Bellamy Gamboa, a mother of four, disappeared from her home in July 2018. Her ex-boyfriend admitted to detectives that he killed her, but her body was never Domestic violence victim Fil-Am Bellamy found.

Virginia lawmakers passed a Gamboa of Virginia Beach, Virginia is missing and presumed dead.

Contributed photo resolution on Monday to celebrate

the life of the mother of four and to raise an alarm about domestic violence. There were 158 family and intimate partner homicides in Virginia in 2016 alone.

Delegate Kelly Corvis-Fowler, who is part-Filipino, read a resolution in the House in honor of Gamboa. Corvis Fowler also presented the Gamboa family with a signed proclamation from Governor Ralph Northam, declaring July 16, 2019, Bellamy’s 41stbirthday, as Bellamy Gamboa Day. “I sincerely hope that this recognition will not only serve and honor her memory, but will spread awareness on domestic violence as well,� said Emmanuel Gamboa, Bellamy’s father, according to a WAVY.com reports.

Gamboa filed at least two police reports accusing Lamont Johnson, the father of her young twin children, of physically abusing her. Fearing Johnson would harm her children, Gamboa dropped the charges.

A month after her disappearance, police arrested Johnson, who reportedly admitted to killing Gamboa. However, her body was never found. Johnson’s seconddegree murder trial will begin in April. Since her disappearance, the Gamboa family has been sharing her story to raise awareness of domestic violence. (Inquirer.net)

ANA completes investment in...

PAGE A1 t

its support for the operations and the potential expansion programs of Philippine Airlines.�

PAL last year won a four-star rating from Skytrax and shared its goal of becoming a five-star airline by 2020. Partnering with a five-star carrier like was seen to help achieve its target goal.

CAPA Center for Aviation chief analyst Brendan Sobie said PAL’s partnership with ANA has other benefits including the possibility of membership in a global airline alliance, which provides an expanded network and cost savings.

According to PAL President Jaime Bautista, they are fortifying ties by mounting more flights to Japan as well as deploying larger planes in certain routes to expand capacity. n

HUGPONG IN QUEZON CITY. Hugpong Ng Pagbabago (HNP) Chairperson and Presidential daughter Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte, sings with master rapper Andrew E during the 2019 Campaign Caravan for Senators in the midterm elections held at the Amoranto Stadium on Thursday, February 28.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Fil-Am councilor challenges fellow Republican for mayor in Florida JACKSONVILLE, Florida – FilAm City Council Member Anna Lopez Brosche is running for mayor in the local election on March 19.

Brosche, who holds an atlarge seat on the city’s legislative body, is challenging fellow Republican Lenny Curry, a firstterm mayor.

If no candidate receives 50 percent of the vote plus one on March 19, the top two candidates will meet in a runoff May 14.

Brosche, also a Republican, is ending her first term on council.

If elected, she would become the first woman mayor in Jacksonville’s history.

A Jacksonville native, Brosche is the first Asian-American elected to the council and was the first Filipino-American to serve on a city council in Florida.

After serving as chair of the council Finance Committee in 2016-17, Brosche won a close race for council president, revealing many disagreements

with Mayor Curry on the issues of crime and transparency, according to Jaxdailyrecord.com.

Brosche resisted the mayor’s overhaul of children’s service agencies; accused him of orchestrating a behind-closeddoors effort to sell the city public utility.

Curry’s camp is accusing Brosche of sowing “division and conflict in the city council� and failing to achieve her stated goals as council president. (Inquirer.net)

‘Immigration rights in limbo’ say immigration...

PAGE A1 t administration’s policies on those who have Dreamer-related protection, such as those under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and those with Temporary Protected Status (TPS).

Under the DACA program, which was enacted under the Obama administration in 2012 to protect those who came to the U.S. as children, approximately 800,000 individuals have registered with the vast majority having renewed once or more times since the program’s inception.

But in September 2017, the Trump administration terminated the program and said the program would be phased out with no renewals or new applicants being accepted.

But several lawsuits were immediately filed challenging the termination, with three federal courts issuing and concurring orders in January 2018 saying that DACA recipients should be able to renew their DACA status. That has been the status since.

And while the Trump administration has since then petitioned the Supreme Court to take up the DACA cases and determine whether or not the termination was lawful, the Court has not yet made any announcement as to when or if that would happen.

Allison Davenport, the supervising attorney at the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, said that if the Supreme Court were to take the case, it wouldn’t be heard until fall of 2019 at the earliest, and thus would not get a decision until 2020.

If the Supreme Court decides not to take the case, Davenport said federal orders would continue, but lawsuits challenging the

termination would remain pending and would continue winding up through the legal system in different federal courts.

But the big takeaway as of now, she said, is that all who have DACA or have had DACA at any time in the past, are eligible to renew status that would provide them a new two year period protection from deportation as well as a work permit. She said this is true regardless of when the status expired. “It doesn’t matter if it expired two weeks ago, or three years ago.

They’re still eligible to apply for renewal,� said Davenport. “The rule of thumb is that if you have DACA, you should apply to renew that case six months in advance of that expiration date. That way, your case can be processed and you can receive a new approval, a new work permit without any gaps between when your current case expires and your new case being approved.�

She also urged that people get legal consultation with legal experts to explore options they may have in terms of protection.

Davenport said studies have shown that among those who have applied for DACA and gone through consultations, between 15 and 25 percent were eligible for some other form of immigration status or protection but just didn’t know about it. “We really encourage people to go ahead and get a legal consultation with a quality legal service provider to see if they might be eligible for some other form of status or protection,� said Davenport.

Threats to plus charge rule In October 2018, the Trump administration published a proposal to change “public charge� determinations for immigrants trying

to adjust their immigration status in the U.S. While it has long allowed for immigrants to have their residency status rejected if they are seen to be a financial burden to the U.S. government, or a “public charge�—a term that has been used in immigration law since the 1800s—the Trump administration’s draft rule substantially broadens the definition to include immigrants who use one or more government programs that were previously excluded.

These programs include health, nutrition, and housing programs, said Mayra Alvarez, president of The Children’s Partnership, a nonprofit children’s advocacy organization.

The proposed rule also adds specific requirements to the public charge for income, health, age, and even English proficiency, added Alvarez.

But while the change is just a proposal, she said it’s clear that much of the damage has already been done. “Too many families across California and across the country are living in fear, are confused about what policies have and have not changed, and are reacting in response,� said Alvarez. “For example, if the proposed change to public charge goes forward, hundreds of thousands of immigrant parents in California may disenroll their children from health insurance, food stamps, and other federally subsidized programs because they fear that receiving these benefits will make it impossible for them to become permanent residents in the United States,� added Alvarez.

Based on an analysis conducted

by The Children’s Partnership and

u PAGE A5

There’s a new ‘Medicare-for-all’...

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PAGE A1 t diction treatment, pediatrics and medications.

Where it gets tricky is determining which specific services qualify as “necessary.� Sometimes that’s obvious — insulin for diabetics or a cast for a broken leg.

In other cases, it’s not as clear.

Examples include politically controversial treatments, like gender confirmation surgery. Many experts do say the procedure is an important option for people with gender dysphoria. But specific components of it are sometimes deemed cosmetic or unneeded — often by those skeptical of the treatment to begin with.

There are also reconstructive surgeries that provide medical value, but may be deemed cosmetic.

The Department of Health and Human Services would have significant discretion in interpreting what specific services are “medically necessary.� That means political leanings or scientific debates could sway what’s covered, even from administration to administration. “Reasonable people could disagree on certain things,� Gaffney acknowledged.

The legislation also spells out steps for determining how to pay doctors — a tricky issue, since

doctors often complain that traditional Medicare pays them less than does private insurance. But the bill doesn’t set up a reimbursement system.

Of course, there’s the question of how the U.S. pays for the new program. Studies suggest Medicare-for-all would bring down national health care costs. Currently, though, much of that health spending is borne by the private sector. Under the Jayapal-Dingell bill, the money would have to come out of taxpayer dollars.

That would mean new taxes, and that’s a subject that does not appear anywhere in the JayapalDingell bill. (Jayapal has said she will put out a separate list of potential taxes that could finance her single-payer proposal. Sanders also used this strategy — a separate list of “pay-fors� — to make a case for his bill.)

The bill could resonate throughout the 2020 campaign.

The House bill keeps a spotlight on the Medicare-for-all issue — requiring Democratic presidential primary candidates to answer more questions and spell out stances on this particular policy.

That could create some land mines. Medicare-for-all is controversial, and already major health industry groups have

ramped up opposition to the broad idea. This bill’s specific provisions, such as its coverage of abortion, would add more adversaries. Its long-term care coverage would further drive up its multitrillion-dollar price tag But Robert Blendon, a health care pollster at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, pointed out that addressing concerns such as the long-term care benefit could add to the measure’s political muscle. It could make the idea more attractive to older voters, who otherwise might be hesitant to change their coverage but who do turn out disproportionately to vote in primaries.

That dynamic, he said, could skew primary results to favor candidates who endorse Medicare-for-all, as opposed to more moderate Democrats who have distanced themselves from the issue. (In a general election, he noted, costs could certainly diminish that support.) “The long-term care piece is unbelievably significant,� he said. “It surely will help [progressives] with older voters.� (Shefali Luthra/Kaiser Health News) This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation.

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Detention centers in California lack Gilas eyes Clarkson-Blatche pair for FIBA World Cup oversight and proper care, reports find by nelson

BeltrAn Philstar.com

by

AnnA GormAn And AnA B. IBArrA Kasier Health News

Staff members at immigration detention centers in California delayed medical appointments for patients complaining of shortness of breath. They inadequately supervised suicidal youths. And in one case, they failed to refer a patient with dangerously low blood pressure to a physician.

These and other health and safety problems were detailed in two reports released on Tuesday, February 26. The reports, produced by state Attorney General Xavier Becerra and California State Auditor Elaine Howle, found that the inadequate medical care, along with other health and safety risks, posed a serious danger to immigration detainees.

Becerra and Howle blamed the federal and local governments for failing to oversee the detention centers, allowing the health and safety violations to persist.

“Everyone in this country has constitutional rights, and everyone at the end of the day, child and adult, deserves to be treated in a humane way,” Becerra said at a news conference in San Francisco where he announced his findings.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is committed to “ensuring all detainees are treated in a humane and professional manner,” spokeswoman Lori Haley countered in a written statement. “The safety, rights and health of detainees in ICE’s care are of paramount concern and all ICE detention facilities are subject to stringent, regular inspections.”

Haley’s statement didn’t discuss the specific findings in the reports.

Becerra described his report as an initial look at conditions in the 10 California centers that housed immigration detainees in 2017, when his review began.

The centers, overseen by ICE, hold people awaiting immigration hearings or deportation.

The federal centers have come under increased scrutiny as President Donald Trump has stepped up immigration enforcement, with reports of deaths, abuse and substandard medical care.

The reports landed on the same day as a congressional hearing on the detention of immigrants and family separation.

During the hearing, Democrats questioned White House officials about the policy of taking children from their parents at the Mexican border.

Over the past three years, nearly 75,000 immigrant detainees were housed in the 10 California facilities. The immigrants, who stayed an average of more than 50 days, were held in civil, not criminal, detention.

The federal Office of Inspector General also examined detention facilities and revealed health and safety problems such as nooses in cells and “improper and overly restrictive segregation.” The inspector general also found that the federal immigration agency’s own inspections are not consistent or thorough.

“The standards are so low for these detention centers, and they are not regulated the way that they should be,” said Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights.

In addition to one-day visits to all of the facilities, Becerra’s Department of Justice conducted more comprehensive investigations of three: the Yolo County

Juvenile Detention Facility, Theo Lacey Facility in Orange County and the West County Detention Facility in Contra Costa County.

Contra Costa County decided last year no longer to house immigrant detainees in the West County facility.

The department found a number of health and safety problems in the centers: - Staff at the Yolo facility did not adequately address the mental health needs of detainees and overused psychotropic medications. One youth had been cutting himself but wasn’t put under a special watch.

- Providers conducted superficial medical examinations that failed to rule out serious injuries or health conditions, including one case in which a detainee complained of testicular pain.

- A shortage of bilingual medical staff compromised the confidentiality of medical care and made it more difficult to access care.

- Unqualified personnel, including detention officers, deputies and licensed vocational nurses, made medical decisions.

- Dental services were often delayed, including one case in which a detainee needed urgent care for a probable “tooth eruption.” Other detainees were denied fillings and root canal procedures.

Noheli Sandoval, 32, entered the U.S. in March from Venezuela seeking asylum, and spent four months at the West County Detention Facility in Richmond.

It wasn’t easy accessing medical services there, said Sandoval, who lives in Berkeley. “You have to be practically dying for them to treat you.”

To get dental care, you had to be in pain, and the waiting list for mental health help was months long, she added.

Becerra said the federal government is not ensuring its own standards are met. And while some of the facilities already have made changes, he said he will continue monitoring them to ensure they adequately address their shortcomings. He didn’t rule out legal action.

“Our work is not done,” Becerra said. “We are prepared to do whatever we must to make sure that the laws of this country and this state … are not only protected but enforced.”

A separate but equally damning report by the state auditor concluded that California cities that contract with ICE to house immigration detainees are not providing adequate oversight, putting the detainees’ health and safety at risk.

The report highlights health care at three detention centers: Adelanto Detention Facility in Adelanto, Mesa Verde Detention Facility in McFarland and Imperial Regional Detention Facility in Holtville.

Those cities subcontract with private businesses to manage and operate the detention facilities, but they provided “little or no oversight of the private operators and simply passed federal payments from ICE to these subcontractors,” Howle wrote in a letter to the legislature.

Most of the health concerns raised in her report occurred during an unannounced federal inspection in May at the Adelanto Detention Facility, where inspectors found that detainees had hung bedsheets, which could be used to attempt suicide. In 2017, a detainee died after staff found him hanging from his sheets.

The report said there had been

‘Immigration rights in limbo’...

PAGE A4 t Kidsdata.org, it is estimated that between 113,000 and 311,000 children in California alone would be withdrawn from food stamps or Calfresh. Furthermore, an estimated 259,000 to 628,000 children would be withdrawn from critical health programs like Medical in California.

“Today, we have the lowest uninsured rate of kids in the nation, but if this public charge change would move forward, we run the risk of increasing the risk of uninsured children from three percent to up above eight percent,” said Alvarez. “That is taking us backwards.”

She added though that before the Trump administration would be able to finalize the proposal, the government would have to review more than 266,000 comments on the proposal. Just under 64,000 comments have been reviewed so far.

Pushes through legislation In light of the continuous challenges to immigration rights, Talbot said pushes for constructive immigration reform has meant relying on litigation in protecting individuals from deportation.

For example, the Supreme

term which means the earliest a decision would be around February of 2020.

“So at least through this litigation, Dreamers would have been able to be protected through most of Trump’s third term,” said Talbot.

She pointed out that House Democrats will be re-introducing new language to the Dream Act on March 12, and that she’s hopeful another immigration reform bill may be introduced in the summer with House Democrats starting to talk about it covering the entire undocumented population.

“Generally, we’re just trying to shine a light on all horrible policies that Trump has put into place,” said Talbot.

Talbot said that while it’s unlikely that much change will come under the current administration, efforts in immigration reform, she hopes big change will come in the new 2021 administration.

“It would be fantastic if the White House would actually decide to be more moderate and come to the table, but there’s really no reason to think that they’re going to change their ways. So frankly, we just don’t really trust the White House to be able to negotiate on

three other suicide attempts by hanging as well.

The inspection also revealed that medical providers at the Adelanto facility did not conduct face-to-face medical assessments of detainees in segregation, but instead performed “cursory walk-throughs.” Nor did the facility provide proper interpretation services for people seeking care, or adequate dental services. No detainees had received fillings in the last four years, the report said.

“The city takes the findings contained in the report seriously and appreciates the recommendations,” said Adelanto city spokeswoman Michelle Van Der Linden in an emailed statement.

The city, she added, is in the process of forming a committee to oversee the operation of the facility.

The city of McFarland recently announced it will not renew its contract with ICE. During the five-year period covered by the auditor, the cities did not review complaints or inspection reports, the report said.

These cities have done little “to ensure that they are living up to their responsibilities in ensuring the safety and well-being of the detainees there,” said Michael Kaufman, senior staff attorney of the ACLU of Southern California.

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

GILAS Pilipinas is now looking forward to the World Cup in China in September, hoping Jordan Clarkson can come on board and team up with Andray Blatche to lead Team Philippines to a decent showing.

“It’s interesting. The SBP (Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas) will be working on that,” said coach Yeng Guiao on the possibility of a Clarkson-Blatche partnership in the team.

And this early, Guiao has expressed his desire to bring Gilas to the 2019 Jones Cup, making it as their warm-up tournament for the World Cup set in eight major cities in China from August 31 to September 15.

“We’ve made the World Cup. The next problem is performing in the World Cup,” said Guiao.

The Philippines made the world joust along with seven other Asia/Pacific campaigners in China, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Japan, Iran and Jordan.

Others making the 32-team cast are Angola, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Cote d’Ivoire, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Montenegro, Nigeria, Poland, Puerto Rico, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey, the U.S. and Venezuela.

After 15 months of qualifying campaign, world No. 7 Slovenia, No. 9 Croatia, No. 14 Mexico, No. 15 Latvia and No. 19 Ukraine are the heavyweights that failed to make it.

Drawing of lots is March 16 in Shezhen, one of the competi-

Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP) wants to have Jordan Clarkson cleared as a local for him to be able to play alongside naturalized player Andray Blatche. Photos from FIBA.com

tion’s eight host cities.

Guiao is confident there’s much time to be ready for at least a competitive showing in the China meet, just as what Gilas showed in Seville, Spain in 2014.

The Nationals dropped close matches against Croatia (78-81 in overtime), Greece (70-82), Argentina (81-85) and Puerto Rico (73-77) before topping Senegal, 81-79, in overtime.

Guiao said they could really compete better if Clarkson, the Fil-Am guard playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA, brings his act back with Gilas.

Clarkson had his previous stint with the national team in the Asian Games in Jakarta last year.

However, Clarkson has yet been cleared by the International Basketball Federation with

regards to his playing status in FIBA tourneys.

SBP’s goal is to have Clarkson cleared as a local for him to be able to play alongside naturalized player Blatche.

SBP president Al Panlilio has been in touch with FIBA about Clarkson’s status. As far back as 2015, the national federation submitted documents to FIBA in an effort to prove that Clarkson has been issued a Philippine passport at age 12.

To be eligible in FIBA games as a local player, a dual citizen must secure his passport from the country he will represent before turning 16.

“We’ll work on that,” said Ryan Gregorio, the special assistant to the SBP president, optimistic they can get FIBA’s nod on Clarkson ahead of the World Cup. n

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D ateline PhiliPPines Court defers Maria Ressa arraignment for cyberlibel

The court hearing the cyberlibel charge of Rappler chief Maria Ressa has postponed the arraignment pending her motion to quash.

Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 46 gave the prosecution, the Department of Justice (DOJ) 10 days to comment on the motion, five days for Rappler to reply and another five for the same department to submit a rejoinder so it could come up with a resolution.

Ressa was accompanied by

aspiring senator and De la Salle University-College of law Dean Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno, chairman of the Free legal Assistance Group (FlAG), and former Supreme Court spokesman Theodore Te. Charged with Ressa were researcher Reynaldo Santos Jr., and Rappler inc.

Ressa, through FlAG, moved to dismiss the information or the charge sheet for cyberlibel for allegedly violating The Cybercrime Prevention Act or Republic Act

10175 filed by the DoJ, which stemmed from a resurrected complaint by businessman Wilfredo Keng in connection with an article written by Santos and posted by Rappler on May 29, 2012, titled “CJ using SUVs of ‘controversial’ businessmen,” four months before the law was enacted.

The prosecution used “republished” to apply the Cybercrime Prevention Act on the article because a misspelled word “evation” was changed to “evasion” on Feb. 19, 2014.

The prosecution cited the “multiple publication rule” in charging Ressa with cyberlibel.

Te maintained, however, that there was a temporary restraining order on the implementation of the cybercrime law until April 22, 2014, adding no criminal statute can be applied retroactively. he added that the term “republish” could only be applied to print publications. Rappler is an online news site. (Cathrine Modesto/ManilaTimes.net)

DEALING WITH THE WASTE PROBLEM. Sen. Cynthia A. Villar leads the oath-taking ceremony of the newly-elected Board of Trustees of the Chamber of Cosmetics Industry of the Philippines Inc. (CCIP) and the group’s 1st General Membership Meeting. The re-electionist senator said that since CCIP members are involved in the product manufacturing, raw materials supply, packaging and distribution, among others, they are in a very good position to make a big difference to ensure a sustainable environment. The senator, chair of the Senate environment and natural resources committee, says she plans to amend Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 since solid wastes particularly plastics is one of the most urgent concerns that we are facing now.

Senate photo

Officials to parents: Monitor children’s LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN online activities amid Momo challenge

Rappler chief Maria Ressa

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by aJPress PhiliPPine government officials in the education, health and law enforcement sectors urged the public, especially the parents of young children, to keep an eye on their kids’ online activities after accounts of the disturbing Momo challenge made its rounds on social media.

The Department of education (Deped) encouraged the parents to ensure “open communication lines” so that their children would be able to report to them any situation that would make them feel uncomfortable, coerced, or unsafe.”

“Distorted efforts meant to prey on the vulnerabilities of the youth should be resisted with proper guidance and education and by empowering the children with knowledge of their rights and responsibilities online and offline,” the Deped said in a statement.

The Department of health (DOh) also told parents to be familiar with the sites commonly visited by their children. it advised them to be aware of their children’s activities and establish a limit on their use of technological devices.

The Philippine national Police (PnP) Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) Director, Police Brigadier General Marni Marcos Jr. reminded the public to report any incident related to the Momo challenge through the hotline 414-1560 or by visiting the nearest Regional AntiCybercrime Unit or any police station.

“While we have yet to determine where the ‘Momo Challenge’ originated and who are the individuals perpetuating it, we encourage not only the public but also other law enforcement authorities to form part in spreading awareness to prevent this purported suicide game from affecting and causing harm to our children,” Marcos said as reported by The Philippine news Agency.

The “Momo Challenge” The challenge gained traction when reports claimed that a user with the Momo image was threatening young children to harm and kill themselves.

