030318 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

March 3-6, 2018 Volume 28 - No. 19 • 4 Sections – 30 Pages

PNP won’t provide drug war data to international agencies

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday, March 2 said it would not issue documents on the government’s anti-illegal drugs campaign to international bodies.

According to PNP spokesperson

DATELINE

Chief Supt. John Bulalacao, who also serves as the head of PNP Public Information Office, requests for such documents should be referred “to the higher authorities.”

“Ang PNP, bilang isang ahensya ng Executive department, ay nagoobserba ng protocol sa pag-release ng impormasyon na involve ang

national security (The PNP as an agency of the Executive department observes a protocol in releasing infomation involving national security),” Bulalacao explained.

He added, “All information that may be requested by international bodies shall pass through proper channel. Therefore, this matter

should be referred to the higher authorities.”

Bulalacao made the remark a day after President Rodrigo Duterte initiated to ignore human rights investigations.

In a speech on Thursday, March 1, Duterte advised the military and po-

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The Philippine National Police (PNP) is not likely to grant requests pertaining to the government’s campaign against illegal drugs, invoking protocol to refer such queries “to the higher authorities,” PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. John Bulalacao said on Friday, March 2.

Inquirer.net photo

Speaker Alvarez on feud with Sara Duterte: ‘I surrender’

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

ICE arrests 232 NorCal immigrants in 4-day sweep

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

Raids took place over the course of a few days, question efficacy of California’s ‘sanctuary state’ status

THE clash over immigration policy between the state of California and the federal government has heated up in the last few weeks and doesn’t show signs of cooling down anytime soon.

The latest development in the ongoing immigration conflict came earlier this week when the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed it arrested a total of 232 undocumented immigrants in a string of raids across Northern California.

SWAT TRAINING. President Rodrigo Duterte shows off his skills during the National Special Weapon and Tactics Challenge held at the Team Davao Firing Range in Davao City on Thursday, March 1. The activity was held to improve the efficiency and tactical proficiency of SWAT units.

ManilaTimes.net photo

SPEAKER Pantaleon Alvarez is waving the white flag in his rift with President Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

“Surrender na nga ako e. Surrender na (I am surrendering),” he told reporters in Surigao City on Thursday, March 1, days after being at the receiving end of the mayor’s tirades.

The speaker, a close friend of the president, declined to comment further on his feud with the younger Duterte during a chance interview with local media, a transcript of which was released by his office to Manila reporters.

In a separate press briefing, Alvarez again adopted a conciliatory tone when asked to comment on Sara’s newly formed Hugpong ng Pagbabago party.

He noted that some members of the rul-

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Filipinos trust US the most, US official: Threat neutral on China, says poll from IS not over u PAGE A3

Nathan Sales, U.S. State Department counter-terrorism coordinator

THE United States on Thursday, March 1 warned that the fight against the Islamic State (IS) was far from over, even after the terror network’s defeat in the Iraq and Syria and the liberation of Marawi City from its sympathizers in the Philippines.

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by AJPRESS

MOST Filipinos hold “much trust” in the United States and maintain a neutral stance on China, a recent Social Weather Station (SWS) survey showed.

Poll results released Wednesday, February 28, revealed that Filipinos have the highest trust in U.S. among 14 countries included in the survey.

U.S. got a “very good” net trust rating of +68 (75 percent much trust, 7 percent little trust).

SWS said the public trust survey results on the U.S. have been positive since the country was first included in the polls in December 1994.

Apart from the U.S., Canada and Japan also recorded “very good” trust ratings at +55 (65 percent much trust, 10 percent little trust) and +54 (65 percent much trust, 11 percent little trust) respectively.

Six other countries, meanwhile, got “moderate” trust ratings among Filipinos: Singapore at +29 (47 percent much trust, 17 percent little trust), Malaysia at +20 (40 percent much trust, 20 percent little trust), and Thailand at +19 (39 percent much trust, 19 percent little trust).

Completing the list were Indonesia at +18 (38 percent much trust, 20 percent little trust), Brunei at +16 (37 percent much trust, 21 percent little trust), and Vietnam

Vice Pres. Leni Robredo

‘I TRY TO HOLD MY HORSES IF IT’S NOT TOO NECESSARY’

Robredo explains silence 60-day total closure on administration issues of Boracay pushed u PAGE A2

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

Boracay Island’s beaches have become overcrowded, prompting the local government and Department of Tourism to consider closing down the island for 60 days.

Inquirer.net photo by Lyn Rillon

Inquirer.net photo

BORACAY, AKLAN—A 60-day total closure of business establishments on this resort island is being pushed by Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año, who both want it to take place during the rainy season when tourist arrivals are low.

Teo and Año were pressing Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu as of press time to agree to their recommendation.

The three officials have been ordered by President Duterte to rehabilitate Boracay in six months.

Mr. Duterte has warned that the island, which he calls a “cesspool,” faces closure should its environmental problems remain unsolved in six months.

Teo, Año and Cimatu arrived here ahead of the Senate inquiry, Friday, March 2 into the prob-

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PHILIPPINE Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo said she’d prefer holding her peace unless it’s “absolutely necessary” to issue statements on controversial issues facing the administration.

In a television interview aired Thursday, March 1, Robredo lamented how her dissenting remarks on some of President Rodrigo Duterte’s policies or statements were swiftly given “political colors.”

“When you voice out your dissent, it seems the interpretation is always because you stand to benefit. So for me, as long as it’s not absolutely necessary, I keep my peace,” the vice president told CNN Philippines.

She further lamented how her detractors accuse her of being “in a hurry” to oust Duterte and replace him as the chief executive whenever she criticizes some of his administration’s policies.

Robredo, a prominent opposition figure, had been denunciatory of the alleged police abuses

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From the Front Page

PNP won’t provide drug war data...

PAGE A1 t lice to not respond to any inquiries by human rights experts or United Nations (UN) rapporteurs.

The president also reiterated his promised protection to soldiers and policemen if they faced legal problems while performing their duties.

“I will back you up. And when

a human rights [official] or any rapporteur comes, this is my order to you: Do not answer. Do not bother,” Duterte told the country’s security forces.

He added, “Why would we be answering? Bakit, sino sila (Why, who are they)? And who are you to interfere in the way I would run my country?”

Earlier this week, Icelandic Foreign Affairs Minister Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson urged the Philippine government to allow UN Special Rapporteur Agnes Callamard to investigate the allegations of human rights violations associated with Duterte’s drug war “without preconditions or limitations.”

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is also starting its preliminary examination into Duterte’s drug war to determine if there is basis to conduct a formal investigation against the president.

However, Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said that the Philippines won’t accept Callamard or any other official who has “already prejudged” the Duterte administration.

Malacañang also claimed that the ICC has no authority yet to compel the Philippine government to provide documents on its campaign against illegal drugs.

‘Not easy’ During the same speech, Duterte tagged democracy as among the factors that increase the challenge of prosecution.

He admitted that leading a democratic government is no easy task, especially when countering threats posed by unscrupulous individuals who take advantage of Constitutional rights.

“This is democracy and that is the reason we are pretty hard up.

It is not easy to run a government that is democratic because of the so many rights of the citizens,” the president said in his speech at the opening ceremony of the National

FIRE AWARENESS MONTH. Firefighters “rescue” a victim during a drill at the Rizal Park in Manila, part of activities to mark Fire Prevention Month.

ManilaTimes.net photo Russell Palma

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Speaker Alvarez on feud with Sara...

ing Partido Demokratiko PilipinoLakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) had switched allegiances to the new party, among them Compostela Valley Gov. Jayvee Tyron Uy. Defections But Alvarez, a Davao del Norte representative, implied that he was not concerned about the defections, saying: “It’s a regional u PAGE A3 party. The PDP is a national

party and both are supporting the administration of the president.”

Last week, Sara issued scathing public statements against Alvarez after he supposedly described her party as part of the opposition since it was not sanctioned by the president.

The mayor also alleged that the speaker had boasted before a crowd that he, as the speaker,

could impeach Duterte. Alvarez denied those claims but he did not retaliate against her.

The enmity on Sara’s side led to speculations about a possible showdown in the House of Representatives.

Sara did not discount the possibility of running for Congress and challenging Alvarez for the speakership. (DJ Yap/Inquirer. net)

Filipinos trust US...

Robredo explains silence...

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at +13 (34 percent much trust, 21 percent little trust).

As for China, the SWS survey showed that its trust ratings among Filipinos went up by a grade from “poor” to “neutral.”

Its -13 net trust rating in the previous September 2017 poll went up to +7 (38 percent much trust, 31 percent little trust).

Other countries that had “neutral” trust ratings include Myanmar at +8 (31 percent much trust, 24 percent little trust), Cambodia at +7 (31 percent much trust,

24 percent little trust), and Laos at +3 (27 percent much trust, 24 percent little trust).

Only North Korea received a “poor” net trust rating among Filipinos at -19 (24 percent much trust, 43 percent little trust).

The survey was conducted from December 8-16, 2017 using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults nationwide, with sampling error margins of ±3% for national percentages, and ±6% each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. n

and extrajudicial killings associated with the administration’s war against drugs.

She also consistently opposed the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery), as well as the proposals to reinstate the death penalty and to lower the age of criminal liability in the country.

However, for the past few months, the vice president has been noticeably quiet on recent key issues, such as the exten-

sion of martial law in Mindanao and the ban on Rappler reporters from entering Malacañang.

Explaining her apparent silence, Robredo said: “For me, I try to hold my horses if it’s not too necessary. Because I’m the vice president, everything I say is given political color. When I say things, some will say I can’t wait to replace the President.”

“And it’s unfortunate because when you voice out your dissent, it’s because you want certain things happening to change, or

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A3

ICE arrests 232 NorCal immigrants...

PAGE A1 t From Sunday, Feb. 25 to Wednesday, Feb. 28 ICE agents scoured an expanse of Northern California from Bakersfield to the CaliforniaOregon border, knocking on doors and detaining individuals, which prompted outrage from the area’s immigrant advocates.

Local ICE field offices worked in conjunction with the Pacific Enforcement Response Center and the National Criminal Analysis and Targeting Center which led to the arrests.

Of those detained, 180 were either convicted criminals and failed to depart the U.S. after receiving a final order of removal or were previously deported but returned illegally.

The total number of arrestees is a major jump from Wednesday’s total, which was 150 people detained.

In a statement, ICE said it arrested people in San Francisco, Bay Point, Sacramento and Stockton. Half of those who were detained were arrested for violent crimes, officials said, adding that “sanctuary jurisdictions” have made it

more difficult to conduct these operations.

The state passed SB 54 last year to officially declare California as a sanctuary state — which generally means that state law enforcement and offices are prohibited from sharing information with and/or aiding federal immigration officers from the arrest and capture of undocumented immigrants.

Many cities — including Bay Area jurisdictions like San Francisco, Oakland, Alameda and Berkeley — across the state have declared sanctuary status at the city-level which bars city officials from coordinating with federal immigration agents.

As of Friday, March 2, ICE hasn’t indicated whether or not the operation was over.

“Sanctuary jurisdictions like San Francisco and Oakland shield dangerous criminal [immigrants] from federal law enforcement at the expense of public safety,” the federal agency said in a statement publicly acknowledging the operation called Keep Safe.

“Thanks to the dedicated and professional work of ICE de-

US official: Threat from IS...

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Nathan Sales, U.S. State Department counter-terrorism coordinator, pointed to the IS presence in the Southeast Asia, the most visible example of which was the Maute terror group’s five-month siege of Marawi City, the country’s Islamic capital.

“Fortunately, the Philippines were able to take back and liberate that territory with the assistance of the U.S. and other in the international community,” said Sales in a telephonic press briefing on Thursday.

The U.S. State Department and the Department of Treasury designated the Maute group as a “foreign terrorist organization” on Tuesday, barring Americans from dealing with them.

Sales’ statement came Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Amanda Gorely told The Manila Times in an interview the terrorists responsible for the Marawi attack were far from finished fighting and

might be regrouping to strike again elsewhere.

Sales declined to comment on the Australian envoy’s statement but noted that the IS’ Philippine sympathizers were one of the terror network’s most ambitious affiliates, and were likely to regroup after the loss they had suffered.

Sales said liberating Marawi city was not enough.

Governments should address the conditions that could contribute to the rise of terrorist organizations in the Philippines and other countries, he said.

“ISIS fighters, ISIS ideologues, ISIS recruiters are still active. Some are active in the Philippines, some are active in other countries and so the US and the State Department in particular are looking very closely in what we can do,” he added, using another acronym for IS. New tools vs terrorists Sales said it was important for the U.S. and its allies to be able to spot IS fighters as they

portation officers, we were able to remove many public safety threats from the streets of the Bay Area during the past few days.”

Recently, ICE has been in a conflict with Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, who one day before the raid started warned residents of the sweep by federal immigration officers.

Schaaf sent out the alert after confidential tips from “credible sources” and consultations with attorneys to check that she wasn’t opening herself up to federal prosecution.

“My priority is for the wellbeing and safety of all residents — particularly our most vulnerable — and I know that Oakland is after when we share information, encourage community awareness and care for our neighbors,” Schaaf wrote in an email sent out to residents Saturday night.

ICE Deputy Director Thomas D. Homan criticized Schaaf’s “irresponsible” warning, claiming that it put officers in danger “and alerted criminal [immigrants] — making clear that this reckless decision was based on her political agenda.”

(Klarize Medenilla/AJPress) cross international borders, through passenger name records (PNRs).

The U.S. has moved into a new phase in the fight against terror, from military solutions to law enforcement solutions, with three key tools in defeating terrorists, namely: terrorist designation, biometrics and PNRs. He said U.S. needed to supplement its military efforts to defeat IS with civilian measures that could ensure the group’s defeat.

“ISIS is an adaptive threat and we need to adapt along with it to keep our people safe,” Sales said.

As for the Philippines, the US was looking at other types of partnerships to include border security, improved information sharing and law enforcement coordination.| “It is a vital interest of the US to make sure that a partner like the Philippines is protected against terrorist organizations like the Maute group and the local ISIS network,” he said.

(Jefferson Antiporda/ManilaTimes.net)

RULING PARTY. Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III (center) leads the 36th anniversary celebrations of the ruling PDP-Laban party. The party also launched the book of Chinese President Xi Jinping, titled “Governance of China.” Present were Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, PDPLaban secretary general; Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi; Chinese professor Sheng Chuanliang; Vice Minister Giu Yeshou of the Communist Party of China; and Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua (right).

ManilaTimes.net photo

60-day total closure...

PAGE A1 t lems of the world-famous island.

June 1 to July 1 Teo told reporters that she and Año had talked about closing down business establishments from June 1 to July 31.

“It’s total closure … because we have to repair the roads, drainage. And the demolition [of structures within the 30-meter easement zone] might be dangerous to tourists,” Teo said.

Impact on business She said hotels and resorts could use the downtime to upgrade their respective structures.

Teo said some business establishments had already started to make improvements, such as connecting their drainage pipes to the Boracay sewerage system.

Asked to comment on the adverse impact of the island’s closure on business, she said this was for the best of Boracay.

“Somehow, we have to bite the bullet.”

She said the island’s total closure to tourists during the rainy season was the proper time because of low visitor arrivals.

The tourism secretary said there was no problem with those wanting to visit Boracay this summer.

Other destinations “But we would start telling the establishments to rebook [tourists during the rainy season] to other places because we would start the rehabilitation of Boracay,” Teo said.

She said tourists could be diverted to other travel destinations in the country, such as Cebu, Bohol, Masbate, Iloilo, Bacolod, Palawan, Siargao, Davao and Camiguin.

“This is not forever. This is to fix Boracay. Eventually, they can go back. I tell you it will triple tourism in Boracay after this,”

Teo said.

She said a tourism plan would be prepared after the completion of the island’s rehabilitation.

Año, for his part, told reporters that the closure would allow the government to do what it needed to do.

“You are going to weigh income and safety. If Boracay becomes safe, then its good for development and for income generation,” Año said in a separate interview with reporters.

Despite the controversy generated by Mr. Duterte’s threat to shut down Boracay, tourists did not shun the resort island, according to Teo. She said tourist arrivals were up, probably because the visitors were curious about the President’s statements and wanted to find out for themselves if these were true.

“Second, tourists wanted to visit Boracay while it is still open … So [tourists] started coming in,” she said. ■

PNP won’t provide drug war data...

PAGE A2 t SWAT Challenge in Davao City.

He continued: “Police power, power of eminent domain, and taxation — those are the fundamentals. Those are the core power of the government. But there is a firewall also and that is the Bill of Rights — due process, right to be heard, lawyer during an investigation, and all of these things. And that is why we can hardly cope up.”

Duterte, who is also a former

prosecutor, lamented how often the Bill of Rights are being exploited by terrorists and other criminals.

“And that is the reason why if the terrorists say that they are determined and they would not hesitate to kill, then for the same reason, we will not hesitate and we will not be afraid to kill,” he added.

Last month, a United States intelligence report tagged Duterte as one of the leaders who pose a

threat to democracy and human rights. It noted in particular the president’s so-called drug war that resulted to deaths of thousands of suspected personalities.

Refuting the U.S. report, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said Duterte is not a threat to democracy, but rather “a threat to criminal elements, drug lords, corrupt government officials and to all those who are bent on destroying the democratically instituted government.” ■

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Congress races the clock in quest to bring stability to individual insurance market

by Julie

RovneR Kaiser Health News

CoNGREss is running out of time if members want to come up with legislation to stabilize the individual insurance market.

While Republicans and Democrats still feud over the fate of the Affordable Care Act, a bipartisan group of senators and House members has been working since

last summer on measures to keep prices from rising out of control and undermining the individual market where people who don’t get insurance through work or the government buy policies.

They hope to attach a package of fixes to what should be the year’s final temporary spending bill, due in late March.

The lawmakers are up against not just the legislative clock, but

also the insurance companies’ timeline. Insurers have until summer to decide if they want to continue to sell policies in the ACA marketplaces, but many start making preliminary decisions as early as April.

In the absence of congressional action, insurers say premiums will go up in 2019 due to the uncertainty — raising costs for consumers and the government.

It is by no means clear whether any package could gain the votes needed in the House and senate.

Most Republicans are loathe to be seen “fixing” obamacare, although opinion polls clearly show they will be blamed for problems with the law going forward.

The bipartisanship extends beyond Capitol Hill. Last week five PNA ANNIVERSARY. Former Philippine News Agency (PNA) Executive Editors Severino Samonte and Ben Cal blow candles with Presidential governors (three Democrats, one Task Force on Media Security Executive Director Undersecretary Joel Egco (2nd from right), News and Information Bureau (NIB) Director Republican and one Independent) Virginia Arcilla-Agtay (right) and PNA Acting Executive Editor Luis Morente (left) during PNA’s 45th anniversary on Thursday, March 01. released a blueprint for a health PNA photo by Joey Razon system overhaul that includes several of the stabilization ideas under consideration in Congress.

About 18 million people buy their own policies, both inside LADoT began to update Los Angeles Mayor Eric Gar- as a component of its Vision u PAGE A5 cetti on Wednesday, February Zero plan. speed surveys at an accelerated As a result of these updated rate due to increased funding 28 announced new speed limits on 71 Los Angeles streets, speed surveys, the city gained initiated by Councilmembers the result of recently-updated the ability to enforce the speed Mitchell Englander and Bonin speed surveys by the Los Ange- limit on 825 miles of streets. that began in 2016. les Department of Transporta- Enforceable speed limits are “Making roads safer and reOVER 17 YEARS now in place on 98.4 percent of ducing traffic fatalities is an tion (LADoT).

The new speed limits will be the High Injury Network (HIN), important priority for the city,” coupled with increased LA Po- the streets with a higher inci- Englander said. “With the speed lice Department (LAPD) enforce- dence of severe and fatal colli- surveys now complete, we can ment efforts across the city as sions. The LAPD has reserved more easily enforce speed limpart of the Vision Zero initiative $1.5 million in overtime funds its, prevent reckless driving, to help enforce the new speed and save lives.” to decrease traffic fatalities.

“Nothing is more important limits on the HIN as part of the Vision Zero, the 10th Executhan the safety of Angelenos 2017-18 budget. tive Directive signed by Mayor In total, 68 percent of all city Garcetti on August 24, 2015, — and every decision we make about our streets should be streets now have enforceable is an initiative to make L.A.’s with their well-being first in our speed limits. All streets in LA roads safer for all Angelenos, minds,” said Garcetti. “These are expected to have updated with a goal of eliminating traffic new, enforceable speed limits speed surveys by the end of the fatalities completely by 2025. help make our streets safer year.

The program has delivered Darrick V. Tan, Esq. will “Vision Zero’s holistic ap- over 1,100 safety improvements and easier to travel for everyone proach to keeping Angelenos across the City and is planning who uses them.”

Licensed in California for In order to set and enforce safe is helping to create safer over 400 more this year (more over 17 years speed limits on local streets, and more walkable communi- details attached). In 2017, there Licensed in Nevada for over 12 years* the state of California requires ties for our neighbors,” said were 16 fewer traffic fatalities, UCLA, Bachelor of Arts, Political a “speed survey” — measur- Councilmember Mike Bonin. down 6.2 percent compared to Science with Cum Laude honors ing the average speed of the “Whether you commute by foot, 2016.

