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MARC H 8 -14, 2019 Volume 12 - No. 20 • 16 Pages

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DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Senate expected to pass resolution blocking Trump’s national emergency Trump likely to veto the resolution FOLLOWING Senator Rand Paul’s announcements over the weekend that he intended to support a resolution to block President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell on Monday, March 4 confirmed that there were enough votes in the Senate for the resolution to pass. If the resolution were to pass, Trump would be forced to veto the resolution that would otherwise prevent him from accessing approximately $8 billion for border wall construction. “I think what is clear in the Senate is there will be enough votes to pass the resolution of disapproval which will then be vetoed by the president and then all likelihood the veto will be upheld in the House,” McConnell said at a Monday press conference in Washington, D.C. Adding that it was unclear whether the resolution could be amended by the Senate given that it has “never been done before,” McConnell said he tried to dissuade Trump from

Malaysia’s Mahathir tells Philippines: ‘Be very careful’ with Chinese loans MANILA — Malaysia Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Thursday, March 7, cautioned the Philippines to carefully deal with loans from China, drawing from his country’s experience after his government scrapped what he calls “unfair” Chinese-backed

infrastructure projects. Amid worries about corruption, Mahathir last year canceled a number of Chinese-funded projects worth $22 billion awarded by his embattled predecessor Najib Razak, who is facing a massive financial scandal.

In an interview with ANC Television, Mahathir, who is in Manila for a two-day visit, said the Philippines should avoid repeating the mistakes made by other countries that suffered from unsustainable debt by accepting Chinese infrastructure investments.

“This is something that of course China has been accused of, but it is also the country’s concern which can regulate or limit all these influences from China,” Mahathir said. “If you borrow huge sums of mon-

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PDEA: 64 politicians on ‘narcolist’ seek reelection by NATHALIE

ROBLES

AJPress

THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) revealed on Tuesday, March 5, that 64 out of 82 politicians in the yet-to-be-released “narcolist” are vying for reelection this upcoming midterm polls. PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino stated that the said politicians were all aiming for a local seat this election. He confirmed the number with the list of those

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‘Immigration rights in limbo’ say immigration reform advocates

AS President Donald Trump marked the completion of two years into his presidency just last month, immigration remains to be the biggest issue for his administration, which has remained persistent in its immigrant curbing efforts and the wall along U.S.-Mexico border. In an immigration rights briefing on Thursday, February 28, immigration reform and rights advocates highlighted what they saw were the key issues still yet to be resolved. “As we’ve seen, the White House has rolled out dozens and dozens of anti-immigrant policies over the last two years in everything starting with the Muslim ban, attacks on refugees, to last year’s family separations, antiimmigration legislative proposals, the public charge rule, and many other attacks,” said Kerri Talbot, director of federal advocacy at The Immigration Hub based in Washington, D.C. “The immigration community has just had so much to deal with within the last two years,” she added. Continuous DACA challenges Among the policies continuously chal-

PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino

Inquirer,net photo

NEW BSP GOVERNOR. President Rodrigo Duterte congratulates newly-appointed Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno following the oath-taking ceremony at the Malacañang Palace on Wednesday, March 6. Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez

Lorenzana clashes with Locsin over PH-US Mutual Defense Treaty by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

DEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Tuesday, March 5, countered Foreign Secretary Teodoro “Teddyboy” Locsin Jr.’s pronouncement about the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT). Locsin stated “in vagueness lies the best deterrence” on the decades-old defense agreement between the Philippines and the U.S.. This was during a joint press conference with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday, March 1. Lorenza, who is pushing for a review of the u PAGE 5 MDT, released a statement that contradicted

Locsin’s argument. “I do not believe that ambiguity or vagueness of the Philippine-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty will serve as a deterrent. In fact, it will cause confusion and chaos during a crisis,” he said. “The fact that the security environment now is so vastly different and much more complex than the bipolar security construct of the era when the MDT was written necessitates a review of the treaty,” he added. Lorenzana also argued that the review of the MDT should have been done after the U.S. bases were terminated in 1992 as the Philippines lost its “security umbrella.” Calamba City in Laguna province ranked first among the 15 cities with the cleanest air in

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Southeast Asia (SEA) in 2018, a recent study reported.

Inquirer.net photo

11 of 15 cities in Southeast Forbes names businessman Manny Villar as PHs’ richest man Asia with cleanest air are in Philippines — report by NATHALIE

ROBLES

AJPress

Real estate tycoon Manny Villar

Philstar.com photo

FORBES Magazine named real estate tycoon and self-made billionaire Manuel Villar Jr. as the Philippines’ richest man as he topped the country’s list and ranked 317th among the 2,153 global billionaires on its list. The 69-year-old former politician was the first wealthiest man in the country of purely Filipino descent. Villar was among the 17 Filipinos who made it to the 2019 Forbes list of the richest people in the world. The global media company estimated Villar’s net worth at $5.5 billion due to his real estate businesses. He is currently the chairman of Starmalls and Vista & Landscapes. He

also owns Golden Bria, a housing and condominium developer. Villar, also known as the brown taipan, was the former speaker of the House and Senate president. He made an empire on property development after losing his presidential bid back in 2010. He was a former seafood vendor in Tondo who no longer “dives in a sea of trash.” Villar replaces Sy’s spot After the death of the Philippines’ wealthiest man SM group founder Henry Sy Sr. in January, Villar took the spot of the former richest Filipino and now led the country’s billionaires in the global media company’s list. Forbes estimated the individual net worth of all his children. Due to their share in the

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by GAEA

KATREENA Philstar.com

CABICO

MANILA — Eleven of the cities in Southeast Asia with cleanest air are in the Philippines, with Calamba in Laguna taking the top spot. This is according to Switzerlandbased IQ AirVisual and Greenpeace’s 2018 Air Quality Report, which measured the amount of fine particulate matter known as PM2.5 (µg/m³) in cities in 73 countries. PM2.5 is a particulate matter (ambient airborne particles), which measures up to 2.5 microns in

size and causes a wide range of short and long term health effects. Common sources of PM include combustion as well as through other pollutants reacting in the atmosphere. The Philippines ranked 48th on the list with an average of 14.6 µg/ m³ of PM2.5, classified as “moderate.” The country fared better than its Southeast Asia counterparts such as Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia. Bangladesh was the most polluted country last year (97.1 µg/m³ ), while Iceland was the cleanest

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March 8-14, 2019 • NEW YOrK aND NEW JErSEY aSIaN JOUrNaL

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From the Front Page

PDEA: 64 politicians on ‘narcolist’ seek...

PAGE 1 who filed their certificates of candidacy. “I think it’s 64. They filed their COCs and the remaining 18 decided not to file,” the PDEA chief said as reported by The Philippine Star. In a radio interview with DZMM, the PDEA director general admitted that he has no idea how the administration got a hold of the narcolist but he has assured the public that he ordered the verification of the intelligence reports. “Hindi ko alam kung anong klaseng proseso ang ginawa nila, kung mayroon pang intelligence effort ng ibang bansa dito na nakialam, kung mayroon bang wiretapping o kung anong pamamaraan ng pagkuha ng report. Wala po akong alam doon (I don’t know what kind of process they did if there was intelligence effort Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad offers a wreath at the monument of Dr. Jose Rizal in Manila on Thursday, March 7. Mahathir by another country that meddled is on a two-day official visit to the country, his first since he returned as Malaysia’s prime minister in 2018. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan here if there was wiretapping or what method they used in getting the report. I don’t know anything about that),” Aquino said as reported by ABS-CBN News. PAGE 1 The PDEA chief was also voit as the two countries continue said given the “corruption probey from China and you cannot to spar over the resource-rich lems” associated with Chinese cal in his stand not to publicize infrastructure projects and the the list. However, he maintained pay—you know when a person South China Sea. account that, “if it will be ordered by the Critics have warned that the Philippines’ current is a borrower he is under the control of the lender. So we have Philippines could be the next gap “already approaching un- president, I should abide by that.” to be very careful with that,” he victim of what they say is China’s sustainable levels,” Chinese in- He added, “It’s really hard to build “debt trap diplomacy,” where vestment “could make problems cases against these politicians. It’s added. Philippine President Rodrigo Beijing gives “friendly” loans to worse” for the Southeast Asian easy to say why not make a case buildup.” Duterte plans to spend trillions bankroll infrastructure projects nation. “It’s not true that PDEA will “The upshot is that while imof pesos to bridge the Philip- in financially weak states in expines’ infrastructure gap, and change for control over strategic provements to the country’s infrastructure are desperately to do so he sought Beijing and assets. But Philippine policymakers needed, the pace of increase other countries’ help for funding to reduce strain on his govern- have repeatedly said the country needs to be managed properly won’t fall into an alleged “debt in order to avoid further bal- PAGE 1 ment’s budget. ance of payments strains,” Capi- family fortune, the six children Despite Duterte’s warm rela- trap” with China. Last year, London-based tal Economics said (Ian Nicolas of the former Philippines’ richest tions with China, the Philippines has a long history of mistrust of think tank Capital Economics Cigaral.Philstar.com) man still made it to the global list. The Sy siblings have a combined net worth of $13.3 billion. Rich list Following Villar with an estiPAGE 1 of the World Health Organization in the region. mated net worth of $5.1 billion Meycauyan (32.4 µg/m³) and is industrialist and JG Summit at 10 µg/m³. (5 µg/m³). Valenzuela City (9.9 µg/m³) Caloocan (31.4 µg/m³) were in- founder John Gokongwei Jr. who The nation’s capital, Manila, ranked 42nd with moderate 14.3 and Carmona City (10.9 µg/m³) cluded on the list of most polluted ranked 343rd in the global list. Gaming tycoon and chair of Interµg/m³. New Delhi in India (113.5 ranked second and third, re- cities. “Air pollution steals our liveli- national Container Terminal Serµg/m³) had the world’s highest spectively. Other Philippine cities on the hoods and our futures, but we vices Enrique Razon Jr. followed recorded air pollution in 2018, while Wellington in New Zealand list were Parañaque (12.2 µg/m³), can change that. In addition to next with $4.8 billion ranking Davao (12.2 µg/m³), Makati (13.7 human lives lost, there’s an esti- 379th. (6 µg/m³) was the cleanest. The fourth spot in the PhilipCalamba as the cleanest city µg/m³), Manila (14.3 µg/m³), Man- mated global cost of 225 billion daluyong (14.5 µg/m³), Balanga dollars in lost labor and trillions in pines belonged to Lucio Tan, with in SEA Calamba led the 11 Philippine (16.1 µg/m³), Quezon (17.5 µg/m³) medical costs. This has enormous a net worth of $4.4 billion. He has impacts, on our health and on a diverse portfolio, ranging from cities on the list of cleanest cities and Las Piñas (17.9 µg/m³). Meanwhile, Jakarta (45.3 µg/ our wallets,” Yeb Sano, executive tobacco, spirits, banking, and in Southeast Asia. It had 9.3 µg/m³ of PM2.5, which is pursuant to the m³) and Hanoi (40.8 µg/m³) had director of Greenpeace Southeast property development. Followed by Jollibee founder Tony Tan Cakannual mean exposure threshold the highest recorded air pollution Asia, said. n

Malaysia’s Mahathir tells...

release the narcolist. First and foremost, we still remain on my stand from the start [that] I don’t want the list to be revealed or to be disclosed even before the filing of COCs,” Aquino said as reported by The Manila Times. The drug agency initially enlisted 83 narco-politicians. However, they crossed off Mayor Norodin Salasal of Datu Salibo, Maguindanao after he was arrested on February 24. They also said that they are yet to finish the validation of the said list. Law enforcement officials were also mandated to identify those candidates that are involved in the illegal drug trade. National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Major Gen. Guillermo Eleazar ordered the force to prove who among the candidates were narco-politicians. “So far, we have no reports as of now that a politician in Metro Manila is involved in the illegal drugs trade. But we wanted to be sure as the government is set to reveal a list of politicians involved in illegal drugs and we do not want to be caught with our pants down,” Eleazar said. “We should have strong evidence against politicians involved in the illegal drug trade so our cases could stand in court. We should not base our reports on hearsay,” he added. Precipice of destruction Presidential spokesperson

Salvador Panelo said that it is important for the public to be aware of the reputation of their to-be-leaders. Since illegal drug trade is considered a threat to national security, he explained that narco-leaders should be revealed before they assume positions. “We have placed the drug problem as national security. In other words, we are on the precipice of destruction if we cannot stop this drug industry. We cannot allow people to run local governments — the barangay (villages) — by the destroyers of society,” Panelo explained. The spokesman said that releasing the list would give them the chance to prove to the public whether or not they are involved in illegal activities. He also noted that publicizing names of narcopoliticians doesn’t violate any constitutional rights. “You give people a chance to defend themselves, which is why there is a constitutional presumption of innocence. But how can you demand that you are presumed innocent when you are involved in something criminal?” he said. “The due process clause applies to life, liberty or property. The release of the list does not even enter any of these [categories,] because you do not deprive them of these three things when you release the list,” he added.

Forbes names Manny Villar as...