The Momo image is a grotesque-looking female figure with bird-like body and legs, cropped from the photos of a

The Philippine Department of Education urges parents to be more mindful to the digital activities of children amid the so-called “Momo challenge” that reportedly leads to self-harm and suicide among the youth. Philstar.com photo

sculpture made in 2016 by artist Keisuka Aisawa.

Reports also attributed the deaths of an 11-year-old Filipino boy from a drug overdose and a 12-year old Argentine girl from self-harm due to the alleged harmful instructions of the challenge.

Facebook to take down Momo challenge in PH The Department of information and Communications Technology (DiCT) confirmed with the Manila Times that it is “in talks with Facebook” so that “they can remove it” at least from the social media platform.

DiCT Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity and enabling Technologies Allan Cabanlong said that despite the “suicide game” being present in other social media platforms, removing it from Facebook would lessen the damage.

DiCT Acting Chief eliseo Rio Jr. said amplified the problem that the online challenge would cause if not eliminated altogether. “[B]ecause of virtual peer pressure, children would accept the challenges because minors are still unable to differentiate fact from fiction. A creepy face and threatening messages to a child may become reality, leading to tragedies,” Rio said.

YouTube, however, denied the presence of the Momo challenge on its platform noting that its strict policies and regulation would prevent the circulation of the harmful online threat.

“Contrary to press reports, we’ve not received any recent evidence of videos showing or promoting the Momo challenge

on YouTube. The content of this kind would be in violation of our policies and removed immediately,” YouTube said.

Online safety experts share tips to protect kids The national Online Safety, a group of online safety experts, shared a series of tips for parents, guardians, and teachers could so they could ensure protection and safety of their children from this purported “suicide game.”

- Tell them it is not real. Just like any urban legend or horror story, the concept can be quite frightening and distressing for young people - Be present. it is important for the parents or guardians to be present while their children are online.

- Talk regularly. As well as monitoring their children’s activity, it is important for parents/guardians to discuss it with them too.

- Device settings and parental controls. ensure the setting up of parental controls for devices at home.

- Peer pressure. Trends and viral challenges can be tempting for children to take part in; no matter how dangerous or scary they seem.

- Real or hoax? it is natural for parents/guardians to feel worried about certain things they see online that may be harmful to their children.

- Report and block. Parents/ guardians should flag and report any material deemed to be inappropriate or harmful as soon as they come across it.

They should also block the account/content to prevent their children from viewing it. n

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Dateline PhiliPPines

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • MARch 2-5, 2019

A

SWS: Most Filipinos believe cops involved in illegal drugs, EJKs

by Nathalie

Robles

are involved in the extrajudicial killing of suspects. SixtyThe latest Social Weather six percent believed this to be Station (SWS) survey revealed true — with 28 percent of them that most Filipinos believed that picked “definitely true” and 38 some police officers are involved percent chose “probably true.”

Similarly, only five percent in the illegal drug trade, extrajudicial killings (eJKs), and are of the respondents believed the often planting evidence against accusation to be “definitely or probably not true,” while 28 perdrug suspects. cent said they were undecided.

Illegal drug trade The survey which was released on Wednesday, February 27, asked: “here are some accusations against policemen. In your opinion, are these accusations Definitely true, Probably true, Undecided if true or not, Probably not true, Definitely not true, or Don’t know enough to give an opinion regarding this?”

The response on the “accusation that some policemen are involved in the illegal drug trade” reported that 68 percent of Filipinos believe the allegations that police officers are involved in the illegal drug trade.

Of the said percentage, 29 percent said “definitely true” while 39 percent said, “probably true.” In the same category, five percent were convinced that it was “definitely or probably not true” while 26 percent said they were undecided.

EJKs Another accusation in question is whether the respondent believed those police officers AJPress

SENATORIAL WANNABEES. Hugpong Ng Pagbabago (HNP) Chairperson and Presidential daughter Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte (5th from left), endorses the party’s Senatorial slate — (from right) Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos; General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa; Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Francis Tolentino; Senators Cynthia Villar, Joseph JV Ejercito; Manila Vice Mayoralty candidate Amado Bagatsing; Manila Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada; former Senator Jinggoy Estrada; and former Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. (2nd from left), during the 2019 Campaign Caravan for Senators on mid-term election held at the San Andres Gym in Malate Manila on Wednesday, February 27.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Human rights commission: Protect ‘red-tagged’ lawyers

by Nathalie

Robles

AJPress

The Commission on human Rights (ChR) on Thursday, February 28, urged the government to “ensure the protection and security” of lawyers tagged as “leftists” due to the continuous harassment that they received from the public.

ChR Spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia said that the lawyers “progressive in upholding the people’s rights” were harassed and vilified as many groups linked them to left-leaning institutions.

“We continue to denounce this and repeat our urgent plea to the government to ensure the protection and security of the members of the Union of People’s Lawyers in Mindanao (UPLM) and the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL),” de Guia said. “harassment and vilification of lawyers labeled to be ‘leftists’ is another addition to the continuing trend of attack against (those) groups,” the spokesperson added as reported by The Philippine Daily Inquirer.

The human rights commission continued to stand firm on their belief that “lawyers who choose to bravely fight for the poor and oppressed must be supported and protected, not threatened nor disparaged.”

Vilified lawyers Such statement came after lawyer Beverly Selim-Musni, and her daughters Beverly Ann Musni, Yr.,

and Czarina Golda Musni claimed online that they were named in “flyers vilifying several of the human rights defenders in the region.”

Selim-Musni proudly stated how her daughters expressed their concern for the poor and the oppressed as she noted that their father — Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) lawyer Attorney Oscar Musni — was a political detainee during the time of Martial Law. “The bias of my daughters for the poor and the oppressed is distinct, much more my pride, since they have inherited my compassion,” Selim-Musni said as reported by The Philippine Star.

She emphasized that the attacks against human rights defenders since Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was elected in office are not exclusively experienced in Mindanao.

“The attacks against lawyers under the administration of President Duterte — a lawyer himself, are not new and are not only in Northern Mindanao,” the lawyer said.

“Moreover, the attacks against the brave lawyers who have chosen the hard battle of fighting repressive state mechanisms is constant in the history of our country’s repressive governments,” she added.

The ChR expressed their concern to such threat in the legal counsel sector especially after NUPL Negros Occidental Chapter secretary-general Ben Ramos was

gunned down by men riding-intandem in November 2018.

“It is expedient that all steps are taken so that the injustice committed to the late Atty. Ben Ramos will not be repeated,” de Guia stated.

Before he was shot dead, a poster that circulated in Negros Occidental claimed that Ramos was a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

“Regardless of political affiliation, we remind (everyone) that equal protection of the law must be accorded to all,” de Guia said. n

Planting of evidence Lastly, 57 percent believed that police officers often plant evidence against arrested suspects — with 22 percent tagging the accusation as “definitely true” and 35 percent tagging it as “probably true.” Only nine percent believed otherwise, while 33 percent said they were

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A8 MARCH 2-5, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPINION

Curbing street crimes

FEATURES

THERE will always be crimes, no matter how efficient the law enforcement.

The impoverished in particular are vulnerable to the appeal of resorting to thievery for survival. Other crimes such as drug trafficking and kidnapping for ransom offer such huge profits that even the threat of summary execution cannot serve as a foolproof deterrent.

Efficient law enforcement, however, can reduce criminality.

So it’s a cause for concern when there are reports of a spike in cases of ransom kidnapping, for example, or when more people report that they fell victim to common crimes.

This was the case in the second half of 2018, according to the fourth quarter survey conducted by pollster Social Weather Stations Inc. from Dec. 16 to 19. The SWS survey showed about 1.8 million Filipinos or 7.6 percent of Filipino families reporting at least one member who fell victim to common crimes from July to December 2018. This was higher than the 5.3 percent or 1.2 million in the first half of 2018, and the 6.1 percent of 1.4 million from April to September.

Common crimes include physical violence as well as those against property such as muggings, pickpocketing, burglary and carjacking.

The SWS survey showed that street robberies accounted for the largest increase, from 4.6 percent or 1.1 million from April to September

2018 to 5.2 percent or 1.2 million in the second half of last year.

Fear of being victimized by common criminals also rose by nine points to 61 percent in the last quarter from the 52 percent in September.

The survey results will have to be reconciled with the crime statistics gathered by the Philippine National Police, which showed the number of crimes going down in 2018. Even PNP officials, however, acknowledged that this could be due to the inability or unwillingness of crime victims to report their cases to the police. The SWS said its victimization figures were usually higher than the cases reported to the PNP. Underreporting can be attributed to the lack of confidence that a crime can be solved – that the perpetrator will be caught and punished and the stolen item returned to the owner. It is also due to the thought that the hassle of trying to get justice simply isn’t worth it. Survey results indicate a different crime situation, and the challenges that must be addressed by law enforcers in keeping the public safe. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

No one is above the law — not even Catholic priests

Rhizomes

PROSY ABARQUEZDELACRUZ, J.D. [Editor’s note: The original version of this column, published in the Asian Journal in March 2016, has been updated to reflect 2019 changes.]

POPE Francis has declared a Jubilee Year of Mercy.

From the Vatican’s website, “The Church is celebrating the Holy Year of Mercy, a time of grace, peace, conversion and joy. It is meant for everyone: people of every age, from far and near. There are no walls or distances which can prevent the Father’s mercy from reaching and embracing us. The Holy Door is now open in Rome and in all the diocese of the world.”

On Sundays and weekday masses, priests talk of mercy in their homilies. The gospel on March 2 was on forgiveness, and how many times a person must forgive — not just seven times, but seven times 77, or 539 times.

March 3rd’s homily spoke of applying one’s knowledge, filtering what we know, and using

what we know to spread God’s love and forgiveness. I cried listening to the last homily for I was struggling with how do you forgive and show mercy to predator priests, after watching “Spotlight,” not for myself but for numerous folks who have been abused in their teenage years.

I once had a chance to meet one of these predator priests, as part of a dinner, raising awareness and funds to help urban poor communities in the Philippines, which includes a chapel, a child care center, a school, and a pharmacy.

When I invited him to join Simbang Gabi in an East Hollywood Church, he demurred and said he was “persona non grata.” It struck me as weird, as it was a self-detrimental conclusion, not borne out of practice.

While researching, his name was listed on Bishop-Accountability.org. His victim, now in her 60s, was paid $100,000 by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles (perhaps the reason for “persona non grata”) as this Catholic Irish priest had sex with a 15-year-old debate team member at the school he served as principal. He wrote an apology

letter and described it as “consensual sex” decades later.

If you were the victim, would you be able to forgive this priest, and show him God’s mercy?

After a full declaration of wrongdoing and witnessing the perpetrator’s remorse, can you now be part of a healthier Catholic Church, forgiving more than 539 times?

Can you still forgive and ask for God’s mercy knowing that it was not just you, but you are part of a much bigger sector of thousands in 108 cities in the United States and 51 cities in 21 countries?

What if you discover that this pattern of conduct has reached back to two centuries before?

Would you now use your persuasive powers to prevent the “acting out of these psychosocially and emotionally immature priests?”

Will we ever have accountability to these breached sacred trusts, committed by priests?

Will we have accountability from bishops and cardinals who hid these harmful behaviors, robbing minors of their dignities, sense of peace, emotional security and freedom from harm, with their trauma lasting

for decades?

Spotlight’s revelations During the 88th Academy Awards, “Spotlight” won the Oscar for Best Picture for 2016.

It also got Best Original Screenplay, written by Tom McCarthy.

The film is about Marty Baron, a new editor of the Boston Globe, who assigned the Spotlight team of four investigative journalists (Michael Rezendes, Matt Carroll, Sacha Pfeiffer and Water “Robby” Robinson) to look into John Geoghan, a priest whose title had been removed, a.k.a defrocked, after molesting more than 80 boys.

The reporters made it their collective mission to provide proof of the cover-up, uncovering the pattern, policy and practices, which systematically hid the wrongdoings in the Boston archdiocese, headed by Cardinal Edward Law. One dialogue line in the film resonated well: “If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to abuse one.”

The Spotlight team went through a painstaking process of digging facts, interviewing victims, lawyers, fact-checking, including a process of deduc-

tion, which led to a compiled list of 87 priests, from the church’s directory of priests, who were classified “on sick leave, unassigned or emergency status.”

Speaking of priests on sick leave, I interviewed a healing priest who led two churches in the Valley, years ago. After a three-hour interview, he gave me a “spooky feeling,” particularly upon observing how he gave chest-suffocating hugs to women, normally reserved for couples who have not seen each other for a long time. My heart told me to stay away, while my mind decided not to write his story.

Fast forward to today, he is no longer a pastor and is shuffling papers in the Archdiocese.

His blogs, which spoke of his healing abilities, have disappeared from the Internet.

Back to “Spotlight,” the film showed how a list of 87 priests came about, who were either on sick leave, unassigned, on emergency status or were transferred in less than three years.

The list was verified by the Archdiocese’s defense counsel, and another reliable third-party source, a lawyer who settled cases on behalf of 45 accused

priests. The film showed how verification was arrived at, using two independent sources.

Included in the process of investigation was filing a motion to unseal court documents from John Geoghan’s case (a priest who molested 80 boys, including seven boys in one family), while also interviewing victims and accused priests.

The start of transparency, perhaps?

In the film, we heard the voice of Richard Sipe, an 82-year-old psychiatrist who is now married after previously serving as a Benedictine monk and former Catholic priest. He shared his conclusion that only 50 percent of the priests are celibate, leading to a culture of secrecy and hiding pedophilia.

One would expect the Holy See perhaps to keep folks from seeing the film; instead, the Vatican Radio, official radio service of the Holy See, was quoted as saying, it will help the U.S. Catholic Church “to accept fully the sin, to admit it publicly and to pay all the consequences.”

End-film credits showed 600 stories written by the Boston Globe’s Spotlight Team in

u PAGE A9

Duterte’s assurance must go beyond words

Commentary

FRANCISCO TATAD THREE Filipino Catholic priests have been killed in the country’s murderous war on drugs. And at least two bishops and four priests and religious have been receiving death threats for their work with the victims of extrajudicial drug killings, according to reports.

These reports have long been whispered about among clerics, but they finally hit the press when Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, the Archbishop of Manila, texted President Rodrigo Duterte from Rome, where he was attending a Vatican summit on clerical sexual abuse, and the President read out his message during a campaign speech in Cebu City last weekend.

The cardinal’s message “Good day, po — (sir),” said the purported text message from the cardinal. “Greetings from Rome! I was informed by Bishop David (Bishop of Caloocan and vice president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, or CBCP, that some priests got death threats from someone claiming to be

working for the president’s family. Just to let you know. Baka may naninira (Someone might be spreading false and derogatory news)…”

The cardinal was neither accusatory nor confrontational.

He even provided the president an easy way out — baka may naninira! So the president assured him that priests and nuns were not targets in the war on drugs, which has already killed an estimated 20,000 drug suspects.

“The religious have nothing to do with the vagaries of life,” DU30 said. “Once you touch a nun or a priest or imam, then we will have to fight,” he added, sounding like he was quoting from the Psalms (105:15), “not to touch my (God’s) anointed ones.”` Two questions These are very reassuring words. But at least two sets of questions have to be asked.

One, does this statement completely supersede and erase the president’s previous “call” to “kill useless bishops”? Can the priests who may have gone into hiding because of these threats now come out, and resume their normal pastoral work, without having to worry about getting bumped off inside the church or outside by some thugs? Can

Duterte personally assure Bishop David that he can continue ministering to the EJK victims and their families without being treated as an enemy of government? Can Cardinal Tagle, Bishop David and the priests and religious directly affected by the reported threats now say they have been sufficiently reassured by the president’s statement?

Two, if the president can guarantee that no harm will come to priests and men and women in the consecrated life who oppose his extrajudicial drug killings, can he similarly assure his lay critics in the press that they will not be harmed for performing their constitutional duty of exposing secrets being hidden from the public?

I ask this question in my own behalf, after being threatened with physical violence by the president, who also threatened to violate my wife, for a story I wrote which has not been denied, but which has been used to attribute to me a subject I did not write about.

I understand the “owners” of The Manila Times are now under certain pressure to “terminate” this column without prior notice. If this happens, it should allow me to devote more time

to writing my memoirs and my books. But this is the first time in my 50 years of journalism and public life that I have been threatened with brute force by the highest authority of the land for writing something that could be easily verified and refuted, if false, without the language of violence.

Uneven ground Earlier, I wrote an extensive column to explain my part in this unfortunate incident, and I thought I had put an end to it.

But I am made to understand that the president continues to attack me personally in his campaign speeches, as though I were running for public office in the May election. I am not, and I do not even wish I were.

We are not on even ground, the President and I, and this does not allow me to honor him with a reply. But I wish the president were more tolerant and receptive of ideas and opinions other than his own. This is an indispensable requirement of governing the smallest community of rational citizens. This needs no further elucidation.

With all the goodwill in the world, the president has to determine whether there are indeed lawless elements determined to harm priests, religious

and laymen in his name, simply because they are opposed to or critical of his policies and pronouncements. If there are, he should do his best to convince them that these critics are not his personal enemies or those of the State, but patriotic citizens of deep religious faith and moral convictions, who should be engaged in non-violent argumentation and debate.

Missed opportunity Duterte’s reply to Cardinal Tagle could have been an auspicious beginning. But this appears to have been instantly complicated by his other statements on Church matters, which lie far beyond his competence.

For one, he has predicted that the Church will disappear in 25 years. The Church is now in crisis, because of fundamental questions of orthodoxy and the sexual crimes committed by gay priests and bishops. And many are not only calling for, but rather predicting the end of the present papacy. No one, however, is predicting the demise of the Church within their lifetime; only Duterte has predicted its end in 25 years.

In the meantime, DU30 said priests should marry, without specifying whether they should “marry” persons of the same or

opposite sex.

Bishops’ reply Bishop Honesto Ongtioco of Cubao and Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani of Novaliches were among the first to say the Church will outlast a hundred, nay a thousand, Dutertes. This is guaranteed by God’s word in Scripture, and borne by the facts of history for at least the last 2,000 years. But for the first time in history, the hierarchs of the Church have had to respond to accusations no longer simply of having “sinned” against God but rather of having committed unpunished “crimes” against their fellowmen.

So, while Duterte may be completely wrong in saying the Church will not survive beyond the next 25 years, his ability to say these things without anything happening to him could lead some of his followers to believe they could do anything to priests, religious and laity, in order to please the president.

DU30 has to do something more concrete than simply respond to Cardinal Tagle’s text message, to assure the nation that the lives and liberties of Catholics are not at risk if and when they oppose any of his policies and pronouncements.

(ManilaTimes.net)

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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Dateline USa

No one is above the law — not...

PAGE A8 2002, about 249 accused priests and brothers and over 1,000 survivors.

As to Sipe, who headed the Department of Family Services at Seton Psychiatric Institute from 1967 to 1970, his research findings concluded: “1,300 priests and religious have been treated for psychosexual disorders in 25 years, at the cost of over $50 million.” The Seton Institute has been closed since 1972.

Will the Catholic Church be able to purge its internal demons, its sins of sexual abuse with minors? Recently, Pope Francis headed a four-day summit involving the hierarchy of bishops and cardinals focused on the protection of minors and a rehabilitation movement away from sexual abuse. He described the priests doing this as extensions of evil and Satan’s evildoers.

Will the summit of 2019 stop the Church’s pervasive practices of reassigning accused priests to different parishes, managing settlements in secrecy and sending them for psychiatric treatment, “they are our priests, so it is our problem to cure them?”

Can the Church perhaps lead “institutional confession” to their flock, regionally, and to all their parishioners around the world, recognizing their psychosocial problem happened in 51 cities in 21 countries and 108 cities of the United States (as “Spotlight” revealed)?

When I wrote that question, the summit of 2019 has not been convened. We now find Pope Francis leading the public confession for this worldwide problem of sexual abuse. How did the Catholic Church become this secretive institution hiding these human behavioral problems?

Certainly, the Vatican knows how Archdiocesan reserves have been affected: the sale of a Mid-Wilshire high-rise building in Los Angeles, the sale of an all-boys high school in Hancock Park (now a Jewish School) and even the bankruptcy filing of Diocese of San Diego to pay for these settlements.

Will this institution, who “thinks in centuries,” consider a more comprehensive treatment of the problem?

Or will these ghastly secrets die with them, much like the late Archbishop Robert San-

chez, who while in New Mexico had sex with teenage girls for decades, which was subsequently exposed on 60 Minutes in 1993?

The New York Times described how Archbishop Sanchez apologized to the Native Americans for “grievances reaching back to the days of colonization” and created an Office of Native American Ministry. The publication detailed that, “In a report to the World Synod of Bishops in Rome in 1980, Archbishop Sanchez called for renewed efforts to eliminate ‘all forms of racism’ in the church. ‘Although great numbers of a particular ethnic or language group may be present in a parish,’ he wrote in the report, ‘often little or no effort is made by the local parish priest to welcome these newcomers into the parish family.’”

Mercy can be embodied “What is the name of God, “ a priest asked in his homily? To which worshippers answered, “Mercy.”

It is imploring God not to judge us but instead, to be forgiven for all our sins and to be cleansed from them.

As Holy Week begins, would it be reasonable to expect the Vatican to do a more rigorous institutional review of its practices in disaffirming these lifeharming activities?

Instead of focusing the Church’s attention and offering prayers for the wombs of women (which are attached to women’s bodies to control, while exercising their endowed, God-given free will to guide them), would it not be merciful for victims who have been harmed by defrocked priests and others still active in their ministries to be monitored in their healing process? Also, might the Church also come to terms on how nuns were defiled as comfort women, some of whom were kept as sex slaves?

In the light of mercy, must we not seek to remove errant priests, from the milieu of children, whom they can harm again? And seek improved emotional maturation and human formation for these priests?

“Spotlight” uncovered a systemic pattern and administrative policy of secrecy, necessitating that the Vatican demonstrates, as well, an effective and systematic pattern of dismantling criminal wrongdoings, done under

the cloak of respectability and garbed in priestly vestments, aside from the VIRTUS training given to lay volunteers. The hierarchy must, in fact, train seminarians and priests that these behaviors are predatory crimes against man-made law, punishable by jail sentences.

In the form of spreading God’s good news, now I understand why a Caucasian priest said at a Lenten retreat, “Had it not been for the Filipino clergy and its laity, the Catholic Church in America would have perished.”

These immigrant Filipino and Filipino-American priests became the guardians of faith and anchored the laity, deeply on values of pakikisama and seeing God in others, with a deeper intimacy with God through Mama Mary.