Southwestern University Law majority of drivers when the bike, use mass transit or a car, “We know that engineering School, Juris Doctor no one should fear a preventstreet is uncrowded, road colthe street differently is the most Admitted to U.S. District Court, able traffic collision.” lision history, roadside condipowerful, sustainable way to Central District of California For the majority of the streets ensure it’s safe, which contintions, residential and business Member, American Immigration density, and pedestrian and bi- with updated surveys, the speed ues to be our focus,” said seleta Lawyers Association cyclist safety to best determine limits did not change; how- Reynolds, general manager Member, Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles an appropriate speed for the ever, 26 streets (94.32 miles) of LADoT. “In the meantime, Former Member, Board of street — every five to ten years. will have their speed limits in- we’ve ensured that our partners Governors, Philippine American Because many of LA’s surveys creased and 45 streets (52.63 at LAPD have the tools they Bar Association expired during the recession, miles) will have their speed lim- need to enforce unsafe speed*Inactive LADoT prioritized the updates its decreased. ing which will save lives.” n

LA introduces new street speed limits

(Illustration created with Getty Images)

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PH steps up efforts to promote health care info management industry in the US

by MoMar

G. Visaya

AJPress

“OUR economic growth is not a fluke,” said Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary Nora K. Terrado at a business forum held Monday. Feb. 26 at the Philippine Center, citing the country’s solid macroeconomic fundamentals, as the Philippines remains to be a bright spot in Asia.

In her presentation, Usec Terrado showed the consistent growth of the Philippine economy through the years and how it is one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies.

The forum is part of the 2018 HIMS (Healthcare Information Management Services) Roadshow with the theme “Unlocking Opportunities. Embracing Innovation” a collaborative project of the Department of Trade and Industry, Board of Investment, Economic Management Bureau, and the Healthcare Information Management Association of the Philippines (HIMAP).

Terrado, along with representatives of about a dozen companies from the Philippines, are in the United States for a roadshow to promote the country as a top tier destination for IT-BPM services, among others. This is a part of DTI’s efforts to promote the Philippines as an investment destination for healthcare information technology and business process management in key U.S.

Trade Undersecretary Nora K. Terrado delivers her keynote explaining why the Philippines has one of the most vibrant economies in Asia.

AJPress Photo by Momar G. Visaya

markets.

DTI is helping to promote the Philippine HIM-BPM industry’s competitive advantages, strengths, and capabilities to leading HIMSBPM investors, decision makers, delegates, and visitors that will participate in the upcoming HIMMS Exhibition, conferences and business meetings.

In welcoming resource speakers and guests at the forum, Consul General Theresa DizonDe Vega reiterated the Philippine Government’s commitment to support efforts to promote the Philippine IT-BPM industry.

“The Philippines offers high-value services, a young, innovative, and well-educated workforce, and a business-friendly environment for all potential investors and clients”, she emphasized in her remarks.

Other key presentations were

Book explores impact on Fil-Am identity of ‘77 false murder charges vs. Filipina nurses

by WiLfred

GaLiLa

Inquirer.net

THIS Is for the Mostless is a compelling book by Jason Magabo-Perez that could also be described as a compendium of the Filipino-American experience told through the lens of its author.

Adding to the growing canon on the Filipino-American experience, Magabo-Perez’ recently published book confirms many of what has already been said on the subject, yet it is a reminder about all that could easily be forgotten while presenting a fresh perspective and insight on the ongoing dialogue of what it means to be a Filipino, and an American, in which many facets of this complex and evolving identity remain unchanged despite changing attitudes and times.

Magabo-Perez in 2006 had set out to write a novel about his mother and her experience as an immigrant nurse in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In 1977, his mother, Leonora Perez, along with fellow nurse, Filipina Narciso, in one of the longest trials in U.S. history, U.S. v. Narciso and Perez, were falsely convicted for the deaths of patients at the Ann Arbor Veterans Administration Hospital. They “were framed by the FBI for murder and conspiracy.”

This incident has shaped him as a person, was a catalyst for his becoming a writer and became his life’s work.

“In my exploration of that history, in my research and my interrogation of the form of the novel, I realized that I’d amassed a considerable body of work—fiction, poetry, performance, film/video, oral histories.”

In 2015 he assembled the novel “knowing full well [it]wasn’t ready, knowing full well that I was rushing the process.” His publisher also thought so. “I began thinking about what it would mean to assemble a different book comprised of different works.”

The result is a multi-genre assemblage of experiences written in varying modes and perspectives, from a boy trying to fit in while making sense of the world

Author Jason Malabo-Perez on a book tour stop at the Bayanihan Community Center in San Francisco. Inquirer.net photo by Wilfred Galila

and the conditions that have shaped his reality, to a grown man dealing with his present while looking back and still making sense of his past. Seeing the truth from a different point of view does not change it but renders it more resonant, more immediate and relevant.

Composed of scenes with vivid metaphors within that you can see and, possibly, touch and smell, but definitely feel, the work is an ongoing exploration of identity through time and a life so far lived. While there is rightful anger and frustration present in his work, he does not wallow but offers a point of understanding the why’s and how come’s so that we may, if we choose to follow, inch further toward a seemingly impossible but shared aspiration for reprieve and release from the ghosts of our past.

Although far removed from the experiences of Filipinos as immigrant farm workers in the past, the first generation that struggled and gave way to future generations of Filipino-Americans, the book speaks to the present generation with core issues intact. Magabo-Perez’s iteration of those issues that have lingered from the past may be seen as part of an intergenerational conversation between those that came before and to those who came of age in the 1990s, heirs to their parents’ frustrations and hopes.

In “Crayoning the King: On Discipline,” Magabo-Perez grapples with colonization: “But it was not like I was plunging my flag into someone else’s soil & skull, or

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Robredo explains silence...

PAGE A2 t certain things happening to stop.

It’s not because you want to oust the president,” she added.

In 2016, Duterte appointed Robredo as the chair of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC). But Robredo quickly resigned after she was barred from Cabinet meetings, which was apparently due to her political and ideological differences with the president.

Asked if she’s still open to another Cabinet post, Robredo told CNN Philippines she’ll be willing to accept an offer but had to talk things over with the president first.

“I will tell the president that I will be very much willing to work with him. I will be very much willing to support what he’s doing,” she added. “But if there

are things that I don’t agree on, I have to say so. If that’s fine with him, then okay.”

While appreciating Robredo’s “readiness” to rejoin Duterte’s cabinet, Malacañang, in response, said there’s is no new offer for her at the moment.

In a press briefing on Friday, March 2, Palace Spokesperson Harry Roque said he was not aware of any current position available to the vice president.

“Hindi ko po alam na kinokosidera siya ng presidente sa kahit anong Cabinet position (I don’t know if the President is considering her for any Cabinet position),” Roque said. “So to the vice president, we appreciate her readiness, unfortunately parang wala naman pong offer ngayon (it seems there’s no offer now).” n

made by HIMAP President Cristina Coronel who spoke on developments and innovations in the Philippine HIMS Sector while case study illustrations and testimonials were discussed by other HIMAP member companies.

The HIMS sector, as one of the leading industries in the country, has significantly provided employment opportunities to thousands of local nurses and to the growing BPM sector. In 2014, it had 86,000 full-time employees.

Coronel shared that in 2017, the healthcare and information management industry posted 2.7 billion in revenues and employed around 136,000 people.

Almost 75 percent of the U.S. healthcare companies outsource their requirements to Asian countries. The Philippines, as one of the leading countries in Business Process Management (BPM) industry, aims to further strengthen its presence abroad and exploit the growing demand by attracting future investors and companies to invest in the Philippines.

An open forum moderated by Special Trade Representative Nicanor Bautista followed the presentations while a Networking Session capped the day’s activity.

The HIMS Roadshow includes promotion legs in Houston, Texas and ending up in Las Vegas, Nevada where the HIMSS 2018 global conference is set to happen from March 5 to 9. n

The Los Angeles-class USS Bremerton docks at Subic Bay on its ninth and final visit to the Philippines. Bremerton will be decommissioned later this year after 40 years of naval service.

Photo courtesy of U.S. Pacific Command

US attack submarine visits Subic Bay

by Leander

C. doMinGo ManilaTimes.net

A U.S. submarine arrived on Thursday, March 1, at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBFZ) for a routine port visit during its deployment to the Indo-Pacific region.

Ensign James Gloria, public affairs officer of the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Bremerton (SSN 698), said a number of the sailors aboard have family from the Philippines and will have the chance to better connect with their heritage.

Gloria said the visit of Bremerton highlights the strong partnership between the United States and the Philippines while it gives the crew an opportunity to meet families and the local community

living in the Subic area.

“It really means a lot to me that I get the chance to visit a number of my family members again,” Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class Christopher Gapasin, who lived in the Philippines for six years and has relatives in the area, said.

Cmdr. Travis Zettel, commanding officer, said Bremerton has a crew of 150 sailors who regularly conduct a variety of missions to maintain proficiency in the latest submarine fleet capabilities.

Bremerton’s stealth, mobility, endurance and firepower allow it to work independently or in conjunction with a carrier strike group.

Zettel said this was Bremer-

ton’s ninth and final visit to Subic Bay. “My crew and I are looking forward to the opportunity to engage with the local community while simultaneously preparing the ship for the remainder of our deployment,” he said.

Bremerton measures more than 300 feet long and weighs more than 6,000 tons when submerged.

It is capable of supporting a multitude of missions, including antisubmarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and mine warfare.

Later this year, Bremerton will move to its namesake city, Bremerton, Washington, where it will be decommissioned after nearly 40 years of naval service. n

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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange hits Rappler

by Janvic

Mateo Philstar.com

WIKILEAKS founder Julian Assange has criticized news website Rappler over an article it released regarding his supposed links to Russian propaganda that allegedly infiltrated the Philippines.

Calling it the “stupidest” article he has ever read, Assange questioned the basis of the story, noting that his ties to the supposed Russian involvement

in propaganda in the Philippines were established using only a single tweet.

“This article in Rappler is literally the stupidest I have ever read. The evidence of a Russian plot is that I tweeted a link to Rappler,” he wrote on Twitter.

He was referring to the article released by Rappler on Monday, titled “Bots, Assange, an alliance: Has Russian propaganda infiltrated the Philippines?”

In the article, the news outfit

used a tweet by Assange as an example of “questionable tweets that raised concern about possible Russian presence in the Philippine online space.”

On Oct. 12, 2017, Assange retweeted a Rappler post denying President Duterte’s claim that it is owned by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States. He wrote a caption, “Is Rappler right?”

Rappler claimed that Assange’s tweet succeeded in casting doubts on its ownership.

Months later, the Securities and Exchange Commission revoked the certificate of incorporation of Rappler.

In the article, Rappler tied the WikiLeaks founder to the Russians, quoting an expert on digital forensics research of the “murky ties” between Assange

and the Russian government.

The article explores the supposed presence of the Russian propaganda machine in the Philippine cyberspace.

Aside from Assange, Rappler noted that a Twitter account (@ Ivan226622) allegedly used by Russia for propaganda tweeted exclusively about the Philippines.

Cited in the report were the improving relationship between the Philippine and Russian governments, as well as allegations against Moscow of meddling in various elections, including in the United States.

In his tweets, Assange, who is seeking asylum at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, questioned the validity of Rappler’s claim regarding the supposed propaganda account.

“Further, http://archive.

Congress races the clock...

PAGE A4 t and outside the ACA insurance marketplaces.

Lawmakers are looking at two primary fixes, although they could be combined.

One, pushed by Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), is called “reinsurance.”

It is a way to guarantee the insurance companies do not face large losses. The idea is that if insurers don’t have to worry about covering the expenses for their highest-cost patients, they can keep premiums lower for everyone.

The ACA actually had a temporary reinsurance program from 2014 to 2016. It was intended to help insurers get started in a market where sick people were able to buy their own insurance for the first time. Prior to the law, most insurers did not cover many people with preexisting health conditions. If they did, it was at an extremely high cost.

Since the federal program ended, several states, including Minnesota and Alaska, have adopted, with some success, their own reinsurance programs in an attempt to hold premiums down.

The other proposal, negotiated by Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.), would guarantee insurers federal reimbursement for so-called cost-sharing reduction subsidies. Those are discounts that the ACA requires insurers to provide to their lower-

income enrollees to help reduce their deductibles and other outof-pocket costs. President Donald Trump cut off federal reimbursement of those payments in October.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) pledged to Collins in exchange for her vote on the GOP tax plan in December that he would support bringing both bills to the floor for debate.

That has not happened, although in a statement, Collins said she is “continuing to have productive discussions” with Senate and House leaders about both bills.

Meanwhile, a lot has changed, including new questions about whether the fixes would work.

For starters, state insurance regulators managed to find a workaround for Trump’s sudden cancellation of the federal costsharing payments. Most states allowed insurers to offset the loss of these funds by increasing the premiums for the “silver” level plans that determine how much help enrollees get to pay those premiums. So the increases end up being paid by the federal government anyway, through higher premium subsidies. The result is that most people who get government help pay the same (or, in some cases, less), while insurers are effectively being paid back for the discounts, albeit through a different mechanism.

That means, however, if the cost-sharing reduction payments were reinstated for 2018, as the original legislation called for, insurers would have to give the excess money back to the government.

Analysts agree that would only add to the confusion.

Restoring the federal payments for this year, said Joseph Antos of the conservative American Enterprise Institute, “does not lower premiums this year, so it does absolutely no good to the average

This file photo taken on January 15, 2018 shows employees of online portal Rappler working at the company’s editorial office in Manila. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s move to ban critical news website Rappler from covering the presidential palace is a threat to press freedom, rights and media groups said on February 21, 2018.

Philstar.com photo

org shows that back in 2013, @ Ivan226622 looked exactly the same and was still promoting the Inquirer,” he wrote, disputing the article’s claim that the recent tweets about the Philippines were questionable.

“Also note that ‘Ivan’ (also spelled Iban) is a common first name in Spanish influenced cultures such as the Philippines,” added Assange.

The account has since been removed on Twitter. n

person.”

Some advocates have suggested that Congress should guarantee the payments for 2019 and 2020. But Antos said that “also makes no sense, because the insurers would then think ‘Are we going to go through this again?’”

They might raise premiums even more to make up for the uncertainty.

Antos — and many other analysts — agree that restoring or creating a new reinsurance program would likely do more to control premium increases.

Reinsurance “will protect premiums for the people who are actually most subject to them,” said Sherry Glied, a former Obama administration health official now at New York University. She was referring to those in the individual market who do not get government help and have been footing large premium increases for the past several years. That’s because having protection against the largest bills would allow insurers to lower premiums across the board.

Then there are the political considerations.

Many Republicans in Congress have called the cost-sharing reduction payments in particular a “bailout” to the insurance industry, and are resistant to reinstate the payments.

Republicans seem more amenable to the idea of reinsurance, because they consider it a type of “high risk pool,” which they have been pushing for years.

House Speaker Paul Ryan said at an event in Wisconsin in January that “I think there might be a bipartisan opportunity there to get risk pools, risk mechanisms.”

But Republicans have made clear they want something in return for what could be considered a “fix” to the health law they despise.

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar was careful to say in a meeting with reporters last week that the Trump administration has no formal position yet

on the stabilization efforts. But, he said, “I think it would need to be part of an entire set of reforms there that we would want to see.”

That would likely include more flexibility for states to opt out of some of the health law’s coverage requirements.

The delay has made Democrats more demanding, too. The repeal of the ACA’s penalties next year for people who don’t have insurance has changed the situation dramatically, said Sen. Murray.

“As I have made clear, the bipartisan bill I originally agreed on with Chairman Alexander will not make up for this latest round of Republican health care sabotage,” she said in a statement. “In fact, there are changes that now need to be made to our bill to ensure it meets its intended goals of keeping premiums down and stabilizing markets.”

But while Congress decides if it will take action, insurers are warning that doing nothing will lead to still higher premiums.

Premium rates for a “benchmark” silver plan could rise by 27 percent in 2019, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association said earlier this month.

Congressional action on reinsurance and cost-sharing, the association predicted, would help push premium rates 17 percent below this year’s levels.

“Health plans are looking for certainty in the market,” said Justine Handelman, senior vice president in the association’s policy shop.

Ideally, Congress would include the funding in measures adopted in February or March, said Handelman, who spoke with reporters during a briefing at the association’s Washington, D.C., headquarters: “Most plans are filing premium rates by April.”

Kaiser Health News senior correspondent Julie Appleby contributed to this story.

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

Book explores impact on Fil-Am identity...

PAGE A5 t forcing people to make my language their own.” In “Violent Hero,” after he plays a recording of his own version of an Eazy-E verse for his mother, he comes face to face with a postcolonial consequence that is told with humor and irony: “Regardless of my mama’s hopes & fears, regardless of my becoming, my mama says, as she wipes and wipes dead ipis legs from the nightstand: ‘Wow, anak. Ang ganda! You are so good in English.’”

Magabo- Perez, who has an M.F.A. in Writing and Consciousness from New College of California and a dual Ph.D. in Communication and Ethnic Studies from University of California, San Diego and is currently an assistant professor of English/Creative Writing at California State University, San Bernardino, is also the author of hybrid collections of poetry and prose: Phenomenology (2016).

The title of the book, This is for the Mostless, is from a Jose Garcia Villa poem. It was in a Filipino American literature course in college the he encountered the

untitled poem by Garcia Villa. “I was drawn to the first line of that poem: ‘Mostly are we mostless.’

There was something lucidly perplexing about that line. There was something in ‘the mostless’ having to do with mourning, with longing, deep respect, love, dignity, about marginalization, abundance and lack.”

“I made the declaration that that this book was intended for whatever and whoever constituted ‘the mostless’. I treat the title as an objective, as something to question and theorize as I write and the reader reads the works in the book—how they are assembled, what they look like, what they feel like, to whom and to what they are dedicated.”

“When the book was finally printed, I admitted to my partner that I still had no clear idea what the title meant! And she so very brilliantly said, ‘You know what?

Neither do I. But I know how it makes me feel.’ This book is for whatever that feeling is and whoever has produced that feeling.”

Fresh from his book tour in California, Magabo-Perez reflects on his audience and purpose.

“I’ve been fortunate to read for various kinds of audiences. The more and more I read to young Filipina/o/x students and students of color, either in creative writing or in Asian American studies or ethnic studies, I am convinced that my intentions for the book were on point. This book is for our families, our communities, our students. I’m so happy to share the work wherever and to whomever it takes me.” n

ABANICOS. Students show some of the abanicos (fans) from 13 towns and one city of Rizal province at the “Yes! Sikat ng Rizal ARTBanico” making contest with the theme, “Inang kalikasan, natatanging babae ng bayan”, held at the SM City Masinag Atrium in Antipolo City, Rizal on Wednesday, February 28.

PNA photo by Joey Razon

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A7

DATELINE PEUHILIPPINES commits €3.8 million for drug rehab in PH

Duterte warns: Foreign activity in PH Rise could trigger war

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, February 28, warned countries of risking a war with the Philippines should they conduct unwarranted fishing and exploration activities in the Philippine Rise, also referred to as Benham Rise.

In a speech before soldiers in Marawi City, Duterte asserted anew the Philippines’ exclusive rights to explore and exploit resources in the resource-rich waters.

“Yung Philippine Rise, atin talaga ‘yan (The Philippine Rise is ours),” the president stressed.

He noted that any foreign entities who wanted to conduct scientific research in the area should first secure permission from the Philippine government, backed by a recommendation from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

“Sinabi ko talaga, ‘walang mage-experiments na diyan hangga’t wala silang permiso galing sa akin (said that nobody would experiment there without my permission) but the Armed Forces will have to recommend it,” the president said.

committed is 170 million euros.

We’re going to decide on what THE European Union (EU) to do, to focus on energy and has committed 3.8 million eu- Mindanao,” Manservisi said. ros (P242 million) in funding for “We can add many millions of drug rehabilitation projects in euros depending on the projthe Philippines, where the gov- ect to be implemented with ernment has been leading an the Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank, other mulanti-illegal drugs campaign.

Stefano Manservisi, head tilateral lenders.” of the European Commission Directorate General for International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO), said the committed fund is part of the bloc’s support for the Philippine government’s “important action and program” to counter drug menace..

“We are supporting through a drug rehabilitation program, in which we are addressing how to bring back to normal life people (who) have been into these rehabilitation centers through psychological activity, teaching, education,” he said in a briefing on Friday, March 2.

The 3.8 million euros are part of the bloc’s 260-million euro total development assistance committed to the Philippines, primarily allocated for Mindanao peace process, job creation and renewable energy projects.

The EU also pledged an additional assistance worth about 170 million euros.

“What is next that needs to be

The declaration of commitment came months after President Rodrigo Duterte rejected earlier assistance offered by the EU worth 6.1 million euros.

Duterte had lashed out against the EU for “intervening” in his administration’s drug war.

“Our assistance is subject

u PAGE A9

FREE PUBLIC BENEFITS

Manila asserted its sovereign rights over Philippine Rise (formerly Benham Rise) on June 12, 2017 by planting the national flag there as the nation marked the 119th anniversary of its independence. Divers from the Philippine Navy’s newest ship, the BRP Davao del Sur, set the flag on a concrete base 57 meters below the water surface.

Inquirer.net photo

“Otherwise, no. I will not allow fishing. Magka-giyera tayo (There will be war),” he warned, adding that the Philippine government has already deployed a Marine battalion to guard the waters.

In a separate statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced that the government will oppose China’s naming of five undersea features in the Philippine Rise.

“The Philippine government is planning to contest the Chinanamed features in the Philippine

PCOO lauded for holding first nat’l info confab

DAVAO CITY — Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) has earned commendations for the successful staging of the first National Information Convention (NIC), calling it a “timely and enriching” endeavor.

“The good thing about this convention is it is enriching, enhancing and encouraging,” said Catherine Somera, information officer of Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)-Region 1, in an interview with Philippine News Agency (PNA) after the NIC 2018 held at the SMX Convention Center in SM Lanang, Davao City on February 19-21.