11 of 15 cities in Southeast Asia with...

tiong and family with $3.9 billion. Sixth in the list is San Miguel Corporation President and Eagle Cement chair Ramon Ang with $2.9 billion while on the seventh place is Megaworld founder Andrew Tan with $2.7 billion. Eight on the country’s list is Hans and Herbert Sy who tied for 962nd place globally with an estimated fortune of $2.4 billion each. They were followed by their siblings—Harley, Henry Jr. and Teresita Sy-Coson with an estimated $2.2 billion each and ranked 1,057th globally. Their sister Elizabeth ranked tenth with $1.9 billion. Among those who made it to the list were San Miguel chair Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. with $1.4 billion; Insurance magnate Robert Coyiuto with $1.4 billion; Century

Pacific founder Ricardo Po with $1.2 billion; and property developer Roberto Ongpin with $1.1 billion. The 17 tycoons from the Philippines have a combined fortune of $47.7 billion, equivalent to around 14 percent of the country’s domestic output in 2018. Forbes’ Wealth assistant managing editor Luisa Kroll said that the number of billionaires decreased for the first time since 2016. Kroll noted that it is only the second decrease in over 10 years. “The billionaire ranks prove that even the world’s richest are not immune to economic forces and the volatility of world markets. Yet, even with strong headwinds, resourceful and relentless entrepreneurs find new ways to get rich,” Kroll said. n

Dateline USa

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UN rights chief criticizes Duterte’s drug war, calls for public health approach by Ryan

MacaseRo Philstar.com

UNITED Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet issued a statement slamming the Philippines’ deadly war on drugs and urged the government to take a “public health approach” to comply with human rights standards. Agnes Callamard, the UN’s special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, shared the statement on a Facebook post on Wednesday, March 6. “I encourage the Philippines to adopt a public health approach, and harm reduction initiatives, that comply with human rights standards, as recommended to the 2016 General Assembly Special Session,” Bachelet, who was PREPARATION FOR THE 30TH SEA GAMES. The Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) welcomes Ajinomoto Co., Inc. (AJICO) as the president of Chile from 2006 major sponsor for the 30th SEA Games, during the press conference at the Kalayaan Hall, 10th Flr. SM Aura, BGC, Taguig on Wednesday, March 6. In photo are Marc Velasco, from the Office of the Chairman, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC); PHISGOC Chief Operating Officer Ramon to 2010 and again from 2014 to Suzara; PHISGOC Chairperson Alan Peter Cayetano; Ajinomoto Corporate VP Kaoru Kurashima, also president of Ajinomoto South East Asia 2018, said. “Despite serious allegations of regional headquarters; and Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation president Ichiro Sakakura. Ajinomoto becomes the seventh sponsor of the 30th extra-judicial killings, only one SEA Games after Philippine Airlines, Atos, GL Events, Grand Sport, Sonak Corporation, Asics and Media-Pro Asia. PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr. case – the widely reported killing of a teenage boy – has been subject to investigation and prosecution,” Bachelet added. While she didn’t name the case she was referring to, in 2018 Caloocan police officers were convicted of murder in the highof navigation in the whole South and neighboring ASEAN coun- ly-publicized case of 17-year-old by chRistina Mendez tries to ensure stability in the Kian delos Santos. China Sea open,” Zhao said. Philstar.com She added that independent Pompeo declared that defend- South China Sea and the rest of and impartial investigations into ing the Philippines against any the region. “We are hoping that we can reports of “thousands of killings” BEIJING downplayed the re- attack in the South China Sea is newed commitment of the Unit- covered by the Mutual Defense make further progress in our attributed to the Philippines pojoint efforts to maintain peace lice and security forces should be ed States government to come Treaty. to the aid of the Philippines “We are worried about possi- and stability in the South China conducted. President Rodrigo Duterte, once it is attacked in the dis- ble attacks from the other side. Sea,” he added. n puted South China Sea. We don’t worry about China atU.S. Secretary of State Mike tacking anybody because it is Pompeo, who met with Presi- not our policy,” Zhao said. dent Duterte last week, said In the same interview, Zhao Washington would protect Ma- said the embassy has yet to vernila if its forces are attacked in ify reports that Chinese vessels the South China Sea. are driving Filipino fishermen In a chance interview at off Pag-asa Island. Malacañang, Chinese Ambas“I took note of the media resador Zhao Jianhua said the port but whether it is authentic U.S. should be more concerned or not, it is something subject about other countries destabi- to clarification. I read in the lizing peace and stability in the newspaper also that your Secsea “rather than China initiat- retary of National Defense has ing any move.” already denied the there is no “Everybody, every country such thing (that) happened in will suffer if peace and stability that area,” he said. becomes something opposite. “We are checking and we are It’s chaos or conflict,” he told in close coordination with Dereporters when asked for reac- partment of Foreign Affairs but tion on Pompeo’s remark dur- rest assured China is committed ing his visit to the Philippines. to peacefully settle disputes we “I think it is in the common have and we are working very interest of all countries, includ- well in managing our differencing China, the United States es,” he said. and ASEAN countries, that we Zhao also assured that China keep the peace and stability is committed to work on the there and we keep the freedom Code of Conduct between China

China downplays US commitment to defend Philippines in South China Sea

Lorenzana clashes with Locsin... PAGE 1 “A couple years after the U.S. left the bases, the Chinese began their aggressive actions in Mischief Reef — not an armed attack but it was aggression just the same. The U.S. did not stop it,” he said. Unwanted war Pompeo on Friday assured the public that “any armed attack on any Philippine forces, aircraft, or public vessels in the South China Sea will trigger mutual defense obligations under Article 4 of our Mutual Defense Treaty.” The reassurance was noted by former foreign secretary Albert del Rosario as “one of the most important statements made in the many decades since the Mutual Defense Treaty was ratified in 1951.” Lorenzana, however, pointed

out that it is not the lack of reassurance that worries him. “The Philippines is not in a conflict with anyone and will not be at war with anyone in the future. But the United States, with the increased and frequent passage of its naval vessels in the West Philippine Sea, is more likely to be involved in a shooting war. In such a case and on the basis of the MDT, the Philippines will be automatically involved,” he said. “It is not the lack of reassurance that worries me. It is being involved in a war that we do not seek and do not want,” he added. The U.S.’ sustained freedom of navigation operations in the disputed South China Sea has continued to provoke angry protests from China and tense moments between the rival naval forces. n

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana

Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.

Inquirer.net photos

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet

however, has not taken kindly to international criticism. In 2017 Duterte threatened to slap Callamard for saying she would investigate the administration’s drug war. “People who have fallen into the trap of drug reliance need help to rebuild their lives; drug policies should not be more of a threat to their lives than the drugs they are abusing,” Bachelet said. Duterte, however, has rebuked the idea that drug addicts can be rehabilitated, hence the need for an iron-fist approach to the drug war. Since 2017, the president has repeatedly claimed that brains of shabu users shrink, despite expert opinion that it does not. Another South American politician, former Colombian President César Gaviria, was called an “idiot” by Duterte for urging the Philippine president not to repeat the mistakes of Colombia in a 2017 New York Times opin-

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ion piece. Bachelet also highlighted that special rapporteurs of the human rights commission, opposition politicians, human rights defenders and journalists have been the subject of threats, attacked or jailed for expressing dissent against the drug war. “And I am extremely concerned by Congress consideration of measures to reintroduce the death penalty for drug-related crimes, and reduce the age of criminal responsibility from 15, to 12 – or even 9 – years old,” she added. While the Philippines’ neighbors Sri Lanka and China are the only countries to praise the Philippines as a role model in fighting drugs, the UN commissioner said the opposite. “The drug policies in place in the Philippines, and its lack of respect for rule of law and international standards, should not be considered a model by any country,” Bachelet said. n

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Dateline USa

SUBWAY DRILLING MACHINE. Photo shows the miniature version of the drilling machine to be used for the construction of the country’s first 36-kilometer subway that will have 15 stations from Quirino Highway in Quezon City to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City. The subway will traverse seven localities and pass through three of Metro Manila’s business districts. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Duterte credits CIA for return of Balangiga bells by Patricia Lourdes Philstar.com

Viray

THE return of the historic Balangiga bells to the Philippines would not have been possible without the help of the Central Intelligence Agency, President Rodrigo Duterte said. In December, the three bells of the San Lorenzo de Martir Parish Church in Balangiga, Eastern Samar taken by American troops as war booty in 1917 arrived in the country. In a speech during the first anniversary of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, the president claimed that the CIA interfered in the return of the bells. “So, the return of the bells after having been there in the far and wide, in between the years, for the demand for their return could not have happened had the CIA not interfered. It would not have been returned if was government-to-government only,” Duterte said Wednesday night. ‘It’s just drama’ Duterte further insisted that he tricked the CIA into believing that one of his ancestors was among those who died in Balangiga. “And I said, ‘You know, one of those who died there must have been my great, great, great grandfather.’ ‘Really?’ ‘Yes!’ It’s not true. It’s just drama,” the

president said. The return of the Balangiga bells may have happened during the Duterte presidency but the campaign was more of a veterans-to-veterans effort, a historian earlier said. Rolando Borrinaga, secretary of the National Committee on Historical Research of the National Commission on Culture and the Arts, said there was no paper trail on the Duterte administration’s effort to return the Balangiga bells. “There has been no paper from the Philippines related to this campaign. It seems like a successful legislation in the US to return the bells to us,” Borrinaga told ABS-CBN’s “Bandila” in November. Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion The historian explained that the campaign to return the Balangiga bells to the Philippines started from two major war veteran organizations in the US — the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. The two organizations started the campaign about two to three years ago to convince the larger community of American war veterans to return the bells to the Philippines. Furthermore, the return of the Balangiga bells to the country also depended on US Congress,

which had to pass a law that would allow their return. Borrinaga pointed out that the two war veteran groups also influenced American lawmakers, making way for the passage of the US National Defense Authorization Act of 2018. This special legislation alloed the “exception of transfer of veterans memorial objects to foreign countries without specific authorization in law.” Duterte: CIA planning to kill me While Duterte claims that he coordinated with the CIA for the return of the Balangiga bells, he also earlier accused the agency of planning to kill him. In August last year, the president claimed that the US, particularly the CIA, was monitoring his mobile phone conversations. “They will kill me, those! ...Their attention os focused on leaders,” Duterte said in Filipino. A few days after Duterte accused the CIA of plotting to assassinate him, then presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said there was no imminent threat on his life. “There is none. The president as you know is not bothered by whatever threats against him. He said this repeatedly that if it is his time, it’s really his time. But I repeat, there is no such threat,” Roque said. n

‘Immigration rights in limbo’ say immigration... PAGE 1 lenged policies since Trump came into office were the administration’s policies on those who have Dreamer-related protection, such as those under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and those with Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Under the DACA program, which was enacted under the Obama administration in 2012 to protect those who came to the U.S. as children, approximately 800,000 individuals have registered with the vast majority having renewed once or more times since the program’s inception. But in September 2017, the Trump administration terminated the program and said the program would be phased out with no renewals or new applicants being accepted. But several lawsuits were immediately filed challenging the termination, with three federal courts issuing and concurring orders in January 2018 saying that DACA recipients should be able to renew their DACA status. That has been the status since. And while the Trump administration has since then petitioned the Supreme Court to take up the DACA cases and determine whether or not the termination was lawful, the Court has not yet made any announcement as to when or if that would happen. Allison Davenport, the supervising attorney at the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, said that if the Supreme Court were to take the case, it wouldn’t be heard until fall of 2019 at the earliest, and thus would not get a decision until 2020. If the Supreme Court decides not to take the case, Davenport said federal orders would continue, but lawsuits challenging the termination would remain pending and would continue winding up through the legal system in different federal courts. But the big takeaway as of now, she said, is that all who have DACA or have had DACA at any time in the past, are eligible to renew status that would provide them a new two year period protection from deportation as well as a work permit. She said this is true regardless of when the status expired. “It doesn’t matter if it expired two weeks ago, or three years ago. They’re still eligible to apply for renewal,” said Davenport. “The rule of thumb is that if you have DACA, you should apply to renew that case six months in advance of that expiration date. That way, your case can be processed and you can receive a new approval, a new work permit

without any gaps between when your current case expires and your new case being approved.” She also urged that people get legal consultation with legal experts to explore options they may have in terms of protection. Davenport said studies have shown that among those who have applied for DACA and gone through consultations, between 15 and 25 percent were eligible for some other form of immigration status or protection but just didn’t know about it. “We really encourage people to go ahead and get a legal consultation with a quality legal service provider to see if they might be eligible for some other form of status or protection,” said Davenport. Threats to plus charge rule In October 2018, the Trump administration published a proposal to change “public charge” determinations for immigrants trying to adjust their immigration status in the U.S. While it has long allowed for immigrants to have their residency status rejected if they are seen to be a financial burden to the U.S. government, or a “public charge”—a term that has been used in immigration law since the 1800s—the Trump administration’s draft rule substantially broadens the definition to include immigrants who use one or more government programs that were previously excluded. These programs include health, nutrition, and housing programs, said Mayra Alvarez, president of The Children’s Partnership, a nonprofit children’s advocacy organization. The proposed rule also adds specific requirements to the public charge for income, health, age, and even English proficiency, added Alvarez. But while the change is just a proposal, she said it’s clear that much of the damage has already been done. “Too many families across California and across the country are living in fear, are confused about what policies have and have not changed, and are reacting in response,” said Alvarez. “For example, if the proposed change to public charge goes forward, hundreds of thousands of immigrant parents in California may disenroll their children from health insurance, food stamps, and other federally subsidized programs because they fear that receiving these benefits will make it impossible for them to become permanent residents in the United States,” added Alvarez. Based on an analysis conduct-

ed by The Children’s Partnership and Kidsdata.org, it is estimated that between 113,000 and 311,000 children in California alone would be withdrawn from food stamps or Calfresh. Furthermore, an estimated 259,000 to 628,000 children would be withdrawn from critical health programs like Medical in California. “Today, we have the lowest uninsured rate of kids in the nation, but if this public charge change would move forward, we run the risk of increasing the risk of uninsured children from three percent to up above eight percent,” said Alvarez. “That is taking us backwards.” She added though that before the Trump administration would be able to finalize the proposal, the government would have to review more than 266,000 comments on the proposal. Just under 64,000 comments have been reviewed so far. Pushes through legislation In light of the continuous challenges to immigration rights, Talbot said pushes for constructive immigration reform has meant relying on litigation in protecting individuals from deportation. For example, the Supreme Court has not considered Dreamer related litigation until the next term which means the earliest a decision would be around February of 2020. “So at least through this litigation, Dreamers would have been able to be protected through most of Trump’s third term,” said Talbot. She pointed out that House Democrats will be re-introducing new language to the Dream Act on March 12, and that she’s hopeful another immigration reform bill may be introduced in the summer with House Democrats starting to talk about it covering the entire undocumented population. “Generally, we’re just trying to shine a light on all horrible policies that Trump has put into place,” said Talbot. Talbot said that while it’s unlikely that much change will come under the current administration, efforts in immigration reform, she hopes big change will come in the new 2021 administration. “It would be fantastic if the White House would actually decide to be more moderate and come to the table, but there’s really no reason to think that they’re going to change their ways. So frankly, we just don’t really trust the White House to be able to negotiate on issues of Dreamers and TPS,” said Talbot. (Rae Ann Varona/AJPress)