After this 2019 summit, I pray that the Catholic Church moves away from secrecy, which made these crimes more predatory and into the justice measures they deserved. May these predatory priests meet justice in their lifetimes and may the lingering victims who have not received justice be rehabilitated in their lifetimes as well and lastly, may the seminaries that form these priests do their jobs of fuller human formations and much more scrutiny in transitioning these young men from deacons to priests.

This upcoming Holy Week, all of us have the duty to make sure our Catholic Church returns to being animated by the Holy Spirit and may we become truth seekers and truth tellers when we see predatory and abusive behaviors from the Lord’s stewards who were formed to take care of the sheep and not abuse them! *** Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D. writes a weekly column for Asian Journal, called “Rhizomes.” She has been writing for AJ Press for 10 years. She also contributes to Balikbayan Magazine. Her training and experiences are in science, food technology, law and community volunteerism for 4 decades. She holds a B.S. degree from the University of the Philippines, a law degree from Whittier College School of Law in California and a certificate on 21st Century Leadership from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She has been a participant in NVM Writing Workshops taught by Prof.

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

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • MARch 2-5, 2019

A

Poe pushes passage of bill seeking to give SSS, PhilHealth benefits to trike drivers

by Daphne

Galvez Inquirer.net

MANILA — Senator Grace Poe on Friday, March 1, said she will push for the passage of a bill seeking to provide social insurance and health benefits for tricycle drivers and operators during the 17th Congress.

Poe issued the statement after the Senate committee on public services on Friday approved in principle Senate Bill 1751 or the proposed Magna Carta for Tricycle Drivers and Operators.

She said Congress still has time to approve the measure when it resumes session after the May elections.

“Sisikapin nating maipasa ito bago matapos ang 17th Congress kasi may panahon pa naman kami (We’ll try our best to pass this measure before the end of the 17th Congress because we still have time),” Poe said in a statement.

Under the bill, Social Security System (SSS) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) will provide mandatory coverage to tricycle drivers and operators to enable them to ac-

Senator Grace Poe

cess social security and health care benefits.

The measure also mandates local governments to establish a simplified registration process and a one-stop shop that will handle all tricycle transactions of operators.

It also provides tricycle maintenance programs and vocational education on auto-mechanics.

Likewise, it prohibits the impounding of tricycles on minor traffic violations.

“Ang tricycle drivers at opera-

Inquirer.net photo

tors ay inaasahang magiging mas maingat at maalam sa pagmamaneho at pagpapasada sapagkat magkakaroon ng orientation patungkol sa traffic management and rules (The tricycle drivers and operators are expected to be more careful in driving because we will conduct orientation regarding traffic management rules),” the senator said.

A counterpart measure, House Bill No. 9073, was approved by the lower House on second reading. n

Philippines cited in World Bank study for removing all job restrictions on women THE Philippines is one of the countries that removed all job restrictions on women, said a study released by the World Bank on Thursday, February 28.

The “Women, Business and the Law 2019: A Decade of Reform” measured gender discrimation across 187 economies over the past 10 years.

The study focused on how women must navigate discriminatory laws and regulations at every point in their careers, limiting their equality of opportunity.

World Bank said the study used eight indicators which were “structured around women’s interactions with the law as they begin, progress thorugh and end their careers.” Indicators used were going places, starting a job, getting paid, getting married, having children, running a business, managing assets, and getting a pension.

The Philippines had a total score of 81.25 out of 100. Among

Zita Diez Balogo, head of Construction Solutions company’s cement plant in Davao, is among the women who now play important roles in ‘traditionally masculine’ industries.

ManilaTimes.net photo

the eight indicators, the Philippines got a 100 score in starting a job, getting paid, and running a business.The country however got a score of 60 in having children and getting married indicators and 75 on going places and getting pension. For managing

assets indicator, the Philippines score was 80.

“Bulgaria, Croatia, Kiribati, the Philippines, Poland, and Taiwan, China removed all job restrictions on women,” said the report. (Anna Leah E. Gonzales/ ManilaTimes.net)

A10 March 2-5, 2019 • La WEEKEND aSIaN JOUrNaL

Dateline PhiliPPines

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PLDT: We don’t owe gov’t P8-B

by Catherine

Valente ManilaTimes.net

MANUEL V. Pangilinan, chairman of PLDT Inc., on Thursday, February 28, denied the claim of President Rodrigo Duterte that the telecommunications company owed the government P8 billion.

Speaking to reporters, Pangilinan said he looked into Duterte’s claim and found that his company, which is controlled by Hong Kong’s First Pacific Co. Ltd. of Indonesia’s Salim Group, owed no debts to the government.

“I don’t know. I checked internally ano bang utang natin (if we owe the government). We don’t know,” Pangilinan said during a chance interview at the sidelines of the opening of the NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 road in Caloocan City.

Manuel V. Pangilinan, chairman of PLDT Inc.

“As far as we know. As far as we know, wala kaming utang (we owe nothing). They pay taxes regularly on a quarter basis and in fact, in advance,” he added.

Pangilinan made the statement after Duterte threatened to shut down PLDT if the telecommunication giant would not set up more trunk lines to accommodate calls to a citizens’ complaint line for reporting corrupt government officials.

“If you see corruption, tell me. Call 8888. Bong, add another trunk line. The present setup can’t accommodate all the calls. It’s always busy. Tell PLDT,” the President said, addressing his former aide Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, now a candidate for senator.

“If not, I’ll shut down their business. Yes, that’s true. I don’t want to brag, but they owe

[the] government P8 billion. No President has ever asked for payment,” he added.

Duterte did not say what the P8 billion was for, and there was no immediate comment from PLDT on the amount.

In a statement, Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said Malacañang was confident that telecommunication giants would do their “very best” to ensure that Filipinos could easily report complaints to the “8888” hotline.

“Given all this, it is clear why the President would be displeased when our countrymen’s efforts to access the 8888 Hotline are frustrated,” Panelo said.

“Moving forward, we trust that telecommunications networks that act as crucial access points for the system shall endeavor their very best to improve the capacity and resiliency of the system because at the end of the day, Hotline 8888 is meant to ensure the general welfare of the Filipino people,” he added.

The 24-hour hotline was launched in 2016 to receive complaints from the public about red tape, corruption and other abuses in government offices.

Established by the President through Executive Order 6, the hotline is operated under the supervision of the Civil Service Commission.

Complaints are referred to the agencies concerned, and the complainants are apprised of the action taken until their ManilaTimes.net photo grievances are resolved. n

Nancy Binay: ‘Court decisions best evidence of Marcos ill-gotten wealth’

by CeCille

suerte Philstar.com

FeliPe

MANILA — Court decisions on the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses are the best evidence to prove its existence, re-electionist Sen. Nancy Binay said.

Binay was asked to comment on President Duterte’s doubts that the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos illegally amassed up to $10 billion from state coffers during his two-decade rule.

“The court has already decided on the cases pertaining to the ill-gotten wealth. For me,

those are the best evidence.

And the compensation given to the human rights victims, is it not enough?” she said during the Kapihan sa Senado forum on Thursday, February 28.

Marawi peace builder and civic leader Samira Gutoc claimed that Duterte is changing the map of Philippine territory and revising its history.

“Since you were sworn in as President of my beloved country, you have shown nothing but favor to the Marcos family. Since the beginning, you have fought for them, defended their honor

RECYCLED ART WORK CONTEST. As the celebration of National Arts month concludes, SM City San Mateo launches a recycled art work contest, with reusable discarded items such as papers, plastic wrappers and bottle caps as materials. Around 200 students from San Mateo Municipal College and Jose F. Diaz Memorial High School participated in the contest held at SM City San Mateo, Rizal on Thursday, February 28.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Chinese Embassy denies Panelo claim of ‘tit-for-tat’ policy on illegal workers

by PatriCia lourdes Philstar.com

Viray

MANILA — The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines on Thursday, February 28, clarified that it would not be enforcing a “titfor-tat” policy on deporting illegal workers, opposing the earlier statement of Malacañang.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo earlier said the Philippine government would not act recklessly on supposed violations of Chinese citizens in the country as Beijing might employ a similar policy to Filipinos in China.

The Chinese Embassy stressed that Beijing adheres to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries.

“The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines did not say that Beijing would adopt ‘tit-for-tat’ approach should the Philippine government deport Chinese nationals found

and even helped deny the atrocities (committed) during martial law,” she said.

Gutoc said the President should not underestimate the intelligence and memory of every Filipino by insisting that the Marcoses did not do anything wrong during the ’70s and ’80s.

“What have you got to gain, Mr. president, by using your inby Kristine Joy Patag fluence, using your presidency, Philstar.com to legitimize the injustices and atrocities done by the MarcoMANILA — The Department ses to the Filipino people?” she of Justice has indicted former asked. “We will never forget.” n Health Secretary Janette Garin and four others of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide over deaths allegedly caused by controversial anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia.

The following Department of Health officials and employees were also indicted for the same charge: • Dr. Vincente Belizario Jr. • Dr. Kenneth Hartigan-Go • Dr. Gerardo Bayugo • Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy • Dr. Irma Asuncion • Dr. Julius Lecciones •Dr. Maria Joyce Ducusin • Dr. Rosalind Vianzon • Dr. Mario Baquilod The prosecution panel also indicted the following Sanofi Pasteur Inc. officials of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide: • Carlito Realuyo • Stanislas Camart • Jean Louis Grunwald • Jean Francois Vacherand • Conchita Santos • Jazel Anne Calvo Also facing indictment are Maria Lourdes Santiago and Melody Zamudio from the Food and Drug Administration, and Research Institute for Tropical Medicine’s Dr. Socorro Lupisan and Dr. Maria Rosario Capeding.

The DOJ however dismissed the criminal complaints against Health Secretary Francisco Duque for insufficiency of evidence.

Alleged irregularities in Dengvaxia purchase The 127-page resulted written by a panel led by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Ma. Emilio Victorio has yet to be made public as of post.

The DOJ, however, released a statement on the indictment prepared by the office of Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete,

working illegally in the country,” the embassy said in a statement.

As for foreigners working illegally in China, it would be the task of Chinese law enforcement agencies to handle such cases in accordance with domestic laws and regulations.

The embassy also noted that China respects the Philippines’ laws and regulations on foreign nationals working in the country.

Beijing stood firm on its position that Chinese nationals should not be staying or working illegally in other countries, including the Philippines.

“China hopes that the Philippine law enforcement agencies would continue to deal with relevant issues in accordance with the laws and regulations in a professional manner,” the statement read.

The Chinese Embassy said it

has always been reminding its nationals in the Philippines to observe local laws through consular notices.

Earlier this week, Malacañang said the government would be enforcing immigration laws against illegal Chinese workers in the country.

This statement came after President Rodrigo Duterte said Chinese workers should just be allowed to remain in the Philippines.

“We wish to clarify 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,” Panelo earlier said.

The presidential mouthpiece said the government would be applying “with full force” the country’s laws to all foreign nationals that violate them. n

DOJ indicts Garin, several others over Dengvaxia department spokesman.

The statement centered on the panel’s finding of irregularities in the purchase and in the Food and Drug Administration’s registration of the vaccine pending completion of the clinical trials of Dengvaxia.

The panel said that the FDA approved the vaccine’s registration and purchase and rollout for even while the clinical trials were ongoing.

The state prosecutors also held that Garin and the other respondents were “careless in implementing the mass immunization program.”

There were barangay health workers who were not authorized to administer the vaccine, and some parents alleged that their children did not undergo physical examination or asked relevant health information.

“The panel meanwhile faulted Sanofi for failing to actively monitor and conduct close surveillance of Dengvaxia recipients,” the statement further read.

Indictment for reckless imprudence The DOJ also explained that the panel arrived at the indictment for reckless imprudence, which is “a crime of neglect [that] punishes those who ‘exhibit ‘dangerous recklessness, the lack of care or foresight.’”

They held that Garin and the other Health officials who were also doctors “totally disregarded the identified risks and adverse effects of the vaccine.”

“Said risks materialized with the death of the victims,” the statement further read.

The DOJ did not identify the risks or adverse effects.

The DOJ’s statement did not touch on Garin’s that there is no evidence that directly linking the deaths to Dengvaxia.

DOJ cautions against fear of vaccination The DOJ, amid the indictment on criminal charges over the

controversial vaccine, however cautioned against those who would use the case development for fearmongering.

It stressed that the finding of neglect among the Health officials “should not, in any way, be used to stoke public fear of vaccination.”

The Justice department added that holding those who neglected their duties to the public “is the best deterrent against the repetition in the future of criminal neglect” that they allege the respondents showed.

Garin, for her part, also raised alarm over how the indictment might affect the perception against the DOH Immunization Progam.

“People might think again that there is something wrong with the vaccine which is NOT TRUE. Let us put primary importance to saving lives rather than politicking,” she said in a statement.

Duque suspended the dengue vaccination program after Sanofi disclosed in November 27, 2017 that it could cause severe dengue if given to those who had not previously been infected with dengue.

The Food and Drug Administration has permanently revoked the certificates of product registration for Dengvaxia.

A 2018 study of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine noted that the country’s “highly-politicized response” to the reported risks posed by Dengvaxia has eroded overall public trust in immunization.

Duque has also pinned the blame for “decline in vaccine confidence and a rise in cases of measles and other vaccine preventable diseases” on the remarks of Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida Acosta, who led the filing of the complaints. Acosta has disputed this, saying it is not her office’s job to promote vaccination. n

SWS: Most Filipinos believe cops...

PAGE A7 t undecided.

The results followed days after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte vowed to implement a “harsher drug war” during his speech in Malacañang last week.

“And I am declaring war. I am not declaring a punitive police action. It cannot help and it would not help. So early on I decided but I think I’d be more — well I said harsher in the days to come,” the president said as reported by The Philippine Daily Inquirer.

However, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Police Colonel Bernard Banac, re-

sponded to the survey results as he insisted that all police units respect human rights.

“We assure the public the PNP subscribes to the rule of law. All anti-drug operations are done with utmost respect for human rights and human life,” Banac said as reported by ABSCBN News.

The SWS said that the net opinion about the truthfulness of the police’s “nanlaban” claims was lowest in Metro Manila at -11, followed by Balance Luzon at -3, the Visayas at +3, and Mindanao at +11.

The survey was conducted from December 16 to 19, 2018.

They collected data through

face-to-face interviews of 1,440 adults nationwide with 360 respondents each in Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.

It has a sampling error margin of ±2.6 percent for national percentages and ±5 percent each for Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The government’s anti-narcotics campaign reported a total of 5,000 drug suspects killed since 2016, but human rights groups said that the numbers are severely understated. The war on drugs campaign was heavily criticized for alleged state-sponsored killings, which the government has denied. n

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • MARch 2-5, 2019

A11

Duterte says he won’t assist OFWs who commit crimes abroad

by Alexis

RomeRo Philstar.com

GLOBAL PARLIAMENTARIAN SESSION. Senator Risa Hontiveros delivers her message during the 2nd Asia Pacific Evaluation Association International Evaluation Conference entitled the “Role of Parliamentarian ls Towards Evaluation in the Context of the Agenda 2030”.

The event was held in the Senate on Tuesday, February 26.

Senate photo Joseph Vidal

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte has warned overseas Filipino workers that he would not help them if they commit crimes in their host countries.

Duterte issued the warning as he threatened foreigners not to bring illegal drugs to the Philippines.

“Whether as a drug lord, I do not care if you are from China, if you are from Taiwan, if you are from Malaysia. If you come here and you do that (bring illegal drugs), I will really kill you,” the president said during an assembly of village leaders in Pasay last Monday.

“To the Filipinos outside (the

country), do not do that because you will get killed. Do not (commit) crimes, your crimes in other countries. I cannot help you and I won’t help you. Remember that,” he added.

Duterte reiterated that now is the most dangerous time to be involved in illegal drugs.

“I will make this statement very, very clear. I promised you that at this time of our national life, it is the time during my time that it would be very, very dangerous for anybody to do drugs,” he said.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the president would not travel to another country to seek the pardon of Filipinos who committed crimes.

“What he means by that is he

cannot be violating the laws of other countries, just like his position that you cannot violate our laws,” Panelo said.

“Now, if Filipinos will be engaged in drug trafficking, he will not lift a hand in the sense that he would be traveling there and asking the president for a pardon. What we can do is just to provide lawyers from them,” he added.

Panelo said helping Filipinos involved in narcotics goes against the Philippines’ campaign against illegal drugs.

“It will be against our own policy too, that we are very strict on the enforcement of the drug laws but in other countries, we are inconsistent,” he added. n

Filipinos have better work-life balance Duterte eyes new pact with Misuari than Singaporeans, Malaysians — study

by CAtheRin

MANILA — Filipino working professionals have better worklife balance experiences compared to their counterparts in Singapore and Malaysia, according to a study by a Singaporebased website.

Recruitment portal Monster. com reported that 65 percent of working professionals in the Philippines are satisfied with their work-life balance.

Meanwhile, 28 percent said they would like to have more time to spend with friends and family.

The also found that 41 percent of Filipino professionals feel content with the balance of their personal and professional lives.

This is higher than the ratings in Singapore and Malaysia with 24 percent and 32 percent, respectively.

For 59 percent of Filipino professionals, having flexible working hours is a key aspect of worklife balance.

According to the study, 51 percent of Filipinos want to be able to leave work on time while 47 percent just want to balance work and life.

The survey also found that Filipino employers are more accepting of work-life balance as 32 percent of them offer flexi-work policies, which is double the figures reported in Singapore and Malaysia.

“An impressive 44 percent of Filipino respondents said their managers are supportive of them

s. VAlente ManilaTimes.net

A study from online recruitment portal Monster.com found that 65 percent of Filipino working professionals are satisfied with their current work-life balance.

Philstar.com photo

finding balance — once again trumping Singapore (23 percent) and Malaysia (31 percent),” Monster.com said.

Almost half of the respondents in Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore described their worklife balance as “average, but could have more balance.”

“The Philippines is considerably ahead of its Southeast Asian peers in terms of fostering a workforce that is satisfied with the equilibrium between their professional and personal commitments,” Monster.com CEO Abhijeet Mukherjee said in a statement.

Mukherjee added that this has a positive impact on business as it increases engagement, boosts happiness levels and encourages

higher productivity.

The survey was conducted among 1,000 respondents across Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore as part of Monster.com’s #WorkLifeBalance campaign.

The campaign seeks to identify the sentiments of working professionals on work-life balance, as well as raise awareness among employers about its aspects that their employees value the most.

“The survey was conducted in each market to understand what working professionals defined as ‘work-life balance’, as well as the various obstacles which lay in their way of achieving #ACompleteLife,” Monster.com said.

(Patricia Lourdes Viray/Philstar. com)

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has made “some arrangements” to allow Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founder Nur Misuari to travel overseas, saying they were preparing for negotiations for a new peace agreement.

In remarks before the general assembly of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines on Tuesday, February 26, Duterte said he had yielded to Misuari’s request to allow the latter to travel abroad before participating in peace talks.

The President, who referred to Misuari as his “brother,” met with the MNLF founder in Malacañang on Monday night.

“I said, let him travel overseas, for the sake of [the government’s] efforts in pursuing peace and order in Mindanao, you know, because I still have to craft [a peace deal with Misuari], we in government,” Duterte said in English and Filipino.

He had sought Misuari’s cooperation in the formation of the new Bangsamoro autonomous region whose interim government is led by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which had broken away from the MNLF. Misuari is on trial before the Sandiganbayan Third Division for graft and malversation over the allegedly anomalous purchase of P77 million worth of educational materials when he was governor of then Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The ARMM was a result of a final peace agreement between Misuari’s MNLF and the Ramos administration in 1996.

On Tuesday, the Sandiganbayan granted Misuari’s motion to travel abroad for his participation in the 46th session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers in the United Arab Emirates and the meeting of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States in Morocco.

Misuari is scheduled to fly to Abu Dhabi on Wednesday and will proceed to Morocco on March 11, based on his itinerary. He is expected to return to the Philippines between March 17 and 20.

The talks between the President and Misuari come amid the supposed “rumblings” in the MNLF about the new Bangsamoro autonomous region, which implements a 2014 peace deal between the government and the MILF. The MNLF has reportedly expressed concern about the composition of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), saying it was only given a few seats in the interim government of the new Bangsamoro region that replaced the ARMM. Under the law creating the Bangsamoro region, the BTA or the interim government will be composed of 41 nominees from the MILF and 39 individuals nominated by the government.

MILF Chairman Murad Ebrahim has been appointed interim chief minister of the BTA that will govern the region until new regional

President Rodrigo Duterte discusses matters with Moro National Liberation Front Founding Chairman Nur Misuari during their meeting at the Malacañang Palace on Monday, February 25.

Malacañang photo by Robinson Niñal

leaders are elected in 2022.

Duterte said he had a received a commitment from Misuari to hold peace negotiations and craft a “new deal” with the government upon his return to the country.

He added that Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año would be tasked to help craft the agreement with the MNLF. Misuari led a siege of Zamboanga City in 2013 to protest a decision of the government of then President Benigno Aquino 3rd to hold talks with the MILF. The Misuari faction of the MNLF accused the government of abrogating its agreements with the group when it held negotiations with the MILF. n

A12 March 2-5, 2019 • La WEEKEND aSIaN JOUrNaL

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SHOWBIZ&STYLE

B

Journal Ready for comeback? John Lloyd Cruz reportedly spotted at ABS-CBN

by deni Rose M. AfinidAd-BeRnARdo Philstar.com

ACTOR John Lloyd Cruz was reportedly seen at the premises of ABS-CBN this week, a network insider told Pilipino Star Ngayon columnist Cristy Fermin.

In Cristy’s column published on Wednesday, February 27, the source reportedly said John Lloyd was seen on his way to meet network executives.

“Ibang-iba na ang hitsura niya!

Tumaba siya, saka parang hindi cleanlooking, may balbas at bigote kasi siya.

Ang layu-layo sa John Lloyd na nakikita ko dati!” Cristy quoted the source as saying.

The actor, however, seemed to be happy and in high spirits, said the network insider.

“Nagtagal din siya sa pakikipag-usap sa mga executives. Sana nga, magbalik na siya sa pagtatrabaho, ang dami-dami nang nakaka-miss sa kanya!”

John Lloyd and partner Ellen Adarna have been in showbiz hiatus for almost two years now.