Somera said the NIC, organized

by PCOO through Philippine Information Agency, has enhanced

by AJPRESS

their knowledge and capabilities to become effective communicators at the grassroots level.

“It is important for me not only to be equipped with knowledge but attitude in doing our work so that we can really work in promoting government programs,” she said.

For his part, Ronaldo Cabanhaw said the NIC has enhanced his capabilities as designated public information officer (PIO) of the Parole Provision Administration in Region 6.

“It’s a big help for us in imparting information especially to the grassroots. We are happy to be part of this convention,” Cabanhaw said.

Norma Pereyras, a volunteer for

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Rise,” Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ernesto Abella told reporters in a briefing.

Last February 13, Maritime law expert Jay Batongbacal revealed that China successfully named five undersea features in the Philippines Rise last year after getting approval from the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) approved the names in 2017.

Malacañang, however, declared that it will not recognize the Chinese names.

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O PINION The main issue

FEATURES

ON Thursday, March 1, House of Representatives was holding a marathon session on whether or not to impeach Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. The nation’s chief magistrate, the first woman and the youngest ever to hold the post, had earlier in the day gone on a “wellness leave” allegedly under pressure from several of her colleagues in the Supreme Court.

Sereno is the third chief justice to face impeachment. Hilario Davide Jr. survived; Renato Corona did not. Lawmakers involved in the impeachment cases have shown that the process is largely political, with those in power simply wanting to pick their own chief magistrate, rather than an effort to improve the judicial system, which is what the country badly needs.

In the latest crisis to hit the Supreme Court, the House has gone far beyond the points raised in the original impeachment complaint in an obvious effort to send Sereno to the Senate for trial.

Her impeachment has been a foregone conclusion almost from Day One of the formal House investigation. Whether she will go the way of Corona is uncertain.

Even more uncertain is whether another lead-

ership change in the SC will lead to changes in the administration of justice. The country not only has a notoriously slow and unreliable judicial system, but is also gaining notoriety for having two types of justice: one for the poor, and the other for the rich and powerful who enjoy the best justice that money or influence can buy. The SC itself issues temporary restraining orders that can remain in place for years, and has opened the doors to perpetual litigation with its recent decisions.

Justice in this country, like economic growth, is not inclusive. The weakness of the judicial system has fueled insurgencies, aggravated poverty, driven away investors and undermined democracy. In the ongoing effort to replace Sereno, lawmakers must not lose sight of the need to address these weaknesses. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Youths, civilians and corporations make decisive move to end gun violence as Trump and GOP lawmakers dance around and do nothing — again

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS BRAVO President Donald Trump! That was quite a very moving televised meeting with Republican and Democratic lawmakers, as you spoke such powerful words that shocked the members of the Republican party and their best friends at the powerful and generous campaign contributors, the National Rifle Association (NRA).

“I’m a big fan of NRA (National Rifle Association) but I met with, had lunch with them... and said, ‘It’s time. We’ve got to stop this nonsense. It’s time,’” Trump said.

The president asked, “Doesn’t make sense I have to wait till I’m 21 to have a handgun but I can

get a [assault] weapon at 18...

You know why? Because you are afraid of the NRA.” He even suggested taking guns from mentally ill people without regard to due process, pushing to arm teachers in schools, strengthening background checks, as he touts to be the president who can solve this problem after years of inaction from his predecessors.

HOWEVER, his friends from the NRA said that Trump don’t really want gun control, based on a tweet by Chris Cox — executive director of the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action — after meeting with the president on the same night of his televised meeting with lawmakers.

“I had a great meeting tonight with @realDonaldTrump & @VP.

We all want safe schools, mental health reform and to keep guns away from dangerous people.

POTUS & VPOTUS support the Second Amendment, support due process and don’t want gun control. #NRA #MAGA,” stated Cox. NO objections from Trump, who tweeted what appears to be an endorsement of Cox’s tweet, stating, “Good (Great) meeting in the Oval Office tonight with the NRA!”, time stamped atv7:04 pm on Thursday, March 1.

Wait a minute. What is this dance with the NRA and the previous theatrics with the lawmakers just before this? Will the real Donald Trump please stand up and be counted on to solve the worsening problem of gun violence in America?

Mothers and daughters: Cynthia Bonta’s legacy is Lisa Bonta Sumii and Malaya Sumii’s intuitive leadership of authenticity and altruism Rhizomes

PROSY ABARQUEZDELACRUZ, J.D. “WHEN you are your whole self/ intact with body, mind and soul/The divine spirit of work flows through your being/Just close your eyes and listen in deep silence/And you shall hear an inner voice/always urging you to complete your unfinished tasks/ And always challenging you /to put all your heart in your work.” Fernando A. Bernardo, “The Silent Voice of Your Soul,” 2003.

“Our children can lead us into authenticity because they intuitively know how to be. They intuitively know how to live within their body and respond to their spirit. They are fully aware of the need to meet reality as it presents itself and are able to respond in a manner that we adults often aren’t. This is why it’s from our children that we can learn how to really live. “ – Shefali Tsabary, Ph.D., “The Conscious Parent: Transforming ourselves empowering our children,” 2010.

When you say mothers and daughters, one imagines sacrifice, struggle and tears in their relationships. From the time of labor — at times three days for some mothers to long hours of birthing, to nurturing the daughter to become an empowered woman with gentleness and compassion and then, becoming best friends to one another — one can say that the relationship of mothers to their daughters is a complex one.

But, it is layered with many lev-

Three generations of Bontas: Lisa with Malaya (front) and Cynthia (back).

Lisa and daughter Malaya positioning dental tools. Photos by Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D.

els of humanity and with all the emotions a human being can feel.

And with granddaughters, all is about overflowing joy, a mutuality of love and affirmation!

For Cynthia Bonta, a tireless activist for social justice, her life is not limited to just parenting her three children (Lisa, Rob and Marcelo). Nor is it grandparenting her seven grandchildren, whom she personally took care of, while their parents worked, or kept tabs of them growing up

— among them becoming an accomplished ballet dancer, sports athlete and even a sultry jazz singer with an a capella group at Yale University.

With a state agency’s professional career prior to her retirement, she is also an activist tireless for social change, whether it is against the Marcos dictatorship to restore human rights and democracy in the Philippines, to curriculum reform in the Califor-

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Western, Met Life, etc.

Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers in Georgia sided with the NRA and threatened to punish the Atlanta-based Delta Airlines!

WHO DO YOU SUPPORT? Enough is enough? Then make a stand to end gun violence in America. Let your voices be heard in your community, on social media, and in the ballot.

VOTE OUT politicians beholden to the NRA! They do not work for YOU and for AMERICA. ***

BUT as Trump dances to the tune of “Changing Partners” and as the Republicans in Congress yet again delay voting on any measure related to gun control, the the youth of America — led by the survivors of the Parkland, Florida shooting along with civilians all around the nation — have been protesting in the streets and calling for action in the communities, in Washington, on social media, and radio and television programs.

They were heard by an overwhelming majority of Americans who now support stricter gun control laws and regulations, including increasing the required age to purchase guns from 18 to 21, a ban on assault rifles and powerful magazines, a stronger implementation of background

checks, more stringent rules to purchase and keep a gun, etc.

Trump’s proposed arming of teachers in school had also been widely rejected by most teachers, students, educators, gun safety advocates, law enforcers, and many more sectors of society.

Corporations have also heeded the call. Dick’s Sporting Goods moved to end sales of assault-style rifles in U.S. stores, while Walmart, LL Bean, Kroger raised minimum age for gun purchases to 21.

Other companies have also cut ties with the NRA by discontinuing discounts to NRA members, and by cutting ties with their suppliers who support the NRA — companies like REI, Delta, United Airlines, Best

Commentary

Why I’m running for Congress

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

RAJI RAB I AM Raji Rab and my name is on the June 5, 2018 ballot for the U.S. House of Representatives. I am a seasoned aviator, an educator and an entrepreneur, but above all, I am a humanitarian.

My life has been blessed with accomplishments and selfless endeavors.

Professionally at the age of 18, I got my commercial pilot license from La Verne, California. Thereafter I became a flight instructor, chief pilot, owned and operated a flight school, an airline and a computer infrastructure facility.

Personally, I have served a lifetime, finding happiness in helping people without any compensation, which I believe is the best natural qualification to run for any political office.

With the last 18 years of my life fully dedicated to helping diversified communities, I collectively cherish an eventful experience of over 35 years, possessing a sharp judgment of a security conscious aviator with an innovative approach of a space-age operative. I have a son and a daughter. My son graduated from USC Keck School of Medicine and is as a doctor.

My daughter graduated from Cal State University, Northridge and serves at a mental health agency, helping the homeless.

In view of worsening living conditions, homelessness on the rise, no advancement, no new jobs, no accountability and no leadership, I couldn’t stand on the sidelines, I entered the political arena and have taken leadership. I felt my humanitarian duty to step up, protect fundamental rights, restore safety of women at work, take strict measures in our congressional office so that the shocking

Raji Rab, candidate running for California’s 30th Congressional District

accusations of sexual misconduct that has come to light within the administration is never repeated.

There is no excuse for sexual harassment which displays total failure of leadership in addition to years of downgraded conditions and economic hardship in California’s 30th congressional district.

I am not a typical politician.

Helping diversified communities over the years, I have earned the respect of all, seen through motivated community volunteers supporting my campaign promotion and events.

Upon being elected, I will be there for you, making life easy for all. Unlike special interest groups, my loyalties shall remain resolute towards public interest forever. I give due appreciation to the wealthy and heartiest support to the less fortunate. Time’s up for excuses as the dignity of life in our district matters and I

am asking for your vote. I will work with all sides for a full clean up of the devastating Santa Susana nuclear contamination in our district causing health hazards for so many years. I will address the national security and terrorism issues with realistic policies and friendly international relations to jointly defeat crimes against humanity. I will add better-paying jobs, promote small businesses, remove burdensome regulations, offer VA better choices, ease student debt and remove harsh penalties. I will protect the environment, encourage visionary prospects, ease health care, Medi-Cal, Medicare and social security. I will address water safety, advance energy issues, bring large business to help small business and work to reduce the federal debt. I stand to compete in goodness, protect constitutional rights and secure

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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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OpiniOn & Features

Mothers and daughters: Cynthia Bonta’s legacy...

PAGE A8 t

nia schools to include people of color’s histories and contributions of building civic lives in America, to today’s tenants’ struggle for reasonable rent control in the Bay Area.

Cynthia’s life is more than about herself. She looks for folks willing to receive, her mentees, and for whom she can pass on her wisdom, and together, contribute to social causes.

She founded the Philippine National Day Association (PNDA) and as an organization mentors middle and high school students in Sacramento on how to become passionate leaders of change and inspiring examples of leaders who care for others. Can you imagine a SHEro who has made a life of more than five decades of noble altruism?

Noble, in the sense of selflessness, and without self-created benefits and altruism, which means giving one’s life to help others. As I write this, I can think of two women icons, Grace Lee Boggs and Dolores Huerta, who both are lifelong progressive activists for social change.

Even at 80 years old, Cynthia has not slowed down. Last year, around August, she received the highest award bestowed to an alumnus of Silliman University, the Outstanding Sillimanian award, for her many lifelong contributions. A banner greeted her at Dumaguete airport congratulating her for this Sillimanian award.

An opening theater play greeted all the returning Sillimanians on Saturday, followed by a worship hour in their beautiful church the next Sunday morning and a two-mile long parade, with all the floats built by students and their teachers in different colleges. That was just the start of the weekend.

It was followed by driving her through the parade in an electric car, and the next day, a full regalia of color guards’ formation saluted her, as she alighted her special vehicle.

It was a parade normally given to heads of state, yet, here was Cynthia, an octogenarian, validated for what she has done for Dumaguete and Silliman University, and of course in California.

In January 2017, as Alameda Sister City’s VP, she headed the Alameda-Dumaguete Sister City Committee, which enabled the 170 volunteers of the Philippine Medical Society of Northern Cali-

health, happiness, and prosperity for all. I support values of peace, fairness, equality to lead everyone especially our youth to a successful future.

My dear fellow Americans, it’s time to vote and your vote matters. Please go to www.lavote. net and register to vote by mail.

Your ballot will come in the mail, you can fill in the ballot and mail it back. Please participate in this

honorable cause. Pass my message, join my effort and make history. Vote for me, to rise above all discriminating factors of race, color, gender and religion as one for all and all for one. Vote for me if you support the #TimesUp and #Metoo movements, as it is a vote against the sexual harassment. Vote for me for debt-free education, better jobs, better healthcare and peaceful relief.

Vote for me if you want a Good

Samaritan in Congress, because I see us all as fellow Americans and I am committed to set a far better future for our seniors, our children and for us all. Now you have a solemn duty to vote for the same or to vote for a change.

Change is necessary because I care and I will serve you better.

Thank you. *** Raji Rab is a candidate running for California’s 30th Congressional District.

EU commits €3.8 million for drug....

Cynthia at the pharmacy with volunteers

PAGE A7 t

to no unilateral conditions or whatsoever in nature,” Manservisi said. “Our action is in the framework of Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA).”

The PCA provides new and enhanced legal framework that enables the Philippines and the EU to strengthen their bilateral relationship on “political, social and economic matters,” including human rights. It took effect on Thursday, March 1.

In a statement, the EU delegation described the PCA as a Dr. Jerry Velasco injecting anesthesia

A

Why I’m running for Congress

PAGE A8 t

fornia to provide medical, surgical, dental, ophthalmological services to over 9,000 residents of Dumaguete. There was such an organized mobilization of local resources given the logistical and local support of then-Dumaguete Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria, now a Philippine Congress representative.

2018 PMSNC’s medical mission in Santa Barbara, Iloilo In 2018, we find Cynthia with Lisa Bonta Sumii, her daughter, a psychotherapist by profession, and her granddaughter, Malaya Sumii, an 11-year-old 5th grader in California who took off two weeks to join the 2018 medical mission in Iloilo and a side trip to Dumaguete.

Cynthia helped with dispensing pharmaceuticals based on physicians’ prescriptions and facilitated a wellness seminar led

by Enrique Dela Cruz for barangay health workers.

Lisa and Malaya became part of the dental team. All volunteers paid their own way to go to the mission. I sat down with mother and daughter for an interview, my first time to meet them, and I had a chance to observe them.

Dr. Jeremy Velasco brought not only his own dental tools,

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • mARch 3-6, 2018

Photos by Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D.

stuffed toys but also paid for his two dental staffers to travel and to work all five days.

With this cohesive and patientfocused team, 456 dental patients in Santa Barbara, Iloilo were attended to in five days, and their rotten teeth extracted.

Implicit trust amongst professionals and volunteers is the underlying ingredient of an effective medical mission teamwork and successful outcomes, which I saw in the surgical team after I observed the outpatient department.

Lisa and Malaya were assigned to help Velasco (a practicing dentist) and Mila Viernes, a registered nurse with dental expertise.

Malaya had a simple task: to write down the name of the patient, and the tooth to be extracted, the exact number called out by the dentist on a dental form and then, verified by the dental assistant. She also circled out the correct dose of antibiotics and the pain medications.

Malaya stayed focused and at times, did not even take breaks.

When I asked where her strong work ethic came from, Lisa credited it to the long hours of being

u PAGE A10

reflection of the longstanding partnership the bloc has with Filipinos, as well as its commitment to investing in a strong and mutually beneficial relationship with the Philippines.

Through the PCA’s ratification, the EU delegation said both parties had reaffirmed their joint commitment to the principles of good governance, democracy, the rule of law, the promotion of social and economic development, and to peace and security in the region.

“The PCA will also help to

shape the wider relationship between the EU and the Philippines moving forward, contributing to enhanced political and economic ties through enhancing cooperation across a wide range of areas of mutual interest, including justice and security reform, migration, trade and development cooperation, regional challenges, the environment and political dialogues,” the EU delegation added.

The PCA, which was signed in 2012, was ratified by the Philippine Senate last January 22. n

A10 march 3-6, 2018 • La WEEKEND aSIaN JOUrNaL

Dateline PhiliPPines

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

‘Donation proves Rappler’s violation’ Duterte lauds Trump’s proposal by ralph

VillanueVa ManilaTimes.net

U.S.-BASED Omidyar Network’s donation of its voided securities to 14 managers of Rappler was an “admission” that the online news outfit violated the constitutional ban on foreign ownership in media entities, Malacañang said on Thursday, March 1.

Omidyar Network said on Wednesday it was “donating” its Philipine Depositary Receipts (PDRs) in Rappler, worth about $1.5 million, to local managers to

fend off the government’s push to shut down the site, which is critical of the Duterte government.

“It is an admission against interest that they violated our Constitution because they said, now it removes the only obstacle that keeps Rappler from operating. That is an admission,” Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said.

The move also strengthens the decision of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that the news site had foreign owners, he said.

“No less than their [fund source]now admitted that there is a violation of the Philippine Constitution, [that they even]took steps hoping that this would rectify [the violation],” Roque said.

A statement by the Omidyar Network, released by Rappler, said: “The donation completely eliminates the sole basis of the SEC ruling against Rappler Incorporated and Rappler Holdings Corporation.”

No censorship The “admission” also vindicated the Palace’s statement that barring Rappler reporter Pia Ranada-Robles was “not an act of censorship or an infringement of press freedom,” the Palace spokesman said.

Roque said that if Omidyar Network, owned by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, really wanted to assist Rappler, the two parties must form a new corporation.

He said the donation did not “cure” anything, and Rappler remained barred from covering presidential events.

On January 15, the SEC revoked Rappler’s certificate of incorporation for allegedly violating the Philippine Constitution and statutory foreign equity restrictions in mass media.

The ruling came after President Rodrigo Duterte accused Rappler of selling a controlling stake in the company to Omidyar Network.

A month later, Ranada-Robles was barred from entering the Palace.

Inform court, Rappler told Also on Thursday, the SEC said Omidyar Network’s donation of PDRs to managers of Rappler should be cleared with the Court of Appeals (CA).

“Considering that the Commission’s decision against Rappler is currently pending appeal before the CA, any action on this supervening event must be coursed through the Honorable Court through an appropriate pleading or manifestation,” the SEC said in a statement.

“To date, we are unaware of any such pleading or manifestation officially conveying this information to the CA and for what specific relief. In view of the foregoing, the Commission would like to remind all the relevant parties to abide by the sub judice rule and refrain from making unnecessary pronouncements through the media when recourse to judicial processes is readily available,” it added.

The Commission said it would study Omidyar Network’s move. (with Angelica Ballesteros)

to execute drug dealers by

Gaea Katreena CabiCo Philstar.com

President Rodrigo Duterte praised United States President Donald Trump’s desire to execute drug dealers to address America’s opioid crisis.

“Was it yesterday or the other day? Tignan mo ‘yung front page ng either Bulletin or ‘yung Philippine Star. ‘Trump, he would like to follow Duterte because they have no problem in the Philippines, he just killed them,’” Duterte said Thursday, March 1, during the National Special Weapon and Tactics Challenge.

The firebrand leader said that Trump was absolutely right.

“Tama ka talaga, Trump. P***** i**. Bilib ako sa’yo. Nagsasabi ka ng totoo,” Duterte said.

He added that he prefers drug personalities who resist arrest.

“Bakit? Kung lumaban ka hindi kita patayin? Ay naku.

Eh ‘yun nga ang gusto ko eh.

Mas gusto kong lumaban ka,” Duterte said.

An Axios report, citing five sources who have spoken to Trump about the topic, said that the U.S. leader lauds Singapore’s mandatory death penalty for drug trafficking offenses.

The U.S. news outlet also reported that Trump seems to admire the drug policies of China and the Philippines.

“He (Trump) often jokes about killing drug dealers... He’ll say, ‘You know the Chinese and Filipinos don’t have drug problem. They just kill them,’” a senior administration official told Axios.

In an opioid summit at the White House Thursday, Trump said that the United States has

“to be very strong on penalties,” citing countries that have much stricter punishments for drug dealers.

Trump had earlier congratulated Duterte for his administration’s crackdown against illegal drugs.

“Many countries have the problem, we have a problem, but what a great job you are doing and I just wanted to call and tell you that,” Trump told Duterte.

Individuals and organizations both at home and abroad have criticized Duterte for his ferocious war on drugs which has claimed over 12,000 lives, according to human rights watchdogs.

The government, however, dispute these numbers and counts a little over 4,000 “drug personalities” killed in police operations. n

Duterte warns: Foreign activity in PH Rise...

PAGE A7 t

During a Senate hearing on Monday, February 26, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon reported that China illegally surveyed the Philippine Rise in 2004, which led to the naming

of the undersea features.

“We have raised the issue of unauthorized researches conducted by the Institute of Oceanology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences during our bilateral consultation mechanism in Ma-

nila last February 13,” Abella added.

According to him, said both countries “agreed that all marine science research henceforth must have the consent of the Philippines.” n

Mothers and daughters: Cynthia Bonta’s legacy...

PAGE A9 t on a softball team. “Being a player helps Malaya with focus and endurance,” she said.

Lisa, a psychotherapist, helped in counseling the patients before the rotten tooth was removed.

She said: “Often, I would comfort the mother of the child who was getting a tooth extracted. Other times, I would simply put her hand on the shoulder or the leg of the child or adult and tell them everything was going to be ok.

There was one mother who was determined for her young daughter, of maybe 9 or 10 years old, to have a few of her teeth extracted.