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • MARch 8-14, 2019

Senate expected to pass resolution blocking... PAGE 1 making the declaration for reason that doing so would set up precedent for Democratic presidents to make their own declarations in the future. “That’s one reason I argued without success that he not take this route,” said McConnell. “I was one of those hoping the president would not take the national emergency route,” he added. “Once he decided to do that I said I would support it, but I was hoping he wouldn’t take that particular path.” Under the National Emergencies Act of 1976, which gives Congress the authority to end a national emergency declared by the president, McConnell is required by law to bring the resolution up for a vote. The resolution already passed in the House last week through a 245-182 vote, with thirteen Republicans voting in favor of the resolution. The Senate is slated to cast their votes by March 15. In an op-ed published by Fox News on Sunday, Maarch 3, Senator Paul announced his intention to vote in favor of the resolution, becoming the fourth Senate Republican to do so following Senators Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina. “I support President Trump,” wrote Paul. “I support his fight to get funding for the wall from Republicans and Democrats alike, and I share his view that we need more and better border security.” “However, I cannot support the use of emergency powers to get more funding, so I will be voting to disapprove of his declaration when it comes before the Senate,” said Paul. He continued, “I would literally lose my political soul if I decided to treat President Trump different than President Obama.” In the op-ed, Paul cited the fact that Congress already refused to give Trump his requested amount of $5.7 billion when it approved a spending bill of $1.375 billion for border security funding. “Congress clearly expressed its will not to spend more than $1.3 billion and to restrict how much of that money could go to barriers. Therefore, President Trump’s emergency order is clearly in opposition to the will of Congress,” said Paul. “Moreover, the broad principle of separation of powers in the Constitution delegates the power of the purse to Congress. This turns that principle on its head,”

said Paul. But even if the resolution were to pass in the Senate, Trump is expected to veto it, and it’s unlikely that a two-third majority in Congress will be able to ban together to override Trump’s veto. In response to the likeliness that Trump will use his veto power, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Monday that Democrats would continue to fight it. “We’ll fight him in the Congress, we’ll fight him in the courts and we’ll fight him in the court of public opinion,” said Pelosi while

at an event in Texas. “What he’s doing is wrong and the Republicans know it. Pelosi said that Trump, in declaring a national emergency in order to get border wall funding, was “asking us to ignore the oath of office that we take to protect and defend the Constitution by this declaration.” The declaration, she added, was “undermining our system of checks and balances,” which she said were the “wisdom of our Constitution.” (Rae Ann Varona/ AJPress)

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MARCH 8-14, 2019 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPINION

FEATURES

Narco list

IT’S supposed to help voters make informed choices in the midterm elections in May. The presumption of innocence, however, is guaranteed under Section 14 of the Constitution. So if the government pushes through with the release of a list of so-called narco politicians when the local campaign period starts, it should be prepared for lawsuits related to constitutional violations. The list has been trimmed to over 80 names, with the Department of the Interior and Local Government reportedly still waiting for President Duterte’s approval to delist six individuals following vetting by anti-narcotics agents. No amount of vetting, however, can replace the need for judicial determination of guilt if the DILG intends to describe anyone in public as a narco politician. At the very least, there must be formal criminal complaints filed against anyone who is described as a suspected drug offender. Judicial conviction in a criminal case must be based on the establishment of guilt beyond reasonable doubt. In the absence of such a verdict, being tagged as a narco politician could be dismissed as black propaganda in an election season. Drug trafficking is a serious offense that can warrant life in prison. Those who engage in this criminal activity must be meted appropriate pun-

ishment. Instead of simply subjecting those on the list to public shaming, the DILG, which has supervision over the Philippine National Police, should order the police to gather certified intel, file appropriate criminal charges and arrest drug traffickers. Government prosecutors should then work to secure the conviction of the suspects. More effort is also needed to prevent drug money from financing election campaigns. In this, law enforcement agencies must work closely with the Anti-Money Laundering Council and the Bureau of Internal Revenue. Drug trafficking and narco politics can destroy a country. If there is solid evidence against narco politicians, simply putting them on a list and outing them to prevent their election would not be enough to protect society. There should be no place in government for proven narco politicians; their place is not just on a list, but behind bars. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Congress investigates: Did Trump abuse executive power and obstruct justice? The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS TWO YEARS. It took that long for Congress to finally do one very important function the U.S. Constitution has mandated it to do: to fulfill its oversight responsibility, making sure co-equal branches of government provide checks and balances among each other so that no one individual or institution abuses its power and betray the public’s trust. TWO YEARS. And now the 45th President of the United States again plays the victim role, crying against what he calls “presidential harassment,” when in fact the Democrats in the House, who reclaimed leadership of Congress through the American people’s sacred vote in the midterm elections, are just working hard to make President Trump account-

able. Ladies and Gentlemen, good morning! After two years, this is a new day. On Monday, March 4, the House Judiciary Committee has launched a sweeping probe into President Donald Trump to determine if his administration and associates obstructed justice and engaged in public corruption or any other abuse of power. The House Judiciary Committee announced Monday that it had sent out 81 requests for documents to start building its record for the investigation. As TIME reported, included in the requests were the Trump Organization, as well as several employees invoked by former Trump attorney Michael Cohen during his hearing last week before the House oversight committee: Chief Financial Official Allen Weisselberg, Executive Vice President Matthew Calamari, and President Trump’s longtime personal assistant Rhona Graff. The President’s two sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., also received requests, as did the White

House and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Before we get lost and confused in the complicated web of investigations on Trump and his orbit, let me present the big picture. The Mueller probe was launched to determine if there was a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to damage the campaign of Hillary Clinton and help Trump win in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The mandate given to Mueller was to turn over any evidence of crimes not within its purview of national security concerns to the appropriate government institutions to do further investigations and file charges if they find probable cause. Consequently, the Southern District of New York has launched criminal investigations and filed charges to include federal campaign and financial reporting laws, fraud, corruption and cover-up of the violations of the law. The House Oversight Com-

The curse of Adam and Eve

Street Talk GREG B. MACABENTA THE recently concluded “Abuse Summit” at the Vatican convened by Pope Francis frontally addressed the problem of priestly sexual abuse - a problem and a challenge set against the extremely difficult-to-meet standard of priestly celibacy. Priestly celibacy, according to the rules of the Catholic Church, means being unmarried. In practical terms, it actually means sexual abstinence - which, frankly, is a denial of a basic human urge. If one were to attempt to interpret the Bible, sexual abstinence is also a virtual denial of what the Lord God Himself urged Adam and Eve to do shortly after their creation: “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it.” Simon Peter, the first pope, was a married man. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ healed Peter’s mother-in-law, which suggests that he had a wife. In the history of the Catholic Church, there were Popes who were married and who had children. Pope Saint Silverius (he was later canonized) was the legitimate son of Pope Saint Hormisdas (who was married before becoming Pope and who was also canonized later on). And we must have all read about the infamous Borgias, particularly Alfons de Borgia who became Pope Callixtus III and

Rodrigo Lanzol Borgia AKA Pope Alexander VI. It was not until the Second Lateran Council in the twelfth century that the Church established the rule forbidding priests to marry. This was reaffirmed in 1563 by the Council of Trent. So, if being sexually active is being human, if even the Lord God mandated it, and if celibacy was not imposed by the Church until centuries after Peter became Pope, what was the Abuse Summit all about and why the hassle? Firstly, being sexually active is different from being sexually abusive. The first is part of human nature. The latter is a violation of both Church law and criminal law. Members of the clergy who use their position to take advantage of sacristans, school boys and women are violating the law of God and of society. Secondly, the priesthood is not for everyone. It is a call to virtual sainthood. If, as Jesus said, it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, how much more difficult would it be for a human being-priest to resist the call of the flesh and the carnal temptations confronting him? What is, in fact, remarkable is how few cases there are of confirmed, recorded or reported cases of priestly abuses in the Catholic world compared to the number of Catholics (1.2 billion) and priests (414.313 as of 2012). In the Philippines, a country

of over 100 million, the Catholic Church reportedly “apologized for sexual abuses, including adultery, homosexuality and child abuse by 200 priests over the previous 20 years.” Granted that hundreds – even thousands – more abuses have not been reported (excluding Padre Damaso’s affair with the mother of Maria Clara, which Dr. Jose Rizal recounted in the Noli and the Fili), that would still pale in comparison with the incidence of graft and corruption in all sectors of Philippine politics, public service and business Of course, these numbers are irrelevant. As Bishop Michael C. Barber, SJ, of the Archdiocese of Oakland, California, rightly put it in his pastoral letter read last Sunday by our pastor, Fr. Geoffrey Baraan, at St. Joseph Church in Pinole: “The only acceptable number is zero.” Bishop Barber had released the names of “20 diocesan priests. 22 religious order priests, deacons and brothers and three priests from other dioceses who have worked in the Diocese of Oakland and have had credible accusations of sexual abuse of minors.” The release of the names of the culprit clerics appears to be a direct result of the Abuse Summit in the Vatican. While the Church hierarchy wrestles with the mandate of Pope Francis, one significant move that the Diocese of Oakland has taken has been to unravel the “pontifical secret,” described as “a policy

mittee, headed by Rep. Elijah Cummings and the Committee to which Trump’s former long-time personal attorney/fixer Michael Cohen recently gave sworn testimonies to, focuses on determining whether Trump is improperly profiting from his office. The focus of the House Intelligence Committee headed by Rep. Adam Schiff is on questions of money laundering, financial leverage foreign entities might have over Trump and his businesses, and whether Trump sought to use his political and presidential contacts to improve his own bottom line, during the campaign and since becoming president. Meanwhile, the House Judiciary Committee focuses on investigating threats to the rule of law is a core function of the House Judiciary Committee. Nadler defined obstruction of justice as any interference from President Trump and his associates in criminal investigations and any “alleged cover-up violations of the law,” and public corruption as any possible violation

of the emolument clause and “conspiracy to violate federal campaign and financial reporting laws.” Abuse of power was defined in part as “attempts to misuse the power of the Office of the Presidency,” which also included attacks on the press, law enforcement and judiciary. Findings from the investigations being conducted by the Executive Department (Mueller probe under the DOJ), the Judiciary (Southern District of New York, plus Maryland), and the Legislature (House Oversight and Reform, Intelligence and Judiciary Committees) all function in accordance to the mandate of the Constitution, seeking evidence to move forward and determine if Trump and his people violated the laws. While many might overlap, the committee chairmen and chairwomen say they are working together on the investigations. The House cannot file criminal charges but appropriate institutions may use the findings of the probe along with their own probe to bring charges to court. Congress will likewise use the find-

ings to write laws as needed so that these abuses will never happen again. Meanwhile, the latest news on Tuesday, March 5, is that the White House rejected a request from the House Oversight Committee to hand over documents and make officials available for interviews for a probe into how Jared Kushner got a security clearance. WHAT IS TRUMP HIDING? If he, his family, and his associates are not hiding anything, don’t you think they should gladly cooperate in these investigations? After all, their actions, lies, denials, retractions, and hard evidence have led to these probes. This is the accountability mandated by the Constitution. Nobody is above the law, not even President Donald Trump and his cohorts. .* * *

of confidentiality in the Church, regarding cases of sexual abuse of minors.” According to Church leaders, “while the Church has acknowledged for decades the seriousness of the crime of abuse of minors by clergy, this was the first time there has been an equally clear acknowledgment of the gravity of cover-up” - which, in plain language, is what “pontifical secret” means. Clearly, this “pontifical secret” has practically condoned priestly abuses, by allowing the culprits to remain anonymous. So why not just fire or defrock the predatory priests, one might ask? It appears that separating someone from the priesthood is not as easy as terminating a layman-employee. An article in The Sun, a newspaper in Seattle, Washington, reporting on the “resignations of two priests who were removed from active ministry amid allegations of decades-old sexual abuse” stated: “Both will remain on the archdiocese payroll unless they are ‘defrocked,’ or laicized - a cumbersome process that requires Vatican approval.. “Unlike secular employers, who may summarily terminate the position of an employee accused or suspected of misconduct, bishops have made a lifelong commitment to provide spiritual, intellectual and financial support to the priest,’ The Very Rev. Anthony Bawyn of Seattle, a canon lawyer and consultant on canon law for the archdiocese, said in testimony for a 1996 court case. “’Even valid allegations of

misconduct are not in and of themselves grounds for terminating the virtually irrevocable obligations that the bishop has assumed vis-a-vis the priest.’” In the wake of the Abuse Summit, the Catholic hierarchy must now confront a problem that it has had to contend with – and at times, chosen to ignore – for centuries. It is not an easy problem to deal with. The problem goes back to Genesis. While God gave Adam and Eve a lot of latitude in the Garden of Eden, they were forbidden from eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and bad. But God also gave them free will, thus making them vulnerable to temptation. Worse yet, God also exposed them to the wiles of the serpent. These conflicting circumstances were a challenge and a curse that Adam and Eve had to deal with – and they failed. This is the sort of “imperfection” for which His Perfect Excellency President Rodrigo Duterte called the Lord God “stupid.” I hope some clear-minded aides have subsequently explained to Duterte that God could not have made Adam and Eve perfect because there can only one perfect being – God. That means everyone else is imperfect – including Duterte. At any rate, the curse Adam and Eve had to bear is the same curse confronting the Catholic clergy. While they possess the power to forgive sin and thus open the gates of Heaven – they themselves are vulnerable to sin. Just as Adam and Eve were warned against eating from the

forbidden tree, these priests are forbidden from availing of the fruit of the flesh because of the rule of celibacy – in conflict with their human-ness. However, according to scholars, the Catholic Church “distinguishes between dogma and regulations.” The male-only priesthood is said to be Catholic dogma, irreversible by papal decree. The ban on marriage is considered a regulation that the Pope can rescind. But will Pope Francis do it. Should he do it? I guess depends on how one regards his obligations to God. When Jesus confided to His apostles that he would surely go to His death in Jerusalem, Simon Peter protested and declared that he would not allow it. Jesus tells him: “Get behind me, Satan! You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men”. His crucifixion was the commitment of Jesus Christ to mankind. The burden being borne by Catholic priests is a symbol of their own commitment to their vocation. How much of that burden can they bear? This brings to mind something that I wrote many years ago as a prologue for Malvarosa, a film produced by LVN Pictures: “How much can the human spirit bear Of the muck and the mire to which flesh is heir? Can a flickering ember still burst into flame? Must a frail child, falling, be held to blame?” Heaven only knows. (gregmacabenta@hotmail. com). ■

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

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Dateline PArchbishop hiliPPines Villegas shows Duterte tirades in a video compilation by aJPress

Children with measles are confined at San Lazaro Hospital in Manila.