Last 2017, ABS-CBN released a statement that John Lloyd would go on an “indefinite leave” due to personal matters.

Last year, the network also released a statement denying reports that the actor approached and requested from ABS-CBN to return to work. The network also denied that it turned down Cruz.

John Lloyd Cruz

Why Liza Soberano keeps personal life off social media by

Boy ABundA Philstar.com

LIZA Soberano values her privacy but she let her guard down and opened her heart in her recent Dressing Room Exclusive interview with yours truly for “Tonight With Boy Abunda”.

The ABS-CBN young actress answered questions pertaining to her career, personal life and love life with nary a sign of hesitation. She let her mind and heart speak nothing but the truth.

Here are excerpts from our interview: Who are you when no one is watching?

“I’m simple. I’m just me, I’m Hope behind the camera.”

But expectations are different.

“Yes. I guess the job requires us to kind of be vain because the public sees us all the time especially with the social media nowadays. They (netizens) kind of like to pinpoint every single flaw that we have and to be hon-

Liza Soberano

Photo from Instagram/@lizasoberano

“Maybe, that I’m not fit est it hurts sometimes because we do try our best but no matter enough.”

And that hurts you? how much we try, meron pa rin “Well, yeah because I try napapansin.”

Ano ang madalas mapansin naman, I mean with the role of sa ‘yo?

PAGE B2

ABS-CBN photo

B MARCH 2-5, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

EntErtainmEnt

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Christian Bables: Acting is who I am

by Jerry

Donato Philstar.com

CHRISTIAN Bables is one of the promising actors that populate the local tinseltown. He has made sterling performances in Jun Lana’s Die Beautiful and Chito Roño’s Signal Rock, and is seen weeknights in “Halik”.

Christian’s newfound fame is a product of personal mastery that clarifies his vision of himself as an actor.

“I feel honored and I am thankful na yun ang tingin sa akin ni direk Rahyan,” said Christian of being considered as among the notable graduates (along with Arjo Atayde, Paulo Avelino, Jake Cuenca, EJ Falcon, Joshua Garcia, Julia Barretto, Anna Luna, Jessy Mendiola and Alora Sasam) of ABS-CBN Star Magic Workshops led by head Rahyan Carlos. “I think my relationship with the workshop people, most especially with direk Rahyan, hindi na mawawala yan (it will remain forever). This is (the place) where I grew up and honed my acting talent. I will be forever grateful for that.”

Looking back, Christian, then as a work shopper has improved by leaps and bounds. He sees acting more than just a profession.

“Acting, for me, is a lifestyle of learning. It is something that you breathe, you eat, you feel,” he shared. “It’s (in) your veins. In my case, hindi ako mabubuhay nang hindi ako umaarte. It is part of who I am as a person. Parang feeling ko manghihina ako kapag hindi ko na siya (ma)gagawa in the future. For me, it is part of who you are.” Teaching acting is something Christian also wants to pursue.

Going through the nitty-gritty of acting workshops, Christian was introduced to the (Ivana) Chubbuck technique through direk Rahyan.

“Character mapping is very important to me because I have been portraying different characters from Barbs of Die Beautiful to Intoy of Signal Rock, they are very diverse… importante sa akin na may mapa yung character ko,” he said. “Yung karga (an emotional load) na sinasabi ni direk (ay) nasa akin na yun.

Huhugut(in) ko na lang (ito). For each and every time I’m given a scene (to do), kaya ko siyang i-parallel sa sarili ko as Christian Bables (I can parallel my character to that of myself). Hinuhu-

Kiefer Sanchez, Mackie Empuerto and Francis Concepcion once again wowed the audiences and judges with their impressive rendition of “And I Am Telling You”.

Photo screen grabbed from Youtube/@the World’s Best

Christian Bables

got ko na lang (ito). I’ve been equipped by the workshops.”

Speaking of workshops, the team of direk Rahyan offers adult and kids acting classes with Carla Martinez, Rubi Rubi, Lynette Concepcion, Heart de Guzman, Air Paz Pablico, Edna Mae Landicho and HB Benitez as teachers this summer. It also has dance workshops (for jazz punk, hip-hop and urban) with Nesh Janiola, Brion Lim and Geejay Romano. Philippine Madrigal Singers alumni Luningning San Jose, Julie Anne Reyes and Roland Roldan handle the voice classes. There’s a workshop, too, for Conversational Tagalog Class for Non-Tagalog Speakers with Weena Sadorra.

As an actor, Christian simply draws the character and his emotional make-up from a “folder of experiences.”

“Characterization-wise, let’s say si Intoy, ako si Intoy, si Barbs, ako si Barbs, kumbaga pinagmi-meet halfway ko lang (sina) Christian Bables at yung character,” he said. “And then, that’s the time I fit into the character.

That’s my (creative) process.”

Recalling another lesson learned from direk Rahyan, Christian said if his character’s movements are naturally nuanced, it is “because alam mo kung saan ka nang gagaling. It is coming from a real source of pain which no one can mimick.

No one can do it except you. Kasi ikaw yun as an actor, kasi ikaw yun as a person.”

Like all professions, acting has its own challenges that its follow-

Photo from Instagram/@christiaan06

ers have to hurdle and eventually embrace. “It requires so much of your courage, so much of (your) determination and hard work,” he said. At the end, actors have to discover a technique or style that works for them (from Method to Eric Morris’ No-Acting-Please, Viola Spolin to Chubbuck, which, Christian said, “is a combination of all techniques.”

“When I can feel it (my character), when I am on set and ready to face the camera (with the knowledge of) where to draw (the emotions from) for the scene,” said Christian of signs that he is in the zone of having reached sincerity and authenticity in his work, “when I can feel it at handa akong mawasak para sa eksena (and I am ready to tear up for the scene).”

After playing Barbs (the best friend of transgender beauty queen Trisha) and Intoy (a resident in a remote place), Christian wishes to do more challenging roles such as a suicide bomber and a person with schizophrenia.

On actors winning awards, Christian had this to say: “Awards are just awards. Siyempre andun yung prestige, andun yung pasasalamat sa award-giving body na nagbigay sa’yo. It is still your passion and your attitude towards work that will determine who you are as an actor.

Hindi yung awards, hindi yun ang makakapagsabi kung ano ka, kung sino ka as an actor, (but) yung work (mo). You are only as good as your last performance.”

TNT Boys proceed to next round of ‘The World’s Best’ by krissy

aguiLar Inquirer.net

YOUNG singing trio TNT Boys proceeds to the next round of the U.S. talent show “The World’s Best” thanks to their powerful performance of “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” from the musical “Dreamgirls.”

Kiefer Sanchez, Mackie Empuerto and Francis Concepcion once again wowed the audiences and judges with their impressive rendition of the song, as seen in a video uploaded by

“The World’s Best’s” Youtube channel on Thursday, February 28.

“I already love them. I couldn’t think I could love them anymore.

But my goodness, every note, pitch perfect. You boys are fabulous,” judge RuPaul said.

“I think you’re the embodiment of what this show is about.

It is an all-ages party and everyone’s invited,” judge Drew Barrymore said.

Faith Hill, on the other hand, said she feels lucky to be witnessing the trio’s performance: “You have the kind of confidence

that allows the audience to relax and enjoy your performance. I just feel like the luckiest person in the world because I can sit here and witness this.”

After all the performance, the trio received a total score of 97 points from the American judges and the international panel comprising the “Wall of the World,” sending them to the next round of the talent show.

The TNT Boys first wowed the talent show with their rendition of Beyoncé’s “Listen” where they got a score of 99 from all the judges.

Kristine Hermosa & Oyo Boy Sotto: Not a typical showbiz family by ricky Lo Philstar.com

NO household help. No factotums (alalay). No babysitters (yayas).

Can a showbiz family really live without them?

The answer is a big no! They cannot. But one couple can --Oyo Boy Sotto and Kristine Hermosa.

“I’m very hands-on,” Kristine admitted in an exclusive interview with The Star. “Many moms claim that they are hands-on, but I really opt to do everything. I know all of the things in the house. My kids are home-schooled. Kami ni Oyo, nagpapalitan kami. Most of the time, we have no helpers. I am cleanliness freak and sometimes, hindi nila makuha ‘yung gusto ko.

I am meticulous when it comes to cleanliness.”

What about as a wife?

“As much as possible, talagang praying for grace because if I do all the roles nakakaubos din. But if you have joy in your heart and in your roles in life, kaya naman with God’s grace.

Kristine gave Oyo a Perfect 10 as a dad and as a husband?

“Not because I am biased, ha,” added Kristine, “I am just being honest. He’s also very hands-on.

I am blessed to have him. Many guys today have a different perspective having a family and a wife. Thankful ako kasi iba ang perspective ni Oyo, godly and adhering to God’s rules.”

Kristine Hermosa and Oyo Boy Sotto with their children

They are both disciplinarian.

“We attended parenting seminars and we were taught that no matter how tired we were, we have to make time. There are times when you get burned out, but we were told that if you want to have a child who is disciplined, kailangan once may ginawang mali, deal with it at once. It cannot be later on or some other time.

Either give them the rod right away or talk to them. Do not give them that after days have passed.

Otherwise they will be confused what or where they did wrong.”

Kristine and Oyo were raised differently. What did they learn from their parents that they are

Photo from Instagram/@osotto

applying in raising your own children?

“My parents got married really young,” said Kristine, “so I was aware that they didn’t know how to raise a child the right way, in a biblical way. When we were small, they used belt, palo, kung ano `yung mahawakan. We grew up that way so Oyo and I don’t want to deal with the kids that way. We do use the rod, pero tumatama lang ’yun sa puwet.

That’s the proper way.

“You have to respect your children. Hindi naman dapat mawala `yung self-esteem. Tao rin sila, and you are trying to build their character. Dapat solid. I’ve PAGE B3

Why Liza Soberano keeps...

PAGE B1 Darna and everything, I’ve been trying hard to fit the character.

For those who just don’t really care for me that much, who just wanna give opinions that kind of hurt me.”

When you are hurt, what do you do?

“Sometimes, I like to think of them as positive criticisms.

I like to take it and use it as something that will drive me to work harder.”

On social media, you deleted some posts?

“Yes. Well, actually, I wanted a fresh start to my Instagram account but I realized that by removing all of my previous posts, it just takes away from who I was and the career I built so far but then like after a week or two, I brought everything back. I want people who visit my Instagram account to realize how hard I’ve worked for everything I have now.”

A lot of people also noticed that you seldom post about your personal life, why is this so?

“I guess it became easier for me to accept negative comments about my work, my profession — anything work-related because like I said I take them as positive criticisms. When I started getting a lot of negative comments on my personal posts, attacking someone I love before, it’s like something I couldn’t take and I’d rather not see it so I wouldn’t post as much anymore.”

You are friends with Julia Barretto and Janella Salvador.

“Yeah, we’re all very close friends and I would say they are closer than I am with them because they get to spend more time with each other like Julia goes to Janella’s house a lot.

I’ve been there two times pa lang because I’m always busy and my schedule has never like, hindi nagkataon na pareho kami lahat ng schedule.”

When you girls are together, do you talk about boys?

“Yeah, we do (laughs) like, okay, so Julia will tell me something about Joshua (Garcia).

It’s a struggle for her also na sobrang conservative si Joshua sa damit n’ya and then she asked me, ‘Does Quen (Enrique Gil) have that problem, too?’ ‘Is he conservative with you?’ I said, ‘Yes, he’s like that also.’ But I think it would be normal for any guy to be protective with someone he loves, to show that he loves or to show he cares about that person. Quen is conservative but I don’t think he is as conservative as Joshua because Quen gives me the freedom to wear what I want.”

Alone/Together tackles the many “what ifs.” Let’s use the premise “what if” in questions.

What if your parents didn’t separate?

“Then I wouldn’t be here in the Philippines. My dad would have stayed in America.”

What if you didn’t become an actress?

“I would be a student taking up BS Psychology. I’d probably be graduating by now.”

Have you stopped schooling?

“Yes. I continued school August of 2018. I went back but I shifted my course because in 2017, I was taking up business management and then I stopped because I realized I wasn’t passionate about it. So last August, I went back with Southville again and I took up BS Psychology so since August, I’ve been going to school two to three times a month. But last December, I only went once and last January I didn’t get to go.

Hopefully, this February (I can attend classes).”

What if you haven’t met Quen?

“I don’t know. I can’t imagine it actually.”

How long have you been officially together? “(Since) 2014.”

In the five years that you are together, was there a point in your life when you said, “Ayoko na, nakakapagod”?

“There are times that we fight but Quen and I made it a point to never say those words. You can say, ‘I’m tired’ but ’yung ayoko na, no.”

Who do you think is the more jealous type?

“Me po. Before, I thought it was him but I think mas ako ngayon.”

What message about love that Alone/Together will send to moviegoers?

“If it’s your great love, fight for it.”

Is Quen your great love?

“I think so.”

Would you ever allow an ex to come back to your life?

“If he is my great love, yes.”

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Tom writes a song for Carla

by Lhar

Santiago ManilaTimes.net

FRAUD WAIVER DENIAL TURNED AROUND TO APPROVAL WITH NO FRAUD WAIVER REQUIRED, ON THIS SUNDAY’S “CITIZEN PINOY!” Wilma entered the U.S. on a C-1 “transit” visa, on her way to work in Guantanamo, Cuba. She remained in the U.S., married a U.S. citizen, and filed for adjustment of status. A “consultant” gave her hope and said he would take care of Wilma’s papers. Unfortunately, the consultant altered Wilma’s documents and put down false information (that she entered on a visitor’s visa), to cover up that she actually entered on a C-1 transit visa. Her case ended up being denied because of fraud! Wilma then consulted with the Law Offices of Michael Gurfinkel, who took over the case, and filed an appeal with the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) in Washington, DC. Atty Gurfinkel convinced them that Wilma committed no fraud, and was eligible for a green card, despite her entry on a transit visa. Watch how Atty. Gurfinkel’s determination won the day for Wilma, when her name was cleared, and she got her green card with no fraud waiver required, on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)

Four powerhouse female entrepreneurs come together to talk about women’s empowerment, conscious business & money A stellar speaker panel and evening celebrating wellness, community and consciousness

The actor on his getaway with girlfriend Carla Abellana in Japan.

Photo from Instagram/@carlaangeline

do. “It requires physical strength and endurance. Not only that, you need to have rhythm. Kailangan kasabay ka sa pagsagwan ng mga kasama mo. Pagdating sa tinatawag na last kick, halos lumipad na ang bangka sa bilis. Nahihiya nga ako kasi ‘yung sagwan ko, tumatama sa sagwan ng iba so I had to stop.”

Hopefully, he can pick up the sport once he has time since he has already talked to the team and asked if it is possible for him to train with them.

Meanwhile, Tom also excitedly talked about the Japanese vacation he took with girlfriend Carla Abellana, which was very precious to him.

“The best part of that vacation was spending time her. We particularly liked the Bamboo forest in Kyoto. It was very peaceful there and the weather was just perfect. Ang sarap, lamig!”

Towards the end of the holiday, he heard Carla heave a sigh and turned around to see her look-

ing sad.

“I asked her what’s wrong and she said it was because the time went by so fast and sana pwede pang mag-stay and continue with the vacation. I told her we should use the beautiful memories we made there as fuel for us to work harder,” the ever poetic Tom related.

Watching his lady love in a pensive mood on that train, an inspiration came to Tom to write a song. The words and melody just started coming to him.

“I was humming it without Carla knowing it was a song I was trying to compose for her, and by the time we were on the plane, I was already trying to find the chords to the keys using my phone.”

Sharing the lyrics with Showbuzz (see sidebar), Tom said he already recorded the song in his garage studio and gave Carla a copy.

“She liked it,” he smiled lovingly.

Kristine Hermosa & Oyo Boy Sotto...

`yan kasi ganoon ako.”

PAGE B1 learned a lot from my parents They got married relatively such as disciplining the child, young. Kristine was 27 and Oyo but there are better ways to dis- was turning 27. Asked what the cipline. My dad always told me advantages and disadvantages of about integrity, word of honor, marrying young were, Kristine and not to be late. That’s why I said, “You grow up with your don’t want be2019_Layout late. Kung anong children. learn a lot. If you AJ Ads 130 to Feb 1 2/14/19 1:41 PMYou Page 1 sinabi mo, pang-hahawakan ko want a lot of kids, you can have

a lot. Malakas ka pa to play with them. Nasasabayan mo pa sila.

God knew that I wanted my own family and raise my children. I don’t want it to happen that right after giving birth, you go back to work. Talagang focus, and ABSCBN knew that I would lie low when once I got married.”

age gracefully

The Top 30 Proteins for Longevity

BY GRACE O

Marian Bacol-Uba, founder of Thriver Lifestyle

soon to be released Hungry For Happiness, and host of the popular Hungry for Happiness podcast, Samantha continues to spread her message and inspire thousands of people through her programs, worldwide international retreats, and motivational speaking engagements. Samantha has shared her mission on an international platform, with appearances on Global TV, Shaw, NBC, CBC, and BBC. She’s been featured in various publications, such as Forbes, The Huffington Post, The Elephant Journal, and The Prevail Project, and she’s also a monthly contributor on Recovery.org, one of the most wellknown addiction and recovery resources.

Natalia Benson is a Modern Mystic, Astrologer & Women’s Empowerment Coach living in Los Angeles. Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona Natalia has forged her own career path in LA fusing esoteric wisdom with practical modern tools in order to live a more empowered, peaceful and conscious life. She encourages women to honor their Natal Charts, Menstrual Cycles and cyclical natures while keeping it light, relatable & inspiring. Natalia has worked with the likes of Who What Wear, Away, Melissa Shoes, Mother Denim, Alo Yoga, Google, Conde Nast x Glamour Magazine, The Zoe Report, Bustle, Bliss Skincare, Boscia, OPI, Bacardi & many more, offering her unique brand of pragmatic mysticism that encourages self awareness and a positive outlook on life.

Marian Bacol-Uba (Moderator) is a Conscious Busi-

ness Coach, Speaker and the Founder of Thriver Lifestyle.

She helps women step into their POWER and soulfully THRIVE in life and business. Marian is also a Certified Pranayama and Meditation Teacher and the host of Thriver Lifestyle Podcast and Mondays with Marian on YouTube. Marian advocates for women’s empowerment, mental health and wellness. She merges her 15+ years of marketing, event production and business development experience with her mission to create positive social impact. Marian has been featured on CBS Los Angeles, ABS-CBN, Thrive Global, Elephant Journal, Bustle, SWAAY Media and over 30 podcasts and publications.

Thriver Lifestyle is a mindful marketing agency that produces engaging content, events/workshops, campaigns, pop-ups and brand activations for conscious influencers, brands and companies. Its mission is focused on collaboration and communitybuilding to create positive social impact.

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Commemorate the end of the prohibition like FDR did, with their signature FDR martini, or one of their many handcrafted cocktails. Enjoy a wide selection of locally brewed drafts, as well as some of California’s finest wines. For more info visit, 18 Social at Hotel Indigo and follow them on Instagram.

Protein is very important for strong muscles and bones. Lean protein helps achieve weight loss.

I love meat—it has riboflavin, vitamin B12, tyrosine, and the FoodTrient zinc—but I enjoy it in moderation, which protects against cardiovascular disease.

I also am careful about eating cured meats, which can aggravate joints and promote gout.

Whenever possible, I use grass-fed beef over corn-fed beef because cows were created to eat grass, not corn. The meat from animals that graze grass—cows, lambs, or even buffalo—contains more of the good-for-you omega-3 fatty acids and less of the bad-for-you omega-6s. And I make sure I buy meat from farms that treat their animals well by not injecting them with hormones or feeding them too many antibiotics.

Top 30 Proteins

Here are my top 30 proteins for defying aging with every bite:

• free-range chicken or turkey without the skin • lean pork • grass-fed beef trimmed of exterior fat • grass-fed buffalo • grass-fed lamb • fish (especially salmon, swordfish, tilapia, sardines) • shrimp • crab • eggs • yogurt, full fat or low-fat but not fat-free • ricotta cheese • cottage cheese • buttermilk

• mozzarella cheese • soybeans • lentils • garbanzo beans • white beans • black beans • tofu • seitan • mushrooms • moringa • spinach • spirulina (algae) • Brazil nuts • walnuts • almonds and almond milk • macadamia nuts • cashews

Fish is known as a healthy source of protein. However, I avoid some fish, such as tuna, because the mercury content in older, larger, cold-water fish like tuna can be high.

I also try to avoid eating any fish that isn’t sustainable or is in danger of being overfished. Salmon and swordfish are good choices. Sardines have not only good fats, they also have lots of calcium. I love shellfish, although it can be high in cholesterol.

Eggs provide a form of protein that our bodies can absorb faster and easier than any other. They also contain the FoodTrient choline, an important brain chemical. Egg yolks have the FoodTrient lutein, which is great for beautiful, healthy, young eyes. Just like meat, eggs are great in moderation.

Vegetable sources of protein abound.

Soybeans and tofu are good selections, but those who have had breast cancer need to stay away from phytoestrogens like soybeans. Lentils, garbanzo beans, white beans, black beans, black-eyed peas, and mung beans are all nutrient-rich protein sources. So are nuts, especially Brazil nuts—a FoodTrients favorite, with their high selenium content (see my nutrient-rich recipe for Brazil Nut Tarts)—and walnuts, with their high amount of antioxidants.

Mushrooms are a source of both protein and detoxifying agents. Another FoodTrient favorite, moringa, has incredible amounts of protein, even more than spinach. Seaweed and spirulina (a form of algae) are vegetable protein sources from the sea.

© 2015–2019 by FoodTrients.com

LOS ANGELES, CA — Thriver Lifestyle and 18 Social at Hotel Indigo in Downtown Los Angeles, are partnering on Wednesday, March 06, 2019 to bring together four of Los Angeles’ top female conscious entrepreneurs. Join us for an amazing evening under the stars and enjoy delicious bites, drinks and conscious conversations. Our four panel speakers are powerhouses in the wellness world and will discuss how they successfully thrive in life and business. Event attendees will receive a wealth of information from our female entrepreneurs who have successfully weaved together their passions, purpose and profit!

They will share personal experiences, stories, practices for “Creating Magic and Money” in their lives!

Twenty-five percent (25%) of all ticket sales will be donated to the beneficiary charity for the event: Project by Project. Project by Project (PbP) is a national 501(c)(3) volunteer organization of social entrepreneurs that serve Asian American non-profits in need by raising public awareness and volunteerism.