“Who knows the story as to why she was so insistent - the time they took to get her there, the long line they waited in for their turn, how expensive it would be if it wasn’t done at the mission, etc....But the girl was insistent that she would not have it done, at least not now right then. She kicked, screamed, and protesting, verbally and physically. I directed them away from the dental area and reassured the girl everything was going to be fine, nothing has to happen right now. She offered the option, to the mother, to maybe return tomorrow to try again, but that it might be a little too much for her daughter to take, today. She nodded and agreed.

They left the mission, for that day, arm in arm. They returned the next day, for a successful and positive experience.”

To those who were brave, Lisa held the jaw and after the extraction, she gave the child a stuffed toy or hand-me-down clothes from Malaya’s brother, Jaxon. One patient got so excited, he took off his clothes and paraded in his newly donated shirt and pants.

But, one patient kept crying and could not calm down. Velasco assured him it was okay to come back. A half hour later, he came back, braver, and without tears, submitted to the dental extraction, and smiled when he got his stuffed toy.

Lisa and Malaya gained the team’s trust and both got to do more tasks. Lisa got to hold the hammer while Mila, the nurse with dental expertise chiseled the tooth off the jaw. Why? These patients ate sugar cane and the sugar cane fibers got embedded into their jaws and without tooth cleaning, bacteria proliferated.

The rotten tooth had to be dislodged using chisel and hammer and of course, anesthesia injections to numb the spots. Can you imagine Lisa, with no prior dental experience, now trusted to help out with complex molar extractions?

After Malaya’s stint in the dental station, she assisted pediatrics and later, the respiratory station, and using a stethoscope, she heard the abnormal breathing of lungs filled with mucus, and after nebulizer treatment, lungs got clear. She would proactively guide patients into the respiratory station, as she could spot those who could not breathe.

“Helping patients with respiratory needs was especially interesting, as she has asthma herself and as a younger girl, often needed nebulizer treatments,” Lisa said.

Cultural insights of mother and daughter and feedback on their volunteer experiences Cynthia shared that Lisa spent long summers during her middle and high school years with her Ninang Sylvia (Cynthia’s older sister) and cousins Bambi and Tinky in Los Baños. That cultural immersion gave Lisa an in-depth understanding of the Filipino native culture.

Lisa shares her insights about

Dr. Jerry Velasco with Malia and a dental assistant

the medical mission: “Brown saving brown. You see brown professionals in the medical and dental areas, while in the U.S., white professionals serving brown in the medical area, which gives rise to this ‘savior’ mentality amongst white groups of rescuing brown people.”

She contrasted her experience of not seeing immediate results, as a psychotherapist with a private practice in Oakland.

“Here you see immediate results,” while Malaya blurts out her affirmation: “Mommy, you could have been a very good dentist.”

Malaya texted her best friends, Mave and Ella, in California: “how different the lifestyle was [in Iloilo]. I like that instead of using salt, sugar and catsup, they were using their natural resources, bananas.

Also, cows, goats (which Malaya saw in nearby farms) I like that there are not so many buildings and many more houses. And they have a song for everything.”

Mom then hummed the song lines, “Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara.” Her role was to calm the patients: “You see the tooth come out, you touch them, and reassure them.”

Lisa distinguished the qualities of Filipinos born in the Philippines who are down to earth, with humility, and a simple way of being, while Filipino-Americans worry about too many things, take things so seriously.

Yet, she sensed that their cultural differences fall away and become one, as they worked for the medical mission: focused on being kind, on being loving, and being able to take care of “the other,” the patient in need.

As to where the motivation comes from, Cynthia shared that “it was the mother-daughter’s combined passion that took them to volunteer for such a serious mission — to bring health care to helpless countrymen (kababayans) — supported by Dad, Aron who stayed home with Jaxon. I did not suggest nor tell them to do the medical mission. It was Malaya that was strongly and adventurously for the idea as soon as I got back from the Dumaguete Mission in 2017.”

“Malaya said to me proudly, ‘My best experience was with the dental station. It is nothing to me anymore to look into mouths with rotten teeth and smell the blood mixed with their bad breath.’ I was emotionally impressed with this as I do not think I could do it myself,” Cynthia added.

As to what the medical mission meant for Lisa, she said, “It’s such a once in a lifetime opportunity to travel to the Philippines and participate in this

Photo by by Lisa Bonta Sumii

medical mission with my mother and my daughter. Something I never really imagined could happen. Three generations working together for a common cause, in spite of the generational gap.

Each of us having our own inner motivation and commitment. The pride I have for my people does not exclude the how proud I am of them both.”

Do you readers get a sense of how Malaya is being raised with positivity and excellent examples of humane women around her, primarily her mom and her grandmother? At one point, this writer told Malaya, “Oh how I love your fresh eyes of seeing the Filipinos!”

Cynthia underscored that “it was Lisa’s thoughtful support for her daughter, Malaya, providing her the guidance in positively processing her experiences in a strange and new place and culture was an important factor in making such a strong impact on Malaya. As a mother (seeing Lisa in demand to assist complex molar extractions and even ended up suturing gums), this showed strong surrender to the commitment to be of help wherever needed. And as a grandmother, I am very impressed, very proud and very moved.”

I dare to say it was the best version of humanity that Cynthia was describing but also, because in her family, being kind and being helpful to others are second nature to them.

It has been passed on from her Cynthia, into their bloodlines, and now, Lisa, her daughter and Malaya, her granddaughter, who are better versions of themselves, for the next generations to come.

It is a great testament that Cynthia’s lifelong service to others has become what mom and daughter choose to do for themselves, as well.

This March, Women’s History Month, I cannot think of a fitting tribute than to spotlight these three women and young girl who are servant leaders! I salute 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.

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

Dateline PhiliPPines

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • mARch 3-6, 2018

A11

Sereno: ‘Give me my day in court’

by Thom

PicAñA ManilaTimes.net

Pacquiao, by himself, has been trying to secure the fight in the Malaysian capital. A couple times, he has met with a member of the Malaysian royal family regarding the plan.

Philstar.com photo

Manny Pacquiao comeback bout in Kuala Lumpur?

by AbAc

cordero Philstar.com

MANILA — Manny Pacquiao would rather fight in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as the main attraction, than in the United States, as an undercard to the Jeff Horn-Terence Crawford title bout in April.

“Insulto naman ‘yun (It’s an insult to me),” said Pacquiao in rejecting the offer from Bob Arum for him to be in the undercard of the Top Rank show set in Las Vegas either April 14 or April 21.

Pacquiao, by himself, has been trying to secure the fight in the Malaysian capital. A couple times, he has met with a member of the Malaysian royal family regarding the plan.

The Filipino senator, who will turn 40 in December, said his ring return can be staged in Kuala Lumpur from April 29 to May 5.

“Hindi pa naman late (It’s not too late). Puwede pa sa (It’s still

possible for) April or May. Pwede na ako mag-training (I can start training),” said the eight-division world champion.

If the fight is sealed soon, Pacquiao will have a window of six to eight weeks to train for his first fight since July last year when he lost the WBO welterweight crown to Horn in Brisbane.

Negotiations are on regarding the opponent but the Pacquiao camp would rather withhold the name of the opponent, someone who does not belong to the Top Rank stable.

Pacquiao, in fact, had entertained thoughts of staging his comeback fight in Hong Kong or Macau.

Pacquiao’s information officer, Aquiles Zonio, said an announcement will be made once everything is sealed.

Arum had wanted to pit Pacquiao against former world junior-bantamweight champion

Mike Alvarado in April, and if successful, he can fight the winner between Horn and Crawford in the fall.

Pacquiao had instead expressed interest in facing Lucas Matthysse, the 35-year-old WBA welterweight champion from Argentina, who is 39-4 with 33 knockouts.

The Filipino superstar wants Matthysse, who belongs to Golden Boy Promotions, over Alvarado, the 37-year-old Arum fighter from Denver, Colorado, who is 384 but has lost four of his last nine fights.

Pacquiao, according to his spokesman, did not turn down the offer to fight in the US due to conflict with his senatorial duties. In fact, the Senate will be on a break from March 23 to May 14, providing him with ample time for training and the fight itself.

“It’s not because of any conflict in schedule (Senate),” he said. n

PCOO lauded for holding first nat’l...

PAGE A7 t

39 years of different non-government organizations from Tagum City, said she attended the NIC even without an invitation.

“It’s my commitment to help our government though I came from private sector,” she said. “This is what we need today. This is very timely with all the fake news going around.”

Through the convention, she said she was able to appreciate more the Duterte administration which has been doing an “amazing” job in empowering the public communicators to engage the citizenry in nation-building.

Pereyras said she congratulated

PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar for the successful hosting of the NIC, requesting him to hold more similar events.

“I told Secretary Andanar not to stop here. Go and reach more,” she said, hoping the next convention will include officials of the country’s more than 42,000 barangays.

Throughout the three-day event, powerhouse speakers discussed topics on government programs and policies, media environment, raising the bar of governance, responsible communication, engaging citizenry in nation-building and communication strategy.

After the convention, Andanar and 17 representatives from different regions led the audience in reading of the Declaration of Commitment to Responsible Communication.

Andanar said the declaration of commitment will be submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte, hoping it will be transformed into manifesto of support for stronger and empowered government information officers.

He promised to use all resources of government media to produce truthful and factual news and information down to the remotest barangays of the country. (Jelly Musico/PNA)

BAGUIO CITY — A day after going on indefinite leave, a defiant Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno turned up at the Summer Capital on Friday morning, March 2 rejecting calls for her to resign and calling instead for a fair impeachment trial at the Senate.

Speaking at a forum on judicial reforms at the University of Baguio, Sereno said the only way she could clear herself of the impeachment charges was through a full trial.

“I do not owe anyone the duty to resign. I owe the people the duty to say my story,” the chief justice said.

“Give me my day in the Senate Impeachment Court or admit there is no probable cause,” she added.

On Tuesday, 13 justices of the Supreme Court confronted Sereno over a number of her supposed infractions of court rules, including “illegal” appointments and her failure to submit all of her statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) when she applied for the job of chief justice.

In the en banc meeting, Sereno was told to go on an indefinite leave ahead of her looming impeachment trial in the Senate.

Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio took over as acting chief justice.

Lawyer Lorenzo Gadon, the impeachment complainant, accuses Sereno of betrayal of public trust and culpable violation of the Constitution for: granting allowances and other perks to herself and her staff on foreign trips; preventing judges from issuing warrants of arrest against Sen. Leila de Lima on drug related charges; acquiring a P9-million bulletproof luxury car; falsifying the temporary restraining order involving the dispute on the elected representatives of the Coalition of Associations of Senior Citizens in the Philippines Inc.; failing to declare P37 million in fees as government counsel in her SALNs; and manipulating the shortlist of the Judicial and Bar Council to exclude then Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza, for personal and political reasons, thereby curtailing the President’s power to appoint members of the judiciary.

Explaining their action against Sereno in an unprecedented statement on Wednesday, the 13 jus-

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno Philstar.com photo

tices said: “After extended deliberations last Tuesday, February 27, 2018, thirteen of the Justices present arrived at a consensus that the Chief Justice should take an indefinite leave. Several reasons were mentioned by the various justices.

After consulting with the two most senior justices, the Chief Justice herself announced that she was taking an indefinite leave, with the amendment that she start the leave on Thursday, March 1, 2018.”

In Baguio on Friday, Sereno urged to public to respect the impeachment process as prescribed by law.

The House justice committee has ended its hearings on the impeachment complaint, and is expected to recommend the filing of articles of impeachment with the Senate for the trial.

“I will give an account of my actions as chief justice to the people,” Sereno said.

Appointment questioned For lawyer Oliver Lozano, however, a trial is not needed as Sereno should be removed from her post for her failure to comply with the requirements to be appointed to office.

In his four-page petition, Lozano urged the court to declare void Sereno’s appointment “in the paramount interest of public welfare.”

“The appointment Chief Justice Sereno is questioned as void for non-compliance with mandatory legal requirements of her appointment,” it stated.

He stressed that under Article 5 of the Civil Code, “[a]ny act against a mandatory or prohibitory provision of law is void.”

“The protracted and scandalous controversy over the validity of Chief Justice Sereno’s appointment, and impeachment against her have caused deep division and dissension in the Bench (courts)

and Bar (lawyers),” Lozano pointed out.

Lozano said the high court must act promptly, motu proprio or on its own, on the issue, using its “inherent and plenary powers.”

“The verdict [of the Supreme Court]will also preserve the independence of the judiciary from congress,” he added.

“Any public official should be above reproach and suspicion like the wife of Julius Caesar. Any technicality that undermines justice must be slain at sight like an outlaw.”

Earlier, Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution President Eligio Mallari urged the Office of the Solicitor General to seek quo warranto proceedings in the Supreme Court to oust Sereno from office.

Mallari noted that Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta himself had testified before the House that Sereno’s appointment was “void from the beginning” because of her failure to submit all of her SALNs to the Judicial and Bar Council, which screens court appointees.

Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro told lawmakers Sereno’s appointment was a clear “grave injustice” to those who had complied with the requirement of filing their SALNs conscientiously.

IBP warns vs unseating Sereno Also on Friday, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) warned the Supreme Court justices against moves to unseat Sereno, saying the only legal way to remove her was through a conviction by the Senate impeachment court.

“We express firm belief that conviction after an impeachment trial is the only constitutionally recognized mode by which to remove a sitting Chief Justice. The Constitution reigns supreme over all other rules. Any artifice or device intended to solely target the Chief Justice and short-circuit the process would be repugnant to the Constitution, and must be slain on sight if our democratic processes are to be observed,” the IBP said in a statement signed by IBP National President Abdiel Dan Elijah Fajardo.

The IBP also welcomed the assumption of Carpio as acting chief justice.

“There are no better hands to take the baton of leadership in the meantime that we wait for evidence to be presented or controverted in the impending trial of Chief Justice Sereno,” the IBP said. (with Jomar Canlas And Llanesca T. Panti)

A12 march 3-6, 2018 • La WEEKEND aSIaN JOUrNaL

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Journal

Angelica cites ‘toxic’ relationship as Sarah Geronimo awarded ‘Best Philippine Act’ in New York reason for breakup with John Lloyd

by Marinel

r. Cruz

Inquirer.net

eMBrAce the pain,” said Angelica Panganiban when asked for the best advice she could give people like her who have gone through painful breakups.

“You can’t skip the steps. You have to go through the process before you can finally say you’ve totally moved on,” she added. “If you miss a step, you’ll just have to go back to it, till you learn the lesson that the whole experience is trying to teach you.” the actress collaborated with ABs-cBN Publishing to come up with a book, Beau Ang’s “Para Kay ex,” the foreword of which she wrote.

“When the idea for a book was first presented to me, I said I first have to study every page before I say ‘yes’ to it. I suggested some changes and asked for some photos to be removed. they made the necessary corrections, so you could say I was very much involved with the book, even though it’s just the foreword that I wrote.”

Angelica dated actor John Lloyd cruz for over three years before they called it quits in March 2016. the ex-couple was reported to have gone out several times until

Angeica Panganiban reveals in her book “Para Kay Ex” the reason she broke up with John Lloyd Cruz.

Inquirer.net photo

photos of John Lloyd hanging out with his “Home sweetie Home” co-star ellen Adarna started circulating late last year. He is now rumored to have gotten ellen pregnant.

At the book’s autograph-signing session, Angelica was asked to state the reason for the breakup in relation to an item in the book, called “Bakit Wala Nang Kayo?”

It featured seven reasons, of which Angelica chose No. 7, or “Natanggal ang Helmet.” this meant that one of them had finally come to his or her senses and realized that their relation-

ship was nothing but “toxic.”

As to how well she was coping with the pain, Angelica said she was already in the “Jennylyn Mercado stage.”

Another item in the book explains the five stages of moving on. the Jennylyn Mercado level, or the “Ultimate survivor stage,” is when a person no longer feels any ounce of pain and hatred toward her ex.

However, asked if she was ready for a new love, the 31-yearold said: “I’m still scared to feel kilig.” she added: “I’m at a point in my life when I value my own happiness more than anything.”

A first time for Glaiza and Jak by lhar

Santiago ManilaTimes.net

Glaize De Castro and Jak Roberto GMA photo

AFter bring paired with more mature leading men, Glaiza De castro is finally getting a younger partner for her new soap, “contessa,” in Jak roberto.

It is their first time to work together and Glaiza has nothing but praises for her new leading man’s work ethic and dedication to his craft. coming from a rom-com series with Barbie Forteza (“Meant

to Be”), Jak is well aware he needs to make big adjustments with contessa being a heavy drama. In fact, the first few taping days saw him hard at work.

“I had to unlearn some mannerisms that I unconsciously brought from ‘Meant to Be.’ Saka, just to think that I am with ‘the’ Glaiza De castro in front of the camera, I was always asking myself if I was acting right. Alam naman natin how good Glaiza is as an actress so I really give PAGE B2

Sarah Geronimo Photo from instagram/@ justsarahgph

Actress and pop star sarah Geronimo was recently hailed as “Best Philippine Act” by an international award-giving body in New York.

Golden Panther Awards 2018, which honors international music artists from all over the globe, hailed sarah G as the “Best Philippine Act” in a red carpet ceremony on February 25 in New York city. the award was based on fan votes. the honor coincides with sarah’s 15th anniversary in showbiz.

Fifteen years ago, in 2003, sarah became the grand champion of singing contest “star For A Night,” and this started her journey to stardom. the pop icon will mark her 15th anniversary through a grand concert, “this 15 Me,” on April 14 at the Araneta coliseum in Quezon city.

According to reports, the concert is already sold out, but a new section will be added to accommodate more fans. sarah is also working on the finishing touches of her latest movie with James reid and Xian Lim, “Miss Granny,” Filipino version of the south Korean flick that tells of an old woman who regains her youth and changes her name to find love and happiness. (Deni rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo/Philstar.com)

B2 MARCH 3-6, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

FEATURES

Rachel Alejandro ‘daring, baring’ in FHM

by RICKY LO

nonetheless found herself challenged to look her best for the pictorial.

“The Christmas holidays were just around the corner back then and that’s usually the time of year for enjoying time with the family and all the eating that comes along with it. I knew I had to get down to business after the holiday festivities if I wanted to rock that cover.”

Actually, Operation “RockFHM’s-Cover” wasn’t really extreme. It consisted of techniques that Rachel already knew would work for her whenever she needed to get leaner than usual. She shares these slimming secrets in “21 Days to a Sexier You,” a new cookbook + weight-loss plan

by The Sexy Chef, a diet food service Rachel has co-owned with her chef sister Barni Alejandro since 2004.

For 21 days, Rachel ate only KETO (ketogenic) meals delivered by her company. That diet was personalized further by including more seafood dishes and less meat to suit her taste preference.

Rachel also continued weight training every other day with Alex, her personal trainer at Fitness First. The regular training was intensified with two days per week of cardio and abdominal workouts.

To keep her skin radiant, Rachel went for treatments at SkinCell Advanced Aesthetic Clinic.

On the last five days before the shoot, Rachel removed all

additional salt in her food.

“That helped with getting rid of any bloat and bringing AND finally, after “hemming out definition on my abs,” she and hawing,” Rachel Alejandro explained. “On the day of the has agreed to bare it (“darpictorial, I also limited my intake ing and baring” for a star with of water.” a wholesome image) in FHM When her date with FHM came, Philippines’ 18th-anniversary Rachel didn’t feel any jitters. “Evissue, the country’s undisputed eryone on the team — from the biggest-selling men’s glossy wardrobe stylist, photographer, magazine. This development to the makeup artist and hair comes on the heels of Rachel’s stylist — was very professional. comeback as a film star and I could tell immediately they had first time as an executive progreat taste and were at the top of ducer for “Ang Larawan,” the their game.”

43rd Metro Manila Film Festival Posing mostly in lingerie, in(MMFF) Best Picture winner side the hotel suite and outside which is also currently touring of the banquet hall, Rachel was different schools around the completely comfortable.

Philippines and gearing up for “I didn’t feel self-conscious screenings abroad. at any point because I knew I Rachel played the role of was in good hands. Besides, I Paula (a spinster) in the Filifelt I was prepared. I had put in pino musical based on Nick the work.”

Joaquin’s play, A Portrait of the Since the shoot was done Artist as Filipino. Going from during the day, there were many mousy old maid to FHM cover guests and employees milling girl doesn’t happen every day about the hotel. and so her reaction to the offer “We shot some of the layouts was a mixture of pleasure and in a corridor where a few people surprise. would be walking by intermit“I laughed out loud and tently,” recalled Rachel. “Instead was incredulous when I heard of getting distracted, I was more that FHM wanted me as their amused. I saw them do a double March cover girl,” Rachel wrote take to check if their eyes were on her Facebook page. “Really? not deceiving them and that there Me...at this age? Then I began was, in fact, a half-naked woman to realize what kind of preparaposing just meters away from tion it would take and swallowed them. I just found it funny.” hard. Keri ba? I needed at least Rachel also wanted to use the 21 days to prepare!” opportunity that FHM gave her A healthy lifestyle advocate to show women of all ages that who adheres to proper diet being fit and sexy requires hard and regular exercise, Rachel work but with the right attitude, it can be achieved by anyone.

“It isn’t every day one gets invited to grace the cover of FHM, so of course, that took some extra effort. But the way I look at being fit and sexy is not a one-time-big-time thing. It’s something I’ve committed to for life. It’s my job as a singer/actor/diet food business owner to be as healthy as I can possibly be,” she said.