LINgAyEN-DAgUPAN Archbishop Soc Villegas on Tuesday, March 5, posted a video compilation of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s accusations and tirades against the church over the past two years, a day shy of the supposed start of Lenten season. In an eight-minute video posted on Facebook, Villegas showed clips of Duterte hurling vulgarity and curses towards leaders of the Catholic institution. He incorporated audio clips of Bible passages in between the said clips. “My dear brothers and sisters, Inquirer.net photo are you going to betray god, are you going to deny your faith, by your vote?� Villegas asked at the end of the video as reported by The Philippine Star. The former Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines that has saved almost a million (CBCP) president read passages lives every year over the last two such as: “Hudas, ipagkakanulo decades,� said Henrietta Fore, mo ba ang anak ng tao sa sa isang UNICEF’s Executive Director. halik (Judas would you betray the UNICEF joined others in cit- son of man with a kiss)?,� in the ing “vaccine hesitancy� as be- said video. ing a major enabler of measles The video had snippets of outbreaks in both developed and Duterte stating: “Are there any developing countries. “Almost all of these cases are preventable, and yet children are getting infected even in places where there is simply no excuse,� said Fore. “Measles may be the disease, but, all too often, the real infection is misinformaMANILA — Hugpong ng Pagtion, mistrust and complacency. babago head Sara Duterte-Carpio We must do more to accurately responded to criticism that their inform every parent, to help us candidate Ilocos Norte gov. Imee safely vaccinate every child.� Marcos wasn’t honest about her Vaccine hesitancy has been supposed university degrees. especially true in the Philippines “Lahat sila sinungaling. Lahat where deaths allegedly caused by ng tao sa mundong ito [ay] sinunthe now banned dengue vaccine, galing (All of them [Otso Diretso] Dengvaxia, triggered a vaccine are liars. Everyone in this world scare. DOH undersecretary Eric is a liar),� Duterte-Carpio told Domingo said early February that reporters covering a campaign vaccination rates among children event on Wednesday afternoon. were down to 60 percent as a reShe said Tuesday that Marcos sult of the Dengvaxia scare. would address the issue of misThe Philippine government representing her academic cresaid Friday that it would file dentials after it was found she did criminal charges against execu- not earn a degree from Princeton tives of the Dengvaxia-manu- University and the University of facturing pharmaceutical firm the Philippines Diliman. Sanofi Pasteur over the at least Reporters covering Hugpong’s 10 deaths allegedly connected to campaign events, however, rethe vaccine. ported that Marcos — once again PAGE 8 — did not address the issue when

Measles cases surge in PH as health experts urge people to get vaccinated by

Rae ann VaRona AJPress

THE number of measles cases in the Philippines has skyrocketed within the first two months of this year according to health experts and government officials. As of Saturday, March 2, the Philippine Department of Health (DOH) reported 16,349 measles cases and 261 resulting deaths since the beginning of this year. Most measles cases came from Calabarzon with 3,877 cases and 78 deaths, followed by the National Capital Region with 3,617 cases and 76 deaths. In a report released Friday, March 1, UNICEF warned that measles around the world were surging to “alarmingly high levels,� with ten countries—including the Philippines—accounting for the majority of the total increase. Outbreaks were also reported for several countries previously declared measles free. Despite measles being highly preventable, 98 countries saw an increase in measles cases in 2018 compared to 2017, according to the report. The top three countries with the highest increases between 2017 and 2018 were Ukraine (30,338), the Philippines (13,192), and Brazil (10,262). Though UNICEF’s own data

differed from that collected by the DOH, it did show a sharp uptick in cases in a short amount of time. Looking at the Philippines alone, UNICEF reported 12,736 measles cases and 203 related deaths within the first two months of this year alone—just a few thousand less than its recorded 15,599 measles cases reported for the country in all of 2018. Health experts and government authorities urge for vaccinations Measles is one of the most highly contagious of airborne infectious diseases and can spread from an infected person’s breaths, coughs, or sneezes. According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), measles is so contagious that someone can contract the virus from an infected person even two hours after the person has left a room. But measles is also highly preventable through immunization, and health experts say those not getting vaccinated are making themselves unnecessarily vulnerable to the potentially deadly disease. “This is a wake up call. We have a safe, effective and inexpensive vaccine against a highly contagious disease—a vaccine

bishops here, I want to kick your ass. And the priests,� as he urged the electorate to keep in mind their faith when casting their votes. The Pangasinan archbishop was known to comment on the chief executive’s speeches when the tough-talking leader often projects his attacks toward the age-old institution. “When a revered and loved and admired a man like Pope Francis is cursed by a political candidate and the audience laughs, I can only bow my head and grieve in great shame. My countrymen has gone to the dregs,� Villegas explained. “Vulgarity is corruption. When we find vulgarity funny, we have really become beastly and barbaric as a people,� he added. The CBCP, now headed by Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles, maintained their opposition on certain policies implemented by the current administration including human rights abuses in the drug war and lowering the age of criminal responsibility. “As bishops, we have no intention of interfering in the conduct of State affairs. But neither do

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Soc Villegas Inquirer.net photo

we intend to abdicate our sacred mandate as shepherds to whom the Lord has entrusted his flock.� the CBCP said. Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, another vocal critic of the drug war — especially of killings in the cities of Caloocan, Malabon and Navotas — has reportedly been receiving death threats. Palace: Those without sin, cast the first stone Presidential Spokesperson SalPAGE 8

Sara Duterte responds to criticism over Imee Marcos’ degree: Everyone’s a liar October with Princeton University officials that Marcos did not complete her degree. When confronted by reporters on her credentials, the daughter of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos insisted on several occasions that she earned a degree. Duterte-Carpio deflected the issue off of Marcos during the ambush interview on Wednesday and said that the Otso Diretso opposition slate also allegedly spread lies about the administration of her father, President Rodrigo Duterte. Sara Duterte-Carpio slams the opposition for “Inaatake nila ang TRAIN law. also being “liars.� Philstar.com photo Ang dami dami nilang sinasabi (they are attacking the TRAIN Law. asked on Wednesday, March 6. “Let’s just ignore their criti- They’re saying so much) about cisms, I will focus on pushing for the administration of President my public programs,� Marcos said Duterte, which are untrue,� she said. “So that also reflects on in Filipino. Interaksyon first confirmed in PAGE 8

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March 8-14, 2019 • NEW YOrK aND NEW JErSEY aSIaN JOUrNaL

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Duterte insists on PH name change, drops Maharlika by AJPress PhiliPPine President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday, March 3, insisted on changing the name of the country but seems to have dropped his suggestion to rename it Maharlika. “Kaya sabi ng mga ano na papalitan ko, gusto kong palitan balang araw (That’s why I said I want to change it someday),” the president said as reported by The Philippine Star. The chief executive once again expressed his intent to change the Philippines’ name during a groundbreaking ceremony of a gymnasium in isabela City, Basilan. “no particular name yet but sure, i would like to change the name of the Philippines because the Philippines is named after King Philip,” Duterte added. Duterte reiterated that the country and its people were stuck with the name since the Spaniards colonized the country in 1521. They named the country after King Philip ii who

funded the expedition of Ferdinand Magellan that led him to discover the Philippines. The president first mentioned his plan to change the country’s name last Monday, February 11 in Bulan town of Maguindanao where he distributed land titles to Agrarian reform beneficiaries. he affirmed that former president Ferdinand Marcos was right to propose “Maharlika.” “Actually, tama si Marcos. Panahon ni Marcos, tama talaga si Marcos. Gusto niya palitan (ng) Maharlika the Republic of Maharlika. Gusto niya palitan it means, more of concept of serenity and peace (Actually, Marcos was right. He wanted to change it to the Republic of Maharlika. He wanted to change it for the concept of serenity and peace),” he said. “We can’t do anything anymore. Philippines because it was discovered by Magellan using the money of King Philip. Kaya pagdating ng ulol ginawang Philippines. Pero okay na

‘yan, balang araw palitan natin (When they arrived here they named it Philippines. But it’s okay, we can change it someday),” he added. Former senator eddie ilarde filed a bill that aimed to rename the country to Maharlika in 1978. he emphasized that such word contains the term maha which means noble and likha which means create. however, some critics frowned upon Duterte’s plan noting that he must put emphasis on more important issues. Others criticized the suggestion stating that Maharlika literally means big phallus. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo reminded that changing the name of the Philippines would need a law and a referendum. “The Constitution provides that Congress may enact a law that can change the name of the country and submit it to the people for a referendum. it’s more on asserting our national identity,” Panelo said. n

Measles cases surge in PH as health experts... PAGE 7

in addressing the vaccine hesitancy, Philippine government agencies have been working on mass immunization campaigns. it previously said it hoped to meet a coverage rate of 95 percent, or roughly 12 million people by March. According to the DOh, most affected to measles were children ages four years and younger with

4,911 cases and 124 deaths, and those under nine months old with 4,222 cases and 99 deaths. The department added that 9,975 of the 16,349 who contracted measles and 209 of the 261 people that died so far this year were not vaccinated. UniCeF said that it will support the Philippine government in conducting a campaign to vaccinate nine million children cross

17 regions. it said it will also utilize social media and other efforts to encourage apprehensive parents to vaccinate their children. “These cases haven’t happened overnight,” said Fore. “Just as the serious outbreaks we are seeing today took hold in 2018, lack of action today will have disastrous consequences for children tomorrow.” n

Sara Duterte responds to criticism over... PAGE 7

their honesty and credibility. So ano nang gagawin natin sa kanila (What should we do with them)?” Sara Duterte lashes out on oppo candidates: “inaatake nila ang TRAin law. Ang dami-dami nilang sinasabi abt the admin of Pres Duterte which are untrue. So that also reflects on their honesty and credibility so ano na ang gagawin natin sa kanila?” @ news5AKSYOn @onenewsph — marie ann los banos (@maeannelosbanos) March 6, 2019 “Kasi sinasabi nila (Because they’re saying), the issue is not

about a college degree, but honesty,” the Davao City mayor said. She also hit Otso Diretso candidate and Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano, saying he has no proof on accusations that t-shirts of hugpong candidate Christopher “Bong” Go distributed last month during the liga ng mga Barangay convention were purchased with public funds. “So anong gagawin nating sa kanila tulad ni Alejano? Wala naman siyang proof to say na galing sa public funds ang t-shirts (So what should we do with those like Alejano? he had no proof to

say that the t-shirts came from public funds),” the coalition’s head said. Corrected: Mayor Sara Duterte: “nagsisinungaling si Alejano when he said that galing sa govt funds ang t-shirt na nilagay sa kits. Kinekwestyon nila honesty ng isang kandidato namin. What shall we do abt Alejano who is lying through his teeth?” @news5AKSYOn @onenewsph — marie ann los banos (@maeannelosbanos) March 6, 2019 interior and local Government Secretary eduardo Año denied also these accusations. n

OLD SCHOOL. Senatorial candidate Juan Ponce Enrile speaks to a crowd during a motorcade in Bocaue, Bulacan. He may be the oldest senate candidate, but former Senator Enrile has proven that at 95, he can match the vigor of his younger opponents on the campaign trail. On Monday, March 5, Enrile went on a house-to-house campaign in Pampanga to seek votes for a fifth term. ManilaTimes.net photo by Roger Rañada

‘No new reparation claims for martial law victims will be processed’ — CHR by AJPress The Commission on human Rights (ChR) on Tuesday, March 5, said new reparation claims for martial law victims will not be processed despite the approval of a joint resolution extending the validity of funds intended for victims of human rights violations during the Marcos dictatorship. According to ChR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia, the measure, which was signed by President Duterte last week, only covers the unclaimed checks of victims that have been recognized by the now-defunct human Rights Victims’ Claims Board (hRVCB). “The signing of the resolution does not reopen the application for new claims and appeals pro-

cess,” she said. “The signed legislation strictly pertains to pending checks from the previously granted applications that have not been encashed for varying reasons, such as the failure to give prior advice on the death of claimants and inability to comply with the process of extrajudicial settlement of estate, to name a few,” she added. earlier, former hRVCB head lina Sarmiento noted that 177 checks amounting to about P134 million went stale due to claimants failing to encash them on time. De Guia said at least two months will be needed by ChR to redistribute the checks as the money was reverted to the Bureau of Treasury. “At this point, the ChR is in

the process of coordinating with relevant agencies such as the Department of Budget and Management, Bureau of Treasury and landbank of the Philippines to restart the process of attending to stale, uncashed or unclaimed checks,” she said. “Our commitment is to ensure that we can proceed with the redistribution of financial reparations, mindful of the recognition and reparation that victims of human rights violations under martial law deserve,” she added. The ChR spokesperson also urged the public not to politicize the process. “Through this, we can honor the triumph of the victims of martial law and bring back to the people the ill-gotten wealth that was amassed during the dictatorship,” De Guia said. n

4 out of 5 Filipinos worried about extrajudicial killings by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

A SURVeY released on Friday, March 1, revealed that 78 percent or almost 4 out of 5 Filipinos are worried that they, or someone they know, will be a victim of extrajudicial killings (eJKs) in the midst of the current administration’s war against illegal drugs. The survey, which was conducted by polling firm Social Weather Stations (SWS) from December 16 to 19, 2018, noted the increase in number from the June 2017 survey which showed 73 percent of Filipinos worried about eJKs. According to the December 2018 survey, anxiety over eJKs was highest in Visayas (83 percent). it was followed by Metro Manila (79 percent), Mindanao (78 percent), and Balance luzon (75 percent). The survey also revealed that the country is torn on who are the targets of the eJKs. Fifty percent said only the poor are victimized, while 48 percent said the problem does not choose a class. The remaining three percent answered only the rich are victimized. in addition, 12 percent of Filipinos said they know someone who was a victim of eJK. eight percent answered that an ac-

quaintance of theirs had been a victim, while 3 percent said it was their neighbor. Other answers included a relative (2 percent), best friend (2 percent), or officemate (2 percent). The December 2018 survey was conducted through face-toface interviews with 1,440 adults, aged 18 years and above. SWS noted that there was a sampling error margin of ±2.6 percent for national percentages, and ±5 percent each for Balance luzon, Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao. ‘Something amiss’ The Philippine national Police (PnP), for its part, insisted that the SWS survey was incorrectly done. During a Camp Crame briefing on Monday, PnP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said, “i don’t want to dispute the statistics derived from SWS except there is something amiss with how the questions are framed in relation to the perception [of] the alleged police involvement in illegal drugs and alleged eJK.” he also said the question of the SWS was bound to evoke fear from respondents due to its phrasing. “Mali naman kaagad na ‘Gaano kayo nangangamba.’ everyone will be scared of course, sino ba ang ‘di takot mamatay,

sino ba ang ‘di takot mabiktima ng krimen? (It is wrong that you start with “How worried are you.” Everyone will be scared, of course. Who is not afraid of dying? Who is not afraid of being victimized by crime?),” Albayalde said. he added that the SWS should have explained the definition of eJK. eJK, based on Administrative Order 35 of the Aquino administration of which the PnP follows, is committed by “state and non-state forces” to silence, “through violence and intimidation, legitimate dissent and opposition raised by members of the civil society, cause-oriented groups, political movements, people’s and non-governmental organizations, and by ordinary citizens.” however, newly-signed Republic Act no 11188 or the Act for Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict defines eJK as an “act and omission of State actors that constitute violation of the general recognition of the right to life embodied in the Universal Declaration of human Rights, the United nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the UnCRC and similar other human rights treaties to which the Philippines is a state party.” n