This is an event you do not want to miss out on. Tickets are $40 and include exclusive access to the event, light bites, desserts, local vendors, giveaway prizes and more. Purchase tickets before they sell out at https://miamiwomeninwellness.eventbrite.com About the Speakers: Heather Hoffman is a multidimensional being with many extrasensory abilities and talents. Her infatuation with alternative forms of healing has been a theme her entire incarnation, and her dedicated journey of healing others became a full-time purpose in 2013 when she traveled South America teaching yoga, meditation, and light body work. She founded the largest healthy medicinal edible supplier of California in 2014- and has used her self developed platform to continue expanding and evolving. She is also a holistic nutritionist, wellness coach, cosmic channel, writer, public speaker, blogger and YouTube personality.

Libby Crow is a global mentor for entrepreneurs helping them grow their businesses and their minds. She is the founder of LC International, a marketing strategy company for digital consultants, and Co-Founder of The Daily Shift, a personal development company for aspiring and accomplished entrepreneurs alike.

She’s dedicated to helping entrepreneurs see the journey as a bridge to raising the vibration of the planet and then later as a portal for giving back philanthropically.

Samantha Skelly is a 7-figure entrepreneur, sought after international speaker, bestselling author, and wellness coaching expert. As a leading authority on disordered eating and body image issues, Samantha has made it her life’s mission to empower women to overcome their struggles with food and body so they can live happy, authentic, and fulfilling lives. Hay House author of the

TODAY is Tom Rodriguez’s first taping day for his latest GMA Network series “Dragon Lady.”

He was so excited when Showbuzz caught up with him, raring to sink his teeth into the character of Michael Chan, a pureblooded Chinese man who falls in love with a Filipina named Celestina portrayed by Janine Gutierrez.

“Technically, I’ve taped some scenes for the show before I left for Japan before Valentine’s Day though not with the cast, but as a member of a dragon boat team.

I had immersion for a day and then taped the second day,” he shared.

Rowing with actual dragon boat athletes was an unforgettable experience for Tom who immensely enjoyed the challenge.

“I still have the souvenirs from our taping,” he chuckled as he held out his hands. “Ayan o, nagbabalat pa. Tapos may kasama ring sakit ng katawan the day after taping — as in I couldn’t stand up! Nakahilata lang ako, but I tell you — I really enjoyed it, sobra.”

According to Tom, it was training with a group that appealed to him in dragon boat since he’s now back to boxing and training oneon-one with an instructor.

“Sa dragon boat, there’s camaraderie. Iba pala ‘yung group kayo, and I really learned a lot about how each member of the team has a responsibility to win the race. The ones in front are the pacers; those in the middle form the engine so to speak that dictates the pace of the speed; the captain is on the drums and the ones at the back, yung malalaki katawan, they’re the ones responsible for what is called the last kick,” he narrated.

While it’s almost relaxing to watch the synchronized movements of paddlers in dragon boating, Tom swears it’s not easy to

GRACE O is the creator of FoodTrients®, a unique program for optimizing wellness and longevity. She is the author of two award-winning cookbooks — The Age Gracefully Cookbook and The Age Beautifully Cookbook, which recently won Gourmand’s ‘Best in the World’ Award for Innovation. She is a fusion chef with a mission to deliver delicious recipes built on a foundation of anti-aging science and her 20 years in the healthcare industry.

Visit FoodTrients.com to learn more. Email us at info@FoodTrients.com

B4 MARCH 2-5, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Health@Heart PHILIP S. CHUA, MD, FACS, FPCS A 10-year study showed more than 57,000 pedestrians were hit by vehicles in Metro Manila — including those who lost their lives simply crossing the streets.

Notwithstanding the designated crossing “zebra” lanes which are supposed to be the safe

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

Run for your life

haven for crossing pedestrians, drivers and car owners do not seem to care to slow down and stop properly. They all break the traffic laws with impunity, putting the lives of people in jeopardy.

Reason: Our lack of discipline as a people, which is also why our laws are not enforced. Discipline must start from the top executive of the city.

I put the blame squarely on the city Mayors for defaulting on their sworn obligation as heads of their

respective cities to uphold and enforce all laws to protect the public.

Their negligence has led to the current rampant life-threatening behavior of drivers in our cities.

While the drivers may be the actual law-breakers, who should be penalized, their employers, who should know better, are unapologetic consenting co-conspirators, who ought to be penalized several times more. If there is no existing “command responsibility law” applicable to this particular situation, its about time our legislators enacted one to prevent more deaths and injuries.

Why should crossing the street on the designated lanes be risky at all? Weren’t they so designed to protect the pedestrians? Why should the citizens be in constant fear and have to run for their life every time they cross the streets?

In more disciplined countries, where laws are strictly enforced and respected, like Singapore, Japan, the United States, here in Dubai, and others, vehicles start to slow down (with no Police Officer around) when they are about 50 feet from the crossing lane and then fully stop about 10 feet from the lane when drivers see a person wanting (not even starting yet) to cross, and do not try to outrun the pedestrians as they do in MetroManila. As long as there is even a single pedestrian on that safety lane, no car would be passing in front or at the back of that person. The pedestrian has the right to change his/her mind and suddenly turn around and go back without being hit by a car behind her. Only when the entire crossing lane was totally empty would any car move. Pedestrians in those countries are respected and protected and not terrorized like pedestrians here.

As late as last week, near Greenhills Shopping Center, an elderly couple, the wife walking with a cane, was in the middle (yes, halfway) of the crossing lane on Annapolis Street, when a van zoomed through in front of them, barely missing them, and another behind them. And this is not an isolated case.

On some occasions, I have seen police officers modulating the traffic to allow pedestrians to cross on the designated lanes. That is good public service. But why do we even need an officer (or the mother of the driver) to stand by the corners to exact discipline?

PAGE B5

Vintage Hollywood’s biggest Oscar shocker and epic mix up MOONLIGHTING

by MYLAH DE

LEON

IT was bigger than California, bigger than America. It was Hollywood’s finest moment. Celebrating the Academy Awards (nicknamed Oscar) is as old as a man’s knowledge of entertainment — music, laughter and despair. It is as fresh as a child’s first taste of make believe, the magic splendor of film making which has always been a part of our lives.

The stars were shining brightly, and for most revelers, it was a spectacle. Gorgeous ladies and their princely escorts walk down the red carpet, wearing jewelry that could blind an eagle’s daze. The glitz and glamor could make an entertainment and fashion editor weep.

The movie industry matters because they measure more than our society’s affluence and leisure, our temper and taste, our stature and maturity in our pursuit of taste and excellence in filmmaking.

The spotlight on the stars and the audience show slices of reality. These are universal experiences: the promise of laughter, the catch on the throat, the wonderful awe, the agony of waiting, and the ecstasy of winning. Nostalgia, half-remembered memoirs of stars now gone, back stories and acceptance speeches of yore.

The Oscars has been sought and spurned by Marlon Brando, Dustin Huffman, George Scott, Humphrey Bogart and John Wayne. Revered and reviled, it is also called an incentive for excellence and a commercial tool.

But what has the Oscar meant for the winners and nominees? What are the reactions in winning and losing an award?

The distinction between being a movie star and an esteemed player rivaled both subjectively and objectively because judgment is made by players, film critics and audiences. The Oscar legitimizes the talent of popular stars who have not enjoyed the respect of their colleagues.

Sophia Loren ((“Before I made Two Women,” her Oscarwinning film) said succinctly, “I had been a performer. After-

ward, I was an actress.” This is said to be a pretty accurate description.

The Academy Award is not an achievement that just happens. It is on players’ minds easily. In their careers, it is considered by them to be the ultimate symbol of attainment that serves as a metaphor of success.

The winning of an Oscar Many artists consider it not just the climax of their professional career, but as the greatest achievement of their lives. Their immediate reaction to usually a period of tremendous anxiety, that six weeks purgatory between the announcement of nominees and the Oscar night is highly emotional.

That is why their immediate reaction is spontaneous or less fabricated than the ordinary behavior in Hollywood. With all the preparations for the event of winning, there are always elements of unpredictability.

They are shown live to hundreds of millions of television viewers all over the world, which is exciting for the winners but terrible embarrassing for the losers. But hope, being the eternal rogue that it is; that on the night of the awards, anxiety and tension are immense and their effects are equally felt by both male and female nominees —aspects of the “Oscar phenomenon” that does not distinguish between genders or at any age at which they win. Actor Christopher Plummer at 82 is the oldest Oscar winner, chosen by an academy with 6,000 members then.

“I would like to thank…” The acceptance speech — there are two kinds — one type asserts that the awards mean nothing to them and the other, the one that breaks into tears upon receiving an award, and thank their mother, father, children, the producer, the director, and — if they can crowd them in —the American Baseball League, as Howard Koch, has observed.

In the beginning, prior to public broadcasts, the acceptance speeches tend to be modest. Janet Gaynor, the first Oscar winner said, “I am deeply honored,” but she couldn’t continue as her voice cracked and tears filled her eyes, thus setting a standard of behavior for future speeches by female winners.

Of course, the speeches have varied in length, content and originality. Some were simple as Vivian Leigh’s 1940 speech (for “Gone in the Wine) in which she thanked “Mr. Selznek, all my co-workers and most of all

Margaret Mitcher.”

Greer Garson’s was extremely long, thanking everyone including “the doctor who brought me into the world.” She realized she had a broken a “sacred rule” for “leading ladies, aren’t supposed to get further than ‘thank you, thank you, thank you’ and burst into tears. Her speech soon became a joke in Hollywood, imitated at parties. Rumors have it that in the next decade, she refused to speak in public at all.

Charlton Heston (“Ben Hur”) thanked “the first secretary in Broadway casting office who let me in to get my first job.”

Shelley Winters thanked her “agent for getting her part in ‘The Diary of Ann Frank.’”

Burt Lancaster speech evoked laughter and applause when he thanked those who worked with him in “Elmer Gantry,” those who voted for him, but also those who did not vote for him.

Rod Steiger was truly gracious when he thanked his co-star or in the “Heat of the Night,” and Sidney Poitier “whose friendship gave me the knowledge to enhance my performance and we shall overcome.”

Here are some of the speeches that stood out in their humor: Claudette Colbert at Biltmore Hotel Oscars: “I am happy enough to cry, but I can’t take the time to do so. A taxi is waiting outside with the engine running.”

Eva Marie Saint (“On the Waterfront”) was in advance pregnancy and feared “I may have the baby right here out of excitement.”

Yul Brynner (“The King and I”): “I hope this is not a mistake because I won’t give it back for nothing. “ Lee Marvin (“Cat Balou”) broke with tradition of acceptance speeches “half of this (Oscar) belongs to a horse.”

Barbra Streisand simply looked at the statuette and said “Hello, Gorgeous,” her line from “Funny Girl.”

Post Script: Different million things were felt— disbelief, shock, sadness, and confusion about a film named “Moonlight” which won Best Picture.

Warren Beatty was handed the wrong category envelope, and announced a massive Best Picture mistake sending emotions back on and off the stage. As it started to swirl, it poured into the marathon of the loudest and noisiest after Oscar parties.

That’s entertainment! *** E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl@aol. com

Derek Andrew Ramsay on making his mark in Hollywood

BY MONET

LU

I WAS aware of Filipino actor/model and sportsman Derek Ramsay who’s been a famous actor, paired to talented actresses such as Angelica Panganiban, Cristine Reyes, Bea Alonzo, and Jennylyn Mercado. He was born Derek Arthur Ramsay Jr., while his dad’s name is Derek Arnold Ramsay.

A friend of mine introduced me to another Derek Ramsay a couple of weeks ago and curiously, told me he is the brother of Derek Ramsay.

Derek Andrew Ramsay, also known as Derek Ramsay III (the third, and the youngest sibling among three sisters, and Derek I, the eldest), has been following the footsteps of his brother as an actor, not in the Philippines but continuously making a mark... in Hollywood!

Growing up in Tagaytay (an hour away from Manila), Derek Andrew Ramsay (D.A. Ramsay) was an insecure, overweight, and awkward kid. He was more of an introverted kid until at age 16, he had a nerve-wracking experience but eye-opening experience when he had the courage to sing “Lovebug” by Jonas Brothers onstage. That changed his life forever.

He loved singing songs by Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Al Green, Elvis Presley and the Beatles, which his father introduced him to while being dropped off from school. Soon, he met a good friend who exposed him to the basics of footwork, waving, krumping, breaking, and free-styling.

Derek underwent an educational system at International Baccalaureate (I.B.) where he took English Literature and

Theatre Arts. He also learned theatre genres and forms such as Kabuki from Japan, Kathakali from India, Shakespeare, Greek Theatre, and creative writing.

He pursued his acting career abroad when he got accepted from the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) and Cambridge School of the Arts (both in England). He studied Musical Theatre, Shakespeare, Stanislavski Technique, Dance Theory, Contemporary Theatre. After two years, he moved to Los Angeles and studied Acting for Film PAGE B5

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Who is ‘Sahaya’?

by ManilaTiMes.neT

SOON to hit primetime television is a novel and inspiring story of a young Badjao woman in the much awaited launch of GMA Network’s “Sahaya.�

Headlining this extraordinary and unique masterpiece is one of the country’s most popular screen tandems in Bianca Umali and Miguel Tanfelix, whose winning chemistry had captured the hearts of televiewers in such series as “Mga Basang Sisiw,â€? “NiĂąo,â€? “Once Upon A Kiss,â€? “Wish I May,â€? “Ismol Family,â€? “Daig Kayo Ng Lola Koâ€? and “Kambal, Karibal.â€?

Umali plays the titular character who embraces her own identity and heritage as a Badjao, even defying the power of love. Her positive outlook in life will inspire her family and her people Bianca Umali as she becomes the tribe’s role model. Miguel, in turn, portrays the role of Ahmad, a simple Badjao who will fall in love with Sahaya and will do everything in order to win her heart.

For this primetime spectacle, the pair of actors underwent diving lessons, and dance workshops and learned the cultures and traditions of the Badjaos.

Sought-after leading man and “StarStruck Season 6�

Ultimate Male Survivor Migo Adecer completes the love triangle as he plays the role of Jordan, a Manileùo who will become Ahmad’s rival.

The studios will soon announce the premiere date of “Sayaha�, which is directed Miguel Tanfelix

by Zig Dulay.

Migo Adecer

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 2-5, 2019

Run for your life...

PAGE B4 It is the car-owner/employer’s responsibility to discipline his/her driver to protect the public and allow the officer to do his more needed job of arresting criminals instead. This would save the city some money. Assigning an officer at each of the thousands of crossing lanes in the entire MetroManila would be cost prohibitive, besides making policing even less efficient and the city less safe.

These same drivers, who blatantly violated the laws in the city with brazen decorum, somehow became transformed into model law-abiding drivers when they entered the formerly Americanowned Clark Field Subic Airbase.

Why? Because they knew that traffic rules there were strictly enforced and violators severely penalized. But the moment they got out of the compound, they resumed their usual recklessness with impunity‌because they knew they would get away with it.

It is therefore clear that the behavior of drivers in MetroManila could be modified, IF (and only IF) our City Mayors, Chiefs of Police, MMDA, and other related agencies are themselves disciplined and patriotic enough to enforce the laws. Just one wellpublicized story (highlighted in all news and social media around the country) about a drastic penalty levied against a violator driver and heavier yet against the employee/ owner of the car (under a new law) for not stopping properly at crossing lanes would surely be noticed nationwide and serve as a good warning and deterrent to future violators. Behavioral modification through legal enforcement and application of heavy penalties on the offenders have been proven to be effective. Obviously, GMA photos the initiative must start from the

Derek Andrew Ramsay on...

PAGE B4 at the New York Film Academy, where he learned working behind the camera, screenwriting, production design, directing, editing, and filmmaking.

To his credit, he was able to co-produce the short film PANGAKO (“Promise�), together with one of his best friends, Warren Allen Carman and another friend Blasgil Tanquilut (from their company Shift Studio). The film has been accepted to Los Ange-

les International Film Festival, Asian World Film Festival, 9 Film Festival, and still in another festival circuit. D.A.’s production company has plans to produce more films. One of them is being pitched to a major studio based in Manila. D.A. also has another short film/ music video, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You� that is taking great attention in other festivals.

One of D.A.’s most prized achievements is securing a

talent agent and a manager in Hollywood, a month after he graduated from NYFA. He is currently being represented by Oliver Carnay at International Artists PR & Talent Management and Minc Talent Agency with agent Melissa Mangum (who is a half-Filipina).

D.A.’s proudest moment was when he was recently picked to play the role of “Malcolm� in the production of MACBETH at the prestigious Shakespeare Centre

of Los Angeles (SCLA), having worked with Ben Donenberg, the founder and Artistic Director of SCLA, who has been affiliated with Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt, Will Smith, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Paul McCartney, and the list goes on. The play was directed by Kenn Sabberton, who has worked with The Royal Shakespeare Company, who has worked with Kenneth Branagh, Michael Maloney, and Sir Peter Hall, to name a few. He was proud to be selected as the only Asian actor in the cast.

D.A. is currently working on

top, with the Mayor, where the bucks stop!

Part of Article 3 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights is the right to personal security. The Presidential decree of 1959 (1984), an amendment of the Land Transportation Traffic Code of 1964, obliges motorists to give way to pedestrians in pedestrians lanes or “Zebra Lanes.�

Why mayors of Metro Manila do not ensure the city laws and ordinances are enforced is beyond me. They cannot claim ignorance because ignorance of the law excuses no one. They are the head of the city and must know all ongoing problems of the city, including law infringement that could hurt, maim or kill their constituents. If the Mayor says he has already ordered the enforcement of all laws and ordinances from day one, then he is an impotent, ineffective, and useless Mayor, whose subordinates who do not respect, follow, or fear him.

If law enforcement is not executed properly, it is the Mayor’s fault (doctrine of command responsibility). He swore before God to make sure the laws and ordinances of the city are strictly enforced and lawbreakers (like drivers together with their employers) are punished accordingly.

Anything less on the mayor’s part is a dereliction of a sworn duty and is legally liable under the laws of the Philippines. And the culpability is self-evident. The thousands of dangerous ongoing breaches of the laws and ordinances are evidences in themselves which the mayors cannot refute.

I challenge the people of Metro Manila to be proactive and preemptive and not wait for another 57,000 individuals to be killed by reckless drivers (and their more guilty employers)

before confronting mayors and demanding that laws (traffic and otherwise) are strictly enforced, putting the onus not only on the driver but the employer-owner of the car, who, as earlier suggested, deserves a harsher punishment.

Every citizen, especially the youth, should organize themselves just like the vigilant electronic socio-civic watchdog, e-Guardian Angels, and take videos on their cellphones as proofs of this dangerous governmental neglect, any uncorrected infra-structure hazards, and other misdeeds or abuses by government officials.

If needed, rally a protest demonstration to garner people power.

Use the social media, including television, to call attention to these and to all ineptitudes, graft, and corruption perpetrated by these civil servants, from the Mayors down. And this netizen watchdog movement could be duplicated in all cities in the country to serve and protect our national dignity and our people’s rights..

It is our obligation to ourselves, to our family, and fellow citizens to help protect and look out for each other. The politicians won’t.

Unless, We, the People, fight for our rights, we deserve every rotten situation we get, and we can blame no one else but ourselves.

Now, shall we still wait for a member of our own family to be killed first before we act in solidarity? *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/ author, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian and anti-graft foundation in the United States.

Websites: FUN8888.com, philipSchua.com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

other projects: one to be directed by Kennedy Green, which is a post-apocalyptic themed concept where Mad Max meets The Book of Eli; another one is tentatively titled “Halo-Halo� to be directed by Ivan Bernal, which focuses on an American male who visits his Filipino girlfriend’s family for the first time and learns her traditional, yet unorthodox culture. He is also writing a web series called “You and Me Both� (under development with Matthew Godbey, President of CineFocus Productions.

As D.A. makes his strides, we can follow his along on his Instagram, @DA.Ramsay. ***

(Advertising Supplement)

Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, awardwinning celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of Monet Salon salons across Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada.

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

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B MARCH 2-5, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Features

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(818) 502-0651 â&#x20AC;˘ (213) 250-9797 â&#x20AC;˘ http://www.asianjournal.com

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL â&#x20AC;˘ MARCH 2-5, 2019

COMMUNITY Journal

Your Immigration Solution deVin M. connolly MANY people dream of becoming a U.S citizen so that they may vote in elections, help their parents immigrate to the U.S., be issued a U.S. passport, etc.

Despite the many advantages of U.S. citizenship, it should also come as no surprise that people sometimes do things that make their path to U.S. citizenship more challenging. These mistakes are a part of life. Do these mistakes prevent a person from being granted U.S. citizenship?

Thankfully, they frequently do not.

One of the most common ways a person acquires U.S. citizenship is through the process known as naturalization. There are several requirements a person must satisfy for their application to be approved. They include permanent resident status for a prescribed period of time, physical presence in the U.S., and good moral character. Many applications are denied because the applicant lacks the requisite good moral character.

The concept of requiring an applicant to possess good moral character for a prescribed period of time prior to submitting their application is one of the more complex requirements of naturalization. Many acts that one might not think of as evidencing bad moral character may nevertheless be considered in making a good moral character determination. The Immigration and Nationality Act lists several specific acts that preclude an applicant from establishing good moral character. These include lying to obtain an immigration benefit, committing certain criminal offenses, the willful failure to pay support for dependents, and engaging in an extramarital affair which tended to destroy an existing marriage. However, the list of prohibited acts is not absolute. Thus, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service may deny an application on good

Becoming a US citizen despite prior mistakes moral character grounds even though their act was not specifically prohibited. Furthermore, acts outside of the required good moral character period can also be considered in determining an applicantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good moral character. However, as the saying goes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; good moral character does not mean perfect moral character.

Proof of why those acts do not define the person can help overcome a prior misstep.

Regarding prior criminal acts, a disqualifying criminal conviction in the prescribed period of required good moral character will automatically render an individual ineligible for naturalization. However, a disqualifying criminal offense outside of the prescribed period can also cause an application for naturalization to be denied. The government is afforded broad discretion to examine otherwise non-disqualifying criminal convictions outside the prescribed period to determine if the underlying facts warrant a favorable finding of good moral character. Therefore, an analysis of good moral character extends far beyond the prescribed period. These issues may not result in an automatic denial but they must be adequately explained.