Not everyone has a chance to land on a magazine cover, but everyone should strive to eat well and keep healthy. As Rachel advised, “If you look at fitness as something to do just to lose weight now, you will always fall back on your old ways. Even if your job didn’t depend on always being in shape like in my case, feeling good and being the best version of ourselves are things we have to choose and work on Photos by Artu Nepomuceno courtesy of FHM Philippines every day indefinitely.”

Philstar.com

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Lombard by The Bay: Where your new home also opens opportunities FOR Susan Gross-Niedermeyer, a realtor in Phoenix, Arizona since 1989, there is no better place to be a resident, tourist, pilgrim, visitor, or investor than at Lombard By The Bay. “Lombard By The Bay is in Montemaria where natural beauty is beyond compare,” she answered when asked why she bought a penthouse unit with the property development. “It’s the perfect place to connect with God through prayers.

It’s a holy ground where the mother of love peace and joy appeared to Emma De Guzman, a Filipina visionary and mystic every year on September 8 and December 8!”

With this statement, GrossNiedermeyer excitedly shared that people should see the miraculous photo taken by a pilgrim in 2016, as well as an image of the dancing sun taken in 2017.

Gross-Niedermeyer also added that, “There are countless of benefits of owning a unit at Lombard By The Bay. Aside from its perfect location, Lombard By The Bay is gated and secure. It is also going to have its own state-of-the-art clubhouse that includes a fitness center, spa, swimming pool, restaurants, and gift shop.”

With its many amenities, Lom-

bard By The Bay aims to provide the most fulfilling experience for its residents and guests. It is a two-hour drive from Manila situated on a plateau overlooking the Verde Island Passage, which is considered the center of marine biodiversity of the world. It is also in close proximity to the tallest statue of Virgin Mary, Mother of All Asia, towering at 317 ft.

“I would recommend Lombard

By The Bay for many reasons.

Whether you’re a pilgrim, resident, tourist, or investor, you simply cannot go wrong [with this investment],” Gross-Niedermeyer said.

“Lombard By The Bay is a sure winner; most units have the view of the Batangas bay, and cost between $50,000 to $80,000 which can be rented out for $50 to $70 a night.”

She continued that Montemaria was also just added to the list of ‘Must See’ in the Philippine Department of Tourism project called Love of Country. The project will have its much-anticipated road tour in the U.S. starting in April to promote the project. “On June 3, 2018, there will be a float with a 6-foot replica of Mother of All Asia Monte Maria in New York City during the annual Philippine Independence

Susan Gross-Niedermeyer, an Arizona-based realtor

Day parade sponsored by 200 organizations belonging to the Phil. Independence Day council,” she said.

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

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

To get more information about the project, you may call Susan Gross-Niedermeyer at (480) 2277782 or email at susan@susangrossrealtor.com.

(Advertising Supplement)

Miss PH takes home first-ever Miss Multinational crown

by GAEA

KATREENA CABICO/Philstar.com

PHILIPPINE bet Sophia Senoron was crowned as the first winner of the Miss Multinational pageant Monday night, February 26, in New Delhi, India.

Arnold Vegafria, national director for Miss World and Miss Multinational Philippines, shared the news on Instagram.

“Since this is the first Miss Multinational, they called the national director of a winner to crown her own candidate. I’m so proud of you, @sophiasenoron,” he wrote.

Miss Germany and Miss India finished as first and second runners-up, respectively.

The 18-year-old beauty queen is currently taking up Miss Philippines Sophia Senoron was crowned as the first winner of Financial Management at San Beda University. She is the Miss Multinational pageant Monday night, February 26, in New Delhi, India.

Philstar.com photo also a member of San Beda Debate Society.

Ruru Madrid gets over a lifelong phobia

by LHAR

SANTIAGO ManilaTimes.net

THE City of Baguio will always have a special place in Ruru Madrid’s heart. He stayed in this city for more than a month when he was just starting in his acting career. For Ruru, that period was enough for him to embrace the summer capital’s culture and appreciate its people. He felt he easily blended in with the locals.

Young and adaptable, quickly making friends with boys his age, Ruru enjoys talking about them up to now.

“It’s just too bad that we’ve lost contact. But this place is special for me kaya when I was told that I would be a part of the Panagbenga parade, I was so excited. First time kong sumakay sa flower float,” Ruru enthused as Showbuzz talked to him over dinner at a cozy restaurant in Baguio.

It is, of course, Ruru’s primetime series “Sherlock Jr.” that brought him to Baguio and the young actor was very excited to promote the show, whose cast includes Gabbi Garcia, Andre Paras and Ai Ai delas Alas.

“I’m so proud of ‘Sherlock,’” Ruru exclaimed. “The story is very solid, the actors are very good, and most of all I love the action scenes. Ever since I started acting, I’ve always wanted an ac-

Ruru Madrid

GMA photo

tion project. And now that I do a lot of it in Sherlock, I see to it that I give my all.”

Besides the action, Ruru noted, “Maraming inu-offer ang show namin. Hindi siyempre mawawala ang pakilig scenes namin ni Gabbi. Especially now na nagtataguan kami ng totoo naming feelings because we don’t want to hurt Pido, Andre’s character, who is like a brother to me. We also have good comic scenes with Mama Ai Ai. Para kaming mag-ina talaga kung

mag-usap sa mga eksena and we’re like that even in real life.

We’re like mother and son.”

One big development coming up in the story is the arrival of Sherlock Sr., Jack’s father. “I can’t wait to see the viewer’s reaction when they find out who Sherlock Sr. is. Sa start kasi ng series, sinabing Sherlock Sr. is British. Sino kaya siya? That’s something that everyone should look forward to,” Ruru said with a mysterious smile.

Concluding our catch up, Ruru finally said that besides fulfilling his dream of doing an action project, “Sherlock Jr.” has helped him overcome his cynophobia or fear of dogs. Credit goes to Siri, the very loveable furry star of the show.

“When we were starting the series, I couldn’t even go near Siri because I was so scared. My phobia began when I was bitten by a dog when I was a kid. Sa taping, konting tahol lang ni Siri, nagugulat ako. But Siri is like human, siya ang lumapit sa akin. Siya yung naglambing as if saying, don’t be scared cause I’m harmless.

“Because Siri is a big part of the story and almost all my scenes are with her, I had to force myself to look relaxed kahit natatakot ako. But now she’s become very close to me. Man’s best friend like they say.”’

A first time for Glaiza...

PAGE B1

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my best to measure up to her caliber,” revealed Jak. As for Glaiza, she describes having Jak as leading man “both exciting and challenging” because she had no idea what he was going to bring to the table.

“There’s always a first time and I am the type of person who gives chances and observes. That’s what I did in my first scenes with Jak. I wanted to know how he gives life to a character. Sa acting kasi, dapat nagku-complement kayo ng coactor mo,” she explained.

“Magkakilala kami ni Jak but we’re not close, yet I saw and felt that he wanted to reach out to me and to befriend me. We both know that we need good rapport to be effective in doing our job as actors.”

Before they knew it, Glaiza and Jak had broken the pro-

verbial ice and quickly became friends. Comfortable with each other, they joke around in between takes and also discuss how to attack their scenes.

“I give Jak an A for his effort in really giving his best, a part of which is having good working relationships with his co-actors,” Glaiza added.

This new bond between Glaiza and Jak was very evident when Showbuzz joined them in Baguio City for the Panagbenga festival last weekend. They were clearly having fun together.

“Ganyan kami, actually, not just us but also our co-stars, like Mark (Herras), Pythos (Ramirez) and Geoff and Gabby (Eigenmann) when we are off cam,” Jak volunteered.

“But what’s nice is that everyone turns serious pag eksena na,” Glaiza added. “Kasi nga, there are lots of dramatic scenes

so everyone is focused on their respective roles. In my case, medyo mahirap talaga yung role ko. Naiiyak na nga ako sa hirap and they know it. I think this is my most difficult role to date.

Doble siya sa hirap ng role ko as Pirena or as a member of the LGBT community in ‘The Rich Man’s Daughter’.”

“Yeah, we know how hard Glaiza’s scenes are,” Jak confirmed. “That’s why we give her our hundred percent support.

Pag mahirap ang eksena, kaming mga lalaki, we try to help her. Whoever is doing the scene with Glaiza, nakasuporta talaga.

Minsan, even if kay Glaiza lang nakatutok ang camera, we still act with her as if we’re supposed to be in the scene. That way, we make her job easier. It kind of helps that we do that for one another, making our friendships more solid.”

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Features

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Dingdong Dantes on pursuing politics: It’s not just my decision to make

as an actor, and i also value my community work. therefore, it is something that shouldn’t be BeCAUse he is taking up a answered only by me alone.”

Dingdong heads his own Yes course in Public Administration at the UP Open University, the Pinoy Foundation and was apsame course taken by Batangas pointed by former Pres. Noynoy Rep. Vilma santos and Ormoc City Aquino iii as commissionerMayor Richard Gomez before they at-large for the National Youth ventured into politics, Dingdong Commission. if ever he decides Dantes is all the more “suspected” to run, will Dingdong wave the of seriously planning to run in next year’s mid-term election. For congressman or for senator? is he or isn’t he?

Let’s hear it straight from Dingdong himself: “i will not deny that there are certain groups talking to me. Maybe the question should be…kailangan ba? i mean, i love my family, i love my work

by Ricky Lo Philstar.com

Conquering the fear of uncertainty and six I.C.E. agents knocking at their door on this Sunday’s CITIZEN PINOY! After they were offered jobs as caregivers, Danilo (left) and Millet (center) took a big gamble when they decided to stay in the U.S. to pursue their American dream. It was not easy, especially after their hard-earned money was lost to a lawyer who hardly did anything to move their case forward. They eventually went out of status, and even had I.C.E. agents come knocking on their door.

The couple then consulted with Atty. Michael Gurfinkel, who took over the case, and helped them acquire their green cards. Leading U.S. immigration attorney Michael Gurfinkel (right) was also able to help their two daughters avail of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and getting approval on their green cards the same day President Trump cancelled DACA. Watch this all-new episode of CITIZEN PINOY — on Sunday at 6:15 pm (PST) on TFC.

Yassi Pressman resists being‘third wheel’to Coco Martin, Julia Montes

by Deni

Rose BeRnaRDo Philstar.com

NetizeNs took to social media their reaction to the episode of “Ang Probinsyano,” wherein Coco Martin’s leading lady in the hit ABs-CBN series, Alyana, played

by Yassi Pressman, was seen dating another guy. “technically Alyana is still married to Cardo so why portray a scene where she went to a dinner date with another guy?” a netizen pointed out on twitter. the following day, “Alyana” became one of the top-trending topics on twitter.

in a recent interview with Philstar.com following her launch as the face of samsung Galaxy A8 and A8+, Yassi refused to give details on “Ang Probinsyano” or to rationalize what her character, Alyana, is doing in the series.

Unlike in the series, though, she insisted that she has no romantic feelings for Coco, who plays Cardo in the show.

“We’re good friends,” she said of her real relationship with Coco. “i’m still single. i think i’m going to be single for a while,” Yassi declared.

FC_JMC_35_AJPrintAd11p5x10p5in.pdf

(L-R): Yassi Pressman, Coco Martin and Julia Montes

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2/22/18

12:46 AM

Philstar.com photos

As such, Yassi denies being the “third wheel” to the rumored real-life romance between Coco and Julia Montes.

“No, that’s not true…Me CocoYass fans, may CocoJul fans. Dingdong Dantes: If and when, will he run under But aside from that, may Coco- the Yellow (Dilaw) Banner?

Photo from Instagram/@dongdantes PAGE B4

Yellow (Dilaw) banner?

Dingdong’s wife Marian Rivera said that she would support Dingdong if and when he ventured into politics. Dingdong is no doubt winnable. if elected (senator?), Dingdong would place Marian at par with her arch rival Heart evangelista whose claim to fame includes bei ng a PAGE B5

Features

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H Mart announces grand opening of San Jose-Oakland location on March 8

H Mart, a leading International supermarket chain has made a final announcement of H Mart San Jose-Oakland Grand Opening and is set to open its doors at 10:30 a.m. on thursday, March 88, 2018.

H Mart San Jose-Oakland has over 42,000 square feet of retail price and the store is located in an area of a large asian population that is expected to develop as a broad scale commercial district. By delivering products directly from H Mart Ca Warehouse, H Mart San Jose-Oakland will retain and elevate its freshness to meet customers’ needs. a number of community leaders and representatives are set to participate and celebrate the Grand Opening. the Grand Opening will feature a ribbon Cutting Ceremony followed by cultural performances.

H Mart is an upscale supermarket with more than 90 stores in the U.S. nationwide. It serves both traditional asian and international food, with fresh produce, meat, poultry, and fishery. H Mart is also known as the ‘One-Stop Shopping’ place for all shoppers of different ethnicities, backgrounds and ages.

“I’d like to thank H Mart for their investment in our community, and welcome H Mart to San Jose’s diverse and delicious international food scene,” said San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo.

“Stores like H Mart reflect our city’s unique multicultural appeal, and help make our city a welcoming place for everyone to live,” H Mart President Brian Kwon said, “H Mart is very pleased to be involved in the City of San Jose again. as H Mart would like to give special thanks to San

By Monet

Jose-Oakland and the surrounding communities for loving our San Jose-Oakland store, we will prepare hard everyday to serve customers and go beyond any expectations of our opening.” and he added that H Mart San Jose- Oakland will be a new destination where customers can truly enjoy ‘Good for all’ H Mart is a 34-year-old supermarket chain, which started with its first store in Woodside, NY in 1982, offering robust and unique cultural foods that also promote

a rich and healthy lifestyle. today H Mart operates more than 90 stores in 14 states and is one of the leading international supermarket chains in the United States. In 2014, H Mart was recognized as one of the fastest growing retailers in the National retail Federation’s HOt 100 rEtaILErS (#13 H Mart). In 2016, Supermarket News has listed H Mart as one of the top 50 Small Chains and Independents in the United States & Canada.

(Advertising Supplement)

Yassi Pressman resists being ‘third wheel’ to Coco...

PAGE B3 Jam, may CocoBel. and it’s nice that we all try to tell everyone to respect everyone also,” said Yassi, the star of the upcoming romantic comedy “Pambansang third Wheel,” which will be showing in March.

Since she is not dating anyone, she spent last Valentine’s with her dad. according to her, there were two Valentine’s Days wherein she

The larger-than-life Filipino designer who goes by the name Michael Cinco

ran for a cause with her dad.

Yassi also denies competing with Maja Salvador, although they have been known for their dance showdown videos on “aSaP.” “I don’t plan (my showdowns with Maja). I just really have fun…

Lalo na ako, when I’m onstage, it feels like home for me!” this summer, many are looking at Yassi for a “fitspiration,” though she admitted that she, in turn,

looks at anne Curtis and Solenn Heussaff for fitness inspiration.

“Siguro diet lang din talaga.

But I would say na do not deprive naman yourself,” Yassi told those aiming for an ideal beach body like hers.

“Siguro it’s okay na maging masaya ka sa konting sweets or carbs, okay lang basta you find that balance… Basta live your life and be happy!”

Lu

HE is the talent behind that resplendent jewel-toned gown that Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach wore when she passed the crown to Miss Universe 2016 Iris Mittenaere, who also wore a scarlet red ombré couture gown in her final walk designed by the same amazing designer. One of his dresses was featured in the movie “Jupiter ascending” starring Mila Kunis, and was famed for dressing Miss World 1994 aishwarya rai, Mariah Carey, and Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez and country singer Carrie Underwood, to name just a few. So when austrian singer and Swarovski heiress Victoria Swarovski needed a custom-made gown with a six-meter-long train encrusted with Swarovski crystals and laser-cut flowers, there’s no other name that she had in mind but the Dubai-based Filipino designer Michael Cinco.

When he is not busy conquering the fashion world one gown at a time, he is inching his way to other ventures such as his first ever perfume called, Impalpable, which he launched in 2012; followed by his limited edition underwear collection for international brand Bench in 2015.

While it seemed like he caught all the ‘lucky stars’, Cinco didn’t just luck out in the fashion industry. His fascination for glamourous women in classic Hollywood movies started when he was young. Cinco was born on august 27, 1971 in the province of Samar in the Philippines. It was noted on his website that “the impeccable elegance and sophistication of Marlene Dietrich, Grace Kelly, Joan Crawford and audrey Hepburn created an indelible impression on his formative design imagination.”

“I pictured those fabulous heroines and imagined dressing them up in my creations. I chased after those visions...,” Cinco recalls.

Cinco moved to Dubai where he got his first job and was instantly recognized for his fashion acumen. It was in 2002 when Cinco went to Paris and London to seek out more fashion inspiration. He studied at the prestigious Central Saint Martins College of arts and Design because of his fascination for London’s mix of old tradition and contemporary edginess. the following year, he returned to Dubai

Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS OUr team from Las Vegas and other states just completed our annual medical missions, first in alaminos, Laguna (February 4-8), followed by another in Kamay ni Hesus Pilgrimage Center in Lucban, Quezon, (February 8-12). the following morning after we returned to Manila on February 12, my wife, Farida, and I, took a cab to San Francisco del Monte, Quezon City, where I grew up, to visit with my sister and brotherin-law who were from raleigh, North Carolina, on a separate medical mission and to staying at our family home.

On the way there, the taxi driver pointed to a large yellow and green G Liner bus and said “Yang bus na yan kay Erap; yan lang and pwedeng magpasada dito.” (that bus company is owned by Erap – nickname of Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, former president of the Philippines – and that’s the only bus allowed to do business in this part of the city).

So, I inquired why the monopoly. “Walang utak at integridad po yan at tuso pa, oportunista, numero unong kurakot, at maraming babae,” (He does not have the brain nor integrity and is greedy, an opportunist, number 1 corrupt, and has many mistresses), he responded.

Since he was jailed for corruption, plunder, before, I asked how did he win as mayor. He said, “Kasi ho karamihan ng taong bumoboto ay torpe, at stupido, marami walang pinagaralan… mabayaran lang ng limang daan or isang libo, iboboto nila kahit na si satanas. Sa hueteng lang po, billion ang nanakaw ni Erap; dapat ho sa plunder, nakulong siya pang habang buhay, at hindi naging mayor (Because, sir, the majority of people who are voting are dumb and stupid, most uneducated…paid 500 or 1000 pesos, they would vote even for Satan. From the illegal numbers game alone, sir, Erap has stolen billions; for plunder, he should have been imprisoned for life and did not become Mayor).”

Why couldn’t Congress get rid of graft and corruption, I tried to egg him on, because I was fascinated by the refreshing sense this man was making, underneath his uncombed hair, shabby looking

and established his own label Michael Cinco. according to his website, Michael Cinco is best known for his fabulous couture gowns. His innate creativity and masterful techniques have catapulted him to the front ranks of fashion. He has cultivated a dedicated following for the luxe and intricacy of his designs, with their fresh, elegant and detailed juxtapositions of fabric and Swarovski crystals.

Cinco’s celebrity clients include Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, rihanna, Lady Gaga, Carrie Underwood, Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears, Christina aguilera, Ellie Goulding, Nicole Scherzinger, Fergie Ferguson, Dita Von teese, Brandy, ashanti, Chris Brown, tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell. Jennifer Lopez wore a crystallized Michael Cinco couture when she hosted american Music awards in 2015. Sofia Vergara wore a stunning Michael Cinco gown at the Golden Globes 2013, who was voted Best Dressed by many tV shows and magazines in the U.S. British pop star Paloma Faith wore his couture dress at the MEt Gala in New York.

He also appeared on the U.S. hit reality show “america’s Next top Model,” Cycle 16 and all-Star Cycle 17 finale hosted by tyra Banks. He was also chosen as the guest designer and guest judge on the new reality show “asia’s Next top Model,” in Singapore and was highly endorsed by tyra Banks. He was also chosen as guest designer and guest judge in the new reality show “asia’s Next top Model,” in Singapore, and was highly endorsed by tyra Banks. He was also featured as a designer and a

judge in “China’s Next top Model” in 2015.

In November 2011, Cinco won the Breakthrough Designer award from the WGSN Global Fashion awards held at Gotham Hall, New York, against top contenders. He won Best Designer award in Grazia’s Style awards 2016; People’s Choice award at Dubai Fashion Week 2010; and was chosen as one of the top movers in Dubai in the ahlan Hot 100 in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2016.

Cinco just recently debuted his autumn-Winter Collection 2016 at the Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week. He wowed audiences at Dubai Fashion Week, Miami Fashion Week, La Fashion Week, Singapore Fashion Week, australia Fashion Week, Philippine Fashion Week and did shows in New York and London. as a Filipino, I marvel every time I hear about fellow Filipinos getting recognized worldwide. It brings us so much pride and honor. to Michael Cinco whose larger-thanlife success keeps piling up, I wish you all the luck (not that you need it) and may you continue to inspire more and more people by your creative genius. *** Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, award-winning 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

Wisdom from a taxi driver

shirt, and ignorant-appearing demeanor. Obviously, beneath this rather unimpressive cover is a fascinating patriot, filled with great wisdom, sense of justice, integrity, and honor.

“Kasi po, halos lahat ng mga nasa congress, senado, ay corrupt din, magnanakaw, kaya hindi nila mapipigil ang presidente at iban pang opisyales (Because almost all legislators are also corrupt and are thieves themselves, the reason why they could not stop the president and other government officials).”

I asked how he would rate President Duterte, he said he was originally from Davao and moved to Manila in 1999, and was a supporter the current president when he was mayor of Davao, but was very disappointed now because almost all of those thousands killed in “tokhang” were addicts and not drug lords. He added that Duterte has not gotten rid of corrupt legislators and all the thieves are still in Congress instead of in prison.