Diokno: May polls to push through by catheRin

S. Valente ManilaTimes.net

The midterm elections in May will be held even if the government continues on a reenacted budget, outgoing Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno assured the public on Wednesday, March 6. Diokno gave the assurance amid concerns that teachers who will render poll duties will not receive their honoraria if the 2019 budget is not signed. “There’s an item called contingent fund. We can get it from the contingent fund,” Diokno told reporters in a news briefing. “The elections will push through no matter what. So no

more concern about teachers not being paid allowances,” he added. Commission on elections (Comelec) spokesman James Jimenez earlier said a reenacted budget would have a “profound impact” on the conduct of the May elections, particularly on teachers’ compensation. “We don’t think that a reenacted budget at this time would be innocuous from the point of view of elections,” Jimenez said. “having a reenacted budget would actually have a very pronounced impact on the ability of Comelec to conduct elections. if the budget is not passed, it will have a serious impact on the preparation of elections,” he

added. “if the budget is not enacted, we will not be able to get source or funds for that (honoraria of election workers). We won’t have any money to pay the teachers,” he said. The Comelec official said the poll body would need P3.2 billion to pay election workers. Under the election Service Reform Act, chairmenof electoral boards will be paid P6,000, while members of electoral boards will be paid P5,000. The Department of education Supervisor Official will get P4,000 and support staff will be paid P2,000. All persons who render election service are also entitled to a P1,000-travel allowance each. n

Archbishop Villegas shows Duterte tirades... PAGE 7 vador Panelo clapped back at the posted video compilation with yet another passage from the holy Scripture as he was sought for comment. “Thou shall not judge so that you shall not be judged. Those without sin, cast the first stone,” the spokesperson said as reported by The Philippine Daily inquirer. Panelo earlier reiterated that drugs addicts need not be pro-

tected since illegal drugs have affected the way they perceive things. he noted that those addicts would not even realize that the religious institution was concerned about their rights. “if one is a drug addict, it doesn’t matter to him who endorsed. You know, drug addicts are crazy. Their brains have been affected so there is no need for encouragement from anyone to do something bad against a person,” Panelo said last February.

earlier this year, Duterte urged the public not to harm the religious leaders for if they do, they will have to face the strongmouthed leader. “either Muslims or Christians, they had nothing to do with us. Do not do it. Do not try to do it. Ang religious [leaders] had nothing to do with the vagaries of life. lay off! Stop threatening them or ako ang makakalaban ninyo (you will have to face me),” Duterte said. n

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • MARch 8-14, 2019

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March 8-14, 2019 • NEW YOrK aND NEW JErSEY aSIaN JOUrNaL

Dateline PhiliPPines

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De Lima wants inmate witnesses to be her co-accused in drug case by Kristine Joy

Philstar.com

Patag

MANILA — Detained Sen. Leila de Lima asked the Muntinlupa court to include convict witnesses who implicated her as her co-accused in the government’s drug case against her. In a motion filed last week, De Lima asked Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 205 to include the following prosecution witnesses as accused: • Herbert Colanggo • Engelberto Durano • Noel Martinez • Reynante Diaz • Jaime Patcho The country’s ranking dipped following a 10 percent drop in the percentage of Filipino women in senior management to 37.46 percent this • German Agojo year from 47 percent last year. Philstar.com photo • Hans Antonio Tan • Peter Co • Joel Capones • Vicente Sy • Rodolfo Magleo and chief operating officer (53 regularly revisited to assess their by LoueLLa DesiDerio effectiveness and, when that is • Jojo Baligad percent). Philstar.com • Froilan Trestiza Filipino businesses are also combined with real commitment MANILA — The Philippines taking steps to improve or pre- from senior leadership, you begin saw its overall ranking drop to serve gender balance in senior creating a truly inclusive culture,â€? fifth place in the Grant Thornton positions by making sure there is she said. International Ltd.’s Women in equal access to development work EspaĂąo added that diversity Business report this year from first opportunities (70 percent), pro- in senior management would MANILA — Opposition leader place a year ago, but it still topped viding mentoring and coaching help improve the performance of and Vice President Leni Robrethe list in Asia. (66 percent) and allowing flexible businesses. do called out senatorial bet and The country’s ranking dipped working hours (56 percent). “Furthermore, women and Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos following a 10 percent drop in While companies are imple- men are equally capable of good for supposedly being dishonest the percentage of Filipino women menting such measures, there is leadership; the critical point is that on her educational attainment. in senior management to 37.46 a need for women leaders to take diverse leadership teams tend to Officials of Princeton Univerpercent this year from 47 percent action as female executives said outperform their socially homog- sity and University of the Phillast year. there are still barriers from acquir- enous rivals,â€? she said. ippines College of Law have Grant Thornton’s latest report ing skills or to be successful in For her part, Grant Thornton earlier debunked the claims of is based on a survey of more than their roles due to lack of access to International global leader Fran- Marcos that she earned degrees 4,900 senior executives and deci- developmental work opportunities cesca Lagerberg said the figures from these institutions. sion-makers in 35 countries. (55 percent), finding time along- are encouraging and a strong Robredo clarified that there is The report did not take into ac- side core job responsibilities (51 indication that gender parity is nothing wrong if Marcos did not count the Philippine government’s percent) and caring responsibili- starting to be taken seriously by graduate but lying about it was recent measures to provide flex- ties outside work and lack of ac- businesses. wrong. ible working arrangements for cess to networking opportunities “External factors, such as inwomen. creasing organizational transpar(both at 47 percent). Topping this year’s list is New Globally, the percentage of ency, gender pay gap reporting Zealand, with 43.90 percent of businesses with at least one and highly visible public dialogue women in senior management. woman holding a senior manage- like the #MeToo movement apAustralia placed second with ment post went up by 12 percent pear to be making businesses 41.94 percent of women in se- to reach 87 percent this year from wake up to the change that is nior management, followed by last year. needed,â€? Lagerberg added. Nigeria with 38.47 percent and Despite increasing number of Overall, women now account Botswana in fourth spot with for 29 percent of senior leadership women occupying senior posi38.25 percent. positions globally, higher by five tions in companies, there are only While the Philippines saw its percent from last year. 15 percent of businesses globally overall ranking dip, it was number EspaĂąo said more deliberate with a woman holding the top one in Asia. action is necessary to continue post either as CEO or managing P&A Grant Thornton chairper- to see the rise in women taking director. son and chief executive officer senior positions in companies. “Hopefully, the sharp increase (CEO) Marivic EspaĂąo said Fili“Policies that address equal in the representation of women pino women still play significant opportunity in careers, bias in in senior leadership we’re seeing Vice President Leni Robredo addresses local roles in organizations. recruitment and flexible work- globally this year is not purely a officials, business leaders and entrepreneurs The top three roles of Filipino ing conditions cannot just be a knee-jerk reaction to the current who attended this year’s Cagayan Valley women in business are as human nice thing to have. To achieve social climate and that we’ll see Business Convergence at Crown Pavilion Hotel resources director (75 percent), meaningful progress, they must similar progress in the coming in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan on Thursday, March 7. Contributed photo chief finance officer (66 percent) be adhered to, enforced and years,â€? Lagerberg said. n

Philippines slips in global ranking on women in business

“These witnesses are not mere eyewitnesses of the alleged transactions inside Bilibid but rather the major players and perpetrators of the illegal drug trading,� the motion, made public only on Thursday, March 7, read. De Lima is facing three cases before Muntinlupa courts. She is facing three counts of conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading for allegedly having a hand in the proliferation of the narcotics trade inside the national penintentiary during her stint as justice secretary. “The prosecution should have included first the witnesses and let the courts decide on the issue of their exclusion especially so that the said witnesses appear to be the guiltiest of the charges,� De Lima’s latest motion read. “They are in fact the ‘inmates of the [New] Bilibid Prison’ being referred to in the Informa-

tion who allegedly sold and traded dangerous drugs by means of mobile phones and other electronic devices, without being authorized by law,� she also said. De Lima has earlier moved for the disqualification of the above-named witnesses, arguing that witnesses convicted of crimes “with moral turpitude� goes against the law on state witnesses. Lawyer Filibon Tacardon, De Lima’s counsel, said that their motion remains pending before the court. Authorities arrested De Lima in February 2017 and the senator has since been detained at Camp Crame. Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 206 Presiding Judge Amelia Fabros-Corpuz set the next trial on the case on March 20. n

Leni tells Imee: Just be upfront if you didn’t graduate

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“Iyong sa akin kasi, wala namang masama kung hindi nakapag-graduate, kasi maraming dahilan, at hindi naman iyong indispensable para makapagsilbi sa bayan. Pero iyong mali, iyong magsisinungaling tayo about it (To me, there is nothing wrong if you did not graduate, there are many reasons and it is not necessary for you to serve the country. What is wrong is that you are lying about it),� Robredo told reporters in Cagayan. The vice president said that Marcos, who has been dodging questions about her academic credentials, should have just been honest. “Kung totoo nga na hindi naggraduate, maging upfront na lang, sabihin, ‘Hindi ako nakagraduate, ito iyong dahilan’ (If it is true that you did not graduate, just be upfront and say, ‘I did not graduate, this is the reason’),� the vice president said. Hugpong ng Pagbabago head and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, on the other hand, has been defending Marcos for supposedly lying about her university degrees. Duterte-Carpio earlier said Marcos would release a statement on the misrepresentation of her credentials but the senatorial candidate remains mum on the issue.

“Lahat sila sinungaling. Lahat ng tao sa mundong ito [ay] sinungaling (All of them [Otso Diretso] are liars. Everyone in this world is a liar),� Duterte-Carpio said. In an earlier interview with News5, Marcos insisted that she graduated from Princeton University. The Ivy League university has confirmed that Marcos attended the school but she did not graduate, according to a report from Interaksyon. As for her supposed graduation from UP Law, journalist Raissa Robles posted in her blog excerpts of the account of former UP Law Dean Froilan Bacungan in an interview with German journalist Marilies von Brevern. Bacungan revealed that he allowed Marcos, the eldest daughter of ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos, to enter the College of Law despite failing to present proof that she had a bachelor’s degree, which was a basic requirement. “There was indeed some kind of a ceremony held which looked as if she graduated. I was there. It was a little bit PR that, strictly speaking, we should not have participated in,� Bacungan said. (Patricia Lourdes Viray/Philstar. com)

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Health@Heart PHILIP S. CHUA, MD, FACS, FPCS OUR health and life, believe it or not, depend on the consistency of our blood. Our blood has to be just right — not too thin, not too thick. When blood is too thick, it sticks to walls of the arteries and accumulates to block them as time goes by, as in heart attack and stroke. When it is too thin, bleeding could occur. As a general rule, the blood of the newborn or young children is simply “perfect,” not too thin or too thick, clean and unadulterated, and these youngsters are in terrific health. Some of us adults who behave by watching what we eat and by exercising, managing stress properly, abstaining from harmful substances like tobacco and dope, and who drink alcoholic beverages only in moderation, are reaping the benefits of better health and “a more prolonged and sustained youth,” compared to those who abuse themselves. Blood’s vital roles Besides carrying oxygen our blood also carries with it important hormones and other substances our body manufactures in its built-in “pharmacy,” in response to our daily activities, reactions to situations, or reactions to illnesses. Example of this is the auto-production of insulin by the Islets of Langerhans in the beta cell of our pancreas when we ingest carbohydrates (sugar) like rice, bread, and sweets. As long as we do not persistently overeat and abuse this wonderful privilege of having these God-given “perfect” and mind-boggling organs and systems, our inherent ability to maintain homeostasis (good internal physiologic balance) will keep us in good health. When we eat cholesterol-laden or fatty food, especially red meat, egg-yolk, dairy products, butter, etc., our blood becomes thick. When the blood is extracted and tested, it will have the consistency of milk. It is thick and white with fats, and prone to clotting. The other situations which will thicken the blood and promotes clotting are: cigarette smoking, fear and anxiety, stress, following and accident or injury (where our body tries to protect itself from bleeding, or at least, minimize bleeding by

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA I AM suspending my idea series for a Bucket To-Do List for the time being to share a story told to me by Sister Anna. A little back story… Anna Cinco was a classmate in high school who graduated way up the rungs and copped a college degree majoring in Mathematics. She taught at the International School in Manila for a while and decided to join the religious life thereafter. She lived in Rome for more than a decade working on the canonization of Mother Candida Maria de Jesus, foundress of her religious order, Hijas de Jesus. Mother Candida is now a saint with documented miracles ascribed to her intercession. Sister Anna speaks Spanish and Italian fluently. Her story is not cut and dried as all that. There are twists and turns in every life story and hers is no different. She told me the Cliff Notes version of her conversion from someone who repudiated and did not need God at one point. But that riveting story when she became, as she describes how her young, irrepressible students at the International School saw her at the time of her epiphany, “positively radiant,” is for yet another day. I reconnected with her on a trip to Europe in 2011 with my husband spending a wonderful spring day in Rome: dusting off the cobwebs of the past, cracking jokes (yes, religious people have a squeaky clean sense of humor that will have you ROTFLOLing, that is, rolling on the floor laughing out loud), scarfing down pizza margherita at one of those small joints by the Vatican and walking aimlessly about, shopping for Italianmade sandals on the sidewalks while slurping on scoops of gelato, all three of us looking positively ghetto. HAH! A per-

Sticky blood is a risk making the blood thick, instantaneously and automatically). The thick blood that circulates within the arteries will then act like a fresh sticky, gooey, cement substance that is painted against the intima (inner wall) of the arteries throughout the body. This layer of “cement” that coats the arterial channel accumulates and becomes thicker and thicker as years go by. When the tiny caliber of the coronary (heart) arteries, or the carotid and cerebral (brain) arteries is so compromised by this build-up of cholesterol plaques, it will make the arterial channel tight and obstructed. This then restricts and prevents normal flow of blood to the heart (causing chest pains or heart attack), to the brain (causing stroke), etc. Thick blood that clots in the leg veins could travel to the lung and cause fatal pulmonary embolism (massive clots blocking the artery to the lungs). Inflammation The other enemy of our body is inflammation. Anything that causes inflammatory response from our immune system, like dental carries, gum diseases, wound in any part of the body, infection in general (including gastro-intestinal illnesses) and auto-immune conditions, negatively impacts the cardiovascular system, and new studies show any of those infection could increase the risk for dementia, like Alzheimer’s. Inflammation also leads to thickening of the blood. Although the body is normally strong, “tough,” and resilient, the constant insults and aggravation we subject it to usually cause us health problems, sooner or later, and especially as we grow older. Indeed, the human body is amazing, to say the least. The organs are “normal” in size and function in a marvelous, almost magical way, very efficiently. The human body is really “perfect,” until we, humans, repeatedly abuse it, a self-destruct behavior majority of us are guilty of most of the time, knowingly or unknowingly. What manmade invention can do these marvels, or even come close to what God has created? The human body never ceases to amaze me, even at this time in my career as a cardiac surgeon. More than ever, I have learned to respect and admire the human body.