When applying for naturalization with a criminal history, it is important to determine whether the conviction could not only cause the non-citizenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s application for naturalization to be denied, but also whether it will cause the Department of Homeland Security to attempt take away their permanent resident status (Green card) and deport them to their native country. The answer to this question depends on various things, including whether the underlying crime is considered a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Crime Involving Moral Turpitudeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; or an â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Aggravated Felony,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; the date of the crime and the date on which the person was issue their green card, etc. This should be carefully analyzed before submitting an application for naturalization.

Another issue that is not un-

common is an applicant failing to register with the Selective Service. If you are a male living in the U.S. and between the age of 18 and 25, you are likely required to register with the Selective Service. Failing to register before you turn 26-years-old is often grounds for a denial of an application for naturalization. The applicant must then wait until they turn 31-years-old before they may be granted U.S. citizenship.

A final issue worth mentioning is the submission of incorrect or fraudulent tax returns. Claiming ineligible dependents, not reporting all income, or filing under the wrong category could potentially cause an application to be denied.

The process of acquiring U.S. citizenship is often far more complex than one might anticipate.

It is important to remember, though, that past mistakes are not fatal and that even potential set-backs may ultimately result in U.S. citizenship. As with all requests for immigration-related benefits, one should know the positive and negative ramifications of the request before filing the application. Therefore, when contemplating the possibility of obtaining U.S. citizenship, the application should consult an experienced and knowledgeable immigration attorney to determine if it is advisable and how best to succeed. *** REEVES IMMIGRATION LAW GROUP is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration fi rms in the United States with offi ces in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manila and China.

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

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

(Advertising Supplement)

C

Nine tax changes for your 2018 returns

Tax Tips Victor Sy, cPA, MBA

1. Standard deductions: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) increased standard deduction for married couples from $13,000 to $24,000; single taxpayers and those who are married and file separately from $6,500 to $12,000; heads of households from $9,500 to $18,000. This is great.

2. Personal exemption: Personal exemptions have been eliminated. This is bad but the doubling of standard deduction makes up for this loss.

John Lamb | Photodisc | Getty Images 3. Income tax rates: The Act mandates a reduction in the number of brackets and a drop on most tax brackets.

Aleksandar Stojanov | Getty Images

4. Child tax credit: The child tax credit has been raised from $1,000 to $2,000 per qualifying child. A $500 credit is available for dependents who do not get the $2,000 credit.

5. Mortgage interest: The new Act caps home mortgage interest from $1 million down to $750,000 for mortgage loans taken out after Dec. 15, 2017. The limit is still $1 million for mortgages that were established prior to Dec. 15, 2017.

6. State and local taxes: The itemized deduction is limited to $10,000 for both income and property taxes paid during the year.

7. Estate tax: The estate exemption doubles to $11.2 million per individual and $22.4 million per couple in 2018.

8 Contribution limits for retirement savings: The new Act increases the limit

of certain retirement plans from $18,000 to $18,500 for 401(k), 403(b) and most 457 plans, and the Thrift Savings Plan.

9. Savings in IRAs: Cost of living adjustments will help savers who contribute to individual retirement accounts to have higher income ranges following cost-of-living adjustments. *** Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE with a BBA and from Indiana State University with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV - Andersen Consulting) and Ernst & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy Corporation in Pasadena, California. *** He has 50 years of experience in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, FTB, EDD, BOE and other governmental agencies. He is publishing a book on his expertise - â&#x20AC;&#x153;HOW TO AVOID OR SURVIVE IRS AUDITS.â&#x20AC;? Our readers may inquire about the book or email tax questions at vicsy@live.com.

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Another kind of blindness

The Prophetic Voice reVerend rodel G. BAlAGtAS â&#x20AC;&#x153;Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit?â&#x20AC;? (Luke 6:39).

No one wants to be blind. No one wants to be deprived of seeing the beauty of this world, the people around us, especially our loved ones.

No one cannot imagine himself or herself not being able to read, see a movie, drive a car, and walk safely. Being blind is probably the worst thing that can happen to anyone.

There is a blindness that we ought to fear--not physical blindness, but spiritual blindness. This is the inability to see oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth before God, to recognize Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love, mercy, blessings, and powerful actions in the world and the Church.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the dreadful condition of not seeing the sufferings of people,

being numbed to feel their pain, choosing to ignore the injustice done to them, and opting instead to secure oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wealth, comfort, power, and prestige.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the terrible disease of narcissism, in which one does not see his mistakes, wrongdoings, and imperfections, and keeps blaming others but himself for his lot and problems and those of the world.

He is too good, too bright, and too morally right to accept any fault.

People walk, travel, and gather around with spiritual blindness like in this story: While a group of parishioners were on a bus trip to the grand parks and canyons of Nevada and Arizona, they passed by awe-inspiring sceneries of snow-capped mountains, magnificent lakes, flowing rivers, wild floras and faunas, and a blue sky painted with gorgeous clouds.

The problem was, the window curtains of the bus were closed, and these travelers were not seeing these fantastic sights. Instead, they were busy talking about each other, gossiping about the latest

issues in the church, and checking out who got the best seat in the bus, the most popular one in the group, the closest one to the pastor, and the richest among them.

In this story, we find that some causes of spiritual blindness are jealousy, competition, and selfrighteousness. These are feelings and attitudes that prevent someone from acknowledging goodness in other people because she only notices the â&#x20AC;&#x153;splinterâ&#x20AC;? their eyes. As the gospel this Sunday relates, this person does not even see the wooden beam in her eyes.

A person who is spiritually blind feels superior, is arrogant, and does not see the place of other people in Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kingdom. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the parish leader who wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t give up his or her position in the church so that others can lead. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the priest or the minister who gets jealous and insecure when a colleague excels in ministry and is promoted.

Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the co-worker who gossips about employees to project herself as better than others.

Fundamentally then, this person

u PAGE C2

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C MARCH 2-5, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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“Call-in” shifts that result in no work – should you still be paid?

SKYLAR Ward worked as a sales clerk in a Tilly’s store in Torrance, California. Tilly’s is a multi-million dollar clothing company that has stores in several states. During her employment with Tilly’s, Ward and other employees were scheduled for a combination of regular shifts and “on-call” or “call-in” shifts.

Employees were required to contact their stores two hours before the start of their on-call shifts to determine whether they were needed to work those shifts.

Tilly’s informed its employees to “consider an on-call shift a definite thing until they are actually told they do not need to come in.” However, employees are not told until they call in two hours before their shifts start whether they should actually come in to work. If they are told to come in, they are paid for the shifts. They are not paid anything if they are told not to come in.

Ward sued Tilly’s claiming that its on-call scheduling practices violated California law. Under California law, if an employee is required to report to work, but is not put to work, the employee is paid a half-shift reporting wage of at least two hours but not to exceed four hours. Generally, if an employee is required to show up a second time in any one workday and is furnished less than two hours of work on the second reporting, he or she must be paid for two hours at the regular rate of pay. These hours must be paid in addition to the hours the employee actually worked. This is called “reporting time” or “show up” pay.

The employees argued that

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. c. Joe SAyAS, Jr. when they contact Tilly’s two hours before on-call shifts, they are “report[ing] for work” within the meaning of the law, and thus are owed reporting time pay. Tilly’s disagreed and asked the trial court to throw out the case. Tilly’s argued that employees “report for work” only by physically appearing at the work site at the start of a scheduled shift. Thus, employees who call in and are told not to come to work are not owed reporting time pay.

The trial court agreed with the employer and dismissed the case.

The employees appealed. The appellate court tried to determine the meaning of the phrase “report for work.” Does it mean being at the location at the specified day and time, or does it include the employee reporting by telephone two hours before the scheduled shift? The court ultimately had to examine the intent of the the law, which is to encourage employers to properly schedule employees, and not waste employee’s time with haphazard scheduling.

The court noted that unpaid on-call shifts impose tremendous costs on employees. Because employees need to be available to work on-call shifts, this significantly limit employees’ ability to earn income, pursue an education, care for dependent family members,

and enjoy recreation time.

Moreover, because employees must contact Tilly’s two hours before the start of on-call shifts, their activities are limited not only during the on-call shift, but two hours before it as well.

An employee who has been scheduled for an on-call shift from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and who must call in at 8 a.m., but was then told that she is not needed for the shift, will not be paid anything for that shift. However, between 8 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. she will have been unable to schedule anything else (for example, sleep, take a class, or work a second job) as this block of time would have been reserved for the employer. This unfair situation is what the reporting time pay law seeks to correct.

The appellate court, therefore, sided with the employees by ruling that they are owed reporting time pay for being on-call, actually calling in to work, and not being put to work. *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic.

All inquiries are confidential and at nocost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www.joesayaslaw.com or our Facebook page Joe Sayas Law. [C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is an experienced trial attorney who has successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is the recipient of PABA’s Community Champion Award for 2016.]

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Another kind of blindness

PAGE C1 t

suffers from a lack of self-worth, which makes him or her resentful and unhappy. It’s why he or she is like a rotten tree that does not bear good fruits.

What can a person do then to be healed from spiritual blindness? He needs dozes of humility, empathy, and gratefulness to recognize his self-worth and the gifts of others.

She needs to disentangle herself from a culture of scarcity in which she does not feel “enough” and does not recognize the giftedness of other people. He or she needs to realize that in the garden of God, every flower is distinct and has

value and place under the sun.

It’s what St. Therese of Lisieux, The Little Flower, alludes in her autobiography, The Story of the Soul: “I understood that every flower created by Him is beautiful, that the brilliance of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not lessen the perfume of the violet or the sweet simplicity of the daisy. I understood that if all the lowly flowers wished to be roses, nature would no longer be enameled with lovely hues. And so, it is in the world of souls, Our Lord’s living garden.”

Let’s ask Jesus to heal us from spiritual blindness so we can see

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

Permanent residence based on same-sex marriage IN United States vs. Windsor, 570 U.S. 744 (2013), the Supreme Court held that Federal restrictions of the terms “marriage,” and “spouse” to marriages between a man and a woman were unconstitutional.

The Court invalidated Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which did not allow Federal Government recognition of same-sex marriages under Federal laws, or for Federal programs.

After the Court’s decision in the Windsor case, the USCIS has considered same-sex, marriage-based immigrant petitions in the same way as those involving marriage with the opposite sex. As a result, a US citizen or permanent resident can petition his/her spouse or fiancé(e) to get a green card.

As with marriages between persons of the opposite sex, a valid marriage between a same-sex couple is required. The law of the place in which the marriage took place determines whether the marriage is valid for immigration purposes. The samesex couple does not need to be residents of the state or foreign country in which the marriage took place.

A civil union or domestic partnership cannot be the basis for a same-sex, marriage-based immigrant petition; a relationship legally considered to be a marriage where it took place establishes eligibility.

If the marriage occurred in a state or foreign country in which same-sex marriages are

Legal Advice Atty. DArrick tAn recognized, then the US citizen or permanent resident spouse can file an I-130 petition and adjustment of status application (if the non-US citizen/permanent resident spouse is in the US) or immigrant visa application (if the non-US citizen/permanent resident spouse is outside the US).

As with marriages between the opposite sex, the same-sex couple will need to demonstrate that the marriage is a real marriage and not merely for immigration purposes.

But what if the marriage has yet to occur, and the non-US citizen/permanent resident person in the relationship resides in a foreign country that does not recognize same-sex marriages, and cannot travel to the US? In such a case, a US citizen can file an I-129f petition for alien fiancé(e), which would allow his/her foreign national fiancé(e) to travel to the US under a K-1 visa to get married. The couple would have to get married in a state that recognizes same-sex marriages within 90 days of the foreign national’s arrival. After marriage, an I-485 adjustment of status application (changing status from K-1 to permanent

resident) would need to be filed. Filing an I-129f fiancé(e) petition is only available to a US Citizen and not a permanent resident.

For cases involving a permanent resident petitioner, the couple would need to find a foreign nation to which they can both travel and that recognizes same-sex marriages, and get married there. Thereafter, the permanent resident petitioner can file an I-130 petition on behalf of his/her spouse, who would undergo consular processing for an immigrant visa in the country of residency when available.

Certain other requirements exist to obtain permanent residence. It is also worth noting that eligibility for other immigration benefits are now available to a same-sex spouse.

It is therefore recommended that you seek the advice of an experienced attorney. *** Darrick V. Tan, Esq. is admitted to practice law in California and Nevada. Mr. Tan is a graduate of UCLA and Southwestern University School of Law. He is a member of the Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles and is a former member of the Board of Governors of the Philipp ine American Bar Association. *** LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN, 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Tel: (323) 639-0277.

Email: info@dtanlaw.com.

(Advertising Supplement)

Senior seeks Chapter 7 relief for $20K credit cards THE client is 66. He says he is now old all of a sudden. He migrated here in 2004 so that’s 15 years ago.

When he deplaned at LAX, he was just 51 and single. He says he’s been working hard since he arrived, but hasn’t really been able to amass any wealth. He worked various jobs paying $10 to $15 per hour and never bought a car. He only rents a room for $400 a month. He uses public transportation to get around and to get to work. Mostly, he uses the bus.

So he has to do some walking from the bus stop to wherever he is going. About four years ago, he treated for some kind of cancer. Chemotherapy worked and he has been cancer free so far.

The problem of course is that for 5 years you are under observation to see for any recurrence. If there is a recurrence, you have to battle the cancer again. Another problem is that his knees are becoming a problem. They hurt when he walks. I said, “why don’t you use a cane?” He said he’s going to have some surgery done on them.

His general feeling is that he’s not as strong as before. He feels weaker than before. So he doesn’t want to keep on working anymore. He says he owes $20,000 of credit cards. He has timely paid these cards for the last 10 years at $500 a month. That is the minimum payment required which pays all interest and a miniscule of principal. After paying $60,000 for minimum payments for the last 10 years, he said, “would you believe, I still owe the

Barrister’s Corner Atty. kenneth UrSUA reyeS THERE is never the perfect time to think about who you would like to inherit from your estate in case you pass away or at least who among your closest friends (BFFs) and family members are even deserving of inheriting from your estate. In doing so, you should also think about which vehicle you plan to use in implementing your estate plan. One of the best vehicle in implementing your estate plan is a revocable living trust. Five major benefits of establishing a revocable living trust are: Your estate can avoid the time, cost, and hassle of going through the probate court process.

If you pass away without a will (intestate) in California, one of your close family would have to file a petition in probate court to probate your estate. Your estate will be divided and distributed according to the California probate code rules of intestate succession. Even if you have a will when you pass away, your family would still need to file a petition in probate court if your estate is worth over $150,000 and go through the probate process. This can become a circus if certain beneficiaries contest the validity of the Will or the distribution of the estate. Your estate will pay for attorney’s fees,

Debt Relief

Atty. LAwrence yAng very same $20,000?” I said that I knew. It doesn’t make any sense that you should pay $60,000 but still owe the same $20,000. But that’s the way those cards work with minimum payments. You’re forever on the hook.

I asked if he is now on social security? He said, not yet. I guess he’s waiting for the day he stops working to claim full social security benefits plus some. As you probably now, after 66, social security benefits will increase by about 7 percent a year until you reach 70, at which time, your social security benefits will be bigger, maybe 30 percent bigger than at age 66.

I’ve heard stories about this waiting game with social security. My friend was 68 and still waiting. Then he died unexpectedly from complications from diabetes. He was able to manage his diabetes for well over 20 years.

But who knows what happened.

One day, his blood sugar just shot up and they could not bring it down, then his heart failed.

He was never able to claim his enhanced social security. Life’s not fair. Really? People die when they don’t expect to die. You may be all young and strong with your whole future ahead of you.

You get married in the Maldives with your sweetheart. Then you

both go snorkeling; the current is too strong, your both swept further away into the ocean. You both try to swim back, but it’s too far. You both drown, and so sorry, you both die on your honeymoon. Did you plan on this happening? Nope. Or, you go to Phuket for your honeymoon. But the Tsunami kills you while your bride is safe in the hotel; totally unexpected. Life is short even if you live up to 96.

So the question is why saddle yourself with debt and be miserable everyday when life is so short? Just get rid of all your debts if you qualify for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13.

Going back to the senior client, he says he wants to retire now but his social security will only be $700 a month. Just the minimum monthly payment on the $20,000 of credit cards is already $500. He won’t have enough to pay his rent if he doesn’t get rid of the credit cards now. If he gets rid of the $20,000 cards now and moves to a senior housing room, he might be able to rent a room for $250. With $700 of social security, he will still have about $500 left for food and public transportation.

Business owner seeks Chapter 7 for $120K credit card & business credit lines The second client is only 60.

His wife left him some time ago so he is now living by himself. His rent is about $800. His son works but lives by himself and doesn’t help him. Right now, he has zero income. Don’t forget, to get early social security, you have to be 62,

u PAGE C3

Five benefits of establishing a revocable living trust probate referee fees, appraisers and other experts, CPA fees, etc.

If people contest the case, your estate would end up paying legal fees to defend the estate in litigation. The entire process can take anywhere from 9 months to years depending on the contentiousness of the probate case.

With a revocable living trust, your trustee or successor trustee if you were the initial trustee, would administer the trust and distribute the estate according to the trust document without having to open a probate court case.

If the trust is funded with all your assets, it is possible to administer and distribute the trust assets without any Court involvement at all. This process is a lot faster than going through probate.

Your estate is not public record When you file a probate case, the public has access to your probate case file. The public will know the assets of the estate including the values of those assets. If the Will is admitted into probate, the terms of the Will is open to public scrutiny.

Establishing a revocable living trust makes your estate affairs private. Strangers do not have access to the terms of your living trust. Only certain beneficiaries and possible heirs can request a copy of the revocable living trust after you pass away.

You can dictate who will inherit from your estate.

If you pass away without a Will, your estate will be divided and distributed in Probate Court following the rules of intestate succession in the California probate code. Certain relatives will be entitled to a share of your estate even if you feel they are not deserving. By establishing a revocable living trust, you can designate who you want to inherit from your estate. You can designate what and how much each one will received from your estate after you pass away. The assets distributed to each beneficiaries does not have to be equal.

The people you designate as beneficiaries of your living trust does not even have to be close family members. You can designate anyone as a beneficiary, with certain exceptions, of your estate.

You can structure your estate to minimize estate taxes If your estate is valued above the estate tax exemption, establishing a trust can allow you to divide up your estate into smaller sub trusts to minimize the overall estate tax effect on your estate. It allows you to set up a vehicle for certain charitable giving which carries tax advantage and asset protection.

You can choose who will administer your estate after your death When you establish a revocable trust, you can appoint

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 2-5, 2019

C3

People & Events

LA looks to phase out Cerritos Library presents Shakespeare’s ‘The Comedy of Errors’ single-use plastic straws by 2021

Evan Held as Dromio of Ephesus and Tiago Santso as Antipholus of Ephesus

THE Cerritos Library welcomes the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, which will present William Shakespeare’s rollicking “The Comedy of Errors” at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 22 in the Skyline Room. The family-friendly event, which is free, includes audience participation and a question-and-answer session with the

cast at the end of the show.

Since its debut in 1594, “The Comedy of Errors” has delighted audiences worldwide with its farcical tale of the mistaken identities, chaos and confusion that reign when two sets of twins, who were separated at birth, unwittingly end up in the same town.

The San Francisco Shakespeare

IN a move that further protects our local waterways and the Santa Monica Bay from the detrimental effects of plastic pollution in the environment, Los Angeles Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell on Friday, March 1 led his Council colleagues to approve a “Plastic Straws on Request” ordinance, with the ultimate goal of phasing out single-use plastic straws altogether by 2021.

Clean environment advocates were on hand during the meeting to support the ordinance.

The bold move by the legislative body makes Los Angeles the largest municipality to establish a ‘Plastic Straws on Request’ ordinance.

“We are a coastal community with a responsibility to do better for our environment and set an example for other municipalities who might be considering this progressive environmental policy,” said O’Farrell. “This can serve to motivate the industry to act faster than the law requires and invest in environmentally sustainable products. Many small businesses in my district have already taken the initiative to make a difference in our enviPhoto by John Western ronment, and I know this policy Festival’s “Shakespeare on Tour” will have a considerable positive program travels the state annu- impact on all of us,” “I am tired of seeing plasally to present one of the bard’s classics to community centers and schools throughout the state.

The program is in its 31st year.

The Cerritos Library is located at 18025 Bloomfield Avenue. For more information, call (562) 9161342. ■ NOW through April 15, AARP Foundation is providing free tax assistance and preparation through its Tax-Aide program.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is the nation’s largest free tax assistance and preparation service. Since its inception, the program has served more than 68 million taxpayers.

Tax-Aide started in 1968 with 195 cities and eight counties.

Semifinalists receive a rare just four volunteers working at opportunity to attend a special one site. Today, nearly 35,000 master class in their genre with volunteers serve low- to moderhighly regarded artists, who ate-income taxpayers at almost share their expertise on per- 5,000 locations in neighborhood formance technique, training libraries, malls, banks, community and professional life. Experts centers and senior centers nationprovide students with highly wide. There’s no fee, and AARP valuable feedback on their per- membership is not required.

“AARP Foundation Tax-Aide formances, offering them a rich learning experience. Each semifinalist will audition again before a new panel of judges, who will then select the top two finalist performers in each category for a total of 14 Grand Prize Finalists.

Judges will also name an Honorable Mention in each category.

The Grand Prize Finalists will perform at The Music Center’s Walt Disney Concert Hall in the Spotlight Grand Finale Performance on June 4, 2019.

The Music Center’s Spotlight program awards more than $100,000 in cash scholarships annually. Both Grand Prize Finalists in each category receive $5,000 scholarships, with one Honorable Mention in each category receiving $1,000. Semifinalists each receive $300.

The Music Center also celebrates five students in each category with the Merit Award, which acknowledges students

sic Center, The Music Center’s Spotlight program exemplifies how the arts transform lives.

“Spotlight guides students on a journey where they can explore their aptitudes and interests and a possible career in the performing arts” Moore said. “Every year, we look forward to discovering the vast talent of L.A.’s youth and, through the Spotlight program, help these young people hone their craft, enhance their skills and pursue their dreams. With Spotlight, we aim to empower the future of Los Angeles County, by offering the youth in our communities the tools for success whether they are in college, on stage or starting a career.

“Spotlight engages aspiring young artists and provides the tools and training that allow them to pursue a meaningful future,” said Jeri Gaile, director of The Music Center’s Spotlight program. “The program provides access to personalized training that, together with mentorship opportunities, builds selfconfidence and prepares students for success no matter the path they chose to follow.”