“Kung ang mga pinatay ay ang mga kurap na senador at congresista, at hindi young mga daan daang drug addicts, mas napabuti sana ang ating bansa (If those hundreds who were killed were the corrupt senators and congressmen, instead of the drug addicts, our nation would have been better off),” he said with great disdain.

Unlike most writers and commentators in the media, this driver did not mince words and did not care to be politically correct. He was fiercely angry and very vocal about the graft and corruption in the government, the injustice in our society, and doubted if the president was not himself corrupt.

“Yun imbestigasyon ng mga anomalya at plunder, kamukha noong kay Binay at pamilya nya, yung kay Gloria Macapagal, kay Duterte…nawala na, tahimik na… walang hustisya dito (The investigation of anomalies and plunder, like the ones against Binay and his family, against Gloria Macapagal, against Duterte…all have stopped and now silent…there is no justice here),” the driver lamented.

My wife, who is a pediatrician, asked him about the Dengvaxia controversy.

“Delikado ho yaan sa publiko; ngayon, matatakot na lahat ng magulang at hindi na aayun na magpabakuna ang mga anak nila, kahit na anong bakuna. Sayang lang ang mga bakunang na im-

bento (That’s dangerous for the public, now the parents are scared and will not allow their children to be vaccinated, no matter what vaccine. It is a waste of “discovered” vaccines),” he said. Farida later told me she could not have said it any better.

We have talked to several taxi drivers in the past and we find most of them misinformed or uninformed, expressing their own “expert” opinions, but this driver appeared to be an exception.

Farida and I were very amused and impressed. We told him we wished he could be interviewed by the media to share his words of wisdom and to inspire others.

Why couldn’t our government officials, legislators; supposedly educated and cultured, have the wisdom and integrity of this man on the street? Why aren’t they able to effectively police themselves to end graft and corruption in our government and serve our people with dignity and honor?

It is not that hard to determine who are corrupt. the government could hire renowned foreign actuarial firms, which could actually compute accurately the assets, liabilities, and net worth of a person from the day he was born, and find out how much unexplained wealth any person or government official has. this will easily expose the criminals in our government.

But the question is, would the president, chief justice, or Congress have the balls and the integrity to initiate such a move?

Or would this be a self-incriminating and a suicidal act? Who is innocent and beyond reproach to cast the first stone?

Perhaps I am too naïve to understand, and too dumb to accept; the ugly and sad reality that is holding our country and people hostage. as the driver pointed out, the blame is on us. “We, the People,” voted these previously known corrupt officials and thieves into office, time after time, only for them to continue to ravage our country and walk in the halls of Congress all the way to their banks, here and abroad. the uneducated and poor people who sell their votes at least have an excuse — to help feed their family — but the educated rich and middle class, who are part of the majority who voted the crooked officials into office bear more of the blame and shame. Strictly speaking, allowing plunderers to hold ofPAGE B5

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Features

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • MARch 3-6, 2018

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Kaju Soft Tofu in Buena Park offers fresh, authentic Korean comfort food perfect for the winter

WITHIN the last few years, Korean food has become a hit in the United States, and it’s not very surprising to see why. It’s just so good. There is no other way to put it!

Given the rise of Korean food in the U.S., the options have exponentially expanded, giving food lovers their choices of restaurants serving bulgogi (grilled beef), galbi (marinated short ribs) and bibimbap (mixed rice with meat and sauteed vegetables) to name a few Korean food staples.

So the question remains: where can I get the best, most authentic Korean food?

Well, if you’re in Northern Orange County, look no further than Kaju Soft Tofu in Buena Park, which serves up one of the

tastiest and diverse menus of all Korean food establishments in the area.

Owned by the Park family, Kaju Soft Tofu reigns supreme when it comes to consistent flavors. The owners make it a point to serve up the freshest ingredients and have never deviated from their soft tofu soup recipe, which has been a staple in the business since first opening up their Garden Grove location two decades ago.

The tofu soup — which is a wonderful option to fight the chilly weather — is offered in seven spicy levels (white, mild, medium, spicy, very spicy, very very spicy and triple spicy), ensuring that your soup is tailored to your preference.

Kaju also offers a wide range

of tofu soups, including classics like galbi tofu soup, assorted tofu soup (clam, oyster, shrimp and beef) and seafood tofu soup (clam, oyster and shrimp).

Vegetarians may also indulge in Kaju’s flavorful tofu soups with the mushroom tofu soup (shiitake and enoki mushrooms), wild sesame seed tofu soup (mushrooms and ground perilla seed) and the vegetable tofu soup (carrots, corn, peas, green beans and enoki mushroom).

Each tofu dish is topped with green onions and served with fresh rice (or multigrain rice) and a perfect ratio of soup to tofu.

One of the standouts from Kaju, though, isn’t the delicious tofu soups. The beef short rib soup is a rich, full-bodied broth

with glass noodles, vegetables and, of course, beef short ribs.

Filipino customers familiar with sinigang will feel at home with Kaju’s beef short rib soup.

Per the Korean restaurant tradition, a variety of side dishes are served fresh, including cucumbers, bean sprouts, potatoes, anchovies and, of course, kimchi.

Kaju Soft Tofu doesn’t just specialize in terrific food, but also great customer service.

The staff — many of which are members of the Park family!

— are friendly, eager to help and ready to give suggestions. Seafood Tofu Soup and Beef Bulgogi One thing is certain of your visit to Kaju Soft Tofu: you will be treated wonderfully.

Kaju Soft Tofu’s Buena Park location is available via delivery

Kaju Bibimbap

Mushroom Tofu Soup and Spicy Pork Bulgogi

Dingdong with wife Marian Rivera

Galbi - BBQ Beef Short Ribs

Philstar.com photo

Dingdong Dantes on pursuing...

PAGE B3 Senator’s Lady. Heart is the wife of Sen. Chiz Escudero.

Who earns more?

On Facebook, actress Marian Rivera seems to be more popular with 18 million followers, as compared to her husband Dingdong Dantes, who has 1.5 million.

In real life, does Marian also earn more than her husband?

The celebrity couple provided an answer during a recent press conference for their launch as new endorsers of Cignal Prepaid.

“Siguro napaka-blessed lang namin na kami as a couple kami kinukuha (as endorsers),” Marian said.

“Regarding talent fee…parati naman kaming pantay, for sure!” the Kapuso star quipped.

Wisdom from a taxi driver

PAGE B4 fice, enabling them to destroy our country, is tantamount to treason.

Indeed, we deserve the monster we have created and the devastation it is causing our nation and our people.

*** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and

chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com

Mushroom Bibimbap

through GrubHub. Bring in this issue of the Asian Journal for a sweet discount on your next meal at Kaju!

Kaju Soft Tofu is located at 7232 Orangethorpe Ave. Buena Park, CA 90621 and they’re open

Seafood Tofu Soup

7 days a week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Garden Grove location is located at 8895 Garden Grove Blvd., Garden Grove, CA 92844 and it is open 7 days a week from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 3-6, 2018

COMMUNITY $3&%*5 $"3% Journal

Federal judge finds ICE and LA County sheriff collaborate to unlawfully detain immigrants WHILE the national attention on immigration focuses on the United States Congress coming up with a solution for the recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and debating multiple immigration issues along with border security, the Trump administration continues to transform the United States’ immigration enforcement practices.

Neighborhoods throughout the United States are experiencing the cruel, harsh, and devastating consequences of the Trump administration’s Executive Orders on immigration and its enforcement priorities. After a year in the White House, the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement polices clearly violated rights of United States citizens and non-citizens, created fear in communities, and cultivated bigotry.

On February 7, 2018, an important ruling from a United States District Court judge in California surprisingly flew under the radar.

Roy v. County of Los Angeles and Gonzalez v. ICE are a combined class action lawsuit that involved the use of immigration detainers by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to hold suspected noncitizens up to 48 hours after release from jail by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (“LA Sheriff”) The federal judge ruled that the LA Sheriff violated the Fourth Amendment rights of individuals who were held too long, denied bail or detained despite lack of evidence. The Fourth Amendment protects individuals, no matter what his or her immigration status is in the United States, by providing rights against illegal search and seizures and arbitrary arrests. The federal judge found that ICE and the LA Sheriff unlawfully detained thousands of suspected immigrants using unconstitutional requests, specifically with immigration de-

Your Immigration Solution Michael Bhotiwihok and nancy Miller tainers.

The federal judge reasoned that since the LA Sheriff had no probable cause showing that the individuals were involved in criminal activity, there was no authority to arrest the individual for civil immigration offenses. In addition, the federal judge held that ICE cannot issue immigration detainers based only on an individual being born in another country.

This ruling impacts those in-

the state. Due process simply means fairness and the idea that everyone deserves fair treatment by the United States government whenever any civil liberties are at stake. More specifically, state and local law enforcement agencies are not allowed to enforce immigration detainers issued

by ICE. The CVA neither allows the deputization of police as immigration agents nor state and local law enforcement agencies from inquiring into an individual’s immigration status. The CVA also ensures that schools, hospitals, libraries, and courthouses remain safe and accessible spaces for every individual in California.

In Los Angeles, Police Chief Charlie Beck has written that the Los Angeles Police Department “is neither authorized nor responsible for the enforcement of civil immigration laws or regulations” further cementing Los Angeles as a sanctuary city. In addition, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti previously stated that “we are absolutely a city that not only does provide sanctuary to immigrants, but we defend them.”

This week ICE detained more than 100 individuals in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in ongoing operations which are targeting 400 people.

ICE spokesperson Danielle Bennett blamed “uncooperative jurisdictions” for its use of “additional resources to conduct atlarge arrests in the community, putting officers, the public, and aliens at risks and increasing the incidents of collateral arrests.”

ICE’s current enforcement operations are a clear reaction to California and Los Angeles’ firm stance protecting individuals’ constitutional rights.

As the Trump administration continues its aggressive immigration enforcement policies, those with existing deportation orders, noncitizens who are out of status or who have been arrested for crimes are likely to be

“ This ruling impacts those individuals held between 2010 to 2014 by the largest sheriff’s department.” dividuals held between 2010 to 2014 by the largest sheriff’s department in the United States.

The case’s ruling applies to individuals across the United States, not only Los Angeles County, who are impacted by immigration detainers. Because of the court’s ruling, class members across the country are entitled to injunctive relief and may be eligible for monetary damages.

On January 1, 2018, the landmark passage of SB 54, the California Values Act (CVA), made the state of California a sanctuary state by limiting its local law enforcement agencies cooperation with federal agents in enforcing immigration laws and conducting raids. The CVA upholds California’s values of fairness and procedural due process for all individuals in

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Minding Your Finances atty. Raymond Bulaon HAVE debt problems taken over your life? Do you lie awake at night thinking how in the world you’re going to pay back your debts while still being able to support yourself and your family? Do you ever feel like you are working for nothing because all your income just goes to paying creditors every payday?

If you dream of simplifying your life, reducing your stress and regaining control of your financial future, deep inside you know that something needs to change. Everyone dreams of living a debtfree life and yet they continue to do the same things that put them in their present situation.

Remember, nothing will change…until YOU decide to change!

If you are one of these people, perhaps you are feeling a sense of urgency and desperation about your situation. You know that you need to make some big changes but don’t know where to

Community Journal

Reduce your stress by reducing your debt begin. What should you do?

If you are financially strapped every month and are sick and tired of it, it is time to reflect and ask yourself: “How did I come to be in this difficult situation?” Remember those big debts always start from small debts.

Uncontrolled credit card use is a major culprit and has resulted in bankruptcy for a lot of people.

Left unchecked, debt easily snowballs and before you know it, you are buried with no way out.

Most of our debt problems are also caused by our relentless pursuit and obsession with wanting to have more. I meet a lot of people who seem to always want more and more stuff even when they can’t afford it. They are easily influenced by the multitude of advertisements and they feel that they just need to have the best and the biggest all the time.

They always need to have the latest toy or gadget.

This has caused an epidemic of stress, overwork and excessive indebtedness. It is not wrong to acquire debt per se, but borrowing more than what you need or

can afford to pay back can have serious complications. Sometimes, it helps to just be grateful and content with what you have.

If you let your lifestyle control you, you will never get ahead no matter how hard you work.

Of course, there are no magical solutions to debt problems just as there are no magical solutions to weight problems. The only sure way to lose weight is by consuming less. When it comes to managing our finances, it is the same way.

The only sure way of regaining balance in your financial health is by spending less than your income. There is no magical formula. You should learn to live within your means, spend less than what you make and SAVE THE DIFFERENCE. Some people think that just because they are able to make minimum payments on their credit cards, they are OK. But if you look at the interest rates they are paying every month (usually 23-29 percent interest), there is simply no way that they will ever

Barrister’s Corner atty. Kenneth uRsua Reyes within 24 months after becoming married, that person is given only conditional permanent residence. Such conditional permanent residence status lasts for two years from the date on which it is granted.

Step two of the procedure involves the removal of the conditional label to permanent residence status. Removal of the conditional label is initiated by filing an I-751 Joint Petition to Remove Condition to Permanent Residence (“Joint Petition”). The Joint Petition provides an opportunity for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) to inquire as to the legitimacy of the marriage after conditional permanent resi-

The Prophetic Voice ReveRend Rodel G. BalaGtas REMBRANDT Harmenszoon van Rijn, one of the greatest visual artists in the history of art (1606-1669), portrays this Sunday’s Gospel in his painting, Christ Driving the Moneychangers from the Temple, with vividness, realism, passion, and conviction.

It’s the exact message that the Gospel of John conveys. Jesus came to fulfill his Father’s will and mission with consuming energy, zeal, conviction, confidence, and passion.

“Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up,” Jesus told the Jews. He said these words after he reprimanded them for making his Father’s house into a house of trade. The Jews could

Tax Tips

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What to do with conditional green card status in troubled marriages MARRIAGE for many persons is the culmination of one’s life.

Getting married signifies the beginning of a new phase in life, both socially and economically.

For those persons who lack permanent residency in the United States and have married a United States citizen, marriage also presents an opportunity to obtain permanent residency. However, although the opportunity to obtain permanent residency arises in such situations, one must be aware of and comply with procedures in existence to obtain such status. Due to concerns that persons were becoming married to United States citizens merely to obtain permanent residence status, a two-step procedure under the Immigration Marriage Fraud Amendments of 1986 (IMFA) was set up to ensure such status was given to those only in marriages that are bona-fide and not entered into simply for immigration purposes.

Under step one of the procedure, if a person is petitioned by his/her U.S. citizen spouse

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dence is granted. Accordingly, documentation evidencing that the marriage was entered into for bona-fide reasons should be submitted as part of the Joint Petition. The Joint Petition must be filed with the USCIS service center in the 90 days immediately prior to the second anniversary of the granting of conditional permanent residence.

Typically, upon the filing of the Joint Petition, a one-year extension of the conditional permanent residence is granted. The extension affords the USCIS time to schedule an interview with the person seeking permanent residence, and to make a determination as to whether unconditional permanent residence will be granted for a ten-year period.

In cases in which documentation submitted as part of the Joint Petition clearly show that the marriage is bona-fide and not merely for immigration purposes, INS may approve a Joint Petition without an interview.

The procedure described

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victoR sy, cPa, mBa

1. THE new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act cuts corporate taxes from eight graduated rates of 15 percent to 35 percent to a flat rate of 21 percent.

2. The Act provides a 20 percent deduction for owners, partners and shareholders of pass-through entities such as S-corporations, LLCs and partnerships. However, the 20 percent deduction is prohibited for service business (doctors, lawyers, accountants, engineers, consultants) unless their taxable income is less than $315,000 if married ($157,500 if single).

3. The Act also includes rules to prevent abuse of the passthrough tax break. Owners, members, and partners who work for their entity should be paid salaries which are taxed at ordinary rates. They may decide not to receive salaries to escape payroll taxes and self-employment taxes and also benefit from this new 20 percent deduction on their personal tax returns. It will be interesting to see how a depleted IRS catches them as well as passive owners who game the system to take advantage of this new break over active owners who actually

On living our faith with passion, zeal, and conviction not understand what he meant, and so they responded, “It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you will raise it up in three days?”

His disciples and those who believed in him as the Son of God knew what he meant. His body would be the new temple, which will be destroyed and raised up in three days (referring to his resurrection). Jesus Christ would be the new offering, the ultimate sacrifice to the Father as the expression of man’s full obedience and allegiance to God. In sacrificing himself on the cross, he would bring the whole humankind to himself, reconciling it with God and bringing it redemption.

As the Gospel of John and Rembrandt’s painting portrays, Jesus did his mission with passion, zeal, and confidence. There

was no turning back, no fear, weakness, uncertainty, and hesitation. This mission consumed him and led him to the cross to suffer and to die—all for the sake of his Father’s will to save his people from sin and eternal death.

Would this be the same call for us—to manifest the same zeal, passion, and conviction in our Christian faith and life? Isn’t this what is often lacking in our lives? No matter what bullying, intimidation, disdain, and dominance other people do to us to destroy our Christian faith, we must live it out in words and actions truthfully and powerfully.

It’s the innermost desire that many of our seminarians show.

Tired of shallowness and mediocrity in faith, they want zeal, substance, and passion in min-

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Business tax provisions run the business.

4. The Act changes how U.S. multinationals are taxed. Old law taxes U.S. companies on worldwide income - all profits from all sources, regardless of where the income is earned. However, they’re allowed to defer paying U.S. tax on their foreign profits until they bring the money home.

This “worldwide” tax system puts American businesses at a disadvantage because foreign competitors use territorial tax systems, meaning they don’t owe tax to their own governments on income generated offshore. The Act switches the U.S. to a territorial system. It also includes anti-abuse provisions to prevent corporations with foreign profits from gaming the new system.

U.S. multinationals are encouraged to repatriate earnings by offering a one-time, low tax rate on their existing overseas profits at low rates of 15.5 percent on cash assets and 8 percent on non-cash assets.

5. The Act repeals the dreaded corporate Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act repealed the corporate version (bien) but not the individual AMT (malo).

6. The Act expands the number of taxpayers who may use the cash method of accounting. It allows taxpayers with average annual gross receipts of $25 million or less to use the cash method even

if inventories are required.

7. The Act removes computer or peripheral equipment from the definition of listed property.

Computers can now be immediately expensed in the year of purchase rather than depreciated over a number of years.

8. The Act preserves the current tax treatment of nonqualified deferred compensation.

9. The Act retains the business interest expense deduction for small businesses.

10. The Act simplifies inventory rules for small businesses.

11. The Act increases Section 179 expensing to $1 million and threshold to $2.5 million.

12. The Act reduces the depreciation period of residential rental properties from 40 to 30 years. .*** 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 - “HOW TO AVOID OR SURVIVE IRS AUDITS.” Our readers may inquire about the book or email tax questions at vicsy@live.com.

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Community Journal

Excluding sexual misconduct from arbitration (Ensuring employee access to the courts)

DEBORAH Pierce, an emergency room doctor, brought a sex discrimination claim against the employer that had fired her. She had evidence that the employer had a pattern of denying women partnerships.

However, because she signed an arbitration agreement, she was blocked from court and forced into private arbitration.

The arbitrator was not a judge but a corporate lawyer.

When Dr. Pierce showed up one day for a hearing, she noticed the arbitrator having a friendly coffee with the head of the company she was suing.

During the proceedings, the employer withheld crucial evidence, including audiotapes it destroyed. When her lawyers asked the arbitrator to impose sanctions on the defense for destroying evidence, the arbitrator simply fined the defense $1,000 after investigating the matter. The arbitrator ultimately ruled against Dr. Pierce.

A cruise ship employee who said she was drugged, raped and left unconscious in her cabin by two crew members, could not take her employer to civil court over negligence and an unsafe workplace. She had signed an arbitration agreement and could not seek justice in court.

A housekeeper, who signed an arbitration agreement with her employer, regretted it later when he sexually harassed her and she had no legal recourse in court.

The above horror stories were reported by The New York Times in an article detailing the

Debt Relief

Atty. LAwrenCe yAng

THE Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) is a federal law that was enacted in 1978 by the United States Congress to protect consumers from abusive debt collectors. Note, however, that the FDCPA applies only to thirdparty collectors who collect debt for original creditors. It does not apply to the original creditor itself who uses its own employees to collect the debt.

Let’s use our beloved Pres.

Trump’s businesses as examples since he owns a lot of them. You go to Washington D.C. and stay in his hotel. What’s the name of the hotel? The Trump Hotel. You stay there for a week and rack up a bill of $50,000. The credit limit on your credit card used to secure your stay at the hotel only has a credit limit of $5,000.

In short, you owe Pres. Trump $45,000. He sends your $45,000 bill to a debt collector in LA. The LA debt collector calls you 20 times a day and calls you at your place of work and talks to your boss about your debt. Is this debt collector covered by the FDCPA? Sure he is because he is a third party collector.

What can this person do and not do to collect the $45,000 from you?

1. He can contact you in person, by mail, telephone, telegram, or fax. However, he may not contact you at inconvenient times or places, such as before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., unless you allow it. He may not contact you at your workplace if he knows that your employer doesn’t allow personal calls.

2. He may not use repetitious phone calls that are intended to annoy, abuse or harass you or any person answering the phone.

He may not use abusive or profane language. For example, he cannot shout at you on the phone and call you a “no good lazy and good for nothing bum! Pay the $45,000 today in certified bank

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. impact of arbitration on regular employees. Indeed, employees may fare better before judges and juries instead of arbitrators.

Arbitration is a procedure to resolve disputes without filing a complaint in court. By signing an employment arbitration agreement, the employee is agreeing to adjudicate any claim against the employer before an arbitrator and not before a judge or a jury.