The artificial kidneys (dialysis machine), for example, is about the size of small refrigerator, as compared to our natural kidneys, which are smaller than our clenched fist but which function a lot more efficiently (for free), with no bad side effects as they work, unlike the man-made kidney. The artificial heart, about 8 times the size of an adult heart, is a lot less efficient, cannot function without a power source, not as durable as our natural heart, and has a lot of complications with its use. Indeed, nothing can beat the magnificence of the human body. This also goes true with our blood, which no artificial or experimental blood can match, much less, beat. It is the precious liquid “gold” in our circulation that sustains us and keeps us alive and healthy. However, if we abuse our body and allow (actually induce) our blood to thicken dangerously by our bad habits and unhealthy lifestyle, we will eventually get what could be expected. While there are available blood thinners (like aspirin, other more potent pills, and fish oils) and cholesterol-lowering drugs like the “statins,” there is nothing more natural, safer, cheaper, and with negligible “side-effects” than watching our diet (low carb, a lot of vegetables, high protein, and pushing ourselves away from the table less than full), daily exercises, good hydration, stress management and relaxation, abstinence from tobacco, disciplined alcohol intake, taking low-dose (81 mg) “baby” aspirin daily if prescribed by your physician, and having a regular medical and dental check-ups. These are indeed practical natural DIY (do-it-yourself) ways to maintain good health and maximize longevity. Artificial means could be risky, life-threatening, and quite cost prohibitive. The million-dollar question now is: How thick is your blood? *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian and antigraft foundation in the United States. Websites: FUN8888.com, philipSchua. com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

The Bucket List GOD has a list, too. 8th of a Series

“Sister, do you speak Italian? Can I talk to you? I am very angry with God.” I turned my head and it was a beautiful lady, elegantly dressed. I thought, “She has tortured eyes.” fect day in my book … I emailed her just recently hoping to see her in Rome again this summer, mentioning in passing that I am putting together a Bucket List series of sorts. Her story stuns me. It never occurred to me that while we are busy making plans, the Big Man upstairs also has plans. And whether we like it or not, we are part of His plan. It is up to each one of us to find out our part in God’s grand plan and decide to get in with the program or not. Yes, God loves us so much, He gave us free will. So enjoy this story. The actions happened in airports just before boarding. Time was on her side. She checked in way early and didn’t miss her flight. We might be able to widen our perspective just a tad and realize in time that we are each a piece of colorful mosaic in God’s Grand Mural for HIS story about us.] HE HAS PLANS, TOO. By Sister Anna Cinco, Hijas de Jesus In 2015 I had to make a 12day trip to Spain and then a 9-day trip to Rome. Usually, for these short trips, I plan and make to-do lists way ahead, because I cannot afford to miss anything. One day, as I was coming to the end of my stay in Salamanca, I was praying in the chapel before the Blessed Sacrament. I took out my to-do list for Spain, checked it carefully, and saw that I had pretty much achieved

what I had come for. I was very satisfied with myself, when the thought came to me, “I have a list, too.” Startled, I looked at the tabernacle. “I have a list, too.” “You have a list, Lord?”, I asked. “Yes, I have a list.” I pondered that for a few moments. Of course, He has a list. So I prayed, “Make me open to Your plans, Lord. Give me a docile heart, a docile spirit.” The day after, I left for Madrid for a 2-day stay. I had a few things more to do there. When the day of my departure for Rome came, since I was going to the airport alone, I decided to go early and leave a wide margin for the unforeseen. When I reached Barajas, I had almost the whole morning to wait. So I sat by my boarding gate and buried my head in a book about causes for canonization. Suddenly I heard someone say, “Anna Cinco!” Surprised, I looked up - it was a young woman in jeans but wearing a silver cross like mine. She smiled and came over and introduced herself. She was a young sister of ours from the Dominican Republic who had been in one of our houses in Brazil, and said that she had met me in one of my trips there. (We have a cause for canonization which had been initiated in Brazil.) So I asked why she was in the airport, and she said she had just come from Rome where she had participated in the preparatory course for final profession, and that she was on her way to her

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 8-14, 2019

Calendar of Events across

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

MARCH 30

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

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

City of San Fernando, La Union Association-USA ball in Brea, CA The City of San Fernando, La Union Association-USA will hold its 29th Fiesta Ball — “A Reunion to Remember” — on Saturday, March 30 at the Embassy Suites (900 East Birch Street) in Brea, CA. It will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 12 midnight. For more details, you may contact ball chairman Noel Nabua at (949) 323-3873 / nsnabua@gmail.com; outgoing president Samuel Chee at (909) 662-7501 / samnlynnndchamp@yahoo.com; incoming president Vicky Neri at (562) 394-6293 / vickybneri@gmail.com; and director Vangie So at (626) 485-3110 / vangieso@aol.com.

APRIL 7

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

APRIL 13

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

A P R I L 25 -28

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

M AY 1 7-1 9

Santa Maria Ilocos Sur 12th Global Reunion in Honolulu, Hawaii The Santa Maria Ilocos Sur Global Association (SMISGA) and the Santa Marians of Hawaii are sponsoring the Santa Maria Ilocos Sur 12th Global Reunion in Honolulu, Hawaii from May 17-19, 2019. The festivities will start with a meet and greet on May 17 at 5 p.m. at the Ala Moana Hotel Hibiscus Ballroom to be followed by a gala night on May 18 at 5 p.m. at the Dole Cannery Pomaikai Ballroom. A picnic is also scheduled at Ala Moana Beach Park’s Magic Island on Sunday, May 19 starting at 10 a.m. The ticket to attend all the events is $130.00 per person. Due to limited space, reservations must be made not later than March 31, 2019. Hats and t-shirts will also be on sale for $20. For further information, call Nena Empleo at (808) 384-0394, Carlito Soria at (808) 487-3370, Alex Pena at (702) 373-9522 or Orlino Baldonado at (865) 789-8324. Leave a message if there’s no answer. Additional information is also on SMISGA.com and Facebook @ SMISGA19FB. Proceeds from the events will be for various projects in Santa Maria Ilocos Sur and in Hawaii. Donations are tax deductible since SMISGA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization approved by the Internal Revenue Service.

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 boarding gate for her flight to the Dominican Republic. Since she was young and was not familiar with Madrid airport, and I knew her boarding gate was half an hour’s walk away, I insisted on going with her. We laughed and chatted along the way, and I was sorry to leave her at her boarding gate. I still had plenty of time before my scheduled flight, so without any hurry, I began walking back to my own boarding gate. Then I heard a voice say in Spanish, “Sister, Sister!” And as I stopped and looked back, I saw a dark young man running towards me. And he said, “Sister, do you speak Spanish? Can I talk to you, please?” I wondered what for, but stopped. And he began to walk with me, and tell me about his problems. It was hard to talk while walking, and I was afraid we were getting too far from his boarding gate, so I invited him to sit down with me. He was a migrant worker from Mexico who had marital problems and did not know what to do. I listened to him in sympathy, and pretty soon he was in tears. I looked around with some embarrassment. People were beginning to look at us. I prayed for wisdom. After some time, he stopped and asked me, “Sister, is there still hope for us? for me?” I directed that question to the Lord, and found myself saying,

“Of course, there is hope for you. Look, I shouldn’t even be here. My boarding gate is half an hour away, on the other side of the airport. But the Lord brought me here because He wanted to reach you! So yes, there is hope for you.” I myself was surprised at my answer... His face began to clear, and then light up, and by the time we parted, he was smiling. He still emails me once in a while. So I continued with my trip to Rome, still pondering what had happened. Toward the end of my stay in Rome, I did the same thing – tick off items on my list. Then, on the day of my departure, the Superior, who was bringing me to the airport, asked if I would mind leaving early for the airport, since she had to get back to the house for an appointment. I said, why, no, I would not mind at all. I always bring material to read. So we reached the airport early, and I found that my boarding gate had not even appeared on the screen. I took one of the seats nearby. You know, those airport seats where people sit back to back. I had just opened my book, when I heard a voice behind me say in Italian, “Sister, do you speak Italian? Can I talk to you? I am very angry with God.” I turned my head and it was a beautiful lady, elegantly dressed. I thought, “She has tortured eyes.”

Saying, “May I sit beside you, then?”, I went over to do so. Then I saw that she was reading a Spanish book, so I asked, “Do you speak Spanish?” And she said she was from Argentina. “Fine,” I said, “I speak Spanish better than Italian. Let’s talk in Spanish.” And she began talking. I listened to her (prayerfully) for about an hour - it was a list of problems, sick family members, one trial after another, anger with God, etc. And I thought, looking at her, “Without those problems, she would be very self-satisfied, with no thought of God whatever, angry or not.” So when she had come to the end of her list and was looking at me expectantly, I said, “So now you wanted to tell God how angry you are with Him?” And she nodded her head vigorously and asked, “Is that wrong, Sister?” I answered slowly, “I guess, when things were going right, you never talked to Him. Now you are angry with Him, but at least you are talking with Him, right?” Her eyes flew open in surprise, then she began to nod slowly, and as she saw me smile, she began to laugh. We laughed together for a while. And I said, “Don’t you think God prefers this, than have you go back to ignoring Him?” Her face changed completely. And PAGE 13

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MARCH 8-14, 2019 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

On the PEP Front

People, Events, Places

PeoPle & events

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PACCAL observes the international celebration of Women’s History Month (First of three parts)

BoBBy T. yalong THE month of March was globally earmarked as Women’s History Month (WHM) to highlight the idiosyncratic contributions of women in history as well as in our contemporary society. Here in the US, the initial unofficial celebration of the recognition of women power originated back in 1911 and later in 1980 a Presidential Proclamation by Jimmy Carter declared March 8 as National Women’s History Week. Years later, after a thorough scrutiny and panel discussions, congress passed a resolution in 1987 authorizing the president to proclaim the month of March of each year as Women’s History Month. The whole world now legally identifies and adequately distinguishes the trailblazing women achievers in various fields, even in the areas where men used to exclusively dominate. Current social standards have acquiescently accepted women’s identical dominion and their gradually intensifying status that made them at par with their male counterparts. The Pan American Concerned Citizens Action League, Inc. (PACCAL), a Jersey City-based (501) (C3) community service-oriented organization has been annually observing this monumental event for years, honorably recognizing the full potentials and incredible achievements of the female populace this side of the world. This year, the grandiose occasion is slated on Saturday, March 30, 2019 (from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.) at the Ramada Plaza Hotel (160 Frontage Avenue, Newark, NJ 07114) while capably steered by its heartening theme: “Accomplished women: Victors of success, inspiration, and morality.” PACCAL’s impressive roster of awardees is composed of 17 women achievers from different fields of professional endeavor and one of them is the sole recipient of the most coveted title: “Influential Woman of the Year.” Leading the Awards Night gala are three equally skilled and former PACCAL honorees that constitute the prestigious position as Honorary Chairpersons who are truly worthy of acclaim and emulation. Meet PACCAL 2019 WHM Honorary Chairs

routine, and unmatched skills while simultaneously delivering in- and establishing of Agape Home Care, a family-owned company which rightly solidifies his public status as a member of the Board of numerable community and humanitarian services. Since her own family was directly associate with Mater Del Col- Health of Tenafly, New Jersey. lege (Bohol), it was effortless for them to be dynamically compromised in helping underprivileged but deserving college students. Her community involvement, volunteerism and prominent affiliations (which includes PAFCOM, Association of Filipino-American Accountants-NJ Chapter, Friends Indeed USA, and National Council for Philippine American and Canadian Accountants) were duly recognized with NCPACA Lifetime Achievement Award, Most Outstanding Foreign Worker from TUMFI, 2017 WHM Excellence in Accounting from PACCAL, among others. An accomplished ballroom aficionado, Pilar’s being passionately fashionable didn’t escape the scrutinizing eyes of smartly stylish group and justifiably recognized her as One of 2017’s Timeless Stars and Mrs. Philippines Hearts and Hopes.