Approximately 1,600 participants auditioned for Spotlight this year, with students representing more than 253 schools,

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Five benefits of establishing a revocable...

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someone else as trustee or you can appoint a successor trustee if you are the initial trustee. The trustee will be administering (managing) the trust after you pass away without a need to open a probate court case. This allows for continuity in operating the trust and the efficient and cost effective distribution of estate assets. If you are concerned about whether you can trust any family members as your trustee, you can appoint an institution as a professional trustee to carry out the terms of the declaration of trust. These type of trustee services are often offered by banks, financial institutions, wealth management firms, and

business management firms for a reasonable fee. This minimizes conflicts within the family and prevents negligence and wrong doing by inexperienced family members. *** 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)

Senior seeks Chapter 7 relief for $20K...

PAGE C2 t and you only get 70 percent of full benefits. I don’t know where his income is coming from. This is what I call no visible means of support, but there’s some income coming in from somewhere.

He says that he started a business that requires him have an office here in LA and another office abroad. It’s a service related business. So he has two office rents to pay monthly. Total monthly office rent here and abroad is $5,000.

He financed this business with loans consisting of credit cards, bank business credit lines totaling $120,000, and some personal loans. He got these loans 10 months ago. This is month

eleven and the business doesn’t have enough cash flow for him to pay the $5,000 office rent.

He has been paying the loans of $120,000 with minimum monthly payments for the last eight months. He stopped paying on month nine. So, the business is now dead in the water. “Kaput.”

His creditors are calling and asking for payment, which he can’t do. I examined his financial situation and told him that he can do a Chapter 7 to start again fresh by wiping out the $120,000 and the personal loans. The matter at issue here of course, is was there any intent to defraud creditors since all these loans are “very new,” all of them less than a year

if needed.

A recent report indicates that Americans throw away 500 million plastic straws each day.

Worldwide, plastic straws are among the top 10 marine debris items according to an environmental advocacy group.

The 5 Gyres Institute, Surfrider LA, and Heal the Bay attended the Council meeting on Friday to support O’Farrell’s initatiative.

“The vast majority of trash we find at our beach cleanup is single-use plastic,” said Shelley Luce, president and CEO of Santa Monica-based nonprofit Heal the Bay. “So this is a great step forward for Los Angeles. The ordinance will result in less waste in landfills, less blight in our neighborhoods and less trash in our rivers and the ocean.”

The ‘Plastic Straws on Request’ ordinance will take effect on Earth Day 2019 (April 22) for businesses with 26 employees or more, and all restaurants by Oct. 1, 2019.

In addition, the Councilmember intends on a complete phase out of plastic straws by 2021, and is working with the Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation and the Department on Disability to address concerns and impacts.

The ordinance will now go to the Mayor’s desk for his signature. ■

AARP Foundation tax-aide available now through April 15

The Music Center names 110 Southern California high school students as semifinalists for annual program LOS ANGELES — The Music Center named 110 of Southern California’s most talented high school students as semifinalists inThe Music Center’s 31st annual Spotlight (Spotlight) program, a free nationally-acclaimed scholarship and arts training program for teens.

Spotlight has transformed the lives of more than 47,000 students across Southern California since its launch in 1988. An important part of The Music Center’s fundamental support for arts education, Spotlight is more than a competition.

The program provides Southern California high school students the opportunity to acquire the skills they need to pursue their dreams in the performing arts. Students work on the development of their performance abilities in numerous genres, learn about careers in arts management and receive valuable college preparedness and workforce readiness skills.

The Music Center named semifinalists in each of seven categories, including acting, ballet, non-classical dance, classical voice, non-classical voice, classical instrumental and jazz instrumental.

According to Rachel Moore, president and CEO of The Mu-

tic waste along our freeways and off-ramps, and this action today by the City Council will go a long way in the effort to make our environment cleaner for our children,” said Councilwoman Nury Martinez, Chair of the City’s Energy, Climate Change, & Environmental Justice Committee. “By requiring customers to ask first, we are challenging them to think twice.

And by thinking twice, maybe they will realize they can do without a straw.”

“Los Angeles will be a better city once we complete our shift away from harmful plastics, and this ordinance is another significant step toward changing the way people think about singleuse plastics,” said Councilmember Paul Krekorian. “I thank Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell for his leadership on bringing forward a positive solution that works for our communities, businesses, and the environment.”

Both the State and County recently adopted a single-use plastic straw policy, however the Los Angeles City Council action takes things even further by requiring restaurants and fast food chains to withhold plastic beverage straws unless a customer requests them. In drive-thrus, the customer will be informed that they need to ask for a straw

old. He needs an experienced bankruptcy lawyer to assure success of his Chapter 7. I would expect some opposition perhaps from several of his creditors.

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provides free tax assistance to those who need it most,” said Daphne Kwok, AARP Vice President of Multicultural Leadership, Asian American and Pacific Islander Audience Strategy. “With the support of bilingual volunteers, some Tax-Aide locations offer assistance in additional languages to help taxpayers who don’t speak English or speak English as a second language prepare their returns.”

Tax-Aide volunteers are trained and IRS-certified each year to ensure they know about and understand the latest changes to the U.S. Tax Code. In 2018, the program’s volunteers helped 2.5 million people navigate

complicated tax codes, ensure proper credits and deductions, and file their federal and state tax returns. Taxpayers who used Tax-Aide received $1.3 billion in income tax refunds and more than $212 million in Earned Income Tax Credits (EITCs). They also avoided tax preparation fees and pitches for high-interest tax credit or refund loans.

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AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is offered in conjunction with the IRS. ■

C4 MARCH 2-5, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Calendar of Events across

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SoCalGas seeks to offer renewable natural gas to customers

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.

Kalayaan Incorporated’s annual Philippine Independence Day gala in LA Kalayaan Incorporated invites the community to its celebration of the 121st Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence on Saturday, June 1, 2019, at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott Hotel (5855 W. Century Blvd. Los Angeles, CA). Kalayaan is extremely proud to have Honorable Risa Hontiveros, an incumbent senator who assumed office on June 30, 2016, as the grand gala’s guest of honor and speaker. For tickets to the Gala Night, please contact Annie Cuevas-Lim, Kalayaan President at (213) 447-7078. For more information, contact KI PROs Violet Mislang at vmislang@gmail.com or Lady Hope Robillos at lhopepr@yahoo.com.

J U LY 2 0

The Ibaan Association USA-Canada gala dinner in LA The Ibaan Association USA-Canada will hold its 32nd Annual Gala Dinner & Dance July 20, 2019 from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. at the Hilton Los Angeles / Universal City - Ballroom A at 555 Universal Hollywood Drive, Universal City, California 91608. For reservations call Monica Benitez at (323) 697-3731 / email: monica_benitez03@yahoo.com or Irene May Villafranca at (323) 4232299 / email: imay02@yahoo.com.

Tickets are $85 for Adults and $40 for Children (3 to 10 years old). Please make checks payable to: Ibaan Association USA-Canada and mail to: Merly Pagunsan at 5025 Heintz St. Baldwin Park, CA 91706.

For sponsorship information on our 2019 Souvenir Program please contact President Noli Reyes at homesbynoli@gmail.com or call (818) 458-7888. Please RSVP by April 12, 2019.

J U LY 24 -28

40th annual Philippine Nurses Association of America National The Philippine Nurses Association of America (PNAA) will have its 40th annual national convention from July 24 to 28 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in Atlanta, GA, hosted by the PNA-GA chapter. More information and details TBA. To learn about the PNA-GA, please visit: https://pnaga.wildapricot.org/.

AU G U ST 1 - 9

University of the Philippines Nursing Alumni Association International Convention & Alaskan Cruise The University of the Philippines Nursing Alumni Association International, Inc. (UPNAAI) will have its 40th convention on a cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas. The theme will be “In the New Millennium - UPNAAI at 40: Evolving and Emerging Nursing Roles.”

On Aug. 1. it will be UPNAAI Volunteers Service Day in Seattle, then 2-9 will be a cruise from Seattle, Juneau, Skagway, Endicott Arm & Dawes, Victoria, and back to Seattle. Convention Fee $100 for Alumni in addition to cruise pricing. No convention charge for friends and family members. Contact Hours will be provided for the educational conference. For more information/to register and view cruise rates, please visit https://www.upnaai.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

Photo courtesy of Southern California Gas Company

LOS ANGELES — Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) on Thursday, February 28, 2019 announced it has filed a request with the California Public Utilities Commission seeking to offer renewable natural gas to its 21 million customers in Central and Southern California. Renewable natural gas is a fuel produced from waste and agriculture that can be used to heat homes and businesses, for cooking, and to fuel trucks and buses.

The fuel assists in helping California reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions because it is carbon-neutral or carbon- negative, meaning that it can take more GHG emissions out of the air than it emits as an energy source. Under the proposed program, millions of Californians would have the option to purchase a portion of their natural gas from renewable sources, just as many today can opt to purchase renewable electricity. The program is expected to create increased demand for renewable natural gas, which should help increase supply and lower its cost over time, similar to what has happened with renewable electricity created from wind and solar power.

“Renewable natural gas is an important component in California’s efforts to reduce GHG emissions” said Sharon Tomkins, SoCalGas vice president of customer solutions and strategy.

“Using renewable natural gas in homes and commercial buildings will cut greenhouse gas emissions just as much as mandating all-electric appliances, but 2 to 3 times more cost-effectively.

This solution not only preserves consumer choice, it can achieve climate goals at a lower cost.”

As California seeks to reduce GHG emissions from homes and commercial buildings, renewable natural gas has emerged as a viable and cost-effective solution.

A study last year showed that replacing less than 20 percent of SoCalGas’ traditional natural gas supply with renewable natural gas by 2030 can achieve the same greenhouse gas reductions as converting all homes and commercial buildings to electric-only energy. That same study also found that using a mix of both inand out-of-state renewable gas resources is up to 2 to 3 times more cost effective in reducing greenhouse gases than an electrification scenario.

A 2016 study by the University of California Davis calculated that California has the potential to produce approximately 90.6 billion cubic feet (bcf) per year of renewable natural gas from dairy, landfill, municipal solid waste, and wastewater treatment plant sources alone. This would be enough to meet the annual natural gas needs of around 2.3 million California homes. In addition, out-of-state sources of renewable natural gas are significant and growing. According to the U.S. Department of Energy the U.S. currently produces 1 trillion cubic feet of renewable natural gas every year, and that number is expected to increase to 10 trillion by 2030. Using even a portion of this renewable fuel would meet the needs of millions more Californians.

Renewable natural gas program details If approved, the renewable natural gas program will be available to nearly all SoCalGas core residential and small commercial and industrial customers. Residential customers will be able to have some of their natural gas delivered from renewable sources, choosing from several set dollar amounts to be provided from renewable natural gas supplies. Commercial customers will

be able to have all of their natural gas come from renewable sources or select from a series of set dollar amounts or a percentage of their total gas use.

Each month, participating customers would see a line item on their bill that includes the amount of renewable gas they received, along with a very small program fee. To allow the utilities to enter into the longer-term contracts necessary to purchase renewable natural gas, residential customers will have to commit to one year. After one year, they would have the option to change their dollar amount or could participate on a month-tomonth basis.

As customers opt to purchase renewable natural gas, SoCalGas will buy the renewable gas from producers and reduce the amount of fossil gas that is brought into their pipeline systems. As renewable natural gas enters the SoCalGas pipeline system, its molecules blend together with traditional natural gas and cannot be separated or filtered by source, just like solar and wind electrons on the electric grid. Every additional therm of this renewable fuel that is purchased means one less therm of traditional natural gas is used.

Renewable fuel will be displacing fossil gas and helping build the market for more renewable natural gas.

SoCalGas hopes to offer the program beginning in 2020 if regulators at the California Public Utilities Commission approve the proposal. Customers who support being able to purchase a portion of their gas from renewable sources and increase their use of green energy should express their support by contacting the Public Utilities Commission Public Advisor at 1 (877) 8498390 or public.advisor@cpuc. ca.gov.

California has the potential to produce more than 90 billion cubic feet of renewable natural gas per year from waste sources, enough to meet the natural gas needs of around 2.3 million California homes.

SoCalGas has been bringing renewable natural gas into its pipeline system from out of state since about 2013, in large part because using the renewable fuel in vehicles is supported by the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard, a program designed to reduce greenhouse gas and air pollution from the transportation sector. In 2018, renewable natural gas produced in California began flowing into SoCalGas pipelines for the first time, from an anaerobic digester built and operated by waste hauling company CR&R. CR&R’s facility produces renewable natural gas using organic waste collected in Southern California cities’ green waste bins.

In February 2019, SoCalGas announced that renewable natural gas was flowing into its system from a dairy digester pipeline cluster run by biofuel producer Calgren. The Calgren facility will eventually collect biogas from anaerobic digesters at 12 Tulare County dairies.

Those digesters will capture and process manure from more than 75,000 cows, preventing about 130,000 tons of greenhouse gas from entering the atmosphere each year, the equivalent of taking more than 25,000 passenger cars off the road for a year.

Today, there are already 24 California dairy methane capture projects either operating or in development, and experts estimate there could be as many as 120 projects funded and operating in next five years. In addition, as the state seeks to divert organic waste from landfills and

capture emissions from wastewater treatment plants, more and more renewable natural gas will become available.

Consumer polls support the increased production and use of renewable natural gas. Research shows nine out of 10 California families use natural gas in their homes. A recent California Building Industry Association survey of California voters found that only 10 percent of voters would consider purchasing an all-electric home and 80 percent oppose laws that would take away their natural gas appliances.

Renewable natural gas is complementary to other renewable energy sources like solar and wind, since it is available day and night to make the entire energy system cleaner and more reliable. This renewable fuel has already begun to clean the air and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in California’s transportation sector, which accounts for more than 80 percent of smog forming emissions and about 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the state.

Many organizations and businesses have voiced support for the renewable natural gas proposal, including environmental groups, businesses, and universities.

“The University of California supports the SoCalGas proposal to offer customers renewable natural gas,” said David Phillips, associate vice president of energy and sustainability of the University of California’s Office of the President. “UC is committed to carbon neutrality and has been working to develop our own renewable gas supply projects.

New programs like this proposal are necessary to create a robust and cost-effective commercial market for renewable natural gas in California.”

“Renewable natural gas (RNG) is an important alternate fuel with significant greenhouse gas and air quality benefits,” said Arun Raju, director of the Center for Renewable Natural Gas at the University of California Riverside.

“RNG, like most other renewable fuels, is more expensive than fossil fuels due to a number of factors. With proper policy support, the costs will very likely decrease over time as more projects are developed and technology keeps maturing. SoCalGas’ proposed initiative is an excellent way to support RNG, and similar approaches have worked for other renewable resources and in other jurisdictions. This approach also gives individuals and organizations a unique opportunity to support a clean, renewable fuel and combat climate change.”

“This is smart policy and is wholly aligned with California’s goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2045,” said Jonathan Parfrey, executive director of Climate Resolve, a Los Angelesbased environmental non-profit.

“SoCalGas’ program is a practical way for households, businesses, even entire cities, to achieve carbon neutral goals.”

“Renewable natural gas is the lowest-carbon fuel available -- in fact the California Air Resources Board verified it is net-carbon negative over its lifecycle, when food waste or manure are the feedstocks,” said Matt Tomich, president of the non-profit Energy Vision. “RNG is ‘pipeline grade’ so it can reach its markets through the same pipelines used to transport fossil gas. It’s one of the most powerful decarbonization tools there is, and California’s and SoCalGas’s leadership in scaling it up has important national impact.”

For more information on renewable natural gas, go to: socalgas.com/smart-energy. ■

The Music Center names 110 Southern...

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who inspire the judges by their commitment and dedication to their art form. Spotlight Merit Award recipients each receive $100.

Numerous Spotlight participants have gone on to successful professional careers. Twenty finalists are Presidential Scholars, and many more have joined or performed with professional companies including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, Metropolitan Opera, LA Opera, Boston Symphony Orchestra and

the New York Philharmonic, among others. They include Misty Copeland, who made history in the dance world as the first African American principal dancer for American Ballet Theatre; Adam Lambert and Josh Groban, pop recording artists; Kris Bowers, Emmy Award-winning composer whose work includes “Green Book” and “Dear White People”; Lindsay Mendez, Tony Award winner for her role in the Broadway revival of “Carousel”; Erin Mackey, star of Broadway’s “Wicked,” “Sondheim on Sondheim,” “Anything

Goes,” “Chaplin” and “Amazing Grace”; Yao Guang Zhai, associate principal clarinet of the Toronto Symphony; Gerald Clayton, Grammy Award winning jazz recording artist; and many others.

Fredric M. Roberts is founding chairman of The Music Center’s Spotlight program. The late Walter Grauman was the creator.

For more information about The Music Center’s Spotlight program, visit musiccenter.org/ spotlight or join the conversation on facebook.com/spotlightawards. ■

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There could still be Foreign investment pledges hope after a denial surge in fourth quarter of 2018

Immigration Corner ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ MANY people believe that once their case is denied, that is the end of the line. No more hope or chances. There is nothing more they can do, and the case is now dead. However, depending on the reasons for a denial, it could still be possible to salvage the case and get it approved.

The first thing that should be done is a thorough and detailed analysis as to WHY the case was denied. What were the legal and factual bases relied on by the government to support that denial?

Were the proper legal standards and burdens of proof utilized

by USCIS or the U.S. Embassy in supporting the denial? Were there any misunderstandings or miscommunications that created confusion and resulted in a denial? (For example, the person was nervous, didn’t understand a question and gave a wrong answer, etc.). Did the person fail to fill out the forms correctly or include the required documents or information?

The next thing to evaluate is WHAT can be done to overcome the denial. Is a waiver available to overcome the denial? Could additional documents or other evi-

dence prove eligibility and overcome the denial? Is it possible to seek reconsideration or reopening of the case? Can or should the case be refiled? Can the case be appealed, and what would be the grounds for appeal?

There are several reasons a case could be denied, including the following, where it could be possible to get the case approved: Child aged out and therefore not included under a petition.

However, it could be possible the child could still be eligible under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA).

Marital petition denied because USCIS thought the marriage was fixed. If a couple truly married for love, the petition should be approved. However, in some cases the couple does not fully document or prove the bona fides of the marriage (they may not have enough joint documents, they live apart because of work, etc.). If they receive a notice of intent to revoke or the case is already denied, it could be possible to better document the case, refile with a far better packaging of the bona fides of the marriage, etc. The denied family petition could also be appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA).

Petitioner died. Ordinarily, if the petitioner dies, the petition

dies with him. However, in certain circumstances, the beneficiary may be eligible to apply for humanitarian revalidation or reinstatement of his petition. Or if the beneficiary was in the U.S. when the petitioner died and has continued to live here after the death of the petitioner, it could be possible to process the case without even needing to seek humanitarian revalidation.

Case is denied because of fraud.

If a person commits fraud in connection with seeking or obtaining an immigration benefit (such as assumed name entry, fake or altered documents, etc.) their case could be denied. However, if they have a spouse or parent who is a U.S. citizen or immigrant, and can demonstrate “extreme hardship” on that relative, it could be possible to have a fraud waiver granted and the case approved.

Fraud waiver was denied.

Sometimes, a person files a fraud waiver, but it is denied because the officer was not satisfied with the documents or evidence submitted and was not convinced the qualifying relative will suffer extreme hardship. Sometimes it’s possible to seek reconsideration and submit new, additional, and stronger evidence. The person could also consider filing a new fraud waiver PAGE D2

Business Quote of the Week “Business is a game. The minute you think of it any differently it ceases to be fun and immediately begins to control your life and ultimately drives you crazy with wild obsessions and eventually ruins your family life. Keep things in perspective. First family, second friends, and third your business. Practice this and you’ll be much happier for it. And your business will be much happier as well.”

— Josh Hinds, speaker and author

The Duterte government has adopted an expansionary fiscal policy to fund its priority programs, including the Build Build Build infrastructure program, as well as social protection programs.

Philstar.com file photo

by CZERIZA

VALENCIA

Philstar.com

FOREIGN investment pledges approved by the country’s seven investment promotion agencies rose by 322 percent year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2018, with half of the total intended for Northern Mindanao, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported Thursday, February 28.

Investment pledges in the fourth quarter of 2018 reached

P91.2 billion, an increase of almost fourfold compared to P21.6 billion in the same quarter the previous year.

For the entire 2018, meanwhile, total approved foreign investment pledges reached P179 billion, an increase of 69.3 percent from P105.7 billion in 2017.

These cover investment commitments cleared by the Board of Investments (BOI), Clark Development Corp. (CDC), Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA)

and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) as well as the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB), BOI-Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BOI-ARMM) and Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA).

In the last quarter of 2018, the top three prospective investing countries were China, Singapore and Japan.

Chinese firms committed to invest a total of P48 billion or 52.6 PAGE D2

World Bank: Women in PH have equal access to jobs, career advancement women only have three-fourths of the legal rights that men had been accorded, such that women find WOMEN in the Philippines en- it more difficult to land jobs, bejoy the same access that men in gin their own businesses, as well the country have in terms of jobs as make economic decisions for and career advancement opportu- themselves and their families.

“If women have equal oppornities they wanted to pursue, actunities to reach their full potencording to the World Bank.

In its report titled “Women, tial, the world would not only be Business and the Law 2019,” the fairer, it would be more prosperWashington-based multilateral ous as well. Change is happening, lender noted that across the globe, but not fast enough, and 2.7 bilby BEN

O. DE VERA Inquirer.net

lion women are still legally barred from having the same choice of jobs as men. It is paramount that we remove the barriers that hold women back, and with this report we aim to demonstrate that reforms are possible, and to accelerate change,” World Bank Group interim president Kristalina Georgieva said in a statement.

“Achieving gender equality is not a short-term process, rePAGE D2

D MARCH 2-5, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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PH expected to miss 2019, 2020 GDP goals

DOF: Amnesty on delinquencies, estate tax to generate P27.54B in 2019 by ben

o. de vera Inquirer.net

THE Department of Finance (DOF) expects to collect P27.54 billion from the amnesty on delinquencies and estate tax scheduled in the second half of the year.

At the general membership meeting of the Tax Management Association of the Philippines (TMAP) on Thursday, February 28, Finance Undersecretary Mark Dennis Y. C. Joven said DOF had estimated additional revenues from estate tax amnesty to reach P6.28 billion, while amnesty on delinquencies would generate a bigger P21.26 billion.