This means the employee cannot sue that employer in court. Unlike court proceedings which are public, an arbitration proceeding is a private process and its results are generally confidential and not disclosed. The parties are bound by the arbitrator’s decision and the losing party cannot appeal.

The use of arbitration in employment disputes, may be problematic, as it is often not a product of negotiation. The company may make the signing of an arbitration agreement a condition of employment. Employees often automatically sign these types of agreements, without understanding the consequences. Nowhere is the impact of arbitration agreements more tragic than in sexual misconduct claims that are denied access to the courts. Since the complaint is not brought in the open, the wrongful conduct may continue to persist.

Addressing this injustice, the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) sent a letter to congressional leaders urging that sexual harassment claims be excluded from arbitration, and that victims should be ensured “access to the courts, so that they may pursue justice and obtain appropriate relief free from the impediment of arbitration requirements.”

The state attorneys general acknowledged the harm to employees as they are forced to seek relief from arbitrators who are not trained as judges and who may not have the qualifications to ensure that these victims are accorded due process.

Lastly, the attorneys general, noted that “ending mandatory arbitration of sexual harassment claims would help to put a stop to the culture of silence that protects perpetrators at the cost of their victims.” *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at no-cost. 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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All about the fair debt collection practices act

funds, or the FBI will arrest you and ship you to a gulag in Siberia in a twenty-foot container with a giant cobra! No, this kind of language is not allowed by the FDCPA. 3. He cannot threaten you with violence. For instance, he cannot tell you that he is going to send the biggest guy in the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang to separate your head from your shoulders if you don’t pay the $45,000 today.

4. He cannot use any false or misleading statements. These are examples of false statements: A) Implying that they are attorneys or government representatives when they are not.

B) Implying that you have committed a crime.

C) Falsely representing that they work for a credit bureau.

D) Misrepresenting the amount of the debt owed.

E) Indicating that papers being sent are legal forms, when they are not.

F) Indicating that papers being sent are not legal forms, when they are.

G) Saying that you will be arrested if you do not pay the debt.

H) They will seize, garnish, attach, or sell property or wages, unless the collection agency or creditor intends to do so, and it is legal to do so.

I) Actions, such as a lawsuit, will be taken against the debtor, when such action may not legally be taken, or when they do not intend to take such action.

J) Giving false credit info about you to anyone, including a credit bureau.

K) Sending you anything that looks like an official document from a court or government agency, when it is not.

L) Using a false name.

Now let’s assume a different scenario. The Trump hotel uses its own employees to collect the $45,000 from you. Does the FDCPA apply to these employees?

No, it does not. The employee can twitter you all they want.

They can call you and tell you

that they are going to nuke your house in half an hour if you don’t pay up. They can tell you that they are ready to press the big red button that will send over the swat team of the FBI and the CIA to your door in ten minutes if you don’t pay up.

But why even worry about whether the Trump hotel sends a third-party collector or uses their own employees to collect the $45,000 from you when you can file a Chapter 7 petition to wipe out the $45,000 from the face of the earth? You can use a Chapter 7 petition to tell the collector to stop the third party collector or the Trump employees dead in their tracks! They won’t be able to call you or even send you a collection letter. They have to shut up completely and they lose the right to file a lawsuit against you to collect the debt. At the same time, you will be able to keep all of your assets, including your house, your cars, everything in your house, and all of your retirement accounts up to $1.0M. You can get a fresh start in life without having to look over your shoulder to see if there are any FBI or CIA agents chasing after you.

If you need debt relief, set an appointment to see me. I will analyze your case personally. *** Disclaimer: The foregoing is an expression of opinion and is not meant to be legal advice to any reader.

There is no attorney-client relationship established by this article with the reader. If you want to discuss your situation, you have to set an appointment to consult with the attorney. The first general consultation is free. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy, business, real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S. Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, Building A-1 Suite 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803 or at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789.

Federal judge finds ICE and LA County...

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detained by local law enforcement agencies and ICE. It is important for noncitizens to know their constitutionally protected rights. Noncitizen detained by local law enforcement or ICE should, of course, immediately consult with a knowledgeable and experienced immigration attorney to ensure that his or her constitutional rights and free-

doms are protected. However, the better practice would be to consult with the immigration lawyer before being detained to determine whether relief is available. *** Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration firms in the United States with offices in Pasadena, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manila and China.

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

Reduce your stress by reducing...

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pay back what they owe in their lifetime. And they continue to charge every month as long as they have credit available.

It is time to stop the insanity!

Before you can get out of debt, you need to stop creating new ones. And by refusing new debt, this is how you will be able to re-

duce your expenses so you are not left broke every payday.

If you are struggling with serious debt problems and have done everything you can to no avail, perhaps filing bankruptcy is your only option to either get rid of your debts completely or at least consolidate all your debts into one low monthly payment. ***

None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped thousands of clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1 (866) 477-7772.

(Advertising Supplement)

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 3-6, 2018

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Filipina domestic employee wins $827,506 in wage trial A FILIPINA domestic employee won her wage claims against her former employers after a court trial held in Los Angeles Superior Court. Linda Alzate (not her real name), an immigrant worker represented by Filipino-American employment lawyer, Joe Sayas, obtained a court judgment in the amount of $827,506, representing wages, legal interest, penalties, and attorneys’ fees.

The judgment appears to be one of the highest verdicts to a domestic worker on a pure wage claim.

The court’s judgment is significant because it recognized the long hours that domestic employees work at private homes. Here, Ms. Alzate took care of the two children of Drs. Peter Sim and Lorraine Diego, both medical doctors, at their house in Hancock Park. Aside from her babysitting duties, Ms. Alzate was also assigned to do household duties such as laundry, cleaning the house, and cooking for the whole family.

In issuing its judgment, the court recognized that Ms. Alzate proved that she worked or made herself available for work from 18 to as much as 24 hours per day, and therefore should be paid for all those hours.

How could she be working 24 hours in a day?

Attorney Sayas argued that Ms. Alzate’s sleeping time should be paid because as a live-in domestic worker, she was on-call or available to work during the entire time that she was with the children at the house. The Court agreed.

As in other cases he handled for employees, Atty.

Sayas argued that the fixed monthly salary paid to Ms. Alzate did not pay for all hours worked. Before Ms. Alzate’s case, Atty. Sayas recovered $500,000 for two domestic employees and $425,000 for a security guard. All these workers were simply paid a flat monthly rate regardless of the long hours they worked.

The court’s judgment is a victory for Ms. Alzate, especially in the face of a vigorous opposition that did not concede any dime of wages was owed to

Your Neighborhood Estate Planning Attorney Atty. grACe gAiL CArA APPROXIMATELY 78 million dogs and 85.8 million cats are owned in the United States (ASPCA Pet Statistics). About 52% of California households own a pet (American Veterinary Medical Association 2011 survey) and in San Francisco, “dogs outnumber children” (U.S. census figures from 2000 and 2005).

Pets are a very important part of the American home. They are considered family, loved and cherished by their owners. Thus, it is shocking to learn nearly 500,000 pets are killed annually in shelters and veterinarian offices after

The winning domestic employee with Attorneys Evangelista and Sayas of the Law Offices of Joe Sayas.

her. It was a testament to the courage of this Filipina to have pursued her claims all the way up to trial. She is ready to fight for her rights on appeal proceedings that the employers brought.

Ms. Alzate’s claims covered the period only from April 2011 to April 2014 when she left her employment. Because most of her work occurred before 2014, a significant part of the wage award is based merely on the regular hourly rates.

In 2014, the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights became effective. This means that domestic workers who took care of children or seniors became entitled to overtime pay if they had work hours similar to Ms. Alzate’s. These workers should be paid the higher overtime premium rate which is their regular hourly rate multiplied by 1.5 (or “time and a half”).

(Advertising Supplement)

Protecting your pets upon passing their owners pass (Robin Lang, Pet Trusts quoting 2nd Chance 4 Pets, a Los Gatos, CA, based nonprofit organization). To prevent this, California pet owners will want to plan ahead to insure their pets are cared for when they pass. Such planning may appear simple: my children will care for my pet, or my friends will take on the job, or my extended family in another state will care for my pet. It is not always this easy.

In 1968, the court in Estate of Russell found that Roxy Russell, a testatrix’s dog, was not and could not be a beneficiary of a will because dogs are not “persons,” but considered personal property.

In 1991, the California legislature

attempted to address this problem with former Probate Code §15212. It allowed trustees of a pet trust to care for a designated domestic animal, even if no actual beneficiary could enforce the trust. However, problems arose from a lack of enforcing this. Basically, with no legal “person” to enforce the pet trust, a trustee could simply decide not to care for the pet and leave it to fend for itself.

Only 8 years ago was this shortcoming addressed with the new version of Probate Code §15212.

Now a trust that cares for an animal is a lawful noncharitable purpose. In short, a court will carry out a settlor’s general intent and

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Protecting your pets upon...

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enforce caring for the animal.

There are advantages to having a pet trust over simply directing cash towards the pet. A pet trust allows you to choose successor caretakers, provide specific instructions on how to care for your pet, and set aside a specific amount of compensation for both the pet and its caretakers.

Further, Probate Code §15212 now includes more enforcement mechanisms for trustees. If no trustee is designated or unwilling or unable to serve, the court will name one. Or if the purpose of the pet trust is not being followed, the trustee may go to court to enforce it or if none designated, the court will appoint a person.

Should you have a pet trust or include pet protection in a will?

Pet wills may not adequately pro-

tect your pets. First, instructions in a will that a person must care for your pet for its lifetime are unenforceable. Second, wills do not avoid probate. Thus, they are not immediately effective. The waiting period between the will being read by the court and the pet being given to the next owner is lengthy. Issues arise like who will care for your pet while the will is being probated and where will your pet stay. Additionally, if any legal issues arise during this process, care for your animal will be further prolonged.

Third, wills do not consider a settlor’s possible incapacity.

Who will care for your pet during if you are incapacitated? Lastly, any changes to the will are in the court’s discretion. This means the fate of your pets may be in the hands of a judge who cannot possibly know nor love your ani-

mal as you do.

Thus, it is best to plan ahead, while you have capacity, and arrange for the protection of your pets. Setting up a pet trust will allow for these protections. An attorney can help create a trust that is tailored to your pet(s)’ needs and your wishes. Consult with an informed estate planning firm who can put your wishes into legally enforceable documents. *** Grace Gail Cara, Esq. is an Estate Planning attorney at Elder Law Services of California. She can be contacted at (310) 348-2995 or grace@elderlawcalifornia. com. The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Asian Journal. The information presented does not constitute legal advice and should not be treated as such.

(Advertising Supplement)

What to do with conditional green...

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hereinabove applies in situations where the marriage has not been terminated. Often, the Joint Petition cannot be filed or approved because the marriage, although bona-fide when entered into, has been terminated by divorce. May aliens become threatened of falling out of status once their marriage is in trouble because the spouse often refuse to cooperate or has filed a divorce petition. In such cases there is still hope and the prospect of obtaining unconditional permanent residence status still remains. A waiver

of the joint petition requirement article is not a solicitation. may be sought in such cases. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a *** Certified Family Law Specialist. He was Please note that this article is not President of the Philippine American Bar legal advice and is not intended as Association. He is a member of both legal advice. The article is intended the Family law section and Immigration to provide only general, non-specific law section of the Los Angeles County legal information. This article is not Bar Association. He has extensive CPA intended to cover all the issues re- experience prior to law practice. LAW lated to the topic discussed. The spe- OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is cific facts that apply to your matter located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, may make the outcome different than Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 would be anticipated by you. This ar- or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit ticle does create any attorney client our website at Kenreyeslaw.com. relationship between you and the Law (Advertising Supplement) Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This

Calendar of Events across

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AC 21: Changing the employer of your employment -based green card application DEAR Attorney Tan, I have an approved I-140 immigrant petition which was filed by Company A on my behalf. Company A would like to employ me as a bookkeeper.

Based on that approved I-140 petition, I filed an application for green card (I-485 adjustment of status) in August 2014.

Since that time, my green card application has been pending, as USCIS has requested additional documents in support of my application. Recently, another company, Company B, has expressed interest in hiring me for a payroll clerk position.

Company B is a more established company based in the Midwest and pays $10,000.00 less but offers much better benefits.

Is there a way I can substitute Company B as the employer in my green card application? --P.T. Dear P.T. Under INA Section 204(j), commonly referred to as AC 21, an approved I-140 employment-based immigrant petition filed by one employer can be used by or “ported” to another employer providing certain requirements are met. First, a green card (I-485 adjustment of status) application must have been filed and must be pending for at least 180 days.

Second, the “new” job offered by the second employer must be in the same or similar occupational classification as the job for which the first employer filed the I-140 petition.

In your situation, you meet the first requirement in that your application for green card (I-485) was filed in August

Legal Advice ATTY. DARRICK TAN 2014. Your application has been pending for over 1 year, which is more than the required 180 days under AC 21.

In depth analysis in your case is needed as to whether Company B’s job of “payroll clerk” is considered a “similar occupational

be taken into account. In addition, the wages offered by each employer would be considered.

The existence of a big disparity in wages offered by each employer is not by itself a reason to conclude that the jobs are not similar. In your case, the fact that Company B is offering $10,000 less than Company A has to take into account the fact that the Midwest has a lower cost of living, as well as the fact that better benefits are being offered by Company B. If it is considered a “similar occupational classification,” Company B may be substituted in as the employer in your pending green card application, and Company B will not have to start the process from the beginning by filing a labor certification application and by obtaining an approved I-140 petition.

The analysis of whether you can use or “port” your approved I-140 requires additional analysis, and consulting with an experienced attorney is recommended. *** 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) 6390277. Email: info@dtanlaw.com.

”In your case, analysis would begin with the job duties of each position.” classification” to Company A’s job of “bookkeeper,” for which Company A petitioned you. In determining whether one job is similar enough to another job for AC 21 purposes, the USCIS takes into account the totality of the circumstances, including the job duties of both positions, the Standard Occupational Code (SOC) from the approved I-140 and the SOC code for the job offered by the new prospective employer, as well as the offered wages for each position.

In your case, analysis would begin with the job duties of each position. The more similarity in job duties between bookkeeper and payroll clerk, the greater the likelihood that USCIS would consider them similar. Also, the SOC code for the 2 jobs would

(Advertising Supplement)

On living our faith with passion...

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to evangelize and educate people to follow the truth of the Gospel.

With guidance to balance their enthusiasm and conviction with mercy and prudence, they can achieve this vision of Christian faith and life.

It’s also the call of Lent. Jesus urges us to change our ways by turning and listening to him for life, direction, and wisdom. Jesus wants a radical conversion of life where his Gospel is lived

day-in and day-out even in the politics and economy.

Let the words of Jesus penetrate our lives to build up this new energy and conviction in us despite the struggles, temptations, challenges, and tensions of living our Christian faith authentically. Let the Person of Jesus—his life, death, and resurrection—fill our minds and hearts with confidence to fulfill the will of our Father in heaven. Amen. ***

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 (19912001). 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.

MARCH 3

Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Los Angeles’s gala night “Together in Electric Dreams” is the 80s-themed gala night & induction of the 2018 Officers & Board Members of the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Los Angeles (FACC-GLA) where it will formally launch its “Fil-Am Entrepreneurship Movement.” Everyone is invited to celebrate and relive 80s fashion, and party from 6 p.m. up to midnight at the Olympic Collection at 11301 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064. Tickets available at www.faccgla.org.

MARCH 11

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

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

MARCH 14

Philippine American Bar Association’s 32nd installation & awards gala in Los Angeles on March 14 The Philippine American Bar Association (PABA) invites you to its 32nd Installation and Awards Gala on Wednesday, March 14 at the Omni Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. This year’s Gala will feature keynote speaker California Supreme Court Justice Goodwin Liu, a menu of Filipino flavors, and special performances. PABA will be PABA will be honoring Distinguished Leader Ben Hofileña, Jr. (20th Century Fox Film Senior Counsel), Trailblazer Ruthe Ashley (California LAW Executive Director Emeritus), and Community Champion Minh T. Nguyen (The Law Office of Minh T. Nguyen, ALC). During the gala, PABA also will formally unveil its new logo and website, both of which were developed by a Fil-Am-owned start-up and involve colors and designs deeply rooted in the cultural history of the Philippines. A cocktail reception and auction will begin at 6 p.m., while the dinner and program will begin at 7 p.m. To purchase tickets or a sponsorship, please visit: https://www.z2systems.com/np/clients/paba/giftstore.jsp.

MARCH 19

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

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

Incoming President Ms. ELLEN SAMSON shall be launching our "Push For Entrepeneurship," an upheaval of our cultural mindset to help Filipinos in America go into business.

Join us on MARCH 3, Saturday at 6pm at the Olympic Collection Versailles Ballroom at 11301 Olympic Blvd (corner Sawtelle).

For tickets ($65) visit www.faccgla.org

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&

Should Pres. Trump deport his in-laws?

Immigration Corner ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ PRES. Trump is fiercely opposed to family “chain migration” and wants to limit family petitions to spouses and minor children of green card holders or U.S. citizens. He wants to eliminate petitions for parents (IR), married (F-3) and adult single children (F-1), and siblings (F-4) of U.S. citizens, and adult unmarried children of green card holders (F-2B).

But wait a second! Melania’s parents, Viktor and Amalija Knavs, are confirmed to be lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and reportedly waiting for their oath taking schedule to become U.S. citizens. So the question is: HOW did they get their green cards?

While the White House will not give information on how Melania’s parents obtained their green cards, a petition by her appears to be the most likely way.

However, this is precisely the type of petition Pres. Trump now wants to eliminate. He is opposed to citizens petitioning their parents.

So, what should he do with his in-laws? Send them back to Slovenia? (In fact, they list their address at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago golf course in Florida.)

Realistically, there are two ways to get a green card -through a family based petition, or an employer. Melania’s father is now 73 years old and worked as a chauffeur and car salesman in Slovenia. Her mother, now 71, was a pattern maker at a textile factory. It would be extremely uphill to obtain a green card as a chauffeur or pattern maker in the U.S. The applicant would be required to show there are no qualified U.S. workers for that job. Moreover, Melania’s parents would have been in their late 60’s at the time of the employment based visa processing, likely past their retirement age. It also appears unlikely that they obtained legal status through asylum or refugee status.

Therefore, Melania’s parents most likely immigrated to the U.S. through “chain migration”. Pres.

Trump is thrilled to have his inlaws in the U.S. So given the fact that he personally benefited from

and experienced chain migration within his own family, it would be hypocritical to be so fiercely against it for other families.

In the meantime, anyone who is thinking of petitioning their parents, siblings, etc. should do so as soon as possible, just in case Trump goes ahead and eliminates these family based petitions. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel is licensed, and an active member of the State Bar of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California.

Each case is different. The information contained herein including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and reenactments) is of a general nature, and is not intended to apply to any particular case, and does not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorneyclient relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: (866)—GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)

Super consortium’s NAIA bid challenged

by MIGUEL

R. CAMUS

Inquirer.net

THE tandem of Megawide Construction Corp. and India’s GMR Infrastructure on Thursday, March 1 served a formal notice that it would challenge the “super consortium” of seven Filipino conglomerates in the race to shape the destiny of the crown jewel of Philippine airports.

Megawide-GMR announced it

had submitted an unsolicited proposal to rehabilitate, expand and operate Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the country’s busiest air gateway, and to solve its congestion woes.

The pair will compete with the P350-billion proposal submitted by the consortium composed of Ayala Corp., Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Alliance Global Group Inc., Asia Emerging Dragon, Filinvest Devel-

opment Corp, JG Summit Holdings Inc. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. on Feb. 13, 2018.

Megawide-GMR’s proposal differs significantly in several aspects, most notably in size and scope.

Its offer is valued at $3 billion (P150 billion), since it does not cover the construction of a third runway for NAIA, citing issues such as land constraints and comPAGE D2

Business Quote of the Week “My job as a leader is to make sure everybody in the company has great opportunities, and that they feel they’re having meaningful impact and are contributing to the good of society. As a world, we’re doing a better job of that. My goal is for Google to lead, not follow that.”

– Larry Page, CEO and Director of Alphabet Inc.

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PH needs to boost exports – HSBC Andrew Tan boosts gaming

by Lawrence

agcaoiLi Philstar.com

MANILA — The Philippines is no longer the “sick man” of Asia having experienced rapid economic growth over the past six years, but the country needs to boost the competitiveness of the export sector, according to British banking giant HSBC. In a research note, HSBC economist Noelan Arbis said the Philippines has outperformed its regional peers in recent years after being the “sick man” of Asia for most of the 2000s.

He noted, however, private construction has deteriorated in recent quarters as the government embarked on a massive infrastructure build-up program through the Build Build Build scheme.

“We still see warnings signs

for the Philippine economy in the near term,” Arbis said.

He explained the country could not sustain its rapid growth on investments alone.

“We believe it needs to develop a more competitive export industry for the future,” the economist said.

According to Arbis, services remain the primary driver of the economy, but the bulk of the services sector consists of relatively low-skilled and less productive activities.

Furthermore, the Philippine exports many of its services to other countries, but these services have limited links with the domestic economy in areas such as agriculture and manufacturing. economic managers penned a GDP growth of between seven and eight percent for this year,

while the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has set a medium term inflation target of two to four percent from 2018 to 2020.

Arbis said the BSP would likely raise benchmark rates by 25 basis points next month and by another 25 basis points next year.

The central bank has kept an accommodative stance to support the growing economy by keeping interest rates steady for the past three years. It last raised interest rates by 25 basis points in September 2014.