Nieva Quezon Burdick 2019 WHM Honorary Chair

Maria Pilar Monje: Capably equipped with a Master’s Degree in Area Studies specializing in Asian Studies at the University of the Philippines and a Certified Public Accountant, Maria Pilar Monje finished her Bachelor of Science in Accounting (Magna Cum Laude) from the University of San Carlos, Cebu City. A consistent scholar since primary grades, Pilar has painstakingly catapulted to such professional level for her unparalleled diligence, distinct working

Mark F. Alvarez: Talent is indeed unlimited in the case of upcoming clothing designer Mark F. Alvarez. After having proven his worth and capability to establish and manage Golden Kings, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of aquatic wildlife and biodiversity, he further spread his wingspan to a field he’s quite comfortable with (creative clothing design) since he himself is innately and passionately fashionable. He debuted his maiden collection at the Renaissance Fashion Evolution, a fashion gala jointly organized by him and his mom, dancer-choreographer Virgie F. Alvarez, where his daintily tattered and intricately patched pants and jackets were thunderously received by a huge audience of discriminating taste. A bigger leap followed closely when he joined the recently concluded New York Fashion Week and from there, much brighter plans were conceptualized. Resting on his laurels is far from Mark’s ambitiously crowded mind. Unbeknownst to many, Mark’s compassionate nature stimulated his concerns about equitable health care, thus, the founding

Nieva Quezon Burdick: Living up to the illustrious standards and upright status associated with her maiden last name serves as either a challenge or an inspiration to Nieva since the Quezon legacy has been politically carved, honorably stamped, and discerningly encompassed in the glorious annals of Philippine history. It was easy for Nieva to meet the idealistic family lineage since she has perpetually embraced a vocation considered the noblest of all profession: education. Blissfully married for three decades to Roy Burdick, a State Senior Parole Officer, they were blessed with five children and currently prides of her nine grandkids. Distinctively hard working and equipped with an empathetic heart for others, Nieva took advantage of her being a Quezon in organizing and planning multi-service groups that would be of service to the community. Aside from privately donating and supporting Balay Ni Charie Foundation and St. Paul Alumnae USA, she was Honorary Chair at United Federation of Fil-Am Educators, Honorary Member and awardee of PACCAL, assistant treasurer of PACEC, Forever Business Owner Int’l at Forever Living Products International, a volunteer at St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church, member at Ilocano American Association Inc., Vice Pres & Treasurer at Philippine Community Center Services for Aging, and Director of St. Paul University Manila Morgan Stanley. PACCAL ‘s newly installed president Rolando F. Javier is all agog with the way frenzied preparations are going while members of his steering committee are simultaneously giving pertinent attention to every detail of the forthcoming event, his first ever huge project. Coming up in the next issues: the 17 Women Achievers and the lone recipient of the “Most Influential Woman of the Year” award. For comments and suggestions, please email to: gemini0646@ yahoo.com

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

SERVICES

Mark F. Alvarez 2019 WHM Honorary Chair

Ma. Pilar Monje 2019 WHM Honorary Chair

SERVICES

Community Journal

(212) 655-5426 • http://www.asianjournal.com

Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ AB-60 licenses allow undocumented immigrants to drive legally in California. (Note: these licenses merely allow a person to drive legally and obtain car insurance, but do not authorize employment.) Other states have similar programs. AB-60 licenses, which were designed to help undocumented immigrants drive legally, are now being used against them. It was recently reported that an undocumented immigrant was pulled over by ICE agents on his way to work. Those agents had a copy of his AB-60 driver’s license photo when they pulled him over, which was used to confirm his identity. (It appears he had an old deportation order issued against him in 2005, but had committed no crimes in the U.S. So, it appears the ICE agents were looking for him to enforce that old deportation order and send him back to his home country.) What makes this troubling is that when AB- 60 driver’s licenses were first introduced in 2013, the law stated that any information would not be used “as evidence of the [person’s] citizenship or immigration status” or “as a basis for a criminal investigation, arrest or detention.” In other words, in applying for an AB-60 driver’s license, undocumented immigrants were basically promised that their information will remain confidential and not be shared with immigration authorities. Both the DMV and ICE confirm that ICE has the ability to

ICE has access to AB-60 license information, including the driver’s address

access driver’s license information, including the person’s photo and address. That database does not separate AB60 driver’s license information from other driver’s licenses, and the information does not necessarily include a driver’s immigration status in the U.S. Therefore, ICE would simply enter a person’s name in the DMV database, and while the database does not indicate the person’s immigration status, their photo and address could still show up. (Remember, if you had an old deportation order, ICE would have your last address, date of birth, etc., from your immigration files.) Several lawmakers are looking into this situation, as they believe this can now have a “chilling” effect in the immigrant communities across the state and immigrants may be less inclined to apply or renew their AB-60 licenses in the future. I know that there are many people who are out of status, may have an old deportation/ removal order, and are afraid every single day that ICE may come and pick them up. Many of these people in California have AB-60 driver’s licenses, and this new development will make them more anxious. If this applies to you, then you may want to consider consulting with an attorney as soon as possible, rather than waiting

for the knock on the door or being pulled over on your way to work, as perhaps there may be legitimate avenues for relief or ways to get a green card despite your past immigration history. While of course no guarantees can be made, rather than worrying in the dark, you should consult with an attorney, so you can see the light. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)

The Bucket List...

PAGE 11 we continued talking happily, and she laughed heartily when I told her that story of St. Teresa of Avila, that in one of her travels, “... her saddle slipped, and she found herself head down under the belly of a donkey as she crossed a stream. Complaining to the Lord of her treatment, she heard him reply, “Teresa, whom the Lord loves, he chastises. This is how I treat all my friends.” She replied tartly,

“No wonder you have so few!” (http://www.paceminterris.org/ experience-pacem/the-hermitages/st-teresa-of-avila/) Time passed quickly, and I had to catch my flight. The lady had already told me her name (she was from Argentina but she was married to an Italian), and said she was so happy to have met me and talked with me. She invited me for coffee, but I had to go. And as I walked to my boarding gate, I remembered that

thought, “I have a list, too.” And I realized that had I fallen short of my to-do lists for Salamanca and Rome, the entire trip would still have been worthwhile if only for these two of His children... Next week: Back to yet another idea to consider for The Bucket List… *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 8-14, 2019

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AN ENCORE EPISODE ABOUT A “SPECIAL CHILD” ON “CITIZEN PINOY!” When Mommy Conchita (center) immigrated to the U.S. in 2007, she had to make a difficult decision of leaving her special needs daughter, Nina (left) behind in the Philippines. It was a difficult time, because mother and daughter had never been separated before. Nina was left behind with her older sister Ruth, who was later about to migrate to Australia in May 2016. With Mommy Conchita and Ruth gone, who will take care of Nina? Find out how leading U.S. immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel was able to bring Nina to the U.S. through Humanitarian Parole, on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday 6:15 p.m. PST on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)

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8-14, 2019 • NEW YORK ANDAND NEWNEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL JANUARY 4-10, 2019 • NEW YORK JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL A14 14 MARCH

http://www.asianjournal.com http://www.asianjournal.com •(212) (212) 655-5426 NEW Y O R K / N E W J E R S• E Y 655-5426 MARCH 8, 2019

people events arts culture entertainment

GETTING TO KNOW HYDRA MENDOZA: NYC Department of Education Deputy Chancellor

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MOMAR G. VISAYA / AJPRESS

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Y first name is Greek, my last name is Spanish but I am a proud Pinay,” declared Hydra Mendoza, Deputy Chancellor for Community Empowerment, Partnerships, and Communications at the Department of Education in New York City. The event was the Filipina Women’s Network’s Disrupt 3.0 book launch at the Philippine Center and it was in one way, Mendoza’s introduction to the Filipino American community in the northeast. Her father served in the military for 28 years and brought his wife and three older sisters to the States in 1964. Hydra and her younger brother were born and raised here. “You can just imagine we grew up in a dynamic household of siblings who were able to speak their home language and have a true appreciation for their heritage and culture versus their American born siblings who didn’t understand the sacrifices that were made by them and our parents,” Mendoza shared. Growing up, her dream was either to become a news sportscaster or a professional team lawyer because she was outgoing and always loved sports. She ended up working in real estate and finance after college but she realized later that her passion was somewhere else. Hydra stumbled into education by taking a brain development class after giving birth to her daughter 23 years ago. She fell in love with early childhood development and found her way in turning education into a career of passion. That led to three years of

being a pre-school teacher, acting director, and parent president of the Miraloma Cooperative Nursery School in San Francisco, where she was responsible for the operations of the school, including developing curriculum and conducting outreach. She is a founding member and former executive director of Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco, an organization focused on engaging parents and community members around key issues in public education. Mendoza also served as Senior Advisor for Education to San Francisco Mayor (and now California Governor) Gavin Newson from 2005-2011 and then with the late Mayor Ed Lee the Mayor’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Education and Equity. “While serving mayors Newsom and Lee for 13 years, I ran for office three times, with a lot of encouragement and support and became the first elected Filipina in the city and county of San Francisco,” she said. Mendoza was the first and only Filipina elected to office in San

Francisco. In 2006, 2010, and 2014, she successfully won a city-wide bid and re-election for a seat on the San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education. “To this day there is still not a Filipina that has been elected in San Francisco, which makes me really sad,” she said. Then came the offer last year to join NYC’s Department of Education as Deputy Chancellor for Community Empowerment, Partnerships, and Communications. The New York City Department of Education is the department of the government of New York City that manages the city’s public school system, the largest school system in the United States, with over 1.1 million students taught in more than 1,800 schools. In this newly created role, Mendoza oversees the divisions of Family and Community Empowerment, communications, external affairs, intergovernmental affairs, and translation and interpretation services, and lead the DOE’s work to empower families and communities, while increasing awareness of and support for key policy issues. Indeed, as FWN founder and CEO Marily Mondejar said, “San Francisco’s loss is New York City’s gain.” Move to New York “Hydra is one of the staunchest allies for public school families that you’ll ever find,” said Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza in announcing Mendoza’s appointment. “I saw Hydra’s innate ability to connect with students and parents firsthand during my time in San Francisco, as she galvanized neighborhoods and communities to strive towards equity for all students. With her unmatched passion for our children, I have no doubt that Hydra will serve as a key resource for our

families across the City.” Chancellor Carranza sent Mendoza the job description and said

Hydra Mendoza, NYC DOE’s Deputy Chancellor for Community Empowerment, Partnerships and Communications

Hydra Mendoza, Deputy Chancellor for Community Empowerment, Partnerships and Communications at the New York Department of Education, community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis and Marily Mondejar, FWN founder and CEO (all seated) are joined by some of the authors who contributed to “DISRUPT 3.0. Filipina Women: RISING”, FWN’s 3rd book in its Filipina Leadership Series. AJPress Photos by Momar G. Visaya

he needed somebody who will pay attention to how the DOE will engage parents and community so they’d be more interested in public schools. Carranza was formerly the superintendent in San Francisco before moving to New York during the time that Mendoza was a member of the Board of Education. “I was his boss and now he is my boss,” she said at the leadership chat with Loida Nicolas Lewis during the FWN book launch. “I think that speaks volumes about the amount of respect and trust that we have in each other.” Mendoza has spent her career empowering communities to fight for equity in education and in her new role, she looks forward to partnering with school communities across New York City to ensure every single child is receiving the education they deserve. “I have often been asked to serve instead of having to ask if I can,” she said. “And I share this with you not to impress you but to impress upon you that the roads we travel are many and our commitment to fulfill our passion while keeping our integrity intact is critical.” Mrs. Lewis also asked Mendoza to talk about a difficult challenge in her personal life and how she dealt with. Mendoza began by saying that they were very close to San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee and how they were affected by his sudden death at the age of 65, then three months later, Mendoza’s mom died of cancer. “It was six months of twirling around, trying to figure out how I managed. I was president of the school board at that time, I was still serving as deputy chief of staff for the mayor,” she shared.

Community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis engages in a leadership chat with Hydra Mendoza, Deputy Chancellor for Community Empowerment, Partnerships and Communications at the New York Department of Education. The event was at “DISRUPTing New York,” the official launch of FWN’s 3rd book in its Filipina Leadership Series - “DISRUPT 3.0. Filipina Women: RISING” and the celebration of International Women’s Day co-convened by the Philippine Consulate General led by Consul General Claro S. Cristobal.

Hydra Mendoza, Deputy Chancellor for Community Empowerment, Partnerships and Communications at the New York Department of Education, community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis, Marily Mondejar, FWN founder and CEO and Consul General Claro S. Cristobal (all seated) are joined by some of the authors who contributed to “DISRUPT 3.0. Filipina Women: RISING”, FWN’s 3rd book in its Filipina Leadership Series and consulate officers Vice Consul Tanya Ramiro, Consul Armand Talbo and Cultural Officer Olive Magpile.

For the first time in 25 years, she took three months off. “It was the best way for me to recoup,” Mendoza said. “Except on my trip back from the Philippines, I was getting recruited for this New York job.” Her husband Eric McDonnell works for a national organization and Mendoza said “he could be anywhere”. Both their kids are young adults. “It was a good time to pick up our lives and do a new routine. Everything for us here in New York is brand new. Every weekend

you will never find us because we are off doing something in a new neighborhood eating something delicious and listening to great music,” she said. “Who gets to do that? In your mid 50s and you pick up your life, go to the east coast and you meet amazing, wonderful new friends.” “I am grateful for the opportunity to rebuild my community here on the east coast and to start with the Filipino community. I am really blessed and honored to be here,” she added.

Fil-Am vlogger Wil Dasovich shares his life after fighting cancer By KRISTINE

DAGUNO-BERSAMINA Philstar.com

A YEAR after being pronounced cancer-free, vlogger Wil Dasovich said that he continues to remember the good news and remains thankful for it. In August 2017, the 27-yearold vlogger and former “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate first disclosed that he had been diagnosed with colon cancer. Wil went through several rounds of chemotherapy and had surgery on his large intestine as part of his treatment. The surgery, according to his January 2018 vlog, was the final step to becoming cancer-free. Last week, Wil opened up

about his journey of battling cancer at the launch of Axe Recommends in Makati City. “And everytime you go back, you know, it’s a very scary thing and life, reality kinda hits you hard that you really don’t know what’s going to happen next,” Wil said in an interview with Philstar.com. “Luckily, I got the good news. And you kinda like restart and come back with a fresh mind that you’re able to appreciate things a little more, so I’m very thankful that I’m doing okay,” he added. Even after having completed the cancer treatment, Wil keeps regular follow-up appoinments with his doctors. “It’s the same thing. It’s

checking up, making sure everything is intact, and luckily for me, it has been exactly a year when I went back to my anniversary. I’ve been clean from the disease and everything,” Wil said. During the interview, the vlogger also shared how this difficult experience changed him and his perspective on life. “You know life is a constant challenge for everyone, even for people who think they don’t have any problem. We all have problems,” Wil said. “The way you define success is how you handle the situation, to keep battling,” he said. “Because really, that’s all you can do.”