Had President Rodrigo Duterte not vetoed the general tax amnesty provision of Republic Act (RA) No. 11213 or the Tax AmWorkers work on iron bar posts at the MRT-7 construction site along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City.

Manilatimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez nesty Act of 2019, another P6.82 war as the limiting factor for this etary Board raised key interest

by Mayvelin U. Caraballo year and pointed to a weak exter- rates five consecutive times last Manilatimes.net nal environment as the likely rea- year, for a total of 175 bps, after inflation breached the 2.0-4.0PHILIPPINES e c o n o m i c son for a below-target 2020.

PAGE D1 t S&P’s forecasts are still an percent target starting March. growth will fall below target this Inflation peaked at a nine-year with a better presentation. Finalyear and the next, one of the big improvement from last year’s three debt watchers and an econ- growth of 6.2 percent, which high of 6.7 percent in Septem- ly, they could appeal the denial to omist from a multinational invest- also fell below the government’s ber and then eased beginning the Administrative Appeals Office ment bank said on Wednesday, downwardly revised goal of 6.6- November, prompting monetary (AAO) in Washington DC. Person was ordered deported/ 6.9 percent. UBS, on the other authorities to pause from further February 27.

Citing high interest rates and hand, expects a slowdown to tightening in December and Feb- removed. Even if a person was ordered deported or removed, weak external demand, S&P 6.1 percent for this year and the ruary.

Outbound shipments of elec- there could still be hope. For exGlobal Ratings forecast gross next.

In the report, S&P said its tronic products — the Philip- ample, were there any procedural domestic product (GDP) growth of 6.4 percent for 2019 and 6.6 “relatively slow forecasts relative pines’ top export — plunged by defects or irregularities in conpercent for 2020, below the gov- to pre-2018 actuals reflect chal- 15.2 percent in December but nection with their hearing? Are ernment’s 7.0-8.0 target for both lenges from the lagged dampen- still managed a full-year rise of there any forms of relief available ing effect on the economy” of last 2.8 percent. Overall, merchan- that were not asserted or not in years.

UBS Executive Director and se- year’s policy rate hikes “as well dise exports fell by 1.8 percent existence at the time (such as just married a U.S. citizen for love, nior economist for Asean Edward as the weak regional electronics in 2018.

S&P also warned that uncer- U.S. citizen child just turned 21, Teather, meanwhile, told report- sector that will continue to weigh tainties over U.S. interest rates etc.)? Perhaps the trial attorney ers that growth was unlikely to [on] external demand.”

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipi- and trade tensions between de- will agree to reopen the case to alhit 7 percent in 2019 and 2020.

He tagged the U.S.-China trade nas’ (BSP) policy-making MonPAGE D3 low the person to apply for relief.

The case can also be appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals

billion would have been collected from delinquent taxpayers.

But Joven noted that as the President had indicated in his veto message, general tax amnesty must be coupled with safeguards, specifically the lifting of bank secrecy for tax purposes as well as automatic exchange of information in order to strengthen enforcement against tax evasion.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) was already preparing the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for RA 11213 through two separate revenue regulations (RRs), one each for amnesty on delinquencies and estate tax amnesty, Joven said.

BIR was also coming up with applicable forms to be used by taxpayers who will avail of these amnesty programs, he added.

Given the line vetoes made by the president, implementation

of these two amnesty programs cannot be made at the same time, according to Joven.

The amnesty on delinquencies, which had not been included in previous tax amnesties, will allow payments of a smaller amount of interest and surcharges for final assessments that taxpayers can no longer appeal.

For delinquencies and assessments that have become final and executory, the tax amnesty rate will be 40 percent of the basic tax assessed.

A higher rate of 50 percent will be slapped against tax cases that were subject to courts’ final and executory judgment.

An amnesty rate of 60 percent will apply to pending criminal cases with criminal information filed with the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the courts for tax PAGE D3

(BIA) if meritorious grounds exist and the appeal is timely filed.

These are only a few examples of where there could still be hope after a denial. Although there cannot be any “guarantees” of success, if your case was denied, you should consider consulting with an attorney, who can evaluate your situation, and determine if there is hope in overcoming that denial and assisting in helping you reverse the denial and your case approved. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case

is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-4873465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINE (Advertising Supplement)

There could still be hope after a denial

Foreign investment pledges surge...

PAGE D1 t percent of the total approved investments during the quarter.

Firms from Singapore and Japan, meanwhile, pledged P15.3 billion and P4.8 billion respectively, or 16.7 percent and 5.2 percent of the total approved foreign investments.

By economic sector, manufacturing would receive the largest amount of foreign investments approved in the last quarter of 2018 with P58.8 billion or 64.5 percent share.

Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply came in second with investment pledges

valued at P13.3 billion or 14.6 percent share.

Administrative and support service activities followed with investment pledges of P6.9 billion or 7.6 percent share.

By region, majority of the approved foreign investments in the fourth quarter of 2018 would be intended to finance projects in Region 10 – Northern Mindanao amounting to P47.5 billion or 52.1 percent.

Region 4A – Calabarzon would receive the second highest amount at P20.3 billion, representing 22.3 percent. This was followed by the National Capital

Region at P13.1 billion or 14.3 percent.

Approved investment commitments of foreign and Filipino nationals combined reached P605.1 billion in the last quarter of 2018, up by 114.2 percent compared with P282.5 billion in the same period in the previous year.

Filipinos continued to dominate the investments approved during the quarter, sharing 84.9 percent or P513.9 billion worth of pledges.

These projects are expected to generate 72,630 jobs, 66.9 percent of which would come from projects with foreign interest. n

World Bank: Women in PH have equal...

PAGE D1 t quiring strong political will and a concerted effort by governments, civil society, international organizations among others, but legal and regulatory reforms can play a foundational role as an important first step,” the World Bank said.

In the case of the Philippines, it was one of the countries alongside Bulgaria, Croatia, Kiribati, Poland and Taiwan where all job restrictions on women had been removed, the World Bank said.

As such, the Philippines scored

81.25 in the report’s “Women, Business and the Law Index,” in which a perfect score of 100 meant that a country provided women and men equal legal rights in the eight indicators.

In Asean, the Philippines had the fourth highest score after Laos’ 88.13, Singapore’s 82.5, and Vietnam’s 81.88.

The Philippines got a score of 100 in the following areas: starting a job, getting paid, as well as running a business.

In terms of managing assets, the legal responsibility granted

to women in the Philippines was scored 80 by the World Bank.

The country scored 75 in getting a pension and going places (freedom of movement).

However, the Philippines posted the lowest score of 60 in getting married (legal constraints related to marriage) and having children (laws affecting women’s work after pregnancy).

The data used in this World Bank report covered milestones in a woman’s professional life during a ten-year period across 187 countries. n

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First Philippine subway seen pushing PH firms can profit from organic food market up property prices in Metro Manila

by Ian

nIcolas cIgaral Philstar.com

THE completion of Metro Manila’s first subway could trigger a surge in property prices in the Philippine capital, with Quezon City seen benefitting the most from the project over the near to medium term, according to real estate consultancy services firm Colliers International Philippines.

Construction on the 30-km Manila subway officially began Wednesday, February 27, with the big-ticket project seen to ease the capital’s infamous traffic gridlock. The underground rail line will have 15 stations and is expected to be completed in 2025.

Meanwhile, a partial operation of the first three stations is set in 2022. Designed to run at 80 kilometers per hour, the subway will reduce travel time from Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City to Ninoy Aquino International Airport — the country’s premier gateway — to about 30 minutes.

In a commentary, Colliers said the subway should help provide access to properties that could be redeveloped into mixed commercial, residential, hotel and institutional projects.

Colliers also sees the project raising the prices of land and properties within a kilometer from the subway’s stations, adding that private developers should take advantage of the government’s infrastructure push.

FILIPINO companies can pursue trade certifications for coconut products to raise export earnings, especially from organic food whose demand is seen to grow by 30 to 40 percent in five years from nations pursuing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the United Nations (UN).

Organic food products continue to grow with $3.5 billion in new sales in 2017 from the previous year. It now accounts for more than 5 percent of total food sales in the United States. ”Consumption of organic food in the U.S. grew by 6.4 percent.

That’s 30 to 40-percent increase in consumption in five years. That’s not too far from now. And imagine the increase in demand in terms of volume. And somebody has to supply,” said Sanjaya Pathirage, Construction on the 30-km Manila subway officially began Wednesday, February 27, with the big- Control Union regional manager. ticket project seen to ease the capital’s infamous traffic gridlock. The underground rail line will The Organic Trade Association have 15 stations and is expected to be completed in 2025.

DOTr photo reported that even sales of non-or“Colliers believes that working gram and spurs more business with the national government for activities in the newly-estabthe development of commercial lished business districts, which and residential buildings around should eventually generate more PAGE D2 t veloped countries posed risks to the stations of the Manila Sub- jobs and tax revenues.”

In March 2018, Finance Sec- the Philippine economy. way is a practical route for propThe debt watcher said it continerty developers given the lack retary Carlos Dominguez III and of developable land in the coun- Japan International Cooperation ued to expect the Federal Reserve try’s capital,” the consultancy Agency Chief Representative Yo- to merely pause, in contrast to shio Wada inked the first tranche market expectations of a full stop firm said.

“In our opinion, this option is of a loan deal for the initial phase or possibly some easing.

“This dichotomy leaves the posomething that the government of a 30-km underground railshould seriously consider given way, which is estimated to cost tential for market repricing, which could lead to a resumption of its goal of raising additional rev- P356.96 billion.

According to Dominguez, the pressures on EM (emerging marenues to fund its massive social and infrastructure programs, plan for the subway line envi- ket) currencies,” S&P said.

Worries over emerging markets especially now that the remain- sions a “north zone” that will ing tax reform measures have extend to Bulacan and a “south led to the peso hitting a near 13yet to be passed in Congress,” it zone” that will stretch to Cavite. year low of P54.325 to the dollar The flagship infrastructure in September last year but the added.

“This way, the government project will have commercial currency has since recovered, on gets additional revenues crucial spaces that will be leased to help Wednesday closing at P51.91:$1.

“Another risk to the economy for its ‘Build, Build, Build’ proPAGE D5 comes from global trade tensions, which could exacerbate the ongoing regional moderation in the electronics sector,” S&P also said. tomatic exchange of information years.

Upside from trade row “We welcome the passage of and removal of bank secrecy.

UBS’ Teather, meanwhile, said The DOF official told reporters the Tax Amnesty Act of 2019. the trade war had an upside for after the meeting that the 17th With this landmark legislation, the Philippines.

Congress still has time during the availers may now free up property “The term we use is pain belame-duck session after the May that have long been estate-locked fore gain,” he told reporters at the 13 midterm elections to pass such and allow heirs to make efficient sidelines of a forum. economic use of these properties. measure.

“In the immediate future you If Congress can soon pass This also allows those who have have a disruption to global trade general tax amnesty with the long-due liabilities and pending and that’s a break on growth,” he safeguards wanted by President criminal cases to start anew scot- added.

Duterte, its implementation “may free provided that they pay the tax “Export growth in the Philipstill be within the year… so poten- amnesty of delinquencies,” Joven pines is not very strong but further tial revenues from the general tax said. down the road, the disruption ele“We hope that in availing this ments in the trade war will diminamnesty can still come in within amnesty—a very generous re- ish and the gain element from FDI 2019,” Joven said.

General amnesty was supposed prieve from the state, taxpayers (foreign direct investment) flows, to cover all unpaid internal rev- may be more encouraged to pay shifting supply chains, from taking enue taxes, except customs and the right taxes moving forward,” market share of Chinese exporters import duties, in 2017 and prior he also said. n with tariff rates raised on them in

DOF: Amnesty on delinquencies...

PAGE D2 t evasion and other criminal offenses under the Tax Code, with or without assessments duly issued.

In the case of withholding agents that withheld taxes but did not remit them to the BIR, they can pay 100 percent of the basic tax assessed.

As for estate tax amnesty, RA 11213 provided for the collection of only 6 percent of a deceased’s total net estate at the time of death, for those who died on or before December 31, 2017.

Joven said that general tax amnesty could be implemented this year if the current 17th or the upcoming 18th Congress will pass a bill that carries with it the au-

ganic food products increased by 7.4 percent in 2017.

Agreement on SDGs signed by the UN’s 193 member-states is one of the major factors that will drive future market growth. Giant companies like Procter & Gamble, BASF, and Cargill have already collaborated on the production of sustainable certified coconut oil in the Philippines and Indonesia.

Under a German governmentinitiated program, companies are involving more than 10,000 farmers into their entire supply chain to help uplift farmers’ lives.

“They implement actions the world will agree on. It’s not just 193 (UN) member-states, but the private sector committed to it,” said Pathirage.

For one, Unilever already integrated 15 SDGs into their entire overall strategic plan. It will bring health benefits to more than one billion people, reducing its prod-

ucts’ adverse environmental impact while tapping the talent of 160,000 people.

“Global warming is real, glaciers are melting — Europe is hitting 40 degrees. People are complaining.

These changes are interesting. It will change the way we do business,” he said.

Control Union, a global network of independent service companies, noted trade certifications will create important income from value added for coconut products.

“If you can meet requirements of your customers, you may also add value to your product, a certification program as ISO 9001 is used to implement quality system,” said Pathirage.

“Nobody will pay you a high price because you have ISO 9001.

But having a quality management system will enable you to optimize capacity to improve efficiency,” he added. (Manilatimes.net)

PH expected to miss 2019, 2020 GDP... the US will deliver some benefits to the Philippines.”

Teather said UBS also expected inflation to further ease this year, hitting around 3 percent by the second half on account of government efforts to stabilize prices.

Jody Santiago, head of research for UBS in the Philippines, said this would allow the benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index to end 2019 at 8,900.

The stock market, which hit a record close of 9,058.62 on January 29 last year, succumbed to volatility as 2018 progressed. On Monday, February 25, it fell by 1.24 percent to 7,889.12, weighed down by foreign selling.

Banking risk assessment improved In another development, S&P announced a revision to its Banking Industry Country Risk Assessment (Bicra) for the Philippines, which was raised to group “5” from “6” based on a view that the institutional framework had been improved due to amendments to the BSP’s charter.

Bicra risks run from 1 (lowest risk) to 10 (highest risk) and the revision tags the Philippines as “high risk” instead of the previous “very high risk”.

“We believe the amendments to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas charter significantly improve the supervisory powers of the regulator by giving better legal protection to officials,” S&P said.

Other key changes, it noted, include increased central bank capitalization to P200 billion from

P50 billion, expansion of its regulatory powers over the industry, and higher penalties for supervised entities found in violation of the law.

S&P also said that the Philippines’ revised Bicra resulted in a higher starting point for rating banks.

The stand-alone credit profile (SACP) of Security Bank was raised to ‘bbb’ from ‘bbb-’ but its issuer credit rating was kept at ‘BBB-/A-3’ “due to the bank’s lower capital sustainability and earnings buffer compared with similarly rated peers.”

It also raised state-owned Development Bank of the Philippines’ SACP to ‘bb+’ from ‘bb’, saying “we see an almost certain likelihood that the Philippines government will provide timely and sufficient extraordinary support to the bank if needed.”

Overall, the debt watcher expects credit growth in the Philippines to hit 14-15 percent this year, tempered by a higher interest rate environment, from 14 percent in 2018.

It also believes that the banking system has sufficient capital buffers and coverage against nonperforming assets to withstand emerging risks from currency volatility, higher interest rates, slower growth, and global macroeconomic headwinds.

Deposit growth, however, is likely to remain slower than loans, leading to a gradual increase in the loan-to-deposit ratio that rose to 79 percent as of end-2018. n

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S&P gives higher score for US firm leaves China, moves some operations to PH Philippine banking industry by roy

stephen c. canIvel Inquirer.net

A LEADING U.S. manufacturer of accessories for phones and other gadgets has set up shop in the Philippines in order to avoid the expensive U.S.-China trade war, a top government official said.

A group of government and private sector officials had gone to Silicon Valley back in January to court the investment of Ever Win International Corp., a company with manufacturing operations in China.

Senen Perlada, director of the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) export marketing bureau, told reporters on Wednesday, February 27, that the company had started pulling out its operations in China.

It was not clear if the en-

tire China operations would be transferred to the Philippines.

Nevertheless, Perlada said the company wanted to avoid the high costs of the trade war, which meant having to diversify the locations of its operations.

Ever Win recently registered at the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, according to Perlada, where the company would get tax perks such as years of income tax holiday.

Since it is located in an economic zone, the company is expected to largely export its production. Perlada said the company was supposed to operate as soon as possible because its clients were waiting for Ever Win products.

The amount of investment, project cost and number of workers were not available as of press time.

“The reason that they gave us, and [what] I saw, is that China is becoming more expensive to be a manufacturing location,” said Perlada, who was part of the group that went to Silicon Valley.

While the trade war may be burdensome for other countries, this has spelled opportunities for the Philippines, DTI officials previously said.

Perlada said the company had already taken into account the possible shift in tax perks and weighed this against the high cost of doing business in China.

“They already factored this (the Tax Reform for Attracting Better and High-quality Opportunities bill) compared to what they are actually experiencing in China. So I think it was a very deliberate decision on their part,” he said. n

rice] in terms of price. That’s out of 76 or 78 rice-producing provinces, so more than half,” Edillon said in a phone interview.

“Not all farmers need a significant push for them to be very competitive. Some farmers even produce high-quality rice, in which case, they would compete not on the basis of price but on the basis of quality,” she added.

Edillon cited Nueva Ecija, Kalinga and Iloilo as some of the areas whose rice output could compete with imported rice.

In a roundtable discussion Wednesday, February 27, industry groups said the cost of producing rice in the country was still higher than those in other countries. Even with the tariffs, imports would still be cheaper.

Teodoro Mendoza, a former professor at the University of the

Philippines Los Baños who sat at the Philippine Rice Research Institute’s board, said the annual subsidy set by the government for the farm sector would not be enough to modernize the rice industry.

Under the measure, a Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund was created to subsidize rice farmers with a yearly allocation of P10 billion.

Mendoza said the amount was only 2.5 percent of the sector’s contribution to the economy at P400 billion. He said to mechanize the industry, the government would need to shell out P31 billion.

However, Edillon said excess from the tariff revenue would be used to develop the sector. The NEDA projected a yearly revenue of P28 billion from the law. n

developed within the city.

“With improving connectivity given the construction of Manila Subway, MRT-7 and the common LRT-MRT station, we see Quezon City becoming more attractive for mixed-use projects that feature office, residential, and retail projects,” Colliers said.

“Among the stations well suited for townships is North Av-

enue given its interconnection with other mass transportation systems,” it added.

“We see Quirino and Tandang Sora stations providing residential support to offices in the North Avenue station. The latter is also a practical choice for hotel projects as we see it capturing demand from Northern Metro Manila and nearby provinces such as Bulacan.” n

PH rice competitive vs imports, says NEDA

by Karl

r. ocampo Inquirer.net

The new BSP Charter removes money supply and credit levels as basis for determining monetary policy. It also restores the central bank’s authority to issue debt papers as part of its regular operation.

Philstar.com file photo

by Ian

nIcolas cIgaral Philstar.com

THE Philippines’ banking system bagged a higher score from S&P Global Ratings, citing “improvement in the institutional framework” after President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law the “New Central Bank Act.” In a statement, the global debt watcher revised its Banking Industry Country Risk Assessment, or BICRA, on the Philippines to group “5” from group “6”, saying the enactment of Republic Act 11211 “strengthens the supervisory powers and monetary functions of the country’s central bank.”

“We believe the amendments to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas charter significantly improve the supervisory powers of the regulator by giving better legal protection to officials,” S&P said.

“These enhancements augment BSP’s powers to exercise its core mandate of promoting a sound financial system, in our opinion,” it added.

The new BSP Charter removes money supply and credit levels as basis for determining mon-

EMPLOYMENT

etary policy. It also restores the central bank’s authority to issue debt papers as part of its regular operation.

The law likewise widens the coverage of institutions under BSP supervision to include money service businesses, credit granting businesses and payment system operators. Moreover, it authorizes the increase in BSP’s capitalization from P50 billion to P200 billion, which shall be sourced from dividends declared by the BSP in favor of the national government.

The new Central Bank Act also exempts the BSP from taxes on income derived from its governmental functions.

For 2019, S&P said it expects Philippines banks’ credit growth to hit 14-15 percent, tempered by a higher interest rate environment.

Loan growth slowed to 14 percent in 2018 from 17 percent in 2017 due to higher inflation, a weaker peso and a 175-basis point rise in policy rates, S&P noted.

“We believe the banking system has sufficient capital buffers and coverage against nonperforming assets to withstand

MORE than half of the country’s rice producers are capable of emerging risks from currency competing with imported rice in volatility, higher interest rates, terms of prices, while those who slower growth, and global mac- cannot may opt to plant special roeconomic headwinds,” the rice variants and develop a niche market. credit rater said.

This was Socioeconomic Plan“We also believe the Philippine banks’ well-established ning Undersecretary Rosemary domestic franchise will continue Edillon’s response to claims of into help them to sustain a strong, dustry groups that the deregulastable, and diversified customer tion of rice importation would displace thousands of local farmers. deposit profile,” it added.

The policy shift is expected to In the same statement, S&P affirmed its “BBB-” long-term and be implemented next month, fol“A-3” short-term issuer credit lowing the approval of the Rice ratings on Security Bank Corp. Import Liberalization Act by Preswith a “stable” outlook, and ident Rodrigo Duterte.

“There are about 46 provinces kept its “BBB” long-term and “A-2” short-term issuer credit that are competitive, meaning ratings on Development Bank of they can compete [with imported the Philippines with a “positive” outlook.

“The stable outlook on Security Bank reflects our view that the bank will maintain its strong PAGE D3 t capital buffers and good asset pay the hefty Japanese loan and quality over the next two years,” defray the cost of operating the facility.

S&P said.

A recent study by JICA found For DBP, the debt watcher said the positive outlook on the that road congestion in Manila bank “continues to reflect that cost the economy P3.5 billion on the sovereign.” The Philip- daily in 2017.

In the same commentary, Colpines holds a “BBB” rating, a notch above minimum invest- liers said Quezon City could gain ment-grade rating, with a “posi- from the planned subway as seven of the 14 stations would be tive” outlook from S&P. n

First Philippine subway seen pushing...

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D MARCH 2-5, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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