“The recipe behind the recent improvement is well known, including social and economic reforms and a robust domestic consumption story. But greater investment has been the key difference between the country’s rapid growth in recent years and its laggard pace in the past,” he said.

Ayala buys Silicon Valley-based solar tech firm

by Doris

DumLao-abaDiLLa Inquirer.net

CONGLOMeRATe Ayala Corp. has expanded its footprint in solar energy with the acquisition of a controlling stake in Merlin Solar Technologies Inc., a Silicon Valley-based firm that has developed “disruptive” solar farming technology whose operations can be scaled up by a manufacturing hub in the Philippines.

The transaction was done through AC Industrials’ subsidiary, ACI Solar Holdings NA, which had previously made a minority investment in Merlin in 2016. AC Industrials will have an ownership interest of 78.2 percent in Merlin after the transaction and completion of other related activities, Ayala said in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock exchange on Monday, February 26.

Merlin is a start-up firm headquartered in San Jose, California that has developed proven technology to enhance the efficiency of solar panels. At the core of its patented technology are innovative metal grids that extract more solar power compared to standard panels, dramatically improving the reliability performance and ruggedness of the solar panels. This technology is deemed suitable for demanding applications, such as transportation and infrastructure.

This American solar solutions firm currently has additional manufacturing facilities in Thailand. Moving forward, the disclosure said Merlin would also establish a manufacturing presence in the Philippines through Integrated Microelectronics Inc. (IMI), a subsidiary of AC Industrials.

“At Ayala, we believe that the future will be shaped by the innovation we are seeing today.

We are excited to have the opportunity to add Merlin’s solar technology to our portfolio. The proprietary solar solutions that Merlin brings to the table are key to AC Industrials’ strategy of working on disruptive technologies, and aligns with the Ayala group’s drive to invest in emerging, innovative spaces, such as in e-commerce and fintech. In addition, Merlin is highly comple-

resort capital spending to P121-B

by Doris

DumLao-abaDiLLa Inquirer.net

THe group of property tycoon Andrew Tan has committed a higher capital spending budget of P121 billion for 31-hectare Westside City, the last of the four integrated gaming resorts to rise at the country’s version of the Las Vegas strip along Manila Bay. Tan’s property arm Megaworld Corp. unveiled on Tuesday, February 27 a P54-billion increase in capital outlays in its Westside City project in Paranaque’s Pagcor entertainment Complex for the next 10 years. The initial budget announced in 2015 was only P10 billion.

The expansion in capital expenditures will be mostly for new residential and hotel projects, riding on strong demand in this area.

Megaworld’s affiliate, Travellers International Hotels Group Inc., developer and operator of the Resorts World brand in the Philippines, has separately committed to invest $1.1-billion, or roughly P57 billion, to build the Westside City Resorts World complex.

The higher budget earmarked

by Megaworld thus brings the Andrew Tan group’s combined capital expenditure for the township to P121 billion or 80 percent higher than the original commitment.

“While a big portion of West-

Andrew Tan.

side City will be handled by Travellers International, Megaworld is pouring in a huge amount of money to expand our residential and hotel offerings within the township. The demand is high and we want to tap every available opportunity in this booming side of the metro,” Megaworld senior vice president and treasurer Francis Canuto said in a press statement.

Using the higher budget, Megaworld plans to build two new homegrown hotel brands in Westside City, just in time for the initial opening of the casino complex in 2021. These are the 529-room Kingsford Hotel and the 685-room Grand Westside Hotel, which will be conveniently

Super consortium’s NAIA...

Merlin’s innovative solar panels

Inquirer.net photos

mentary to various Ayala businesses, such as the renewable energy generation under AC energy.

We strongly believe that Merlin’s solar technology has the potential to profoundly impact people’s lives in the coming years,” Ayala Corp. and AC Industrials chair Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala said.

AC Industrials CeO Arthur Tan added: “The PAGE D5

PAGE D1 plex infrastructure, assuming it will be built in Manila Bay. A third runway was included in the super consortium’s proposal.

Megawide-GMR noted its offer was “technically responsive” as it sought to increase NAIA’s capacity to 72 million passengers yearly and air traffic movements by 50 percent. Moreover, it sought a concession period of 18 years, or about half the 35 years under the super consortium’s offer.

The concession period is seen as a key element, given that the government has yet to determine if and for how long NAIA will remain Manila’s main gateway. This is due to the physical constraints of its location and separate private sector proposals for the construction of new international airports in Bulacan and Sangley, Cavite.

It was also important for Megawide-GMR to give a considerably

different offer because of the way unsolicited projects are evaluated in the Philippines. Under the Build Operate Transfer Law, the implementing agency uses a “first in time approach” when reviewing multiple proposals for the same project.

For Megawide-GMR, NAIA can see big improvements if it will “optimize” existing airside infrastructure, said Andrew Harrison, one of the consortium’s authorized representatives.

The NAIA complex handles more than 40 million passengers yearly against its designed capacity of only 30 million passengers a year.

“As an experienced private operator, we have a deep understanding of the problem experienced by NAIA and we would like to offer our take-on solution,” said Louie Ferrer, another authorized representative.

Within 24 months, Megawide-

Inquirer.net photo By August Dela Cruz

linked to the casino complex and offer panoramic views of Manila Bay. “We give our all-out support to the country’s growing tourism industry. Providing more hotel options will further boost tourist arrivals especially in this growth area,” said Canuto.

Aside from the hotels, Megaworld is also building the 15-tower Bayshore Residential Resorts, and the four-tower Gentry Manor.

So far, Westside City has around 4,000 units of residential inventory worth around P50-billion.

Based on its masterplan, Westside City will also have a luxury mall and hotels as well as a wide array of leisure and entertainment facilities.

GMR said it would rehabilitate the existing terminals and double the space to more than 700,000 square meters. It will also build new taxiways, rapid exit taxiways and extend NAIA’s secondary runway.

Under its proposal, MegawideGMR also offered to pay the government yearly concession fees and a share of revenues.

Megawide is a local contractor that has diversified into infrastructure while GMR operates the New Delhi and Istanbul airports.

Both partnered in 2014 to win the Mactan-Cebu International Airport public private partnership contract, edging out much larger conglomerates.

The tandem tapped United States-based Mitre Corp. as technical partner. The super consortium earlier enlisted the help of Singapore’s Changi Airport Group for its proposal.

Should the Duterte administration accept and approve either private sector offer, a competitive challenge will be held.

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Marketplace

East West Bank nets P5.1-B

by Doris

Dumlao-abaDilla Inquirer.net

Gotianun-led EastWest Bank grew its net profit last year by 48 percent to P5.1 billion on higher interest income and fee-based earnings. this translated to a return on equity of 13.8 percent, better than the ratios of other publiclylisted peers, East West disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange on thursday, March 1. Return on assets was at 1.7 percent.

“We are pleased to see the 48percent increase in net income after 2016’s 70-percent increase.

We appreciate the efforts of EastWestbankers that made this possible. i am sure these results will only motivate our colleagues to continue to exert efforts to serve our customers better and show their deep appreciation for our customers’ continued trust and confidence in EastWest,” bank chief executive officer antonio Moncupa said.

“We thank our customers for our best year so far. their continued patronage allowed us to make

East West Bank vice chair and CEO Antonio Moncupa Inquirer.net photo

progress in improving productivity,” East West president Jesus Roberto Reyes said. net interest margin (niM) stood at 7.8 percent, the highest in the banking industry, mainly because of its consumer lending businesses. niM, net of provisions for loan losses — a metric that makes comparison among banks more meaningful — was at an industryleading 5.9 percent. net revenues reached P25.6 billion, 17 percent higher year on year. Core earnings, or those

that exclude trading and non-recurring revenues, reached P24.2 billion, up 21 percent as net interest income and fee-based income grew by 19.8 percent and 29.2 percent, respectively. the bank grew its loan book by 10.7 percent to P220.1 billion as consumer loans grew by 17 percent to P160.3 billion.

EastWest is deemed as the most consumer-centric universal bank in the country, with consumer loans accounting for 71 percent of total loans. on the funding side, total deposits went up by 7.7 percent to P258.7 billion. Low cost deposits grew by 11.1 percent. this suggests that for every P1 of deposits generated, the bank lent out 85 centavos mostly to consumers or households.

Meanwhile, trading income declined by 16.6 percent to P760 million. operating expenses reached P13.9 billion, 19.1 percent higher than he previous year as the bank invested in boosting its senior management team, to support further growth moving forward.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and its lead agency are urged to protect investors in the ongoing tax reform program of the administration.

Philstar.com photo

BPO sector calls on DTI, BOI to guard vs incentives reform by richmonD

mercurio Philstar.com

thE business process outsourcing (BPo) industry is urging the Department of trade and industry (Dti) and its lead agency responsible for the promotion of investments to stand up and protect investors in the ongoing tax reform program of the administration which would soon include the rationalization of fiscal incentives in the country. “i would like to see the Dti and Boi (Board of investments) to lead on that regard, (to) make sure that there is that balance because their mandate is investment promotion, to be able to generate jobs. and if the investments don’t come in, the objective of generating more jobs will not happen,” Philippine association of Multinational Companies Regional headquarters inc. (PaMuRi) director Celeste ilagan said.

“We don’t see a mother agency.

We haven’t heard the Dti come out for us, saying that investors would have their rights protected.

i guess that’s the general sentiment we heard in the industry,” added ilagan, who also serves as senior vice president to a leading BPo company. as the government moves to undertake its tax reform program, ilagan said the proposed rationalization of incentives should not lead to the “detriment of not being able to attract the investors.”

“We support the Build Build Build program of the government because we want to see ourselves at par with our neighboring countries, at par with the infrastructure of our neighbors, but we also know this program will take three to five years before we reach that stature that we want to have for the country,” she said. “in the meantime, we should protect ourselves from the presence of uncertainty of doing business in the Philippines. investors would like to have that assurance, and therefore, we would like to make sure that we can continue telling them that investing in the country will make you more profitable or make your business

grow compared to other locations. these are investors that look for the best location… we should be able to present ourselves as the best location in the meantime that we are trying to improve all of the areas that make us at par with other countries,” ilagan said.

PaMuRi, a subsector of the BPo industry, earlier opposed the removal of the preferential tax rate for multinational companies’ regional operating headquarters (RohQs) under the already approved first package of the tax reform program. the group said some four to five RohQs have “refused to enter the Philippine market due to the threat of removal of the said incentives.” “they are supposed to come in, but because the incentives changed, they might not go in.

But aside from that, those who are already here that have plans of growing, they will not expand anymore because their principals will find it better for them to direct the jobs to their other centers,” ilagan said.

DICT relaxes rules for third telco player by ma. lisbet

K. esmael

ManilaTimes.net

CoMMittED services and not financial resources will be the basis for choosing the country’s third major telecommunications player, the Department of information and Communications technology (DiCt) said as it announced the dropping of a P10-billion net worth requirement. “the P10-billion capital required will be [taken]out [because]we have been receiving … comment[s]from the stakeholders themselves,” DiCt officer-in-charge Eliseo Rio said at a second public consultation on the selection of the third telco player. the DiCt earlier this month released a draft memorandum circular mandating, among others, that any telco looking to challenge the PLDt and Globe telecom duopoly should be worth at least P10 billion. “[h]indi na yung pera yung tinitignan, but ‘yung actual committed roll-out mo (We will no longer look at the money but instead the actual committed roll-out)… the area you will cover, internet speed you are going to commit, ano yung mga (what) services that you will have after five years,” Rio said. noting that the selection process normally takes into account the committed investment, Rio said “we took that out” because prospective investors had claimed that their systems were more efficient and up-to-date. the chief of the national telecommunications Commission, Gamaliel Cordoba, said a performance bond would be mandated in lieu of the capital requirement. “the performance bond — this is just the figure that we put, P40 billion, it can go higher or lower — we’re asking for help from the insurance Commission on the best way on how to …[settle] funding,” Cordoba added.

Department of Information and Communications Technology officer-in-charge Eliseo Rio Jr. (L) and National Telecommunications Commission chief Gamaliel Cordoba answer questions during a public consultation.

ManilaTimes.net photo

Should the winning bidder fail to meet its commitments, the second-placer will take over and be allowed to tap the previous winner’s performance bond, Rio said.

Coverage requirement Cordoba, meanwhile, said the new telco should be also able to service at least 15 percent of the population within the first year of operations. “this 15 percent is comprised of the population of 25 percent of cities and provincial capitals; 10 percent of the first and second class municipalities; [and]5 percent … of third and fourth class municipalities,” he said during the public consultation. the second year should see coverage increase to 30 percent of the population, 45 percent on the third, 60 percent during the fourth and 70 percent by the fifth year. “this is in terms of people reached. We expect in year seven or eight, the new player would be able to cover 80 percent,” Cordoba said.

Rio said a revised memorandum circular could be released next

week and a public hearing staged “ten days after that”.

Cordoba said the final circular would be released on april 9 and submission of bids scheduled for May 24. the third telco, Rio said, could be named by “end of May or June.” in January, he identified Philippine telegraph & telephone Corp.

(Pt&t), noW Corp. and Converge iCt Solutions inc. as having expressed interest in joining the upcoming auction.

PT&T downplays probe in a related development, Pt&t expressed optimism that its bid chances would not be affected by questions over its franchise. “this will not affect the 3rd telco bid,” Pt&t Chief operating officer Miguel Bitanga told reporters in a text message.

“Congress is conducting an inquiry on our compliance to our franchise, of which we were asked to submit a position paper. We are confident that once this paper is submitted, our compliance will be PAGE D5

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 3-6, 2018 D

D MARCH 3-6, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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Marketplace

Four flagship projects designed for Mindanao

by MayvelIn

U. Caraballo

ManilaTimes.net

AT least four flagship infrastructure projects costing more than P124 billion will help jumpstart economic development in Mindanao, the Finance department said on Tuesday.

The island is now in the “front and center” of an infrastructure buildup, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said in a statement, with several big-ticket projects to be either rolled out or completed this year to link outlying communities to the urban mainstream.

One of the projects designed to jumpstart economic development is the P5.4-billion Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project Phase 2 in North Cotabato and Maguindanao,

which will irrigate almost 10,000 hectares of land in 56 conflictaffected areas. It is targeted for completion this year.

Another is the P98-billion Mindanao Logistics Infrastructure Network, which involves the construction or improvement of 2,500 kilometers of roads across the Northern Mindanao, Davao, Soccsksargen and Caraga regions to link farms to markets. The project has been ongoing since 2015 and is targeted for completion in 2019.

Third is the P21-billion Improving Growth Corridors in Mindanao Road Sector Project covering the construction and improvement of a 276-kilometer network of roads spanning the Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and

Zamboanga Sibugay provinces.

The project will commence this year and is expected to be completed by 2020.

Last is the Mindanao Railway Project, which Dominguez said “will soon become a reality”.

The finance chief said his department would also support a proposal to transfer the current Zamboanga City airport to a more viable location.

For the Zamboanga Peninsula alone, he said the government had allocated P23 billion this year for 754 road construction and improvement projects.

Of these projects, 102 will be for Zamboanga City, including a 36-kilometer bypass road targeted for completion this year.

Group submits new proposal for Sangley airport in Cavite

by IrIs

Gonzales Philstar.com

MANILA — The Tieng-led consortium seeking to build an airport off Sangley Point in Cavite has submitted a new unsolicited proposal for the development of a new regional airport hub to be named Philippine Sangley International Airport, industry sources said.

Sought for comment on this, businessman Wilson Tieng told The Star that a new plan was submitted but he declined to provide additional details, saying the technical people in charge of the plan is still out of the country.

“It’s the same family and it’s the same group,” he merely said.

Tieng said the Philippines would benefit from having additional and better airports.

“We really need new airports…I am excited,” Tieng said.

Tieng said the group is hoping that the Duterte administration will consider its proposal.

In 2016, ARRC with Belle Corp., the high-end property of henry Sy’s SM Group, submitted a $50 billion proposal to build an airport and seaport project off Sangley

PAGE D3

Point in Cavite.

Under the previous proposal, the planned airport would have a capacity of 50 million passengers and was envisioned to accommodate passenger traffic well into the year 2050.

The project will be built in phases, starting with the reclamation of some 2,500 hectares of land near Sangley Point, the former naval station of the U.S. Navy.

ARRC is led by the Tieng family, who has investments in a television network through Solar entertainment Corp.

The new proposal, meanwhile, is envisioned to be an Asian airport hub that can accommodate 120 million passenger per annum once fully developed.

Components of the project include the rehabilitation of the Danilo Atienza Air Base for use as a general aviation airport to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) during the project development phase.

There will also be reclamation of 2,500 hectares to be used for the airport infrastructure and commercial development to complement the project.

The airport is envisioned to be located north of the Sangley peninsula on reclaimed land and will be designed with two parallel independent runways and sufficient airside and terminal capacity to accommodate future demand for domestic, international and transfer traffic, not only for the Philippines but for all South east Asia.

Sources said the project supports the government’s multi airport strategy as it complements other airport infrastructure projects of the government such as Clark International Airport and the redevelopment of NAIA. The expected development cost of the airport component alone is $12 billion with a concession period of 50 years, sources also said.

Furthermore, the project will free up NAIA and allow government to redevelop a prime property.

The new proposal was submitted following the P350 billion offer made by seven of the country’s biggest conglomerates to redevelop NAIA, the country’s main but already congested gateway.

DOT to launch market tourism in Western Visayas

by CatherIne

talavera Philstar.com

The Western Visayas unit of the Department of Tourism (DOT) will launch a market tourism program this year, in a bid to lure tourists to buy more local products.

DOT region 6 director helen Catalbas said the market tourism program aims to further develop and beautify selected public markets in the region, in order to attract more tourists to buy local products from the region.

“We studied that one of the major activities of Filipino tourists before they go home is to shop for local delicacies, handicrafts – pasalubong,” Catalbas said, adding that most of the region’s tourists are from the domestic market.

Catalbas said the DOT is part-

DOT Region 6 Director Helen Catalbas said the market tourism program aims to further develop and beautify selected public markets in the region, in order to attract more tourists to buy local products from the region.

Philstar.com photo

nering with local government units of the region’s cities and

municipalities for the market tourism program.

Peso almost flat vs. USD; PSEi sustains slide MANILA – The Philippine peso ended the week almost flat against the U.S. dollar while the Philippine Stock exchange index (PSei) finished on the red.

The local unit ended the trade at 51.90 from 51.92 on Thursday, March 1, which a trader said was expected given the recent drop in U.S. Treasury yields.

It opened at 51.84, an improvement from the 52.07.

It traded between 51.78 and 51.92, resulting in an average of 51.56.

Volume for the day reached

USD733.3 million, down from the USD863.5 million on Thursday.

The currency pair is seen to range between 51.80 and 52.10 next week.

PSei, on the other hand, shed 0.09 percent, or 7.20 points, to 8,458.57 points.

A trader said concerns on the domestic inflation rate’s path continue to worry investors amid assurance by monetary officials that rate of price increases is expected to normalize starting in the first quarter of 2019.

The continued drop in the

country’s main equities index was mirrored by the All Shares, with fell 0.24 percent, or 12.29 points, to 5,065.34 points.

Most of the sectoral indices also ended the week down, led by the Mining and Oil, 1.04 percent; and followed by the holding Firms, 0.73 percent; Property, 0.51 percent; and Services, 0.14 percent.

Volume reached 4.9 billion shares amounting to PhP7.25 billion.

Losers led gainers at 141 to 74 while 41 shares were unchanged. (Joann Villanueva/ PNA)

Ayala buys Silicon Valley-based...

PAGE D2 acquisition of Merlin forms part of AC Industrials’ strategy to own, develop, and commercialize disruptive technologies in rapidly-transforming industries. Merlin’s patent and IP (intellectual property) portfolio in a disclosure and said that its Telecommunications holdings allows a differentiated value proposition in solar which, position, “based on the applicable Inc. Businessmen Lucio Tan Jr. when combined with AC Induslaw on the matter and the factual circumstances surrounding the Salvador Zamora II and Benjamin trials’ core strength of providing sale … the approval by Congress Bitanga used Menlo to enter the manufacturing scale through IMI’s global platform, will protelecommunications business. is not required…”.

Zamora and Bitanga were sub- vide AC Industrials with the The company announced last August that investment company sequently elected as chairman and opportunity to disrupt the solar Menlo Capital Corp. had acquired chief executive officer, respec- energy industry.”

While conventional forms of a 70 percent stake from Republic tively, of the company.

DICT relaxes rules for third...

both proven and clear,” he said.

A newspaper on Monday reported that the house of Representatives committee on legislative franchises was probing a change of ownership at PT&T that was made without prior approval by Congress.

PT&T confirmed the report

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 3-6, 2018 D

solar deployment rely on aluminum-framed-tempered-glass constructs, the weight and rigidity of such installations prevent their use in applications that demand rugged, lightweight, flex tolerant, and aesthetic appeal. This has limited their use primarily to large grid-connected solar farm applications.

As such, Merlin developed innovative crystalline silicon-based solar solutions which address demanding deployments such as on metal roofs, auxiliary power for transportation, flush mounted residential solar, and military applications.

This investment forms part of Ayala’s strategy, through AC Industrials, to boost its presence in the global and domestic industrial technologies spaces by capitalizing on opportunities arising from disruptive technological shifts, changing industry landscapes, and increasing demand from end-users.

Since its formation in 2016, AC Industrials has built a portfolio of businesses in industrial technologies including various platforms in electronics manufacturing, vehicle assembly, vehicle retail and distribution, and emerging technologies.

D MARCH 3-6, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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