Wil Dasovich

Photo from Instagram/@wil_dasovich

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EntErtainmEnt

Ai-Ai delas Alas set to have a baby by 2020

Engaged? Nadine Lustre on real score with James Reid MiLo seveRo Philstar.com

Philstar.com

Ai-Ai deals Alas with husband Gerald Sibayan

decorated cap, so timely for this year when she marks her 30th year in showbiz. She’s turning 55 in November yet but she will celebrate the milestone five months in advance (in June) with a big concert as a farewell gesture for Archbishop Antonio Tobias who is retiring this year. All the earnings will be spent for the completion of the Kristong Hari Church which is one of Ai-Ai’s charity projects. By next year, Ai-Ai and husband Gerald Sibayan (who will be a licensed pilot in 2020 when he graduates from a flying school in Subic, Zambales) will focus on (finally!) having their first child. Unlike former DILG Secretary/Senatoriable Mar Roxas and his wife Korina Sanchez who just had twins through In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), Ai-Ai is determined to have it the natural way. “Para feel na feel ko,” she said. “This early, I am already preparing

MANILA — Kapamilya actress Nadine Lustre denied speculations that she and onand off-screen partner James Reid are engaged. In an interview with Boy Abunda in the talk show “Tonight With Boy Abunda,” Abunda asked Nadine: “Are you engaged? Are you secretly married? Nag-propose ba si James sa farm?” Nadine answered “No” to all of Boy’s questions. The “Ulan” star, nevertheless, said that she cannot imagine her life without James: “Parang no. Iiyak ako. Kasi iba talaga. I’m really, really thankful that he came in to my life. It was so different before.” “‘Yung naging transition ko from who I was before to the person I am now is so beautiful Photo from Instagram/@msaiaidelasalas na kahit hindi na kami ni James, my body for it. I work out in the gym regularly to strengthen my back. I’m working harder now because I want to save because if ever I get pregnant, I will take a one-year leave from showbiz.” Already, the couple has chosen two names: Sandrine By MaRidoL Ronoa-BisMaRk Grain if a girl and Sargent Gail if Philstar.com a boy. They don’t expect twins. The names have to start with the IF she and fellow Kapamilya letter “S” because, according to star Maymay Entrata were to Ai-Ai, “may ‘S’ ang names ng mga have a dream project, Kisses anak ko…Sancho, Sophia and Delavin would pick a light one Shawn Nicolo. Gerald wants to based on a story of friendship. have ‘G’ in the names.” That is how strongly Kisses Meanwhile, aside from the feels for her fellow teen star, GMA show “Sunday PINASaya,” whom fans want to pity against Ai-Ai is kept busy by movie her on social media. assignments — one for Regal, “I want a story about one for GMA Films (titled Kiko superpowers, like the Powerpuff & Lala, with “Super Tekla”), one Girls,” Kisses said at the recent to be directed by Joven Tan, media conference livestreaming one for Viva (“Sons of Nanay company iWant called for its Sabel,” principal photography ongoing three-part series, “Touch completed) and another one Screen.” titled “Feellinneals” (with Pops Kisses’ imagination goes on Fernandez). overdrive. Maymay, she said, will be Lastikman (a comics character with the power to assume any shape he wants). Kisses, meanwhile, will be happily playing a Powerpuff girl whose powers complement Lastikman’s. This willingness to adjust to Maymay’s character shows just how deep the friendship between the two young stars has grown. It proves that popularity has failed to get the better of Kisses, who plays Velma in iWant’s “Ang Alamat ng Ano” (along with Maymay’s Nura).

By iza igLesias ManilaTimes.net

Charo Santos and Bea Alonzo

Santos. Director in awe Without a doubt, their young but accomplished film director was totally in awe to have two of the Philippines’ best actresses on his movie set. “It was intimidating to be sure, but once I got to know them — from pre-production, discussions, look tests and shooting itself — ang gaan ng set. We had no problems and our schedule went very smoothly. Nakuha namin lahat ng shooting days,” Red happily revealed. “As a young filmmaker, ang laging mahirap gawin is to balance your authority — na kailangan alam nila na alam mo yung ginagawa mo, na may vision ka — and to show that grabe yung respect ko sa kanila. Mas matagal na sila sa industry, mas marami silang nagawang films compared sa akin, so ang dami ko ding natutunan from them,” added the 27-year-old director who gained acclaim in both the local and international film scene with the independent and highly awarded movie, “Birdshot.” Int’l co-production Eerie is hinged on the mysterious deaths of some students at the conservative, allgirls school Sta. Lucia Academy. As Pat, Alonzo plays the role of guidance counselor who tries to solve the case. She suspects the murderer to be the school’s fanatical overseer Sor Alice, portrayed by Santos. A key witness who can provide answers to the haunting string of deaths is the ghost of Eri, a student who committed suicide on the school grounds more than a decade ago. According to Red, what makes the movie a stand out is that it “fuses western influences and local

Nadine Lustre and James Reid

he will always have a place in my heart,” Nadine said. Since her relationship with James began three years ago, Nadine said she changed a lot for the better. “I can say that I changed a lot in the relationship for the better. Before po kasi ‘yung mga small things, sobrang nagwoworry ako palagi kasi I’m an over-thinker. So madalas akong nag-anxiety,” Lustre said.

Philstar.com photo

“But now kasi, I’ve learned how to handle it properly, to let the bad stuff go. I don’t hold grudges anymore, I’m always positive. If something bad happens, hindi na ko ‘yung, ‘Oh my God, ano gagawin ko?’ I think logically na and I strategize kung ano ang gagawin ko at kung paano ko lalampasan. I’m very calm now. And I learned how to communicate and open up.”

New Nora and Vilma? Kisses Delavin on ‘rivalry’ with Maymay Entrata

Charo Santos, Bea Alonzo topbill new horror flick ‘Eerie’ ASIA’S Best Actress Charo Santos and this generation’s movie queen Bea Alonzo are sharing the big screen for the first time but not in a heavy drama as moviegoers would expect. Surprisingly — or better yet — thrillingly, these highly regarded actresses have gone out of their comfort zones to star in a horror flick by young and multi-awarded director Mikhail Red, titled “Eerie.” The proudly Philippine production successfully premiered at the Singapore International Film Festival in December 2018, and marks Alonzo’s first foray int Bababeng Humayo.” Incidentally, Santos only has one other horror movie in her filmography, Mike de Leon’s “Itim” in the late ‘70s. At a media conference on Saturday, Alonzo said it was a dream come true to be able to work with her longtime boss, Santos, who retired as ABS-CBN President and CEO in 2015. “Dream come true po para sa akin ang makasama sa isang frame si Ma’am Charo. Honestly, noong umpisa, talagang kinakabahan ako. Hindi ko alam kung ano ba dapat yung expectations ko, but when the workshops and meetings came, alam n’yo parang ibang hat ang suot ni Ma’am Charo. She was not the top ABS-CBN executive I came to know but an actress in every way,” Alonzo praised her senior co-star. “And she is always open to collaboration so ibang pakiramdam ‘yung, parang nag-share kayong dalawa ng art, kaya hindi ko makakalimutan itong experience na ito, besides the fact that it is also my first horror movie, my first time to work with Mikhail Red, and first time to join an international festival. So isang milestone ito para sa akin,” she added. Santos, on the other hand, was just as excited to work with Alonzo whose career she has followed from the very beginning. “Bea was only 13 years old when I met her. Talagang nasundan ko ang kanyang career bilang isang artista at isa siya sa mga hinahangaan ko sa mga kabataang artista. I felt very excited to work with her also because she’s a very intelligent and generous actress. She works hard and is a true professional,” responded

15

By Jan

By Ricky Lo

LIKE in 2017 when she won Best Actress in the 7th Queens World Film Festival (QWFF) for Area, Ai-Ai delas Alas was absent at the 39th Fantasporto International Film Festival (FPIFF) awards night in Portugal over the weekend when she won Best Actress for “School Service.” “I’m lucky when I don’t attend the awards night,” Ai-Ai told Funfare, recalling that she was present at the Kazakhstan filmfest but she lost (also for Area). “When I won in 2017, a text message about my win roused me from sleep. Ganoon din last Sunday when somebody texted me the good news.” On both occasions, it was Louie Ignacio, director of both movies (produced by Baby Go’s BG Productions), who received the awards for Ai-Ai who has been proven “winnable” abroad when she does drama. In Area (for which she won two other awards at the Los Angeles and ASEAN filmfests), she plays an aging prostitute who is running a brothel and in School Service, as a wheelchair-bound beggar who is a member of a child-trafficking syndicate. “Actually, I forgot all about Portugal because my mind was on Queens where I will hand over the Best Actress trophy to the next winner. During my time, it was Cherie (Gil), that year’s winner, who handed me the trophy,” adding, “I would have wanted to go to Portugal to visit the Our Lady of Fatima Shrine.” (Ai-Ai is a Marian devotee.) So far, Ai-Ai has been nominated more than a dozen times and won Best Actress 14 times for comedic performances mostly in her iconic “Tanging Ina” character. The recent award is a new feather on Ai-Ai’s already well-

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 8-14, 2019

Photos courtesy of Star Cinema

flavors.” “The film’s surface has very familiar elements like yung urban legend of having a ghost in a restroom. We start with something familiar and as the story progresses, doon namin ipapakita yung bali. Ito yung anchor para may kakapitan yung audience and then slowly mari-realize nila, may layers pala ang film na ito,” Red noted. “Another interesting factor is that Eerie is one of the first international co-productions of Star Cinema. Nag-partnerup sila with a Singapore-based production company, Cre8 Productions, after I pitched this movie to them. And sobrang swerte ko as a filmmaker na nadecide nila na i-finalize yung movie together. So hindi lang namin goal sa pelikulang ito to show it to the local audience but ito yung type of film na gusto naming i-export na dapat proud tayo of its quality,” he continued. The director consequently noted that doing a horror movie is indeed very technical requires strict visual elements, including precise camera movements and timing. And while he found all these aspects very challenging, he guarantees the audience will get their money’s worth once they have seen the movie. Completing the cast of Eerie, which gathered very positive reviews after its Singapore premiere, are Jake Cuenca, Maxene Magalona-Mananquil, Gillian Vicencio, Mary Joy Apostol and Gabby Padilla. Produced by ABS-CBN Films-Star Cinema and Cre8 Productions, the movie opens on March 27 in Philippine cinemas with simultaneous international screenings across Southeast Asia, another first for a Filipino film.

Maymay Entrata and Kisses Delavin

“Showbiz is temporary,” Kisses explained. “Stars come and go. The friendship that stays is more important.” Thus, the two friends can wrestle in the mud for as long as the director wants, or pull each other’s hair to show rivalry on cam as Nura and Velma. But Kisses and Maymay will do their best to turn their faces away from the camera because they are laughing while shooting the “fight” scene. It is easy to extend this rivalry off-cam. Someone pointed out that Maymay’s “morena” skin mimics Nora’s. Kisses’ roundshaped face is similar to that of Vilma’s. The similarity can fan the

Photo from Instagram/@kissesdelavin

flames of rivalry that has made showbiz doubly exciting through the years. While admitting that the situation is unfair, Kisses understands that rivalry translates to higher social media views. But, like Vilma who calls Nora “kumare,” Kisses will not let this ruin her friendship with Maymay. “You can’t avoid comparisons,” Kisses noted. Hence, she offered a piece of advice to fellow actresses pitted against each other, on screen, and off: “Don’t let it affect you. For all you know, the girl being compared to you is also being compared to someone else.”

JC de Vera had nothing to do with Angel Locsin set walkout

“Ang nakakita lang ata that time is yung mga production staff. Noong nagising ako, hindi na ako masyadong nagtanong ABS-CBN actor JC de Vera kasi I realized everyone kept broke his silence to set the silent din about it. Kumabaga record straight amid reports about his involvement on prime- hindi dapat siya pag-chismisan or time star Angel Locsin’s walkout pag-usapan, and bilang malaki ang respeto namin kay Angel, from the set of their series, “The wala din gustong magtanong General’s Daughter.” what really happened,” he The issue, which first added. surfaced on the entertainment Coming to the defense of news site Pep.ph, alleged that Locsin nonetheless, de Vera Locsin ranted against their revealed, “But nagsend siya ng director Manny Palo who unloaded a barrage of expletives text message sa lahat saying she following a scene she taped with was sorry and pasensya na sa abala. Sabi ko personally, ‘Okay de Vera. lang, I understand. Kung ano man While a host of other speculations have since emerged ‘yung nangyari, syempre malaking misunderstanding lang.’ — from an incident between “And after that, tuloy-tuloy Locsin and a disrespectful production staff to Locsin herself naman ang taping. Maraming scenes ang pwedeng kuhanan causing problems for the show na wala siya kasi the time na from repeated tardiness — de nangyari ‘yun, malalaking eksena Vera, of course, only picked yung mga kinukunan, all star cast up on the story claiming his kaya nandoon kami lahat.” involvement. De Vera further gave his take In a round table interview on the story that Locsin and select members of media the director had a tiff causing including The Manila Times her to walk out. But he did not Entertainment, de Vera seized deny Palo does raise his voice the opportunity to clear his every now and then when taping name. “A lot of us were asleep when which is only common among directors. [the incident] happened so we “As far as I know, Direk were all clueless about when we Manny was also clueless that woke up,” the 32-year old actor began his statement. “Kaya kung time ‘nung nagising kami on what happened. But ang tatanungin niyo ako kung ano talaga nangyari, hindi ko po alam. masasabi ko lang ay hindi madali i-mount yung mga eksena namin. Kahit itanong niyo sa set namin, Every scene that we do in The iisa lang ang sagot ng mga tao General’s Daughter ay mahirap doon [about me]: “Tulog si JC.” talaga. So hindi natin maiiwasan To set the record straight, na lahat nagiging emotional and de Vera further declared he had stressed out because everyone’s no scenes with Locsin on the working under pressure,” he day of the walkout. Asked as far said. as knew what happened after Hindi maiiwasan yung ganun Locsin left, he said they were kasi gusto lang talaga namin still able to resume taping the pagandahin yung palabas namin remaining scenes for the day and lahat kami very focused dun. that did not involve the actress. By iza igLesias ManilaTimes.net

Kaya hindi talaga maiiwasan na tumataas ang emosyon ng mga tao every now and then especially since we even go on location to Tarlac, to Batangas at pumapasok na walang tulog.” One thing’s for sure though, de Vera continues to have the utmost respect and admiration for Locsin, whom he further describes as one of the most humble actresses she has encountered. “The following taping day after what happened, fit to work. ‘Nung day na yun, lahat ng eksena sa kanya and nagawa namin ng maayos na nasa normal yung emosyon ng mga tao,” he shared. “Angel is one of the most humble superstars na nakatrabaho ko. Very thankful ako kay Angel kasi nga ganun siya sa amin. Siguro dahil nga gusto niyang maging successful ang palabas niya, she makes it a point na very comfortable siya with everyone and vice versa so we can all perform at our best at masabayan ang galing niya. “It must be the pressure— mahirap nga naman siya yung General’s Daughter and face niya yung nagiisa sa poster. So kami, bilang support, syempre we want to give our best for her para kahit papano, mabawasan ang pressure sa kanya. “[Despite the issue] never siya nagbigay ng sakit ng ulo. She’s very professional, and yung sinasabi nila about being late, kahit nga sa province ang taping namin, and the call time is 7 a.m., nandun siya ng 5 or 6.” For JC de Vera, it will just be best for everyone to move on from the issue as he has done. After all, the set is back to normal and just like any workplace, even TV sets have bad days now and again.

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MARCH 8-14, 2019 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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